Instructor: Anthony F. Grande
Email: agrande@hunter.cuny.edu
Telephone: 212-452-7011
Day Office: Room 535 Social Work Building (129 East 79th Street at Lexington Ave.)
Mailbox: Room 1006 North Building (68th Street campus)
Evening Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, Room 1006 North Building (68th Street campus);
                             Walk in hours in 1006 HN - Tuesday and Thursday before and after class.
                             Hours at 79th Street campus - Tuesday and Thursday 5-6PM and by appointment.

GEOG 101 People and Their Environment is an introduction to the field of geography. This course will present the fundamental concepts of geography and show how these concepts are applied to our everyday lives.

Geography is both a physical and social science. Knowledge of the basic concepts of earth systems is important so that human interaction with them can be better explained and ana-lyzed. In doing so, we explore and take examples from the past as we look at the present and analyze current conditions. Using accumulated knowledge, we then are able to make informed decisions for the future.

GEOG 101 is not a survey of regions and countries. It is a topical course highlighting the major subfields in geography. Examples from all over the world are used to illustrate concepts and processes. Place names are not the focus here. They are ancillary to the processes mentioned above because we need the ability to locate and identify phenomena spatially when we look for patterns.

The course is divided into three sections. Part I deals with basic geographic concepts and the techniques used by geographers to study the earth as a home for people and portray spatial information. Part II focuses on the earth’s natural landscape: lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and the processes behind them. Part III looks at the same earth from a people point of view – how people interact with elements of earth environment, make settlement decisions, use what is available to them - and in the process create a cultural landscape: the human imprint on the natural landscape.

At the end of each section, there is an exam. The exams are not cumulative but do build on the material previously discussed. The format is multiple-choice questions, some of which are aimed at maps and diagrams, with one short essay. The three exams are worth 90% of your grade. Two short written assignments (5% each) complete the scoring. Attached to each exam is an extra-credit take-home atlas exercise. Each exercise may add as many as 5 points to your exam grade. A second form of extra credit is the writing of as many as six (6) one-page analytical essays from the Geography and Public Policy boxes in the textbook. Each acceptable essay adds one-half point to your final term average for a maximum of 3 additional points. You may attempt both the atlas and the essay extra credit options.

Assignments have deadlines and lateness is penalized. There is a direct correlation between good attendance and good grades. Class lectures supplement the textbook reading assignments. Attendance is taken.

To review the syllabus and the course requirements, visit the GEOG 101-51 course home page at: http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/courses/cwpages.html.

Text: Introduction to Geography (11th ed.), by Getis, Getis and Fellmann; WCB/McGraw-Hill, Dubuque, Iowa (2008).Note: Material in the 10th edition with the exception of Chapter 11 is very similar to that of the 11th edition.

Atlas: Goode's World Atlas (21st ed.); Rand McNally Book Co., Chicago (2005).
(The atlas is the basis of extra credit take-home exercises, classroom discussion, location of place names for exam questions, and is a general supplement for textbook chapters.)

Thu., Aug. 28          First class meeting
Thu., Sep. 25          Tentative date for Exam One
Tue., Sept. 30         No classes scheduled at Hunter
Thu., Oct. 9              No classes scheduled at Hunter
Tue., Oct. 14            No class MONDAY schedule at Hunter
Thu., Oct. 16            Last day to hand in required essays
Tue., Nov. 11           Tentative date for Exam Two
Thu., Nov. 27           No class - Thanksgiving
Thu., Dec. 11           Last day to hand in extra credit GPP essays
Tue., Dec 16            Last class lecture
Thu., Dec. 18           Exam Three – the final examination is scheduled from 6:20-8:20 PM
Do not make plans to be away for December 18!! No holiday travel or Christmas party excuses!