Physical Geography 10 Course Outline 2012-13

Charles P. Allen High School

Mr. J. Hunter

Rm. 211

I Introduction:

Physical geography is a practical course to help students gain a better understand of their physical environment. Increasingly we are concerned with our environment; our continuous interaction must be thoroughly understood to enable us to sustain it for future generations.

II Expectations:

Students are expected to come to class with a positive outlook.

Students will need a ruler, protractor, pencils, colored pencils, calculator, loose-leaf, binder and dividers.

Students will need user names and pass words for various lab activities.

Students will need a solid understanding of various software programs such as Prezi or Powerpoint.

III Course Units:

Unit I: Mapping. Students will gain a better understanding of a variety of different maps and map projections. Students will utilize a variety of mapping skills. These skills include understanding angular bearings, compass direction, scale & scale conversion, contour lines, legends and grid reference. This unit will also revisit latitude and longitude, the relationship between longitude and time zones and the importance of the International Date Line. (20%)

Unit II: The Earth in Space. This unit involves the earth, sun, moon and other parts of the solar system and how the movements of each of these bodies affect us. This unit will focus on what makes the world go round, energy from the sun, energy flows in the geosphere, and energy systems in the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. (20%)

Unit III: The Earth’s Interior & Plate Tectonics. ‘Building up Processes’ This unit involves a look at the earth’s interior, convection cells of the mantle and athenosphere and the resulting movement of the earth’s plates, the processes of folding faulting, mountain building, volcanism and earthquakes. Geologic time and the rock cycle will also be examined. (30%)

Unit IV: The Gradational Processes. ‘Wearing –Down Processes’ this unit involves a study of all the forces that wear down the earth’s uneven surface. This unit is subdivided into physical & chemical weathering, water on the surface, (development of a river valley) water cycle, underground water, alpine and continental glaciation, the work of wind and deserts and coastal processes. (5%)

Unit V: Ecosystems: Students will research and gather information on various global ecosystems and present seminars of their findings. Clear criteria and outlines will be provided to students to follow as guidelines. (25%)

IV. Assessment & Evaluation:

Mark Breakdown:

Semester = 70 %

Final Exam= 30%

Total= 100%

Academic Fraud:

Academic fraud occurs when a person borrows the intellectual property of another individual such as information or data from books, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, music or educational disks or audio/visual disks. To avoid academic fraud (plagiarism) document your sources. As Diane Hacker in A Canadian Style Manual suggest, “you must cite all quotations, summaries, and paraphrases as well as any facts or ideas that are not common knowledge. In addition, you must be careful to put quotation marks and to express all paraphrases and summaries in you own words.”

The consequences for academic fraud are:

--the student can be referred to the Principal for subsequent disciplinary action including suspension.

Assessment Information:

Tests will be given at the end of each major section. One-week notice will be given.

Quizzes will be based on key concepts and terms and will be given on a regular basis. They will follow an objective format. No notice will be given.

Make Up tests/quizzes are only given if there is a legitimate absence from school. All make-ups are written on the next school day. Unexcused absences will result in a grade of zero for the test or quiz missed.

Assignments make up a major portion of your term mark. This work includes short term and long- term preparation for presentations, geography labs, research projects etc. Students will receive clear guidelines including directions and assessment criteria, as well as appropriate notice for the completion of these tasks.

Multiple Opportunities. According to the school board assessment\and evaluation policy (art. 3.0 Classroom assignments), it is important to note that there is another opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the outcomes for a particular unit. If you have not been taken advantage of extra help throughout the course of the semester then you lose the opportunity. It is your responsibility to demonstrate that extra effort has been put forth to gain the understanding .Given the number of students and the number of summative assessments that occur throughout the semester, a predetermined date will be set for the assessment to occur. You will be given ample notice of this date and you should make appropriate arrangements as the assessment will be held after the instructional hours.

Email address: /