Section 13800, Spring 2018

Hello and welcome! I’m Dr. Daniel Waktola, your course instructor, who is ready to help you understand the fundamental knowledge and skills of Physical Geography. With your curiosity, participation, and steady effort, I’m confident that you would exceed the learning outcomes of the course.

Los Angeles Mission College

Physical Geography Syllabus

Class Room: CMS 28

T Th 10:35 am —12:00 pm

***** Office # 240 (West Wind,

Upper Level, Inside Physi-cal Sci. Dept).

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You can drop by

MW 9:00-10:00 am; TTh 9:00-10:00 am;

M 6:00 – 6:30 pm.

T 6:00 – 6:30 pm.

Or, by appointment.

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Email me at waktoldk@lamission.edu

Call me at

(818) 833 3408

*****

If geography is prose, maps are iconography.

Lennart Meri

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) Upon successful completion of this course you should be able to:

SLO 1. Locate and critically analyze important natural features around the

world and in the local area, using digital maps, graphs, satellite im-

ageries, and GIS,

SLO 2. Demonstrate knowledge of Earth’s planetary configuration, motions,

and cycles; relate these to Earth’s surface cycles (such as seasons

and natural planetary climate change) and its energy balance.

SLO 3. Explain the processes operating within and between Earth’s natural

systems and cycles in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and

biosphere; relate these forces and processes to the distinctive land-

forms and environments of Earth.

SLO 4. Examine the interactions between Earth’s systems and the human

realm

Physical Geography explores the earth's ever-changing physical system, in-

cluding human activities where they interface with the environment. Empha-

sis is given to earth-sun relationships, atmosphere-hydrosphere interactions,

lithospheric processes, integration of climate, soils and biomes and their spa-

tial patterns. Students interpret the spatial patterns using maps produced from

Geographic Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS),

and satellite imagery.

Course Description

PAGE 2

Class Policies

PHYSIC AL GEO GR APHY S YL L ABUS

Required Textbook

Title: McKnight’s Physical Geography. California Edition 4rd

California Edition Hess.

Textbook Policy:

• It is a bundled book with Access Card (which is a must):

Course Code is: MGEOGWAKTOLA91479

• One can’t pass this course without completing the home-

take quizzes from Mastering Geography.

A maximum of 3 late submissions (with partial credit, if it is done within 7 days from the due dates) are allowed. One can’t delay these homeworks until the end of the semester.

• Class time will be spent in lecture and discussion. Every student should participate in the discussion and your involvement is part of the course evaluation. .

Attendance rosters are always maintained, and absences in excess of 3 may result in exclusion from class.

Failure to attend class will result in your missing valuable information and material. Besides, missing clas-ses would lead to missed class activity points.

If you are absent, it is your responsibility to acquire all the missed information from your classmates. Therefore, it is very important to acquire the name, phone, or e-mail addresses of three classmates.

• Medical appointments, work, job interviews, child care responsibilities, etc., should be arranged so as not to occur during the class time.

• Arriving late for class is disruptive for everyone, and habitual tardiness may result in exclusion from class.

• Students are required to stay for the entire class period.

• There is No Extra Credit based on the student request. Please do not ask for it, especially at the end of the semester.

• Busy work schedules and academic burden are not accepted as excuses for late assignment and poor scores. What you should do is ask for help, I’m willing to explain any concept of the course.

• If you are interested to use laptop or tablets during lecture hours, it shouldn’t distract you (and other stu-dents’) attention. Specifically, you should:

1. Refrain from browsing unrelated websites, and

2. Sit either in the front or second rows of the classroom seats.

SEC TIO N 1380 0, SPR IN G 20 18

Non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal. It is your responsibility to drop. You must be aware of the dates pertaining to withdrawals. You may drop the class via the Admissions Office, on-line, or by phone. If you stop attending class without filing an official drop card with Admissions and Records by the scheduled deadline, you will receive a grade of Fail.

Cheating is unacceptable behavior for college students.

If you are part of a cheating incident (either by giving or receiving assistance on an exam, or through plagiarism—submitting anyone else’s work as your own), you will receive a score of zero and recommended for disciplinary actions.

PAGE 3

Exams

Withdrawal

Academic Integrity Policy

If you are having difficulty with the concepts presented in class, I will be happy to help you.

You can find me before or after each class without any appoint-ment. Besides, I have plenty of consultation hours. Getting help early in the semester will ensure a more successful course grade. However, asking for a free gift of grades or additional points is not only unacademic but also unethical. Please, don’t ask for it. When emailing me, always use your district email address, and mail it to wak-

toldk@lamission.edu– and include your full name, course name, and section number.

Course Evaluation

Everything has to do with geography

Judy Martz

Grading

• There are four (3) exams in this course, cover-ing material presented up to the week preceding the exam. The format of each exam will be dis-cussed prior to the exams. Study guides are also provided prior to exams. Exams may include multiple choice, true-false, matching, and short answers

No make-ups will be given for missed exams. If you miss one of the exams (except the final), points will be assigned based on 85% of the highest exam score during the semester. Any addition-al missed exam will receive zero.

In addition, there would be occasional assign-ments and discussion to be done on Canvas (www.ilearn.laccd.edu)

Roll calls are taken every class. Points are given ONLY to those who showed up.

• Class activity has also points. It is measured by the student's involvement in the form of ask-ing/answering questions and participation in discussions A mere presence in the class doesn’t count as a class participation.

Grades are totaled from exams, quizzes, homeworks, and assignments. A portion of your grade is based on class participation. Late submission, for whatever rea-son, will be penalized.

• Exams —–——- 300 pts

• Home Works —–——- 80 pts

• Term Paper 50 pts

• Class Activities + Attendance 40 pts

• Various Assignments —–——- 30 pts

Grand Total —–———- 500 pts

90 - 100 % = A

80 - 90% = B

70 – 80% = C

60 - 70% = D

< 60% = F

PAGE 4

Course Outline (Subject to Change)

Course Resources Wk Date Topic Reading

1 Feb 6 (T) Course Intro: Syllabus, Policies

Feb 8 (Th) Introduction to Physical Geography Ch. 1

2 Feb 13 (T) Earth and Solar System

Feb 15 (Th) Earth Sun Relations, Time

*** Feb 19 Drop Classes Without “W”

3 Feb 20 (T) Portraying Earth Ch. 2

Feb 22 (Th) Scale, Projections, GPS, Remote Sensing, GIS

4 Feb 27 (T) The Atmosphere Ch. 3

March 1 Weather and Climate and Exam Review

5 March 6 (T) Test 1 Ch. 1-3

Mar 8 (Th) Insolation and Temperature Ch. 4

6 Mar 13 (T) Solar Energy, Warming/Cooling, Radiation Budget, Temperature Distribution

Mar 15 (Th) Atmospheric Pressure and Wind Ch. 5

7 Mar 20 (T) Atmospheric Pressure and Wind

Mar 22 (Th) Atmospheric Moisture Ch. 6

8 Mar 27 (T) Atmospheric Moisture

Mar 29 (Th) Atmospheric Disturbances Ch. 7

9 April 2 & 4 SPRING BREAK

April 10 & 12 Global Warming Research

10 April 16 (T) Air Masses, Fronts, Cyclones, Hurricanes, Thunderstorms, Tornedoes

Ch. 7

April 18 (Th) Climate and Climate Change Ch. 8

10 April 24 (T) Test 2 Ch. 4-8

April 26(Th) Landform Study Ch. 13

11 May 1 (T) Landform Study Ch. 13

May 3 (Th) Tectonic Processes Ch. 14

12 May 8 (T) Tectonic Processes

May 10 (Th) Volcano and Earthquake

*** May 6 Last Day to Drop Classes With “W”

13 May 15 (T) Weathering Ch. 15

May 17 (Th) Fluvial Processes Ch. 16

May 19 (S) Field Trip to Vasquez Rocks

14 May 22 (T) Topography of Arid Processes Ch. 18

May 24 (Th) Final Exam Review Ch. 13-18

May 31 FINAL EXAM (10am– 12:00pm) Ch. 13-18

1. Mastering Geography—Accessed by a textbook code. The course ID is:

MGEOGWAKTOLA91479.

This resource helps you to do online quizzes assigned for each chapter. Besides, it gives you access to e-book, animations, chapter re-views, and quizzes.

Go to: www.masteringgeography.com to get registered and enroll in the class using the code you purchased, and instructor’s ID.

2. Our class has a course man-agement website CANVAS (www.ilearn.laccd.edu ). CANVAS helps you access lecture notes, assignments and upload projects, participate in discussions, and chat with your class-mates.