The Dynamic Universe
LSTD 3433 Section 713
June 7, 14, 21, 28 July 5, 12, 19, 26
5:30-9:30 p.m.
Rose State College
Tom Steed Center – Room 203

Professor
Dr. Anthony J. Stancampiano
E-mail: astancampiano@occc.edu
Phone Number: 405.682.1611 x7788

Course Description
This course addresses the evolution of the Universe through consideration of the laws that govern its behavior. Topics that will be explored include: the Big Bang; the formation of matter, planets, and stars; stellar evolution; the Earth’s structure; rocks; minerals; plate tectonics; geological formations; atmospheric dynamics and structure.

This course assumes that students have a basic understanding of classical physics, especially the concepts included in Newton’s laws of motion, gravity, energy, momentum, and kinetic theory of gases. If you need to refresh yourself on these concepts, you should review the appropriate chapters in the text, Introduction to the Physical Sciences. This includes Chapter Three: Newton’s Laws of Motion, Gravity, and Momentum; Chapter Four: Energy, and Chapter Five: The Kinetic Theory of Gases. These concepts will be referred to a number of times throughout the readings for this course.

Course Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, the student will be able to:

• Explain the basic understanding of the origin of the universe, including the Big Bang theory.
• Explain the formation and structure of the Earth, moon, planets, stars, and black holes.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of rocks, minerals, and water.
• Explain tectonics, plate movements, and island formation.
• Define and discuss atmosphere, wind storms (especially tornados), and clouds.
• Discuss the dynamic universe in terms of interdisciplinary thinking, community building, and world disaster concerns.

Course Format
A combination of lecture, discussion, videos, group projects, and individual study will be used.

Course Requirements
Both class attendance and participation in class activities, such as discussions and group projects, are important aspects of the course. Therefore, a portion of your grade will be based on these factors.

Textbooks

• Hawking, Stephen. A Brief History of Time. 10th Anniversary Ed. Bantam Doubleday Dell.
• Shipman, J.T., Wilson, J.D., and Todd, A.W., 2006. An Introduction to Physical Science. 12th Ed. Houghton Mifflin.

Grading Information

• 25% Class Participation (attendance and in-class activities)
• 25% Group Project/Presentation
• 25% Observation Notebook
• 25% Exploration Essays

Grading Scale

• >90% - A
• 80%-89.99999% -B
• 70%-79.99999% - C
• 60%-69.99999% - D
• <60% - F

There will be no curving of grades in this course.

Coursework Description
Class Participation
Attendance at each class is extremely important due to the limited number of class meetings. Additionally, there will be four in-class activities that will be conducted during class in small groups. These can only be completed in class. If the student is absent, the activities cannot be made-up.

Individual Project/Presentation
A list of topics will be presented in the first class meeting. Students may choose to complete this assignment as a ten-minute in-class presentation or a seven to ten-page (body), typewritten, double spaced paper. These will be due at the next to last class meeting (7/19).

Observation Notebook
Students will be given a list of 4 possible assignments, of which 2 must be completed for credit. These activities will be documented as required in the handout and will be due at the next to last class meeting (7/19).

Exploration Essays
There will be a total of 4 essays assigned out of a list of potential topics. These will be assigned throughout the semester and will be due every other Thursday class meeting after the initial meeting. (6/14, 6/28, 7/12, 7/26)

Course Outline
Unit One — June 7 and 14 - The Origin of the Universe
This unit will focus on the history of our universe, the sun the celestial sphere, the life Cycle and low-mass and high-mass stars, galaxies, and cosmology. Additionally, consideration of the Scientific Method as a critical tool will be introduced.

Reading Assignments

• Hawking, Chapters One through Eight
• Shipman, Wilson, and Todd, Chapter Eighteen

Topics and Themes to be Explored

• The Scientific Method
• The Big Bang
• Our Place in the Universe
• Formation of Matter
• Starlight
• Formation of Stars
• Deaths of Stars

Unit Two — June 21 and 28 - The Dynamic Earth
This unit will examine the origins and the structure of the Earth and the Moon as well as the structure of minerals. The function of water on changing the surface of the Earth will further be explored.

Reading Assignments

• Shipman, Wilson, and Todd, Chapters Fifteen, Seventeen, and Twenty-one

Themes and Topics to be Explored

• Origins of the Earth
• Origins of the Moon
• Structure of the Earth (comparison and contrast with its neighbors)
• Structure and formation of Rocks
• Structure of Minerals and Gemstones
• The Work of Water

Unit Three — June 28, July 5 and 12 - Plate tectonics
This unit focuses on the structural geology of the Earth. In this unit students will explore continental drift and seafloor spreading, plate tectonics, earthquakes and the Earth’s interior, crustal deformation, and mountain building.

Reading Assignments

• Shipman, Wilson, and Todd, Chapters Twenty-two and Twenty-three

Topics and Themes to be Explored

• Plate Tectonics
• Plate Movement
• Volcanism and Earthquakes
• Island Formation

Unit Four — July 12 and 19 - The Atmosphere
This unit explores the atmosphere of the Earth as well as atmospheric effects. The student will examine atmospheric composition and structure, atmospheric energy
content, atmospheric measurements and observation, air motion, condensation and precipitation, air masses, storms, atmospheric pollution, and pollution and climate.

Reading Assignments

• Shipman, Wilson, and Todd, Chapters Nineteen and Twenty

Topics and Themes to be Explored

• Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere
• Creation and Role of Winds
• Formation and Classification of Clouds
• Structure and Formation of Storm Systems

Presentations— July 19 and 26

Completion Policy

The College of Liberal Studies expects students to complete all assignments to earn a grade in a given course.

Incomplete (“I”) Policy

For sufficiently extenuating circumstances a student may receive a grade of “I” and receive an extension to complete. To receive a grade of “I” the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of one-half of the course work, have a legitimate reason for not being able to complete the work during the normal time frame, request from the instructor a desire to receive an Incomplete grade via submitting a request for an “I” and a plan to the instructor about how and when the work will be completed. If the student receives a grade of “I” the instructor will indicate to the student, and to the Office of Academic Records via the official OU grade sheet, what must be done to complete the course and set a time limit appropriate to the circumstances, however, the time allowed may not exceed one calendar year. If the course has an associated Web site and the Web site has changed before the student starts work on the Incomplete, the student will contact the faculty member and the faculty member will develop comparable assignments based on the current Web site. If books have changed in the course, the faculty member should be willing to develop assignments based on the books that the student has so the student will not have to buy new books. If by the end of the year, no change in grade has been submitted, the grade of “I” will become permanent on the student’s record. If the student wants to re-enroll in the course they may, and they will need to pay full tuition and fees for the enrollment. History tells us that the longer an Incomplete goes unfinished the less likely it will ever be completed at all. The College recommends that the student remedy their incomplete grade before the start of the next semester.

If you have submitted no work, or less than half of the course assignments, you should not expect to receive a grade of “I” You will receive either an “AW” or a failing grade. Students will make arrangements with the instructor to complete coursework. Work submitted within four weeks of the final course date will be accepted without negative consequences to the grade; work submitted to remove the “I” after four weeks will have consequences to be determined by the professor. Grades of “I” must be completed within one academic year.

The University of Oklahoma Student Academic Integrity
http://www.ou.edu/provost/pronew/content/integritymenu.html

1.1 BASIC PRINCIPLE OF HONESTY

Honesty is a fundamental precept in all academic activities, and those privileged to be members of a university community have a special obligation to observe the highest standards of honesty and a right to expect the same standards of all others. Academic misconduct in any form is inimical to the purposes and functions of the university and therefore is unacceptable and rigorously proscribed.

1.2 DEFINITIONS

1.2.1 Academic Misconduct. Any act that improperly affects the evaluation of a student's academic performance or achievement. The following terms illustrate but do not delimit or define academic misconduct.

1. Cheating: the use of unauthorized materials, methods, or information in any academic exercise, including improper collaboration;
2. Plagiarism: the representation of the words or ideas of another as one's own, including:
   1. direct quotation without both attribution and indication that material is being directly quoted, e.g. quotation marks;
   2. paraphrase without attribution;
   3. paraphrase with or without attribution where the wording of the original remains substantially intact and is represented as the author's own;
   4. expression in one's own words, but without attribution, of ideas, arguments, lines of reasoning, facts, processes, or other products of the intellect where such material is learned from the work of another and is not part of the general fund of common academic knowledge;
3. Fabrication: the falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise;
4. Fraud: the falsification, forgery, or misrepresentation of academic work, including the resubmission of work performed for one class for credit in another class without the informed permission of the second instructor; or the falsification, forgery or misrepresentations of other academic records or documents, including admissions materials and transcripts; or the communication of false or misleading statements to obtain academic advantage or to avoid academic penalty;
5. Destruction, misappropriation or unauthorized possession of university property or property of another;
6. Bribery or intimidation;
7. Assisting others in any act proscribed by this code; or
8. Attempting to engage in such acts.

Accommodation for Special Needs

The College of Liberal Studies is committed to making its activities as accessible as possible. The college and the university provide a range of special services for those with disabilities. Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent her or him from fully demonstrating her or his abilities should contact Frank Rodriquez , Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs, as soon as possible to discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and to facilitate this educational opportunity.

Liberal Studies General Policy

Liberal Studies’ policy is to order books in paperback, if available. Courses, dates and instructors are subject to change. Please check with the office. Students should retain a copy of any assignments that are mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to the instructor or the office for the course. The Disability Resource Center can also be found online at http://drc.ou.edu/.

Copyright Statement

Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on this Web site are copyright by the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents. Visit OU Public Affairs for more information and for the complete Terms of Use.

Meet Your Instructor
Dr. Anthony J. Stancampiano earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Oklahoma in 1999. Additionally, he has a B.S. in Biology from the University of Central Oklahoma and an M.S. in Biology from the University of Central Oklahoma. He has been a faculty member at OCCC since 1995, where he is course coordinator for Zoology, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, and Ecology and Environmental Issues courses. Areas of research interest include mammalian ecology, landscape ecology, and geographic information systems.