ATM S 211: Spring Quarter 2005
Climate and
Climate Change
Syllabus
Acquire a basic understanding of
- the Earth's climate - how it works, how it has changed in the past
- the potential for climate change
- critical thinking on environmental/scientific issues
- applications of basic math and chemistry
- quantitative predictions and uncertainty analysis
Prerequisites
None. Open to all undergraduates. A working knowledge of high-school algebra and physical sciences will be useful; however, the basic tools used by scientists will be reviewed and practiced as they arise during the course.
Textbook and other resources
The text for the course is The Earth System by Lee R. Kump et al., Prentice Hall, 2nd Edition, 2003, 419 pages. Additional required reading material will include handouts on selected topics. The articles will be available as PDF files on the class website.
Course Requirements
- Attendance on Mon-Thurs is essential and required. A large fraction of the grade (20-25%) comes from in-class activities. These include unscheduled quizzes and activities.
- Friday review/tutorial/lab sessions are not required, but will be useful to most students.
- Homework will be assigned several times during the term. It must be handed in at the beginning of class on the due date. You are encouraged to turn in all homework, even if late. Late homework will be penalized 10% per day up to a maximum penalty of 50%. (Note: Homework turned in after 10:30 am but before 5:00 pm on the day assigned will receive a 10% penalty.) Once the homework key has been published, you must show your work and answer the essay questions in your own words to receive the partial credit.
- There will be two midterms and one final exam. (Makeup exams will only be given in extreme cases and with advance notification to the instructor.)
- Each student will be expected to complete a poster and research report (details provided below). The Report Projects (for those getting Writing Credit) will require two short research reports on topics assigned by the instructor.
- There will be extra credit opportunities on most homework assignments. In addition, you can get extra credit by attending suggested lectures on climate-related topics and writing up brief reports.
Grading
Grades will be determined as follows:
| W-credit | no-W-credit | |
| Report projects | ||
| Writing paper | ||
| In-class activities | ||
| Homework | ||
| Mid-terms | ||
| Final | ||
| Extra Credit |
Research Project and Poster Symposium
You will form groups of 2 and research some aspect of Earth's climate. The instructor and TAs will suggest some topics in a separate document. Each of you will then pursue a separate and uniqe idea that is related to the main topic. Your grade on the project will be based on (1) a separate report written by each individual and (2) a group poster presentation at two symposia tentatively scheduled for the week of May 31. The reports will be brief, no more than 3 pages, double spaced, 1" margins, and 10-pt font or larger. Details on the poster will be provided later.