4/19/2024 8:33:03 PM	GEOG 4 Course Outline as of Fall 1981	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  GEOG 4	Title:  PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Full Title:  Physical Geography
Last Reviewed:3/8/2021

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

Introductory study of the earth's surface, including the earth's dimensions and motions; atmospheric processes; patterns of climate, vegetation, and soils; and features, processes, and interactions of land and water.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 1A or concurrent enrollment in ENGL 100 or ESL 100.

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Study of the earth's dimensions, motions & surface features. Atmospheric processes, climate & vegetation patterns, landforms & water processes.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 1A or concurrent enrollment in ENGL 100 or ESL 100.
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
Area:	C	Natural Sciences
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	B1	Physical Science		Fall 1981
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	5A	Physical Sciences		Fall 1981
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
C-ID:
CID Descriptor: GEOG 110	Introduction to Physical Geography	SRJC Equivalent Course(s): GEOG4

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

The successful student will:

--Recognize relationships between physical geography and other

 disciplines.

--Perceive the body of geographic knowledge to the the result of an

 ongoing process of contributions by individual personalities.

--Appreciate the utility of models, hierarchies, mass and energy

 budgets, and classification schemes.

--Acquire and utilize fundamental concepts of mathematics to the

 analysis of geographic phenomena.

--Interpret graphs and charts of both theoretical and actual data,

 utilizing techniques of interpolation and extrapolation.

--Acquire and utilize a vocabulary of several hundred terms, the majority

 of which will have applications beyond this course.  Examples:

 latitude and longitude, time zone, convection, seasonality, conifer.

Topics and Scope

Earth geometry and motions:  planetary and solar system data and

comparisons, latitude and longitude, the Rectangular Survey, time zones,

and principles of navigation.  Atlas-related exercises.

Atmospheric processes:  Energy budgets and modes of energy transfer,

seasonality and continentality, pressure and wind, atmospheric

moisture and precipitation processes.  Text related exercises, often

mathematical, utilizing graphs, charts, and observational data.

Global patterns of climate, vegetation, soils, and ground water:

classification systems and criteria, models of distribution patterns,

annual cycles.  Exercises in application of classification criteria.

Landforms and related processes:  plate tectonics, diastrophism and

volcanism, weathering processes, agents of gradation.  Classification

schemes and identification of erosional zones.  Exercises with maps,

airphotos, and models.

Assignments:

Weekly reading assingments are given in a text of approximately 500

total pages, and specific pages of an atlas are also designated.

Students are expected to review notes of lectures which parallel, but

do not duplicate, the text.

Supplementary materials including charts, outlines, vocabulary lists,

sample data, and articles from publications are distributed for study.

These total over 50 pages.

Exercises for completion outside of class are distributed weekly.  These

are similar to the "problem sets" of other physical sciences.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 0 - 0%
None
This is a degree applicable course but assessment tools based on writing are not included because problem solving assessments are more appropriate for this course.
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 25 - 50%
Homework problems, Exams
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 50 - 75%
Multiple choice
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

McKnight, Physical Geography

Strahler & Strahler, Elements of Physical Geography

Muller & Oberlander, Physical Geography Today

Atlas:  An inexpensive atlas is adopted and required.

All texts listed above are common adoptions at two-year and four-year

institutions throughout the United States.

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