COURSE SYLLABUS:  GEOL101--PREHISTORIC LIFE

Fall Semester, 2004

SC3231; 9:00-10:15 TR

Instructor:  Norman R. King; SC3216; 464-1794; nking@usi.edu

8/31

Course objectives & policies; Video: Search for the Thunder Lizards

Ch. 1

9/2

Fossils & fossilization

Ch. 2

9/7

Sediments & rocks

9/9

Fossil collecting

9/14

Taxonomy; geologic time & dating

Ch. 3

9/16

Evolution

“  

9/21

Phylogeny & cladistics; the prehistoric world

“ and 4

9/23

Pre-reptilian vertebrates; amniotes

Ch. 5

9/28

Reptilian skull types; anapsids

Ch. 6

9/30

Exam I

 

10/5

Introduction to diapsids--Lepidosaurs

Ch. 7

10/7

Non-dinosaurian archosaurs (thecodonts, crocodilians) pterosaurs

Ch. 8

10/12

Non-dinosaurian archosaurs (pterosaurs)

Ch. 8

10/14   

Introduction to dinosaurs

Ch. 9

10/19

Intro. to dinosaurs (cont’d.); Video: The Nature of the Breast

10/21  

Saurischians (Part 1. Theropods);

Ch. 10

10/26

10/28

Exam II

 

11/2   

Saurischians (Part 2.  Sauropodomorphs)

Ch. 11

11/4

Saurischians (Part 2. cont'd.)

11/9

NO CLASS—Assessment Day

 

11/11

NO CLASS—GSA meeting

 

11/16

Ornithischians (Part 1.  Fabrosaurs & Thyreophorans)

Ch. 12

11/18

Ornithischians (Part 2.  Cerapods)

Ch. 13

11/23

Ornithischians (Part 2—cont’d.)

11/25  

NO CLASS—Thanksgiving Recess    

 

11/30

Exam III

 

12/2

Birds; dinosaur discovery report due

Ch. 14

12/7

Marine reptiles; extinction

Ch. 15,16

12/9

Extinction; Video: The Miracle Planet

Ch. 16

12/14

FINAL EXAM-same time, same place as class

 

Text:

King, Norman R., Paleontology of Higher Vertebrates:  A Practical Guide: Kendall/Hunt, 1998 (Revised Printing, 2000; student paket).