SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
INSTRUCTOR: VICKI DRAKE
FALL 2008
Web Page: http://homepage.smc.edu/drake_vicki
Office Hours: Tu/Th: 12:30-1:30pm (or by appointment)
Office: DH 314 L (310) 434-8652
e-mail: drake_vicki@smc.edu
Physical Geography 5 – Lecture and Lab Syllabus
COURSE DESCRIPTION/OBJECTIVES
Physical geography is the study of the Earth’s surface and the four great realms: the atmosphere, the biosphere,
the lithosphere, and the hydrosphere. The biosphere includes the land surface that is covered by soil and vegetation. The
atmosphere includes the lower layers in which clouds and weather occur. The lithosphere is the upper layer of the Earth’s
crust, which provides materials for landforms shaped by wind, waves, ice and running water. The hydrosphere is the upper
layer of the oceans, where ocean currents and coastal processes occur.
The physical processes within each of these four great realms of the Earth’s surface, as well as the
interrelationships between these processes, are examined through the use of lectures, slides, videos, and other geographic
tools (including maps, charts, graphs and more).
REQUIRED TEXTS AND TOOLS
Visualizing Physical Geography, by Strahler and Merali
Physical Geography Supplement by Vicki Drake
World Atlas (optional), Pencils (No.2 lead and Colored), Ruler, Calculator
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION
Grading will be on the following: attendance and participation in class, completed assignments (as directed by
instructor), lab assignments and quizzes, written essays, three exams and a final exam. The first three exams will consist of
objective questions, short-answer questions and ‘take-home’ essay questions. The Final Exam will consist of objective
questions, short-answer questions of which 25% may be comprehensive, and ‘take-home’ essays. If all of the first three
exams are attempted, the lowest score will be dropped. NO MAKE-UP EXAMINATIONS WILL BE GIVEN! If you miss
an exam, that will be the score dropped. Everyone must take the Final Examination: failure to do so will result in a grade of
FAIL no matter the grade going into the Final!
Grades will be computed mathematically based on the number of points received per exam. Point totals are used in
calculating grades, not letter grades.
Keep your attendance regular and punctual, absences in excess of 3 may result in exclusion from the class. Arriving
late for class is disruptive for everyone, and habitual tardiness may result in exclusion from class.
GETTING HELP!
If you are having difficulty with the concepts presented in class, I will be happy to help you. Please see me after
class or during my office hours if you are having problems. You may leave a message for me on my Voice Mail or contact me
through e-mail. Getting help early in the semester will assure a more successful course grade!
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Students violating college policies regarding personal conduct and academic honesty are subject to disciplinary
measures. Disruptive behavior in the classroom will not be tolerated and may result in temporary (or permanent) removal
from the class. Additionally, cheating during an exam or lab quiz, copying, plagiarism (either from another’s paper, from a
pre-written assignment, or downloaded from the Internet) of written assignments or during an exam will result in removal
from the class, a grade of F for the semester and possible expulsion from Santa Monica College. Please refer to the
Standards of Student Conduct or the current Santa Monica College catalog.
Geog 5 Syllabus
Spring 2008
1
LECTURE SCHEDULE (Tentative schedule – Subject to Change!)
DATE
TOPIC
READING
Week 1 – Aug 25-29
Introduction – Earth as Rotating Planet
Representations of Earth - Maps
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Week 2 - Sept 2-5
Earth’s Energy Balance
Chapter 2
Week 3 – Sept 8-12
Atmosphere and Temperature
Chapter 3
Week 4 - Sept 15-19
LECTURE EXAM # 1 & 1ST ESSAYS DUE
Atmospheric Pressure and Winds
Chapter 5
Week 5 - Sept 22-26
Global Winds/Circulation
Moisture, Condensation, Precipitation
Chapter 5
Chapter 4
Week 6 - Sept 29-Oct 3
Moisture, Condensation, Precipitation
Air Masses and Fronts
Chapter 4
Chapter 6
Week 7 - Oct 6-10
Thunderstorms, Tornadoes and Hurricanes
Chapter 6
Week 8 - Oct 13-17
LECTURE EXAM # 2 & 2ND ESSAYS DUE
Age-Dating the Earth/Earth Structures
Chapter 8
Week 9 – Oct 20-24
Earth Materials/Rocks and Minerals
Plate Tectonics
Chapter 8
Week 10 – Oct 27-31
Volcanoes
Magmatic Features
Chapter 9
Week 11 – Nov 3-7
Folds, Faults and Earthquakes
Chapter 9
Week 12 – Nov 10-14
LECTURE EXAM # 3 – 3RD ESSAYS DUE
Weathering and Mass Wasting
Chapter 10
Week 13 – Nov 17-20
Groundwater/Karst Topography
Chapter 11
Week 14 – Nov 24-28
Ground Water/Karst Topography
Chapter 11
THURSDAY/FRIDAY: THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Week 15 - Dec 1-4
Fluvial Processes
Chapter 12
FINAL EXAM ESSAYS DUE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4
FINAL EXAM: THURSDAY – DECEMBER 11, 2008 – 12:00-3:00 PM
LAB SCHEDULE
Week
Week 1 – Aug 25-29
Township and Range
Exercise
Map Scale Lab and Map Projections
Week 2 – Sept 2-5
Topographic Mapping
Earth-Sun Relationships
Seasons and Analemma
Geog 5 Syllabus
Spring 2008
Reading (in textbook)
pp 8-23
pp 24-32
2
Week 3 – Sept 8-12
LAB EXAM # 1
Temperature Controls: Insolation
Energy -Temperature-Heat Labs
pp 34-62
Week 4 – Sept 15-19
TUESDAY – NO CLASS
Atmospheric Pressure
Air Pressure and Winds
pp 124-151
Week 5 – Sept 22-26
Pressure Gradient and Wind
Global Circulation
Environmental Lapse Rates, Ocean Currents
Week 6 – Sept 29-Oct 3
LAB EXAM # 2
Humidity
Adiabatic Processes: Celsius
Week 7 – Oct 6-10
Adiabatic Processes: Fahrenheit
Stability
Clouds
Week 8 – Oct 13-17
Air Masses and Fronts
Surface/Upper Air Analysis
Thunderstorm and Hurricanes
Week 9 – Oct 20-24
LAB EXAM # 3
Relative Dating
Interior of Earth
Week 10– Oct 27-31
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Magmatic Tectonics: Igneous Features
Week 11 – Nov 3-7
Mantle Plumes
Volcanoes
Week 12 – Nov 10-14
LAB EXAM # 4
Solid Tectonics: Folded Structures
San Andreas Fault
Seismology Lab
Week 13 – Nov 17-20
Weathering
Mass Wasting
Slope Stability
pp 296-323
Week 14 – Nov 24-28
Karst Topography: Groundwater
Floodplains
pp 324-337
pp 338-383
Week 15 – Dec 1-4
LAB EXAM # 5 – THURSDAY – DECEMBER 4
Geog 5 Syllabus
Spring 2008
pp 94-123
pp 152-179
pp 226-257
3
pp 258-295