GES1010 - Environmental Systems: Landforms and Soils - Schedule

GES1010 Home | Syllabus | Schedule | PowerPoints | Labs | Readings | Paper

Fall 2012

Aug 21

1. What is geography? What is physical geography? What are the tools of of geographers?
2. Goals and learning objectives of GES1010
3. Why Colorado, and especially the southern Front Range, is such a unique region for the study of physical geography
4. Games:
> What is up with this place? (What processes changed this landsurface)?
> Thinking spatially (Which way is which: how can we tell and why do we care)?

Aug 28

1. Ch. 1: Introduction to Earth (seasons)
2. Ch. 2: Portraying Earth (maps,map scale)
3. LAB #1: Map Lab (in-class)

Sept 4 - NO CLASS

Sept 11

1. Ch. 12: Soils (stop at "Color" on pg. 363, start at "Soil Profiles" on 367, stop at "Pedogenic Regimes" on pg. 368)
2. Ch. 13: Introduction to Landform Study
3. Important Earthly concepts (isostacy, uniformitarianism, non-linear behavior)

Sept 18

1. Ch. 15: Weathering and Erosion (focus on Weathering)
2. LAB #2: Four Corners Rock Weathering (web-based lab)

Sept 25

1. Ch. 15: Weathering and Erosion (focus on erosion, specifically Mass Wasting)
2. LAB #3: Mass Wasting and the Marcus Landslide (web-based lab)

Oct 2 - FIELD TRIP TO HELLER CENTER DURING OUR REGULAR MEETING TIME (MEET IN CLASSROOM)

Oct 9 - TEST ONE

1. Test One (twice)

Oct 16

1. Ch. 14: The Internal Processes
2. Yellowstone National Park discussion
3. Video: Supervolcano (2005) 1 hr. 58 min.

> FRIDAY, OCT 19
Cancelled: FIELD TRIP TO USGS IN DENVER
In place of USGS field trip: WALDO CANYON FIRE VOLUNTEER DAY - If interested, email Liz (liz@rmfi.org) at the Rocky Mtn. Field Institute. Must RSVP via email to attend.

Oct 23

1. Ch. 16: The Fluvial Processes

Oct 30

1. LAB #4: Feature Surfing in Google Earth (STUDENTS MUST BE IN CLASS TO EARN POINTS - lab is due in-class)

Nov 6

1. Ch. 17: Solution Processes: Karst Topography and Hydrothermal Features
2. Ch. 18: The Topography of Arid Lands (plus a weather-related problem unique to deserts)
3. What is going on at Racetrack Playa?

> FRIDAY, NOV 9 - FIELD TRIP TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO FORECAST OFFICE (meet in Lot 12 at 7:59)

Nov 13 - PAPER DUE TODAY

1. Ch. 19: Glacial Modification of Terrain - what is a glacier, hazards, snow accumulation / ablation, mtn. glacier types, mtn. glacier landforms – erosional and depositional
2. LAB #5: Follow the Water: Mt. Whitney to Death Valley

Nov 20 - NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING BREAK

Nov 27 - PAPERS RETURNED TODAY

1. Ch. 19: Glacial Modification of Terrain (continued) - SNOTEL, snow to firn to glacial ice, Colorado Pleistocene glaciations, rock glaciers (some content not in book)
2. Kon Tiki (1958)

Dec 4 - REVISED PAPERS DUE TODAY (optional)

1. Go to Alaska Young Geographers!
2. In-class Test Review

Dec 11 - Test Two

1. Course synopsis - what's next?
2. Test Two (twice)

Schedule may change. Changes announced in class and posted here.