Syllabus

Schedule of Lectures and Labs
(Lectures are in Scovel 116 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from
11:00 – 11:50 a.m.)

Week 21 August
Introduction: The Cenozoic, Geomorphic Concepts and Basics
Reading: Read this excerpt from S. Schumm’s book To Interpret the Earth, Read Chapters 1 and 2 in Ritter (your textbook).
Lab: We will in the lab (Scovel 305) on Monday (26 August). Here is the outline for all labs and for your project (due at the end of the course). Here are top ten things to consider when writing up labs – we will discuss these in class.
Preparation Questions

Week 26 August
Weathering: Physical and Chemical
Reading: Read Chapters 3 and 4 in Ritter (your text). Raymo and Ruddiman will provide the big picture for weathering and the details can be found here.
Lab: Monday Lab in Scovel 305 – Intro to LIDAR.
Preparation Questions

2 September
Weathering and Soils
Reading: Again Chapters 3 and 4 and Introduction to soils – read Retallack (reading 3 on the readings page (password is wooster)).
Lab: Fieldtrip to Wooster Memorial Park – our first field project.
Preparation Questions

9 September – We begin discussion about soils. To keep up your soils IQ read this. Also take a look at the Geofact series put out by the ODNR – read the one on aglime. The various resources of the NRCS and the excellent site mantained by the University of Idaho. To find the soils survey maps online go to this site. To download the physiographic, glacial, soils, geologic and shaded relief maps for Ohio to to the ODNR site.(Resources: Soils Maps (NRCS), StreamStats (USGS))here are some videos showing you how to use Google Earth – spreadsheets etc. click here and login.
Lab: We will take a quick trip to Spangler – trip 2 – bring your cameras – the class will be putting up the next blog. 
Reading: We really can’t talk about soils without some understanding of biogeochemical cycles – go to the readings page and read Reading 5.
Preparation Questions

16 September – We have an exam on 20 September (Friday) – As a guide take a look at this past exam. Note that some of these topics we have not covered but all in all it will help.
Mass Movements, Hillslope Hydrology and Hydrographs
Lab: We will be describing a stratigraphic section in the Little Killbuck drainage – there will be a stream crossing.  There will be Mud.
Preparation Questions

23 September – Note that Wiles will be at the
Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America on Monday – there will be no formal meeting of class and lab on Monday – but you will have a LIDAR assignment

TOPIC: Soils has got to be the topic.
Reading: Again Chapter 3  Introduction to soils – read Retallack (reading 3 on the readings page (password is wooster)). We begin discussion about soils. To keep up your soils IQ read this. Also take a look at the Geofact series put out by the ODNR – read the one on aglime. The various resources of the NRCS and the excellent site mantained by the University of Idaho. To find the soils survey maps online go to this site. To download the physiographic, glacial, soils, geologic and shaded relief maps for Ohio to to the ODNR site.(Resources: Soils Maps (NRCS), StreamStats (USGS))here are some videos showing you how to use Google Earth – spreadsheets etc. click here and login.
Preparation Questions

30 September – Soils and Introduction to Streams (actually we have been working on streams all along as well as glaciers since you can’t avoid it in NE Ohio field sites)
Reading: Soils is the topic and Browns Lake is the field site this week.
Lab – We will be traveling to Browns Lake
Preparation Questions

After classes on 4 October – 13 October – Fall Break

14 October – The fluvial system – load supply and stream patterns is the topic – Lab will be in Scovel 305. We will work on cross-sections from water well logs and draft them up in Adobe Illustrator. This will be due next Monday. The reading is Chapter 5 in the book.

Preparation Questions

21 October
Read: We will continue discussion about streams and what controls the formation and modification of stream channels. The reading is Chapter 5 in the book.
Lab: Lab will be spent going out to Apple Creek for Stream Hydraulics Lab.
Preparation Questions

28 October – 1 November – Exam Friday  and we will continue with discussion of streams patterns their controls and hydrography. See here for a reading. We will meet in 305 for lab and discuss a a proposed class project with Spangler data.

Resources for Fern Valley. 1 – maps and logs. Fern Valley exercise here.We will obtain well log from water wells here. The oil and gas wells can be found here. Streamstats is here. For topographic maps and orthophotos look here . We will be looking at three sites on the Shreve and New Pittsburgh USGS 7.5 minute quads.For the stream classification part of the lab look here or cruise the web for materials. Here is the groundwater/glacial map for Holmes County. Here is a report about the Pollution Potential for Holmes (the so-called PP report). You have the Soils map for the Fern Valley area from lab two weeks ago. Fern Valley – describe deposits and construct a conceptual diagram and geologic cross-section according to the handout – this is due next Monday see handout from last week.  Read this classic on mill ponds.299.full
Preparation Questions

4  November We will go over the exam in class and continue our investigation of the Fern Valley Geology.
Reading: Be sure to watch this video as well.
Lab: Fern Valley Trip #1 – looks like it will be a good day.
We are armed with some images and LiDAR of the sits and Morgan’s Cross-section. We will take a lot of video explaining, for a general audience – the stratigraphy and geologic history (post-glacier) of the valley.
Preparation Questions

11 November- Fern Valley Week.
Lab: We will be in 305 working on the figures and script for the Fern Valley project.
Read: Chapter 6 in the text.
Preparation Questions

18 November – Glaciers and Glaciation We will finish up streams and deltas.Classification of Glaciers is next starting on Monday 25 November.
Reading: The Beaver Reading handed out in class.
Lab: We will be going out to Fern Valley for filming – tile probing and getting photos of sites for the Fern Valley – Geologic History Project.
Preparation Questions

25 November  
Glaciers
Reading:Read Chapter 9 in the book on the readings page and this link
Lab: Glaciers and glaciation is the topic – I will give you this lab if it appears we do not need some intensive work to get the Fern Valley project completed. This is the priority.
Preparation Questions

2 December – Glaciers and Periglacial Environments (Readings handed out in class )
Lab: We will presenting and displaying the projects during the lab period and perhaps going over the course materials as a review.
Preparation Questions

Final: 12 Noon in Scovel 116 on 9 December (Monday)

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