Geog. G107 Physical Systems of the Environment    (Summer, 2009)
MTR 3:00 - 5:20 p.m..
Office (SB-236) Hours  TR (2:15 - 2:45 p.m.)

Text: Discovering Physical Geography by Alan F. Arbogast

Course Description:

The course is designed to give students a basic understanding of the physical environment, which we will view as a complex system of interacting components (climate, soils, and other Earth materials and processes). Emphasis will be given to the dynamics of the individual components, the way these interact, and the global patterns that result when the components are integrated. Students would be required to 'travel' around the world making observations of the climates, time zones, and vegetation type and other environmental features. Students will also be required to make observations (using a scientific method) for two weeks of an aspect of the environment and write a report. The report should use the observations, apply knowledge gained from the course, and student activities that could affect the outcome of observations. As part of this course, students would be required to travel outside the North American continent, examine how location, gender, class, economics,  and politics affect water quality and quantity. Students who successfully complete this course will relate their activities to the environment and the environment to their activities. Students will be assessed through exams, class projects and reports.
NOTE: Check the syllabus weekly as it is a living document. The content will not change, but there could be new useful materials.  

You may also use the Vista Discussion board for posting questions.....and you can answer any questions posted on the discussion board.
ALL REPORTS MUST BE SENT THROUGH WEBCT.   ALSO, INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND REPORT TITLE IN YOUR REPORT, AND AS PART OF THE FILE NAME, EXAMPLE, IsiorhoaboutRpt. You will loose points if you do not include your name as part of your file name as given in the above example

Exams/Reports:

Three exams and a finals. Course grades will be based on two exams (42%), finals (21%), Water report (21%), Group project (2%), Survey (5%), and class assignments (One rock and two video reports  OR one rock, one video, and another video and or field trip reports (9%)).

NO CLASS ON EXAM  DATES & NO MAKE UP EXAMS

NOTE: All reports must be sent as attachment (microsoft word document or as aportabledigital format (pdf)) to me through WebCT assignment drop box. Also, your name and subject must be part of your file name (e.g. Isiorhoabout Rptfile). Failure to follow these simple instructions will cost you points.  Your report must be sent before 5:00 p.m or as posted. Any report received after 5 p.m. or as posted, will have points deducted and report will not be graded if received a day late. You are responsible for all materials in the textbook and or internet links and you could get questions outside of lectures...applied questions. PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR EXTRA CREDITS... I DO NOT CURVE...WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU GET. Grading scale: A=90-100; B=80-89; C=70-79; D=60-69; F=<60

Students are strongly advised to know the “Code of Student Rights, Responsibility, and Conduct” that can be found in the “Student handbook and planner that is published each fall semester” I expect students to read and understand the “Code” especially as it relates to Cheating, Plagiarizing, and Aiding and Abetting Others to Cheat or Plagiarize. Students caught cheating on exams/tests, projects or reports (plagiarizing) will receive a zero for that portion of the course.

"If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. Contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Walb, room 113, telephone number 481-6658), as soon as possible to work out the details. Once the Director has provided you with a letter attesting to your needs for modification, bring the letter to me. For more information, please visit the web site for SSD at http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd/ "

(Start early, no extension, no exemption, and no excuses will be accepted)

All reports MUST be submitted in electronic format, preferably as a portable digital format (pdf)

Group project (2%) would involve making a one-week (7 consecutive days) obervation of the weather in a given location (must give the name) that may include precipitation, temperature, cloud type/cover, wind speed/direction. It is important that you work together in your groupas any member of the group could be called upon to give a 5-minute presentation which forms part of the grade. You must follow the report format given below. Only one report (approximately 3 text pages double space (excluding the graphs, picture, table, drawings etc)) from each group, and this will be due Thursday June 4, 2009, to be presented Thursday June 4, 2009 using power points (also to be submitted as part of the grade). (suggestion: collect your weather data between May 19 and May 31)

Rock report (4%)  A half page report (double space) on any two rocks in the Geogarden (need not follow the report format given below) is due Thursday June 11, 2009. Your report should include the name of the specific rock, mineral composition, why you chose the rock, and any use of the rock.

Water report (21%)   Compare the effects of "CLASS STANDING/STATUS"i.e. social economic standing/status, on  water quality & quantity from any two different locations (one location from Africa Continent and the other from North America Continent (outside of Indiana)). NOTE: YOU CANNOT COMPARE A COUNTRY TO A STATE OR A CITY...You compare a city with a city, state with state, or a country with a country. For North America, you can examine the political, economic, class and environmental implication for irrigation in the United States (would need to specify a place or region). Your report must follow the "Report Format" given below and it should also include the location (village/town/city, region, or country) gender and class standing. I will be looking for the role of diversity in water supply and your personal reflection in your water report. Write a minimum of 6-page double space report (don't count pictures or maps or graphs or tables as part of the 6 pages) with a minimum of three refreed article references. Use the report format given at the bottom of the syllabus. Draft report is due June 10, 2009 by 6:00 p.m. (bonus 1%) and Final Report (through Blackboard Assignment Box  is due 5:00 pm Monday June 15, 2009 (This is an equivalent of a test and so, NO CLASS) (NO EXCUSE WILL BE ACCPETED). No report will not be graded if received late. (NO HARD COPY WILL BE GRADED).

All Tests will be taken online in WebCTvista Blackboard.

Optional PreQuiz: (May 18-19) through WebCTvista Blackboard.
Would recommend you take the prequiz as the score will be added to one of your test scores.

Introduction to the Atmosphere (Chpt. 4)
Composition and structure of the atmosphere, elements of weather and climate

Insolation and Temperature (Chpt. 5)
Solar energy (insolation), basic process of heating and cooling of the atmosphere, mechanism of heat transfer, global temperature patterns.

Atmospheric Pressure and Wind (Chpt. 6)
Nature of atmospheric pressure and wind, nature of wind (direction of movement, cyclones, anticyclones) general circulation of the atmosphere, localized wind systems (sea and land breezes, katabatic, chinook, Froehn, valley and mountain breezes).

Atmospheric Moisture (Chpt. 7)
Measures of humidity (absolute, specific, relative), condensation (clouds, fog, dew, adiabatic processes), precipitation (processes, forms, atmospheric lifting), global distribution of precipitation (average precipitation, seasonal precipitation patterns, variability).

Transient Atmospheric Flows and Disturbance (Chpt. 8)
Air masses (characteristics, origin, classification, movement and modification ), fronts (cold, warm, stationary, occluded), atmospheric disturbances .

Climatic Zones and Types (biomes) (Chpt. 9)
Climatic classification (purpose, classification schemes, modified Koppen System, climographs), world distribution of climatic types (Tropical Humid, Dry, Mild Mid latitude, Sever mid latitude, polar, highland), global pattern.   Hawaii movie clip

CLASS NOTE II
Draft power point slide II
EXAM 2: Tuesday June  2, 2009  WebCTvista Blackboard (6:0 a.m. -6:00 p.m.)

Soils (Chpt. 11)
Soil and regolith, soil forming factors (geologic, climatic, topographic, biological, chronological), soil components (inorganic, organic, air, water) Soil properties (color, texture, structure), chemistry (colloids, cation exchange, acidity/alkalinity) soil profiles, pedogenic regimes (laterization, podzolization, gleization, calcification, salinization), soil classification, global distribution of major soils (entisols, vertisols, andisols, inceptisols, aridisol, mollisol, spodosol, alfisols, ultisols, oxisols, histosols)
Check this site for detailed Soil Science course (Univ. of Minnesota)
Amazon Rain Forest...forest fire...soil

Earth Materials (Chpt. 12)
Composition of the crust (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic), some critical concepts (basic terms, uniformitarianism, geologic time), internal and external geomorphic processes.
(Geogarden : write a half-page (double space) report on any two rocks in the garden and send your report to me through WebCTBlackboard assignment dropbox before 5:00 p.m., Thursday June 11, 2009 (4% of course grade).
*Your report must inlcude 1) specific name of the rock, 2) why you chose the specific rock, 3) the mineral composition, and 4) the use(s).

The Internal Processes (Chpt. 13)
Crustal rearrangement (continental drifts, plate tectonics), volcanism, diastrophism (folding and faulting)

Weathering and Mass Wasting (Chpt. 14)
Weathering (physical, chemical), mass wasting (fall, slide, slump, flow, creep) Video on mass wasting.
                                                               draft  power point slides

CLASS NOTE III

EXAM 3: Thursday June 11, 2009  WebCTvista Blackboard (6:00 a.m. - 6 p.m.)

The Hydrosphere (Chpt. 15)
The hydrologic cycle (surface to air, air to water, movement on and beneath surface, residence times, surface water (lakes, swarms and marshes, rivers and streams) Underground water (aeration, saturation zones, aquifer, pumping, drawdown)

The Fluvial Processes ( Chpt. 16 )
Fundamental concepts (drainage basins), stream channels, stream systems (basins), valleys (deepening, widening, lengthening)

River Meanders....River?            Power point slides (Quick review) for rivers and groundwater

                   Spectacular pictures for 2003 Courtesy of Kristi Emely

Video#2 and or field trip June 14, 2007 ...Write four short sentences on the video (one must be from the begining, one from the middle, one from the end of the video, and the fourth sentence could come from any part of the video.) (2% of course). Report due before 6 p.m. June 15 through WebCT

Glacial Terrain ( Chpt. 17 )
Impact of glacial on the landscape, types of glaciers (continental, mountain, how glaciers form), how glaciers form. Glaciated land forms ... glaciers from the interenet
CLASS NOTE IV (see chapters)

The Topography of Arid Lands ( Chpt. 18 )
The work of the wind (erosion, transportation, deposition), characteristics of desert landforms
( Dust aggravates droughts? )

Post Quiz: June  18, 2009 (from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) through WebCTvista Blackboard.

Survey: June 18, 2009 (6:00 a.m. - 6 p.m.) (5 % of course grade)
                                                                              Important words for test four

FINAL EXAM (Not comprehensive): from 6:00 a.m. Monday June 22  through 11:00 a.m. Tuesday June 23
WebCTvista Blackboard

REPORT FORMAT
Report Format (you must follow this format):  Use the red lettered words in your subheadings
Title (what is your report about? not more than 15 words),
Abstract (a special type of summary of your report that includes problem/question asked, method, result and conclusion~half page),
Introduction (what do you know about the topic and what has been done and why this report i.e. purpose?),
Method/Approach (how did you you get your information result, data etc.),
Result/Data (self explanatory...could put your result(s) in table format and graph(s) your data if possible),
Discussions (what does your result mean? ....  include your opinion here),
Conclusion (two to four-sentence summary of your report),
Acknowledgment (if any),
References (what works did you cite?  Minimum of Three references in APA format)
(call if I do not acknowledge receiving your report after two business days).
NO HARD COPY WILL BE ACCEPTED

No class May 25. Memorial Day...observed
              ALL EXAMS WILL BE SEVENTY MINUTES LONG

Isiorho's webpage           Geogarden                   IPFW             e-mail
Other Links

When there is global warming

Katrina Cloud related Pictures in PPt

Water  Conflict   Ppt

Women Children and water ppt
Buz Words....drawings/pictures from Prof. Williams Univ. of Wisconsin River Falls
Water UMAC

Fish...gravity, moon, and tide...

Cool 3-D pictures of National Parks

What on earth made this?

CNN website

Why Earth Science?

YouTube videoWhy Earth Science? Produced by Americal Geological Institute

Earth System Science video by NASA

Some useful Resources on Science & Theology

Sample water report... just for your information

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

Check Dr. Pamela Sandstrom for your water report.

Cloud formation video

Adiabatic Process...animation

Updated May 5, 2009