| PSES 3411 Homework Assignments, 2008 Fall |
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| Assignments |
Topics | Due
Dates |
| Assignment
1 Assignment 2 Assignment 3 Assignment 4 Assignment 5 Assignment 6 Assignment 7 Assignment 8 Assignment 9 Assignment 10 |
Math
Assignment, 15 point Bulk Density and Water Content Calculations, 25 point rubric Runoff and Erosion Calculations, 25 point rubric Web Soil Survey 1, 15 point - team activity - one per team Web Soil Survey 2, 15 point - team activity - one per team Colloidal Properties, 15 point CEC Environmental Application, 25 point Water Movement, 15 point Fertilizers and Soil Tests, 15 point Integration and Application, 25 point |
August 27 September 8 September 15 October 1 October 13 October 27 October 29 November 12 November 24 December 1 |
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| Team Assignments: People, Topics,
Presentations, Due Dates Students will work in various small groups throughout the semester. Teams will be assigned on the first class day. Students may trade team members until Friday, August 29, 5 p.m., and must inform instructor of any changes to assigned groups. |
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| Infiltrating Wikipedia |
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| First
draft submitted for peer review Peer reviews returned to instructor Peer/Instructor reviews returned to teams for revision Revised drafts submitted to instructor for external review Requested return date from external reviewers External reviewer comments returned to teams Final draft completed/submitted to instructor Post to Wikipedia |
October 1 October 13 October 20 November 3 November 21 November 24 December 1 December 3 |
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| Wiki
topics: 1. Definition/Description: what is soil, why soil is not dirt, etc. 2. Characteristics and properties: physical, chemical, biological 3. Uses: Why soil is important, urban land use, use in the garden, etc. 4. Formation: How parent materials become soil 5. Description: horizons, soil profiles, soil classification 6. Distribution: State soils, soil by nation 7. Degradation/Conservation: Natural and accelerated erosion, Dust Bowl, water quality, conservation principles 8. Careers (e.g., http://esa.org/education/ecologists_profile/EcologistsProfileDirectory/ or www.agronomy.org/about) Team number corresponds with Wiki topic. |
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| Team presentations Team presentations (5 to 7 minutes) on assigned, relevant topics will begin many classes. Each presentation has a value of 100 points. Students must: identify the role of soil in the issue; identify other factors influencing the issue; rank the factors in order of influence from greatest to least; include a creative component (artwork, music, drama, model, photography, video, ...); provide a one-page outline/summary for the class (grammar, spelling, etc., will count). Presentation topics and dates will be assigned when groups are assigned. Groups may trade topics until Friday, August 29, 5 p.m., and must inform instructor of any changes to assigned topics. |
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| Team |
Topic |
Date |
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| 1 |
Septic systems and failures, More on septic systems |
Sep 3 |
| 2 |
Super-absorbent polymers: http://www.aquadiamonds.com/ http://www.americansoiltech.com/news/ag_news_farm_ranch_guide.asp http://www.agripol.co.uk/ |
Sep 8 |
| 3 |
Gulf of Mexico dead zone - why
is it dead? http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2008/2008-06-18-092.asp |
Sep 15 |
| 4 |
Will there be another Dust Bowl? (Do not limit your thoughts to the US Great Plains.) |
Sep 17 |
| 5 |
Why does the Tower of Pisa lean? |
Sep 29 |
| 6 |
Why do foundations and walls
crack, and fence posts lean? Look for answers in the soil. |
Oct 13 |
| 7 |
What do Walmart and Lowe's at
45th and Coulter, Westgate Mall, Ascension Academy, and Greenways have in common? |
Oct 13 |
| 8 |
What is a perched aquifer, and
why is there one at Pantex? |
Oct 13 |
| 1 |
Which soil materials make the
best potter's clay? (An interview with a potter might be enlightening. See "Canyon Clay Company" on the square - Alex and Mandy Gregory.) |
Oct 15 |
| 2 |
Maples, sycamores, azaleas, and
some pine trees do not thrive here. Why not? (They often appear chlorotic.) |
Oct 27 |
| 3 |
What is graywater, and how is it
recycled? Is that legal? |
Oct 29 |
| 4 |
Biological remediation and phytoremediation: Is there a
difference? |
Nov 3 |
| 5 |
Organic Agriculture: Fact and
Fiction helps 1, 2, |
Nov 5 |
| 6 |
Is
Chesapeake Bay healthy? |
Nov 19 |
| 7 |
Sometimes when sorghum is young,
there will be small patches with interveinal chlorosis surrounded by healthy, green plants. What is the story? |
Nov 24 |
| 8 |
Designer Dirt: Is it worth it? |
Nov 26 |