CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY-CHICO
SPRING 2016
SOCIAL SCIENCE 301 – 02 OnLine
SPATIAL CONCEPTS:
Geographical Patterns and Processes
Instructor
Steve Stewart
E-mail: Use the class Blackboard Learn email or sstewart1@csuchico.edu
Phone: 530-898-6089
Office location: Butte Hall, Room 508, California State University, Chico.
Office hours
TTH: 10:45 – 11:15
Course Description
Welcome to Social Science 301, Spatial Concepts. This class introduces the
fundamental concepts of geography. 1) Location on the earth covers map reading,
coordinate systems, map projections, time zones, remote sensing, and geographic
information systems. 2) Place concentrates on landscape perception, physical and
cultural geography, economic geography, urban and rural landscapes. 3) Humanenvironmental interaction involves use and conservation of nature resources. 4)
Movement studies human migration, diffusion of ideas, trade and transportation, and
communication. And 5) Region looks at the classification of geographical areas on the
earth's surface.
Course Format
This section of Social Science 301 is entirely web-based. There are no meetings in a
classroom. There are no set times when students log on to Blackboard Learn. Students
learn about geography through textbook and website readings. Student learning
assessment is accomplished through graded evaluation of the quizzes and a final exam.
Students are responsible for their own work. This web-based class requires a lot of selfdiscipline, good writing skills, and a desire to learn. Students in online courses need to
allocate adequate time to complete the required assignments. Six or more hours a week
working on class assignments is typical for students in this class. Students are
required to complete all class assignments on time.
Effective communication is essential in an online class. Students are required to read
class Blackboard Learn discussion board postings and Blackboard Learn class emails. In
addition, students are encouraged to post discussion board questions and to talk to the
instructor via the class Blackboard Learn class e-mail.
Course Goals and Objectives
1. To study the basic concepts of geography.
2. To learn how to teach geography in the K-12 classroom environment.
3. To learn how to work with the basic tools and techniques of geography.
4. To learn how to use the web for K-12 geographical education.
Course Contents:
Reading Quizzes
Near weekly reading quizzes on the chapters from Dahlman, posted articles, and the
class exercises will open on Fridays at 6:00am and will be available until 11:59pm on the
Thursday that they are due. Reading quizzes close at 11:59pm on the Thursday day they
are due. This provides students with a 7 day window to take the quizzes. Please note that
it is the due dates that are listed below.
Quiz Chapter One – Introduction to Geography - Thursday February 11th.
Quiz Chapter Seven – Cultural Geography - Thursday February 18th.
Quiz Chapter Eight – Languages and Religions - Thursday February 25th.
Quiz Chapter Three – Landforms- Thursday March 3rd.
Quiz Chapter Two – Weather and Climate – Thursday March 10th.
Quiz Chapter Four – Biosphere - March 24th.
Quiz Chapter Five – Earth's Resources and Environmental Protection - Thursday
April 7th.
Quiz Chapter Twelve - Economy and Development - Thursday April 14th.
Quiz Chapter Nine - Food and Agriculture - Thursday April 21st.
Quiz Chapter Six - Population and Migration - Thursday April 28th.
Quiz Chapter Ten - Cities and Urbanization - Thursday May 5th.
Quiz Chapter Eleven - A World of States - Thursday May 12th.
Map Quizzes
Near weekly map quizzes will open on 6:00am on Fridays and will be available until
11:59pm on the Tuesday they are due. Map quizzes close at 11:59pm on the Tuesday they
are due. This provides students with a 5 day window to take the quizzes. Please note that
it is the due dates that are listed below.
Map Quiz - The United States due by Tuesday, February 2nd.
Map Quiz – Canada due by Tuesday, February 9th.
Map Quiz – Middle America due by Tuesday, February 16th.
Map Quiz – South America due by Tuesday, February 23rd.
Map Quiz – Western Europe due by Tuesday, March 1st.
Map Quiz – Southern Europe due by Tuesday, March 8th.
Map Quiz – Eurasia and the CIS due by Tuesday, March 22nd.
Map Quiz – The Middle East due by Tuesday, March 29th.
Map Quiz – South Asia due by Tuesday, April 5th.
Map Quiz – East Asia due by Tuesday, April 12th.
Map Quiz – South East Asia due by Tuesday, April 19th.
Map Quiz – Australia, NZ & the South Pacific due by Tuesday, April 26th.
Map Quiz – Northern Africa due by Tuesday, May 3rd.
Map Quiz – Southern Africa due by Tuesday, May 10th.
Class Requirements and Student Responsibilities
Students enrolled in SOSC 301 are required to learn and use Blackboard Learn (see the
Getting Started exercise). All quizzes, exams, and exercises are accessed and completed
through the use of Blackboard Learn software. Students enrolled in Social Science 301
are required to have an adequate computer and software that can access the Internet and
allow completion of the class assignments. See the CSUC IT Support Services website for
specific technical requirements. For help with computer problems, see ITSS Contact
Information.
Social Science 301 students are advised to start and complete their required class work
early. All material in this class is accessed via the Internet. Occasional technical
problems with Internet access will occur (especially on weekends and
evenings). Computer problems are normal. Make sure you have alternate access to the
Internet (a second computer, public library, etc.) Waiting until the last minute to access
required course material or complete quizzes may result in problems turning in required
work. Students are responsible for turning in all course assignments on time.
Academic Honesty
Students are required to do their own work. Using work done by other students is
cheating. Student violations of University Policy will result in disciplinary action. For
more information on academic honesty, see the Student Judicial Affairs section of the
University Catalog.
Accessibility Resource Center
If you have a documented disability that may require accommodations, please contact
Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) for coordination of your academic accommodations.
Please do this as soon as possible. Your instructor appreciates reasonable notice and
lead time on accommodation. Visit the ARC website at http://www.csuchico.edu/arc/.
Title IX: Confidentiality and Mandatory Reporting
As a Chico State instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning
environment for Chico State students. It is my goal that you feel able to share
information related to your life experiences in discussions, in your written work, and in
our one-on-one communications. I will seek to keep information you share private to the
greatest extent possible. However, I am required to share information
regarding sexual misconduct with the University.
Students may speak to someone confidentially by contacting the Counseling and
Wellness Center (898-6345) or Safe Place (898-3030). Information about campus
reporting obligations and other Title IX related resources are available here:
www.csuchico.edu/title-ix
Class Assignments
Textbook Readings: Each week students will read assigned chapters from the course
textbook.
Exercises: Each week students complete an exercise involving geography website
material and questions from the assigned textbook reading. These exercises are not
submitted for grading. Student learning of the exercise material is assessed through
weekly quizzes. All weekly Exercises are posted on Friday.
Reading Quizzes: Each week Social Science 301 students complete a quiz containing
twenty questions taken from the current exercise. Use the answers to the exercise
questions to complete the quiz. Make sure you have completed the class exercise before
attempting the quiz. Quiz completion time is 20 minutes. No answers submitted after 20
minute time limit are accepted. Each quiz is worth twenty points. Weekly Quizzes are
available on Friday mornings as 6:00am and are normally due on the following Thursday
by 11:59pm. Missed quizzes cannot be made-up.
Map Quizzes: Each week Social Science 301 students complete a map quiz. Since the
map quiz is ‘open note’ it is administered very quickly. Students who have not reviewed
the map study sheets and associated regional map located in the Map Quiz Study.pdf are
unlikely to do well. Please be sure to review and learn the list of locations if you would
like to do well on the quizzes. Weekly Map Quizzes are available on Fridays at 6:00am
and are normally due on the following Tuesday by 11:59pm. Missed quizzes cannot
be made-up.
Final Exam: The final exam is an evaluation of student learning of material presented
in this class. The final exam consists of one-hundred questions taken from all thirteen
exercises.
Class Assignment Make-up Policy: SOSC 301 students are required to
complete all assignments by their due dates. Quizzes and the final exam cannot be
submitted after their due date. Twenty free points are given to all students to make up
for any quiz that is missed. See the University Catalog for more information concerning
incompletes, drops, and withdrawing from the university. Students should contact the
instructor as-soon-as-possible for major emergencies.
Grading
Thirteen quizzes (20 points each)
260 points
Fourteen map quizzes (10 points each)
140 points
Future Teacher Assignment
40 points
Final exam
100 points
540 total points (see note below)
Note: 20 ‘free’ points are not counted in the class grade computation.
Grading Rule
A 93-100%
A- 90-92.5%
B+ 87.5-89.99%
B 82.5-87.5%
B- 80-82.5%
C+ 77.5-79.99%,
C 72.5-77.5%
C- 70-72.5%
D+ 67.5-69.99%
D 60-67.5%
F <60%
Required Textbooks
Carl H. Dahlman and William H. Renwick, Introduction to Geography: People,
Places, and Environment, Sixth Edition. Prentice Hall: New Jersey, 2014, ISBN-10:
0321843339 • ISBN-13: 9780321843333. Do not use an earlier edition. All course
material is keyed to the Sixth edition.
“Goode’s World Atlas” 22nd Edition ISBN-10: 0321652002 • ISBN-13: 9780321652003
Both textbooks can be ordered from the Chico State Wildcat Store or other online
sources. Students have the responsibility of obtaining the required textbook
before the first reading based quiz is due (February 11th). Note: Make sure the
textbook vendor that you choose (this includes the Chico State Wildcat Bookstore) has
the book in stock and that you will receive it at least a few days before Quiz One is due.
Use major textbook vendors with good established customer service.
CLASS SCHEDULE
NOTE: Weekly reading quizzes are available on Fridays at 6:00am and are due on
the following Thursdays by 11:59pm. Reading quiz grades are posted on the Friday
following a quiz due date.
Weekly map quizzes are available on Fridays at 6:00am and are due on the following
Tuesdays by 11:59pm.
The Final Exam is posted on Friday, May 13th and is due Tuesday, May 17th.
Assignment Schedule:
DATES
WEEK ONE
January 25 - 29
WEEK TWO
February 1 – 5
TOPIC
The 411
The 5 Themes
Latitude and Longitude
Coordinate Systems
Projections
READING EXERCISE
TEST or QUIZ
Video or Film**
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Map Quiz – The United States
Chapter 1 – Maps and Projections
Map Quiz – Canada
Reading Quiz – Chapter 1
WEEK THREE
February 8 – 12
Maps
WEEK FOUR
February 15 – 19
Cultural Geography
WEEK FIVE
February 22 – 26
Languages and Religions
WEEK SIX
Feb 29 –March 4
Landforms
WEEK SEVEN
March 7 - 11
Weather and Climate
WEEK EIGHT
March 14 - 18
Relaxing Geography
SPRING BREAK
WEEK NINE
March 21 - 25
Biosphere
Chapter 4 – Biosphere
Map Quiz – Northern and Central Eurasia & C.I.S.
Reading Quiz – Chapter 4
Chapter 7 – Cultural Geography
Map Quiz – Middle America
Reading Quiz – Chapter 7
Future Teacher Exercise Assigned
Chapter 8 – Languages and Religions
Map Quiz – South America
Reading Quiz – Chapter 8
Chapter 3 – Landforms
Map Quiz – Western Europe
Reading Quiz – Chapter 3
Chapter 2 - Weather and Climate
Read BbLearn Articles on Climate Change
Map Quiz – Southern Europe
Reading Quiz – Chapter 2
WEEK TEN
Resourceful Geography
March 28–April 1
WEEK ELEVEN
April 4 - 8
WEEK TWELVE
April 11 - 15
WEEK
THIRTEEN
April 18 - 22
WEEK
FOURTEEN
April 25 - 29
Resourceful Geography
Energetic Geography
Polluted Geography
Population Geography
WEEK FIFTEEN
May 2 - 6
Population Geography
WEEK SIXTEEN
May 9 - 13
Population Geography
WEEK
SEVENTEEN
FINALS
The End of Geography
Map Quiz – The Middle East
CESAR CHAVEZ DAY THURSDAY
No reading quiz this week
Chapter 5 – Earth’s Natural Resources
Map Quiz – South Asia
Reading Quiz – Chapter 5
Packet Article: Why $3, $4, $5 Oil is Good for
America
Packet Article: The Future of Energy
Start Reading “Unquenchable”
Chapter 12 – Economy and Development
Map Quiz – East Asia
Reading Quiz – Chapter 12
Chapter 9 – Food and Agriculture
Map Quiz – South East Asia
Reading Quiz – Chapter 9
Chapter 6 – Population and Migration
Map Quiz – Australia, New Zealand and the South
Pacific
Reading Quiz – Chapter 6
Chapter 10 – Cities and Urbanization
Packet Articles: Population, A Lively Introduction
Map Quiz – Northern Africa
Reading Quiz – Chapter 10
Chapter 11 – A World of States
Map Quiz – Southern Africa
Reading Quiz – Chapter 11
FINAL EXAM
Due Tuesday May 17th by 11:59pm