GEOG-141 Physical Geography

Credits 4 / 4 Contact Hours
Pre-requisite: Placement into ACRD 080 .
A survey of the physical elements of geography as they affect people. A study of earth-sun relationships weather climate geologic processes landforms and the distribution of natural vegetation.

Course Outcomes
STANDARD 1: A student should be able to understand, describe and apply the discipline of Geography.
A student who meets these performance objectives should be able to:
1. describe Physical Geography as a subfield of Geography
2. evaluate the importance of the locations of human and physical features
3. use Geographic Tools and technologies to depict and interpret the world’s human and physical systems
4. interpret the idea that a map was created to convey
5. identify and interpret geographic patterns
STANDARD 2: A student should be able to use maps, globes, and graphs to gather, analyze and report geographic information.
A student who meets these performance objectives should be able to:
1. use geographic tools and technologies to analyze and develop possible explanations and potential solutions to geographic problems
2. understand and use Longitude and Latitude
3. locate features on a map using a grid coordinate system
4. understand and apply Scale
5. understand how and why maps are changing documents
STANDARD 3: A student should understand the dynamic and interactive natural forces that shape the Earth and Sun’s relationship.
A student who meets these performance objectives should be able to:
1. understand and describe the earth and sun’s geometry
2. understand the seasons
3. understand solar radiation
4. explain the earth’s four spheres
STANDARD 4: A student should understand the dynamic and interactive natural forces that shape earth’s Atmosphere.
A student who meets these performance objectives should be able to: 

1. understand Atmosphere and global radiation
2. explain Pressure, winds and circulation
3. describe Precipitation and cyclonic weather systems
4. describe Climate
5. interpret and apply a Climate Classification System
STANDARD 5: A student should understand the dynamic and interactive natural forces that shape earth’s Biosphere.
A student who meets these performance objectives should be able to:
1. understand Biogeographical processes
2. explain the relationship between climate and vegetation
3. explain Environmental and climatic change
4. understand the development cycle of soils
5. analyze the human impact ecosystem changes
STANDARD 6: A student should understand the dynamic and interactive natural forces that shape earth’s Lithosphere.
A student who meets these performance objectives should be able to:
1. understand Geomorphology
2. understand Plate Tectonics
3. explain the location of mountain, earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis
4. understand Geologic Time
5. explain Rocks, Weathering and Mass Wasting
6. explain karst, fluvial, glacial, coastal and arid landforms