Geography 597.99 Integrated Earth Systems
Course Type:
Earth Systems Science
Course Size:
Summary
Introduction to numerous global change issues through the exploration of the integrated Earth system; problem-solving strategies within an interdisciplinary team environment.
Course Context:
This course, offered Winter 2004 at The Ohio State University, is a lecture course offered in the Department of Geography. The class has 2 hour-and-a-half lectures per week (Monday and Wednesday) and 2 2-hour recitation sessions per week (students attend either Tuesday or Thursday).
Course Content:
This class addresses topics such as key environmental issues facing the 21 century, Earth's ecosystems, deforestation and loss of biodiversity, and human population and dynamics.
Teaching Materials:
There is one required text for this course:
- Miller, Jr., G.T. (2004). Sustaining the Earth (6th Edition), Wadsworth Publishers
Other Print Resources:
- For the lectures and recitation on the Earth's radiation balance, Chapter 2: "Solar and Terrestrial Radiation" from
Lutgens, F. and Tarbuck,E. (2000) The Atmosphere: An Introduction to Meteorology, Prentice Hall. 512 pages. - For better illustrated, color images for most of the figures in your textbook:
Miller, G. T., Jr. (2003). Living in the Environment With Infotrac: Principles Connections and Solutions. Brooks Cole. 848 pages.
Additional Resources:
- Sustaining the Earth - Companion Site
This web site offers tutorials, quizzes, etc. for the textbook. - Info Trac - this is a free online library available for 4 months after the student activates it with the information provided with the textbook. Info Trac links to many scientific articles related to the topics that you will cover in the textbook. To activate an account log into Info Trac and enter the passcode included in the textbook.
The website also contains the lecture syllabus and the recitation syllabus. There are also links to Lecture notes, quiz answers and study guides.
Assessment:
- Mid-term exam: 25%
- Recitation exercises: 25%
- Final exam: 25%
- Final Project: 15%
- Quizzes: 5%
- Participation: 5%
