Prerequisite/Corequisite: - Physical Geography Laboratory (GEG-100)
Description: Physical geography is a study of spatial patterns and natural processes on Earth's spheres. As an introductory survey course, GEG 101 explores where and why ecologic, climatologic, and geomorphic phenomena occur. Students will develop a better understanding of the natural environment and our role within it. The far-reaching topics include maps and map making, weather and climate, biogeography, and landform development and change. This is a natural science course.
Required Materials: Christopherson , Robert W. Geosystems: An Introduction to
Physical Geography. 6 th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006.
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students should have a solid foundation by which to pursue further study in the natural sciences. This foundation will consist of an applicable familiarity, and knowledge, of fundamental terms, processes, patterns, concepts, and issues in Physical Geography.
Tardiness: Excessive tardiness will result in a mandatory meeting with me and may result in the student being withdrawn from the course. Excessive tardiness will result in ineligibility for extra credit.

Attendance: M CC’s class attendance policy will be followed:
Prompt and regular attendance at all class . . . sessions is expected. Faculty members are asked to report students for excessive absence when such absence is a dversely affecting the student’s academic achievement . . . (not necessarily failing work) . .
.
(Monroe Community College Catalog and Student Handbook).
Absences equaling three days will result in the mailing of an attendance warning letter. Absences equaling five days may result in the student being withdrawn from the course.
Academic Honesty: MCC’s academic honesty policy will be followed:
In the academic process, it is generally assumed that intellectual honesty and integrity are basic responsibilities of any student . . . All students who are involved . . . shall be considered equally guilty of the transgression
(Monroe Community College Catalog and Student Handbook).
Therefore, cheating and/or plagiarism may result in disciplinary action.
Unauthorized Recording: Neither audio nor video recordings of the instructor or the class may be made without the explicit prior written permission of the instructor.
Class Cancellation: Information on class cancellations is available daily on the web or through the telephone. Go to the MCC website (www.monroecc.edu); click on
“Quick Links” then click on “Class Cancellations”. Additionally, class cancellation information is available by dialing 292- 2066; press ‘1’ for the Brighton Campus and/or
‘2’ for the Damon City Campus. If possible, please use the web, as there could be delays in the voice recordings.
Emergency Closings: If the College is closed due to inclement weather or some other emergency, all Rochester area radio and television stations will be notified no later than 5:30 a.m. In addition, the college homepage on the MCC web site will display a message indicating the college is closed. Please do not call the College to avoid overloading the telephone lines.

*Course Schedule:
Topic #1: Essentials of Geography (Read: Chapter 1), Bodies of Water (p. 501) , & Physical Land
Features (very last page of book titled “World-Physical”)
—Exam 1 on Topic 1 and World Locations
______________________
The Energy-Atmosphere System
—Topic #2: Solar Energy to Earth and the Seasons
(Read: Chapter 2)
—Topic #3: Earth’s Modern Atmosphere (Read: Chapter 3)
—Topic #4: Atmosphere and Surface Energy Balance (Read: Chapter 4)
—Topic #5: Global Temperatures
(Read: Chapter 5)
—Topic #6: Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation
(Read: Chapter 6)
—Exam 2 on Topics 2-6 ______________________________________
The Water, Weather, and Climate Systems
—Topic #7: Water and Atmospheric Moisture (Read: Chapter 7)
—Topic #8: Weather
(Read: Chapter 8)
—Topic #9: Water Resources
(Read: Chapter 9)
—Topic #10: Global Climate Systems (Read: Chapter 10)
—Exam 3 on Topics 7-10
________________________
*This schedule is an approximation and will be adjusted if necessary.
Important Dates:
—Last Day to Turn-In Extra Credit (Friday, April 11)
—Last Day to Withdraw with a Grade of ‘W’ (Saturday, April 26)
—Winter Break – No Class (Feb 17 – Feb 24)
—Spring Break – No Class (April 13 – April 20)
—Final Examination Period (May 17-22)
Grading:
In-class Exercises = 100 points
Exam 1
Exam 2
= 50 points
= 100 points
Exam 3 = 100 points
Course Total = 350 points
In-Class Exercises total = _______/100
Your Exam 1 Grade =
Your Exam 2 Grade =
_______/50
_______/100
Your Exam 3 Grade = _______/100
Your Total = _______/350
Exams
Exams will consist of true/false, multiple choice, and short essay questions. The last exam (#3) is not entirely comprehensive but will cover a little material from Topics 1-6 (TBA).
In-class Exercises: In-class exercises are generally short (5-10 minutes) exercises that will be handed out at least once during most lectures. They may be individual exercises or group work.
There will be approximately 13-20 exercises and each is worth 5-10 points. Although, these cannot be made-up, your lowest 10 points will be dropped.

Grading Scale:
325.5
— 350 points = A
315
— 325 points = A-
304.5 — 314 points = B+
290.5 — 304 points = B
280
— 290 points = B-
269.5 — 279 points = C+
255.5 — 269 points = C
245
— 255 points = C-
234.5 — 244 points = D+
220.5 — 134 points = D
210
— 220 points = D-
0
— 209 points = F
Make-Up Policy: Students that miss Exam 1 or 2 due to an excused absence will complete the exam when he or she returns to class. Students that miss Exam 3 due to an excused absence may complete the exam at my discretion and convenience.
No make-ups will be allowed for in-class exercises, although your lowest 10 points will be dropped.
Classroom Environment – The classroom should provide an environment which is conducive to learning and a free exchange of ideas. To achieve this goal it is necessary that we all follow some simple principles: Be punctual , patient , courteous, honest, and seated during class. Students are expected to use laptops only for classroom purposes. Students that display disruptive behaviors may be withdrawn from the course.
Please turn off your cell phones and please no text-messaging.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation!
Extra Credit Policy: Extra credit is a privilege, not a right. A student must prove that he or she is making every attempt to succeed by attending class on time. Therefore, students that are often late (3 or more times) or receive an attendance warning letter will be ineligible for extra credit. Students seeking extra credit must meet with me to confirm their eligibility and receive the extra credit assignment. A date for the last day to ask for extra credit will be announced. The last day to turn-In Extra Credit is Friday, April 11.
Learning Centers: Monroe Community College has a number of Learning Centers at its Brighton
Campus and the Integrated Learning Center at the Damon City Campus.
Learning Centers are staffed with instructional personnel and may be equipped with computers to assist students. It is recommended that students use these Learning Centers to get additional assistance with concepts learned in the classroom and with their homework. Please complete Part A of the Learning Center Referral form attached to this
Course Information Sheet and return the form to your instructor.
Course notes/slides: The PowerPoint slides and other course related items are available for you on the college server, the M-drive. Course information is located in the “COURSES/GEO/101-Little” folder; The M-drive may be accessed from nearly every computer on campus. You are welcome to print out

the materials according to the guidelines of the Electronic Learning
Center.
Assistance and Advisement: I am committed to improving the lives of students through education. Please contact me whenever you need assistance. I also provide academic advisement by appointment:
E-mail: jlittle@monroecc.edu
Phone/Voicemail: 585.292.2396