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Physical Geography Lab

Course Syllabus

Geography Department

Grossmont College

Fall 2016

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Table of Contents

Topic Page

I. Prerequisite 3

II. Course Student Learning Outcomes 3-4

III. Lab Schedule 5

IV. Evaluation 6

V. Grading Scale 6

VI. Assignment Overview 7

VII. General Policies 8-9

VIII. Contacting the Instructor 10

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Physical Geography Laboratory

Geography 121

I. Prerequisite

Enrollment in Geography 120, (Introduction to Physical Geography lecture course), or Geology

104 (Earth Science Lecture Course) either concurrently or successfully in the past.

II. Course Student Learning Outcomes

The student learning outcomes of the course include:

1. Develop observational skills related to “reading the landscape” (e.g., relating changes in

solar declination to seasonal variation; relating changes in longitude to differences in

time keeping; relating real-time weather observations to synoptic-scale weather maps;

developing and using morphologic classification systems (e.g., mafic vs. felsic igneous

rock classification; the biologic taxonomy; etc.); development of hypotheses derived from

observation-based rationales; relating stream offsets, sagponds, and pressure ridges, as

found on topographic maps, to lateral-fault location, and direction and rate of

displacement; etc.).

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2. Develop the ability to recognize and name the individual components of the physical

environment, and of interrelationships between and spatial patterns produced by these

individual components (e.g., recognition of dominant plant species within Coastal Sage

Scrub biome; recognition of species variation by habitat (e.g., north vs. south facing

slopes) within a biome; recognition of typical San Diego weather features and patterns

(e.g., inversions, sea-breezes, downslope adiabatics, synoptic-scale Highs vs. synoptic-

scale Lows vs. mesoscale Lows); etc.).

3. Develop technical skills and experience utilizing the tools of Physical Geography to

collect data ( e.g., spherical grid systems; compasses and clinometers; GPS receivers;

infrared guns; psychrometers and psychrometric tables; wading rods, pygmy meters, tag

lines, shovels, and velocity-discharge ratings; etc.).

4. Develop technical skills used to analyze and interpret the data of Physical Geography

(e.g., usage of the analemma, topographic maps, synoptic-scale weather maps,

seismographs, hydrographs, etc.; application of conversion factors, trig functions,

graphing, isoline mapping, topographic profiling, etc.).

5. To illustrate the scientific method (e.g., hypothesis testing using the age of Hawaiian

Island basalts relative to their distribution to predict direction and rate of plate motion;

hypothesis testing using the temperature response of sand vs. water relative to radiation

inputs to explain continentality; hypothesis testing of the temperature response of dark

vs. light colored material relative to radiation inputs to account for natural selection of

leaf structures present on Encelia farinosa vs. E. californica; etc.).

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III. Lab Schedule

DATE TOPICS EXAMS

08/26 Lab #1: Units and Unit Conversions

09/02 Lab#2: Geographic Grid; Compass (Clinometer)

[some outside]

09/09 Lab#3: Rotation and Revolution; Incoming Solar

Radiation; Compass (Clinometer)

09/16 Lab#4: Annual Cycles of Insolation and Temperature;

Compass (Bearings: Cardinal Direction and Azimuth)

09/23

Lab #5: Scientific Method; Warming & Cooling;

Continentality; Albedo; Temp. Distribution; Isoline

Maps; Compass (Traverse) [some outside]

09/30 Lab #6: Weather Maps (Pressure & Wind); GPS; Native

Plants of the Coastal Sage Scrub [more outside]

10/07 Lab #7: Measures of Humidity; Microclimate Variation

in Surface Temperature and Humidity [most outside]

10/14 EXAM#1: Covering Labs 1 through 6 [some outside] EXAM #1

Friday October 14th @ 9AM

10/21 Lab #8: Microclimate Variation in Coastal Sage Scrub

[most outside]

10/28 Lab #9: USGS Topographic Maps; Township & Range

11/04 Lab #10: Contour Maps and Landforms

11/11 No Class on Nov.11th: Veteran’s Day

11/18 Lab #11: Plate Tectonics: Motion of the Pacific Plate

Hawaiian “Hot Spot”; San Andreas Fault Zone

11/25 No Class on Nov.25th: Thanksgiving

12/02 Lab #12: Rose Canyon Fault Zone (using your La Jolla Quad)

- Seismograms and Locating Earthquake Epicenters

12/09 EXAM#2: Covering Labs 7 through 12

[some outside]

EXAM #2

Friday December 9th @ 9AM

12/16 Lab #13: Rocks and Minerals: The Rock Cycle

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IV. Evaluation

Final grades are based upon total points earned in the following:

Assignment Points Possible % of Total Grade

Lab Assignments 1- 13 50 3.84%

13 Lab Totals: 650 50%

Exam #1 325 25%

Exam #2 325 25%

Exam Totals: 650 50%

V. Grading Scale Percent of Total Points Earned Grade

96% - 100% A+

92% - 95% A

88% - 91% A-

85% - 87% B+

81% - 84% B

78% - 80% B-

75% - 77% C+

67% - 74% C (C or above required for Pass/No-Pass)

58% - 66% D

0% - 57% F

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VI. Assignment Overview

1. Exams [Pencil Only]

The two exams in this class will allow you to demonstrate knowledge of

information learned from the thirteen hands-on lab exercises and in-lab lectures. Each exam

may consist of matching, short answer, and calculation (word problem) questions. You are held

responsible for bring a non-data storing calculator, No. 2 pencil, and all supplemental lab

materials to each exam. You may use only your lab exercises, handouts, lab supplies, and notes

during the exam. Using lab exercises, handouts, lab supplies, or notes from someone else is

considered to be cheating. Exam 1 will cover lab exercises 1-6. Exam 2 will cover lab

exercises 7-12. These exams are not cumulative. Study for the exam by reviewing your lab

exercises and associated handouts. Insure that you understand the concepts, calculations, etc.

thoroughly before the exam. Consult the lab schedule in Section III of this syllabus for the

scheduled exam dates. Absolutely no electronic devices (including cell phones, translators,

mp3 players, or any electronic data storage devices) are allowed in your possession during the

exams except for a standard (non-data storing) calculator with trigonometric functions (sin, cos,

tan).

2. Lab Exercises [Pencil Only]

Each of the thirteen lab exercises will involve hands-on learning guided by the

instructor. An introduction to the topics will be discussed each week. Notetaking is required

(on colored paper provided to you) when your instructor is lecturing. Then, you will work (with

your fellow classmates at times) to learn the concepts and complete the lab exercises, in pencil

only. Some class sessions will involve outdoor activities, including walking around campus or

easy hiking on the trails surrounding campus. Wear or bring appropriate attire (clothing,

shoes, jackets, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, etc.) to all class meetings. (Plan ahead for rainy days

by bringing an umbrella, raincoat, old shoes, etc.) Under no circumstances are you allowed to

use notes or lab exercises that belong to someone else (from within the same class, from another

section, or from a previous semester) to facilitate completion of the lab exercises. Using

someone else’s notes or labs to facilitate the completion of your lab is considered to be

cheating. You must work diligently on the lab exercise to finish in the time allotted. Engaging

in distractive behavior, such as idle chatting with group members, taking excessive breaks, use

of cell phone, will only delay or limit the ability of you and your group members to finish the

lab in the time allotted. Labs are due at the end of class.

3. Class Participation and Attendance

Although you are not graded for attendance and class participation, your success in

learning and your performance on the exams is directly influenced by your level of participation

and attendance. Therefore, it is crucial that you become actively involved in laboratory

discussions and activities. Students who attend every class meeting on time for the duration of

the class and participate in laboratory activities and discussions are more likely to be successful

in achieving the class objectives. Collaboration with fellow classmates while working on lab

exercises is essential to enhance your learning experience. This does not mean that you are

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allowed to copy answers to lab questions from your peers or use notes/labs from a previous

semester. Rather, you are encouraged to work together with your classmates to determine

solutions to the lab questions.

VII. General Policies

Attendance

Attendance is required. Each student is expected to attend every class meeting,

arrive on time, and remain for the duration of the class. Absences, tardiness, going in and out of

class during lecture, and early departures will not be tolerated. In case of extreme emergency,

the student should apply for a leave of absence petition in the Student Health Services Office.

A student may be dropped when absences exceed one class meeting. It is the responsibility of

the student to officially drop the class with Admissions when total absences exceed one class

meeting before the official drop date. Tardiness and leaving class early will be regarded as an

absence. If you arrive late, do not interrupt the instructor’s lecture to get materials. Wait until

the lecture is delivered to obtain the materials you were unable to acquire due to your tardiness.

Accommodations for Students With Disabilities

Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to

notify the instructor and contact Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) early in the

semester so that reasonable accommodations may be implemented as soon as possible.

Students may contact DSPS in person in Room 110 or by telephone at (619)644-7112 or

(619)644-7119 (TTY for deaf).

Withdraw from Class

The last day to withdraw from class without receiving a “W” grade is September 2nd,

2016. Students should always officially withdraw from a class with the admissions office. The

deadline for applying for Pass/No Pass (Credit/No-Credit) is September 23rd, 2016. The last

day to drop the class without receiving a letter grade is November 10th, 2016. Prior to

dropping a class, please discuss your situation with the instructor. If a student decides to drop

the class during the drop period, it is the student’s responsibility to process the drop request

with WebAdvisor or the Grossmont College Admissions and Records office.

Behavior and Academic Integrity

Inappropriate behavior in the classroom will not be tolerated. A student may be excluded

from class whenever the student exhibits behavior which interferes with the educational

process. The instructor will determine when behavior is disturbing and appropriate action will

follow. In addition, cheating and plagiarism are serious offences with serious consequences and

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will not be tolerated. You are responsible for reading and adhering to the rules described in the

“Student Conduct” section of the Grossmont College General Catalog.

Use of a cell phone or other electronic device is not allowed in class. Any student caught

using a cell phone (calls, text messaging, internet, camera, or any other use) in class will be

required to leave class for that day and no makeups will be allowed for lab exercises or exams

missed as a result of the suspension. Use of laptops or other electronics for the purpose of note-

taking during lecture is strictly prohibited. Use of audio tape recorders (not digital) to record

lectures for playback when studying is allowed only after the device has been approved by your

instructor. No video recording allowed.

Cheating and plagiarism (using as one’s own ideas, writings, materials, or images of

someone else without acknowledgement or permission) can result in any one of a variety of

sanctions. Such penalties may range from an adjusted grade on the particular exam, or lab (all

of which may lead to a failing grade in the course) to, under certain conditions, suspension or

expulsion from a class, program, or the college. Labs or exams that are missed during a

suspension are not eligible for make-up. In addition, suspended days are counted as absences.

For further clarification and information on these issues, please consult with your instructor or

contact the office of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.

Exam and Lab Makeups

Exam and lab exercise makeups are not offered generally. If you miss a lab or

exam for any reason, you will receive zero points for that lab or exam. Under extreme

circumstances, if you cannot attend a lab meeting, you may pre-arrange to attend one of the

other lab sections during the same week to complete the lab exercise with the instructor’s pre-

approval.

Preparation for Class

The following materials are required for every lab meeting: Pencil (no pens),

Ruler (clear, metric and inches), Calculator, Three-Ring Binder.

The following materials are required for some labs (but bring to every meeting):

Colored Pencils, Batteries (two Brand-Name AA, or AAA, or one 9-volt Battery, Energizer or

Duracell), Three USGS Topographic Maps including La Mesa, El Cajon, and La Jolla, and the

free corresponding USGS Map Legend.

The following materials are suggested for most labs: Clipboard, Small Magnifying

Glass (or Hand Lens).

***NOTE*** You are required to bring all of the lab materials mentioned above to EVERY

class meeting to insure that you will be prepared. If you fail to bring needed lab materials, it

will not be possible to borrow materials from someone else. In addition, failure to bring your

materials is not an excuse to complete the lab or exam at another time. Note-taking during

lecture component of the lab is required.

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VIII. Contacting the Instructor

Judd M. Curran

Professor of Geography & GIS

Co-Chair of Earth Sciences Department

Office: Building 37, Room 300A-1

Office Hours**: Tuesday: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Wednesday: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Friday: 12:05 pm to 1:05 pm (This hour is held in building 30, room 208)

**Note: On some occasions, an office hour may conflict with meetings and will be cancelled. When this occurs,

another office hour will be added in the same week to compensate. Check the class website for announcements

about any temporary changes to the office hour schedule.

E-mail: judd.curran@gcccd.edu (Best way to contact me)

Note: Email Requirements (failure to follow requirements may result in no response) 1. Email must include the following in the subject line:

Full Name, Class subject, meeting date and time

Example: Judd Curran, Geog 120, MW11

2. Email must be written in proper English, using complete sentences, with

a clear and concise message. Please refrain from using any abbreviated “texting”

language such as “thnx”, instead of “Thanks.”, “u” instead of “you”, etc.

3. If you are using an email program other than your Grossmont College

student email (ex: Yahoo, Gmail, AOL, etc), then there is no guarantee that

your email will be received by your instructor due to spam filters. Thus, if

the subject of your email is of great importance, send it from your

Grossmont College student email. Your instructor is not responsible for

“lost emails” that are sent from email accounts other than your Grossmont

College-issued “gcccd.edu” email.

Office Phone: (619) 644-7343

Class meets: Fri: 0900 to 1205, Aug 26th through Dec 16th

Location: Building 30, Room 208

Section #: 0359

Please let me know

in advance via email

if you plan to visit

an office hour.

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GRADE “SCORECARD:” YOUR SCORE / Possible ( %) CUMULATIVE SCORE / Possible CUMULATIVE %

1) LAB #1 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 50 ________%

2) LAB #2 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 100 ________%

3) LAB #3 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 150 ________%

4) LAB #4 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 200 ________%

5) LAB #5 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 250 ________%

6) LAB #6 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 300 ________%

7) LAB #7 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 350 ________%

8) LAB #8 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 400 ________%

9) LAB #9 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 450 ________%

10) LAB #10 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 500 ________%

11) LAB #11 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 550 ________%

12) LAB #12 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 600 ________%

13) LAB #13 ________ / 50 (______%) ___________ / 650 ________%

EXAM #1 ________ / 325 (______%)

EXAM #2 ________ / 325 (______%)

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Notes: