hum 125 syllabus cohort 12

7/23/2019 HUM 125 Syllabus Cohort 12

1/7

HUMANITIES 125:NEGOTIATING NATURESyllabus, Fall Quarter 2015

Cara N. Stoddard |[email protected]| 425-259-8795

J Pod:Mon, Tues, Thurs 9:00am-10:05am & Wed 10:35am-11:30amK Pod:Mon, Tues, Thurs 10:10am-11:15am & Wed 9:00am-9:55am

Office Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 11:30am-12:30pm, or by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:Why bother conducting an experiment at all if you know what results it will yield? Maybe every essay automatically is in some way experimentalnot an outline traveling toward a foregone conclusion but an unmapped quest that has sprung from the word question. I don't know where the journeyends; otherwise, why call this action journey? John DAgata

This class is designed as a 10-week quest to critically examine the essential questions:

what isnature

what, if any, is the valueof nature and, how does a persons unique experiences shape how they relate to the natural world

My goal is that through an immersion into some of the most beloved American nature essays of the past 200 years, you willexpand your understanding of the varied and diverse perspectives on nature as well as begin to pinpoint what experiences andtextshave shaped your own perspective and values regarding nature.

Humanities is an academic discipline that studies humanity and human culture through critical inquiry and speculation ratherthan through the scientific method. The end goal of humanities is less about finding the right answer or pinpointing asingular, concrete answer and more about what we can gain as individuals and as a group from the process of examining,critiquing, and empathizing with different authorsperspectives and values. The name humanities is often used as anumbrella term to include many disciplines in language arts (foreign languages, world religions, literature, philosophy, andmusic) and the social sciences (anthropology, archeology, sociology, history, and the classics). In this humanities class, we will

study American literature (nonfiction and poetry), history, philosophy, and visual arts.

To think with any seriousness is to doubt. Thought is indistinguishable from doubt. To be alive is to be uncertain. I'll take doubt. The essayistargues with himself, and the essayist argues with the reader. The essay enacts doubt; it embodies it as a genre. David Foster Wallace

Through writing and revising several personal philosophical statements throughout the quarter, you will have the opportunityto try out new ideas, articulate what your gut tells you is the right way to think about nature, and, most importantly, toexpress doubt. I believe writing is a mode of critical thought that situates the self within the context of contemporary culture.So often our human impulse to connect with the world around us comes from personal relevance, so in reading each of theessays for this class, you should be searching for what in that author reminds you a little of yourself.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


2/7

To do well in this class, you need only to have an authentic sense of curiosity to be constantly asking big, open-endedquestions as you read and a sense of self-awarenessthe ability to look at your own opinions and views as an outsider would.

Throughout this class, you will continually reexamine where you are at in your thinking about the natural world that you grewup in. Essentially, you will begin to name your foundation or your starting place for how you think about nature.

No culture has yet solved the dilemma each has faced with the growth of a conscious mind: how to live a moraland compassionate existence when onis fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in all life, when one finds darkness not only in ones own culture but within oneself. If there is a stageat which an individual life becomes truly adult, it must be when one grasps the irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in themidst of such paradox. One must live in the middle of contradiction because if all contradiction were eliminated at once life would collapse. There are

simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of a leaning into thelight. Barry Lopez,Arctic Dreams

LEARNING OUTCOMES:By the end of the course, you should be very good at:

1. Creating a broad understanding of different perspectives on nature and the resulting differences in the value of nature

Analyzing multiple differing perspectives on a single topic

Reflecting on your own changing perspectives on a single topic re: nature

Detailing potential ramifications of your own and others perspectives onnature

Demonstrating an understanding of a holistic approach to negotiating nature

Demonstrating the ability to find connections between cultural understandings of the environment andquantitatively derived scientific understandings

2.

Demonstrating capacity to build community through dialogue and consensus-building

Reflecting on efforts to find and capitalize on common ground

Demonstrating familiarity with different strategies for building consensus

Reflecting on value of building community through dialogue

3. Demonstrating critical thinking, reading, viewing, listening, and composing skills

Demonstrating capacity for summary, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation

Actively questioning, clarifying, and connecting while reading and listening

Analyzing visuals through perspective, line, color, composition, and texture

Utilizing effective organization strategies in writing Creating a logical flow of ideas

Establishing and maintaining a formal but engaging voice

Editing all written documents as if they are intended for publication

REQUIREDTEXTS:

Encounters with the Archdruid| 1971 The Norton Book of Nature Writing| 1990John McPhee | 978-03745143 Robert Finch & John Elder

978-0393978162


3/7

GRADING:The bulk of the work for this class is readingand keeping up with the daily readings, reading them critically, reading all theway to the end, marking them up, and taking notes while reading are crucial to being able to do well on the writingassignments for this class.

There are two 4-page writing assignmentsthe Perspective Essay and the Value Essayin this class, and you will be writingeach essay essentially twiceonce for feedback from me (your 1stdraft) and once for the Final Portfolio. Both the PerspectiveEssay and the Value Essay are opportunities for you to assert your own view on nature, explore the roots for where that viewcomes from (what experiences in your life or identities you hold as crucial to who you are), and respond to the authors wehave been reading in class.

The first draftsof these two major essaysPerspective and Valueare graded out of 40 points, and your score is based onsatisfactory completion of the objectives of the assignment as well as thoroughness (meeting the minimum page requirement).I also will give you a projected score using the rubric that I use to grade your revision (for the Final Portfolio) so you know

what areas are weakest and need the most attention.

The Final Portfolioconsists of a revision of your Perspective Essay, a revision of your Value essay, plus a Statement ofPhilosophy on Your Approach to Nature, and a short reflection on own critical thinking and growth as a communicator. I willbe looking for substantial revisions (massive overhauls) on these two essays between your first draft and the draft you includein the Final Portfolio. Revision, in the truest sense, means re-seeing; as such, I expect that you will significantly alter your

thesis or one or more of your examples (from the texts weve been reading) so that one (or more) of your paragraphs isentirely new in both the Perspective Essay and the Value Essay. Simply editing your essay and turning it in again will not resultin a passing grade on your Final Portfolio.

20% Participation(Canvas Discussion Board posts, 2-page Preserve and Protect Essay, and other homeworkassignments)

30% First Drafts(includes the Perspective Essay and Value Essay only)50% Final Portfolio(60% Revised Perspective and Value essays and 40% for Personal Philosophy and Growth as

a Learner)Grading scale:

93-100 A 73-76.9 C

90-92.9

A- 70-72.9 C-87-89.9 B+ 67-69.9 D+83-86.9 B 60-66.9 D

80-82.9

B- 59.9 F77-79.9 C+

LATEWORK:All work that is turned in after the due date will receive a zero; however, I will still give you qualitative feedback in the marginsso please do still turn in all of your work, even if it is late.

A Represents achievement that isoutstanding or superior relative to the level necessary to meet the requirements of the course.B Represents achievement that is significantly abovethe level necessary to meet the requirements of the course.

Grades of A or B are honors grades. You must do something above and beyond the min. requirements in order to earn an A or B.

C Represents achievement that meets the basic requirements in every respect. It signifies that the work is average, but nothing more.

DRepresents achievement that meets some but not allof the basic requirements. It signifies that a significant amount of coursework is either

missing or received not-passing grades.

FIf you receive less than 141 pointsin the course or fail to hand in the final portfolio, you will automatically earn an F. If your averagegrade is a D butyou did not complete one of the two major essays (Perspective or Value essay, you will automatically earn an F in thecourse.

IStands for Incomplete. Under very unusual circumstances you could be assigned an Incomplete in the course if something happened to you

within the last two weeks of the quarter that made it impossible to complete the course (a serious accident or illness that left youhospitalized and very significant personal tragedy, etc.)


4/7

DEADLINES FOR MAJORWRITINGASSIGNMENTS:

**All essays are due by the start of classon the day listed.Tuesday, 29 September 2-page Preserve and Protect Essay DueThursday, 15 October Perspective Essay DueMonday, 16 November Value Essay DueMonday, 7 December Final Portfolio Due @10am

Note: Because of the extensive and time-consuming nature of the comments I make on each student essay I read, I usuallytake 2 full weeks to grade and return essays. Thank you in advance for your patience. If you have questions on a draftwhile you wait for formal feedback, dont hesitate to come by my office during office hours (or email me a time) and we canlook through your essay together.

COURSETRAJECTORY:IN-CLASS DISCUSSIONTOPICS*

(*subject to change)HOMEWORK**

(**all readings and writing assignments are listed under the day they are assigned, andthey are due the f ollowing class period unless otherwise noted)

TRANSCENDENTALISM

Mon9/21

Retreat No homework

Tues9/22

Retreat No homework

Wed9/23

Define nature. Read Nisbett and Masuda Culture and Point of View (PDF on Canvasand take 2-column notes (typed or handwritten). Submit your notes onCanvas (take a photo for handwritten notes). Also begin reading McPhee

Encounters with the ArchdruidPart 1 (due Wed 9/30)Thurs9/24

Nisbett and Masuda Culture and Point of Viewwhat does it mean tohave a different perspective? Introduce Perspective Essay.

Read Thoreau Walking (180-205, skip 196-202). Also begin working onyour Perspective Essay (due Thurs. 15 Oct.).

Mon9/28

ThoreauWhat is civilization? What is wilderness? What makes awalk a good walk?

Type up 2-page response: We should preserve and protect nature at alcosts. Due tomorrow: Print out a hard copy before class.

Tues9/29

What does it mean to preserve and protect nature at all costs? Who arethe different stakeholders? What are some of the different land uses?

Finish reading McPheeEncounters with the ArchdruidPart 1.

Wed9/30

McPheeEncounters with the ArchdruidPart 1 Read Muir A Wind Storm in the Forests and The Water-Ouzel (250268) & watch PBS documentary River of No Return(link on Canvas). Alsobegin reading McPhee Encounters with the Archdruid Part 2 (due Tues 20Oct.)

Thurs10/1 Unlike the Sheepeater Indians who had no word for wilderness, whyhave we had to create a place to call wilderness? What are some of thepotential pitfalls of over-sensationalizing nature?

Read Solnit The Thoreau Problem (link on Canvas) & Dillard LivingLike Weasels(876-879)

Mon10/5

What is landscape? What is its value? Read Kingsolver High Tide in Tucson(1068-1077)

MANIFESTDESTINY

Tues10/6

Is it really best to follow what comes naturally as a base human instinct? Read Lewis excerpts from Journals of Lewisand Clark (95-103)

Wed10/7

What were the goals of Westward expansion? What are the core tenets ofmanifest destiny? Hudson River School paintings.

Read Kittridge Owning It All (706-717)

Thurs10/8

The Homestead Act of 1862. Who owns the landscape? Who owns nature?What potential pitfalls are associated with the zeal to own land?

Read Silko Landscape, History, and the Pueblo Imagination (1003-1014)

Mon10/12

Are humans a part of the natural world or separate from it? Read Deming Wolf, Eagle, Bear: An Alaska Notebook (937-943) &Kuipers Rescue (link on Canvas)

Tues10/13

Is fondness for the forest really innate? Does feminine fear stem from asimilar innateness? Perspective essay Q&A.

Work on Perspective Essay.

Wed No classPSAT Day Finish working on Perspective Essay.


5/7

10/14Thurs10/15

Teague poems Read Kincade Alien Soil (1015-1021) & listen to 99% Invisible LawnOrder (link on Canvas)

LANDUSE

Mon10/19

Colonization: European gardening and social class, civilizing the savages. Finish reading McPheeEncounters with the ArchdruidPart 2.

Tues10/20

Discuss McPhee Part 2. Read Stegner Glen Canyon Submersus & Coda: Wilderness Letter(504-519). Optional: Watch DamNationon Netflix

Wed10/21

Does recreation ruin wilderness? Does allowing any humans to enter a wildplace automatically lead to its demise?

Read Winks On the Evolution and Meaning of the Organic Act (link onCanvas) & the Wilderness Act of 1964 (link to the full text on Canvas)

Thurs10/22

NPS Organic Act 1916, Wilderness Act 1964, Boulder White CloudsWilderness, Ansel Adams prints.

Read Abbey Industrial Tourism and the National Parks (PDF onCanvas)

Mon

10/26

Are National Parks too overcrowded and touristy (driven by capitalism)

today? Is it better to make National Parks easily accessible to everyone orpreserve their remoteness and ruggedness?

Listen to RadioLabGalapagos.Also begin reading McPheeEncounters wit

the ArchdruidPart 3 (due Tues. 3 Nov.).

HUMANMEDDLING

Tues10/27

Which do you value moretortoises or goats? Why? How far can we goethically when were playing god? What do you think about the Edenapproach?

Read Leopold Good Oak (PDF on Canvas), January Thaw (PDF onCanvas), & The Land Ethic (382-397).

Wed10/28

For whom does a natural event (like a blizzard) occur? What is thedifference between fate and intentional action? What is a land ethic?How/why does this land ethic require a change in perspective andtherefore a change in the way land is valued?

Read Pollan Weeds Are Us (1078-1090), Hiestand Zip-A-Dee-DoDah (959-965) & Braverman Useless Bay (PDF on Canvas)

Thurs10/29

What is a pest? What is an invasive species? What criteria determine whichspecies we value and which we abhor?

Read Grover Cutover (891-899)

Mon11/2

History of the AIDs epidemic. What draws us toward metaphor? Finish reading McPheeEncounters with the ArchdruidPart 3.

Tues11/3

Discuss McPhee. Intro Value Essay. Read Ray Built By Fire(1130-1133), Maclean excerpt from Fire and Ashe(PDF on Canvas), & listen to This American LifeHot in my Backyard (linkon Canvas). Begin to work on Value Essay (due Mon. 16 Nov.)

Wed11/4 History of wildland fire fighting in the West. ReadWilliams Clan of One Breasted Women (1091-1097)

Thurs11/5

History of nuclear testing in the U.S. and Flenniken poems. Read Carson The Marginal World (479-484)

DICHOTOMIES

Mon11/9

Is the land and sea really a dichotomy? What do we gain from havingwonder about the natural world? What makes curiosity about the naturalworld addicting?

Read Hogan The Bats (966-970) and listen to RadioLab Rodney versuDeath (link on Canvas)

Tues11/10

Rabies, stigma. Value essay Q&A Read Walker Am I Blue (863-866) & Mooallem The Love that DarNot Squawk Its Name ( link on Canvas)

Wed11/11

No classEvCC holiday No homeworkEvCC holiday

Thurs11/12

Is domesticating animals a kind of slavery? What are the potential pitfallsof anthropomorphism?

Finish working on Value Essay

HUNTING

ET

HICS

Mon11/16

TBD [Bradfield poems] Read Hutto excerpt from The Light in High Places(PDF on Canvas)

Tues11/17

Endangered species: pygmy rabbit reintroduction; big horn sheeppneumonia.

Read Simpson Killing Wolves (link on Canvas)

Wed11/18

What is the difference in perspective between Alaska natives and outsiders? Read Spragg Recoil (PDF on Canvas)

Thurs11/19

What is a responsible way to kill an animal? Is animal suffering natural?Is human?

Read Reece In the Presence of Rock and Sky (PDF on Canvas)

CONSENSUSBUILDING

Mon11/23

What is deep ecology? What are the differences between the typicalAmerican perspective toward nature and the Norwegian perspective? Whatdoes it mean to be modest in terms of perspective toward nature?

Read Blew Queen Moo of Mayax(PDF on Canvas)

Tues11/24

Is it a good thing that archeologists do not guess at the meaning ofpetroglyphs? Why dont they want to make any guesses? What is thecognitive gap?

Read Wohlforth The Fate of Nature (PDF on Canvas)

Wed11/25


Thurs11/26


Mon11/30

Discuss Wohlforth. Read McKibben Speaking Up and Williams A Shark in the Mind oOne Contemplating Wilderness (PDFs on Canvas)

FINAL

PORTFOLIO

Tues12/1

Discuss McKibben and Williams. Intro Statement of Philosophy onApproach to Nature

Work on revisions for portfolio

Wed12/2

Intro Statement of Growth as a Learner & Consensus Building Work on revisions for portfolio

Thurs12/3

TBD Finish working on Final portfolio(due Mon. 7 Dec. @10am)

Mon12/7

Exam weekFinal Portfolio due at 10am Exam week


6/7

ATTENDANCE:Students do not lose points for missing class, but experiences such as presentations, workshops, discussions, in-classactivities, and guest speakers will not be repeated and most cannot be made up. Students are responsible for anyannouncements and schedule changes made during class and on Canvas. Students are also responsible for turning in allwork on time, regardless of absences. You can email me your work as an attachment at any time either through CanvasConversations or regular email.

COURSE ETIQUETTE:Classroom citizenship.This is a discussion-based course designed to build relationships with other members of your cohort

who you will be studying with for the next two years. I do not require people to raise their hand in class, but I do expect youto extend the common courtesy to others to wait until someone is finished talking before you speak (do not interrupt) and thatyou will refrain from dominating the conversation. If you notice that you are often the first person to offer an answer, checkyourself and wait until one or two others have spoken before you in order to be sure you are giving your classmates time toformulate their own thoughts.

We will be discussing sensitive topics and looking at each otherspersonal writing in this course, and I expect you to treat eachother with dignity and respect both in Humanities and outside of class. Please be considerate of others ideas and beliefs anddo not discuss the content of others papers with students outside of your Pod. My hope is that each of you will extend extrarespect and sensitivity toward your classmates, especially those who write about their own vulnerabilities based on their race,color, national origin, ethnicity, citizen status, sex, health, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. If you feelyour well-being is being jeopardized or you have observed someone else being treated disrespectfully in our outside of class,please come speak to me about it privately after class or during my office hours.

Readings. In accordance with ORCAsmission statement to encourage active, responsible, and inquisitive learners, this classhas been intentionally designed to include readings that represent a diverse set of perspectives and peoples. Many of thereadings express points of view on controversial social and political issues. In this class you will most certainly encounter texts

with comments that seem dated or offensive (outside of their historical context) and with viewpoints that differ from yourown. My hope is that you will grow as an individual by engaging maturely in worthwhile discussion and explore ideas that maybe outside of your individual preferences and comfort levels.

Canvas.In order to promote habits and skill-sets unique to scholars of the 21stcentury, this course has a correspondingLearning Management Site located online called Canvas. You will be expected to check our Canvas page every day for adetailed description of the homework, and you will be submitting some assignments and participating in Discussion Boards onCanvas. To access Canvas, click on the third link from the left at the top of the Everett Community College homepage.

PLAGIARISM:Because of the personal nature of the writing assignments in this class, it is unlikely that you will be tempted to plagiarize, buthere is a refresher on what to avoid when trying to attribute ideas and quotations that are not your original work.


7/7

The two basic kinds of plagiarism:1. Malicious or intentional.This is the most serious kind of academic theft. It involves presenting someone elses work

as your own, directly copy-pasting from a source (including Wikipedia) without using quotation marks or citations,rephrasing and summarizing someone elses ideaswithout citations, or re-submitting your own work from a previouscourse.

2.

Plagia-phrasing or mosaic plagiarism.This is when you use quotation marks around large chunks (more than 4sentences) of text from a source that you wanted to quote or when you use a paraphrase that has too many of thesame words as the original text. Even if you cite these texts as a general sources at the end of the essay in a WorksCited, this is still considered plagiarism because, in the act of trying to use a quote sandwich or re-word the passage

into your own words, you ended up relying too heavily on someone elses ideas and wording. This kind of plagiarismalso involves integrating source material (as a quote or paraphrase) without citingyour source in the sentences / paragraphsthemselves (in other words you are missing the in-text citation). Even if several different sources were copied orcombined, it is still plagiarism.

The consequences of plagiarism:If an essay involves plagiarism of the second variety (plagia-phrasing) and this is your first offense while in the ORCA, you

will be required to set up an appointment with me outside of class time to work on accurately integrating outside texts (firstoffense only). Then you will have 24 hours from this meetingto rewrite and re-submit the paper using correct forms ofdocumentation in order to receive creditI will regrade the essay with a 10% point deduction.

If your writing involves plagiarism of the first variety (malicious or intentional) or the second variety after I have already

spoken with you once, you will also be asked to sign a contract and be placed on probation. Additionally, you will need to re-write that essay in order to be able to use it in your Portfolio at the end of the quarter. On a second serious offense forplagiarism or cheating, students who are on probation may be asked to leave ORCA.

A final word on plagiarism: I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume that you will do honest work and thatyou will work with me on improving writing that is your own. I understand the occasional temptation to overzealously copy-pastebut I am surprisingly good at recognizing plagiarism. My basic message is Do Not Do It. When you want to takesomething from another persons workan idea, a powerful statement, a set of facts, or an explanationcite your source.

RESOURCES:Writing Center.I hope that if you have questions about a draft or want some early feedback on your writing before the duedate or during revisions, that you will set up an appointment to meet with me (either during or outside of my office hours). Ifyou would like additional feedback on your writing, you may schedule a 25- or 50-min appointment with a tutor in the WritingCenter on main campus (Gray Wolf Hall room 320/322) by calling 425-388-9406. Their hours are:

M: 9am-5pmT: 9am-5pmW: 9am-2pm, 3-5pm (closed 2-3pm)Th: 9am-5pmFridayclosed

Disability and Support Services.Everett Community College abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 whichstipulates that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education solely by reason of a handicap. Disabilities covered by

law include, but are not limited to, learning disabilities, psychological disabilities, health impairments, hearing, and sight ormobility impairments. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which you mayrequire accommodations, please see me or the Center for Disability Services (located on main campus in Parks 267, rightacross from the bookstore) so that such accommodations may be arranged. Call 425-388-9272 or [email protected] info.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

hum 125 syllabus cohort 12

Documents