SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE
ONLINE COURSE   Fall 2008

Geography 306: Online Weather Studies COURSE CODE: 18835 UNITS: 3
INSTRUCTOR: Michael Hunter
OFFICE HOURS: p.m. (OBA), RN 231 Phone: 558-2269
e-mail:  hunterm@scc.losrios.edu    website: http://scc.losrios.edu/~hunterm

REQUIRED TEXTS
Weather Studies Textbook and Investigations Manual
Edition: 2008-2009 and Summer 2009
ISBN: 978-1-878220-87-5
Copyright: 2008 American Meteorological Society

DESCRIPTION
This online course is designed to build an understanding of weather and climate by examining real-time weather phenomena.

ACTIVITIES
As participants of Geography 306, students are required to:
1. Attend the Mandatory Orientation: Monday Aug 25 7:30-9pm in LR141
(Students unable to attend the Orientation meeting MUST contact the instructor at 558-2269 immediately. Please state your name and phone number clearly.)

2. Interact with each week’s 2 online assignments: AVAILABLE Mondays and Wednesdays at Noon Eastern time.

3. Read assigned chapters from the Text

4. Complete (print or type) the assigned questions in the Text and Investigations Manual for each Lesson:
a) the Review Questions (in the Text)
b) the ASSIGNED Critical Thinking Questions (see anouncements on my websites for which to do) (in the Investigations Manual)
c) the Investigations: BOTH the Manual and Online questions.
After answering the assigned questions for each chapter, email, or bring it to me. The instructor must receive all course work by the week’s end (Saturday night by midnight).

OBJECTIVES
To succeed in this course, students must complete the class exercises,
Study guide questions, and exams. It is the responsibility of students to do all online work, read the text, take notes, and visit the instructor for help.

OTHER SESSIONS
Midterm and Finals Week sessions will be for these exams. Students are expected to come to class prepared to take the exams. (*Please bring a picture I.D.)

INVESTIGATIONS
Investigations will be available online twice a week. AVAILABLE Mondays and Wednesdays at Noon Eastern time.

GRADING
Student grades will be computed by accumulating points from study-guide answers and exams.
On the basis of total points: (this may vary slightly at times)
90% = A
80% = B
68% = C
55% = D
During the course of the year, many students will utilize prearranged accommodations. If you are a student with a learning disability, physical disability, or other special needs, please let me know as soon as possible if you need special accommodations. This kind of confidential discussion is best handled during my office hours or by special appointment. You can expect confidentiality and cooperation regarding any circumstances and needs that have been verified through the disability centers on campus.

ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is expected (including tardiness).

Fall 2008

Week Current Weather Studies A
(Posted about Monday noon Eastern Time)		 Current Weather Studies B
(Posted about Wednesday noon Eastern Time)
Preview Aug 25 - Air Pressure and Wind Aug 27 - Surface Air Pressure Patterns
1 Sep 1 - Air Pressure and Wind Sep 3 - Surface Air Pressure Patterns
2 Sep 8 - Surface Weather Maps Sep 10 - The Atmosphere in the Vertical
3 Sep 15 - Weather Satellite Imagery Sep 17 - Sunlight Throughout the Year
4 Sep 22 - Temperature and Air Mass Advection Sep 24- Heating Degree-Days and Wind Chill
5 Sep 29 - Air Pressure Change Oct 1 - Atmospheric Pressure in the Vertical
6 Oct 6 - Clouds, Temperature, and Air Pressure Oct 8 - Rising and Sinking Air
Break ----- -----
7 Oct 20 - Precipitation Patterns Oct 22 - Doppler Radar
8 Oct 27 - Surface Weather Maps and Forces Oct 29 - Upper-Air Weather Maps
9 Nov 3 - Westerlies and the Jet Stream Nov 5 - El Niņo
10 Nov 10 - The Extra-Tropical Cyclone Nov 12 - Extra-Tropical Cyclone Track Weather
11 Nov 17 - Thunderstorms Nov 19 - Tornadoes
Break
12 Dec 1 - Hurricanes Dec 3 - Hurricane Wind Speeds and Pressure Changes

Please use the following URL to access the American Meteorological Society (AMS) website for the course:
URL: www.ametsoc.org/amsedu/login.cfm
username: tba
password: tba

WHAT TO DO:
Read the Chapter for the Week.
Do the questions in the Investigations Manual:
a) All of the Chapter "Questions for Review"
b) Answer assigned Critical Thinking questions (see above)
c) For Investigations A and B: BOTH the Manual and Online portions.
The "Answer Forms" for Investigations A and B are links on the AMS page (right side of the table)

After answering the assigned questions for each chapter, email, FAX (916-558-2090), OR bring it to me. The instructor must receive all course work by the week’s end (Saturday night).

Review Questions and Critical Thinking: DO NOT WRITE THE QUESTIONS ALONG WITH YOUR ANSWERS!:
Please do not write the "questions".
Instead, re-write the question into the beginning statement of your answer.
e.g. "Describe the layer of the atmosphere that directly interacts with the ocean." TURNS INTO: "The layer of the atmosphere that directly interacts with the ocean is..."

Investigations Manual answers: just the one word you chose.

I DO want the Question-number with your answer.

Capitalization counts (especially for place names).
Points will be lost.

ATTACHMENT IDs:
Please put you last name on attachments. The Week number too. (e.g. "Hunter2.doc)
No more, or less, please.

DO NOT SEND GRAPHS OR IMAGES:
Do not send images or graphs: only email in the answer-form answers (best to copy-paste into Word, or as Rich Text Format).