Physical Geography 120L

Syllabus – Spring 2009

 

 

Instructor:                  Chris Johnson

Office Room:                        Liberal Arts Building 207/205 (LA-207/205)

Office Phone:                       To be announced

Email:                                    chrisjohnson.instructor@gmail.com

 

Office Hours*:                     Wednesday 6:00 – 6:30 in LA-207/205

                                                * If you can’t make my office hours, we can schedule an appointment.

 

When:                   Wednesday: 6:30 – 9:20 p.m.

 

Where:                  Liberal Arts Building 207 (LA-207)

 

Required Lab Manual:        James G. Duvall, Physical Geography: A Laboratory Manual

Required Supplies:  Protractor, ruler with English and metric units, calculator, and about 5 colored pencils.

 

How to succeed in this course:

1)       Come to every class and work for the entire lab time.

2)       Read and study the text material for that day before class and examine the figures, tables, and boxes. 

3)       Further, work ahead in the book, trying to complete portions of the lab before class.

4)       Take lecture notes using the outline format.

5)       Form a study group of about four people to study for exams.

6)       Talk to your instructor at any time about how to succeed in this course and improve study skills.

 

Attendance Policy:

·         Adequate attendance is required to complete and pass this course.

·         School policy states that after 2 absences from class you will be dropped from the class.

·         Being late to class is highly discouraged as it disrupts your fellow students and you will likely miss important information. 

·         The reason for you absence does not alter this policy.

 

Make-up and Late Policy:

You cannot make-up any exams or assignments.  Late assignments will not be accepted.   

 

Lab Schedule:

 

Date

Lab Exercises

Wednesday Jan 21

3   Latitude and Longitude

2   Topographic Mapping, and

Wednesday Jan 28

1   Township and Range

5   Map Projections

Wednesday Feb 4

4   Longitude and Time

6   Navigation I

7   Navigation II

Wednesday Feb 11

11  The Seasons: Introduction

12  The Seasons: Daytime Variation I

Wednesday Feb 18

13  The Seasons: Daytime Variation II

15  The Seasons: Daytime Variation IV

Wednesday Feb 25

16  Introduction to Weather

17  Weather II

Wednesday Mar 4

18  Severe Weather 

19  Weather of December 24

Wednesday Mar 11

20  Weather Station Model I

21  Weather Station Model II

Study for Midterm

Wednesday Mar 18

Midterm Lab Exam

Wednesday Mar 25

22  Climatic Regions I

23  Climatic Regions II

Wednesday April 1

24  Climatic Regions III

25  Climographs and Season

Wednesday April 8

28  Mineral Identification

27  Rock Identification

Wednesday April 15

Spring Recess

Wednesday April 22

29 Earthquake Mapping and Magnitude

30  Modified Mercalli Scale

Wednesday April 29

9   Aerial Photo Interpretation I

10  Aerial Photo Interpretation II

Wednesday May 6

35  Tides I

36  Tides II

Wednesday May 13

26   Stream Table

31   Land Analysis I

Study for Final Exam

Wednesday May 20

Final Lab Exam

 

Grading:

     Grade Scale:    

90 - 100 %              A

                                                80 – 89 %               B

                                                70 – 79 %               C

                                                60 – 69 %               D

                                                  0 – 59 %               F

 

     Grade Distribution:

                Lab exercises and exams will be assigned a point value and weighted to the percentage distribution shown below. 

   

                                                Lab Exercises (31 Exercises)               50 %

                                                Midterm Exam                                       25 %

                                                Final Exam                                             25 %