Syllabus for Geology and Archaeology of the Americas

GEOL 270/AH 290--Spring 2006
Brevard College
400 North Broad Street
Brevard, NC 28712

Instructors: Dr. Jim Reynolds (a.k.a. JR ), Dr. Anne Chapin
Meeting Room: MS 210                                 Meeting Time: R 4:00-5:40
JR's Office: MS 207A
Office Hours: 11:00 - 11:50 AM. Monday, Wednesday,  Friday
    Other times by appointment or chance.  We can also eat lunch together in the cafeteria.
E-mail: reynoljh@brevard.edu URL: http://www2.brevard.edu/reynoljh/
Text:   

Course Description

This course will explore the relationships between the fields of Geology and Archaeology with regard to the cultures that developed in the Andes and in Mesoamerica. This course is a will satisfy the Lab Science Core Requirement.

  4 Semester Hours.

Goals and Objectives

1) to heighten the student's appreciation, awareness, and understanding of the relationship between ancient cultures and the earth,

2) to promote understanding of science and the methods of science,

3) to introduce the student to plate tectonics, structural geology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleontology and field geology, as applied to archaeological investigation

4)  to demonstrate connections between the geological environment and the rise of ancient cultures..

This course is designed for students seeking to satisfy the lab science core requirement and for students majoring in Environmental Studies or Ecology as well as those who wish to gain field experience in Geology and/or Archaeology.

Class Meeting Times

4:00 p.m. - 5:40 p.m.     Thursday

Course Activities

Class periods will consist of lectures and student presentations; it is essential to take good notes.  Readings will be assigned from the text.  Students who skip class and/or don't take good notes usually take the course at least twice. Each student is allowed one unexcused absence. If you miss 5 classes you will not be allowed to participate on the trip. You will receive no refund.

All students are required to deliver a Power Point Presentation on an Andean or Mesoamerican culture with emphasis on how that culture took advantage of its geological environment. Possible topics will be circulated in the first weeks of class.

A web page or pages about the field trip to Peru and Bolivia is required of all GEOL 270 and AH 290 students by the last day of class.

Field Trip

Final Exam

Monday, May 8, 2006 at 1:30 pm.

Grading Policy

Each test, trip, etc. contributes the following number of points to the final grade:

 Final Exam                                            
 Midterm Exam                           
 Power Point Presentation  

Web Page

Journal

Field trip/behavior/attitude

Total
                                                               

150 points                    
100Points                           
100 Points  

100 points

100 points

200 points
 
 850  points

Exam Policy

No tests will be given late if missed without a valid excuse*. No early exams will be given without a valid excuse*. All exams will be graded on a curve. There will be no make-ups for tests missed without a valid excuse*.

Cheating/Plagiarism

Don't! See the policies on cheating and plagiarism in the Student Handbook. Penalties range from a grade of zero on the assignment to exclusion from the class for the rest of the semester and/or a final grade of F in the course. 

Attendance

Attendance is vital to the learning process. "Excused" absences require a valid excuse*. Participation in official college-sponsored activities requires documentation ahead of time. A student may be dropped after 5 absences. 

Tardiness

Late arrivals disrupt the class.  Tardiness will not be tolerated and late students will be publicly humiliated.

Reading Assignments

It is essential that you read the required material. You will probably find it fascinating and it will augment what you learn in lecture.

Classroom Behavior

Do we really need to say anything? This is college, not the 6th grade! If you disrupt class you will be given the choice of receiving an F or withdrawing from the course.

Students with Special Learning Needs

If you need accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information, or if you need special arrangements for building evacuation, please inform me as soon as possible.  Students with disabilities also need to contact the Office for Students with Special Needs and Disabilities (MG-203A) to arrange accommodations for this course.  We will accommodate you in any way we can.

* A valid excuse is defined as a documented illness or official college-sponsored activities.

Brevard College

Last Updated 1 /25/05