Course Description: This course explores the major processes and features of the world’s oceans. Topics include the origin and history of the ocean basins, atmospheric circulation and weather, ocean circulation, and the dynamics of waves, tides, and coastlines. The course also reviews marine life (including plankton, nekton, benthos, and marine mammals), explores the oceans as a resource for people, and considers human impacts on marine environments.

Student LEarning Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

Explain the theory of plate tectonics and relate it to the formation of major sea floor features.
Reconstruct the circulation patterns of atmosphere and ocean circulation systems, and analyze their interrelationships.
Describe the major principles involved in the formation and behavior of waves and tides, and evaluate their effects on coastal processes.
Summarize the major physical properties of the oceans and evaluate how each one affects marine communities and marine life.
Summarize the major types of marine pollution, including global warming, and evaluate how each one affects marine communities and marine life.

Class Enrollment Notes:

It is the student’s responsibility to add, drop, or withdraw from classes before the deadlines stated in the class schedule. Petitions to add, drop, or withdraw after the deadline will not be approved without written proof of circumstances beyond the student’s control, which made her/him unable to meet the deadline. Lack of money to pay fees is not considered an extenuating circumstance. Students anticipating difficultly in paying fees before the deadline should check with the Financial Aid Office about sources of funds or other alternatives for which they may be eligible. If you decide to withdraw from this course, you are reminded to do so before the 3^rdof February (last day to withdraw without a “W”); and the 26^th of April (last day to withdraw with a “W”). If you fail to withdraw by 4/26 and you stop coming to class, then a final grade must be assigned to you.

Accommodation of Disability:

A student with a verified disability may be entitled to appropriate academic accommodations, including the assistance of a note-taker in the classroom, and/or extended time for taking exams. Students with disabilities who may need academic accommodations should notify their professor immediately. For further information, please contact the Disabled Students Program and Services Office.

Instructor’s Attendance Policy

Attendance is critical to teaching and learning in this class. You will most likely fall behind in acquiring course content, vocabulary, concepts, and skills if you do not attend class regularly. I realize that situations can arise that are beyond your control, which could interfere with attending this class. A student will be dropped from this course for excessive absences (exceeding 20% of the course meetings). Attendance is taken every class meeting by means of a sign-up sheet that will be passed around at the beginning of each class. Note that it is your responsibility to sign it in order to receive attendance credit for that class meeting. It will be up to you for staying up with reading assignments, homework, projects, and exams. Make sure and consult the schedule, text, class notes, classroom website, and fellow classmates about the material that was missed during absences. There is no make-up or rescheduling of quizzes or exams unless the student provides proof of some compelling reason for the make-up. It is the student’s responsibility to contact me personally to forewarn me of any problem in either, attending the regular-scheduled exams and quizzes, or making assignment due dates. Business, pleasure, or being generally ill, is not a compelling reason. Being horribly sick, or having a death in the family is good reason.

Classroom Behavior and Student Code of Conduct:

Students are expected to respect and obey standards of student conduct while in class and on campus. Charges of misconduct and disciplinary sanctions may be imposed upon students who violate these standards of conduct or provisions of college regulations. As your instructor, I have the following expectations of your behavior in this class:

1) Promote a positive learning environment by exhibiting mutual respect and consideration of

the feelings, ideas, and contributions of others.

2) Demonstrate a genuine desire to learn, interact, and improve academically.

3) Demonstrate respect for furniture, tools, equipment, and supplies in the classroom.

4) Clean up after yourself.

5) No eating or drinking in class – water is OK.

6) All cell phones, pagers, and audio players must remain turned off, or in silent mode.

7) This class will be conducted in accordance with the college code of student conduct and basic standards of academic honesty. Cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty are totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Violations of standards of academic honesty will be reported to the school dean for appropriate action. See the full version of the instructor’s plagiarism policy at http://www.oceansci.com/plagiarism.mht located at the “MiraCosta Ocea101–Tu-Th link

Grading/Evaluation:

I. Four (4) true/false, multiple-choice, plus essay exams (includes final) @ 100 points each

II. Term Project – 170 points (Note: Late term project assignments are not accepted)

III. Total possible points = 570

IV. Extra credit is offered (Note: You can earn a maximum of 40 points of extra credit)

V. Grading Scale: 100% – 90% = 570 - 513 points = A

89% -- 80% = 512 - 456 points = B

79% -- 70% = 455 - 399 points = C

69% -- 55% = 398 - 314 points = D

Extra Credit Deadline: All extra credit must be turned in by Tuesday, May 15^th for credit.

REquired Oceanographic Research term Project:

The research project consists of six required components done over the course of the semester:

1) Submit an Ocean Research Topic for your research project -- Due 1/31

2) Write and submit a written Research Proposal = 20 points – Due 2/21

3) Research, assemble and submit a Research Bibliography with at least five (5) scientific articles that qualify (check for bibliography format and prerequisites) = 10 points – Due 3/29

4) Prepare/assemble/submit a written Presentation Outline of your research presentation

(must include your final bibliography) - 50 points – Due 4/26

5) Give an 8-minute Oral Presentation in front of class – Present highlights of your research -

60 points – Presentation days: 5/8, 5/10, 5/15 and 5/17

6) Fill out Presentation Evaluations of your fellow students’ presentations, including your own instructor – 1 point per evaluation (typically 30 points). Peer Evaluation days: 5/8, 5/10, 5/15 and 5/17

Notes: A) Instructions and grading rubrics for each research project component will be passed out in class and are also found on the classroom website. B) Presentations may be conducted by a group of two or more, with following restrictions: 1) You must check with instructor first for the “OK”; 2) Each group member must submit separate and original work – groups cannot submit single nor identical work).

Extra Credit

Extra credit activities are a great way to get more education (and points) out of this course; I encourage students to do extra credit. There are several ways to earn extra credit in this class:

1) Instructor- and student self-guided field trips

2) Supplementary research/writing assignments

3) Internet-based activities and assignments

Note: a) The instructor must first approve extra credit work; approval is based on several criteria.

b) Extra credit can be used to boost a student’s grade points by a maximum of 40 points.

c) The very last day to turn in extra credit work is on May 15^th – Late work will not be accepted.

Voluntary Weekend Field Trips

Four weekend field trips are planned for the semester. Field trips earn extra credit and are totally voluntary!

1) Weekend field trip #1: Saturday February 11 – Torrey Pines Beach, 9:00 am

2) Weekend field trip #2: Saturday March 10 – Blacks Beach, 9:00 am

3) Weekend field trip #3: Saturday April 7 – Moonlight Beach, 9:00 am

4) Weekend field trip #4: Sunday May 6 – Birch Aquarium, 9:00 am

The admission fee is $8 (with a student ID) for the Birch Aquarium.

Note: Check the professor’s classroom web page for fieldtrip details

Extra credit and/or excessive absence make-up will be awarded for participating on these trips.
Experience gained on fieldtrips greatly helps in understanding the text and lecture material.
Field trips are fun and a great way to better know your classmates and instructor.
Earn up to 10 points per in-person fieldtrip. Earn up to 5 points per each virtual fieldtrip.

CLASSROOM WEBSITE RESOURCE

The instructor has set up a website specifically as an academic resource for his earth sciences students. This site is located at http://www.oceansci.com/ Clicking on the Mira Costa OCEA101 Tu/Th link will give you direct access to a wide variety of classroom information and oceanographic resources. Classroom information includes professor contacts, class syllabus and schedule, important dates/deadlines, classroom lecture notes, PowerPoint presentations, exam study guides, practice exams, research project guides and resources, and field trip information. It is strongly urged that you take utmost advantage of this site. Most of the pages, including lecture outlines and practice exams, were created in MS Word, and can be easily copied and pasted into a blank MS Word document for printing using ½ inch margins all around.