Course Syllabus

ATMS 211 Climate and Climate Change

Spring 2019

Please see us for questions or concerns about the course. Conceptual issues are best handled in person, after lecture, during office hours (TBD) or by special appointment.

Professor Thornton's Office Hours: 

Tuesdays 3:30 - 4:30 PM and Thursdays 3:30 - 4:30 PM in 508 ATG building

Claire's Office Hours: 

Tuesdays 9:20 - 11:20 AM in 402 ATG building

Grading

Assignments are due at the start of class or the first section, no late assignments will be accepted without prior permission. The same goes for exams. There will not be makeup exams for those that are missed without prior permission.

            4 Short (~20-30 min) Exams + In-class Polls*: 65%

            1 Comprehensive Final Exam: 20%

            Homework Assignments: 15%

*In-class Poll Everywhere questions will be asked throughout the quarter, on average about 2 or 3 per lecture. Your responses will be recorded. You will receive 1 point for an incorrect answer, and 2 points for a correct answer. Poll answers from half the quarter will be equivalent weight to 1 exam. Thus, in total Poll answers will carry the same weight as 2 exams. We will drop your lowest 2 scores in this category (exams + In-class Polls).

No make-up polls will be given under any circumstance. If you have technical problems during the lecture with Poll Everywhere devices/connections, we will accept handwritten answers immediately at the end of class, but not after class.  

We (professor and TA) assume that you will abide by an honorable code of academic conduct, guidelines for which can be found in the student handbook (WAC 478-120-020 [2]) available online via the Faculty Resource on Grading. If we suspect you of having plagiarized material for homework or research projects, cheated on an exam, or otherwise inappropriately misrepresented work as your own (including in-class Poll Everywhere questions), we will give you the option of taking a zero grade on that assignment or exam, doing a similar assignment or exam again, or referring the case to the Dean’s office.

 Required Course Materials

 1. Textbook

The Earth System 3^rd Edition (2010): by Kump, Kasting, and Crane, Prentice Hall

We will meander through the text, so pay attention to assigned readings and come to class!

Available at UW Bookstore. If you have trouble purchasing it please see me.

 Course Outline (subject to change)