2. What is Geography?
• Geography is a field of science dedicated
to the study of the lands, the features, the
inhabitants, and the phenomena of
the Earth.
• A literal translation would be "to describe
or write about the Earth".
3. Fields of Geography
• Human or Cultural Geography
– Deals with social, economic, and behavioral
processes
• Physical Geography
– Examines the natural processes occurring at
Earth’s surface that provide the physical
setting for human activities
5. Branches of Human Geography
• Developmental Geography
• Economic Geography
• Medical Geography
• Historical Geography
• Political Geography
• Population Geography
• Demography
• Transportation Geography
• Urban Geography
6. Tools Geographers Use
• Maps
– Paper representations of space showing point, line, or
area data
• Or more simply put, locations, connections, and
regions
• Remote Sensing
– Aircraft or spacecraft provide images of earth’s surface
• GIS or Geographic Information Systems
– Powerful computer mapmaking software connected to
data bases
• Mathematical Modeling and Statistics
– Used to understand natural and human phenomenon
7. Information
• Professor Schmidt
• Email: Lisa.Schmidt@Chaffey.edu
• http://northamericawiki.wikispaces.com/ is
the address for the web page created for
this course.
• Message Phone (909) 652-7090
• Text (760) 440-8977 Google Voice #
• Office hours are by appointment only.
8. Required Textbook
• Regional Landscapes of the US and
Canada 7th Edition
• Birdsall, Palka, Malinowski, and Price
• ISBN 978-0470098264
A digital version of this book is available through
Course Smart:
http://www.coursesmart.com/
9. Required Materials
• You should come to class prepared to
take notes. You will need paper, pens,
and pencils.
• Your quizzes and exams will be given
online, so you must access the internet for
this course.
• We will do map studies in this class. It is
recommended you have colored pens or
pencils for maps.
10. Course Description
• In Geography 10, we will study cultural
geography of North America through time and
space. We will trace the dynamics and ethnicity
of North American culture through exploration,
settlement patterns, national interests, economic
exploitation, agriculture, commerce, ethnicity,
demography, and changing attitudes.
• Emphasis will be placed on the origin and
diffusion of North American culture.
11. Student Learning Outcomes
1. Understand the socetal impact of “The Trail of
Tears” on the Native America populations and
which tribes were involved.
2. Develop an understanding of the diversity of
the North American society, cultural traditions,
and cross cultural interactions.
3. Analyze the settlement and geographic
expansion of Canada and the U.S.A.
12. Course Objectives
1. Define the cultural influences which make up North America.
2. Identify settlement patterns, economic systems, transportation
patterns, the structure of cities.
3. Understand American cities and demographics for the continent.
4. Distinguish the aboriginal cultures which make up the American
character in time and space.
5. Recognize North American ethnicity in time and as a part of
national character.
6. Define the American cultural landscape in relationship to the
biophysical world.
7. Identify important cultural sites, political, economic, and
commercial sites on the continent.
8. Analyze the structural elements of cities and other cultural
features in time and ethnic influences.
9. Recognize ethnic and national purpose in relationship to land
values and historical happening.
13. Assignments
• These are the assignments for
Geog 10:
– You will have a quiz for each
chapter, and for the Immigration
and Historical Settlement
lectures (which are not in the
text.)
– You will have five map quizzes.
– There will be 5 exams,
approximately every four
chapters and a cumulative final.
– You will create 10 posts.
– You have a project.
– You have a presentation.
– There will be in-class
assignments for participation
points.
15. Note About Grades
• You must earn at least 60% of the total
possible points to pass this class.
• A score of 59% or below is a failing grade.
16. About Your Assignments: Quizzes
• You will have a quiz on each chapter in your
textbook and for the Immigration and Historical
Settlement lectures (which are not in the book.)
• Your quizzes will be given using Moodle.
• When we finish a chapter, the quiz for that
chapter will open and you may take it.
• You have two tries on each quiz and you have
one week to complete BOTH attempts.
• Quizzes will close at 1:30 PM on their due dates.
17. About Your Assignments: Map
Quizzes
• There will be five map quizzes based on in class
map studies.
• Map quizzes will be given using Moodle.
• After each map study, a quiz will open on
Moodle.
• You will have one week to complete your map
quizzes and you will have two chances.
• Map quizzes will close at 1:30 PM on their due
dates.
18. About Your Assignments: Exams
• You will be given five exams in this class.
• Exams will be based on quizzes, but will also
contain new content.
• Exams will be given using Moodle.
• You will have one chance to complete exams.
• Exams will close at 1:30 PM on their due dates.
• Study guides for exams will be posted on the
class web page.
• Exams will occur about once every four
chapters.
19. About Your Assignments: Posting
• You will form groups and your groups will
post on the class web page.
• You have 10 postings to do for the
semester.
• Details are posted on the class web page
and will be discussed in class.
20. About Your Assignments: Project
• You will complete a project for this class about
your family’s history.
• This project will be broken into five parts.
• Check your schedule for due dates.
• Details will be posted on the class web page and
will be discussed in class.
• Your project will include writing papers,
interviews, presentations, and group work.
• If you are worried because you might not have a
family member to interview, talk to me there are
other options.
21. About Your Assignments:
Presentation
• You will give a presentation in this class.
• Your presentations will be about connections
you and your family have to this class.
• Presentations can be done alone or in groups
with instructor approval.
• Details will be posted on the class web page and
discussed in class.
• A sign up sheet will be available so that you may
choose your presentation date.
• You must present on your chosen date or you
will lose points.
22. About Your Assignments:
Participation Points
• 100 points are built into your grade as “PARTICIPATION
POINTS.”
• These are for in class assignments that will NOT be
announced.
• There may be pop quizzes, worksheets, entry questions,
exit questions, or even attendance points.
• Being late or absent CAN hurt your grade. If you miss
these assignments, they cannot be made up.
• If you are not in attendance, you will not earn these
points.
23. Class Schedule
• At this time, please take a moment to look
at the schedule in your syllabus.
– It is STRONGLY recommended that you
highlight exams and project due dates, or that
you write your due dates in a
planner/calendar, or put them in your phone
or tablet/computer.
24. Class Policies
• Firstly, all of Chaffey College’s rules apply
to you in this classroom.
• Disrupting class is like stealing education
from your fellow classmates and will be
taken very seriously.
25. Class Policies
• Late work will not be accepted.
• Your assignments are on Moodle and you
have a week to do them.
• I will not reopen quizzes, so please do not
ask.
– Some extra credit will be offered so if
something happens and you miss one quiz,
you will have an opportunity to make up those
points.
26. Class Policies
• I reserve the right to drop
students who miss class
twice.
• I reserve the right to drop
students for being
excessively tardy-more
than five minutes late
three times.
– Coming in late IS a form of
disrupting class.
• It is YOUR
responsibility to
obtain information if
you miss class-
including schedule
changes.
• It is highly
recommended that
you make at least one
friend in class.
27. Class Policies
• Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated.
• Any incidences of cheating or plagiarism
will be reported to the dean’s office.
28. Class Policies
• Your cell phones are to be set to silent
when in class.
• You may be asked to leave class if you
are talking or texting during class.
29. Class Policies
• Some extra credit will be offered.
• It will not be announced, you will need to
be here in order to earn those points.
• Extra credit will be displayed in the grade
book with an “EC” in front of the name of
the assignment.
30. Class Policies
• Assignments will not be accepted by e-
mail.
• If you are having trouble meeting a
deadline, talk to me, but do not e-mail me
your assignment.
– You may not receive credit if I cannot open it
or if I do not receive it.
31. Class Policies
• Last day to turn in work is December 9,
2014.
• No extra credit or late assignments will be
accepted after that date.
32. Class Policies
• Graded work will only be held for 30 days.
• It is your responsibility to collect your
graded work.
• You should hang on to your graded work
until you receive your final grade-not just
for my class!
33. Class Policies
• If you have been in attendance just once
and you stop coming, I don’t know if you
want an F or to drop, so I will probably
give you an F.
34. Class Policies
• Moodle will be used for this class. If you
are not familiar with it, you must learn for
this class.
• You may access Moodle at:
http://moodle2.chaffey.edu/
• You must use Moodle to take your quizzes
and exams.
– Stay after today if you need help.
35. Class Policies
• If you have or think you have a disability
that you need accommodations for, please
contact the DSPS office 652-6358.
• Please notify me as soon as possible.
36. Class Policies
• Honors contracts are encouraged, BUT,
will not be granted after 9/18/14.
• If you wish to have a contract for this
class, please talk to me about it VERY
soon.
37. Contacting Me
• The best way to reach me is by e-mail.
• I have a mail box in Zimmerman Hall
where you can leave things for me and I
have a mailbox here on the Chino campus
too.
• You can text me at (760) 440-8977, this is
a Google Voice number and it goes to my
tablet, not my cell phone. I see these
messages every day.
38. Class Web Page
• A web page has been created for this
class.
• http://northamericawiki.wikispaces.com/
• PowerPoints, maps, study guides,
documents, videos, project information,
and more are posted on the web page.
39. The Tentative Nature of Life…
• All of the information contained in your
syllabus is tentative.
• In other words, it can change at any time.
• It is your responsibility to come to class
and be informed of any schedule changes.
– Point totals, topics, and due dates MAY
change.
40. Services Available
• Computers are available on campus.
• Childcare, healthcare, counseling, tutoring
services, career services, financial aid,
and more are all available for you.
41. Landmarks in your Syllabus
• There are 20 landmarks from North
America in your syllabus.
• If you can identify all 20 AND tell me
where they are, I will give you 20 points of
extra credit.
• There is no due date for this extra credit,
so you have all semester to find them all
and figure out what they are.
