Instructor: Dr. William R. Dupre´

Phone: 743-3425; E-mail: wdupre@uh.edu

Text: Harris & Tuttle, 1997, Geology of National Parks, 5th Edition

Map: Therin & Pike, 1991, Landforms of the Conterminous United States, U.S. Geological Survey

Almost 3 billion years of earth history is recorded in the rocks and landscapes that comprise America's National Parks and Monuments. We will use geologic and topographic maps, aerial photos, slides, and videos to study the processes by which the mountains were built up and by which they are being gradually worn down. We will examine the evidence of colliding continents in Shenendoah and the Great Smoky Mts; over a billion years of earth history exposed in the walls of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateau; the role of glaciers in sculpting the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada. We will study volcanic processes and the rocks they form the Cascades, Yellowstone and Hawaii; the formation of caves in Carlsbad and Mammoth Caves; the role of wind in White Sands and the Great Sand Dunes .

This course is designed to introduce the student to the processes and events that led to the development of our National Parks and Monuments, and in doing so, to better understand and appreciate the American Landscape.

Email requirements: Students are requested to provide the instructor with their e-mail address at the beginning of the semester. Students without access to e-mail may obtain a free e-mail account from the university (see me for details). As always, also feel free to contact me by phone or in person.

• Distance Education Orientation: All homeviewing students must attend the orientation held on January 16, 1999 from 9am-12 noon at the Social Work Auditorium 1.

• Map Interpretation Workshop I: All students must attend a session of this workshop held in room 230, Science and Research I. One session will be held on Friday, Jan 29; 9am-12 noon The alternative session will be held on Saturday, Jan 30, 9-12 noon.

• Map Interpretation Workshop II: All students must attend a session of this workshop held in room 230, Science and Research I. One session will be held on Friday, Feb 5; 9am-12 noon The alternative session will be held on Saturday, Feb 6, 9am-12 noon.

Make-up exams will only be provided in the case of documented circumstances beyond the control of the student. If at all possible, contact the professor prior to the date of the exam to see if a make-up exam can be given. The make-up exam must be taken as soon after the originally scheduled exam as possible.

Homework assignments will be due throughout the semester, dates to be provided at a later time. Remote-site students may submit assignments either by e-mail (if appropriate) or UH courier. Homeviewing students may submit assignments either by e-mail (if appropriate), UH courier or US mail. Note: all assignments must arrive at the professor's office by the due date. Homework will be returned either in person, by UH courier, by e-mail (if appropriate), or by student-provided, self addressed stamped envelope.

You may pick a park of your choice (with my approval) and submit a typed term paper of approximately 10-15 pages in length (including figures and references). It will be due May 4. More details will be provided later in the course. Topics should include, but are not necessarily be restricted to: 1) location, 2) climate and vegetation, 3) regional geologic setting, 4) geologic history (including erosion of the present landscape), and 5) sites of geologic interest to the visitor. Violations of the University regulation on plagiarism (to be discussed in class) may result in your failing the course, so be sure your paper is your own work.

• National Park Service Home Page

• National Park Service - Park Geology

• Maps of U.S. National Parks and Monuments

• National Parks and Conservation Association

• Voyageur National Park

• Isle Royale National Park

• Acadia National Park

• Shenadoah National Park

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park

• Mammoth Cave National Park

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park

• Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

Zion National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Canyonlands National Park

 Arches National Park

Web instructions: Much of the course material will be available on the internet. Students are encouraged to arrange access to the website.

If you are taking this course at home and did not attend the Distance Education Orientation on January 16, 1999, you must either email Dr Dupre´ at wdupre@uh.edu, or call him at 713-743-3425, no later than January 21, 1999.