UNCG - Fall Semester - 2005
GEO 311 - Weather and Climate

General Information

  • Professor: Dr. G. Jay Lennartson
  • Class Meetings: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 11:00-11:50 am; Graham 104 
  • Email: gjlennar@uncg.edu
  • WWW: http://www.uncg.edu/~gjlennar/geo311.html
  • Office: Graham 116E
  • Office Phone: 334-3913
  • Office Hours: M W F: 1-2 pm; and by Appointment
  • Geography Department: Graham 129

 

Overview of GEO 311

  • GEO 311-01 will introduce you to the origin and physical nature of Earth's atmosphere.
  • Attention will be given to understanding the dynamic and thermodynamic processes that influence local, regional, and global-scale weather and climate.
  • You will gain an understanding of weather systems that affect the middle latitudes of the globe. An emphasis will be placed on weather systems that influence North Carolina (i.e., mid-latitude cyclones, anticyclones, tornadoes, and hurricanes).
  • You will become familiar with the climatology of Greensboro and North Carolina.
  • We will also discuss important and timely environmental issues such global warming, air pollution, and the urban heat island effect.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

After completion of GEO 311 students will be able to:

·  Describe the structure and composition of the atmosphere;

·  Describe and explain the dynamic and thermodynamic-based processes that govern the behavior of the atmosphere;

·  Describe and analyze key contemporary environmental issues, such as global warming and air pollution;

·  Use appropriate technologies from the discipline to make measurements of atmospheric phenomena;

·  Perform computations, analyze, and evaluate empirical weather and climate data; and

·  Communicate their knowledge of seminal issues in the atmospheric sciences both orally and in writing.

 

Textbook, Supplementary Learning Materials, Materials to Bring to Class

  • Required Textbook: Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment (7th edition), 2003, by Donald Ahrens,  Brooks/Cole Publishers.  Available from the UNCG Bookstore.
  • To supplement the required textbook you may find it useful to refer to one or more basic atmospheric science/meteorology textbooks. The Jackson Library has several good ones available in the stacks for checkout.
  • The Blue Skies CDROM that accompanies your text and the WW2010 Website will be used in lecture to help you understand and reinforce fundamental atmospheric science and climate principles and processes. Bring your CDROMs to every lecture and lab meeting!!!!
  • The publisher of your textbook has a website that you may find useful as well.  It contains a variety of resources such as hypercontents, critical thinking questions, and self-quizzes.
  • In addition to your Blue Skies CDROM, please bring the following materials to class (and lab): a scientific calculator, a set of colored pencils, several sheets of graph paper, and a metric ruler.
  • Throughout the semester you will be asked to visit and explore various WWW sites. Visits to these sites will provide you with data, and will serve to supplement and reinforce material discussed in class.
  • The "Weather Channel" (Cable Channel 26 in Greensboro) will also be a good source of information and data; and watching it as often as possible will help you understand material discussed in lecture and laboratory.

 

Grading

  • Exams: there will be a total of "3" exams. The exams will be equally weighted and collectively, will count for 75% of your grade in GEO 311 lecture. Examinations will draw questions from my lectures, your textbook, exercises, in-class discussions, CDROMS, WWW sites, and supplementary reading assignments. Make-up exams will only be given under extraordinary circumstances, and must be accompanied by bona fide documentation.
  • Exercises (25% of your grade): a variety of types of exercises will be assigned throughout the semester.  Exercises include (but are not limited to): end of chapter questions/exercises from your text, quantitative problems, questions based on field exercises, CDROM exercises, WWW-based exercises, and library research assignments. All assignments are due at the very start of the class meeting on the due date. Your exercise with the lowest score will be dropped.  Late exercises will not be accepted under any circumstances.
  • Attendance and Class Participation: you are expected to attend and participate in every class.  We will be doing some in-class exercises/discussions, and if you are not present in class when we are working on the assignment, you will not be permitted to submit the assignment at a later time.
  • After three unexcused absences  your grade will be lowered by one full letter grade for each additional absence.

Exams: 3 (25 % each)

75%

Exercises/Discussions

25%

 

100%


 
 
 
 
 

 

Course Resources and Success in GEO 311

  • Material (e.g., lecture notes/outlines, figures, images, exercises) for upcoming classes, generally, will be available from the course home page (http://www.uncg.edu/~gjlennar/geo311.html).
  • Classes will be conducted based on the expectation that you have familiarized yourself with posted material and completed the assigned readings prior to coming to class.
  • Obtain assistance from me - at the earliest possible opportunity - if you have questions regarding the class material, exercises, or reading assignments.
  • I encourage you to come visit me during my office hours, or if these times are not convenient for you, please schedule an appointment by email.

 

Miscellaneous Information

  • Any student in this class who has a documented disability that prevents the fullest expression of abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements and accommodations.
  • Final grades once posted will not be changed under any circumstances (with the exception of clerical error).
  • In all matters related to this course it is expected that you will conduct yourself in an honorable fashion and exhibit the highest level of integrity.
  • Cell Phone Etiquette: Please turn off your cell phones and pagers before entering the classroom.  They must remain off for the entire class meeting.  Moreover, please refrain from checking your cell phones and pagers for messages during class.  Students that do not observe these procedures will be dismissed from class.
  • Classroom Behavior and Etiquette: Students are expected to assist in maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning.  To assure that all students have the opportunity to gain from time spent in class, unless otherwise approved by me, students are prohibited from engaging in any form of distraction, including, but limited to, talking between students.  Inappropriate behavior in the classroom shall result, minimally, in a request to leave class