2. 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?
3. Purpose of Today’s Class:
Introduce physical geography
Providebasic information about A
the course
5. 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?
7. Myth #3: With a degree in geography,
all you can do is----
Most geography
Teach
graduates (90%)
don’t go into
education - they
work for business
and government
8. 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
9. What is Geography? (continued)
Geography asks the questions; Where,
Why, and Why Should I care?
10. 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
11. The Branches of Geography
Physical geography
studies how the physical
Human
environment works
Geography
Human geography includes,
cultural, economic, political,
Regional
and historical aspects of place Geography
Regional geography studies
all aspects of a region Physical Geography
12. What is Geography? (continued)
Cultural geography focuses on people
Physical geography focuses on the
physical environment
13. 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
14. 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
15. Physical Geography and the
Natural Sciences
Rocks and Landforms Geology
Clouds and fog - weather Meteorology
Grass and trees -vegetation Botany
Oceans and waves Oceanography
Water resources Hydrology
Sun Astronomy
Soils Pedology
Ecosystems Ecology
17. How do people impact the environment?
Agriculture
Urbanization
Deforestation
Dam building
River diversion
Air Pollution
Global warming
Loss of habitat
28. What Natural Hazards Occur in
California?
Earthquakes and Tsunami
Volcanoes
Coastal Erosion
Flooding
Landslides and Mudflows
Wildfires
Subsidence
Hurricanes and Tornadoes
Winter Storms
29. Course Information
How are you evaluated?
– Frequent quizzes or in-class exercises
– Assignments – in class and homework
– Two midterms and a final
– Class participation
30. What Do You Need?
Textbook: "Elemental Geosystems by
Robert Christopherson
Thick Binder
Access to the Web
Study Guide
#2 Pencil for Scantron
Scantron Quizzstrips and Long 882 Scantrons
31. Online Study Aids
www.mygeoscienceplace.com
Use 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