Mcknight's physical geography third california edition

A. Saxe GEOG 1

1

Physical Geography (GEOG 1) – Summer 2014

Ticket Number 12185

Instructor: Anne Saxe Email: asaxe@saddleback.edu

Course Access: To access the course, login to Blackboard at https://socccd.blackboard.com. If you

aren’t sure how to login, please visit http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/.

Required Textbook

 McKnight’s Physical Geography: Third California Edition. Darrel Hess, © 2014| Prentice Hall | ISBN-10: 1269144375 | ISBN-13: 9781269144377; OR

 It is also acceptable to use McKnight’s Physical Geography: Second California Edition. Darrel Hess, © 2011| Prentice Hall | ISBN-10: 0558585973 | ISBN-13: 9780558585976

Course Description and Prerequisites/Corequisites

A study of the basic physical elements of geography: Earth-sun relationships, climate, landforms, soils,

water and natural vegetation, and their integrated patterns of world distribution. Students are

encouraged (though not required) to enroll in the Physical Geography Lab class (GEOG 1L)

concurrently with taking this lecture course.

Student Learning Outcomes

SLO #1: Analyze the controls, distribution, and classification of world climates.

Assessment of SLO #1: 75% of students who take the exam will correctly answer questions

differentiating world climates.

SLO #2: Describe seasonal Earth-Sun relations and explain resulting physical phenomena on Earth’s

surface.

Assessment of SLO #2: 75% of students who take the exam will correctly answer questions pertaining

to Earth-Sun relationships and differences in daylight and the seasons.

SLO #3: Describe the Theory of Plate Tectonics, provide scientific evidence in its support, and explain

its correlation to the creation of landforms.

Assessment of SLO #3: 75% of students who take the exam will correctly answer questions asking

about the different types of plate boundaries and the corresponding landforms that are created.

Important Dates for Summer 2014

If a student wishes to drop or withdraw from the class, it is the student’s responsibility to follow the

college’s drop or withdrawal procedure.

Drop with Refund by: Friday, 6/6/2014 Drop without 'W' Grade by Tuesday, 6/10/2014

Elect Pass/No Pass by: Tues., 6/17/2014 Drop with 'W' Grade by: Monday, 7/7/2014

What You Should Expect from an Online Course

Online instruction is attractive to students for a variety of reasons: Students sometimes cannot attend

traditional classes due to schedule constraints such as work demands, family responsibilities, physical

limitations, etc. However, online instruction is not necessarily for everyone. It is important that

students recognize that the level of participation, quality and quantity of work, and the amount of time

necessary for successful completion of the course is equal to or greater than what you would expect in a

traditional class. If you are a self-motivated and self-disciplined student, than you will likely perform

well and enjoy this class. On the other hand, if you are not prepared to keep up with assignments,

readings and discussions as outlined in the syllabus, and/or if you have difficulty independently keeping

track of due dates, you will quickly fall behind and you may wish to reconsider online instruction.

mailto:asaxe@saddleback.edu
https://socccd.blackboard.com/
http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/
A. Saxe GEOG 1

2

Student Services

General Student Service Information is available at the Saddleback College Website. General,

academic, and service information can be obtained by accessing the Counseling Division and Financial

Aid Websites. Individual and small group counseling information such as academic planning and

review of transcripts is available by appointment. All other student services are available on campus

during normal business hours. Counseling services are also available for students with disabilities. For

further information call Special Programs (949) 582-4885.

The Student Health Center provides students with medical and mental healthcare and education

designed to support a successful learning experience at Saddleback College. All students who are

currently enrolled in classes and who have paid the Health Fee during registration may access the

Student Health Center services with no additional cost. The Student Health Center is located in SSC-

177 and the phone number is (949) 582-4606.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need

accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact Disabled Students Programs & Services as soon

as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. Their phone

number is (949) 582-4885. This course meets the requirements set forth in the accessibility checklist

and universal design grid provided by Special Services. The Web pages, video presentations, textbooks

and class materials used in this course are accessible to students with disabilities. Please identify your

accommodation needs to the instructor by the first week of class.

Academic Honesty

Academic dishonesty (i.e., cheating during exams and quizzes, copying another student’s homework,

plagiarism, copying and pasting information from the Internet, etc.) is not acceptable in any course

at Saddleback College. Violating the rules carries significant consequences (e.g., a failing grade on an

assignment, review and sanction by the Dean, etc.) and will not be tolerated. The instructor may also

notify the dean and/or file an incident report with Student Services to report any student proven to have

cheated or plagiarized. For more information, please see the https://www.saddleback.edu/la/acts-

academic-dishonesty.

Online Etiquette

Please use online etiquette in your communications. Treat the instructor and your fellow classmates

with respect, kindness and courtesy. Obnoxious, rude or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated in

this class just as it would not be acceptable in a traditional classroom. You have the right to disagree

with each other and/or with the instructor as long as you disagree in a productive, non-threatening or

non-abusive manner. The instructor reserves the right to drop students who do not conform to this

policy. Points to Consider:

 Choose your words carefully as people cannot hear your tone or see your facial expressions during online communication.

 Using all capital letters when communicating comes across as shouting and is not appropriate for online discussion.

 Do not use instant messaging abbreviations as they are not appropriate, e.g. “LOL”, “Thx”, “How R U 2day?”. And please, capitalize your I’s!

https://www.saddleback.edu/la/acts-academic-dishonesty
https://www.saddleback.edu/la/acts-academic-dishonesty
A. Saxe GEOG 1

3

Course Requirements and Assessment

1. Readings and Online Lectures – Students are expected to read the assigned text and review the

corresponding online lectures. Lectures for each week become available Tuesday mornings.

2. Assignments – Assignments covering information from required readings and online lectures will be posted on Tuesdays and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the Monday they are due unless

otherwise specified.*

3. One midterm and one final exam – Both the midterm and the final exam are worth 100 points. Both exams may consist of multiple choice, matching, true/false, short answer, and problem-solving

questions. Exams become available on the Tuesday of the week they are due and must be taken by

11:59 p.m. on the Monday of the scheduled week. Study guides for both exams will be available one

week before the exam availability date. NO MAKE-UP EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN*.

* Make-up policy: Make up work (including exams) will not be accepted other than for extreme

emergencies that can be verified in official written form (doctor’s note, etc.)! Students requesting to

make up missed work MUST contact me before the assignment deadline (unless the emergency

prohibits).

It is highly recommended that you give yourself plenty of time to complete the required

assignments and exams. Waiting until 11:00 p.m. on the Monday evening something is due to

start an assignment or post onto Blackboard increases the likelihood that your work will not

arrive electronically by 11:59 p.m., and I do not accept late work (that includes work turned in at 12

a.m.!). If your computer crashes or some other glitch occurs at the last minute (including illness), it

will be too late for me to help you.

Grading

The points you earn on the exams, various assignments and discussion participation will determine your

overall course grade. Final grades for the course are computed by dividing each student’s total

accumulated points for the semester by the total points possible. Grades are based on the following

grading scale: 90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D, 0-59%=F. TOTAL POSSIBLE IS

APPROXIMATELY 420 POINTS.

Final grades are determined by dividing the total points a student earns by the total points possible. The

breakdown is as follows:

Points Possible Syllabus Quiz 10

Midterm Exam 100

Final Exam 100

Assignments 210 (8 chapter reviews X 25 points + 1 assignment X 10 points)

TOTAL 420

Suggestions for Minimizing Technical Problems

 Avoid using a wireless Internet connection if at all possible. Wireless connections often time out before assignments can be uploaded or exams completed.

 For technical information and assistance, please contact the Online Technical Help Center at (949) 582-4363 or by email at scstudenthelp@saddleback.edu or visit

http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/.

mailto:scstudenthelp@saddleback.edu
http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/
A. Saxe GEOG 1

4

COURSE CALENDAR

Week Required Chapter AND Lecture Readings Assignments - (Note: For the purposes of

this class ONLY, each week starts on

Tuesday

1

(6/3 – 6/9)

Course Syllabus and Online Orientation

Introduction to Earth (Chapter 1)

Portraying Earth (Chapter 2)

Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 9 th :

 Syllabus Quiz

 Chapter 1 and 2 Review

2

(6/10 – 6/16)

Intro to the Atmosphere (Chapter 3)

Insolation and Temperature (Chapter 4)

Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 16 th :

 Chapter 3 and 4 Review

3

(6/17 – 6/23)

Atmospheric Pressure & Wind (Chapter 5)

Atmospheric Moisture (Chapter 6)

Midterm Exam Study guide becomes

available under “Course Info/Docs”

Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 23 rd

:

 Chapter 5 and 6 Review

4

(6/24 – 6/30)

Atmospheric Disturbances (Chapter 7)

Climate and Climate Change (Chapter 8)

Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 30 th :

 Chapter 7 and 8 Review

 Midterm Exam on chapters 1-8

5

(7/1 – 7/7)

Cycles/Patterns in the Biosphere (Chapter 10)

Terrestrial Flora and Fauna (Chapter 11)

Soils (Chapter 12)

Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 7 th :

 Chapter 10, 11 and 12 Review

6

(7/8 – 7/14)

Introduction to Landform Study (Chapter 13)

The Internal Processes (Chapter 14)

Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 14 th:

 Chapter 13 and 14 Review

 Virtual Seismologist Activity

7

(7/15 – 7/21)

Weathering & Mass Wasting (Chap 15)

The Fluvial Processes (Chapter 16)

Final Exam Study guide becomes available

under “Course Info/Docs”

Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 21 st :

 Chapter 15 and 16 Review

8

(7/22 – 7/26)

The Topography of Arid Lands (Chapter 18)

Coastal Processes and Terrain (Chapter 20)

Due by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 26 th

:

 Chapter 18 and 20 Review

 Final Exam on chapters 10-16, 18, 20

Assignment Submission/Feedback

Assignments and exams will be available each week on Tuesday. All required assignments for that

week must be completed and submitted by 11:59 p.m. the following Monday. For example, the

materials for week 1 will be available on Tuesday, 6/3 and must be completed and submitted by 11:59

p.m. on Monday, 6/9. Grades for assignments that require instructor review will be posted on

Blackboard within one week after the assignment due date on Monday. Grades will generally be posted

earlier, but it is not guaranteed. Note: The one week grade posting policy applies only to those materials

that the instructor must grade (e.g. assignments that have short answer questions). Grades that are

automatically calculated by Blackboard, e.g. assignments that consist exclusively of multiple

choice questions, should reflect in the Blackboard gradebook immediately after an

assignment/exam is submitted.

A. Saxe GEOG 1

5

Communication

1. The best method of contact for the instructor is via email. Please allow 24-48 hours for a response. If you do not receive a response from me within 48 hours, please resend your

email or ask for a confirmation that I’ve received your email. I generally do not check my

email on Sundays.

2. This is a college level class, and ALL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS (emails included) should contain proper spelling, punctuation, professionalism, etc.

3. Students are welcome and encouraged to email the instructor when the instructions for an assignment are unclear and/or for help with concepts that are challenging. Avoid sending

frivolous emails to the instructor, i.e. emails asking for information that is already provided in

the syllabus or on Blackboard. Examples of frivolous questions include: What is the assignment

this week?, When is the assignment due?, What chapters will be included on the first exam?

4. Use size12 font and black ink text. While the use of multiple text fonts and colors provides variety, it can also be distracting and difficult to read.

5. ALL students are required to access their Saddleback email and Blackboard on at least a weekly basis (preferably several times per week). This is the instructor’s sole means of

communicating with you! If you use an alternate email address (yahoo, gmail, etc.) please set up

your Saddleback email to forward emails to the alternate address. It is the student’s

responsibility to obtain any information that the instructor emails to the student. When emailing

the instructor, include your first and last name in the email, especially if your email is sent from a

non-Saddleback email address. Please also specify which section of GEOG 1 you are in as I

have multiple classes.

Guidelines and “How To’s” for this Online Course

How to Check Grades: Click on the “My Grades” button.

How to Obtain Weekly Assignments, Lectures and Exams:

 Click the button for the appropriate section (lectures, assignments, or exams).

 Click on the appropriate link or folder (e.g., “Chapter 1 Lecture”, Chapter 1 and 2 Review, etc.).

 Lectures, exams, and assignments will be available on the Tuesday of the week they are due. For

example, the Syllabus Quiz will be available the Tuesday of the first week of class (6/3).

How to Submit Assignments and Exams:

 Read the instructions in Blackboard for submitting assignments. Generally students may

complete the assignments within Blackboard by simply clicking the “Submit” button, but

sometimes downloading and uploading of documents and/or emailing assignments is required.

 Assignments may be completed at any time during the week, and assignments in quiz form are

not timed and may be accessed more than once (i.e. you may enter and exit the assignment as

many times as it is necessary provided the assignment is submitted by the due date).

 The midterm and final exams may be taken anytime during the week they are due, but each exam

may only be accessed and taken once.

 If an exam or assignment freezes up on you, and/or if you have completed the

exam/assignment but you do not see a numeric score for your exam/assignment in the

Blackboard gradebook immediately after you have completed it, contact me right away

and well in advance of the exam/assignment deadline. Always check the Blackboard

gradebook after completing an assignment/exam to ensure that a grade has been posted.