Geography 101---- The Natural Environment
03
TR: 9:45am – 11:00am (CRN: 62101)
MW:
1:30am – 2:45pm (CRN: 62102)
INSTRUCTOR: Toshi Ikagawa, Ph.D.
OFFICE: Na’auao 116
OFFICE
HOURS: MTWR: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
TELEPHONE: 236-9216; ikagawa@hawaii.edu
EFFECTIVE DATE: Fall 2009
Windward Community College is
committed to excellence in the liberal arts and career development; we support
and challenge individuals to develop skills, fulfill their potential, enrich
their lives, and become contributing, culturally aware members of our
community.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Survey of the natural environment;
distribution and interrelationships of climates, vegetation, soil and land
forms.
Activities
Required at Scheduled Times Other Than Class Times
None
At the
completion of the course, the student should learn to:
1. Describe
the components (inputs), processes (actions) and resulting spatial patterns (outputs)
of the physical environment (atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and
biosphere) as a system.
2. Apply
the scientific method, and theories and concepts of geography to explain a physical environment.
3. Explain
critically the interaction of humans
and the physical environment.
4. Illustrate
how his/her views of the physical
environment have (or have not) changed.
REQUIREMENTS
COURSE SATISFIES
At WCC: Meets AA degree
physical science requirement of the Natural Science requirements; with GEOG
101L, meets science laboratory course requirement.
Also full fill
marine related elective requirement of the Marine Option Program
(MOP)
At UHM: Meets Natural Science general
education requirements (DP); with GEOG 101L, meets science laboratory course
requirement (DY).
RECOMMENDED
BASIC SKILLS LEVEL
Ability
to read and write at a college level
Required
Textbook: Geography
101 Book (Online
Textbook) by Dennis Nullet
This
textbook can be accessed at: http://www2.hawaii.edu/%7Edennis/book/
User ID: geog101
Password: panda
COURSE
TASKS
Dear
Geography Students:
Welcome
to the Geography 101 course, The Natural Environment. This class
examines the Earth's Natural Environment. The structure and processes of major
environments will be discussed.
Assignments:
It is assumed
that you read and understand all the assigned part of the textbook before
each class period (see the class schedule attached). During and after each
class you will write a learning log which
will be counted toward your final grade. There may also be non-prescheduled pop-quizzes and/or assignments in any
classes, which will be counted toward your final grade.
Attendance/participation:
Attendance is mandatory, and presence/absence will be evaluated by
roll call (signup sheet) and participation
is evaluated by class participation and learning logs. It is assumed that you
know and understand all the materials covered in all lectures (part of which
may not be covered in the textbook).
Also, any
changes in the content/material/schedule/procedure related to the class,
announced during any class period will stand, even if you are not there. It is
your responsibility to obtain such information from your classmate or any other
sources, if you miss any lectures.
ASSESSMENT
TASKS AND GRADING
Student
Evaluation:
There will be two
midterm exams (25%
of the total grades each), one final exam (30% of the total grades), and
attendance/participation (20% of the total grades) for the
evaluation.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Participation
(via learning logs) will be used to evaluate each student’s achievement of
course objectives listed above, especially #3: Be able to assess the interaction of
humans and the physical environment; and #4: Be motivated to inquire further
into physical geography.
Because these learning
logs are record of class participation and will be done in class, students
missing class regularly (i.e. more than 10% of classes), thus missing learning
logs, cannot
be assessed for these objectives and therefore will not be able to pass
the course.
Please
mark your calendar now.
|
Material Covered |
Date |
|
|
Midterm 1 |
Multiple
choice questions for Textbook: Chapters 1–4 |
5-6th weeks on Laulima |
|
Essay
questions |
7th week |
|
|
Midterm 2 |
Multiple
choice questions for Textbook: Chapters 5–8 |
10-11th weeks on Laulima |
|
Essay
questions |
12th week |
|
|
Final |
Multiple
choice questions for Textbook: Chapters 9–12 |
15-16th weeks on Laulima |
|
Essay
questions |
17th week: Check the schedule! |
|
|
Learning logs |
|
Due at the end
of each class |
NOTE: Exams cover both
lectures and the textbook. It is mandatory to attend all the lectures. Each
exam includes (1) multiple-choice questions, including true/false questions and
(2) any possible essay type questions. When you study, it is strongly
recommended to check ideas and concepts using the textbook. Review questions
for multiple choice questions are available on Laulima. Review
questions for essay questions will be distributed via the Intranet (M:\Courses\Geography\GEOG
101)/Internet.
How to access Laulima
1. Go to the Laulima entry page at:
https://laulima.hawaii.edu/portal
2. Log in using your UH Banner ID and password.
3. Select the class from the “My Workspace” bar near the
top and click.
4. On the left side, there is the table of
contents (Home, Syllabus, Tests & Quizzes, Resources, etc.). Click to
access.
NOTE:
Review questions are accessible from any computers which have the Internet
access. You can try the review questions as many times as you wish. However,
the exams can be only accessible at The Learning Center (TLC) during the
designated
period. The proctor at TLC
will enter password for you. You can take each exam ONLY once.
!
At the moment of Start Date (&
time) of an exam, the corresponding WebCT review page
will close (only the Word version
will remain open).
Academic
dishonesty: (SERIOUS WARNING!!)
Academic
dishonesty such as cheating and plagiarism that may occur in this class will be
severely punished. It most likely will result in immediate dismissal from the
class. In other words, “DON’T DO IT” even if you have noble reasons to do so.
It is NOT worth a try it in this class.
Grading uses the
standard scale:
A: 90.0-100.0%, B: 80.0-89.9%; C: 70.0-79.9%,
D: 60.0-69.9%, F: 0-59.9%.
For Cr/NC options, Incomplete (“I”
grade), and “W” grade, see the WCC College Catalog.
There is no “N” grade in this class.
NOTE:
1. There
is NO extra credit work.
2. Make-up
exams will be all essay type.
COURSE
CONTENT
The
Natural Environment (GEOG 101) Schedule
Subjects (Reading assignment of
Textbook)
WEEK 1
INTRODUCTION
1.
Introduction (Preface), Scientific method, systems
approach
2.
Organizing concepts, Geographic grid
system (Chapter 1: Maps)
3.
Maps and map projections, map scales
WEEK 2
PART
1: ATMOSPHERE
4.
Overview of atmosphere (Chapter 2: Sky): Solar system, solar radiation
5.
Seasons,
analemma, composition of atmosphere, profiles of
atmosphere
WEEK 3
6.
Energy and temperature (Chapter 3: Heat): Heat transfer, transmission, radiation
balance, land-ocean contrast
WEEK 4
7.
Pressure and winds (Chapter 4: Wind): Pressure gradient, high/low
pressures & winds, land/sea breezes, Coriolis
8.
Global circulation,
real winds, ocean currents, monsoon
WEEK 5
PART
2: HYDROSPHERE
9.
Moisture and precipitation (Chapter 5: Clouds): Atmospheric moisture, phase
change, humidity
10.
Ground level condensation
WEEK 6
11.
Clouds and storms (Chapter
6: Weather): Clouds
12.
Orographic
rainfall, adiabatic process, convectional rifting, precipitation
types
13.
Air masses & mid-latitude
cyclones, thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes vs
mis-lat cyclone
WEEK 7
14.
Review
1
15.
Midterm
1 (Essay part)
WEEK 8
16.
Climate (Chapter 7: Water): Climate classification, Hadley
cell & tropical rainforest, Subtropical Highs & dry climate
17.
Climate PPS, water resources
WEEK 9
PART
3: BIOSPHERE
18.
Biogeography and ecosystems (Chapter 8: Life): Ecosystems & food chain
19.
Vegetation zones,
terrestrial biomes
20.
Project 3: Island Isolation
WEEK 10
21.
Soils and vegetation: soils, laterization
22.
White sand and blue pine
23.
Stranger
in the paradise
WEEK 11
PART
4: LITHOSPHERE
24.
Plate tectonics (Chapter 9: Earth): Geologic time, Interior of the Earth
25.
Plate
tectonics
26.
Minerals and rocks (Chapter 10: Mountains): Rock cycle
WEEK 12
27.
Review
2
28.
Midterm
2 (Essay part)
WEEK 13
29.
Tectonic processes, faulting &
folding
30.
Building/decreasing processes (Chapter 11: Valleys), volcanism, shield volcano,
weathering, karst landscape
31.
Nature’s
Fury
WEEK 14
32.
Fluvial landscapes (Chapter 12: Erosion)
33.
Wind, sand dunes
34.
Project 1: Dead Sun
WEEK 15
35.
Ocean, glacier landscapes
36.
Born
of Fire
37.
Project 2: 10 Acres
WEEK 16
38.
Summary
39.
Review
3
WEEK 17
40.
Final
Exam (Essay part)
NOTE:
Schedule/subjects may change without prior notice.
Disabilities
Accommodation Statement
If
you have a physical, sensory, health, cognitive, or mental health disability
that could limit your ability to fully participate in this class, you are encouraged
to contact the Disability Specialist Counselor to discuss reasonable
accommodations that will help you succeed in this class. Ann Lemke
can be reached at 235-7448, lemke@hawaii.edu,
or you may stop by
Hale ‘Akoakoa 213 for more information.
Legal assumptions:
It is hereby assumed that you will
strictly follow all and any reasonable procedures/ethics, etc. that are
enforced in this academic institution.
Last revised: August 4, 2009