GEOG 105-01: California Cultural Landscapes
Syllabus – Fall 2014
Instructor: Owen Bettis
Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 p.m.-1:50 p.m. PHSC 301
Office: Butte Hall 525
Office Hours: Mon/Wed 10-12, Tues/Thurs 11-12:30
Contact: obettis@csuchico.edu
Geography Computer Lab: Butte 501
Writing Center: http://online.csuchico.edu/public/Writing_Center/
Course Description:
This course introduces students to the physical setting and historical cultural
geography of California’s changing cultural landscapes. It uses a broad overview approach to
examine the spatial and temporal changes in the California landscape resulting from the
interaction of various cultural groups with their environment. This is an approved General
Education course under Area D, Sub-area D3: Cultural and Social Institutions.
GE OBJECTIVES: GEOG 105 is a General Education (GE) course in Area D: Behavioral and Social
Sciences, Sub-Area D3: Cultural and Social Institutions. It is intended for those students with no
previous college-level social science coursework. The GE Program at CSU, Chico has five goals:

to improve reading, writing, critical thinking, discussion and speaking skills, mathematical
reasoning, analysis and problem solving, and the ability to access, evaluate, and apply
information;

to instill efficient, effective learning skills that will keep the student on a path of perpetual
intellectual curiosity;

to enhance general knowledge and attitudes so that students have a well informed, integrated, and
coherent picture of the universe and humanity, including the living and non-living physical
universe; human cultures, societies and values; and the artistic and intellectual legacy of
humanity;

to broaden knowledge about the impact, perspectives, and contributions provided by cultural,
racial, ethnic, gender, cognitive, and global diversity; and

to provide, for each student, coherence, connectedness, and commonalty within broad areas of
undergraduate education.
The principal charge to GE Area D is to provide students opportunities to develop understanding of
human behavior and the use of social theory, concepts, and analysis in application to human interaction.
Class, race, ethnic, and gender issues should be integrated into courses in this area whenever possible. A
course must, in a significant way, deal with human behavior. In each course, students must demonstrate
learning:

in social science methods and perspectives,

in historic as well as contemporary perspectives and influences, and

in several relevant theoretical and methodological approaches.
Under Sub-Area D3: Cultural and Social Institutions students must demonstrate learning in:

the development and variation of cultural and social institutions; and

how cultural and social development and variations affect groups, institutions, and behavior.
Course Student Learning Objectives:
1. Written communication: Students will enhance their skills in written communication through
writing assignments linked to course content.
2. Critical thinking: Students will exercise critical thinking in analyzing human-environment
interactions, the events, explanations for, and effects of the Spanish Conquest, Mexican Rancho
era, and U.S. take over and development of California. This will include subsequent collective
responses of indigenous peoples and the changing ethnic character of immigrants in various
geographical regions of California and the cultural landscapes that are developed.
3. Students will demonstrate enhanced factual knowledge of the development over time and space
of the physical geographic landscape and subsequent interactions with socio-cultural
characteristics of pre-Colombian, Spanish conquest, Mexican Rancho era, U.S. colonialism and
contemporary California.
4. Students will be able to describe the predominant cultural patterns over time and space, and interethnic relations between cultures and the regional/local societies in which they exist.
Required Materials:
1.) California Cultural Landscapes: An Exploration of Spatial Patterns Over Time (2nd Edition)
Author: Dean H.K. Fairbanks (Must include California Atlas)
2.) ONE of the following:
The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle OR Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What to do
About it by Robert Glennon OR Assembling California by John McPhee
**You need to get one of these books by the middle of September to give yourself enough time
to read it by the in-class review day.**
Grading/Assignments: (subject to minor revisions)
Orientation Writing Exercise
Cultural Event Paper
10 quizzes (10 points each)
Book Review
Midterm
Final
10 one-page journals
20 points
50 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
Total points possible:
570 points
Journals:
Writing about something you have read is an essential skill in college. For all dates on the
schedule stating “Journal due” you are to write a one-page journal (12 pt. font, Times New
Roman, double-spaced) reflecting on the assigned reading. If it appears to me that you have read
the material and spent some time thinking about it, you receive full credit. We will be sharing
these in small groups in class. My goal in assigning the exercise is to get you into the habit of
writing about what you have just read. Try to avoid rehashing what you read and really focus on
reflecting upon the material.
Late Work:
Late work is not accepted without a verifiable excuse such as a doctor’s note. Feel free to
attempt to ask me if you have extenuating circumstances and need to check. This absolutely
applies to quizzes and exams as well.
Attendance:
Obviously, your regular attendance will greatly help you succeed in this course. Do not expect
to do well if you do not attend class. Though I will be taking attendance, I will not reduce your
score for missed classes. Your grade will drop all by itself if you miss too much class as you
will miss quizzes and important information. Also, if you do not miss a single class you will be
awarded 20 extra credit points for your admirable efforts. If you miss one class, you get 15
points, if you miss 2 classes you get 10 points, and so on.
Course Etiquette:
 Please, turn off cell phones in lecture to avoid disruption. I can and will ask you to leave
the class if you are overly disruptive.
 Please try to limit eating food during lecture, and clean up after yourself.
 Coffee is considered to be an absolute necessity to life so is always ok, but don’t make a
mess.
 Student assignments will be handed back promptly. Any material not picked up in
lecture will be retained for one semester, and then discarded.
Disability Support Services: If you have a documented disability that may require reasonable
accommodations, please contact Disability Support Services (DSS) for coordination of your
academic accommodations. DSS is located in the Student Services building across from
Merriam Library. The DSS phone number is 898-5959 or FAX 898-4411. Visit the DSS
website at <http://www.csuchico.edu/dss/>.
Statement on Academic Honesty: Academic misconduct (as defined in the current California
State University, Chico catalogue, pg 47, 635) will not be tolerated. Students are encouraged to
discuss course materials inside and outside the classroom. However, all written material
submitted by students must be their own work exclusively. No answers to questions cribbed
from other students, other classes or the Internet. The highest standards of honesty are expected
when taking exams: no sneaking, peeking or cheat sheeting. If you have any questions about
what constitutes academic dishonesty, or the consequences of academic misconduct, consult the
current university catalogue, the Office of Student Judicial Affairs (Kendall 112), or ask me.
***TO BE VERY CLEAR: ***
***Cheating can result in failure of the assignment and also the entire course. ***
WRITING A BOOK REVIEW
READ THIS PAGE CAREFULLY BEFORE READING THE BOOK!
As you read, write down your thoughts and reactions; these will be invaluable later. Note that this is a
writing exercise (to practice and demonstrate writing skills) as much as a "test" on the book's contents.
*****The review will be written IN CLASS, IN 55 MINUTES. Bring paper, a pen, optionally the book,
and a dictionary/thesaurus. Notes are not allowed. It is expected that you will write a practice review
ahead of time, especially to check your writing speed: Fifty-five minutes will pass quickly.
FORMAT: Label each section of the book review as follows (minus 5 pts for not doing so).
Introduction—The purpose of this introduction is to interest your reader into reading the rest of
the review, to capture their attention (sometimes called a “hook”). Be concise (one short paragraph),
original, and even creative (avoid "This book was written by . . ."). Save the details and the descriptive
material about the book for the overview section. However, make sure to mention the book by name in
the intro.
Overview--A brief overview of the book's contents MUST be included, along with necessary
details about the book, author, setting, time frame, purpose and so on, whatever is essential information
to the reader of your review. This will likely require two, at most three paragraphs.
(The intro and overview are largely descriptive and objective and will comprise, at most, 40% of the total
review. Make sure that you follow this direction. )
Commentary—[This section generally includes your reactions, comments, criticisms, and
praises of the book.] For this review, I want you to focus in the commentary on how this book fits into
the context of this course (lectures, videos, textbook). Show me how well you recognized in this book
the human geography you have been learning. Remember: this part is your analysis of the book and the
author, not your essay on the topic of the book. In other words, be sure to address the book and the
author; make frequent references to both (at least once every paragraph). The commentary should include
at least four distinct points you are making about the book, each point developed into its own paragraph.
***This section is analytical (more challenging than the first two sections) and should comprise the
MAJORITY of your review.
Conclusion—You must include a definitive conclusion, perhaps summary comments. The
conclusion to a book review must contain a specific mention of the book.
REMINDERS:
 Expect penalties in points if you fail to follow these directions.
 Avoid the trap of too much `retelling' of the story.
 Do not assume the instructor/grader has read the book; provide the essential explanations.
 The analytical portion should emphasize your own viewpoint; special attention should be devoted to
your insights and reactions, especially as they pertain to course contents. You are welcome to write
in first person.
 Strive for originality in your comments (without going to extremes).
 Maintain a proper balance between generalizations and details/examples; include both!
Paragraphs likely begin with a generalization, followed by supporting details/examples.
 While your sentiments can provide valuable ideas, avoid strictly and overly emotional responses.
Date
26-Aug
28-Aug
2-Sep
4-Sep
9-Sep
11-Sep
Assignments/Quizzes
*Have
Introduction, Syllabus
Chp. 1 - Understanding the California Landscape
Orientation writing exercise due
Quiz #1
Journal #1 Due
Quiz #2
16-Sep
18-Sep
Journal #2 Due
Quiz #3
23-Sep
25-Sep
Journal #3 Due
Quiz #4
30-Sep
2-Oct
Journal #4 Due
Quiz #5
7-Oct
9-Oct
Chapters/Reading
chapter read by date listed*
Chp. 2 - Geological History and Landforms
Chp. 3 - California Climate: Scales and General
Controls
Chp. 4 - California Flora and Fauna: Diversity,
Hazards and Conservation
Chp. 5 - California Native American Landscapes
Chp. 6 - Spanish Exploration and Settlement
Pattern in Alta California
MIDTERM DAY
TBA
14-Oct
16-Oct
Chp. 7 - Mexican Rancho Era: Settlement and
Development by "Los Californios"
Journal #5 Due
Quiz #6
21-Oct
23-Oct
Journal #6 Due
Quiz #7
28-Oct
30-Oct
Journal #7 Due
Quiz #8
4-Nov
6-Nov
Chp. 8 - Gold Rush: The U.S. Takes Over - The
World's Cultures Move into Northern California
Chp. 9 - The Beginnings of Modern California and
the Rise of Southern California
Book Review (IN CLASS)
TBA
11-Nov
13-Nov
18-Nov
20-Nov
BRING PAPER TO WRITE ON
Journal #8 Due
NO CLASS TODAY CAMPUS CLOSED
Chp. 10 - California Agricultureand Irrigation Agri "Cultures"
Journal #9 Due
Chp. 11 - Urban-Rural California: Water, Land and
Design
Quiz #9
Cultural Event Paper due by now - don't wait until the last minute!
25-Nov
27-Nov
2-Dec
4-Dec
Enjoy your Break!!!
Journal #10 Due
Quiz #10
9-Dec
11-Dec
12/1512/19
Chp. 12 The Rise of the Modern California
Landscape
Dead Week
Final date and time TBA