Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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GRADES
D2L Quizzes
In class writing
Class led activities
Paper #1 Interview Project
Paper #2 Mt. Graham
Paper #2 Biosphere 2
100pts
100pts
100pts
200pts
250pts
250pts
Total
1000pts
A
B
C
D
F
= (1000--900)
= (890--800)
= (790--700)
= (690--600)
= (below 590)
| 10%
| 10%
| 10%
| 20%
| 25%
| 25%
ASSIGNMENTS
D2L Pop Quizzes (10 x 10pts= 100pts)
There will be a total of 10 pop quizzes. Quizzes will be unannounced. They will be based on the
assigned reading for the week. There will be 10 questions per quiz, which will be a combination of
multiple choice, true/false and fill-in-the-blank. You will be allowed to make up two of the ten pop quizzes
for any reason. No additional allowances will be made for missed quizzes
Quizzes will be available on D2L. They will open and close in class on an unspecified day. This means
that you will need to come to class with a device for accessing D2L. Not being prepared to take the quiz
in class will count towards the two allowable make-up quizzes.
In class writing (100pts)
There will be a total of ten in-class writing assignments. These will be unannounced. They will be graded on a
pass/fail basis. Doing the assignment will earn a passing grade.
Class led activities (100pts)
There will be a total of ten class led activites. These will be group-based activities where you will be teaching
your classmates. These will usually be announced one or two weeks prior to the activity. They will be graded
on a pass/fail basis. Doing the assignment will earn a passing grade.
Papers (700pts)
You will write a total of three papers for this course. Each paper will be accompanied by detailed
instructions provided to you at least two weeks prior to the deadline.
Extra Credit (25pts)
On the last day of class you will be asked to respond to a survey that will ask you to evaluate our
class based on the learning outcomes of this syllabus. You will earn 25pts of extra credit for
completing this survey.
POLICY REGARDING PAPER REVISIONS
Papers #1 and #2 may be revised and re-graded as long as the student meets to confer with
either Professors Braitberg or van Haren to discuss how they will revise the assignment and
submits the revision for re-grading no later than one week from the time of their conference.
POLICIES PERTAINING TO ATTENDANCE AND TARDINESS
Missing Classes
The instructors believe that it is your responsibility to determine the materials and/or assignments that
you may have missed during your absence from class. You should not ask the instructors to bring you
up to date for the days that you missed. The only exception to this policy will be absences that are the
result of medical and/or family emergencies. It is of the utmost importance that you communicate your
need for assistance to Professors Braitberg or van Haren if you find yourself falling behind due to a
family and/or medical emergency.
Late Assignments
5% will be deducted for each day any assignment is latethis includes papers and D2L posts. The
only exception to this will be extreme extenuating circumstances such as family deaths and
hospitalization of the student. Please contact Professors van Haren or Braitberg if you have any
concerns about submitting an assignment on time and/or if you have any questions about this policy.
EXPECTATIONS
Readings: All readings must be completed prior to the class meeting for which they are scheduled.
You will be expected to bring the scheduled readings with you to class since we will be referring to
the readings in our class discussions. You will be expected to cite passages that are relevant to our
discussion and that support points that you make in discussion.
Attitude: At times the way we treat our planet and each other leaves room for improvement. Topics
like climate change, population growth, resource extraction, overfishing, agricultural land
practices, are, because of their enormous economic, environmental, and human impact can lead to
volatile discussion.
Be aware that our readings, films, and class discussions will sometimes include topics that some
people may find offensive and/or disturbing (for example attitudes and behaviors related to human
behavior andactions, activism, animals, religion, politics, etc).
COURSE CONDUCT AND CAMPUS POLICIES (BE FAMILIAR WITH ALL CAMPUS POLICIES)
1. Use of electronic devices is prohibited unless related to in class learning activities.
2. Please follow classroom rules regarding food and beverages in the classroom.
3.In that this is a safe environment for sharing and generating unique ideas, please try to be open to
diverse perspectives and learn from others who may pose views that differ from your own. At times,
course material might seem offensive, but try to wrangle with new ideas and consider a variety of
perspectives instead of simply rejecting ideas posed in course--related discussion. When sharing
your own ideas, do not subject others to inappropriate language or problematic assumptions about
social groups.
4.Rules on academic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. Plagiarism is literary thievery, taking the words
or ideas of another and representing them as your own. Do not copy another students work, pull text
from online sources, or turn in the same work for this class that you have used in another class. All
work turned in must be original and specific to this course. Students who violate University rules on
scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties (e.g., failing grade or removal from the
University). Students are encouraged to share intellectual views and discuss freely the principles and
applications of course materials. However, graded work/exercises must be the product of independent
effort unless otherwise instructed. As previously mentioned, students are expected to adhere to the
UA Code of Academic Integrity http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/codeofacademicintegrity .
Arrangements can be made if you have a physical challenge or condition that could impair your
participation and/or performance in this course. Please notify the instructor immediately if you need
accommodation, and register with Disability Resources so that I can make accommodation: Disability
Resources Center, 1224 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ 85721, (520) 621--3268, FAX (520) 621--
9423, email: uadrc@email.arizona.edu, http://drc.arizona.edu/. You must register and request that
the Center or DRC send me official notification of your accommodations needs as soon as possible.
Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and
how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate. The need for
accommodations must be documented by Disability Resources.
The Arizona Board of Regents Student Code of Conduct, ABOR Policy 5-- 308, prohibits threats of
physical harm to any member of the University community, including to ones self. See:
http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml .
All student records will be managed and held confidentially.
http://www.registrar.arizona.edu/ferpa/default.htm
Information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policy, may be
subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
COURSE OUTLINE
Note that following course outline is subject to change. You will be informed of any changes in
advance. Check our course homepage frequently for updates and any changes to the syllabus.
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Jan 26 and 28
Jan 28
Pair and share what you wrote about the Descola reading
Handout for Descola reading- one double-spaced page response due Feb 4
Feb 4
Discussion of Desccola Reading and student responses
Assignment for Feb 9
Bring in description of the people you interviewed and what they told you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Week 5| Understanding Many Ways of Knowing and Relating to Nature
Feb 9 and 11
Feb 9
Pair and share and class discussion reflecting on the interview process, what they learned, and the
patterns they see with the class data.
Feb 11
Discussion of paper instructions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Week 7| Introduction to
Feb 23 and 25
Rebecca Reider (2009) Dreaming the Biosphere: The Theatre of All Possibilities. Ch
Cast of characters, University of New Mexico Press: Allbuquerque, NM. 1-12.
Rebecca Reider (2009) Dreaming the Biosphere: The Theatre of All Possibilities. Ch
Prologue, University of New Mexico Press: Allbuquerque, NM. 1-12.
Guest
Jane Pointer and/or Taber McCallum (former biospherians)
Rebecca Reider (2009) Dreaming the Biosphere: The Theatre of All Possibilities. Ch
Genesis, University of New Mexico Press: Allbuquerque, NM. P. 65-104
Rebecca Reider (2009) Dreaming the Biosphere: The Theatre of All Possibilities. Ch
Through the looking glass, University of New Mexico Press: Allbuquerque, NM. P.
165-186.
Assignment: TBD
FIELDTRIP TO BIOSPHERE 2 SATURDAY APRIL 9 ALL DAY
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Week 13| Biosphere 2 and the Social Construction of the Environment Apr 12 and 14
Students will present what nature or environment means to each group, how did they experience this
through their experience at biosphere 2.
Reading
R.S Deese (2009) The Artifact of Nature: Spaceship Earth and the Dawn of
Global Environmentalism, 1-6.
Assignment: TBD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Week 14| Biosphere 2: holism vs reductionism
Apr 19 and 21
Students will explore and present how each group views the process of learning about and from the
environment.
Reading
Rebecca Reider (2009) Dreaming the Biosphere: The Theatre of All Possibilities. Ch
The reset button, University of New Mexico Press: Allbuquerque, NM. P. 215-228
Rebecca Reider (2009) Dreaming the Biosphere: The Theatre of All Possibilities. Ch
The new world, University of New Mexico Press: Allbuquerque, NM. P. 229-258.
Assignment: TBD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Week 15| Applying the politics of nature to current events
Apr 26 and 28
Paper #3 Due in Dropbox Sunday May 1 by 5pm
Assignment: Bring to class examples of current controversies/situations that are analogous to those
discussed in class and explain why and how they are applicable, but also how they are being dealt
with.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Week 16| Final Thoughts and Course Evaluation
May 03