Planet Earth

School  Natural Sciences
Academic Unit
 Geology Department
Level of Studies
 Undergraduate
Course Code
 Geol_002
Εξάμηνο σπουδών  1ο
Course Title
 Planet Earth 
Independent Teaching Activities
 Lectures, Laboratory Work, Fieldwork
Weekly Teaching Hours
 2(L), 2(LW)
Credits  6
Course Type
 General knowledge, Skills development
Prerequisite Courses
 No
Language of Instruction & Examinations
 Greek. Teaching
Is the Course offered to Erasmus Students
 No
Course Web-Page (URL)  https://eclass.upatras.gr/courses/GEO339/
Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course , the students will be able to:

  • Define, explain and summarize the basic physical geography and surface geological processes
  • Analyze and evaluate survey topographic data and maps as well as to draw and design topographic cross sections
  • Clarify the dynamics of surface processes
  • Introduce them to the main minerals and sedimentary rocks
  • Introduce them to the water cycle and glacier, groundwater, streams and drainage systems 
General Competences
  • Search for, analysis and synthesis of data and information, with the use of the necessary geological tools (maps, bibliography, reports etc)
  • Introduce the students to the main topics of Geology 
Syllabus

Theory

  • The external earth processes - surface of earth
  • Strata and Stratigraphy
  • Geological time and methods of determination
  • Soils weathering and mass movements, landslides
  • Streams and Drainage systems
  • Glacial and groundwater
  • Sediments and sedimentary rocks
  • The dynamic earth
  • Earth and internal properties
  • Main tectonic structures
  • History of the continents – plate tectonics
  • Bowens reaction series
  • Magma, Volcanoes and Igneous rocks
  • Metamorphism and metamorphic rocks
  • Earthquakes

Laboratory

  • The use of topographic and geological maps, geological compass and draw-design geological cross sections
  • The main sedimentary rocks
  • The main volcanic, igneous and metamorphic rocks
Delivery  In classroom and in laboratory (face-to-face) and in the field, as well as preparation of field work reports 
Use of Information & Communication Technology
  • Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (power point) in teaching
  • Support of Learning Process and Dissemination of educational material through the University of Patras e_class  platform.
Teaching Methods
 
Activity Semester workload
Lectures (2 conduct hours per week x 13 weeks)  13*2=26
Laboratory work (2 conduct hours per week x 13 weeks)  13*2=26
Interpretation and writing of the exercises  13*3=39
Project preparation   13*2=26
Individual Study 39
 Total number of hours for the Course  156
 Student Performance Evaluation

Final Exam, written, of increasing difficulty, which may include Multiple choice test, Questions of brief answer, Questions to develop a topic, Judgment questions and Exercise solving.

Students are obliged to attend all scheduled laboratory classes and to deliver all the laboratory exercises, during the semester in order to be able to participate to the final exams.

Marking Scale: 0-10.

Minimum Passing Mark: 5.

Students are obliged to attend all laboratory class and to deliver the results of all exercises.

Maximum number of non delivered laboratory exercises: 2  
Attached Bibliography

Suggested bibliography mainly  in Greek:

  1. Σημειώσεις Μαθήματος Θεωρίας και Εργαστηρίου που παρέχονται σε pdf μέσω e-class.
  2. Γεωλογία Αρχές και Εφαρμογές, Θ. Δούτσος 421 σελ, Παρέχεται μέσω ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ
  3. Γεωλογία Η επιστήμη της Γης, Παπανικολάου και Σιδέρης 291 σελ Παρέχεται μέσω ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ
  4. Διερευνώντας τη Γη, Δερμιτζάκης και Λέκκας 593 σελ.
  5. Physical Geology, Skimmer- Porter, John Wiley & Sons 1987
  6. 6. Earth Surface Processes Landforms and Sediment Deposits, Bridge and Demicco, Cambridge Univ. Press 2008.