GES 1000 OL1 Carole Huber, Instructor
Environmental Systems: Office: COB 2019
Climate and Vegetation Phone: 255-4057; FAX: 255-4066
Spring 2012
Student Tutors: Patricia Marrara
Note: Syllabus is subject to change if necessary.
Text: McKnight’s Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation, 10th Edition,
Darrel Hess, Prentice Hall, 2011.
Labs: Lab packet available at the UCCS bookstore.
Internet: http://www.uccs.edu/~faculty/chuber/ges100
http://bb.uccs.edu (see p. 5 for accessing instructions)
Course Description: This section of GES 1000 is primarily a distance learning class. It is designed for students who feel comfortable working on their own with guidance from the instructor. There will be no lectures or regular classroom sessions. The course focuses around the textbook, the labs, and an associated Web site.
Help is available via e-mail. The instructor or student instructor will also be available for personal instruction/assistance at the times and locations designated in the tutorial schedule below.
TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS COVERED IN THIS CLASS
Chapter 1: Introduction to Earth
Chapter 3: Introduction to the Atmosphere
Chapter 4: Insolation and Temperature
Chapter 5: Atmospheric Pressure and Wind
Chapter 6: Atmospheric Moisture
Chapter 7: Transient Atmospheric Flows and Disturbances
Chapter 8: Climatic Zones and Types
Chapter 9: The Hydrosphere
Chapter 10: Cycles and Patterns in the Biosphere
Chapter 11: Terrestrial Flora and Fauna
TUTORIAL SCHEDULEDay / Time / Location
Monday
Exam Days ONLY / 3:00 – 4:00 PM (Carole)
Feb 27, Apr 2, Apr 30 ONLY / COB 331
Tuesday / 5:00 – 7:00 PM (Patricia) / COB 331
Thursday / 10:00 – 11:30 AM (Carole)
8:00 – 9:00 PM (Patricia) / COB 2019
COB 331
ASSIGNMENTS and GRADING
There are 460 possible points in the course. They are broken down as follows:
e-mail assignment = 10 pts
10 Labs @ 15 pts each = 150 pts
3 Exams @ 100 pts each = 300 pts
Semester TOTAL = 460 pts
Although the material covered in GES 1000 is challenging, the course is designed for students to succeed and most end up doing very well.
Helpful Hints for Success:
· Pace yourself: set up a schedule for the course and stick to it. Don't procrastinate!
· Get your assignments completed and turned in on time.
· Use the course website resources: chapter outlines, Blackboard practice quizzes and exam reviews.
· Get help if you need it – via e-mail or during the tutorial sessions. We're here to help!
· If you have a problem, contact me. Don't just "disappear" which is tempting in an online course.
You want to succeed, and we want you to as well!
I. E-MAIL ASSIGNMENT (10 points): Checking in via e-mail and selecting your exam time slot.
It’s easy to get lost in an online course so I want to hear from you! E-mail is the only way to connect in our online world; I will be using e-mail to send out class reminders, updates, and reviews.
It’s the easiest 10 points you’ll earn all semester!
ASSIGNMENT: Download and complete the Student Questionnaire posted in the Blackboard Syllabus folder. Send it to me as a Word attachment to the following e-mail address which I use exclusively for my online courses (a message to my chuber account does not fulfill the assignment!): .
Exam time slots are limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
You will use this time slot for all 3 exams.
If you are a slower test taker and your schedule allows it, you should select the earlier time slot.
Setting up a UCCS e-mail account: Campus e-mail accounts are free for all registered students. Go to the webmail webpage for instructions to get started: http://webmail.uccs.edu
Problems? Contact the IT Helpdesk at 262-3563 or http://www.uccs.edu/~helpdesk/.
If you already have an account you like to use, use that one (it need not be your UCCS account).
DUE DATE: Friday January 27, 2012
I will respond individually to your initial e-mail. If you do not get a response from me within a few days, check with me to ensure I received your message/assignment.
I will also compile a class list and send out a group e-mail after everyone has checked in.
If you do not receive the class message by February 1, contact me right away to be sure I correctly added your address to the class list.
Late e-mail assignments will be penalized 1 point per day!
II. LABS (150 points):
A lab packet is available at the UCCS bookstore. There are 10 labs worth 15 pts each.
The labs will be evaluated in the following manner:
a+ Indicates you have completed the lab in a satisfactory manner and received full credit for that lab. You do not need to get all the answers right to get full credit. Showing your work will help me assess the effort you made. (15 points)
a Indicates that you correctly answered fewer than 70% of the questions on the lab, but the lab was complete and you seemed to have tried to do the work. (10 pts)
a- Indicates that many of your answers were incorrect and/or you left sections blank. You needed to make more of an effort to complete the lab successfully. (5 points)
0 All or almost all your answers were incorrect or you did not turn in the lab. (0 pts)
YOU MAY WORK TOGETHER ON THESE LABS; in fact, I encourage it.
Help is available if you are having trouble: e-mail your questions or come in during tutorial hours. EVERYONE should be able to receive ALL 150 points on the lab assignments. It is just a matter of putting the time into getting them done!!
All labs are due no later than 6:00 PM the day the corresponding exam is being conducted.
However, the labs prepare you for much of what will be covered by the exams so I encourage you to turn them in before the exam week. We will correct and return them to you so you can see if you are having problems with anything. We usually can get labs that are turned in early corrected and back out for you to pick up within a day or two.
Labs may be turned in one by one as completed or all at once for each unit.
TURNING IN YOUR LABS: Put labs in a large envelope labeled with your name.
Drop them off at my office, COB 2019 -- you may slip them under my door if I am not there -- or 331 during tutoring. Or FAX labs to me at 719-255-4066.
PICKING UP LABS: Stop by either COB 331 during tutoring hours or my office during office hours. Or put your mailing address on your envelope and I’ll send them to you.
Lab Due no later than:
Lab 1 - Chapt 1: The Geographic Grid System 6 PM Mon Feb 27, 2012
Lab 2 - Chapt 1: The Earth’s Seasons 6 PM Mon Feb 27, 2012
Lab 3 - Chapt 3 & 4: Insolation and the Energy Budget 6 PM Mon Feb 27, 2012
Lab 4 - Chapt 4: Global Pattern of Air Temperatures 6 PM Mon Feb 27, 2012
Lab 5 - Chapt 4 & 5: Global Winds and Pressure 6 PM Mon Apr 2, 2012
Lab 6 - Chapt 6: Atmospheric Moisture 6 PM Mon Apr 2, 2012
Lab 7 - Chapt 7: Weather Systems 6 PM Mon Apr 2, 2012
Lab 8 - Chapt 8: Climate Classifications 6 PM Mon Apr 30, 2012
Lab 9 - Chapters 9 & 11: The Hydrosphere and Biosphere 6 PM Mon Apr 30, 2012
Lab 10 – Sustainability: People and the Environment 6 PM Mon Apr 30, 2012
Late labs will be penalized 1 point per day.
III. EXAMS (300 points):
There are 3 exams worth 100 points each. The exams are not cumulative; each covers the indicated chapters and labs.
Exams consist of multiple choice questions, a matching section on terms, and problems and diagrams from the selected chapters and labs. The multiple choice and matching portions of each exam will be on Blackboard. The problems and diagrams portion of each exam will be paper and pen/pencil.
You are not allowed to use notes or books nor collaborate while taking the exams.
You may use a calculator for the exams when needed.
I will send out a review prior to each exam to help direct you in your preparation for the exam.
Exams will be administered in COB 329 in two time slots: 4:30-6:00 PM and 6:00-7:30 PM. You must sign up for one of the time slots; slow test takers should sign up for the earlier slot.
EXAM SCHEDULE: The exam schedule is listed below. Except in cases of a verifiable emergency, everyone is expected to take the exam during the scheduled exam period listed below.
If you have a problem, contact me!
EXAM SCHEDULE SPRING 2012EXAM / MATERIAL COVERED / WHEN/WHERE
Exam 1 / Chapters 1, 3, 4
Labs 1, 2, 3, 4 / 4:30–6:00 or 6:00–7:30 PM Mon Feb 27
COB 329
Exam 2 / Chapters 5, 6, 7
Labs 5, 6, 7 / 4:30–6:00 or 6:00–7:30 PM Mon Apr 2
COB 329
Exam 3 / Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11
Labs 8, 9, 10 / 4:30–6:00 or 6:00–7:30 PM Mon Apr 30
COB 329
I send grades out via e-mail for those who sign the permission slip on the first page of each of the exams.
HOW/WHAT TO STUDY
1. Read the assigned textbook chapters.
2. Obtain the instructor’s chapter outlines.
Go to the Chapter Outlines page of the class web site: http://www.uccs.edu/~faculty/chuber/ges100
3. Check out the “Practice Quiz” for each chapter on the class Blackboard site.
At least half of the multiple-choice questions on each exam come directly from these practice quizzes!
4. Prior to each exam I will send out review sheets to the class e-mail list; I will also post the review on the Postings page of the class web site: http://www.uccs.edu/~faculty/chuber/ges100
These reviews are very helpful: they direct you to the practice quizzes to help you prepare for the multiple-choice portion, list the terms you need to know, and indicate what you should concentrate on from each of the labs.
5. Get your labs completed and corrected prior to the exam. It will prove very beneficial.
6. I encourage you to create study groups if possible.
7. E-mail me, or come in during tutorial times for one-on-one help.
Don’t hesitate to contact me – I’m here to help!
HOW TO ACCESS Blackboard
Certain labs, all the practice quizzes, and half of each exam are on Blackboard: http://bb.uccs.edu
Use the hot link from the class Links web page for easy access.
Use your NT user name and password to log-on to your Blackboard account.
NT Username and Password
Unless you have previously changed your password, your initial NT username and password are the following (note caps and lowercase -- the log-in is case specific):
Username: initial letter of your first name and first 7 letters of your last name*
(for example, my username is: chuber)
Password: Mmm####N
Where Mmm = first 3 letters of your birth month
#### = last 4 numerals of your student ID number
N = first letter of your last name capitalized
Example: John Dangerfield born July 1, 1980 w/student ID 123456789
username: jdangerf
password: Jul6789D (Note caps!)
For Problems Logging On:
*If you have a common name, your username might be the same as an existing NT account and will therefore include a number. I can help you with your username.
If you are unable to log-on for other reasons, you will need to contact the IT Helpdesk:
255-3536 or http://www.uccs.edu/~helpdesk/.
To Access Course Material: After logging on, click on the “GES 1000 OL1” course.
COURSE FCQs
There will be online FCQs to evaluate the course and your learning experience. These should be available during the final week of classes. I will alert you via e-mail to the necessary procedure for accessing them when the FCQ administrator notifies me they are posted.
DISABILITY CERTIFICATION
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact and register with the Disability Services Office, and provide them with documentation of your disability, so they can determine what accommodations are appropriate for your situation. To avoid any delay in the receipt of accommodations, you should contact the Disability Services Office as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that disability accommodations cannot provided until an accommodation letter has been given to me. Please contact Disability Services for more information about receiving accommodations at Main Hall room 105, 719-255-3354 or .
GES 1000 OL1 Syllabus – p. 3 of 5