Social Science 101 - 01 Instructor: Jim Monaco
Spatial Concepts Office:
MWF
Fall 2001 Office
Hours: MW F
SYLLABUS T Th
or by appointment
Course Description
This course offers a broad overview of the field of Geography. Emphasis is placed on an understanding of the major themes in Geography and how they can serve as a mental construct for evaluating spatial information. In addition, the course will focus on the relationship between the natural processes that have shaped the earth’s surface and the development of cultural practices around the globe.
Required
1. Goode’s World Atlas ( 20th Edition ) Rand McNally
2. Patty Reed’s Doll: The Story of the Donner Party by Rachel K. Laurgaard
3.
4. Social Science 101 Packet
Places
and People
Set of World Regional Maps
5. A fictional book of choice suitable for Elementary Grades 5 – 8.
Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are to help students:
1. Develop an understanding of Geographical concepts, including;
a. The Five Themes of Geography and how they are inter-related,
b. The physical processes that have shaped the earth’s natural environment,
c. How these physical processes influence human cultural and economic
development, and
d. The location of important physical and cultural regions around the globe.
2. Acquire some of the techniques used to illustrate Geographical concepts, including the
mapping of data, creating charts and diagrams, and interpreting an atlas.
3. Develop the ability to speak and write effectively.
Course Requirements
Students are responsible for all class materials and should be prepared to discuss readings on the assigned dates. Discussion will be both written and oral. Specific requirements include:
1. Two midterms and a comprehensive final exam, combining objective and essay questions;
2. An in-class presentation and brief written description of a Place;
3. Fourteen regional map quizzes (the twelve highest scores will count towards a final grade);
4. Two literature-based mapping exercises;
5. Seven take-home/in-class exercises that expand on the geographical concepts being studied.
Students’ Responsibilities
Students are expected to attend all classes. If you miss class or leave early because of other important commitments, you are still responsible for materials presented in lecture.
Eating, reading outside materials, or carrying on conversations not relevant to classroom discussions are prohibited.
Students are expected to respect one another and the diversity of opinion, viewpoint, experience, and interpretation present in a university classroom.
Students should take careful, complete notes; exams will be taken in large part from lecture materials and classroom discussions.
Instructor’s
Responsibilities
It is the instructor’s responsibility to be organized, informative, and enthusiastic about the course material.
As a guide to the learning process, the instructor will make every effort to accommodate different learning styles by using various methods of instruction – including traditional lecture, class discussion, hands-on activities, and film and video when available.
It is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure that classroom decorum is maintained. Any behavior that disrupts the learning process will be dealt with in a prompt manner and may lead to the student(s) being dropped from the class.
The instructor will be available during office hours to answer questions about course materials, assignments, or exams.
Grading Policy
No makeup work will be permitted, except in the case of a bona-fide illness or emergency.
Assignments are due on the dates indicated in the syllabus or on the handout.
Note: Late
papers will have 10% deducted for each class period they are late.
No
assignments will be accepted more than five periods late.
All
assignments must be completed by the last day of instruction,
December 14, 2001.
There will be no extra credit assignments
given; put your efforts into the assigned work!
In accordance with university literacy requirements, spelling, grammar, and composition will be taken into account when grading written assignments.
Activity Points
Exams (3) 180
Map Quizzes (12) 120
Literature Based Geography 40
Final Presentation 40
Exercises (7) 70
Total
450
Course grades will be determined in the following manner:
418.5 - 450.0 A 346.5 - 359.5 C+
405.5 - 418.0 A- 328.5 - 346.0 C
391.5 - 404.5 B+ 315.0 - 328.0 C-
373.5 - 391.0 B 301.5 - 314.5 D+
360.0 - 373.0 B- 270.0 - 301.0 D
A student will be determined to have an “F” grade in the course if either of the following criteria are met:
1. A point total of 300.5 or less;
2. Cheating or plagiarism on any assignment, regardless of the number of points earned in
the course.
Approximate Schedule
Introduction to
Week Date Topic
Geography Places and Peopl
On reserve in the
Meriam Library
1. Aug. 27 Course Introduction
Aug. 29 Five Themes of Geography
Aug. 31 Latitude
2. Sep. 03 Labor Day ( No Class )
Sep. 05 Longitude Exercise II
Sep. 07 Earth-Sun Relationships
3. Sep. 10 Film: “Lost at Sea”
Sep. 12 Time and Longitude Chapter 02 ( pp. 32-41 ) Exercise III
Sep. 14 Time Zones
4. Sep. 17 Climate and Weather Exercise IV
Sep. 19 Climatic Natural Hazards
Sep. 21 Climagraphs
5. Sep. 24 Climate Regions Exercise V
Sep. 26 Midterm Exam No. 1
Sep. 28 Plate Tectonics Chapter 03
6. Oct. 01 Natural Hazards Exercise VIIa
Oct. 03 Gradation and Erosion
Oct. 05 Landforms
7. Oct. 08 Principles of Map Making Exercise VIIb
Oct. 10 Topographic Maps
Oct. 12 Mapping the Physical Landscape: Tornado Alley
8. Oct. 15 Mapping the Cultural Landscape: Exercise VIII
Underground Railroad
Oct. 17 Literature Based Mapping: Grades K-4 ( Patty Reed’s Doll )
Oct. 19 Place Name Geography
Approximate Schedule
Introduction to
Week Date Topic
Geography Places and People
On reserve in the
Meriam Library
9. Oct. 22 Choropleth Maps Exercise IX
Oct. 24 Map Scale
Oct. 26 Playground Mapping
10. Oct. 29 Using the Compass Exercise X
Oct. 31 Compass Activity
Nov. 01 Midterm Exam No. 2
11. Nov. 05 The California Atlas Exercise XI
Nov. 07 Goode’s World Atlas: Physical Regions
Nov. 09 Cultural Regions
12. Nov. 12 - 16 Student
Presentations Exercise
XII
Literature Based Geography: Grades 5-8
Nov. 19 – 23 Thanksgiving Holiday ( No
Classes )
13. Nov. 26 Movement Chapter 08 Exercise XIII
Nov. 28 Population Geography Chapter 06
Nov. 30 The Importance of Place
14. Dec. 03 –07 Student Presentations Exercise
IV
Places on
the Map
15. Dec. 10 – 14 Student Presentations Exercise
XV
Places on
the Map
Final Exam Wednesday December 19th 2:00 – 3:50 pm Butte 503
Assignments
Regional Map Quizzes ( Places and People )
Exercise Region Score
II United States ___ / 10
III Canada ___ / 10
IV Middle America ___ / 10
V South America ___ / 10
VIIa Europe, Northwest ___ / 10
VIIb Southern Europe ___ / 10
VIII No. & Central Eurasia ___ / 10
IX Middle East ___ / 10
X South Asia ___ / 10
XI East Asia ___ / 10
XII Southeast Asia ___ / 10
XIII Australia & New Zealand ___ / 10
XIV Northern Africa ___ / 10
XV Southern Africa ___ / 10
Total ( Best 12 Scores ) _____ / 120
Exercises
Introduction to the Atlas ___ / 10
Winter Solstice ___ / 10
Time and Longitude ___ / 10
Map Scale ___ / 10
Climagraphs ___ / 10
Chloropleth Map ___ / 10
Migration ___ / 10
Total _____
/ 70
Exams
Midterm No. 1 _____ / 60
Midterm No. 2 _____ / 60
Final Exam _____ / 60
Total _____
/ 180
Presentations
Literature Based Map ___ / 40
Places on the Map ___ / 40
Total _____
/ 80
Course Total _____ / 450