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

- T. A. Conrad

Syllabus: Gey 322 (Paleontology), Fall, 2002:
Lecture: 11:00-11:50 MWF, Folsom 302
Lab: 2-5:00 W; 302 Folsom (The "Rock Lab").

Text: Lecture Notes for Invertebrate Paleontology, by Kevin McCartney
Webpages list:
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: mccartnk@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 9/4 Introduction, Paleontology as a Science
L1 9/4 Taxonomy
2 9/6 Applied Paleontology: Why Study Paleontology? (P1into)
3 9/9 What is a fossil? (P1intro)
4 9/11 Microorganisms and the foodchain (P3ocean)
L2 9/11 Micropaleontology
5 9/13 Distribution of organisms in the ocean (P4ocean)
6 9/16 Microorganisms groups (P3ocean)
7 9/18 Time and Biostratigraphy (P2time)
L3 9/18 Micropaleontology 2
8 9/20 Evolution and Ecology (P2time)
9 9/23 Conodonts, other problematica (P5conod)
10 9/25 Graptolites, other problematica (P6grapt)
L4 9/25 Conodonts and graptolites
11 9/29 Lagarstatten, or NEIGC
12 9/30 Deep Ocean Research
13 10/2 Porifera (sponges) (P7porif)
L5 10/2 Porifera (sponges)
14 10/4 Test 1
10/7 Coelenterata (P9Coral2)
15 10/9 Coelenterata; coral reef ecology (P9Coral2)
L6 10/9 Coelenterata; Lab Quiz (15 pnts).
17 10/11 Bryozoans (moss animals) (P8bryoz)
17 10/14 No Class - Columbus Day
18 10/16 What is science? - K/T research as case history
L7 10/16 Bryozoa
19 10/18 Brachiopoda (P10brach)
20 10/21 Brachiopoda (P11brchs)
21 10/23 Brachiopoda, Intro to Mollusca
L8 10/23 Brachiopoda
22 10/25 Mollusca (P12Moll1)
23 10/28 Bivalves (P13Moll2)
24 10/30 Bivalves (P13Moll2)
L9 30 Mollusca 1; Midterm (25 pnts).
25 11/1 Gastropods
26 11/4 Test 2
27 11/6 Gastropods, Cephalopods (P14moll3)
L10 11/6 Mollusca 2
28 11/8 Cephalopods, Arthropods? (P15Arth1)
11/11 Veterans Day Holiday
29 11/13 Non-trilobitomorph arthropods (P15Arth2)
30 11/13 Trilobites (P17Arth3)
L11 11/13 Arthropods
31 11/15 Evolution of trilobites (P17Arth4)
32 11/18 Continued (P17Arth4)
33 11/20 Introduction to Echinoderms (P18Ech1)
L12 11/20 Echinoderms
34 11/22 Pelmatozoan (stemmed) echinoderms (P19Ech2)
35 11/25 Echinozoan (nonstemmed) echinoderms (P20Ech3)
No class; Thanksgiving Holiday
36 12/2 Echinozoan (nonstemmed) echinoderms (P20Ech3)
37 12/4 Finish echinoderms (alternatively, Extinctions)
L13 12/4 Echinoderms
38 12/6 Test 3
39 12/9 Review of test, Intro to vertebrates
40 12/11 Vertebrates
39 L14 12/11 Lab Final [40 points]
41 12/13 Vertebrates

Final Exam:


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