WEATHER AND CLIMATE 101 (SCIE 115A and labs)
Fall Quarter 2009
Instructor:
Office: NSC 318-F; 360-736-9391 x-550
from Olympia (toll free): 753-3433 x550
Please do not call my office number unless you plan to leave a message if you don’t reach me!
Lecture: MTWTh 11:00-11:50 NSC 101
Labs: 115LA Thursday: 1-2:50; 115LB and Thursday 3-4:30 …in NSC 105 or arranged
=> Go back to the class web page for the class schedule as well as
reading and other assignments; This page will be
updated throughout the course, so please check it regularly.
Check resources
link on Earth
Sciences at Centralia College homepage for useful links
Welcome to Weather and Climate 101 !
TEXT : Essentials of Meteorology, 5th Edition (2008), by C. Donald Ahrens; ISBN: 0-495-11477-4
COURSE OVERVIEW: This course will provide a basic introduction to weather and climate, the composition and structure of the atmosphere, and the major elements of weather including temperature, pressure, humidity, clouds, winds, and storms. We will look at the driving forces that operate in the atmosphere and the mechanisms and linkages and interconnected Earth systems that produce precipitation, severe weather, weather-generated hydrologic and geologic activity, and long-period weather cycles like El Nino/Enso and Pacific Decadal Oscillation. We'll touch on air pollution topics, and conclude with a discussion of global climate, paleoclimate, and the effects of past climate on ecological systems and human history, and the prospects for climate change.
COURSE SCHEDULE: We will be covering the topics in the Table of Contents more or less in sequence. Weekly lecture topics, reading assignments, homework and project due dates, and test dates will be announced in advance as we go along. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out if any schedule changes have been announced!
QUIZZES: There will be occasional quizzes. These will be based on reading assignments and will count no more than 10% of your grade.
PROJECTS: There will be a project assigned during the quarter that will enable you to use the outside world as a sort of "laboratory" and also a term report. The first of these will be a weather observation project, and the second will be a climate research project that will require you to use library and/or Internet resources. Each of these projects will be worth 100 points toward your final course point total. Project due dates are shown on the attached course schedule. Projects that are late by up to one class day will be penalized 50%, and will NOT be accepted beyond one day late.
GRADING POLICY: Your final grade for Weather and Climate is based on the total number of points you accumulate from the following sources (values approximate):
LECTURE and FINAL EXAMS
(4 total) 60%
ASSIGNMENTS, QUIZZES,
PARTICIPATION 20%
FIELD TRIP and LAB WORK 20%
ABOUT TESTS: Tests will include material from lectures and labs. * This
component assesses a student’s contributions to the learning environment in the
classroom. Disciplinary problems that interrupt or impede the progress of the
class will also be assessed as part of this component. Exams:
There will be no make-up tests except for in extreme cases. You will need
a physicians note and/or provide me with advance notice of a schedule conflict
if such a situation arises. Exams will include material from the books,
lectures, and videos.
Do
your own work.
Suspected cheating, intellectual parasitism, plagiarism or other forms of
academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Additionally, it will be
reported to the
Grade assessment: see
Grading scale to find out the point and letter grade equivalents for percentage scores
on tests.
Term assignment: There will be a Term Assignment required. Information regarding the assignment will be provided in another handout. Term Assignments must be turned in at the beginning of the class period on the due-date assigned for full credit.
Web site: Information for this course is posted on the class web page listed at the top of the first page of this syllabus. This web page is a work in progress and will change as we go through the class. Look there for this syllabus, copies of selected class handouts, links, and additional information, reading suggestions, and assignments.
ASSIGNMENTS
Information regarding class assignments will be provided
during the term. Assignments must be turned in at the beginning of the class
period on the due-date for full credit.
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
The overall goals of the exercises and content of this class
follow
ATTENDANCE
I take attendance during the first week or so of class; if
you don't show up you may be dropped to give your place to someone on the
waiting list. While attendance is not required, skipping classes won’t
help you become a successful student. In fact, ALL class members benefit
from fellow students’ consistent attendance and thoughtful questions and
comments. Those who make a habit of skipping classes typically struggle to
bring home the good grades. If you do miss a lecture because of sickness,
please inform me immediately. Plan to get notes or special instructions
from one of your classmates. Do not rely on lecture outlines that may be
posted on the web page because the cadence of each class differs.
SICKNESS
Note, if you are sick, please do not come to class.
This is a demanding course with a lot of material covered in
a short period of time. Regular class attendance is essential to ensure
adequate mastery of the material. If, due to credit load, work schedule,
family requirements or health reasons, you will be unable to attend regularly,
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS! From time to time, pop quizzes will be
given at the beginning of class, so please be on time—if you are absent for a
pop quiz, you will miss the quiz.
Be respectful of everyone in class. Many people, including me, have
chemical sensitivities, so please refrain from wearing excessive perfume,
cologne, or hairspray. Also, please cough into your elbow or use a handkerchief
if you sneeze. I suggest thoroughly washing your hands regularly to help to
minimize your risk of getting sick.
If you need to talk with me about your grade, please do not
do this before, during, or after class. Please make an appointment with me or
visit during my office hours, which are posted on the door of my office and on
the “class links” web page.
I want you to do well in this class! Forming a study
group and quizzing one another on class material can be very helpful. I
will be available during my office hours if you have questions or
concerns. If, however, you should get into academic difficulty, know that
it is your responsibility to keep track of drop dates and other deadlines.
Behavior
·
Please be courteous to your
classmates as well as your instructor and avoid activities disruptive to the
learning environment.
·
No side conversations during lecture
class! Even if you whisper, even if you sit in the back, even during a
video, talking bothers other people in class.
·
Be punctual. If you must
arrive late or leave early, let me know in advance and sit near the door.
·
Please turn your cell phone
off! TEXT MESSAGING DURING CLASS IS
RUDE. YOU WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE CLASS.
·
NOTE: If a student is disruptive to
the learning environment, they will be given a verbal warning. Further
disruptions of the class will be followed by a written warning, and will likely
be asked to leave. Students who continue to be disruptive in class will
referred to Vice President of Academic Affairs
Reviewed
By:
Revised
09/20/2009