GEOG 101-09 Introduction to Physical Geography
GE Area B1: Physical Universe
INSTRUCTOR:
Owen Bettis
LECTURE:
2.0hrs/week, Tuesday and Thursday 2:00-2:50 p.m., Butte 103
OFFICE HOURS:
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12-2 and Wednesday 11-12 Butte 525
LAB:
2.0hrs/week in laboratory classroom- Butte 503
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Physical geography addresses how physical, chemical and biological principles
shape human landscape patterns and, in turn, how humans affect their physical
world within a global to local context. Students will learn how the spatial
diversity of agriculture, cities, transportation, and other aspects of the human
landscape are linked to physical processes and geographic patterns of weather and
climate, water, soils, landforms, natural disasters, vegetation, and animals. The
course provides a survey of the basic processes that determine energy flows
through the atmosphere, and examines the subsequent interactions among water,
rock, soil, vegetation, and landforms that create and modify the Earth’s surface.
Students will be introduced to how major transformations in our physical
environment such as climate change, species loss, and water distribution can be
traced to human activities.
GE OBJECTIVES:
GEOG 101 is proposed to address the following GE Student Learning Outcomes
(SLO). It is intended for those students with no previous college-level physical
science coursework.
 Critical Thinking
 Mathematical Reasoning
 Active Inquiry
 Sustainability
The following specific goals will be achieved as they pertain to this course:

Use and think about maps and spatial data of physical environmental phenomena.

Understand and interpret the implications of associations among physical phenomena in places.

Recognize and interpret at different scales the relationships among physical patterns and processes.

Become familiarized with the tools used to view, interpret processes, and recognize change
occurring in our physical geographic environment.

Develop an understanding of earth’s physical landforms, and the processes controlling variations in
weather and climate, soils, and plant communities around the world.

Provide a foundation upon which to build a better understanding of the human interrelationships
with the physical environment.

Learn to think critically about the geographic environment by examining the effect of the
environment on humans and human impact on the physical geographic environment.
ORGANIZATION:
The course is based on four parts: Energy-atmosphere system; water, weather,
and climate systems; Soils, ecosystems and biomes; and Earth surfaceatmosphere Interface.
These parts will introduce students to fundamentals (energy and matter),
processes, interactions, scientific analysis methods and spatial patterns within the
physical geographic environment, which are associated with the atmosphere,
hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.
REQUIREMENTS:
Students are responsible for all class materials and should be prepared for lectures
by reading the assigned textbook chapters before class and laboratory assignments
by reviewing and printing the laboratory manual available via WebCT Vista
before laboratory section.
CORE TEXT(S):
Christopherson (2011). Geosystems. 8th Edition, John Wiley Press, NY.
Additional web-based materials available on BlackBoard Learn
GRADING POLICIES:
Will be determined by scores on the three lecture midterm examinations, the
lecture final examination, reading quizzes, laboratory assignments and lab final
exam as follows*:
First Exam
Second Exam
Third Exam
Final Examination
Online Lab Quizzes (10)
Lab assignments
Applied Analysis Paper
60 points
60 points
80 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
Total 600 points
* Point system is subject to change
Laboratory assignments: 10% will be deducted each day the final lab report is late up to two days; no credit
will be given for tardiness longer than two days, unless a doctor approved illness is noted.
Attendance policy: Attendance is expected at every class and laboratory meeting. There is information
presented in lecture and laboratory that is not necessarily covered directly in the text. I understand, however,
that personal things happen during any semester that may keep you from class. Rather than punish you for not
showing up (your grade will most likely drop by itself) I will give you 20 extra credit points if you do not miss a
single class or lab. Points will be applied to overall course grade.
Course Etiquette: Minor requests: Please, turn off cell phones in lecture and lab to avoid disruption. Please do
not eat in lecture or lab (we’re ALL hungry!). Please do not bring drinks in glass bottles into lecture or lab.
§ Student assignments will be handed back promptly in lab section. Any material not picked up in
lecture/lab will be discarded at the end of the semester. Final papers will be held for one semester.
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 lab 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.
Dates
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
LECTURE SCHEDULE*
Lecture topics
Text
chapters
Lab
(field trip)
21
23
Physical geography and the scientific method; energy/matter
Geographic grid: Latitude, Longitude, Time and Earth motions
1
NO LAB
28
30
Earth-Sun Relationships, Latitudinal effects, Seasons
Earth’s Atmosphere
2
3
1
4
6
Energy balance and energy budgets, solar radiation principles
Planetary and local temperature patterns
4
5
2
11
13
First Examination
Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation
6
18
20
Wind systems, ocean currents
Heat properties of H2O, Humidity, adiabatic processes, clouds/fog
7
25
27
What is weather? Air masses & fronts, lifting mechanisms, storm systems
Global Climate Systems, Climate Change, Chasing Ice
8
10
4
6
Climate Change – Chasing Ice
Hydrological cycle, California water resources
9
11
13
Second Examination
Internal earth energy – radioactive decay, earth materials, rock cycle
11
7
25
27
SPRING BREAK
Soils development and classification
Tectonic processes in the Earth’s crust, earthquakes, volcanoes
18
12
8
1
3
Weathering processes, mass transport mechanisms
Fluvial processes, watersheds
13
14
NO LAB
8
10
Stream erosion, flooding
The biosphere: ecosystem processes and patterns
19
15
17
Ecosystems, Habitat, Succession, climate change
Third Examination
20
10 (BCCER)
22
24
Biomes, organism distribution and patterns: Biogeography
Arid land processes: wind action
15
PAPER
29
1
Arid land processes: wind action
Ocean processes: wind and wave
16
PAPER
6
8
Ocean processes: coastal landscapes
Human and Environment Interaction; REVIEW
21
PAPER
12-16
3
4
5
6
9
Final Examination, TBA
* Schedule is subject to change by instructor. Reasonable efforts to notify students will be made.*
PAPER
DUE