INSTRUCTOR:             Anne Saxe                       EMAIL: asaxe@saddleback.edu 

REQUIRED TEXT: Pulsipher, L. and Pulsipher, A. 2002. World Regional Geography: Global Patterns, Local Lives. 2nd Ed., W.H. Freeman and Company: New York. ISBN 0-7167-3841-4.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Introduction to the major regions and countries of the world with emphasis on population, place, location, environment, and economic development.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to 1)Analyze the problems facing humankind in today’s world, 2) Compare the effects of culture upon land usage in similar physical environments in different geographic locations, 3) Discuss inferences from information in thematic atlases, 4) Explain the complexity of the relationship between population, birth rate, gross national product and natural resources, and 5) Describe the relationship between agriculture, climate, soils and technology.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

• Attendance – Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled classes as a significant amount of information will come from lectures, discussion, handouts, and other activities.  Therefore, please be sure to miss no more than 1 (one) class session. 
• Readings and Handouts – Any assigned readings may appear on the exam.  Read the textbook!  Lecture notes are meant to supplement the text, not act as a substitute.
• Assignments – Each week there will be several brief group or individual assignments to be completed either in class or as homework.  Each assignment is worth 5-10 points for an approximate total of 100 points over the duration of the course.  Students must be present in class the day an assignment is distributed and when it is due in order to receive credit.
• Participation in group projects/discussions – Students are expected to be present for all classes and to have completed any assigned readings for that class data prior to class.  Each student is expected to take part in group activities.  Group meetings will be held regularly.  Each group member plays an important role and is therefore expected to inform classmates in the event they are absent.  Members are responsible for completing tasks assigned to them. 
• Four quizzes and a final – Three quizzes of equal weight (25 points each) and a final (50 points) will be given.  The final is semi-cumulative.  Exam questions will be drawn from the text, lectures, class discussion, handouts, and anything assigned in class.  Make-up policy: You are required to take all quizzes and exams on the scheduled days to receive credit for this course.  If any of the exam dates listed above must be changed you will be notified at least one week in advance.  NO MAKE-UP EXAMS will be given other than for extreme emergencies that you are required to verify in official written form (doctor’s note, etc.).
• Field Trip Attendance – A field trip is tentatively scheduled for August 1st (Location TBA).

IMPORTANT DATES: It is the student’s responsibility to complete any administrative changes in regard to adding or dropping classes.  Please be aware of official drop dates.

GRADING POLICY: Final grades for the course will be determined by your total accumulated points for the semester and will be based on a grading scale of  90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 65-79% = C, 50-64% = D, 0-49% = F.  TOTAL POSSIBLE IS APPROXIMATELY 400 POINTS.

TO RECORD EXAM AND ASSIGNMENT GRADES:

                                                        POINTS EARNED                                    POINTS POSSIBLE

Quizzes                                       ____________________                                     100

Final Exam                                   ____________________                                      50

Assignments                                ____________________                                     100

Movie Reviews                             ____________________                                     100

Field Trip Review                         ____________________                                      50

                            TOTAL             ____________________                                      /400 = _________

REQUIRED READINGS AND TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

TEXT:  You will be responsible for all text chapters listed.

MAPS:  A map shows the relationship between geography and people.  Use the information it provides to gain an understanding of the regional geography.  Ask yourself, what is unique about this place?  How does its proximity to natural features and other countries affect the people there?  What resources determine the economy of that region?  Why is the birth rate, literacy rate, life expectancy rate higher/lower there than in other places?  A genuine understanding of geography requires more than memorization!

For additional copies of the syllabus, study guides or lecture outlines, please visit Blackboard at http://socccd.blackboard.com

Your textbook website also contains some great resources including practice quizzes: 

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/pulsipher2e/