Race after race resigned their fleeting breath
The rocks alone their curious annals save.

- T. A. Conrad

Syllabus: Gey 322 (Paleontology), Fall, 2000:
Lecture: 10:00-10:50 MWF, Folsom 302
Lab: 1-4:00 W; 302 Folsom (The "Rock Lab").

Text: Lecture Notes for Invertebrate Paleontology, by Kevin McCartney
Lab: Various Paleontology materials available in lab

Instructor: Kevin McCartney (office: 302 Folsum, hours: 10:00-11:00)

office phone 768-9482; home phone 492-4766
email: mccartney@polaris.umpi.maine.edu


Grading
No make-up exams unless a valid excuse is given before the missed test.
lecture lab grades
Test 1 125 pnts 11 lab reports at 20 pnts each A = 90% (720 pnts)
Test 2 125 pnts B = 80% (640 pnts)
Test 3 125 pnts Lab Mid-term 40 pnts C = 70% (560 pnts)
Final (cumulative) 125 pnts Lab Final 40 pnts D = 60% (480 pnts)
Total 800 pnts F < 60% (560 pnts)

A steady improvement in test scores may be used in revising grade upwards. Otherwise, grades will not be curved. Attendance can be taken into account in the case of borderline grades.

If you have a disability and need an accomodation or assistance in this course, please make an appointment to talk with me. If you prefer, you may contact Myrna McGaffin in Student Support Services, South Hall.


Below is a tentative schedule of Paleontology lectures and labs (L)
(Fall, 2000)

Assignments should be read before class.
# lab # date lecture/lab title reading
1 9/6 Introduction, Paleontology as a Science
L1 9/7 Taxonomy
2 9/8 Applied Paleontology (P1intro)
3 9/11 What is a fossil? (P1intro)
4 9/13 Biostratigraphy
L2 9/14 Micropaleontology
5 9/15 Geologic Time (P2time)
6 9/18 Microorganisms and the foodchain (P3ocean)
7 9/20 Distribution of organisms in the ocean (P4ocean)
L3 9/21 Micropaleontology 2
8 9/22 Review of microrganisms (slide and microscope show)
9 9/25 Conodonts, other problematica (P5conod)
10 9/27 Graptolites, other problematica (P6grapt)
L4 9/28 Conodonts and graptolites
11 9/29 topic to be decided
12 10/2 UM-Presque Isle Research in Sponge Spicules
13 10/4 Test 1
L5 10/5 Porifera (sponges) (P7porif)
14 10/6 NEIGC Field Trip to Orono
10/9 No Class - Columbus Day
15 10/11 Coelenterata (P9Coral2)
L6 10/13 Coelenterata; Lab Quiz (15 pnts).
17 10/13 Coelenterata; coral reef ecology
17 10/16 Bryozoans (moss animals) (P8bryoz)
18 10/18 What is science? - K/T research as case history
L7 10/19 Bryozoa
19 10/20 Brachiopoda (P10brach)
20 10/23 Brachiopoda (P11brchs)
21 10/25 Brachiopoda (continued)
L8 10/26 Brachiopoda
22 10/27 Intro to mollusca
23 10/30 Introduction to mollusca (P12Moll1)
24 11/1 Bivalves (P13Moll2)
L9 30 Mollusca 1; Midterm (25 pnts).
25 11/3 Gastropods
26 11/6 Test 2
27 11/8 Cephalopods (P14moll3)
L10 11/9 Mollusca 2
28 11/10 Cephalopods
29 11/13 Introduction to arthropods (P15Arth1)
30 11/15 Non-trilobitomorphs (P16Arth2)
L11 11/16 Arthropods
31 11/17 Trilobites (P17Arth3)
32 11/20 Evolution of trilobites (P17Arth4)
33 No class; Thanksgiving Holiday
33 11/27 Introduction to Echinoderms (P18Ech1)
34 11/29 Pelmatozoan (stemmed) echinoderms (P19Ech2)
L12 11/30 Echinoderms
35 12/1 Echinozoan (nonstemmed) echinoderms (P20Ech3)
36 12/4 Echinozoan (nonstemmed) echinoderms (P20Ech3)
37 12/6 Finsh echinoderms (alternatively, Extinctions)
L13 12/7 Echinoderms
38 12/8 Test 3
39 12/11 Evolution
40 12/13 Extinctions
39 L14 12/14 Lab Final [40 points]
41 12/15 Alternative Histories, Other Places

Final Exam: 8:00-10:00, Wednesday, December 20th


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