California Geography: GEOG 140
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Imperial Valley College Course Syllabus – California Geography: GEOG 140 Basic Course Information Semester Fall 2020 Instructor’s Name Samuel Cortez Course Title & California Geography: Instructor’s Email [email protected] # GEOG 140 CRN # 11197 Room Online (Canvas) Office Class Dates August 24-December 12, Virtual office hours by 2020 Appointment (on zoom) Class Days Every Day Office Phone # Class Times Always Accessible Who students should Elvia M. Camillo Staff contact if emergency Secretary Behavioral &Social Units 3 Units or other absence Science Department Imperial Valley College380E. Aten Rd. Imperial, CA 92251(760) 355-6144 Course Description This course thematically covers various issues faced by the state of California that are relevant to the discipline of geography, including water resources, vegetation patterns, landforms and geomorphology, climate, agriculture, cultural landscapes, ethnic diversity, urbanization and economic patterns. Special attention is paid to human-environment interactions that have resulted in the formation of California's unique human and cultural landscapes. (CSU, UC) Student Learning Outcomes Upon course completion, the successful student will have acquired new skills, knowledge, and or attitudes as demonstrated by being able to: 1. Analyze the physical processes that shape California's natural environments. 2. Evaluate the use of natural resources in California in the development of both the state's human and physical landscapes. 3. Identify the origins, placement and future trends of California's economy, including agriculture, industry and services Course Objectives Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students will be able to: 1. Examine the physical processes that shape California's natural environments. 2. Analyze the use of natural resources, especially water, within California as they apply to the state's economic and cultural development. 3. Analyze the influence of California's various ethnic groups in terms of their roles in shaping the state's cultural landscapes. 4. Evaluate the origins and development of industry and agriculture in California. Imperial Valley College Course Syllabus – California Geography: GEOG 140 5. Compare patterns of urban development in California and evaluate current and future trends in urbanization. Textbooks & Other Resources or Links William A. Selby 2019. Rediscovering the Golden State - California Geography 4th Ed. Hoboken. Wiley ISBN: 978-1-119-49314-3. If you would like to look at other options such as all-digital, or rent options, please go here https://customer.wiley.com/include/studentchoice/Student_Choice_Wiley_Redirection.html You may find older editions like the 3rd edition at the bookstore or at off campus options such as Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and local bookstores at lower costs. The disadvantage is that some material may be outdated and the pages for assigned readings may not match. Course Requirements and Instructional Methods California Geographer Richard Hyslop says, “California is unique in many ways, and the variety and complexity of its physical and human geography is unparalleled in comparison with the other 49 states.” Although this may seem a bold assertion, the fact remains that California has represented the leading edge of styles, attitudes, fashions, and environmental, political, and social movements for many years. We can categorically say the Golden State does seem to be composed of some of the best (and some of the most troubling) of varied elements—a truly eclectic mix. In conjunction with lectures, course material will be covered through readings, mapping assignments, on-line discussions, written assignments and videos which students will access through Canvas. Textbook: All assigned readings from this course come from the required text. Learning activities in each weekly module are based on assigned readings. Out of Class Assignments: The Department of Education policy states that one (1) credit hour is the amount of student work that reasonably approximates not less than one hour of class time and two (2) hours of out-of-class time per week over the span of a semester. WASC has adopted a similar requirement. Course Grading Based on Course Objectives Map Quizzes………………………………….5x20= 100 points Your grade will be determined based Exams…………………………………………3x100= 300 points on the following grading scale: Discussions: 900-1000 A a. CA News …………………….….(5x40)= 200 points 800-899 B Reflections………....................................(5x40)= 200 points 700-799 C Key Concepts/vocabulary…………(12x16)= 200 (ch1 & 2=20 points) 600-699 D < 600 F TOTAL POINTS 1000 Points MAP QUIZZES There will be five map quizzes during the semester, worth 20 points each for a total of 100 points. There will be approximately at least one map quiz every other week of class. These quizzes will need to be completed by the deadline, failure to complete by the deadline will result in the loss of those points. You may not make up quizzes unless you fit any of the extraordinary circumstances mentioned above. The map quizzes will test your ability to properly locate and identify locations of important cities, counties and physiographic features of the state of California. With enough lead time I will provide a study guide for you to study the appropriate maps. You may also refer to the following on-line atlases: Imperial Valley College Course Syllabus – California Geography: GEOG 140 World Atlas Nystrom Desk World Atlas DK World Atlas You may get any general map of the state of California such as those you get at AAA. Any other hard copy atlases such as Goode, J. P., Espenshade, E. B., & Rand McNally and Company. (2010). Goode's world atlas. Chicago: Rand McNally may be found at the library and may be useful in preparing for these quizzes. EXAMS There will three multiple choice exams each worth 100 points; the exams will consist of material covered before the exam. The final exam will be non-cumulative and cover material from after the two first exams. I will provide detailed study guides prior to each of the exams. The exams will be timed and you will have multiple opportunities to take it before the deadline. If the exam is taken after the deadline points will be deducted based on how many days past the deadline you submitted the exam. CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY IN THE NEWS DISCUSSIONS Discussions on canvas: about every other week, I will post some news articles in the discussion board of canvas about items discussed in class about California that come up in the news. Your task is to read a minimum of one of the articles posted and write a response. Your response should include a minimum of two well written, well thought out paragraphs; one paragraph should be about what the article discusses; the second paragraph should be about how the articles relates to the particular topics discussed in class. Remember that a paragraph is technically a minimum of 5-6 sentences. There will be five of these discussions worth 40 points for a total of 200 points; if you post them past the deadline you may not get credit or may get only partial credit if posted late. Please note that this class is not designed for memorization and regurgitation. Rather, in this class, I want you to think critically about how the physical and cultural geography of California interacts with our human endeavors and how they affect your lives in our local area of California, or the whole state, or of the country as well as of a global scale. I want you to find some relevance of what we are leaning in class to what is happening outside and beyond college life. CALIFORNIA GEOGRAPHY REFLECTIONS Four times during the course I will be asking you to reflect on the learning that has taken place during the past weeks. You will be asked to write a reflection on the topics (usually textbook chapters) we are discussing that week. You will be asked to write a minimum of one full paragraph (5-6 sentences) and submit it for a grade. On most reflections there will be more than one topic to reflect upon and thus you will be required to write at least one paragraph per topic. In this assignment you must also provide refences from class materials such as the textbook, lecture PowerPoints and study guides. There will be four of these discussions worth 50 points for a total of 200 points; if you post them past the deadline you may not get credit or may get only partial credit if posted late. KEY CONCEPT/TERMS/VOCABULARY ASSIGNMENT These concepts/terms/vocabulary are found at the end of each chapter and it is strongly suggested that they are completed as you read the assigned pages. The questions consist of key geography terms and concepts covered in the lectures and found in the reading. Exam questions come from these materials. The questions will be posted on canvas for each chapter and will be have specific deadlines. Your task is to define each of the terms/key concepts as provided to you in a worksheet and submit them by the deadlines. I will be providing a word document with the required key concept questions Your answers need to come from the textbook in the context of California Geography, simply googling the answers may not give you the correct answers in the context of California Geography. Each set of questions (there will Imperial Valley College Course Syllabus – California Geography: GEOG 140 be 12 of them one for each chapter) is worth 16 points (chapter 1 & 2 will be worth 20 points) for a total of 200 points. Missed Quizzes If you miss the deadline for an online quiz or exam in this class, you may have an additional opportunity to re-submit; be aware that points may be taken off with each re-submission or if submitted after the deadline. Late/Missed Assignments Assignments submitted after the due date will not receive full credit; points will be deducted based on how late past the deadline they are submitted.