GO 324A Rocks and Minerals Dr. Susan Ward Aber www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/syllabus.htm

Emporia State University Emporia, Kansas USA Earth Science Department

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Fall 2009 Rock and Mineral class at Rose Dome Left to right, front row: Jue, Susie, Jessica, April, Lynn Megan; left to right, back row: Jeremy, Daniel, Bill, Alan, David, Amanda, Thomas. Photo © by J.S. Aber, 11/2009

Course Introduction General Enrollment Information General Course Information Schedule in Brief References and Links

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The ESU Undergraduate Catalog is online at www.emporia.edu/regist/catalog/, and review ESU policy at www.emporia.edu/esuclass/dishones.htm. Academic dishonesty, which includes cheating and plagiarism, is not tolerated in this course and penalties will result. In addition,

Emporia State University will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students need to contact the Director of Disability Services, http://www.emporia.edu/disability/, and the professor as early in the semester as possible to ensure that classroom and academic accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. All communication between students, the Office of Disability Services, and the professor will be strictly confidential.

General links to information on programs, enrollment, and fees at ESU are listed below.

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• Campus course location and time: Tuesday/Thursday, 11-12:20 pm; ESU Science Hall, Room 128
• Instructor contact information: Susie Aber; Science Hall, Office 109 A, T 1-4 & by appointment; email at saber@emporia.edu; 620-341-5977.
• Prerequisite course: ES110/111 or by consent of instructor.
• Required text: Chesterman, C. W. 1979. Audubon society field guide to North American rocks and minerals (latest printing edition). Alfred A. Knopf. (ISBN 0-394-50269-8)
• Recommended equipment: Triplet 10X Loupe. A loupe is a magnifying lens or simple microscope. The Hastings triplet is the highest quality lens with minimal shape and light distortion.
• Course description and outcomes: This course is about solid materials that make up the Earth's crust including minerals, rocks, and sediments. Students learn about rock and mineral composition, texture, and structure; typical geologic environments of formation; and classification and identification techniques. Hand specimen identification of common rocks and minerals is emphasized. Student learning outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
• recognize characteristic physical properties and terminology associated with minerals, rocks, and sediments;
• utilize simple equipment to facilitate mineral and rock identification;
• construct a specimen collection to demonstrate classification, mode of formation, and field settings for minerals and rocks.
• Grading: 4 exams, 15% each; assignments, 15%; specimen collection 20%; class & field trip attendance, 5%. Academic dishonesty will result in a lower grade, and attendance is required. One assignment late pass is allowed during the semester; a late pass provides a one week extension past the due date. Late passes must be requested in advance of the due date and can not be applied to exams.
• Field trip: Campus students have a required all-day course field trip that includes sights in Woodson and Wilson counties. Departure is 8 a.m. and the return to campus will be between 5-6 p.m. Since we will enter an open pit mine, the trip must be on a weekday to accomodate the mine managers and will be on a Friday, November 5 - adjust your class/work/life schedule today so you have that day free! The primary purpose of this trip is to observe and collect rocks and minerals in natural field environments, as well as to demonstrate typical geologic environments of formation.
• Specimen collections: Assembled from the class field trip and your personal mineral and rock collections. You can collect around 20 different specimens on the field trip, which must be included in the collection. However, additional collecting is required to meet the suggested collection size of 40 specimens. Trading specimens and locating specimens in and around Emporia or on other field trips are all acceptable ways to build your collection.

• Grading: 80% of the specimen collection grade is in the correct identification and accompanying information for the actual specimens. 20% of the grade is in the overall organization, neatness, and style, which includes proper labeling and a report on the field trip (1-2 pages) and collection (listing of specimens).

  Details: Minerals should be grouped and labeled by chemical classification (e.g., carbonate, oxide, phyllosilicate, etc.) or chemical formula, and the location of the find should be included. Rocks should be classified (e.g., igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary), dated (e.g., formation or member name and series or system using geologic maps for identification), and located (e.g., city, county & state/province). Collections should contain no more than 40 specimens that are correctly identified and labeled. It is highly recommended that each specimen has a number and label. Label templates are provided.

  Specimens should be placed in a logical grouping and be displayed in some kind a case/box. A report should accompany the collection with general information on the geologic environments for the field trip sites or your other specific collecting areas. The report could also include an organized master list of all specimens submitted. There is no one right way to present the collection and variation in style and presentation is expected. For the report, citations and references to literature are encouraged. For more information visit www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/collection.htm

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Classes begin August 18. If you are enrolled in this course, please email me at saber@emporia.edu and introduce yourself by August 25. Place the phrase I found the GO 324 syllabus online! in the subject line. In the body of the message, remind me to add one point to your first test for participating and following instructions!

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• Bates, R. L., & Jackson, J. A. (Eds.) 1987. Glossary of geology (Third Edition). Alexandria, VA: American Geological Institue.
• Chesterman, C. W. 1978. The Audubon society field guide to North American rocks and minerals. NY: Alfred A. Knopf.
• Raymond, L. A. 1995. Petrology the study of igneous sedimentary metamorphic rocks. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown Publishers.
• Kansas Minerals, www.emporia.edu/earthsci/outreach/fourh.htm
• Missouri is a State of Mines, www.emporia.edu/earthsci/outreach/missouri.htm.
• Interactive Map of Rock Clubs, find.mapmuse.com/interest/rock_clubs
• Interactive Map of Rock Shops, http://find.mapmuse.com/interest/rock_shops

Course Lecture Links

Petrology Introduction www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/intro.htm	Minerals www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/mineral.htm
Rocks www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/rock.htm	Igneous www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/igneous.htm
Sedimentary Rock www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/sediment.htm	Metamorphic Rock www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/metamor.htm
Course Field Trip www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/field_trip.htm	Course Syllabus www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/syllabus.htm
Class and Field Trip Specimen Collection www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/collection.htm

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This page originates from the Earth Science department for the use and benefit of students enrolled at Emporia State University. The curriculum is © by the author, 2001-2009. Last update November 25, 2009. For more information contact the course instructor, Dr. S. W. Aber, e-mail: saber@emporia.edu

To understand copyright, visit www.copyright.gov/. All rights reserved. Susan Ward Aber.