JEG100H1S: INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND EARTH SCIENCE - University of Toronto
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JEG100H1S: INTRODUCTION TO
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND EARTH
SCIENCE
2020/2021: Winter Term
University of Toronto
Departments of Earth Sciences and Geography
Instructor
Professor S. Finkelstein
Email: sarah.finkelstein@utoronto.ca
Office hours: Tuesdays, 2:30 to 3:30 PM Eastern (Toronto) Time, via MS Teams. Use
the Quercus calendar to find the link. If you are in the waiting room, please be patient;
another student is ahead of you. If this time does not work for you due to your time zone,
a conflict with another class, or for another reason, please email me for an appointment.
Teaching assistants: check Quercus for the name and contact information of the teaching
assistant leading your lab (PRA) section. Labs start the week of Jan 25.
Required technology: please make sure you meet UofT’s recommended minimum
technological requirements for online learning, including video camera and microphone.
Course description
This introduction to Physical Geography and Earth Science examines the atmosphere,
lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and biosphere, and the intricate interconnections
between these Earth systems. We emphasize processes, and flows of energy and
materials, and consider all topics within the context of the ongoing climate crisis, and the
critical role the geosciences must play in making progress on the UN Sustainable
Development Goals. Specific topics include weather and climate change, Earth materials,
geological and geomorphic processes involved in the genesis of landforms, the water
cycle, glaciers, soils and the carbon cycle. This course consists of two one-hour lectures
per week, and five two-hour laboratory (equivalent to “PRA”) sessions. This is a science
course, and covers breadth area “Physical and Mathematical Universe” (# 5). No specific
pre-requisites are required. The course is designed to be accessible to any UofT student
Syllabus, JEG100 Winter 2021
interested in the subject matter and willing to engage in some quantitative analyses and
hands-on learning.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will gain competencies in the following areas:
• Understanding of Earth systems and recognition of the linkages between them
• Analysis of impacts of climate change on Earth systems and our planetary support
systems
• Directly connecting geoscience knowledge and skills with
achieving selected UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Quantitative and spatial reasoning through analysis of data,
graphs, maps and images
• Data handling (basic manipulation, plotting and analysis)
• Communication: analysis and presentation of scientific
information
• Deeper understanding of our surroundings in Southern Ontario
• By the end of the course, students will have gained a new appreciation for the
diversity of processes taking place in the environment, and new skills for problem
solving in global change science
Required reading
Mason JA, Burt JE, Muller PO, de Blij HJ. 2016. Physical Geography: The Global
Environment. 5th edition. Oxford University Press (New York). This book is available for
purchase or rental as an ebook via the UofT Bookstore.
Note that additional readings will be assigned to supplement the textbook and to prepare
for labs. All additional readings will be available via UofT library or online.
A note about the purpose of the reading
The textbooks provide essential background and numerous examples to illustrate and
explain the concepts we cover in class. You will not be assessed on every single aspect
of what is in the reading. Rather, the textbooks are a resource for you to understand what
was presented in class, and to apply to your work on lab assignments and online
assessments. Use the lecture material as a guide to what is most important to understand
in the textbook. Reading all of the required chapters is needed to help you to understand
the material presented in lecture, and to answer effectively conceptual questions on the
labs and assessments. The textbook readings are required and I recommend you read
the listed chapter once before lecture, think about it and make a list of questions. After
lecture, reread the chapter, and bring any outstanding questions to the next class or to
my office hours.
Course Webpage
We will use Quercus to distribute course notes and information, for submitting
assignments and returning them with feedback, and for course engagement via the
Discussion board. Students are responsible for checking Quercus regularly for course
updates, and for checking your UofT email for new announcements or new posts. Check
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Syllabus, JEG100 Winter 2021 your notification settings for Quercus to ensure you receive all course news in a timely way. Quercus calendar will be used to track all due dates and provide Teams links for Professor and TA Office hours. Lectures Lectures will take place synchronously online via BB Collaborate Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 2 PM, Eastern (Toronto) time. Join the lecture by going to the BB Collaborate tab on the JEG100 Quercus page, and you will find the course room there. Your attendance at lecture is expected and encouraged. Your performance in the course will be greatly enhanced if you attend class, even in the virtual setting. You are responsible for all material missed while you are absent from class. The lectures will be recorded and made available via Quercus for asynchronous review. Labs (= Practical or PRA sessions) Five lab exercises have been designed to allow you to apply your knowledge from lecture and textbook reading. The labs are an opportunity to gain hands- on experience with analysis of Earth systems data, maps and Earth materials. Prior to your lab, check Quercus for instructions on how to prepare for the lab. There are five lab sessions this term (see below “Lab schedule and topics”). Lab groups do not meet every week. The first labs will take place the week of January 25th, 2021. Labs will take place via Zoom. Check the Quercus calendar for the link to your Lab (“PRA”) Section’s Zoom meeting. Attendance at labs is required, and you must attend your assigned lab section. Lab sessions take place synchronously and will not be recorded. However, the TAs will post their PowerPoint presentations on Quercus. Make sure you are signed up for a lab section via ACORN. Lab due dates and late penalties Labs are due one week following your lab session and are to be submitted electronically via Quercus (by 11:59 PM, Eastern time). Labs will be accepted up to 6 days late, but at a penalty of 5% per day. In the case of illness or absence for another reason, please use the online absence self-declaration tool on ACORN. You must advise your TA or professor BEFORE the due date that you have self-declared an absence. Assignments and Evaluation Labs: 60%. There are 5 labs, each worth 12%; see below “Lab schedule and topics” for due dates. 3
Syllabus, JEG100 Winter 2021
Mid-term quiz: 15%. Administered online via Quercus. This will be a timed assessment
(50 minutes in length) and it will be completed during class time on March 11th (1 to 2 PM
Toronto time).
Final assessment: 20% (During the final assessment period, Apr 13th to 30th, date TBA)
Participation: 5% Discussion board, Padlet, in-class participation
Learning resources and support
Student Resources
UofT is a big place but has a wealth of outstanding resources available to support student
learning, wellness and your student experience. Please visit:
Visit the student life portal to discover the many services available to you including help
with academic skill development, health and wellness, peer mentoring and networking,
career planning, UofT for international students, work-life balance and recreational
facilities for UofT students. If you want support or think you need help, don’t hesitate to
ask for it. There is lots of help and support out there.
Mental health
Completing a University degree is a very challenging undertaking and on top of that, we
are all in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis. UofT has a comprehensive mental
health portal providing support for any mental health issue, from students who are just
curious about mental health and wellness, to urgent care and crisis response teams,
including UofT’s mySSP and Good to Talk, support options available 24/7.
Accessibility
The University of Toronto is committed to accessibility. If you require accommodations
for a disability, or have any accessibility concerns about the course, the virtual learning
environment or course materials, please contact Accessibility Services as soon as
possible.
Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is a very serious academic offense at the University of Toronto and academic
offences will be dealt with accordingly. Academic integrity is at the core of our mission
here at UofT. Our safeguarding of this fundamental value ensures that your UofT degree
will be highly valued and respected. Every student must read the University's Code of
Behaviour on Academic Matters.
The fact that we are learning online does not change any of the expectations around
academic integrity. Examples of things which violate our code include, but are not limited
to:
On labs and assignments:
• Using ideas or words from other people or other sources without proper credit and
acknowledgement
• Submitting the same piece of work in more than one course without permission
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Syllabus, JEG100 Winter 2021
• Obtaining unauthorized help on assignments. It is a serious academic offense to
submit work under your own name that has been written by or copied from
someone else.
On tests and exams:
• Collaborating or communicating with other students during the test
• Permitting another student to look at your answers
If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism or cheating, or how to uphold
our core values of academic integrity, please speak to me. Many additional resources are
available to you at the UofT’s Academic Success Centre and the UofT Writing Website
where you will find, for example, a useful handout by Margaret Proctor titled “How not to
plagiarize”. Please also review 7 Grandfathers in Academic Integrity, a resource
developed for all UofT students by Indigenous Student Services, First Nations House and
UofT Student Life.
Virtual classroom strategies and etiquette
While meeting virtually would not be my first choice, it is a good second best during a
global pandemic. Let’s make the best of it. I encourage your regular feedback on how we
can improve our discussions and engagement with course material. Lecture and lab
sessions are valuable learning times. You will do best in this course if you concentrate on
the subject matter during those times. Virtual learning is challenging for everyone.
Suggestions for focussing during class time include closing all tabs on your browser other
than the BB collaborate window, closing all email and social media, putting away your
phone, turning on your video camera, and participating by raising your hand to ask a
question or make a comment, or using the chat. I expect all students to engage in
respectful, focussed discussion. Intimidation, harassment, or disrespect in any form will
not be tolerated.
How to ask questions and get help in JEG100
1. Ask questions during class time verbally or in the Chat
2. Use the Discussion board on Quercus
3. Visit Professor or TA’s Office Hours
4. Quercus Inbox: use this tool to contact your Professor or TA.
5. If you must use regular email, place JEG100 in the subject header, and send email
using your @mail.utoronto.ca email account
Consider both Quercus Inbox and email as formal and public methods of
communication. Do not write anything that you do not want on the permanent, public
record.
Be professional when composing a message to your instructor or a peer. Use proper
grammar, spelling and full sentences. For email messages, use an appropriate greeting
(for example: “Dear Professor”) and an appropriate sign-off (for example: “Thanks” or
“Sincerely”, followed by your full name).
Do not expect an answer if you send your email message at the last minute. We will try
our very best to reply within 24 to 48 hours.
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Syllabus, JEG100 Winter 2021
Lecture topics and required readings
Section 1: Atmosphere. UN SDGs 3, 7, 11, 13
Lecture 1 (Jan 12th): Introduction to Earth Systems
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 1
Lecture 2 (Jan 14th): Solar radiation and the seasons
Reading
Mason et al., Units 4 and 5
Lecture 3 (Jan 19th): Earth’s energy (im)balance
Reading
Mason et al., Units 5 and 6
There is an additional reading for in-class
discussion this week. You can access it via
UofT library. Do not pay for it! We have full
access via the library:
von Schuckmann, K., Palmer, M., Trenberth, K. et al. An imperative to monitor
Earth's energy imbalance. Nature Climate Change 6, 138–144 (2016).
https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2876
Lecture 4 (Jan 21st): Temperature
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 7
Lecture 5 (Jan 26th): Air pressure and wind
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 8
Lecture 6 (Jan 28th): Global circulation
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 9
Lecture 7 (Feb 2nd): Water
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 11
Lecture 8 (Feb 4th): Weather
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 12
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Syllabus, JEG100 Winter 2021
Lecture 9 (Feb 9th): Climate change and attribution science
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 19
Shiermeier Q. 2018. Climate as culprit. Nature 560, pp 20-22. Available at:
https://media.nature.com/original/magazine-assets/d41586-018-05849-9/d41586-
018-05849-9.pdf
Ornes S. 2018. Core Concept: How does climate change influence extreme
weather? Impact attribution research seeks answers. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences 115 (33) 8232-8235; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1811393115
Section 2: Lithosphere. UN SDGs
7, 9, 12
Lecture 10 (Feb 11th): Earth
materials, Minerals
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 27
Lecture 11 (Feb 23rd): The Rock
Cycle
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 28
Lecture 12 (Feb 25th): Plate tectonics
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 30
Lecture 13 (Mar 2nd): Plate motion
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 31
Section 3: Hydrosphere and
cryosphere. UN SDGs 6, 14
Lecture 14 (Mar 4th): Formation of
landscapes
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 35
Lecture 15 (Mar 9th): Weathering
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 36
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Syllabus, JEG100 Winter 2021
Lecture 16 (Mar 11th): Midterm Quiz
Reading
Review all Units so far.
Lecture 17 (Mar 16th): Groundwater
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 38 and review Unit 11
Lecture 18 (Mar 18th): Glacial erosion
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 43
Lecture 19 (Mar 23rd): Glacial landforms,
Surficial Geology of Ontario
Reading
Mason et al., Units 44 and 45
Section 4: The Biosphere. UN SDGs 2, 15
Lecture 20 (Mar 25th): Drivers of long-term
climate changes
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 18
Lecture 21 (Mar 30th): Biogeochemical cycles
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 20
Lecture 22 (Apr 1st): Soil formation
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 21
Lecture 23 (Apr 6th): Soil properties, Canadian soils
Reading
Mason et al., Unit 22
Earle S., Physical Geology. Chapter 5.5: Canadian soils. This is a freely available
online textbook: https://opentextbc.ca/physicalgeology2ed/chapter/5-5-the-soils-
of-canada/
Lecture 24 (Apr 8th): Geosciences in support of the UN SDGs. Summary and review.
Reading
Gill JC. 2016. Geology and the Sustainable Development Goals. Episodes 40 (1):
70-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2017/v40i1/017010
8Syllabus, JEG100 Winter 2021 Lab schedule and topics There are 5 labs this term. Lab sections will only meet via Zoom during the weeks listed below. Check ACORN to confirm which section, day/time you signed up for. Section meeting information will be posted in the Quercus calendar. Week of Jan 25 Lab 1: Surface radiation budgets. Lab 1 is due one week following your lab session. Week of Feb 8 Lab 2: Weather. Lab 2 is due one week following your lab session. Week of Feb 22 Lab 3: Rocks and minerals. Lab 3 is due one week following your lab session. Week of Mar 15 Lab 4: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. Lab 4 is due one week following your lab session. Week of Mar 29 Lab 5: Glacial landforms. Lab 5 is due one week following your lab session. Version: 7 January 2021 9
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