Catalog Description

Geography 1303 is a survey of human activity within the context of its regional settings. The course considers ideas such as economic development and the cultural, physical, and political, and political dynamics at work within each region. The course guides the student into thinking about human phenomenon from a spatial perspective. It emphasizes the understanding of place, region, and spatial connection.

Credit

3 hrs.

Prerequisites

None.

ADA Statement

Students with disabilities who believe that they need accommodations in this course are encouraged to contact the Disability Services Office at 936-273-7239; located in Building E, Office 103H as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

PURPOSE

As the world has become increasingly interconnected through mutual social, political, economic, and environmental concerns and rapidly advancing technology, the need to understand geography and to be able to utilize geographic skills and perspectives has become even more critical. As educated citizens, reasoned decisions regarding issues like free trade and other matters relating to global competitiveness will require a sound understanding of foreign markets.

This course “introduces students to the geographical foundations of development and underdevelopment and to help us recognize the contributions that the study of geography can make to environmentally and culturally sustainable global development.” This in turn should place students “in a unique position to increase their understanding of the world and to use that knowledge to benefit themselves and others” (from the preface of the textbook).

COURSE OUTCOMES

In completing this course, you will:

· Discover the scope, methods, and perspectives of geography.

· Define the relationship between geography and economic development.

· Account for the disparity among countries in the level of economic development.

· Explore the spatial bases of Europe.

· Compare and contrast the bases of economic development in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and China.

· Identify the spatial bases as causes of Latin America’s pervasive economic underdevelopment.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Texts:

Required: Clawson, Johnson, Haarmann and Johnson, World Regional Geography (Ninth Edition, 2007), Prentice-Hall.

Optional: The Nystrom Desk Atlas. Note: This is not required. If you have access to a recent-vintage atlas, it will supplement the map program in the textbook.

Topics

· Introduction to Geography.

· People and Resources.

· Physical and Cultural Components of the Human Environment.

· An overview of Economic Development.

· Europe.

· Japan, Australia, New Zealand and China.

· Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

Plagiarism and Cheating; Food and Phones

· Plagiarism and cheating will earn the miscreants a failing grade for the course.

· Snacks are allowed in the classroom but no cooked food, please; turn off your cell phones and pagers during class or set them to vibrate or whatever it is they’re supposed to do silently. Flagrantly ignoring the cell phone mandate can earn you an expulsion from the course.

Instructor

Gary Brown

OFFICE

A-220 G

OFFICE HOURS

MWF--7 a.m. to 9 a.m.; 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

T-Th—7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.; 11:30-2 p.m.

PHONE

§ Work (936) 273-7324

§ FAX (936) 273-7322

§ e-mail garyb@nhmccd.edu

semester / Location / Time

Spring 2007

Bldg. A, Room 230 9:00-9:53 a.m. MWF

PROPOSED CALENDAR:

Week of:

01/16 Topic One: What is Geography?

Reading Assignment: Clawson, Ch. One

Note: No class on January 15—MLK holiday

Topic Two: People and Resources

Reading Assignment: Clawson, Ch. Two

01/22 Topic Three: Physical and Cultural Components

Reading Assignment: Clawson, Ch. Three

01/22- Topic Four: An Overview of Economic Development

01/29 Reading Assignment: Clawson, Ch. Three

02/05 Test One: Topics One, Two, Three, Four

The test will consist of objective questions and Europe place-name

02/05 Topic Five: Europe

Reading Assignment: Clawson Chs. 10, 11, 12

Note: No class on February 22-District Conference Day

03/05 Test Two: Topic Five

The test will consist of objective questions and Asia place-name.

Note: Spring break is March 12-18

03/19- Topic Six: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and China

04/02 Reading Assignment: Clawson Chs. 16, 18, 19

Note: Spring holiday is April 6-8

04/09 Test Three: Topic Six

The test will consist of objective questions and Latin America place-name.

04/09- Topic Seven: Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

04/30 Reading Assignment: Clawson Chs. 7, 8, 9.

04/23 Research Paper Due--April 23 is the Drop Dead Deadline!

05/07 Final Exam: Topic Seven

The final exam will consist of objective questions and Africa/Middle East place-name.

Attendance Expectations

· Attendance will be taken on a daily basis, beginning with the second meeting. A student who has missed more than six hours of class is in a position to be dropped from the roll. For whatever reason a student is able to fly under the radar and exceed the allowed number of absences, under no circumstances will the grades of “A” be given to anyone who has missed more than six hours of class time.

Remember that April 10 is the last day to drop and receive a “W.”

EVALUATION

Testing: There are three tests, a research paper, and a final exam. Each is worth 20% of the final grade. The final letter grade is based on the ten-point scale, i.e., 90-100=A, 80-89.9=B, 70-79.9=C, 60-69.9=D, 59.9 and below= F. A final average of 79.9% is a C, so every point counts.
Extra credit: There is no extra credit available, so don’t even ask about it.
Make-up Tests: Just as I expect you to attend class, you are expected to take tests on scheduled test days. If you are not in your assigned seat for a scheduled test, it will be so noted. No phone calls or emails are necessary; a test in your name will be carried to the Test Center in C-208. You have until the end of the following day to take the makeup. Failure to follow this procedure forfeits your right to take a makeup test. There is a ten-point penalty for missing the scheduled test. No makeup will be allowed for the final exam. Note: Make-up tests are given the lowest level of priority in my role as an instructor.
I allow students who choose to do so to prepare one 3” x 5” note card, front and back, containing as many class notes (but no map information) as possible, for use on a test. The notes must be tangential to the surface of the card, which will be checked before the test is distributed. No note cards will be allowed for use with make-up tests.