HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
EASC 151
INTRO TO WEATHER, FALL 2011
GENERAL INFORMATION
COURSE NUMBER/TITLE/CREDITS:
EASC 151
Introduction to Weather 4 Semester Credit Hours
Catalog Description:
Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in MATH 087. Survey of atmospheric processes,
structure, and composition. A two hour lab each week will focus on variables that influence dayto-day weather conditions. Atmospheric environmental concerns will also be discussed.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
--Name: Mark Finley
--Office Location: RM 2404, Instructional Commons Building
Phone: (309) 268-8642
Email: mark.finley@heartland.edu
--Office Hours and Accessibility: MW 10-11, WF 8-9, TR 7:30-8. You’re welcome to try or
contact me at anytime. Appointments can also be made at your convenience.
The times that the course meets are clearly listed in the Credit Course Schedule.
Textbook:
Ahrens, Essentials of Meterology, 5th/6th Edition, West Publishing
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer:
EASC 151 fulfills 4 of the 7(A.A.) or 8(A.S.) semester hours of credit in the Life/Physical
Sciences required for the A.A. or A.S. degree. EASC 151 transfers as part of the General
Education Core Curriculum described in the Illinois Articulation Initiative to other Illinois
colleges and universities participating in the IAI. However, students should consult an academic
advisor for transfer information regarding particular institutions. Refer to the IAI web page for
information as well at www.itransfer.org
Beliefs:
Academic Discipline
Understanding the atmosphere involves use of physics, chemistry, thermodynamics, and
radiation transfer. This course will serve as an introduction to these disciplines.
Student Learning
Students must take an active role in the learning process or it will not take place. Desire
and effort are the key ingredients in student success.
Instructors Role
The instructor is responsible for fostering an atmosphere conducive to learning, with the
ultimate objective to develop student interest and to transfer knowledge.
Course Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
Upon successful completion of this course the student will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Have a basic understanding of the processes at work in earth's atmosphere.
Be familiar with the variables that go into weather forecasting.
Appreciate the global stewardship necessary to maintain earth's atmosphere
Understanding elements of severe weather.
Evaluate man's impact of the atmosphere via computer modeling
Course/Lab Outline:
1.
Atmospheric composition and structure
2.
Radiation
3.
Heat and temperature
4.
Heat Imbalance and weather
5.
Pressure
6.
Humidity, stability and clouds
7.
Precipitation, weather modification and atmospheric optics
8.
Atmospheric motion
9.
Global circulation
10.
Synoptic scale weather
11.
Local and regional circulations
12.
Thunderstorms
13.
Tornadoes and Hurricanes
14.
Forecasting
Methods of Instruction:
Lecture, discussion and laboratory. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and
contribute to discussion throughout. Labs will provide an opportunity to explore
concepts presented in the lecture.
Course Policies:
Method of Evaluation (Tests/Exams, Grading System):
100-90%
89-80%
79-70%
69-60%
-60%
A
B
C
D
F
There will be five formal tests, and the lowest test score will be dropped. The remaining four
tests are worth 70% of your final grade. No makeup tests will be given, if you miss a test
that will be the test that you drop. Quizzes, homework, and labs will be worth 30%.
late labs are accepted.
NO TEXT MESSAGING DURING CLASS. Please leave class to text message.
No
Following these steps will assist the student in achieving success:
A. Attend lectures and lab regularly.
B. Participate in class discussions. Your ideas and thoughts are important.
C. Ask questions when you do not understand or need something clarified. Take an active role in
the learning process.
D. Read the assigned material in the textbook before class.
E. Review class notes.
F. Review the key terms and questions for review at the end of the chapter.
G. Turn in required materials on time.
H. Attend labs ready to spend the entire lab period working.
Participation (or Attendance)
Regular class attendance is an important part of educational success and is expected of all
students.
Notice of Cancelled Class Sessions
Cancelled class sessions, for all HCC classes, will be listed under Cancelled Class Meetings in
the A-Z Index and under Academic Information in the Current Students page on the HCC Web
site. Go to http://www.heartland.edu/classCancellations/ to learn what classes have been
cancelled for that day and the upcoming week. Be sure to check the last column, which might
contain a message from the instructor.
Make-up of tests and assignments
Labs must be turned in within one week of the lab period. There will be no test, quiz or lab
makeups, if you miss a test that will be the test that you drop. Be on time for tests, you will not
be allowed to take the test if you arrive after the first person has completed the test and left the
room.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life at Heartland Community College and is
essential to the credibility of the Colleges educational programs. Moreover, because grading may be
competitive, students who misrepresent their academic work violate the right of their fellow students.
The College, therefore, views any act of academic dishonest as a serious offense requiring disciplinary
measures, including course failure, suspension, and even expulsion from the College. In addition, an act
of academic dishonesty may have unforeseen effects far beyond any officially imposed penalties.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to cheating, aiding or suborning cheating or
other acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, misrepresentation of data, falsification of academic records
or documents and unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems.
Definitions of these violations may be found in the college catalog.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presenting of others ideas as if they were your own. When you write a paper, create a
project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all the work, except for that which
is attributed to another author or creator, is your own. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic
offense and may take the following forms:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own
Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source
Paraphrasing someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it
were your own.
6.
Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as if
it were your own.
Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism.
The penalties for plagiarism may be severe, ranging from failure on the particular piece
of work, failure in the course or expulsion from school in extreme cases.
[Adapted from the Modern Language Association=s MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers. New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
SUPPORT SERVICES:
Academic Support Center Services:
HCC Portal
Just a reminder that to access WebCT, IRIS, and your Heartland Student Email, you will
need to log into myHeartland, at https://my.heartland.edu.
Library
The Library, located in the Student Commons Buildings at the Raab Road campus,
provides Heartland students with a full range of resources including books, online journal
databases, videos, newspapers, periodicals, reserves, and interlibrary loan. Librarians are
available to assist in locating information. For more information, please call the Library
(309) 268-8200 or (309) 268-8292
Tutoring Services
Heartland Community College offers tutoring in various forms at no cost to Heartland
students at the Tutoring and Testing Center in Normal and at the Pontiac and Lincoln
Centers. Tutors are available at convenient times throughout the week. Study groups are
also available by request. For more information about services available at each location,
please call the Tutoring and Testing Center in Normal (309) at 268-8231, the Pontiac
Center at (815) 842-6777, or the Lincoln Center at (217) 735-1731.
Testing Services
The Tutoring and Testing Center provides a secure testing environment for students who
are enrolled in online, hybrid, and other distance learning courses; have a documented
disability; or need to take a make-up exam. Testing accommodations for students having
documented disabilities must be arranged by the student through the Office of Disability
Services, and Testing Services will only administer make-up exams at the request of the
instructor. Contact Testing Services at (309) 268-8231 for more information.
Open Computing Lab
The Open Computing Lab provides free computing for HCC students at convenient times
throughout the week. The computer lab is staffed by trained Lab Assistants and offers
the use of approximately 70 computers, a scanner, a laser printer, and an electric
typewriter.
SIGNIFICANT DATES:
6 Sept
24-26 Nov
3 Dec
4-10 Dec
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Break
Last Day of Class (16 Week)
Finals Week
COURSE CALENDAR (subject to modification, weeks are estimates only)
Chapter
1 - Weeks 1,2 - Overview, Vertical Structure 2 -Weeks 2,3 – Heat Transfer, Earth/Sun Relationships
3 -Week 4 – Seasons, Temperature
TEST
Chapter
4 – Weeks 5, 6 – Atmospheric Moisture, Clouds
5 – Week 7, 8 – Adiabatic Processes, Stability, Precip Types
TEST
Chapter
6 – Week 9- Pressure
7 – Week 10 – Atmospheric Circulations, Global and Local
TEST
Chapter
8 – Weeks 11, 12 – Air Masses and Fronts
9 – Week 13 – Forecasting Methods
TEST
Chapter
10 – Weeks 14, 15 – Thunderstorms, Severe Weather
11 – Week 16 - Hurricanes
TEST
LAB CALENDER (subject to modification)
WEEK
LAB
1
The Atmosphere, Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere
2
Temperature, Isopleths, Soil and Water Differential Heating
3
Seasons, Earth/Sun Relationships
4
Humidity Labs, Worksheet
5
Chapter Four Questions/Discussion
6
Adiabatic Lab
7
Pressure, Isobar Analysis
8
Upper Air Pressure Surfaces
9
Student Presentations/ Atmospheric Circulations
10
Fronts and Air Masses
11
Numerical Weather Prediction
12
Weather Forecasting
13
Forecast Discussions
14
Forecast Discussions
15
Forecast Discussions