Florida International University
Department of Earth Sciences
Fall 2003
Dr. G. Draper Classroom: PC 321
PC 316; Tel 348-3087; M-W 2.00-3.30PM
draper@fiu.edu
Required text : McKnight and Hess Physical Geography, 7th edition, Pearson-Prentice Hall, 631pp.
(subject to change)
Date Topic Chapter in McKnight & Hess
Aug 25 General intro; Earth in Space 1
Aug 27 Earth in Space
Sept 1 University closed; no class
Sept 2 Mapping the Earth |pdf notes| 2
Sept 8 Mapping the Earth (cont) 2
Sept 10 Earth's atmosphere |pdf notes| 3
Sept 15 Insolation, temperature and heat transfer |pdf notes| 4
Sept 17 Atmospheric pressure and Wind |pdf notes| 5
Sept 22 Atmospheric moisture |pdf notes| 6
Sept 24 Atmospheric disturbances and storms |pdf notes| 7
Sept 29 First mid term exam
Oct 1 Climate |pdf notes| 8
Oct 6 Hydrosphere |pdf notes| 9
Oct 8 The biosphere |pdf notes| 10
Oct 13 The biosphere 2: terrestrial organisms |pdf notes| 11
Oct 15 Intro to landforms: minerals, rocks, time and the rock cycle |pdf notes| 13
Oct 20 Dynamic processes in the Earth |pdf notes| 14
Oct 22 Dynamic processes in the Earth 14
Oct 27 Weathering and erosion |Ch 15 pdf notes| 15
Oct 29 Soils Ch 12 |pdf notes| 12
Nov 3 Second mid term exam
Nov 5 Rivers and fluvial processes |pdf notes| 16
Nov 10 Groundwater and karst |pdf notes| 17
Nov 12 Arid lands |pdf notes| 18
Nov 17 Glaciers and glaciation |pdf notes| 19
Nov 19 Coastal processes |pdf notes| 20
Nov 24 TBA |pdf notes|
Nov 26 TBA|pdf notes|
Dec 1 TBA |pdf notes|
Dec 3 Review
Dec 10 (Wed) Final Exam at 12.30 !!!
Study methods
Read the relevant chapters in McKnight and Hess briefly before the lecture. After the lecture read the chapter again, and make changes or additions to notes as necessary. Use the CD-ROM and by all means surf the internet for related material. You are responsible for all lectures and in the text material unless I specifically tell you that a chapter or part of a chapter is not assigned.
Remember that the standard formula for college study is that for every classroom hour you should put in at least two hours outside of class. As this is a 3 hour course, this means that you should be spending at least 6 hours per week outside of class doing reading, re-writing notes, working in study groups, etc.
Start your review of material at least 1-2 weeks before an exam, not the night before. Do not pull "all nighters" before an exam. This is a panic measure, and the material is not retained.
Exams and grading policy
There will be two mid-term exams and a final. These will contribute 30%, 30%, 40% respectively toward your final grade. The dates of the exams will be as announced, although we may be behind in the schedule (you will not be responsible for anything not covered in lectures, however).
The exams will consist of multiple choice questions.
MAKE UP EXAMS WILL NOT BE GIVEN except in extenuating circumstances, and will be in the form of an essay exam taken at some time after the final exam.
Small bonus point assignments may be given.
Office Hours
My office is PC 316. Office hours are MW 3.30-5.00. Appointments can be made for other times.
CD-ROM
The text comes with a compact disk that can be used on either Macintosh or Windows computers. The CD is well worth running as it has animations. If you don't have a CD-ROM drive then there are a very few machines with CD-ROM at the Graham Center Computer lab.
Of Attendance, Punctuality, Cell Phones and Beepers
I will cover some material not in the text therefore you need to attend class. Anyway if you miss class you have thrown away about $7 (Fl resident) or $25 (non-Fl resident).Not too clever. Do you buy tickets to the movies and then not go?
Be on time for class. Anyone can have trouble finding a parking spot, but there is no excuse for being habitually 15 minutes late (you also lost $1.50 of education). Tramping into class late disturbs your colleagues.
Turn your cell phone, or beeper, off.