GEOGRAPHY 1301 Physical Geography Blinn College Bryan Campus Spring 2011 Course Syllabus for Section A1 and A2 Instructor: Caroline Bour Office Hours: Mon 9:00 10:00 am Office Number: A-237 T Th 9:30 10:30 am Office Phone: 209-7329 T Th 12:00 1:00 pm E-Mail: Caroline.Bour@Blinn.edu Wed. 1:00 2:00 pm By appointment. COURSE DESCRIPTION: Essentials of physical geography: the Earth, its atmosphere (weather & climate), land forms & processes, soils, and biogeography (plant & animal life). COURSE CONTENT: Geography 1301 will focus on the Earth's physical patterns and processes. Lectures will cover topics such as meteorology / atmospheric processes, world climates, hydrology, soils, vegetation, glacial and tectonic processes, weathering, coastal and aeolian processes. The student will be responsible for attending all classes, reading all assignments, taking notes on class lectures, and completing any in-class or outside-class assignments. Textbook, supplies and materials Textbook - Required: Course Packet Required. Recommended - McKnight, T.L. and Hess, D. Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation. 9 th Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall: New Jersey. 2008. Available at the copy center on campus. World Atlas. CORE CURRICULUM: This is a Core Course in the 42-Hour Core of Blinn College. As such, students will develop proficiency in the appropriate Intellectual Competencies, Exemplary Educational Objectives, and Perspectives. www.blinn.edu/corecurriculum.htm STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO): After successfully completing Geography 1301, students should be able to : Define geography. Compare and contrast the Earth s landforms, and the processes that shape them. Examine the tectonic processes that shape the Earth s landforms. Identify the world s climate regions and biogeographic regions. 1
Distinguish the different aspects of global climate change. Describe the hydrologic cycle. Examine the patterns and consequences of human-environment interaction. Tentative Course Outline Spring 2011 Date Topic Chapter Jan 19 Introduction Jan 21 Geog Grid 1 Jan 24 Seasons 1 Jan 26 Maps, Elements of Weather 2, 3 Jan 28 Quiz 1 Atmospheric Heating & Cooling 4 Jan 31 Differences in Heating 4 Feb 2 Pressure & Wind 5 Feb 4 Quiz 2 Major Wind Systems 5 Feb 7 Local Winds, El Nino 5 Feb 9 Atmospheric Moisture, Stability 6 Feb 11 Quiz 3 Lifting Mechanisms, Clouds, Precip. 6 Feb 14 Exam 1 Ch. 1 6 Feb 16 Air Masses 7 Feb 18 Fronts, Atmospheric Disturbances 7 Feb 21 Quiz 4 Atmospheric Disturbances 7 Feb 23 Severe Weather 7 Feb 25 Quiz 5 Movie Flash Flood Alley Feb 28 Movie - continued Mar 2 Climate & Climographs 8 Mar 4 Hydrosphere 9 Mar 7 Quiz 6 Biosphere 10 Mar 9 Biomes 11 Mar 11 Biomes 11 Mar 14 to 18 Spring Break - Yahoo! Mar 21 Exam 2 Ch. 7-12 Mar 23 Soils 12 Mar 25 Soils 12 Mar 28 Lithosphere - Minerals & Rocks 13 Mar 30 Quiz 7 Geologic Time, Plate Tectonics 13, 14 Apr 1 Plate Tectonics 14 2
Date Topic Chapter Apr 4 Volcanoes 14 Apr 6 Earthquakes 14 Apr 8 Quiz 8 Weathering & Erosion 15 Apr 11 Mass Wasting 15 Apr 13 Open Apr 15 Exam 3 Ch. 12-15 Apr 18 Karst 17 Apr 20 Fluvial Processes 16 Apr 22 Fluvial Processes - Floodplains 16 Apr 25 Quiz 9 Arid Lands 18 Apr 27 Open Apr 29 Coastal Processes 20 May 2 Quiz 10 Glacial Processes 19 May 4 Review Final Grading Exercises 6 @ 20 points each 120 points Weather Log 50 points Quizzes 8 @ 15 points each 120 points Research Project 100 points Exams 2 @ 100 points each 200 points Final 200 points Total = 790 points Course Grade 711 points and above = A 632 points to 710 points = B 553 points to 631 points = C 474 points to 552 points = D 473 points and below = F 3
Quizzes There will be 10 quizzes based on lecture material, the two lowest scores will be dropped. Exams The exams will be multiple choice, true/false, and diagram/map questions. The exams will cover both the lecture and textbook material. There are will be three exams, and a final exam. Of the three semester exams, the lowest one will be dropped. Those students who take all three exams will receive 10% of their lowest exam grade as bonus points. Make-up exams must be completed within one week of the missed exam, with instructor approval. The final exam is worth 200 points. It will be 50% comprehensive, and 50% over the material covered after Exam 3. The format will be the same as the other exams. You will need scantrons for all quizzes, and exams. You must take the final in order to pass the class. ADA Statement (Students with disabilities) Information regarding procedures for documenting disabilities can be obtained from the Counseling Office. Reasonable accommodations will be made for documented disabilities. Students must present documentation as soon as possible for the instructor to arrange accommodation. Attendance Blinn College believes that class attendance is essential for student success; students are expected to report promptly and regularly to all their classes. Each class meeting builds the foundation for subsequent class meetings. Without full participation and regular class attendance, students shall find themselves at a disadvantage for achieving success in college. Class participation shall constitute at least 10% of the final course grade. A record of attendance will be kept. 4
If a student has one week s worth of unexcused absences during the semester, the student will receive an email from the college asking them to contact the instructor and schedule a conference immediately to discuss the attendance issue. If the student does not positively respond, the student may be administratively withdrawn from class if there are more than four unexcused absences. If a student accumulates two weeks worth of unexcused absences, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the course. There are four forms of excused absences recognized by Blinn College: 1) Observation of religious holy days (Students must notify the instructor by the 15th day of the semester of the specific date(s) that the student will be absent for any religious holy day. 2) Representing the College District at an official institutional function. 3) A high school student representing the independent school district at an official institutional function. 4) Military Service Other absences may be excused at the discretion of the faculty member. Examples include sickness, funeral, etc. and must be documented. If a student chooses to drop the course, it is the student s responsibility to do so at the Office of Admissions and Records. Failure to do so will result in a grade of F for the course. Student email addresses: www.blinn.edu/acadtech/studentemail/ Ecampus: ecampus.blinn.edu/default.asp or, Blinn homepage Civility Statement Members of the Blinn College community, which includes faculty, staff, and students, are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all aspects of campus life. Blinn College holds all members accountable for their actions and words. Therefore, all members should commit themselves to behave in a manner that recognizes personal respect, and demonstrates concern for the personal dignity, rights, and freedoms of every member of the College community, including respect for College property and the physical and intellectual property of others. Civility Notification Statement 5
If a student is asked to leave the classroom because of uncivil behavior, the student may not return to that class until he or she arranges a conference with the instructor: it is the student's responsibility to arrange for this conference. Other Policies No food and drink in the classroom. Blinn College does not tolerate cheating, plagiarism, or collusion. Procedures for dealing with these acts are outlined in the Scholastic Dishonesty Policy. Student dress code Blinn College students are expected to dress following generally accepted community standards of neatness, cleanliness, modesty, and good taste. This policy is interpreted to require students to wear shoes in all buildings other than residence halls and campus apartments. Elasticized, form-fitting, athletic-type apparel is not acceptable in the classrooms, labs, library or dining hall. Outer garments should cover underwear garments. Apparel with suggestive or obscene writing and/or indecent graphics may not be worn in any public are of the campus including, but not limited to the classrooms, labs, library, etc. The right and responsibility to determine the appropriateness of the dress of a particular student lies with the classroom instructor or when the student is outside of the classroom, with the immediate supervisor of the building or grounds the student is utilizing. An instructor may require specific, appropriate dress when students are to give classroom presentations or speeches of any type or when representing the College outside the classroom. When an instructor or supervisor informs a student that the clothing he/she is wearing is not appropriate, the student must leave the classroom or facility until the student changes the clothing or agrees not to wear such clothing again, as the instructor or supervisor directs. ALL CELL PHONES AND PAGERS MUST BE TURNED OFF UPON ENTERING ANY CLASSROOM, LIBRARY, OR THE LEARNING CENTER! Please be aware that arriving late or leaving class (and returning) is disruptive to other students as well as the instructor. 6