Optional Homework (Worth 50 homework pts)

The Rules: Each submission must be typed, 12-point font, and 1.5 line spacing. Margins must be 1 inch on the top, right, bottom, and left.

The asignment is due the end of the day on Friday during finals week (May 7). Slide it under my door (210 Macelwane) if I am not here when you complete the work.

The Tasks:

1. Summarize the book - one concise paragraph for each chapter.
2. Write a one-page commentary on "how science is done" using examples illustrated in "T.rex and the Crater of Doom".

Reading Schedule

Chapters To be Completed	Date
1 & 2	3/25/99
3, 4 & 5	4/15/99
6 & 7	4/22/99

Discussion Questions

The description of the impact in chapter one is dramatic and this is not the only catastrophic change which has occurred during Earth's history. What does the fact life thrives despite the tumultuous Earth history say about life? How did Alvarez stumble into the study of the K-T boundary? What does this say about the nature of scientific investigation? To Alvarez, what was the most important aspect of his Ph.D. research? How would you describe "Deep Time" to someone who has never studied geology? What results from the Apollo Space Program had a great influence on geology? What is the history of the ideas in uniformitarianism and how is it related to the story of the dinosaur extinction? How did the discovery of plate tectonics impact the competition of ideas between gradualism and catastrophism?

Accountability

Class Discussions: We can discuss any aspect of the text you like, but I will focus discussion on the questions I list below (to be posted later). Quizzes: I will include questions from the reading in the quizzes.