Welcome to Environmental Science II!  In Environmental Science we study the interactions between humans and the environment. That is, how can we as individuals, and collectively as societies, live in a way that provides a good quality of life and maintains the quality of the environment.  In ES II, we will emphasize understanding the human relationship to current environmental concerns such as global climate change, ecosystem degradation, biodiversity, and food and water resources.
 

Course Schedule

Policies

Web CT

Texts:

• Mille, G.T.  Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections, and Solutions, 14th Edition, Thompson, Brooks/Cole

Vandermeer, J. and Perfecto, I. Breakfast of Biodiversity: Food First Books, Second Edition.

My overall teaching goal is to develop scientifically engaged citizens that are equipped to use their skills toward positive global change. Because I believe basic science is as much factual understanding of processes as it is questioning of such information, I use creative lecturing and problem based learning as central components of my teaching of introductory material. Since research has clocked student attention spans at about 20 minutes, I employ numerous strategies to create participatory lectures that both encourage immediate application of and stimulate critical thinking about lecture material (i.e.: problem solving, think-pair-share, peer note review, brainstorming, structured controversy, minute papers, and truth statement generation, among others). Cooperative learning strategies are central to my teaching toolbox, including the use of base groups and dyad pairs for lecture activities, discussions, case study analysis, problem-based learning, and group quizzes.

We are a community of learners.  By being part of this class, you are making a serious commitment to be here both physically and mentally.  Each day I present to you a Daily Dyad that is worth two points of your Participation grade.  If you miss class you cannot make up the Daily Dyad. Each Daily Dyad will be presented randomly during class time.  As part of your participation grade you will also be asked to work in small groups that I call Base Groups. Students, when divided into supportive, permanent base groups, synthesize material better and have increased retention. I use permanent base groups throughout my classes for lecture activities, discussions, case study analysis, problem-based learning, and group quizzes.

Every class has a culture influenced by the fact that students come from widely diverse backgrounds and hold different values. They also learn in different ways. I will acknowledge your diversity of learning by designing a diversity of activities for establishing your course grade. I encourage you to acknowledge your diversities by listening actively to one another. It is equally important that you listen to students whose opinions differ from your own, arguing with the opinions while remaining respectful of the individuals who hold them.

Please make sure that all work you turn is your own.  On individual or group projects, using someone else’s ideas either copied or paraphrased is plagiarism and will be dealt with according to Ithaca College Policy. There will be no make-up quizzes for this course. If you miss a quiz for an approved reason (e.g., documented medical injury), you will be graded on the remaining quizzes.

CLASS PARTICIPATION (20%):

• Daily Dyads: I feel it is vital to learn to think critically about and discuss the material you are learning in class. Thus, you are required to be a contributing and engaged member in this class. Much of the class will be based on discussion, not lecture. You will be graded based on your attendance, encouraging others to participate, and your contribution of ideas to the group work. Occasionally other in-class activities may replace the dyad for participation points. Most dyad and base group activities are worth two points, some of the activities will be worth 5 points. You are not allowed to make up these points if you are absent from class unless prior arrangements have been made or you have a note from a doctor.

• Reflection papers:  This is a paper in which you summarize your learning, thoughts, and reactions to the activities and topics discussed in this course. Questions you might answer include:  How does this issue affect others who hold different worldviews from my own? How have my views changed from before I –watched the video, - read the chapter, - had the experience? What is the problem presented? What are some potential solutions?

There will be no large exams in this class except the final exam. Instead, quizzes including 10-15 questions from that week’s assigned chapters in Miller and Vandermeer/Perfecto will be given in most Thursday classes. They will consist of short answer, multiple choice, and one ‘integrative question’ that will ask you to incorporate that week’s materials with what you have learned up to that point in class.  The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.  Questions from the final exam will come primarily from these quizzes, so it is best to stay on top of the material!

Before class on Tuesday, each student will write a 1 page, 12-point font double spaced summary (250 words) for each chapter from Vandermeer and Perfecto that is assigned for that week. These summaries should prepare you for group discussion on the chapter. Your base group in class will use the individual summaries to provide a group summary of the chapters assigned. Group summaries will include 4-5 main ideas from the chapter and will focus on how the ideas apply to society and the chapters in our Miller textbook. Groups will turn in their summary and each individual summary. All individual chapter summaries are due at the start of class on Tuesday, as we will meet in our base groups sometime during the class time to synthesize them. Occasionally, other activities will take the place of the chapter summary discussions (i.e. Case Study Analyses, group

1) Autobiography (10 Points) An autobiography is a description of your accomplishments to date. It should answer the questions of: Who are you? What have been the experiences that have influenced you and your decisions? What are you good at? What are you interested in? Why are you interested in environmental issues?  Maximum 2 pages. Due January 19.

2) Prepare a one-page analysis of a Campus Seminar (10 Points) This should include: 1) speakers name, title of presentation, date & time; 2) What was the seminar about? 3) Was the presentation given in an interesting and professional format? 4) What did you learn from the seminar? Select a campus seminar that is on an "environmental" topic. You will be asked to give a 3 minute analysis of this seminar in lecture the day you turn in your written report which is due the next week after attending the seminar The last date for turn in is April 20. I will circulate schedules of environmental seminars of interest at Ithaca College as well as at Cornell.

3) Letter to elected official (10 points):  I will provide more information on this as we get closer to the project date.

4) Service Learning Projects (50 points): Your base group will spend a total of 5 hours sometime during the second half of the semester carrying out a service project and reflecting on the activity. Service hosts may include the following:

• Local community school or after school program
• Eco-Village Co-housing sustainable community
• Tompkins County Compost Education program
• Sustainable Tompkins Coalition

After you have carried out the project, you will write a 5 page reflective essay on the experience. The project and the paper are due on April 25 (a Tuesday). We will talk more about the details in class.

• Participation and Attendance  20%
• Base group summaries  20%
• Final Exam 10%
• Quizzes (approximately bi-weekly) 20%
• Homework  30%

• Web Page: Many lecture PowerPoint presentations will be available in pdf form the following week on the course Web page using Web CT.

Chapter-by-chapter website: This website includes links to related web sites, tutorial quizzes, critical thinking questions and flash cards for each chapter.  As study guides will not be provided, it is recommended that students use the tutorial quizzes to confirm that you understand the course material.  There is a link to this website from the course webpage.

GRADING SCALE

A >92%, A-> 90%, B+>88%, B>82%, B- >80%, C+ > 78%, C> 72%, C- >70%, D+ >68%, D> 60%, D->58

The grading scale and final percentages may differ from that listed above.  However, any changes in the grading scale will be in the students favor; i.e., the grading scale will be lowered.  If at any time you are concerned about your grade, please schedule an appointment and we can discuss your progress.