Geography 7 World Regional Geography Spring 2014
Wednesdays 7-9:50 p.m., Dr. M. Renfrew, L.A. Harbor College SCC 109
Geography 7 is an opportunity to travel the world in a semester!
Required Textbook: De Blij, Muller & Nijman, GEOGRAPHY: Realms,
Regions, & Concepts, John Wiley: Be careful to get 15th Edition, 2012.
Hardback ISBN: 978-1-118-09360-3, Binder-Ready Version ISBN 978-1-118-12320-1
(For focus, absorption, and memory, I recommend the physical rather than electronic book.)
Tentative Course Calendar and Required Text Reading:
We have a test, map quiz, and/or homework due almost every class, so it’s important to study
and follow class announcements (on the board). If you can catch the rhythm, you’ll learn a lot!
When we finish one region, start right away learning maps and studying the next chapter.
2/12 Introduction, Russia Study Chapter 2A, Skim 2B, plus Introduction chapter as soon as
you get textbook. Atlas & mapping exercises comparing Russia with Northern Europe & North
America; listen for video assignment. Recommendation: Follow some Olympics news, scenery &
discussions about Russia hosting Winter 2014 games. Sochi region is beautiful!
2/19 Bring your textbooks! World Geographic Patterns in Text Introduction chapter, more on
Russia. Quiz at end on everything we’ve covered the first 2 weeks, including map exercises of
Russia, Northern latitude climates and population distribution, etc.
2/26 Test 1 Intro & Russia, Europe Map Quiz, Europe (+3/5, 3/12): Chapters 1A, 1B.
3/12 Europe Test 2, plus Middle American Map Quiz
3/12, 3/19, 3/26 Middle & South America Chaps. 4-5, shared “Latin American” characteristics
3/26 Middle & South America Test 3
4/2, 4/16, 4/23 Africa as a continent, Subsaharan Africa (Chap. 6) Map Quiz 4/16 &/or
Test 4 will be 4/16 or 4/23 (4/9 is Spring break)
4/23, 4/30 North Africa/Southwest Asia (‘Middle East’) Chapter 7. 4/30 Test
5/7, 5/14 South + Southeast Asia, Ch. 8, 10. Map Quiz 5/7, Test 5/14 (or 5/21)
5/21, 5/28 East Asia Chapter 9, + Review world maps, realms. Possible East Asia Test 5/28.
6/4 Final Exam: LAHC Final Exam schedule 7:45-9:45 p.m. World Overview (includes world
maps of major countries, population density, climates, physical features, economic patterns),
possible East Asia test combined with Final exam.
MAPS AND TOPICS YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR EACH REGION:
1. Physical features: Range of latitude (determines sun angle), climates, natural vegetation,
relative land size, shape of coastline, major mountain ranges, major rivers, islands, etc.
2. Countries and large cities, regional names and associations.
3. Population density areas – Which areas are crowded and sparsely settled, and why?
4. Major economic activities – What are major crops, industries, specialized services or
livelihoods that these regions/countries are known for? Are they considered to be part of the
global “core” or “periphery”? How does their average income compare with other countries?
5. Major patterns of religions and languages
6. Everything gone over in class, + required videos, study questions and homework.
Dr. Renfrew’s Office Hours: TTh 12:35-1, 4-5, W 6-7, just after class & by appointment, SCC
107 or 109. renfremp@lahc.edu. 310-233-4557
Required Materials: pencils, eraser, 24 colored pencils (no markers or crayons), portable
pencil sharpener, 10-11 883 Scantrons (with 15 matching on back), access to Internet, printer.
Grading and Policies: 90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 67-79%= C, 60-66%=D, < 59% = F.
7 Tests x 40-60 points, Homework & Map Quizzes, Final Exam.
1. Participation in class activities, respect, effort, improvement also count toward your grade
in a qualitative way (not specific points, but can influence a letter grade if on the border).
2. No make-up tests or quizzes, but about 40 points are dropped from the final total to be
equal to dropping approximately one test.
3. Please email or leave a message if you are sick or have an emergency.
4. Extra credit will only count if you show improvement and earn C’s or above on tests and the
final. First priorities are textbook & maps.
Levels and examples of economic activities: For each region, pay attention to how
people make a living: economic activities which provide jobs, what they grow, make, & do.
1. Primary economic activities involve extraction of natural resources (specific food or
cash crops, types of farming, minerals, fishing, logging). Some are raw materials for:
2. Secondary activity is manufacturing into finished products (e.g., iron into steel, and
then with plastics, upholstery and other materials into Volkswagen automobiles; cacao [cocoa]
beans, milk, and sugar into Swiss chocolate). We think of this as “industry,” factories,
machines, but the word “manufacture” originally meant, “make by hand.”
3. Tertiary activities involve the distribution of goods and services, the “service sector,”
which includes trade, sales, transportation, communication, government, medical, financial,
legal, and other services, recreation, education, etc.
4. Quaternary activities involve information processing: the high-technology management
of “data” (facts, information), including advanced computer processing, research and
development (“R & D”), and silicon chip production.
Latitude and longitude are a grid system for finding specific locations on Earth.
A. Latitude measures 0°-90° N and S of the equator (0°).
• Lines of latitude are parallels: they go E-W across the map, but are showing positions
North & South of equator.
• Climates are based on latitude because the most intense sun is in the “low latitudes,” 0°30° N & S, including the “tropics,” which are between 23.5° N & 23.5° S latitude.
• 30°-60° N & S = Mid-latitudes (where we live).
• 60°-90° N & S = High latitudes (near poles).
B. Longitude measures 0°-180° E and W of Prime Meridian (0°) that runs through Greenwich,
near London, England (United Kingdom).
• Lines of longitude are meridians & are not parallel, but converge at the poles.
• Meridians go N-S on the map, but measure East & West locations.
• The International Date Line zigzags near the 180° meridian through the Pacific Ocean, and
is where Earth’s new day starts at midnight (there). If you cross it going Westward (California
to Asia), you add a date (‘tomorrow’), and if cross it going East, go back to the day before.
C. GPS (Global Position Systems) and map locations are identified with 2 coordinates, e.g. L.A.
is 34° N latitude, 118° W longitude.
D. On your world map, label Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic & Antarctic Circles,
equator, Prime Meridian, & 180° meridian. Bracket low, middle, & high latitudes at the edge.