Cultural Geography Syllabus

Geography 2- Cultural Geography

Instructor: Sean Booth
Phone: (916) 660-7933

Course Outline Reading Assignment

1. Basic Concepts	Chapter 1
2. Population	Chapter 2
3. Migration	Chapter 3
4. Folk & Popular Culture	Chapter 4
5. Religion	Chapter 6
6. Ethnicity (Presentations)	Chapter 7
7. Political Geography	Chapter 8
8. Agriculture	Chapter 10
9. Development	Chapter 9
10. Resource Issues	Chapter 14

Course Description

This course will study dynamic cultural processes and patterns worldwide, such as the distribution and diffusion of people, their religions, their customs, and their economic means. In addition, cultural geography examines how people relate to one another as well as how people interact with their environment, including agriculture and settlement patterns. Much of the course describes concepts used by geographers, social scientist and journalists with a systematic approach toward understanding the world as a whole.

Course Goals & Objectives

By the end of this semester, the student should be able to recognize major cultural themes and regional characteristics related to these themes. I would like you, the student, to begin asking geographic questions, such as why are places different and why are they the same, and then use the textbook and lectures to help you answer these questions. It is important for you to critically think how global issues, such as population growth, regional conflicts, and commercial development affect your world. My hope for you is that you will understand global concepts and issues much better after this class.

Texts and Suggested Reading

The Cultural Landscape; an Intro. to Human Geography, Rubenstein.
World Atlas - must have enough detail for map quizzes (see Place Names)
World Map Packet - all regions (S. Amer, N. Amer. Europe, etc.)
12 small format scantron forms [green - Quiz strip 815-E]
3 large scantron sheets [green- Form No. 882-E]

Attendance, Expectations and Classroom Decorum

I expect you to come to class always, just like a job. You most likely cannot grasp the full scope of this subject on your own. Additionally, many of the test questions will come from lectures, videos, exercises and discussions.

If you do not attend more than the number of times allowed by the college catalog, you risk being dropped from the class roster!
If you are going to be absent or late, you do not need to let me know beforehand. A roll sheet will be passed to account for absences.
Under no circumstances are electronic devices allowed to be turned on in class! Please use common courtesy with new technology.
Do not talk or disturb others with private conversation during class. If you are perpetually late, absent, or discourteous, I will talk to you after class and drop you from this class if needed.

Academic Honesty

Do not cheat, plagiarize, or furnish false information to the college as defined by the Sierra College academic regulations. If you are guilty of dishonesty, you will receive a failing grade. Sierra College may further discipline you through reprimand, probation, social probation, suspension or expulsion. I have failed students for cheating, so do your own work.

Grading

A = 90 - %100	Midterm Exam 1 = 100 points
B = 80 - % 89	Midterm Exam 2 = 100 points
C = 70 - % 79	Midterm Exam 3 = 100 points
D = 60 - % 69	Presentation = 75 points
F = < %60	Assn. / Quiz / Part. = 125 points

Missing Tests - Taking a mid-term exam is a big deal and there are no make-up exams! For exceptions of any kind, you must tell me in advance. For extraordinary cases, such a dire medical illness, incarceration, an alien abduction or an event beyond your control, you must contact me before the next class meeting. You must also provide proof of this situations. For chapter and map quizzes, there are no make-up tests at all. The class is designed to sum all your best scores and throw out your missed or low-score quizzes.

Credit / No Credit - You may take this course on a credit / no credit basis or a letter grade. A letter grade will be assigned unless you request a CR/NCR option.

Adds & Withdrawals - There will be no late adds. You must pay your fees within the first two weeks of the semester in order to be enrolled in this class. Withdrawals or a "W" cannot and will not be granted to any student who is enrolled in the class after the "W" deadline (beginning of Nov. (fall) and middle of April (spring). It is your responsibility to initiate this process! Students who do not request a "W" before the deadline and do not complete course work (including Exam 3) will receive a failing grade.

Incomplete - an incomplete "I" grade is rarely granted except under extraordinary circumstances with verified proof, such as a written medical notice.

Methods of Instruction

This class is taught using lectures, discussions and in-class assignments. Some assignments may be assigned outside of class and you are expected to read each thematic chapter before class. In order to improve the overall learning experience, I frequently ask students for feedback regarding class material, so be prepared to answer questions in class. Participation is very important in the learning process. I also appreciate voluntary feedback from you regarding what works and what doesn't work in the classroom. Here is what student have said to give you advise for this class > "take good notes because almost everything that is on test is presented in class" > "use study groups" (this student went from not passing the class to receiving a "B" in the class!) > "by organizing a study group you can get the notes that you missed in class" > "take time to read the test" > "be there every day and take good notes."

Motivation, Study Habits and Testing

Probably the most important aspect for you to master in this class is finding a reason to be here.

It can't just be any reason to be here, however; it must be an intrinsic reason to be here. What does "intrinsic" mean? It doesn't mean you signed up for this class because it "looked good on the schedule, and besides, a friend told me it's the easiest science class to take." OR -- "it really fits my schedule on a Tuesday and Thursday." OR "the textbook had a nice cover" etc. An intrinsic reason means you find an internal, passionate reason to make this class meaningful to your life. "I care passionately about the environment and the Earth; I love being outside and in nature; I want to understand how a place like California is so different than Oregon or Washington; I want to know what all this talk about global warming means; when I travel, I find the world is a really cool place and I want to know more about it" ... all these statements are intrinsic reasons to be in this class. Find one for yourself. If you can't find one, find another class that's right for you. You simply won't enjoy coming to this class each week, or reading the textbook before class and after class, and studying throughout the semester for weekly quizzes if you are not motivated. Finally, you simply won't be successful in this class because you're not motivated to be here in the first place.

Regarding good study habits, which is also critical for your success:

First, no miracles happen in this class. That is, you certainly won't succeed in this course just by coming to class and listening to lectures without a concerted effort outside of class.
Here are some good study habits: Read the textbook before class; come to class every single time; read the textbook again after class; think about the lecture material outside of class; interact in class as much as possible, even if you are shy; study in class by listening carefully to the lecture, and take good notes that mean something to you. These all are good study habits and I'm sure you have others to add to this list.
Likewise, bring something to class besides your pencil, namely something inside your brain regarding the topic -- your own questions about the topic, a general knowledge about the topic, personal experiences, etc. Then you to really begin the process of learning rather than simply being there.

But many students study hard for the test and still mess-up somehow.

What can you do to improve your test scores? Here are some test taking skills:

The most obvious way to succeed on a test is to test yourself ahead of time. You might try doing this with a friend and classmate after you read the textbook. It's proven that people who study together do much better on tests.
When reading a multiple choice question, think about the answer before you read the selection; then go straight for the answer. Don't let the distracting answers mess you up. If you know the answers, it's there.
For true and false questions, just read the statement to see if it makes sense in its entirety, and if it does make complete sense, then mark true. If there is anything wrong with it, then mark false. It's that simple. There are no trick questions, just questions that are more detailed than others.
Take your time because "haste makes waste." The majority of people fail on their first exam much worse than they ever imagined because they carelessly read the exam questions. Often they kick themselves afterwards because they made the dumbest mistakes.
Remember, "the devil is in the details," and you must know the details when coming into a test. Keep in mind these questions are designed to sort out the average from the above-average student. Quite often the exam questions are not going to be as easy as they appear. Usually there is one answer that's ludicrous, one answer that is probably wrong, and then at least two answers that are very close. If you know the right answer beforehand, then it should be obvious

Concluding Words

The effort put forth by you will not only show in your grade, but also make you an informed citizen enlightened about our rich and diverse world. Geography is about everything that surrounds us... you can't miss seeing, hearing, touching and even tasting it. Stories in the newspaper, magazines and in the news abound with geographic issues every day, and this class will help you understand these issues and stories much better.