G30 Fall AY2021

Fundamentals of Earth Science I
Undergraduate / Graduate

Undergraduate

Registration Code0061411

Course Category

Sciences BasicCredits

2.0

Term (Semester) / Day / Period

G-I (1st year, Fall Semester) / Mon / 4 (14:45～16:15)

Instructor

HUMBLET Marc AndreContact e-mail of the Instructor●Goals of the Course

humblet.marc@f.mbox.nagoya-u.ac.jp

The study of planet Earth embraces a wide range of topics, from the formation of rocks to the evolution of life,
from continental drift to the study of earthquakes and volcanoes. In this course, fundamental concepts of earthscience will be covered. Students will be introduced to plate tectonics, the fundamental theory underlying thegeological processes which have shaped the environment in which we live and continue to modify thelandscape, from the slow, progressive uplift of mountains to violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Students will learn how the Earth recycles matter and how minerals and rocks form and are transformed; how
the age of rocks and geological events can be determined, which is central to earth science; how the Earth’s
geography has changed and how life has evolved during Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history.
●Objectives of the Course
Besides providing a basic and up-to-date knowledge of essential concepts of earth science, the aim of thiscourse is to stimulate the interest and curiosity of students for the study of planet Earth and provoke questions,comments, and discussions about issues related to earth science.
●Course Content or Plan
1. Earth Sciences: an introduction
2. The solar system
3. Plate tectonics
4. Minerals: rock’s elementary building blocks
5. Rocks and rock cycle I: igneous rocks
6. Rocks and rock cycle II: sedimentary rocks
7. Rocks and rock cycle III: metamorphic rocks
8. The age of rocks
9. Earth history I: paleogeography
10. Earth history II: origin and evolution of life
●Course Prerequisites and Related Courses
There is no prerequisite for this course.
Related course: Fundamentals of Earth Science II●Course Evaluation Method and Criteria
Online quizzes: 60%
Written essay: 30%
Oral presentation: 10%
Students who enrolled in 2020 will be graded using the six-step A+, A, B, C, C-, and F grade evaluation system(A+: 100-95%, A: 94-80%, B: 79-70%, C: 69-65%, C-: 64-60%, F: 59 % or less).
Students who enrolled in 2019 or before will be graded following the five-step S-A-B-C-F grade evaluation
system (S: 90-100%, A: 80-89%, B: 70-79%, C:60-69%, F: 59-0%).
A student will be given an “Absent” grade if he or she submits a Course Withdrawal Request by the 15th ofNovember. This deadline does not apply to students who drop the class part-way through for an exceptional

G30 Fall AY2021reason (e.g., illness, accident). Also, NUPACE students should check the deadline set by the NUPACE programfor course withdrawal.
●Study Load (Self-directed Learning Outside Course Hours)
Students should acquire a good understanding of the course content to be able to answer the questions of thequizzes. Students are also required to write a review paper on a subject of their choice related to the course
content, and therefore need to search for information related to this subject and to summarize that information
in a clear, organized, and concise manner. Preparation time is also needed for the final short presentation thateach student gives at the end of the semester about the subject of their review paper.
●How to Respond to Questions
Live lectures will be organized (in class or online or both), and students are strongly encouraged to ask
questions during the lectures. Students can also contact me by e-mail or meet me in person in my office. NUCT
will be used as another way of communication, to share files and send messages.
●Notice for Students●Message from the Instructor●Courses taught by Instructors with practical experience

Textbook

Reference Book

Reference websitefor this Course

There is no required textbook for this course. Please refer to the recommended reading
below for an additional source of information.
Title: Understanding EarthAuthors: John Grotzinger & Thomas H. Jordan
Publisher: W. H. Freeman
Issue year: 2014 (7th edition)
ISBN: 978-1464138744