Class is challenging, but he makes it interesting and fun!

come prepared and don't fall asleep

He tries so hard to be hip.

An excellent prof...knows how to relate info really well.

He can be tough, but he really makes class fun. His quirky child-like enthusiasm for science rubs off on almost every student. I hate science, but I really enjoyed the class.

This class is hard and his tests are hard but he is one of my fav profs here. He's awesome, take him if you can

Dr. Francek was voted the best professor in Michigan last year, one of the top 50 Carnegie professors in the U.S. Take his courses! His enthusiasm is contagious and he is an all-around great guy. Likes field trips, too.

Great class. Keeps you awake and on your toes. Always come prepared and be ready to be called upon. Makes learning fun.

Don't take this class if you're not prepared to work. Granted, this is the honors section, but it is the biggest workload I have ever had in a class. The photo project for this requirement is a huge on-taking, so expect to work on it a lot.

Francek is definately a character. He can be a bit over enthusiastic and he expects a lot of his students. This class was a lot of work but I learned a lot, not too difficult.

Never take ESC 105H if Francek is teaching it. He demands way to much out of his students and cramed in way to many things into the class period. He is however a very good teacher and very helpful, but is way too harsh in the honors section of ESC 105.

Dr. Francek is an excellent teacher. His courses are challenging but if you put in the effort then it can be very rewarding. Francek is one of the better professors I had.

He was a very helpful professor. He can be corny at times which made the class fun. It's best to start on the photo project right away because I took my pics all semester, started on the project four days before it was due, and ended up staying up working on it the night before it was due. His quizzes were sorta hard but I liked him as a professor!

Great Professor! Would take him again if I could. He calls on you but doesn't expect you to know everything. He treats his students with respect. He is always available if you have questions or concerns. He cares and it shows. He makes the class interesting and fun.

SOILS? Don't you DARE call it "dirt" or he'll throw a fit. SOOOO much reading! He loves the Internet and makes you hate it by the end of the semester. Multiple articles plus his notes plus text readings PER CLASS make it a lot of work. BUT he is definitely an awesome prof.

You were my advisor. I really appreciated your help and guidance. I do think you rely on the Internet a bit too much (and your assignments definitely need to be toned down a bit). Always remember that there is more going on in the world then just your one class, and you must take your students' lives into account. Great knowledge and professor.

He is always smiling! This guy loves the earth and knows everything there is to know about it. Is willing to answer questions about the earth or life in general. Very organized and computer savvy. You will learn more than just physical geography in this class.

Great teacher, field trips, group work, extra credit on quizzes, labs. Can't ask for much more. He keeps the class interesting also with his humor and character. Some of the assignments are hard, but that is how college should be. If you want an amazing professor and can live up to a challenge then take this class. Franzek is an amazing teacher.

Teacher was awesome and very interactive with the class. I would recomend taking this class for your UP requirement!!

Francek is amazing! He includes all aspects of learning in class. He takes you on field trips, is very interactive and really cares for his students. He has great enthusiasm for the subject and is full of energy. I HIGHLY recommend this course. Some assignments are difficult, but that is expected in college. Be prepared to learn and be challenged!

class is very interactive, can be annoyingly so. he is a geographer, this class probably should be taught by a geologist. cops an attitude if you aren't the "perfect" student. make sure to do the note cards for quizes. don't do labs on own do them in a "group" which is recommended by him, i call it collective cheating.

I was not looking forward to taking this class, I really disliked geography and struggled with it, but Francek made it worth while. With enthusiasm, field trips, group projects, and relating things to real life he makes it easier and interesting to learn. HE IS AN AMAZING TEACHER! SO MANY OTHER TEACHERS NEED TO TAKE A LESSON FROM HIM! Take it!

Great Class. Did not sound very interesting but he makes it. A lot of hands on learning. Use your note card. You can tell he really does enjoy teaching. He wants you to understand it...very helpful.

Awesome professor! Grades assignments hard, but it is college. Very helpful and very excited about teaching. Gives you study guide for all quizes, and takes you on class field trips. Great guy I recommend taking this class, it covers your UP lab requirement and is a very interesting class, and I don't even like geography...

This class requires great attendance and lots of work but your dedication will earn you massive amounts of new knowledge. He does everything he can to help you learn, he's an AMAZING teacher. I highly recommend him, but keep in mind that it's very hard to achieve an A. (the comprehensive final seems daunting but it's really not bad AT ALL)

Really cool guy. Really into his subject matter.

Good professor, made the class interesting.

AMAZING TEACHER! He really is a fantastic teacher at explaining the material and doing it in an interesting way. There are a lot of field trips in the class and NO power-point slides!!! Hard class though...you have to keep up on all the quizzes and actually learn the material to do well.

Great prof. One of the best at CMU - he kept things interesting and fun. If offered, I highly recommend taking this as a summer class, though it does require work.

Very tough grader, but it is nice to know that at least one prof actually reads your assignments and cares if you have an understanding of the material. Don't listen to the neg. comments, this prof will give you the shirt off his back to help you. One of the best teachers I've had, and I've been to 4 different universities. listen, work, and pass

I am not one to over exaggerate, but seriously, he has to be the best teacher I've ever had! I am so glad I was able to LEARN something from his class (and, yes, he actually makes you LEARN!- not like that's why you are coming to college, or anything) but he is great, I loved being so interactive and actually doing things in his class. He's so fun!

Dr. Francek is a really cool guy.

Dr. Francek actually makes learning about soil and the earth Fun! I never thought I'd find myself liking a professor this much.... He's also kind of hott.

Dr. Francek is really understanding and knows his subject well. Although the quizzes are tedious, he makes sure every student understands what he teaches. He is willing to go up and beyond to help students.

If you don't want to get up and do things in class, don't take him. In his class, he keeps everyone very attentive. Expect weekly 10-question quizzes. There is no text to buy - he puts all the material up on his website (saving us money!). Study guides for every quiz are online, but not all the study questions are applicable to the actual quizzes.

He is a great teacher and no text book is required! Everything is online and he makes it very easy to understand the concepts of the class. There is only one exam, the final. Which gives students a chance to earn grades in other ways! GREAT teacher

He is VERY set on interactive lessons. He doesn't like to have you sitting in your seat for too long, as he'll take you outside nearly everyday and enforce concepts from class. The field trips in this class were very interesting, and while sometimes the material is quite complex, he teaches in such a way that you remember. Expect a quiz every week.

He loves taking field trips and actually cares that everyone engages in the lessons. It's a pretty easy class, just a lot of busy work. There's a quiz every thursday and attendance is basically mandatory or he'll take your grade down a half letter. I'd recommend this for a lab cuz it's not at a diff time and you don't really do labs, great teacher!

Dr. Francek was easily one of the best professors I've EVER had. I have been to two different universities too. He was very understanding of some problems I had at the beginning of the year, and worked with me to figure out some stuff. RECOMMENDED 100%!!! Awesome Professor!!!!

He is so passionate about his work!!! Its awesome to have a very fun and hands on professor that gets you engaged every day. The exams are ruthless though. I studied for hours and would get like 60's. The exam questions seemed like they were over stuff we had never gone over!!!!!! you dont need a text book either which is cool.

Great Professor! Passionate about teaching and retaining info to students. If you pay attention in class you will do well. He's a hands on teacher and is all about different learning strategies. The field trips are fun! The only tedious thing is the portfolio you work on the whole semester. Make sure you are up to date.

He can be a tough grader but that is because he has high standards for his students. Follow all of his rubrics for the portfolio project and presentation word for word, you can lose really easy points that will add up to a lot. The portfolio is tough--do it in advance! Go to his office hours if you have trouble. Overall very nice and helpful guy!

He's a great guy and very passionate about the subject. Field trips and other activities get the class up and moving every day. It's not an easy class and he's not an easy grader, but you'll learn a lot.

One of the best professors I have had. Very enthusiastic about teaching and knows his stuff! Field trips every week, as well as quizzes (which are pretty hard). He only taught for half of the semester, Kourtev teaches the remaining half. But great guy, and wants his students to learn and experience everything!

Francek is the 2nd best prof I ever had at CMU. Great guy. Grading is tough, but FAIR. Relates in-class lessons with the real world (field trips, yay!). Very engaging. He only taught half of it when I took it, but he was awesome. If you want to go to class and learn something rather than be put to sleep, take his.

Francek is AWESOME! This class is not a blow off but is not overly demanding. Francek is willing to help in anyway possible and he relates all class material to the real world through field trips or stories. I can not say enough good things about this guy. He is a genuinely nice and caring person, which is sadly difficult to find in professors.

Dr. Francek is a great guy. He wants his students feel comfortable learning with our peers(our class got very close over the semester). The only thing I suggest is to take this class when you have an easier semester. He requires a lot of out of class studying and is a hard grader. The quizzes are every class and are a big part of your grade.

Professor Francek is by far one of the best educators I have ever had. He really tries to knows his students and gives a sense of community. It feels so great to actually learn in his class rather than just take notes of a powerpoint. He takes the class on field trips, and gets everyone interactive. I definitely would recommend him to anyone.

Mark is the best! So helpful and so enthusiastic. Goes out of his way to provide assistance to each and every person.

An amazing professor, I wish i was a geology major so I could take more of his classes. He is a truly amazing human being, super nice and caring. He loves his students. TAKE ONE OF HIS CLASSES

Professor Francek is the most genuine professor I have ever met. He gets to know each of his students and reaches out to them throughout the semester. Even if it's just an email saying you are doing a good job in his class. He makes learning science very relatable & fun. He has you work in groups a lot, but my group and I become great friends.

Francek is awesome, he's my favorite professor this semester. Everyday he shows us new videos that changes our lives.

Francek is a bonafide beast. He's genuine, engaging, and a great educator. Takes interest in his students. His courses require a lot of work, but he is always willing to help. Would highly recommend his office hours, very helpful and you get chocolate.

Dr. Francek is one of the best professors at CMU. You can tell he is very passionate about what he does, and he is always there for his students. The class wasn't even related to my major and I feel I learned more than I did many of the other courses I have taken. He does expect a lot from you, but I would highly recommend him

Mark is an excellent professor. He really connects with all of his students and gets to know everyone. Quizzes are there to help you and aren't worth a lot. Groups are fun. Make sure to study and attend class. He cares a lot about what he teaches and would take another class with him again. I recommend him to anyone.

Mr. Francek is the most involved professor I have ever had. He gets to know each of his students and tries to teach in everyone's learning styles. With that being said, the content of his class is very challenging. You take quizzes at least two times each class period and the exams are all fill in the blank which makes them very difficult.

Mark is very enthusiastic and LOVES what he teaches. Science isnt always the most fun but he does everything he can to make it fun. The book required was partly written by him and you are required to read an average of 4 sections and take an online homework quiz before every class. If you put the effort in the class, you will do great!

Francek is a very passionate professor but his class is way too difficult for a Gen ed. His classes are interesting but very frustrating when the class average is a C. I'm a 3.8 gpa and I got a B-, very difficult to do well in his class

Dr. Francek is fantastic! He's kind and very passionate about the subject matter and teaching his students. He encourages active participation and learning by using a variety of methods and activities to teach his class. Easily one of the best professors I've ever had - even if he is a tough grader who expects a lot from his students.

He is a super great guy and really cares about his students. He is passionate about what he teaches and tries to keep things interesting. The tests are pretty tough and are hard to prepare for. The final was cumulative. I liked him a lot but the class was difficult. He would help anyone who needed it though.

Professor Francek is probably one of the best professors at CMU. He is very passionate about what he teaches and genuinely cares about his students! Class is very interesting and Mr. Francek makes it fun! Must study for exams though, they are kind of difficult but should be okay if you study!

Probably one of the best professors I've ever had. Never been able to understand anything science based but Prof. Francek made it easy and enjoyable. Online homework due night before every class and group quiz on online homework at beginning of every class, not bad though and helps grade!

Great professor. He knows his stuff; however, you can get lost in this class very easily. Uses learnsmart so you have two assignments every week. Top hat quizzes every class. He uses to not use notes or anything, but now he started using handouts that helped out. Decent class but be prepared to work if you're not interested.

Great professor. Keeps class entertaining and fast-paced; it flies by. Projects and homework are not bad at all, especially if you're interested in the subject. Very accessible outside of class.

Mark is truly the best professor I have had in 2 years at CMU. I'm taking his class for QR credit, and my major is not related to his work, but I love this guy. He's personable and knows all of this students by name. He is not a boring professor, and not an easy one either, but I cannot recommend taking him enough. A great man and a solid prof.

Dr. Francek is literally the best professor I've ever had. He actually made the science class fun. Can be a tough grader.

Francek is cool but his lecture is super fast and over-involved. You have to have a friend or a car to get to field trips so that's super inconvenient. All the work is online and it's annoying.

Mark is a great professor! He is really helpful if you go to his office hours. He is a tough grader though because there are these exercises you have to do and if you dont print in color he marks you down. I love his teaching style because he always has great demonstrations and always makes you move! Amazing professor and really entertaining!

Mark is overall a great guy and engages with his students. He does make you work for the grade but assignments are not hard at all.

Professor Francek is such a great professor!! He can be cheesy and corny at times but hes really trying his best to connect and be funny with students. He doesnt want anything to be hard for his students and he cares so much for the field of science.

Professor Francek made geography fun, which is hard to do lol. As long as you show up and pay attention, you will do great without a problem. The combination of his lectures, activities, field trips, and humor make the class easy and also educational. I am not a geography major or even a fan of it, and i left every class learning something new.

Mark Francek is an amazing professor. You can really tell that he is passionate about what he is teaching and that made the class a very fun and welcoming environment. Its never a dull moment in his class.

This professor was amazing! Be ready to participate. He is very passionate about his teaching and was so much fun to learn from!

I would die for this man. He is the kindest professor I've ever had and goes out of his way to interact with his students one on one.

He is very passionate about his job. Lots of daily quizzes that getting frustrating but help a ton for the midterm and finals. Somewhat repetitive but willing to help whenever and does lots of demos for examples. Backdoor field trips happen basically every class period. Homework is due before the next class period and loved this class honestly.

I took the class for a science credit. I don't even like science, but he's so passionate and lively about what he teaches it makes you love it, too. The class activities were really engaging, and you can tell he used to teach middle school in the best way, of course. He's also one of the most understanding people.

I absolutely love Dr. Francek! He is one of the most passionate professors I have ever had, and truly cares about his students. He is very understanding and is willing to give back points on assignments if you talk to him. I am not a geography major, but he made his class very fun and educational. Highly recommend !

dudes the best. take him

I would seriously die for this man. He does such a great job at explaining things and building relationships with his students. He's so down to earth and easy to talk to! This class wasn't part of my major, but it was my favorite one and Mr. Francek was my favorite professor. Please go to class, you won't regret it. I will never forget him.

Mark was a great guy and truly cares about his students. He truly wants everyone to succeed and showed he cared for every one of his students. He can be a bit much at times but he makes up for it by making the class actually interesting. He also really encouraged talking to those around you which allows for new friends. I recommend this class.

Francek's class is a mixed bag - engaging lectures but tough grading and time-consuming labs. Staying on top of the work is key. Though challenging, the class is worthwhile, and using tools like Unstuckstudy can really help with study prep.

Francek is a very kind and caring professor. I had forget my note card for our mid terms asked to go back to my dorm to find it, unfortunately I could not find it at all. He allowed me to take the exam during his office hours later. Very kind and understanding professor!

Highly recommend taking one of his courses. Not my major but would for sure take another one of his classes. Very passionate about the topic and makes his lectures interesting and engaging.

Mark is a wonderful professor, he clearly cares about his students and while the amount of course work may be a little intimidating at times, he is always available to work with you to make assignments more manageable. The only issue I had with this class was the 3 hour length, which he tries his hardest to make manageable, but is still a drag.