This document provides information for a physical geography course. It outlines the course details including the professor, meeting times, required textbooks, assignments, and grading. Students will take chapter quizzes, map quizzes, exams, and do a presentation. The course will cover the four environmental spheres of Earth - atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere - and their interactions. Students are expected to access additional resources on the class website and communicate via email with the professor.

1. Geography 110
Physical Geography
Reference # 0148 Sect. 01
MTWTh 2:30 PM – 3:45
PM

2. Important
Information
• Professor Lisa Schmidt
• Ref. 0148 Sect. 01
• 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM MTWTh
• ProfessorLisaS@gmail.com
• North 101
• (909) 384-5221 Voice Mail
• (760) 440-8977 Text or Voice
Mail
http://schmidtphysicalgeography.wikispaces.com

3. Physical Geography
• Welcome to Geography 110, Physical
Geography. In this class, you will learn
the basic elements of geography. We will
study climate, landforms, water, soils,
native animal life and native vegetation.
We will examine the inter-relationships
between these things and we will look at
their patterns of distribution throughout the
world.

4. Textbooks
 Required
 McKnight’s Physical
Geography 11th Edition
 McKnight and Hess
 ISBN-13: 978-
0321820433
 Recommended
 Goode’s World Atlas
 ISBN 0-528-65000-3
 Or any recent World Atlas
that contains physical maps
 Recommended
 The Geography Coloring
Book
 Wynn Kapit
 978-0131014725
A digital version
of the text is
available, link
on web page.
Text can also be
rented at
Amazon, and a
Kindle edition is
available.
http://schmidtphysicalgeography.wikispaces.com/Textbooks

5. Required Materials
 Internet Access
 Pencils
 Pens
 Paper

6. Recommended Materials
 Colored Pens or Pencils
For map studies

7. Course Description
 The goal of this course is to introduce
students to basic concepts in physical
geography…
Since it is an introductory course, it is
assumed students have little or no
background in physical geography.

8. Course Description
• Topics covered include the atmosphere, atmospheric
processes, weather, geographic patterns of climate, the
biosphere, soil and vegetation processes, the
hydrosphere, water in all of its phases, the formation,
modification, and distribution of various landforms, and
the lithosphere.

9. Course Objectives
• You will gain an understanding of the geographic
perspective within natural and environmental sciences,
including place, space, map scale, map projection,
spatial connection, and spatial diffusion.
• You will better understand how to use maps, in
particular, the geographic distribution of natural
phenomena.
• You will learn about the four environmental spheres,
atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere,
and how they interact across the surface of the Earth.
In particular, you will learn the role of humankind within
the environment.

10. Assignments & Grading
• 4 Exams 100 points each =
400 points
• 14 Chapter Quizzes 10
points each = 140 points
• 5 Map Quizzes 25 points
each = 125 points
• 1 Presentation = 100 points
• 3 @5 points Topic, Sources,
Questions
• Total Points Possible = 780 Note: You must earn at least
60% to pass this class. You
may be dropped for falling below
60%. Please refer to your syllabus.

11. Chapter Quizzes
 There will be a quiz for each
chapter in the textbook.
 Quizzes will be posted on
Blackboard after each lecture.
 All quizzes will close on 8/10/16
at 11:59 PM.
 There will be 14 quizzes.
 The format will be multiple
choice, true/false, and or
matching.
 Quiz questions may be used
on exams.
 You will want to take notes from
your quizzes and study them.
You can always access the
quizzes you have taken so you
can study from them-go into
“My Grades” on Blackboard and
click your score, that will take
you into yourr quiz.
Timed: 30 minutes
2 chances

12. Map Quizzes
 We will study the physical features of Earth.
 You MUST bring your atlas to class on map
study nights.
 Colored pens or pencils will be helpful.
 You will have five map quizzes.
 North America 25 points
 South America 25 points
 Europe 25 points
 Asia 25 points
 Africa 25 points
 Total 125 points
Also given using Blackboard
Timed 30 minutes
2 chances
All quizzes close on 8/10/16 11:59 PM

13. Exams
 There will be four exams.
 Exams will be given using Blackboard.
 The format will be multiple choice, true and
false, and/or matching.
 Each exam will be worth 100 points.
 The final exam will be cumulative.
 A study guide will be available for each exam.
Also given using Blackboard
Timed: 60 minutes
ONE chance – all close 8/10/16 11:59 PM

14. Presentation/Project
 You are required to give a presentation for this Physical
Geography course.
 You will be able to choose from a list of topics.
 Presentations will be five minutes long.
 Presentations MAY be done in groups WITH
INSTRUCTOR APPROVAL.
 Presentations will be scheduled. If you do not present
when you are scheduled, you will lose points.
 See the class web site for presentation details:
 http://schmidtphysicalgeography.wikispaces.com/

15. Changes
• The dates, topics, assignments, and due
dates in the syllabus are tentative.
• There may be changes, it is your
responsibility to stay informed of changes.
• I recommend you make friends…

16. Class Web Page
• I have created a web page for your class.
• All of the presentations and maps used in class
are posted there already.
• You can print out a copy of the lecture and bring
it to class so you can take notes on it…
– I often lecture quickly, but ALL of the information is
online so I do not expect you to write down my slides
word for word as I lecture because you can access
them at any time.
• Each chapter has supplemental material as well,
like videos and pictures or articles that connect
the topics to our lives in the real world.
http://schmidtphysicalgeography.wikispaces.com/

17. Late Work and Exams
 Late work ...
will not be accepted.
There will be no opening of
quizzes or exams after they
close unless you have some
documented proof of an
emergency.

18. Absences and Tardiness
 I reserve the right to drop students
who miss class twice.
 If you have to miss class, you should
stay in contact with me if you do not
want to be dropped.
 You may be dropped for excessive
tardiness.
 This means being more than five
minutes late, more than three times.
 If you are going to be late, come in
quietly and take a seat WITHOUT
interrupting lecture.

19. Dropping
 It is your responsibility to drop if
you decide you want to.
 If you stop coming to class, I have
no way of knowing if you want to
drop or receive and F.
I will give F’s, it is your responsibility
to drop.

20. Extra Credit
 Some extra credit may be assigned
throughout the semester.
 It will be announced in class and you must
be present in order to take advantage of it.
 Standing Offers: Donate Blood 10 pts and
get your ed plan done 5 points
I started you with some extra credit on your syllabus…
Note the Quotes…

21. Academic Honesty
 Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated.
Any incidences of cheating or plagiarism will
be reported to the deans office.
Please refer to San Bernardino Valley
College’s policy on academic honesty.

22. Cell Phones and Texting
 Use of cell phones for
talking or texting during
class is inappropriate.
 You may be asked to
leave the classroom if you
are talking or texting on
your phone during lecture.
 Phones should be set to
silent mode when in class.

23.  If you have, or think you have a disability which
may interfere with your ability to perform in this
class, please speak with me immediately
regarding any accommodations and contact the
Disabled Students Programs and Services
Office at (909) 389-3325.
Disabled Students Programs and Services

24. Blackboard
• Blackboard will be used for this class.
– You will need to log in to Blackboard to take
your quizzes and exams.
• If you have questions about blackboard, stay after
class, I am here to help.

25. Contact Information
• The best way to reach me is by e-mail.
• My e-mail address is:
ProfessorLisaS@gmail.com
• My mailbox is located in the library, on the
bottom floor.
• You may text me at (760) 440-8977 and
you can leave voice mail at this number
too.

26. Note

27. Disruptive Behavior
• You may be asked to leave class
if you disrupt the learning process
for others. This includes talking
during lecture or during
classmate's presentations. If you
are asked to leave, and
disciplinary action is taken, you
may be suspended from the next
class meeting.

28. Course
Schedule
At this time, I would like you to look at the
Schedule in your syllabus…
Note that it is quite detailed, you have information
On the topics being covered each night, what opens on
Blackboard, what closes, when parts of your project are due,
When maps studies happen, and when exams happen.

29. For Your Success

30. For Your Success

31. For Your Success
 Counseling Services 389-3366
 Library 389-3378
 Tutoring Services 389-3312
 Financial Aid 389-3223
 EOPS 389-3239
 Health Center 389-3272
 CalWORKS Assistance 389-3239
And more… If you need something, there is probably an
office on campus that can help, ask me too.

32. What is Geography?
 The scientific study of the Earth's surface
and its various climates, countries,
peoples, and natural resources.

33. 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

34. Branches of Human Geography
 Developmental
Geography
 Economic Geography
 Medical Geography
 Transportation
Geography
 Urban Geography
 Cultural Geography
 Historical Geography
 Political Geography
 Population
Geography
 Demography

35. Branches of Physical Geography
 Biogeography
 Climatology
 Coastal Geography
 Environmental Geography
 Geomorphology
 Glaciology
 Hydrology
 Oceanography
 Paleogeography

36. What we will be studying
 The atmosphere
 Atmospheric processes
 Weather and Climate
 The Biosphere
 Soil
 Vegetation
 Hydrosphere
 Tectonic Processes
 Volcanic Processes

37. What we will be studying…
 Four great physical realms or
spheres of Earth
 Atmosphere
 The gaseous layer that
surrounds the earth
 Lithosphere
 The outermost solid layer
of the Earth
 Hydrosphere
 The liquid realm of the
Earth
 Biosphere
 Encompasses all living
organisms of the Earth

38. 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

39. Next Class
• Chapter One: Introduction to Earth
• Quiz One will be available after class and
will be closed the following week.