COURSE SYLLABUS – 1/11/2010 -- Urban Environmental Geography
GEOG3330-001 / ENVST3330-001 — Spring 2010
Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:25 – 2:40 PM; Marriott Library Room 1110

Some MODIFICATIONS from this original -- GO TO "SCHEDULE" for latest on SCHEDULE and to "ASSIGNMENTS" for latest on ASSIGNMENTS.

Instructor: Genevieve Atwood, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Geography

Office hours (encouraged!!) OSH 172:  and by appointment. Thursdays 2-3:45 PM. After class coaching to clarify concepts and practice the skills components of labs. I encourage you to take advantage of office hours. Don’t hesitate to email or telephone me to set up a meeting.  

Contacts: genevieve.atwood@geog.utah.edu No office phone. Call me at home, 801-534-1896, anytime from 8AM to 8PM.
Credit Hours: 3. Last day to drop: January 20, 2010    Last day to withdraw: March 5, 2010.
Course Websites: Two websites… hopefully they will be redundant. WebCT / Blackboard for schedule, to track grades, for lecture postings. Go to www.earthscienceeducation.org/UofU-Geog3330 for links to assignments, as well as to the schedule, announcements and supplemental information for lectures. 
Required text: Thomsen and Christopherson, 2010. Encounter Geosystems: interactive explorations of Earth using Google Earth, Upper Saddle River, NJ, Pearson Education, Prentice Hall, 88 p. In-class exercises and labs are based upon this workbook / text.
Optional text: Christopherson, R.H., 2010, Elemental Geosystems, 6th ed,  Upper Saddle River NJ, Pearson Education, Prentice Hall, 620 p. Lectures expand upon topics of this Earth systems text.
Pre-requisites, none. Most students who take the course are upper division undergraduates from diverse majors including: geography, environmental science, urban planning, meteorology, political science, geology & geophysics, and engineering.
Fulfills General Education Physical/Life Science Exploration. Expect lab exercises, application of scientific principles, and the joys of science.

Course description from UofU course catalogue:
GEOG3330 Urban Environmental Geography (3) Cross listed as ENVST 3330. Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
   Urban Environmental Geography takes an Earth systems approach to two questions: (a) how do environmental conditions impact urban development, and (b) how has urbanization impacted local, regional, and global environments. Subsystems of Earth systems are the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and anthrosphere. Students integrate relevant content of physical, biological, and social science disciplines. Skills, such as interpretation of spatial data, geological cross-sections, hydrologic profiles, weather maps, and census data, are used to evaluate differences among urban settings.

Course objectives:
Urban Environmental Geography explores the interrelatedness of urban settings, urbanization, and impacts of urbanization. How does physical environment impact urbanization and, conversely, how does urbanization impact Earth’s environments? Why are cities located where they are? Why do settings differ? GEOG/ENVST3330 explores these questions using an Earth systems approach, meaning, we systematically explore local, regional and global relationships of the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere and anthrosphere.
After this course you will: (1) understand how a few core concepts of physical and life sciences explain many ways that urban settings differ; and (2) be able to evaluate the general physical characteristics of urban settings anywhere. You’ll master skills essential to planners and activists including: how to interpret and draw contour maps and topographic profiles; how to read geologic, hydrologic, weather, and zoning maps; and how to use Google Earth to visualize conditions.

Teaching and learning methods:
Lectures and labs: Principles and theory of Earth systems science are presented, generally on Mondays, as lectures. The concepts are a subset of those presented in Robert W. Christopherson, 2010, Elemental Geosystems (on reserve). The goal of most lectures is (a) to explain the science that (b) explains a few major processes Earth systems that (c) affects cities. Concepts relating to energy and gravity are recurring themes because the uneven distribution of heat and mass explains much of the physical variation among urban settings, such as, tectonic regime (geosphere), circulation of ocean currents (hydrosphere), contrasting weather (atmosphere), distributions of biomes (biosphere), and global impacts of the metabolism of cities (anthrosphere). Should you miss a lecture, I suggest you not only complete the exercises of Encounter Geosystems but also read the background chapter in Elemental Geosystems. Class lecture notes are posted in two places: lecture outlines LINK and PowerPoint images from Chistopherson on WebCT /Blackboard.
The required course text (Thomsen and Christopherson, 2010, Encounter Geosystems… interactive explorations of Earth using Google Earth) is your lab workbook and should be brought to all class sessions. In-class labs and exercises are designed to teach skills, apply concepts, and explore relationships. The problem-solving exercises in Encounter Geosystems, examine spatial differences qualitatively (such as contrasting geologic hazards) and quantitatively (such as comparative potential for solar power). Other in-class exercises teach skills such as how to read contour maps and how to present hydrologic information as cross-sections. I encourage you to come to after-class coaching and to office hours for individual coaching.
Assessment (see table for detail) consists of (a) lab and homework exercises; (b) presentations using Google Earth; (c) an urban case history / atlas; (d) quizzes; and (e) exams.
Homework exercises ask you (a) to take the in-class assignment and apply it to an urban setting of your choice (“your” urban setting), and (b) to examine why and how that aspect of Earth systems makes a difference to “your” urban setting. These exercises are the core of your urban case history and atlas.
Presentation of a lab exercise: Google Earth is a powerful tool for Earth scientists. One effective way to learn a technique is to teach it. Students will present lab assignments of the lab workbook Encounter Geosystems as pairs or individually.
Urban case history / atlas: week after week, through in-class lab assignments, homework assignments and class discussions, you’ll analyze the physical setting of “your” urban area, and its effects on urban growth. You’ll do this several ways. You’ll observe and document conditions; quantify relationships; develop questions about relationships; suggest explanations (hypotheses) for relationships; and suggest ways to explore relationships. Your case history / atlas will include the lab assignments done in class, your homework assignments, and critical analysis of impacts of physical setting on “your” community. Probably the most challenging section of your atlas will be to evaluate the effects regional surface and groundwater relationships on “your” urban setting. We’ll spend almost two weeks in class examining regional hydrologic settings. Students present findings in class.
Field trip and field exercises:  One 4-hour field trip OFFERED BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY April 10 and 11, examines the interrelatedness of urbanization and surface and groundwater hydrology of northeastern Salt Lake County (University campus; Red Butte, Emigration, and Parleys Creeks; and the flowing wells of Nibley Park). The field exercises should enhance assist your analysis of the hydrologic setting “your urban setting.”

Schedule with assignments – see additional detail LINK

NOTE, posted 1/26/2010 --- homework deadlines have changed to allow a full week for almost all lab assignments so USE SCHEDULE for the latest info on schedule and due dates GO TO SCHEDULE

Session	Date	Topics	Source	In-Class application / activity / lab / exercise /action.
Part 1. Why this course? Definitions and distinctions… urban environmental geography, science, Earth systems, physical geography, history, physical and life sciences. Impacts of cities on environment. Impacts of environments on cities. Google Earth.
01	1/11 Mon	Earth systems and urban settings. Overview – Urban Environmental Geography, Historical Trends	McNeill. (2000), Ch 1, e-reserve. Google Earth	HW01a, b, c. --At end of class or 1/13
02	1/13 Wed	Earth systems and urban settings. Definitions and distinctions – Science theme #1 of Geog3330: energy (heat)	C Ch 1; T&C prologue	Green sheet 02, at end of class. HW03--At end of class, hand in, or at beginning of 1/20.
1/18 – no class - Holiday in honor of Rev. M. L. King
03	1/20 Wed	Earth systems and urban settings. Cities and Geography. Essentials of Geography. Location and Contours.	T&C Ch 1 C Ch1, 2, and appendix A.	HW04—Due beginning of 1/27... note, not due 1/25:
Part 2. -- HW02-LAB LEADERSHIP Overview GuideFormat Examine urban settings in the context of the five subsystems of Earth systems: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, and anthrosphere.
04	1/25 Mon	Earth’s Atmosphere and urban settings. Cities, solar energy, and Earth’s atmosphere. Science: Energy … forms, interchangeable, thermodynamics	C Ch 2 and 3
05	1/27 Wed	Earth’s Atmosphere and urban settings. T&C Ch 2 - 30 min - Solar Energy, Seasons and the Atmosphere --- Daniel Bogan and Ritchy Hitoto T&C Ch 3- 30 min – Atmospheric energy and global temperatures – Sean Meyer and Ross Winsor	T&C Ch 3 Green Sheet05	HW05—Due beginning of 2/3. Your urban setting and consequences of its solar energy.
06	2/1 Mon	Earth’s Atmosphere / Hydrosphere and urban settings. Science of circulation of atmosphere and oceans	C Ch 4 and 5
07	2/3 Wed	Earth’s Atmosphere / Hydrosphere and urban settings T&C Ch 4 -- Atmospheric and ocean circulation --- T&C Ch 5 -- Atmospheric water and weather --- Clark Nelson, Jackie Gordon and Chelsea Smith	T&C Ch 4 and 5 Green Sheet07	HW06 – Due beginning of 2/10. Your urban setting and coupled systems
08	2/8 Mon	Earth’s Hydrosphere and urban settings Science: wondrous water, the water cycle; Earth’s hydrosphere and atmosphere and urban settings. Science: water cycle, climate systems, climate change, water balance, uncertainty.	C Ch 6, Ch 7, and Appendix B
09	2/10 Wed	Earth’s hydrosphere and urban settings. Watersheds and divides. Drainage basins based on hydrology.	USGS links	In-class exercise HW07, due beginning of 2/17, along with…. HW08—Due beginning of 2/17. Your Profile for your setting.
10	2/15 Mon	HOLIDAY!!!
11	2/17 Wed	Earth’s hydrosphere and atmosphere and urban settings. T&C Ch 6 - Water resources --- T&C Ch 7 - Climate systems and climate change --- PRESENTERS - Tess Harper, Jing Zhau, and Vili Kotobalavu	T&C Ch 6 and 7	HW09 – Due beginning of 2/24. Your urban setting … climate and climate change Rubric
12	2/22 Mon	Earth’s geosphere and urban settings. Science: tectonics and isostasy; energy, heat, gravity, and structure of Earth’s geosphere; physiographic provinces.	C Ch 8 and 9 Green sheet
13	2/24 Wed	Earth’s geosphere and urban settings. T&C Ch 8 – The Dynamic Planet --- T&C Ch 9 – Tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes PRESENTERS - Jonathan Lewis and Robert Holcomb	T&C Ch 8 and 9	HW10 – Due beginning of 3/3. Your urban setting in its tectonic regime. Physiographic provinces.
14	3/1 Mon	Earth’s geosphere and urban settings. Science: geomorphology and processes of sedimentation; tie hydrosphere and geosphere.	C Ch 10-14
15	3/3 Wed	Earth’s geosphere and urban settings. T&C Ch 10 – Weathering, Karst, and Mass movement --- T&C Ch 11 – River systems and landforms --- T&C Ch 12 – Wind processes and landforms --- PRESENTERS -- Omot Dang, Parker Johnson; Jo Blake, and Charice Bourdeaux	T&C Ch 10-12	HW11 – Due beginning of 3/15 (note... date extended to 3/15). Assessment of geomorphic impacts on your urban setting… hazards, resources, and scenery.
16	3/8 Mon	Earth’s geosphere and urban settings. T&C Ch 13 – Oceans, coastal landforms and processes --- T&C Ch 14 – River systems and landforms --- PRESENTERS: Melissa Robinson and Chelsea Lindsey.	C Ch 13 and14	HW11 – Due beginning of 3/15 (note... date extended to 3/15) . Assessment of geomorphic impacts on your urban setting… hazards, resources, and scenery.
17	3/10 Wed	Earth’s geosphere and urban settings Geomorphic processes and their effects on cities … and vice versa	C Ch 10-14
18	3/15 Mon	Review: URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY		MIDTERM EXPECTATIONS
19	3/17 Wed	Midterm -- HW12. Atlas - Phase 1 – your urban setting HW13 - Date extended. Expectations reduced. Study for the midterm and don't worry about turning in the atlas.		CHANGE in Atlas Phases 1 and 2 explained. Hand in Atlas Phase 1, consisting of lab assignments and an introduction Due beginning of 4/7. Note: worth 2 points of course grade; one "oops" pass meaning one lab can be missing and still get full credit.. LINK (not active yet) to expectations for introductory section.
SPRING BREAK
20	3/29 Mon	Earth’s biosphere and urban settings. Science:  Earth’s many cycles; the science of life, evolution, adaptation, unintended consequences.	C Ch 15 - 17	Note: I lead the Geog Dept Spring Break field trip and it is unlikely that I can grade your midterms until 4/5.
21	3/31 Wed	Earth’s biosphere and urban settings. T&C Ch 15 – Geography of soils --- T&C Ch 16 – Ecosystems and biomes --- T&C Ch 17 – Earth and humans --- PRESENTERS-- Amina Syammach, Daniele Turpin, and Luis Dominguez	T&C Ch 15-17	HW14 – Due beginning of 4/7. Assess the setting of your urban area in biosphere classifications (soils, biomes).
Part 3. Synthesis: metabolism of cities.  Science: fluid flow, hydrology, geology, and contaminants of urban settings. Water use. Water pollution. Water protection.
22	4/5 Mon	Review Midterm exam. Case history #1 – Atlas of urban hydrologic settings – Salt Lake County, UT.		HW15 – Begun in class – hydrologic setting of Salt Lake County. Case history #1 of your Atlas of hydrologic settings. Due beginning of class, 4/14.
23	4/7 Wed	Case history #2 – Atlas of urban hydrologic settings – Alta, UT.		HW16 – Begun in class – hydrologic setting of Alta, UT. Case history #2 of your Atlas of hydrologic settings. Due  beginning of class, 4/14.
FIELD TRIP	April 10-11	Saturday or Sunday; Half-day field trip. Urban Environmental Geography of a portion of Salt Lake County.	Don't miss this. You've paid the fee. Important!	HW 17 -- Field trip exercise. Due 4/14 at the beginning of class.
24	4/12	Case history #3 – Atlas of urban hydrologic settings – Moab, UT.		HW18 – Begun in class –Case history #3. Due beginning of class, 4/19.
25	4/14	Case history #4 – Atlas of urban hydrologic settings – to b announced, probably Tampa, FL.		HW19 – Begun in class – Case history #4. Due beginning of class, 4/19.
26	4/19	Case history #5 – Atlas of urban hydrologic settings – to be announced, probably Yucca Mtn, NV..		HW20 – Begun in class – Case history #5. Due beginning of class, 4/26.
27	4/21	Case history #6 – Atlas of urban hydrologic settings – to be announced, probably Chicago, IL.		HW21 – Begun in class – Case history #6.Due beginning of class, 4/26.
28	4/26	Case history #7 – Atlas of urban  hydrologic settings – to be announced, probably a set of contrasting environments		HW22 – Begun in class – hydrologic setting of Alta, UT. Case history #7 Due in class, 4/26.
29	4/28 Wed	REVIEW session Urban Environmental Geographies – review for exam.		HW23 – Post-course self assessment HW24 – Urban case history / atlas due at latest! FRIDAY - 4/30, 4 PM to my office OSH172 or to Geog Offices OSH 270 - so I can grade them by 5/5, your final exam.
30	5/5	FINAL EXAM – 1PM – 3PM		HW24-Final exam

Expected Time Commitment:
In accordance with university, school, and department policies, a 3-credit class is expected to have homework that takes 1-2 hours per class session. Some students will be more conversant with Google Earth than others. Please let me know should you become overly challenged by Google Earth. Many assignments can be done with coaching from each other, but submitted assignments, including your atlas, are to be your work.  Evaluation methods and grade scale: The grade for the course is calculated based on the following assignments. There may be accommodations, for example, for snow days. Grading on a curve is only for an upward curve.

ASSESSMENT – GEOG3330 – Urban Environmental Geography -- Spring 2010

		Due	Weight %
HW01	Pre-course assessment and other a b c	1/13 (3 sheets)	1
HW02	T&C lab presentation	See calendar	10
HW03	Intro to Google Earth; urban places	In class 1/13 (or 1/20)	2
HW04	Location, Location - your urban setting	Beginning 1/25	2
HW05	Solar energy – your urban setting	Beginning 2/1	2
HW06	Coupled regimes – your urban setting	Beginning 2/8	2
HW07	Watersheds and drainages	In class 2/10	2
HW08	Watersheds and drainages – your setting	Beginning 2/15	2
HW09	Climate and climate change – your setting	Beginning 2/22	2
HW10	Tectonic regime – your urban setting	Beginning 3/1	2
HW11	Geomorphic agents – your urban setting	Beginning 3/10	2
HW12	Midterm exam	3/17	15
HW13	Atlas - Phase 1 – your urban setting - Okay to complete labs, revise assignment, and write introduction until 4/7	Date extended 4/7	2
HW14	Biosphere – your urban setting	Beginning 4/5	2
HW15	Hydro case history #1 - SLCounty	Beginning 4/14	4
HW16	Hydro case history #2 - Alta UT	Beginning 4/14	4
HW17	FIELD TRIP	Beginning 4/14	6
HW18	Hydro case history #3 - Moab UT	Beginning 4/19	4
HW19	Hydro case history #4 - Tampa FL	Beginning 4/26	4
HW20	Hydro case history #5 - Yucca Mtn NV	Beginning 4/26	4
HW21	Hydro case history #6 - tba	Beginning 4/28	4
HW22	Hydro case history #7 - tba	In class 4/28	4
HW23	Post-course assessment	In class 4/28	1
HW24	Atlas – Phase 2 – CANCELLED	cancelled	-
HW25	Final exam	5/5	15
HW26	Green sheets	On-going	2
HW27	Extra credit – up to 3%	On-going
	TOTAL (oops pass for one T&C hw but no oops for urban envi settings)		100
	Extra credit up to 3%
	Possible demerit … up to 5% for major problem behavior such as damage to computers or oblivion to safety on field trip.
SUMMARY
	Pre- and post- assessments (not graded)	2 @ 1	2
	Lab leadership	1 @ 10	10
	In-class and homework exercises	11 @ 2 (1 oops pass)	20
	Field trip assignment	1 @ 6	6
	Urban hydrologic settings - 7 case histories begun in class, become an atlas	6 @ 4 (1 oops pass)	24
	Atlas Phase 1 - intro and whatever revisions		2
	Atlas Phase 2 - intro and whatever revisions		4
	Exams (midterm and final)	2 @ 15	30
	Green sheets  (not graded)	Max 20 of 25	2
	TOTAL (with possible extra credit)		100

 

General Education overarching objectives: Urban Environmental Geography meets a general education distribution requirement for exploration of physical and life sciences. The University expects Gen Ed courses to prepare you for twenty-first century challenges. GEOG3330 – Urban Environmental Geography intends to help you meet at least four of the UofU Gen Ed learning outcomes (sample rubrics for evaluation can be found at CTLE website LINK)
(1) Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world – GEOG3330 asks you to explore huge questions including:  what are local, regional, and global impacts of urbanization; why do impacts differ geographically; and what can we do about them?
(3) Critical thinking – that’s why you apply Earth systems concepts of GEOG3330 to “your” urban area and why assignments become progressively more challenging.
(10) Problem solving – The in-class and homework assignments using Google Earth lets you solve problems for a virtual world. This course is predicated on the belief that by understanding the Earth systems science that explains the physical and biological settings of cities, you’ll better understand what options are, and are not, viable for future action. You can see sample rubrics for this learning outcome at …
(15) Integrative learning, including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies – Almost by its very nature, Earth systems science is an integrative science. GEOG3330 explores webs of relationships among physical and biological environments. In lectures and class exercises, you’ll learn scientific concepts and principles. The field trip and your atlas ask you to document / synthesize / explain, document / synthesize / explain, again and again, the interrelatedness of the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere as they apply to the anthrosphere. Success for GEOG3330 is  when it empowers you to apply knowledge and skills of an unban environmental geographer to address complex problems of the 21st Century no matter what work you do or where you live.  

University of Utah, Department of Geography, and class policies with respect to student and faculty responsibilities.
Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct will not be tolerated. Penalties may include failure on an assignment, the entire course, and/or the filing of formal charges with appropriate university authorities. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, cheating, misrepresenting one’s work, and plagiarism:

• Cheating involves the unauthorized possession or use of information in an academic exercise, including unauthorized communication with another person during an exercise such as an examination.
• Misrepresenting one’s work includes, but is not limited to, representing material prepared by another as one’s own work or submitting the same work in more than one course without prior permission of all instructors.
• Plagiarism means the intentional unacknowledged use or incorporation of any other person’s work in one’s own work offered for academic consideration or public presentation.
• I may use a plagiarism detection service in this course, in which case you will be required to submit your paper to such a service as part of your assignment.

Generalized Faculty-Student responsibilities
The Student Code in the Student Handbook describes students’ rights and responsibilities
(www.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-10_pdfs/8-10_section_1.pdf). The Faculty Rules and Regulations (www.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-12-4.html) describe faculty responsibilities. Students are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the Code. Students are expected to maintain professional behavior in the classroom. Part of my faculty responsibilities includes enforcing classroom behavior conducive to learning. When behavior is disruptive, such as cell phones, whispering, arriving late & leaving early, bringing children to class, etc., you should expect verbal warnings, progressing to dismissal from class, and, possibly, a failing grade. Students have the right to appeal to the Student Behavior Committee.
Americans with Disabilities Act: The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities.  If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD).  CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.
Respect: Geography of Utah includes class discussions. Students should be considerate and respectful of others perspectives as they express opinions. Please be open with the instructor if you feel class sessions or management has been inappropriate. Some of the subject matter in this course includes topics that some students may find controversial or offensive. We will compare urban areas that differ by culture as well as by physical setting. Please review the syllabus carefully to see if the course is one that you are committed to taking. If you have concerns, please discuss them with me at your earliest convenience. The course is taught in a computer lab. Appropriate use of computers is expected.  

Note: The syllabus is not a binding legal contract. It may be modified by the instructor when the student is given reasonable notice of the modification.

LINKS: SCHEDULE and LIST OF ASSIGNMENTS.

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