Earth Science

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. Marie Curie

A topic we will cover throughout the quarter is climate change. Climate change is affecting every aspect of our planet from human societies, to the living world, to the physical processes that shape and reshape the earth.

Class Introduction

Welcome to Earth Science! I'm happy to have you in my class. This website is a brief introduction to the basics of the class. Earth Science is about how our planet works. We will cover such things as seasons, weather and climate, landforms and plate tectonics, rivers, coastlines, and oceans. We will also talk about our solar system and the universe beyond. This will help us place the Earth in its proper context.

A concept that will underlie many of the topics we cover is pattern and process. Pattern and process refer to how earth scientists see the world. We first detect patterns, the what. For example, you may notice on the map of precipitation in California (to the left) that the southeastern part of California is dry and the northwestern part is wet (a pattern). Then we ask why is this so? (what is the process, or processes, causing this pattern?).

Textbook

Foundations of Earth Science (pearson.com), 8th edition (Lutgens & Tarbuck). If you're on campus, you can borrow a copy from the Foothill Library for the entire quarter.

Course Assignments

Weekly Assignments

You will need to complete six weekly assignments during the quarter. Weekly assignments allow you to interact with the class content in a way that deepens your understanding.

Class Projects

You will complete two class projects. In these projects, you will delve deeper into an area of Earth Science of your choice. This is your opportunity to follow your interest and use your creativity to put together visually appealing, informative, and engaging projects.

Discussion Forums

You will engage your classmates in several Discussion forums. Discussion Forums are a way for you to engage with each other about the course content. To get full credit for each discussion, you will need to post a thoughtful, well-written response to the prompt and respond to your classmates’ posts.

Quizzes and Short Assignments

You will have low-stakes quizzes and other short assignments where you will be able to check your understanding of course concepts as the course progresses.

How to Succeed in
GEOG 20

Following the tips below will help you do well in this course.

Mind the deadlines. Do not miss any assignments or activities. At the beginning of each module, you will find the Weekly Overview with an overview of topics and assignment deadlines for the week. These are also included in the Course Calendar in the syllabus.
Check Announcements daily. I regularly post announcements that contain important information that can save you time and work, help you study, and keep you up to date with what's going on in the class.
Ask for help when needed. Don't wait until it's too late. Ask early. Ask often. Ask me. Ask our class tutors. Ask your peers. Ask Canvas support. Just ask!
Follow assignment instructions. Carefully read the instructions that come with every assignment and follow them closely.

Do any and all extra credit opportunities that I make available.
--Check out the resources at Foothill College's Online Learning page for additional help and ideas: https://foothill.edu/onlinelearning/

Accessing our Course

This course uses the Canvas course management system. This is where you will access class content and assignments. You need to be enrolled to log into the course site. Our course site will be available to you a few days before the start of the quarter.

Login to MyPortal using your Student ID Number and Password
Click on the Students tab
Look for "My Online Courses"
Click on "Log into Canvas"

You should have access to a computer. While our class is mobile-friendly (and the Canvas app is great), many assignments require using online mapping sites that you will need to access with a computer web browser.

For more information about Geography or Geospatial Technology degrees and certificates at Foothill, see our Geography program website and the Geospatial Technology program website.

Questions

You can reach me at aguilaralexis@fhda.edu. Once class starts, please contact me via Canvas Inbox or Pronto (a communication tool integrated with Canvas at Foothill) as I use my school email address mainly for administrative Foothill business and it's easy for student messages to get buried in my mailbox.