NOTE: TERM PAPERS READY FOR PICKUP (SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR DETAILS)

Here's the course outline
(Word format) or (PDF file)

Your Teaching Assistants Are:

Scott Parsons: sparsons@uwo.ca (office: Biol & Geol. Sci. Bldg., Rm. 17)(Marking Coordinator)
-contact Scott on any issues about grading issues for assignments

Wayne Edwards: wedward3@uwo.ca
Junhui Wang: jwang336@uwo.ca (office: Staging Bldg. Rm. 209)

All of the above people are available for help.  Please contact them in advance if you need an extended period of time for questions.

Planned lectures and other significant items in order of appearance:
Note: The following downloadable handouts of the lecture slides are provided here for those who wish to have the slide images on hand to add notes to. Do not use these files as a substitute for coming to class !  Information given in class does not always appear in detailed form in these handout versions of the lecture slides, so don't assume that all the information you need for your exams will be provided in these documents.  If you miss a lecture, it is up to you to obtain notes from one of your classmates.  In other words, come to class, and you will find it a lot easier to learn this stuff.

Week 1

Sept. 8    The Joy of Rex: Introduction to Paleontology and Evolution
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: None for this lecture (I'm not THAT mean)

Week 2

Sept. 11    The Holy and the Heretical: Pre-Darwin Concepts of Fossils and Evolution
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: Here are three good summaries on this topic (link 1), (link 2), (link 3)

Sept. 13    Confessions of a Seasick Naturalist: Charles Darwin, the Beagle, hurling chunks, and embryonic thoughts on natural selection
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: Here is a brief overview of Darwin's early career and his voyage on the Beagle
Here is another summary

Reading: Here is an article that, in part, discusses Darwin and the principles of Natural Selection

Week 3

Sept. 18    Mendel: Musings of a Czech Monk
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: Here is a short article on Mendel and his ideas (note this article uses "seed colour" as an example, but illustrates the same principle illustrated in the round/wrinkled ratios)

Sept. 20    All Along the Ivory Tower: the Modern Synthesis of Evolution, and Punctuated Equilibrium
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout).
Reading: Here is a brief article explaining the Modern Synthesis

Sept. 22    The Earth System: Connections among the great spheres
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Read this overview on the components of the Earth System
(note: the "Anthrosphere" is an additional component discussed here).
A schematic animation of the rock cycle (link)
Teaching Assistants (TAs) introduced today- see above for names, email addresses and office addresses

Sept. 26    Minerals I
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Some basic information on minerals and mineral properties (link)

Sept. 28   Minerals II (continued from Sept. 26)
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)

Sept. 30   Earth Rocks !: Rock-forming environments (igneous environments)
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: A primer on igneous rocks (link)

Oct. 2    Earth Rocks ! II Rock-forming environments (sedimentary and metamorphic environments)
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
1. A brief primer on sedimentary rocks (link)
2. A brief primer on metamorphic rocks (link)
Want some practice in rock identification ? Try this.

Oct. 4   Rocks exercises
Rocks exercises assigned (due date changed to 4:00 pm, Thursday, Oct. 12) 
Note: to accomodate Thanksgiving weekend (and because Cam didn't quite get through metamorphic rocks, which will be elaborated on in the Friday lecture), the due date for this assignment has been changed from Tuesday, Oct. 10 to Thursday, Oct. 12 (4:00 pm in ES 083F drop box outside Rm. 118, B&G).   This will allow you a couple more days to consult with TAs (or Cam) for help.   This extension only applies for this particular assignment.  Note: Cam is out of the country on the weekend, so won't be able to answer email messages during that period.

Rocks assignment - directions and questions (PDF file)
Additional directions for rocks assignment (provided by David Dillon)(PDF file)
Here are some practical tips (provided by Cam) that might help you in identifying your rocks

Oct. 6    To Be or Not To Be: Fossilization processes and information loss
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)

Oct. 9        Thanksgiving (no classes)

Oct. 11        Fossil exercises 
Fossil exercises assigned  (due 4:00 pm, Tuesday, Oct. 17)

Internet Reading: Here is a primer on geologic time (link)
A handy dandy geological time scale suitable for hanging or wrapping fish (time scale)

1. The midterm exam will be 50 minutes long; it will be held during regular class time (9:30-10:20 am) and in the regular lecture room (B&G Rm. 52)

2. Format of the Exam
a) The first part of the exam will be in chart form- you will fill-in-the-blanks and/or match terms with appropriate statements listed (1 mark each, 15 blanks to fill, 15 marks total)
b) The second part of the exam will be definitions (pick 7 definitions from about 12, 2 marks each, 14 marks total)
c) The third part will require longer explanations (pick 4 questions from about 6, 4 marks each, 16 marks total).

3. There will be some choice of questions in parts 2 and 3 of the exam.

4.  For the first part of the exam (fill-in-the-blanks), you should thoroughly look over the significant details of the various topics we have covered.  These include mineral names, elements contained in specific minerals, the basic structure of mineral examples covered, rock types, the meaning of terms relating to physical properties (for aspects of minerals and rocks, you are only responsible for details provided in Cam's lectures- any material in readings that has not been covered in lectures will not appear on the exam).  Know the details of examples for minerals, rocks and other topics covered in the lectures (there aren't a huge number of examples to remember).  That said, there will be no questions that will refer to specific numbers, historical dates, or chemical formulae of specific minerals (but other details should not be ignored).

5. For the second and third sections of the exam, emphasis will be made on the level of understanding of important concepts covered in the course (make sure you understand basic principles, examples that illustrate important concepts, and the meaning of important terms).  This includes the historical part on the development of evolutionary theory as well as the geological concepts following this part.  If Cam stressed the importance of something in class, it has a greater chance of being on the exam.  Details such as specific dates of discovery, names of minor investigators, etc. are less important.  For rocks, make sure you know textures and composition and the rock types classified by these criteria. 

5. When you study, make sure you understand the basic concepts before you concentrate on details (work from basic to more complex)- but DO NOT IGNORE THE DETAILS COMPLETELY (rather, when you are trying to remember the details, think about the context in which they were discussed- this usually improves your recall of the details ! 

6. The exam can be written in point form. 

7. Make sure you budget your time- if a question is worth 4 marks, it obviously requires a more lengthy discussion than a question worth 2 marks.  Write down what you know for each question, and THEN go back and fill in any additional material that you might remember later.  If you do this, you won't run out of time.

Week 8

A COMMENT ON THE SHORT WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT (FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LOSING SLEEP OVER THIS)

A note about the short written assignment due on Friday (actually, what the heck, if you need a little more time, I'll give you until Monday, Oct. 30 at 4:00 pm to hand it in if you have taken the time to read this note). There have been several people who have voiced concerns about the format of the short written assignment.  Cam's advice ? Do not worry too much about following a specific format for this particular assignment (it is primarily content that you should focus on for this one and this is why a certain format was not specified) !  But, for those of you who are really, really concerned about how your report should be set up, here is a suggested format (if you have already handed in your assignment with another format, don't worry):
1. Title page that includes the title of the assignment (Pondering the Future of Humanity), course name, course number, date submitted, student name and student number.
2. A section dedicated to the first question, under the subheading Our Fossil Record. This should consist roughly of 1 page of text, double spaced (approximately 250 words; you won't be penalized for going over 250 words, as long as it does not exceed it by more than about 100 words (about 1/3-1/2 of a page)).  Cite references used if applicable (see  assignment instructions)
3. A section dedicated to the second question, under the subheading Our Future Form.  As with 2, this will include about 250 words of text (not exceeding 100 extra words).  Also, as in 2, figures (illustrations or photos) do not count in the word/page count, so use as many as you wish.  Cite references used if applicable (see assignment instructions).
4. A section with a list of references used, under the subheading "References."  For reference format, follow the instructions provided in the assignment (we won't be really strict about the use of references this time- they will be more important in your term paper). 

Keep in mind, that the interpretations for this assignment will be mostly based on your own thoughts, so don't spend too much time actually researching the questions (you probably won't find much anyway).  However, if you make any claims about specific types of evidence we might leave behind, you should at least attempt to look into the likelihood of such evidence surviving into the fossil record (for example, how long would steel survive versus, say, clay bricks ?)  Likewise, for the part on what we might look like in the future, this should be formulated primarily from your own ideas.  But again, you should attempt to back up your claims with evidence.  For example, you might claim that everyone's skin colour will be very dark due to the need for greater protection against UV radiation; to support this claim, you might look for information indicating that people with darker skin are known to have a lower incidence of skin cancers (thus having dark skin would be favourable to the species as a whole in a high-UV world).  Write in the first person if you find this easier (you won't have this luxury in the term paper, which will be in a more scientific format).  

Hopefully, this will make you a bit more confident in tackling this assignment. This assignment is meant to be a thought experiment to encourage you to actually think for yourself (while defending your views with information gained from research).  It is not intended as a sadistic threat. Have fun with it !  

-CAM

Oct. 23 Primordial Soup in the Kitchen of Life: Origin of Life
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
A brief account of what pre-biotic Earth might have been like (link)

Oct. 25    Of Microbes….and Martians ?: Earth’s Earliest Life
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
1. A brief description of early life and Earth's conditions during the Archean and Early Proterozoic (link)
2. Article on the Martian meteorite ALH84001 (link)

Oct. 27   Sex and the Simpleton: Evolution of Sex and the Rise of Eukaryotes
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
1. A an overview of the early development of eukaryotes (link)
2. Mitosis versus meiosis (link)
(Short Written Assignment due today at 4:00 pm)

Week 9

Oct. 30   Ooey Gooey Goodness: Oldest (Soft-bodied) Metazoa
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Introduction to the Metazoa (link)
Reading: An excellent brief account of Ediacaran Fauna  (link)

Nov. 1    Skeletons in the Closet: the Evolution of Hardparts in Metazoa
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
An article on the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale (link)
Some descriptions and photos of some of the Burgess Shale fossils (link)

Nov. 3   Spineless Wonders: A Survey of the Invertebrates
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
Here are some descriptions of the major invertebrate phyla.  We will only look at the most common phyla (link)

Week 10

Nov. 6   Sole Mates: Evolution of Fishes
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: No reading for this lecture 
If you have RealPlayer, you might be interested in viewing this animation on the development of jaws:
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/animation_quizzes/graphics/dim8s2c.ram

Nov. 8   From Sea to Slime: Evolution of Amphibians
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: Background on the origin of amphibians (link) - Read Introduction, Body Structure and Amphibian Evolution.

Nov. 10   From Slime to Scales: Evolution of Reptiles
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: A very short account of modifications involved in the evolution of reptiles from amphibians (link)

Week 11

Nov. 13   Dig These Dragons: Evolution and Diversification of Dinosaurs
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
1. A very simple webpage on the basics of dinosaurs (link)
2. Another simple account of dinosaur groups (link)
3. Some information on feathered dinosaurs (link)

Nov. 15   Serpents and Spitfires: Marine Reptiles and Flying Reptiles
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
1. A brief article on marine reptiles with good pictures  (link)
2. Some FAQs on pterosaurs (link)

Nov. 17   Barney to Big Bird: The Origin of Birds
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
1. Background on the fossil record of early birds (link)
2. A short discussion of the dinosaur-bird relationship (link)
An Important Announcement !!!  The Final Term Paper was formerly due today at 4:00 pm.  Cam has pushed the due date for the assignment to next Friday.  In other words, the term paper is now officially due Friday, Nov. 24 at 4:00 pm (policy for late assignment still applies).  Consider it an early Christmas present.  That said, if you wish to hand your paper in before Nov. 24, 2006,  please do so !  Submit all papers in ES 083F drop box.

Week 12

Nov. 20   Cretaceous Calamity: The Cretaceous-Tertiary Mass Extinction
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: 
1. A cute website summarizing some ideas on possible causes of the K-T  mass extinction (link)
2. A very interesting website of Dewey McLean, showing how political (and infantile) the business of science can get (link).  The Alvarezs are a bit scary.
A fairly extensive list of articles on the current mass extinction (link)
Here is another article. A bit technical, but thorough (link)

Nov. 22   The Advantage of Being a Furball: Diversification of Mammals
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
1. A brief outline of the origin of mammals (link)
2. A fairly good overview of the major events in early mammalian evolution from the origin of mammals to humans (link)

Nov. 24   Brontotheres and Other Big Brutes: Evolution of Large Mammals
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: Some evolutionary trends in mammals during the Cenozoic, including the evolution of horses (link)
New Due Date for Final Term Paper: Today (November 24, 2006)  at 4:00 pm in drop box.

Nov. 27   Monkey Business: Evolution of the Primates
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading: A summary on primate evolution (link)
condensed version: see under Week 14

Nov. 29    A Recipe for Disaster: Rise of the Hominids
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout)
Reading:
1. A summary on early hominid evolution (link)
2. A summary on transitional forms (link) and various aspects of Homo sapiens  (link)
condensed version: see under Week 14

Dec. 1    What Goes Around Comes Around: Humankind, the Environmental Crisis, and the Future of Life on Earth
(Powerpoint Presentation) or (PDF handout).
Reading: A short article on the current mass extinction (link)
condensed version: see under Week 14

Week 14 

Before asking Cam for any details about the final exam, please read the items below:

1. The final exam will be based mostly on material after the midterm.  However, keep in mind that your understanding of some of the concepts and applications covered in this part of the course depends, in part, to how well you understand the basic principles covered before the midterm.  As such, the final exam can't truly be said to be based entirely on material after the midterm.

2. The basic format will be the same as the midterm (but will deal with different material than the midterm), as follows:

Part 1: Association of various details relevant to the course material to terms, definitions, applications, or other items of significance (with choice of possible answers).
Part 2: Definitions of terms covered after the midterm (with some choice of questions).
Part 3: Questions requiring paragraph-length answers. (with some choice of questions).

3. The final exam is 2 hours long.

4. As for scientific names of organisms, other than humans (in which species names can be important) you do not need to remember any names at the level of genus or species (e.g.  Pseudogygyites or Pseudogygites latimarginatus).

In most lectures, groups of organisms were discussed in fairly general terms of classification (Order and higher divisions)(e.g., rhipidistian fishes, acanthodian fishes, ornithiscian dinosaurs, thecodonts, etc.) or informal terms (e.g., lungfishes).   You ARE responsible for names above the level genus and species as well as informal terms, so make sure you know how these groups are recognized and why they are significant.

5. The exam can be written in point form.

6.  Cam is willing to answer questions about any the course content until 4:00 pm, Thursday, December 7, 2006.  After that, you're on your own.

7. Please do not ask Cam if he can supply any information on the content of the exam beyond what is listed on this page. It's up to you to put the necessary work into understanding the material enough to explain concepts and realize the significance of any terms/concepts/applications covered in the course. This is not high school.

8. Do not ask Cam about your grade.  Official final grades are available via the registrar  sometime after exams are over.

9. Cam will not entertain the possibility of assigning any extra project designed to raise a student's final grade.  Everybody must be evaluated in the same way and there are no second chances (you will need to get used to this now that you are in university).

10.The same advice on studying for, and writing, the midterm exam applies to the final exam, namely :

a. Emphasis will be made on the level of understanding of important concepts covered in the course (make sure you understand basic principles, examples that illustrate important concepts, and the meaning of important terms).  If Cam stressed the importance of something in class, it has a greater chance of being on the exam (but not necessarily guaranteed).  This also applies to recalling names of various groups of organism-- if you truly understand the significance of the terms dealt with in the course, you should be able recall their names.

b.When you study, make sure you truly understand the basic concepts before you concentrate on details (work from basic to more complex). Once you are confident that you understand the basic concepts, go back and target any terms that you think you would have difficulty in explaining, and make sure that you know their meaning and how they relate to the important concepts in the course.

c. You are not expected to know chemical formulas, specific geologic dates, or specific localities (other than really obvious ones like the the Burgess Shale).   Anything else is fair game.  

d. Make sure you budget your time- if a question is worth 5 marks, it obviously requires a more lengthy discussion than a question worth 2 marks.  Write down what you know for each question, and THEN go back and fill in any additional material that you might remember later.  If you do this, you won't run out of time.

e. Answer only the number of questions indicated in the section.  For example, define 12 of the following terms means define 12 terms - not 11, or 13, or any other number.  If you answer, say, 14 terms instead of the 12 requested, only the first 12 answers will be marked. 
 

TERM PAPER PICKUP:

The term papers for Earth Sciences 083F are now marked and can be picked up.

All marked assignments (including term paper) that have not yet been claimed can be picked up:

Where ?: Room 118, Biological and Geological Sciences Building (door to the left of your drop boxes)

When ?: Monday (December, 18) through Friday (December, 22) from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm