LOS ANGELES MISSION COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR: VICKI DRAKE Spring 2004 e-mail: [email protected] Voicemail: (818) 364-7600, ext. 4231 Office Hours: Wed 6:30-7:00 pm Web Page: http://homepage.smc.edu/drake_vicki

CALIFORNIA GEOGRAPHY - GEOGRAPHY 14

COURSE DESCRIPTION/OBJECTIVES

California is the third largest and fourth longest state in the United States. California’s Pacific shoreline extends 1,264 miles through nearly 10 degrees of latitude. This range of latitude, in part, accounts for the diversity of climate, vegetation, soil, population, industry, and economy within the state. This course is designed to highlight California’s diverse regions through lectures, a field trip, slides and a term paper/project. Landform provinces within California, as well as the human occupants within these provinces, will be explored. A special section will be devoted to California water: rights, laws, acquisition, transportation and appropriation.

REQUIRED TEXT California, the Geography of Diversity, 2nd Edition, by Crane Miller and Richard Hyslop (required) California Supplement, Vicki Drake, (available in bookstore) – (required) California atlas (optional)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION Central to the requirements for this class are attendance and participation in class discussions, homework assignments, one field trip (extra credit – location to be determined), a “California water” paper/project, three exams and a final exam. The exams will consist of objective questions and short-answer essay questions. Map quizzes on material presented in class will also be included in each of the exams. If all of the 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 one dropped. Everyone must take the Final Exam: failure to do so will result in a grade of FAIL no matter the grade going into the final. Grades are computed mathematically based on the number of points received per exam. Evaluation: Three exams (Objective and Maps): 40% California Water Paper/Project: 25% Final (Cumulative Objective and Map): 35%

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 contact me through e-mail or voicemail. Getting help early in the semester will assure a more successful course grade!

CLASSROOM CONDUCT/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, copying, plagiarism (either from another’s paper, from a pre-written assignment, or downloaded from the Internet) will result in removal from the class, a grade of F for the semester and possible expulsion from Mission College. Please refer to the Standards of Student Conduct or the current Mission College catalog.

MISSION COLLEGE 1 CA GEOG S-2004 CALIFORNIA GEOGRAPHY SCHEDULE

DATE SUBJECT READING

Week 1 - Feb 11 Introduction to California Chapter 1

Week 2 – Feb 18 Plate Tectonics Chapter 2 Geology

Week 3 – Feb 25 Landform Provinces Chapter 3 Mountains/Prairies/Deserts

Week 4 - Mar 3 EXAM # 1 California Energy Resources Chapter 6

Week 5 – Mar 10 Climate Chapter 4

Week 6 – Mar 17 California Biomes and Natural History Chapter 7

Week 7- Mar 24 EXAM # 2 California Water Chapter 5

Week 8 – Mar 31 NO CLASS – CESAR CHAVEZ HOLIDAY

Week 9 – Apr 7 NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK

Week 10 – Apr 13 California Water Chapter 5 Historical California Chapter 8

Week 11 – Apr 20 Historical California Chapter 8

Week 12 – Apr 27 California Gold Rush Supplemental

Week 13 – May 5 California Cultures Chapter 9

Week 14 – May 12 EXAM # 3 Agriculture in California Chapter 10 The Great Central Valley Central Coast, Imperial Valley, Coachella Valley

Week 15 – May 19 Metropolitan California Chapter 11 San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego

Week 16 – May 26 California’s Industries & Economy Supplemental California’s Future Chapter 12

FINAL EXAM: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2004

MISSION COLLEGE 2 CA GEOG S-2004