PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 102        WINTER ‘08 Syllabus

 M, T, W, Th. 10-10:50am, lab Monday 12 noon -1:50pm

 or M, W.  5-6:50pm, lab Wednesday 7 – 8:50pm

 

Instructor: Dr. Susan Digby

                       Professor on-line: http://faculty.olympic.edu/sdigby

                       E-mail: sdigby@oc.ctc.edu       Phone: 475 7840

Note: E-mails do not always get through, so please phone if you do not get an answer within 24 hrs M-F.

 

Office hours: M, T, W, Th. 9 – 10am in the new Science Technology Building 215

                         And Wednesday 11 - noon in the Bremer Center coffee area            

                       Also by appointment if these times don’t work for you.

 

Final Exam:

    Morning class: Thursday 20 March 8:00am (this will test the last third of the course plus the last half of lab material)

                        Evening class: Wednesday 19 March 5pm (this will test the last third of the course plus the last half of lab material)

 

Labs:              Morning class will meet once a week Monday from noon to 1:50pm in ST 142

                       Evening class will meet Wednesday from 7 to 8:50pm in ST 142

               

Course description: Physical geography 102 is a study of the basic physical elements of geography, their correlation and integrated patterns of world distribution.  Special attention is given to the earth and its astronomical relationships, weather, climate, and landforms. Topics include earth-sun relationships, the global energy balance, weather and climate, ecosystems, the hydrologic cycle, the physical structure of the earth and forces that shape it.  Upon successful completion of this course students will have an understanding of why climatic zones, landforms, and vegetation differ from place to place on the earth.   Students will be able to understand basic issues underlying environmental and geographical issues in the news.

 

Course Materials: Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation, Tom McKnight and Darrel Hess (8th ed., 7th ed. is also acceptable).  The text book is required reading and is the primary source of information for lectures, discussions and exams.  Please bring your book to class.  An atlas is recommended.

 

Credit: Five physical science credits as a lab course.

 

Testing and Grading:  Grading will be based on exam scores, pop quizzes, home assignments and lab exercises.  There will be three exams given during the semester; each tests approximately one third of the course. I will confirm the dates of the first 2 exams as the course progresses; the date for the third exam is fixed.  The exams will be multiple-choice, true-false, and there will be some short essay questions and diagrams to draw or label.  The exams will be worth 100 points each for a total of 300 points. All exams count toward the final grade.  There will be 5-6 pop quizzes/class exercises worth 10 points each. The lowest score will be dropped for a total of 50 points.  Pop quizzes will usually occur at the start of class, so be here and on time!  Your home assignment is to read sections of the text as outlined on the syllabus.  There will be 20 points of bonus opportunities.  If there is any material that you do not understand, please make use of my office hours or e-mail me.  A reminder that e-mail sometimes disappears into the ether so, if you don’t have a response in 24 hrs, please try again.

Note:    There are no make-up exams unless under extraordinary circumstances.  Extraordinary circumstances are to be corroborated in writing by a doctor and other serious events.  Should you know ahead of time of a conflict due to an extenuating circumstance such as scheduled surgery, please see me to make alternate arrangements.  If you are granted a make-up exam but the reason for the late write is not judged to be sufficiently serious there will be an exam grade penalty.

Three Exams (100 each)                       300

Nine Labs (10 each)                             90

Two Lab exams (40 each)   80

 Five pop quizzes/assignments          50

Total points                                          520

 

Academic Honesty:  All forms of cheating and plagiarism are absolutely forbidden.  This is the official policy of Olympic College (WAC 132C-120-070) and the instructor of this course.

 

Attendance: Regular attendance is essential if you wish to do well.  You will be tested on material presented in class; if you have to miss a class, contact a fellow student to get class notes and any announcements.  While you are in class you will need to remain focused on geography; please turn off all cell phones and electronic devices.  Behaviors towards learning at the university level will be discussed and are required. Students who behave inappropriately, i.e. who engage in activities that disrupt learning, will be asked to leave.   Instructors are required to report such exclusions to the Vice President of Student Services. (see WAC 132C-120-075) page 30 of the 06-07 Student Handbook.

 

Grade designation:  I derive a final grade point average from your average grade percentage.

 

Average

Grade

Average

Grade

Average

Grade

95-100%

4.0

81-82%

2.8

69-70%

1.6

94-95%

3.9

80-81%

2.7

68-69%

1.5

93-94%

3.8

79-80%

2.6

67-68%

1.4

92-93%

3.7

78-79%

2.5

66-67%

1.3

90-92%

3.6

77-78%

2.4

65-66%

1.2

88-90%

3.5

76-77%

2.3

64-65%

1.1

87-88%

3.4

75-76%

2.2

63-64%

1.0

86-87%

3.3

74-75%

2.1

62-63%

0.9

85-86%

3.2

73-74%

2.0

61-62%

0.8

84-85%

3.1

72-73%

1.9

60-61%

0.7

83-84%

3.0

71-72%

1.8

<60%

0.0

82-83%

2.9

70-71%

1.7

 

 

 

 

Schedule (subject to minor changes):                   

Date                                                                  Reading Assignment

Week 1 – Jan. 7                                                                   Chapter 1,2

Introduction, earth as a planet, seasons, time, projections, remote sensing, GIS

Lab 1 – Geographic identity

Week 2 – Jan. 14                                                                  Chapter 3, 4

Atmospheric basics, insolation and temperature

Lab 1: SI units, latitude and longitude, time

Week 3 – Jan. 21                 (Jan 21th  MLK day)                             Chapter 5

Atmospheric pressure and wind

Lab 2: Topographic maps

Exam 1: Jan 28

Week 4 – Jan 28                                                                   Chapter 6, 7

Atmospheric moisture and storms

Lab 3:  World climates

Week 5 – Feb 4                                                                                     Chapter 8, 11

Climate Zones and Biomes, Urban climates, global climate change

Lab 4: Weather

Week 6 – Feb 11                                                                 Chapter 13, 14

Landforms, Internal processes

Lab test (1 of 2)

Exam 2: 20 Feb

Week 7 – Feb 18              (Feb 25th  Presidents day)                       Chapter 15, 16

Weathering and wasting, Fluvial processes

Lab 5: Plate tectonics and landforms

Week 8 – Feb 25                                                                                  Chapter 12,9

Soils, the hydrosphere

Lab 6: Landform processes

Week 9 – Mar 3                                                                   Chapter 19

 Glaciation

Lab 7: Soils of Kitsap County

Week 10 – Mar 10                                                                Chapter 20

                      Oceans and Coastal processes

 Lab 9: Glaciation

                  

Exam 3: Morning class: Thursday 20 March 8:00am, evening class: Wednesday 19 March 5pm.  In this testing period there will be both exam #3 and the second of two lab tests.

 

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

 

To do well you will need to keep up with class lectures and textbook readings and you will need to make notes and study from these materials.  And you need to complete all assignments and have them handed in on time. It’s very important that you don’t get behind.  The following are aids to ensure that you excel.

Class contacts:                    

                                                 ______________________________

                                                ______________________________

                                                ______________________________

 

Check with your class contacts if you have questions about readings, class materials or in the rare event that you should have to unavoidably miss a class.

 

 

ADA Statement:

If you are a student with a permanent or temporary disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact Access Services at 475 -7540. 

 

Student Services:

Olympic College is committed to helping every student succeed in college.  Take advantage of the many student advocate programs that include Counseling (academic or personal) 475-7530, the Writing Center  475-7318, and the Career Center 475-7480.  Check for scholarship opportunities on the Financial Services web pages.  The Olympic College website is your bridge to many services. 

 

Computers with internet access are available in the library and in computer labs.  The library has study rooms in the basement level.