Geology

Geography 1303 – World Geography
Syllabus
Blinn College – Bryan Campus
Section: 406 CRN 11804
Meets: TR 1:25 – 2:40 Rm H226
Instructor's Name: Dr. Serena Aldrich
Office Number: A214 Office Hours: M–F 8:30–10:00; MW 1:30–2:30; TR 12:00–1:00
Office Phone: [phone] Office Email: [e-mail]
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Study of major world regions with emphasis on prevailing conditions and developments, including emerging conditions and trends, and the awareness of diversity of ideas and practices found in those regions. Course content may include one or more regions. Attention will be focused on the relationship of aspects of the physical environment and human activities to location. Major topics of discussion will include: culture, religion, language, landforms, climate, agriculture, and economic activities.
This class earns three credit hours.
PREREQUISITES:
Appropriate score on the THEA test or alternative test of completion of READ 0306 with a grade of "C". Good reading skills are required for success.
CORE CURRICULUM COURSE:
This is a Core Course in the 42-Hour Core of Blinn College. As such, students will develop proficiency in the appropriate Intellectual Competencies, exemplary Educational Objectives, and Perspectives. The URL for the Blinn College Core Curriculum web site is: www.blinn.edu/corecurriculum STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
After successfully completing Geography 1303 student should have an understanding of the different cultures of the world and how they relate to geography. Students should be able to: * Analyze the formation of the world through regions. * Examine the components of development. * Analyze the demographic processes. * Examine the impact of human-environment interaction. * Assess the increasing interconnectedness of our globalized society.
TEXTBOOKS, SUPPLIES, MATERIALS:
Required: de Blij, H.J. Geography; Realms, Regions, and Concepts 15th ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2012

Recommended: A good world atlas, hardcopy or digital. I recommend hardcopy!
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Lectures will concentrate on broader topics and cover the most important issues. Students are expected to read the related textbook/assigned readings on their own and to seek assistance from your instructor if any content is not clear.

Examinations: There will be three regular exams scheduled this semester. The exams will cover material from lecture, text, supplementary readings, discussions, and in-class activities. Format of exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer.
Exams will be taken using an Apperson Advantage (28980) form.

Final Exam: There will be a final exam scheduled at the end of the semester. The exam is cumulative and will be similar in format as the regular exams. You must take the final exam to pass the course.

Homework Assignments: There are three homework assignments this semester. I will provide a more detailed explanation of each assignment prior to the due date. All assignments are expected to be turned in on time! If you must miss class due to one of the Blinn College recognized absences (See the Blinn College Attendance Policy below) then you must discuss this with me in advance of the due date to receive full-credit for the assignment. Otherwise, 10% of the full credit will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. * Assignment 1 Development – Due Thursday, Sept. 19th * Assignment 2 Migration – Due Thursday October 17th * Assignment 3 Regional Comparison – Due Tuesday, November 12th

Map Quizzes: There are four map quizzes scheduled for this semester. The information you will need to prepare for each exam is located on eCampus.

Participation Points: There will be 5 opportunities for participation points throughout the semester in the form of pop quizzes or small assignments. You must be in attendance to receive credit for opportunities and they cannot be made up.

Makeup Exams/Map Quizzes: Only students who have a documented, excused absence for the day of the exam/quiz may take advantage of this opportunity. Exams/quizzes will be available in the Learning Center for exactly ONE WEEK following the scheduled exam. If you do not make up the assignment within that period you will receive a zero for the exam/quiz.

Extra Credit: No extra credit opportunities will be given. If you attend class, participate in discussions, read the text and any assigned readings; you will not need extra credit.
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CRITERIA FOR GRADING:
Your grade will be calculated as follows: * 3 Exams (100 pts. each) 300 * Final Exam 150 * 4 Map Quizzes (50 pts. each) 200 * 3 Assignments 75 * Pop Quiz/Participation 75 * Total Points 800

Final grades will be distributed using the following scale:

* 720 points and above A * 640 points and above B * 560 points and above C * 480 points and above D * Below 480 F
CIVILITY STATEMENT:
Members of the Blinn College community, which includes faculty, staff and students, are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all aspects of campus life. Blinn College holds all members accountable for their actions and words. Therefore, all members should commit themselves to behave in a manner that recognizes personal respect and demonstrates concern for the personal dignity, rights, and freedoms of every member of the College community, including respect for College property and the physical and intellectual property of others.
CIVILITY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM:
If a student is asked to leave the classroom because of uncivil behavior, the student may not return to that class until he or she arranges a conference with the instructor: it is the student's responsibility to arrange for this conference.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
The College District believes that class attendance is essential for student success; therefore, students are required to promptly and regularly attend all their classes. Each class meeting builds the foundation for subsequent class meetings. Without full participation and regular class attendance, students shall find themselves at a severe disadvantage for achieving success in college. Class participation shall constitute at least ten percent of the final course grade. It is the responsibility of each faculty member, in consultation with the division chair, to determine how participation is achieved in his or her class. Faculty will require students to regularly attend class and will keep a record of attendance from the first day of class and/or the first day the student’s name appears on the roster through final examinations. If a student has one week’s worth of absences during the semester, he/she will be sent an e-mail by the College requiring the student to contact his/her instructor and schedule a conference immediately to discuss his/her attendance issues. If the student accumulates two weeks worth of absences, he/she will be administratively withdrawn from class.

There are four forms of excused absences recognized by the institution:
1. observance of religious holy days - The student should notify his or her instructor(s) not later than the 15th day of the semester concerning the specific date(s) that the student will be absent for any religious holy day(s);
2. representing the College District at an official institutional function;
3. high school dual credit students representing the independent school district at an official institutional function; and
4. military service. Other absences may be considered excused at the discretion of the faculty member with appropriate documentation. A student enrolled in a developmental course is subject to College District-mandated attendance policies. Failure to attend developmental classes shall result in removal from the course as defined by the College District. It is the student’s responsibility to officially drop a class he or she is no longer attending. To officially drop a class the student must obtain the class withdrawal form from Enrollment Services, complete the class withdrawal form, secure the required signatures, and return the completed form to Enrollment Services. The last day to drop this semester with a Q is November 15.
SCHOLASTIC INTEGRITY:
Blinn College does not tolerate cheating, plagiarism, or any other act of dishonesty with regard to the course in which you are enrolled. The following text defines the faculty member’s responsibility with regard to the scholastic integrity expectation for this and all courses at Blinn College. It is the responsibility of faculty members to maintain scholastic integrity at the College District by refusing to tolerate any form of scholastic dishonesty. Adequate control of test materials, strict supervision during testing, and other preventive measures should be utilized, as necessary, to prevent cheating or plagiarism. If there is compelling evidence that a student is involved in cheating or plagiarism, the faculty member should assume responsibility and address the infraction. Likewise, any student accused of scholastic dishonesty is entitled to due process as outlined in Blinn College Board Policy FLB (Local). The Scholastic Integrity Policy is located in the Blinn College Student Handbook, www.blinn.edu/student%20handbook.pdf. In a case of scholastic dishonesty, it is critical that written documentation be maintained at each level throughout the process.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
Blinn College is dedicated to providing the least restrictive learning environment for all students. Support services for students with documented disabilities are provided on an individual basis, upon request. Requests for services should be made directly to the Office of Special Populations serving the campus of your choice. For the Bryan campus, the Office of Special Populations (Administration Building) can be reached at [phone]. The Brenham, Sealy and Schulenburg campuses are served by the Office of Special Populations on the Brenham campus (Administration Building Room 104) and can be reached at [phone]. Additional information can be found at www.blinn.edu/disability/index.html.
FINAL GRADE APPEALS POLICY
If a student wishes to appeal a final grade in a course, Blinn College Board Policy FLDB (Local), Course
Grade Complaints, outlines the timeline for the appeal and the four steps in the appeal. This policy is located in the Blinn College Student Handbook, www.blinn.edu/student%20handbook.pdf.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
All the functions of all personal electronic devices designed for communication and/or entertainment (cell phones, pagers, beepers, iPods, and similar devices) must be turned off and kept out of sight in all College District classrooms and associated laboratories. Any noncompliance with this policy shall be addressed in accordance with the College District Civility Policy (Administrative Policy). This information is contained in Blinn College Board Policy FLB (Local).

**Please Note: I do not allow the use of laptops, tablets, or e-readers in the classroom.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Course Outline and Weekly Schedule (Tentative):

Week | Week of…. | Topic/Readings | Assignments | 1 | Aug. 26 | Introduction Chapter | | 2 | Sept. 2 | Introduction – Labor Day Mon. Sept 2 | | 3 | Sept. 9 | Ch 1 Europe | MQ 1 Sept. 10 | 4 | Sept. 16 | Ch 1 Europe; Ch 2 Russia | Assign. 1 Sept. 19 | 5 | Sept. 23 | Ch 2 Russia | Exam 1 Sept. 26 | 6 | Sept. 30 | Ch 3 North America | | 7 | Oct. 7 | Ch 3 N America; Ch 4 Latin America | MQ 2 Oct. 8 | 8 | Oct. 14 | Ch 4 Latin America | Assign. 2 Oct 17 | 9 | Oct. 21 | Ch 6 Sub Saharan Africa | Exam 2 Oct. 24 | 10 | Oct. 28 | Ch 6 Sub Saharan Africa | | 11 | Nov. 4 | Ch 7 N Africa/SW Asia | MQ 3 Nov. 5 | 12 | Nov. 11 | Ch 8 South Asia | Assign. 3 Nov. 12 | 13 | Nov. 18 | Ch 9 East Asia | Exam 3 Nov. 19 | 14 | Nov.25 | Ch 9 East Asia Holiday Nov 28th! | MQ 4 Nov. 26 | 15 | Dec. 2 | Ch 10 Southeast Asia | | 16 | Dec. 9 | Last Day of Classes Dec. 9th | | | Thur. Dec. 12th | Final Exam 12:45 – 2:45 | |