Welcome to Physical Geography

Rita Haberlin

While You Wait …..

Introduce yourself to a student that you do not already know

Discuss with that student some answers to the following questions

– Why are you taking this class?

– Have you taken any other geography classes?

– What else takes up your time?

– Are you hoping to transfer?

– What is your major?

Purpose of Today’s Class:

Introduce physical geography

Provide basic information about

the course

A

What is Geography?

Discussion

Some Myths About Geography

Myth #1: Geographers memorize

pointless facts about the world.

What’s the longest river in the

world?

How high is Mount

Everest?

Myth #2. Geography is all about

maps and globes

Myth #3: With a degree in geography,

all you can do is----

Most geography

graduates (90%)

don’t go into

education - they

work for business

and government

Teach

The Reality about Geography

Geography studies the physical world, human

interactions, and environmental issues.

It is a spatial discipline. It uses the scientific method to

understand the world.

California-Mexico border

What is Geography? (continued)

Geography asks the questions; Where,

Why, and Why Should I care?

Why Study Geography?

Geography has been neglected in

U.S. Education leaving citizens

geographically illiterate

– Yet the United States is linked

to the whole world

Discuss how?

– economically

– environmentally

– politically

The Branches of Geography

Physical geography

studies how the physical

environment works

Human geography includes,

cultural, economic, political,

and historical aspects of place

Regional geography studies

all aspects of a region Physical Geography

Human

Geography

Regional

Geography

What is Geography? (continued)

Cultural geography focuses on people

Physical geography focuses on the

physical environment

What is Physical Geography?

Physical geography studies the processes at

work in the physical environment in order to

understand the earth as the home of people

Physical Geography and Other

Natural Sciences

Why physical science credit?

Geography is the mother of the sciences.

What are the sciences which have

evolved from study of the natural

environment

Physical Geography and the

Natural Sciences

Rocks and Landforms

Clouds and fog - weather

Grass and trees -vegetation

Oceans and waves

Water resources

Sun

Soils

Ecosystems

Geology

Meteorology

Botany

Oceanography

Hydrology

Astronomy

Pedology

Ecology

Physical Geography examines the impact of

people upon the environment.

How do people impact the environment?

Agriculture

Urbanization

Deforestation

Dam building

River diversion

Air Pollution

Global warming

Loss of habitat

Physical Geography Examines

the Impact of Natural Hazards

2005

1995

Where is the safest place to live?

What Natural Hazards Occur in

California?

Earthquakes and Tsunami

Volcanoes

Coastal Erosion

Flooding

Landslides and Mudflows

Wildfires

Subsidence

Hurricanes and Tornadoes

Winter Storms

Course Information

How are you evaluated?

– Frequent quizzes or in-class exercises

– Assignments – in class and homework

– Two midterms and a final

– Class participation

What Do You Need?

Textbook: "Elemental Geosystems by

Robert Christopherson

Access to the Web

Study Guide

Thick Binder

#2 Pencil for Scantron

Scantron Quizzstrips and Long 882 Scantrons

Online Study Aids

www.mygeoscienceplace.comUse Access code from textbook

– Choose text: Elemental Geosystems

Web Learning Modules and Practice Quizzes

Moodle – www.eperalta.org/fall2010

Login using Passport User ID, e.g.12345678

Password – Login password. e.g. John Dart =

joda5678

Learning Modules

berkeleycitycollege.edu/faculty/rhaberlin/pg4.

htm

Assignment. Please go to this address and

explore the learning modules.

Read the course information and expect to

answer questions about the way the course

works in the next class

Study groups or study buddy

Study techniques - classroom research

Repetition-repetition-repetition