Lectures: 9:10-10:00 M T W Th
Rm 326 Natural Science Building

Schaetzl, R.J. and A.F. Arbogast. (editors). People and Environment. Prentice-Hall Publishers.

COURSE GOALS: This course is designed to provide a survey of global and regional interactions among people, their geographic location and utilization of space, and the physical environment. The primary emphasis of ISS 310 is on how the environment has affected humans, especially with regard to their distribution across the globe and their utilization of physical resources. A secondary point of emphasis concerns how and why humans have altered their environment, whether purposely or inadvertently, and the impacts of such moves on long-term environmental change. Thus, ISS 310 is a merger of Environmental and Physical Sciences with Social Science, although aspects of the first two dominate. Political and social/societal aspects of human-environment interaction are discussed but not stressed. Be aware: Parts of this ISS 310 course have more physical/natural science content than social science content.

EXAMS AND GRADING:  There are 250 possible points to be earned in ISS 310. There will be three hourly examinations and a final exam. Dates of the exams are provided below. 

First Exam: 55 points
Second Exam: 55 points
Third Exam: 55 points
Final Exam: 85 points
Total: 250 points

The combined scores of all four exams will be summed and a final course grade will be assigned based strictly on the grade scale shown below.

4.0 >81%
3.5 77-81%
3.0 67-77%
2.5 63-67%
2.0 54-63%
1.5 52-54%
1.0 50-52%
0.0 <50%

Except for extreme cases, usually involving extended illness or absence, a final point total of 50% (125 points) is expected and required for a passing grade. Students will not be allowed to turn in their exams without first presenting a valid MSU ID or another form of identification with a photo on it. There will be no exceptions to this policy!

Exams will contain some T/F and multiple choice questions. Each exam will also have at least two and usually three short answer/short essay/map type questions.   The first exam will cover material discussed since the beginning of the course. The second exam will cover only material discussed since the first exam. The third exam will cover only material discussed since the second exam. The final exam is comprehensive. It does, however, stress material covered since the third exam.  Material from both the lecture and the texts/readings will be covered on all exams. The first three exams will each utilize the full 50 minutes of lecture. Students are urged to arrive at class early on exam days. Only the essay portions of the exams will be returned to the students. A computer-derived answer sheet will also be returned, detailing the student's responses to the objective questions, and providing a list of the correct responses. Keys to all exams will available in the professor's office, and students may look over any and all of their exams during office hours.

If you miss an exam, you will normally be assigned, for the missed exam, the average grade from your other three exams. That is, make-up exams are rarely given, and are generally only allowed in cases where a doctor's excuse is presented or if the student discusses their particular dilemma with the professor well before the exam date. If an exam is missed due to a family funeral, a newspaper obituary (with the date of the newspaper issue clearly shown) must be presented to the instructor within five class days of the missed exam or the student will receive a grade of zero for the exam.

HUMAN LOCATION and SETTLEMENT
Jan 12 Latitude-Longitude & metes and bounds systems of location R 3-9; M(I) 9-17
Jan 13 French long lot system; Township-Range system video R 10-12
Jan 14 USPLS system in detail; Homestead Act shenanigans R 13-15

PEOPLE AND CLIMATE
Jan 19 Earth-Sun geometry and tropical circulation M(I) 17-23; M(I) 103-120
Jan 20 Desertification and the Sahel R 16-25
Jan 21 Hurricanes M(I) 181-185; M(I) 188-189
Jan 25 The El Ni�o effect R 26-27; M(I) 186-187
visit project..enn.com/specialreports/elnino/index.asp
Jan 26 Deserts; Monsoon climates R 28-38; M(I) 125-129
visit project..desertusa.com/desert.html
Jan 27 Mediterranean climates: Paradise, or Paradise lost? R 39-42
Jan 28 Mid-latitude climates: tornado alley M(I) 120-125; M(I) 167-181; M(I) 195
Feb 1 Mid-latitude climates: the "lake effect" in Michigan R 43-45
Feb 2 Lake effect (cont.)
Feb 3 Catch up

Feb 8 Mountainous areas: physical characteristics M(I) 129-132
Feb 9 Mountains: how have humans adapted?
Feb 10 The greenhouse effect and carbon cycling R 46-52
Feb 11 Greenhouse effect (cont.)
Feb 15 Global warming: Is it all bad?
visit project..sciam.com/0597issue/0597karl.html
Feb 16 Global warming (cont.)
Feb 17 Global ozone depletion R 53
Feb 18 Perspectives on climate change: the Quaternary period R 54-77
Feb 22 Intentional & unintentional weather modification, or Hail No!
Feb 23 Air pollution, with regional examples R 78-84

PEOPLE AND AGRICULTURE
Feb 24 Introduction to soils: what makes soils productive? R 85-87; M(II) 41-54
Feb 25 Soils and land uses
Mar 1 Catch up

Mar 2...EXAM 2....EXAM 2....EXAM 2....EXAM 2....EXAM 2...Mar 2

May 5...FINAL EXAM @ 12:45 -2:45 ...FINAL EXAM....FINAL EXAM @ 12:45 - 2:45 ...May 5