Biome Characteristics Matrix

Unit 3 is another very comprehensive unit. You’ll be investigating spatial patterns found in the hydrosphere and biosphere. The goal of the unit is to have a basic understanding of what creates patterns of vegetation, animals and soils. These patterns are certainly related patterns of climate, particularly temperature and precipitation.
World Biomes will be a rather [...]

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Studying World Climates – Climate Information Matrix

There is a lot of material to cover for the second unit test as it covers global climates. One way to synthesize your notes on global climate is to create a climate information matrix (linked here). Each column to the right of the list of climates refers to controls over climate. These are:
Global Wind and [...]

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Web Apps for College Students

I’m a firm believer in the use of Web apps like Google docs.They are appealing because your data is stored online and thus accessible from any computer connected to the Internet. Having you data “in the cloud” as they say, makes it accessible if you are working in your dorm or apartment, the library, or [...]

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Hacking College Life

I’m all in favor of using the best the Web offers for getting by (or ahead) in school. The Lifehacker blog has a back to school roundup of web services that may make your school life easier and possibly more enjoyable. Make sure to check out the “Implement Stealth Studying” link.
Go to:  HackCollege’s Back-to-School Essential [...]

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Taking Notes That Work

As this lifehack posting states:
“Note-taking is one of those skills that rarely gets taught. Teachers and professors assume either that taking good notes comes naturally or that someone else must have already taught students how to take notes.”
The posting goes on to describe various ways to take lecture notes. Though not knowing it, I tended [...]

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How to Learn More and Study Less

A recent posting on the “Zen Habits” blog details ways to be a more effective learner. Many of the suggestions are applicable to Geography 101. Here’s a few examples that caught my eye:

Ten Year Old Rule – Explain ideas to yourself as you would to a ten year old. Sure, this isn’t always possible in [...]

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Getting Things Done in Geography 101

One of the most difficult aspects of learning, especially if it is done online, is staying on task and not procrastinating. In addition to the your course calendar and outline, there are several useful web resources to help you succeed in the course. Here is a link to a variety of study strategies and resources [...]

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iQuiz packs for iPods

As I have time I am creating iQuiz packs for the iPod. iQuiz is a game that can be downloaded from the iTunes music store for 99 cents. It allows you to create your own quizzes and import packs from others. My quizzes randomly selects 10 questions out of 25 for each web text chapter. [...]

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Drawing Topographic Profiles

Lab manual exercise 17 “Introduction to Topographic Maps” requires the construction of topographic profiles and the use of vertical exaggeration. Use this animation to help understand how to complete these questions.

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Reading topographic maps

Reading topographic maps is a skill applied in unit 4 of the course. In addition to the material in your lab manuals, see this previous blog posting for topographic map reading resources.

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