Treks and Texts: Journeys into Nature
HCOL 40000
Wednesday, 2:00 PM to 4:40 PM
Room TBA
In wildness is the preservation of the world. --Thoreau, "Walking"
Intended to demonstrate the connections between environmental writing and local environments—and between you and the environments you inhabit, this interdisciplinary colloquium will require both inside and outside learning experiences. Experiencing the outdoors is as much a part of the course as are indoor discussions. Despite the chaos of Covid-19, much of the colloquium will take place outdoors in parks, natural habitats, campus, and even backyards. With the appropriate precautions (masks and social distance), spending time outside—and reflecting on your experiences—will be required individually and in small groups.
As an interdisciplinary course, there will be assignments, discussions, and activities in the Humanities, where you will read and respond to a variety of texts in the genre of Environmental Writing (prose, poetry, and song); in the Sciences, where you will be introduced to current issues and trends in Environmental Studies and Eco-Criticism, particularly those relating to local natural habitats; in the Arts, where you will be introduced to landscape painting, particularly nineteenth-century American landscapes. On the Co-Curricular side, you will also be introduced to the methods and practices of Outdoors Leadership skills and Environmental Ethics.
At its heart, this colloquium is a discussion-based reading and writing course, and its subject matter is the natural environment we all inhabit. All classes will involve responses and discussions intended to integrate academic classroom learning with experiential learning and service. The exchange of ideas through dialogue is a fundamental component of this colloquium. Your participation is essential.
Outcomes:
- a general introduction to current environmental issues and trends as they are reflected in literature, film, and popular media
- a general understanding of the history of environmental movements in the US
- a familiarity with the genre development of Nature/Environmental Writing
- a familiarity with selected environmental writers and their texts
- a familiarity with a selected outdoor environment
- an ability to reflect on personal observations and experiences in natural environments
- an introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills and Environmental Ethics
Required Texts:
The Norton Book of Nature Writing, Eds, Finch and Elder
The Best of Edward Abbey, Edward Abbey
Recommended Text:
The Future of Environmental Criticism, Lawrence Buell
Course Schedule:
Wednesday, August 19
--Introduction (overview of the course schedule, requirements, and outcomes); student introductions and feedback; blogging introduction
--Nature Observation (descriptive writing exercise)
Wednesday, August 26
--popular songs, Woody Guthrie, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, and Midnight Oil (handout for the texts, songs are available on YouTube)
--Nature poems (handout of several nature poems, e.g. Wordsworth, Frost, Dickinson)
--Before the Flood (video)
Wednesday, September 2
--Meriwether Lewis, from Nature Writing, 95-100
--Standing Bear, from Nature Writing, 326-331
--Men are like plants, de Crevecouer (handout)
--Glory, God, and Gold, and the reality of Jamestown (handout)
--Early attitudes towards the environment (handout)
--early American attitudes towards Nature (handout)
--Nature observation
Wednesday, September 9
--Edward Abbey, from Nature Writing, 614-627
--Edward Abbey, “Polemic: Industrial Tourism and the National Parks” (handout)
--Nature observation
Wednesday, September 16
--Edward Abbey, from The Best of Edward Abbey, 26-39, 54-73, 426-432
--Nature Observation
Wednesday, September 23
--Romanticism and Transcendentalism (handouts)
--Ralph Waldo Emerson, Quotes from Self-Reliance (handout)
--Henry David Thoreau, Quotes from Walden (handout)
--Nature Observation
Wednesday, September 30
--Henry David Thoreau, “Walking,” from Nature Writing, 180-205
--Nature Observation
Wednesday, October7
--Archie Carr, from Nature Writing, 497-504
--Wallace Stegner, from Nature Writing, 514-519
--Barry Lopez, from Nature Writing, 914-923
--Nature Observation
Wednesday, October 14
--Aldo Leopold, from Nature Writing, 376-397
--Wendell Berry, from Nature Writing, 718-728
--Nature Observation
Wednesday, October 21
-- T. H. White, from Nature Writing, 474-479
--Rachel Carson, from Nature Writing, 479-485
--Loren Eiseley, from Nature Writing, 485-493
--Nature Observation
Wednesday, October 28
--John McPhee, from Nature Writing, 684-690
--Alice Walker, from Nature Writing, 863-867
--Diane Ackerman, from Nature Writing, 979-983
--Nature Observation
Wednesday, November 4
--Ann Zwinger, from Nature Writing, 577-586
--Bill McKibben, from Nature Writing, 1120-1130
--Nature Observation
Wednesday, November 11
--final presentations
Course Requirements:
1) Attendance and Participation. This colloquium is discussion-based, and thus you are required to take an active part in it and to contribute to its success. Participation credit is given by taking part in class discussions (I keep track of who contributes) and class activities, including in-class writing assignments. In every classroom class there will be either an in-class writing assignment or an in-class activity. Anyone absent will not receive credit for these activities. Outside activities are required and attendance will count as participation. Attendance and participation are worth 10% of your final grade.
More than three unexcused absences during the semester will result in failure.
2) Familiarity with the Texts. A reading knowledge of the texts is essential and expected. Please read. I will not quiz on the reading assignments unless I believe I am compelled by poor discussions. As exemplary Honors students I expect you to be able to comment insightfully on each of the assigned readings.
3) Lead Respondent Assignment: Throughout the semester you will be asked to help lead discussions concerning the assigned reading texts, and these assignments will be done as group work (teams of 2 or 3). Each group will choose a text or group of texts that are assigned on specific class days, and group members will be expected to make a presentation to the rest of the class that will encourage insight and discussion. These presentations may include biographical or historical information about the author, the text’s composition, summaries of the text’s print history and reception, and an analysis of its themes and issues. More importantly, these presentations should also include a discussion of what the group thinks is relevant and/or interesting in the text and a list of questions for discussion. These presentations should be informative, creative, and engaging. A brief handout summarizing key points and pertinent information and listing the discussion questions is required. Worth 20% of the final grade, the lead respondent assignments will be graded according to the quality of the information presented and, equally important, on how effectively the presenters are able to engage the class in discussions. Students must take responsibility for leading the class discussions on their assigned days, and thus weak class discussions will lower the amount of credit given.
4) Nature Observations and Outdoor Experiences. Spending time outdoors is as much a course requirement as are the reading assignments. At the end of every class you will be given a specific outdoor assignment, such as searching for flora or and fauna to identify and describe. These assignments are cumulative and will make up part of your nature journal. The task is to carefully describe what you have located and identified. With appropriate precautions—and please take appropriate precautions, you are encouraged to experience the outdoors and participate in your favorite activities (walking, jogging, biking, paddling, even sitting on a bench and observing your setting).
5) Nature Journals: Nature writers often keep meticulous journals, and for this field-intensive colloquium, students will be asked to keep a blog to post their observations and thoughts. In their journals, nature writers not only describe specific physical settings, including specific flora and fauna, but also how they react to and interact with their environments. I ask you to do the same—describe and reflect. Your observations and reflections are an important part of this course. Entries should be a minimum of 1-2 pages in length, and by the end of the semester students will be expected to have written and uploaded a minimum of 12 journal entries (in addition to the shorter Nature Observation assignments, which also must be posted to your blog). These entries may comment on your class activities, class readings, field trips, and outside activities. When commenting on the assigned readings, you are encouraged to honestly describe what your reading experiences were like and remark on what you thought was interesting, provocative, or relevant in the texts.
Throughout the semester students will receive credit for their journal entries, and at the end of the semester the cumulative holistic quality of their journals will be evaluated and graded. Please note: 6 of the journal entries should be posted before midterms.
Worth 25% of the final grade, the journals will be graded according to the quality and level of both natural description and personal reflection. An exemplary journal will demonstrate a student’s capacity to closely observe environmental contexts and connect these descriptions with class discussions and texts as well as personal experiences. I do not expect or require sudden or surprising insights into either experiences or texts but a sustained engagement to reflect on all experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, and a capacity to clearly articulate the personal relevance of these reflections. A less-than-exemplary journal will demonstrate less detailed observations and reflections. This is not a matter of how much is written, but how it is written.
6) Nature Essay. In order to practice your own nature writing, you will be asked to submit a Nature Essay at the end of the semester. This final essay may be a careful extension and revision of one of your journal entries, and it should be 6 to 8 pages in length. These essays must demonstrate several of the stylistic techniques from one or several of the assigned Nature writers, and they must also reflect a strong structure and overall thesis. Specific, closely detailed descriptions of environment[s] should be mixed with self-reflection describing how you reacted to, and interacted with, what you observed.
Worth 25% of the final grade, the Nature Essay should be the culmination of your work throughout the semester. I ask for, and expect, your best writing. I encourage you to be ambitious and creative. An exemplary essay will be well written and well-structured with an organized theme, demonstrate the skills of environmental writing, mixing closely detailed descriptions with personal reflection, provide accurate subject information, and engage readers. A less-than-exemplary essay will have less of the texture and depth of discussion, less of a sustained examination of either observations and reflections, offer superficial subject information, and exhibit less capacity to engage readers.
7) Final Presentation. For the final assignments, student teams (2-3 students) are required to create and present a brief video project (6 to 8 minutes max) that offers a concluding reflection of your thoughts, observations, and experiences throughout the semester. There is no specific format or formula, but you are asked to reflect on what you experienced as learners that was interesting, striking, memorable, and/or relevant. These videos should be engaging and creative. Along with the video presentation, you teams must submit a 1-2-page justification of your presentation (only one justification per group). Both videos and justifications must be uploaded to the Nature Journals.
Worth 20% of the final grade, the presentations will be expected to demonstrate a thoughtful reflection juxtaposing the course outcomes with your learning experiences. Presentations will be graded according to how you are able to express what you have learned and how well you are able to use video to present your most relevant learning experiences back to the class. As in the Lead Respondent Assignments, you will be assessed according to how well you express what you have learned and how well you are able to engage the rest of the class in discussion.
8) Never Use the Non-Word “Very.” For the rest of the semester, at least in our class, this four-letter non-word is forbidden. It is a useless word, and the English vocabulary is rich with specific, vivid qualifiers and descriptors. “The day was very sunny” is a weak sentence. One of the best and easiest ways to improve your writing is to eliminate this word. People who constantly use this non-word equally expose a lack of imagination and a lack of vocabulary.
Please note: all deadlines are firm. Unless there is an emergency, no extensions will be possible.
Final Grade:
Nature Journals 25%
Nature Essays 25%
Lead Respondent Assignments 20%
Final Presentations 20%
Attendance/Participation 10%
Using the non-word “very” -10% (just kidding)
Concerning grades, I do make use of the plus/minus system. But I expect you as Honors students to demonstrate excellence in all of your work and therefore make the plus/minus system unnecessary. Weak, sloppy, and hurried effort is always difficult to mask and will always receive less than full credit.
Dan Williams
TCU Press (3000 Sandage) and 1238 Library
817-257-5907 (office)
817-239-1376 (cell)
Office hours: Virtual Office Hours via Zoom every Friday 2-3 PM and by appointment
TCU Mission: To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.
Honors Pledge: “As a member of the John V. Roach Honors College, I pledge to dedicate myself to intellectual inquiry, life-long learning, and critical thinking, to demonstrate personal and academic integrity, and to engage others in earnest and respectful discussion with an open mind.”
Netiquette: Communication Courtesy Code
All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, discussions, and chats. If I deem any of them to be inappropriate or offensive, I will forward the message to the Chair of the department and appropriate action will be taken, not excluding expulsion from the course. The same rules apply online as they do in person. Be respectful of other students. Foul discourse will not be tolerated. Please take a moment and read the basic information about netiquette (http://www.albion.com/netiquette/).
Participating in the virtual realm, including social media sites and shared-access sites sometimes used for educational collaborations, should be done with honor and integrity. This site provides guidance on personal media accounts and sites (https://tinyurl.com/PersonalMedia).
Syllabus Disclosures Fall 2020
Statement of Disability Services at TCU
Disabilities Statement: Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities. Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the Coordinator of Student Disabilities Services in the Center for Academic Services located in Sadler Hall, room 1010 or http://www.acs.tcu.edu/disability_services.asp. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations.
Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at (817) 257-6567.
Adequate time must be allowed to arrange accommodations and accommodations are not retroactive; therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the academic term for which they are seeking accommodations. Each eligible student is responsible for presenting relevant, verifiable, professional documentation and/or assessment reports to the Coordinator. Guidelines for documentation may be found at http://www.acs.tcu.edu/disability_documentation.asp.
Students with emergency medical information or needing special arrangements in case a building must be evacuated should discuss this information with their instructor/professor as soon as possible.
Zoom Access: All of our synchronous classes will take place each Wednesday via Zoom. The link for our classes is: https://tcu.zoom.us/j/8172391376
Campus Life and the Student Experience will Be Different This Year. The health and safety of students, faculty, and staff is Texas Christian University’s highest priority. TCU has implemented public health interventions, which includes following local and state public health orders and CDC guidelines. These health interventions may impact your experience as a student both inside and outside the classroom. Safety protocols may change during the semester and may result in modifications or changes to the teaching format, delivery method, or the course schedule (e.g., altering meeting times or frequency; changing beginning or ending dates for a term; or partially or completely moving from a face-to-face classroom teaching to an online teaching or remote learning format). Any changes in teaching format, delivery method, or course schedule will not impact the credit hours for the course.
Health and Wellness: If you are exhibiting symptoms that may be related to COVID-19 (fever or chills, dry cough, shortness of breath, etc.) or are concerned that you may have been exposed to COVID- 19, you must self-quarantine and consult with the Brown Lupton Health Center at 817-257-7949 for further guidance.
In addition, you must notify the Campus Life Office immediately at 817-257-7926. Campus Life will inform your professors that you are unable to attend class, and provide any assistance and support needed. Click here for detailed information concerning COVID-19 symptoms: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
If you are unwell, but are not exhibiting potential COVID-19-related symptoms, please notify your instructor as soon as possible that you are ill and will not be attending class.
If you do not feel well enough to attend class in person, but feel well enough to attend class remotely, please notify your instructor as soon as possible before the class begins to arrange attendance via video conferencing.
Face Coverings and Physical Distancing: Face coverings are required on campus, unless you are alone in your private office or dorm room. Students will be expected to practice physical distancing and wear protective face coverings at all times while in public spaces on the TCU campus. Failing to do so in the classroom could result in the student being asked to leave the room and continue the class through remote access. Additionally, the instructor has the option to terminate the class period and continue it as a remote session if students do not wear required masks or practice physical distancing.
Student Access and Accommodation: Texas Christian University affords students with disabilities reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. To be eligible for disability-related academic accommodations, students are required to register with the TCU Office of Student Access and Accommodation and have their requested accommodations evaluated. Students are required to provide instructors an official TCU notification of accommodation approved through Student Access and Accommodation. More information on how to apply for accommodations can be found at https://www.tcu.edu/access- accommodation/ or by calling Student Access and Accommodation at (817) 257-6567. Accommodations are not retroactive and require advance notice to implement.
Technology Policies
Email
Only the official TCU student email address will be used for all course notification. It is your responsibility to check your TCU email on a regular basis.
Course Materials
TCU students are prohibited from sharing any portion of course materials (including videos, PowerPoint slides, assignments, or notes) with others, including on social media, without written permission by the course instructor. Accessing, copying, transporting (to another person or location), modifying, or destroying programs, records, or data belonging to TCU or another user without authorization, whether
such data is in transit or storage, is prohibited. The full policy can be found at: https://security.tcu.edu/polproc/usage-policy/.
Violating this policy is considered a violation of Section 3.2.15 of the Student Code of Conduct (this policy may be found in the Student Handbook at https://tcu.codes/code/index/), and may also constitute Academic Misconduct or Disruptive Classroom Behavior (these policies may be found in the undergraduate catalog at https://tcu.smartcatalogiq.com/current/Undergraduate-Catalog/Student- Policies/Academic-Conduct-Policy-Details). TCU encourages student debate and discourse; accordingly, TCU generally interprets and applies its policies, including the policies referenced above, consistent with the values of free expression and First Amendment principles.
Anti-Discrimination and Title IX Information
Statement on TCU’s Discrimination Policy
TCU prohibits discrimination and harassment based on age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, predisposing genetic information, covered veteran status, and any other basis protected by law, except as permitted by law. TCU also prohibits unlawful sexual and gender-based harassment and violence, sexual assault, incest,
statutory rape, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, bullying, stalking, and retaliation. We
understand that discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence can undermine students’ academic
success, and we encourage students who have experienced any of these issues to talk to someone about
their experience, so they can get the support they need.
• Review TCU’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Conduct or to file a complaint: https://titleix.tcu.edu/title-ix/.
• Learn about the Campus Community Response Team and Report a Bias Incident: https://titleix.tcu.edu/campus-community-response-team/
Statement on Title IX at TCU
As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment on our campus. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your life experiences in classroom discussions, in your written work, and in our one-on-one meetings. I will seek to keep any information your share private to the greatest extent possible. However, I have a mandatory reporting responsibility under TCU policy and federal law and I am required to share any information I receive regarding sexual harassment, discrimination, and related conduct with TCU’s Title IX Coordinator. Students can receive confidential support and academic advocacy by contacting TCU’s Confidential Advocate in the Campus Advocacy, Resources & Education office at https://care.tcu.edu/ or by calling (817) 257-5225 or the Counseling & Mental Health Center at https://counseling.tcu.edu/ or by calling (817) 257-7863. Alleged violations can be reported to the Title IX Office at https://titleix.tcu.edu/student-toolkit/ or by calling (817) 257-8228. Should you wish to make a confidential report, the Title IX Office will seek to maintain your privacy to the greatest extent possible, but cannot guarantee confidentiality. Reports to law enforcement can be made to the Fort Worth Police Department at 911 for an emergency and (817) 335- 4222 for non-emergency or TCU Police at (817) 257-7777.
Obligations to Report Conduct Raising Title IX or VAWA Issues
Mandatory Reporters: All TCU employees, except Confidential Resources, are considered Mandatory Reporters for purposes of their obligations to report, to the Coordinator, conduct that raises Title IX and/or VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) issues.
Mandatory Reporters are required to immediately report to the Coordinator information about conduct that raises Title IX and/or VAWA issues, including any reports, complaints or allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination and those forms of prohibited conduct that relate to nonconsensual sexual intercourse or contact, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, stalking and retaliation involving any member of the TCU community, except as otherwise provided within the Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Conduct.
Mandatory Reporters may receive this information in a number of ways. For example, a complainant may report the information directly to a Mandatory Reporter, a witness or third-party may provide information to a Mandatory Reporter, or a Mandatory Reporter may personally witness such conduct. A Mandatory Reporter’s obligation to report such information to the Coordinator does not depend on how he/she received the information. Mandatory Reporters must provide all known information about
conduct that raises Title IX or VAWA issues to the Coordinator, including the identities of the parties, the date, time and location, and any other details. Failure of a Mandatory Reporters to provide such information to the Coordinator in a timely manner may subject the employee to appropriate discipline,
including removal from a position or termination of employment.
Mandatory Reporters cannot promise to refrain from forwarding the information to the Coordinator if it raises Title IX or VAWA issues or withhold information about such conduct from the Coordinator.
Mandatory Reporters may provide support and assistance to a complainant, witness, or respondent, but they should not conduct any investigation or notify the respondent unless requested to do so by the Coordinator.
Mandatory Reporters are not required to report information disclosed (1) at public awareness events (e.g., “Take Back the Night,” candlelight vigils, protests, “survivor speak-outs,” or other public forums in which students may disclose such information (collectively, public awareness events); or (2) during an individual’s participation as a subject in an Institutional Review Board approved human subjects research protocol (IRB Research). TCU may provide information about Title IX rights and available resources and support at public awareness events, however, and Institutional Review Boards may, in appropriate cases, require researchers to provide such information to all subjects of IRB Research.
Relevant reporting phone numbers are: 911 for an emergency and (817) 335-4222 for non-emergency or TCU Police at (817) 257-7777.
Emergency Response Information
Please review TCU’s L.E.S.S. is More public safety video to learn about Lockdown, Evacuate, and Seek Shelter procedures. (https://publicsafety.tcu.edu/less-is-more/)
TCU’s Public Safety website provides maps that show our building’s rally point for evacuation and the seek shelter location. (https://publicsafety.tcu.edu/)
In the event of an emergency, call the TCU Police Department at 817-257-7777.
Download the Frogshield Campus Safety App on your phone. (https://police.tcu.edu/frogshield/)
Academic Misconduct (Sec. 3.4 from the TCU Code of Student Conduct): Any act that violates the academic integrity of the institution is considered academic misconduct. The procedures used to resolve suspected acts of academic misconduct are available in the offices of Academic Deans and the Office of Campus Life and are also listed in detail in the Undergraduate Catalog and the Graduate Catalog Specific examples include, but are not limited to:
• Cheating: Copying from another student’s test paper, laboratory report, other report, or computer files and listings; using, during any academic exercise, material and/or devices not authorized by the person in charge of the test; collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test or laboratory without permission; knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in its entirety or in part, the contents of a test or other assignment unauthorized for release; substituting for another student or permitting another student to substitute for oneself.
• Plagiarism: The appropriation, theft, purchase or obtaining by any means another’s work, and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of that work as one’s own work offered for credit. Appropriation includes quoting or paraphrasing of another’s work without giving credit.
• Collusion: The unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing work offered for credit.
• Abuse of resource materials: Mutilating, destroying, concealing, or stealing such material.
• Computer misuse: Unauthorized or illegal use of computer software or hardware through the TCU Computer Center or through any programs, terminals, or freestanding computers owned, leased or operated by TCU or any of its academic units for the purpose of affecting the academic standing of a student.
• Fabrication and falsification: Unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification involves altering information for use in any academic exercise. Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise.
• Multiple submission: The submission by the same individual of substantial portions of the same academic work (including oral reports) for credit more than once in the same or another class without authorization.
• Complicity in academic misconduct: Helping another to commit an act of academic misconduct.
• Bearing false witness: Knowingly and falsely accusing another student of academic misconduct.
No comments:
Post a Comment