History 49:
The Mother Lode
Spring 2008, M 6:00p – 9:05p, Sequoia 1
Instructor:
Shannon Van Zant
Email: vanzants@yosemite.edu
Office Hours:
M & W 3:00 – 4:00 p.m., Tamarack 209, cubicle G
Course Description: The Mother Lode is a survey course designed
to introduce a contextual examination of major topics in Mother Lode History
including the Geography of the region, native Americans, California Gold Rush,
the Timber and Ranching Industries, the Railroad, Water and Environmental
Issues and Mother Lode Myths.
Course Objectives: By the end of this course you should be able
to identify, think analytically about and critically evaluate major issues in
Mother Lode History. You should also
understand the nature of historical argumentation, and be able to communicate
your thoughts and ideas in a coherent and confident manner, both orally and in
writing. This course is designed to
strengthen your critical and analytical thinking and writing skills.
Course Assignments: This course is worth 700 points. The grades for this course will be based on
three exams and an annotated bibliography.
The specifics of these assignments are discussed separately. NO late papers or make-up exams will be
accepted, although all assignments may be turned in early.
2
exams @ 100 pts = 200 pts A: 630 - 700
1
final exam @ 200 pts = 200 pts B: 560 -629
1
annotated bibliography = 100 pts C: 490 -559
Annotated
Bib prewriting = 100 pts D: 420 -489
3
*The Grading Criteria for these assignments is
attached to this syllabus.
Required
1) The
2) Starr and Orsi. Rooted
in Barbarous Soil: People, Culture and
Community in Gold Rush
Recommended
1) Mace, O.Henry. Between the Rivers: A History of Early
Classroom Policies: Please be respectful. Come to class on time, prepared with all
materials and ready to work. Needless to
say, this is not a place to sleep or eat.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a failing grade, so
be sure you do your own work and cite the work and ideas of others. I do not accept late work and do not give
make-up exams. I do not take attendance,
but your attendance and class participation will be reflected in your work, and
so it is critical that you attend class. For students with disabilities,
whether physical, learning, or psychological in nature, who believe that they
may need special accommodations in this class, I encourage you to discuss
options with me within the first 10 days of instruction.
*Please visit the Geography/History/Political
Science Department website at www.gocolumbia.org
for some useful links.
General Syllabus
Professor
Shannon Van Zant
The
general syllabus reviews policy and procedure issues pertaining to all my
courses. Generally, one important goal
in all of my courses is to minimize penalty for student start-points and
maximize opportunities for the acquisition of college level skills during the
semester. In other words, college level
skills are not expected upon entering a class.
But, at the time of class completion, students are expected to
demonstrate skills and abilities appropriate to lower division.
Examinations: There will be three (3)
examinations, including the final exam.
The first two exams will be take-home examinations, each worth 100 points. The final may be a take-home exam. The final exam is worth between 200
points. Exams will be in essay format.
Students will receive the essay questions well ahead (at least four weeks) of
the exam due date.
Examination Procedure: The significant issues in each
of the three sections of the course are reflected in the exam questions. Class
dialogue will be designed around these issues and to the possible linkages to
the exam questions. Students are urged
to work on these questions throughout the time spent in any given area. Students will prepare outlines for each essay
question (students need to know how to do this upon entering the class). The specific question assignment will be made
several days prior to the due date. This
procedure gives students the opportunity to be equally prepared to respond to
all of the essay questions.
Criteria for Grading Examinations: Grading criteria may be found in
the syllabus, at the Library Reference Desk and on WebCT. Students are urged to ask questions about the
criteria and to test their understanding of the criteria by conducting ‘peer
reviews’ of their work.
Grades: Grades on exams become permanent
one week after graded exams have been returned.
In other words, students have one week to ask questions about exam
grades.
Numerical and Letter: The relationships between
numerical and letter grades on an exam worth 100 points is illustrated below:
|
Points
Earned |
|
Letter
Grade |
|
>89 |
= |
A |
|
80-89 |
= |
B |
|
70-79 |
= |
C |
|
60-69 |
= |
D |
Assistance: I will assist with the
preparation of outlines to exam questions and will provide ‘preliminary
grading’ to students wishing to turn in practice exams/outlines. I will answer any and all questions about
exam questions inside or outside of class up through the assignment of the
specific exam question.
Student Strategies: Students having problems with
any part of the course are urged to see me as soon as possible. Make a reading and study schedule and stick
to it. A three-hour per week course
assumes 12 hours per week outside the classroom. Group work is encouraged, but plagiarism is
not. Bring questions to class about the
readings and/or about the exam questions themselves. Use the essay questions as the organizing
framework for your reading. Select key words,
phrases, or segments of text which you believe are important to responding to
essay questions.
What Not To Expect: I do not give quizzes, grade on
a curve, or provide extra-credit assignments.
I do not expect students to possess college level skills when they enter
my courses. And, I do not accept missed
or late work in the absence of negotiation.
What To Expect: Students can expect support,
assistance, feedback, and interest in a climate of authentic lower division
collegiate expectations. Students can
and should expect to acquire contributions to the scaffolding for eventual
upper
Course
Schedule
History
49, Spring 2008
|
Week |
Date |
Assignment |
Week |
Date |
Assignment |
|
1 |
Jan 7 |
Intro to Local History & Geology/Geography |
9 |
Mar 3 |
All Materials Due (25pts) |
|
2 |
Jan 14 |
Inhabitants of |
10 |
Mar 10 |
Other Industries Exam 2 Assigned |
|
3 |
Jan 21 |
NO CLASS |
11 |
Mar 17 |
Water Issues Exam 2 Due (100 pts) |
|
4 |
Jan 28 |
Topic must be
approved by this day (25 pts) All materials Due(25pts) |
12 |
Mar 24 |
Environment |
|
5 |
Feb 4 |
Exam 1 Assigned |
13 |
Mar 31 |
Myths/Realities Annotated
Bibliography rough draft due
(50pts) |
|
6 |
Feb 11 |
Exam 1 DUE (100pts) |
14 |
Apr 7 |
Myths/Realities All Materials Due (50pts) |
|
7 |
Feb 18 |
NO CLASS |
15 |
Apr 14 |
Mother Lode Today Annotated
Bibliography Due
(100pts) |
|
8 |
Feb 25 |
Preliminary List
of Sources Due
(25pts) |
|
Apr 21 |
Final Exam 6:00 –
9:05 p.m.(200 pts) |
|
1st X A M |
Monday, Jan 28th – All Materials DUE |
|
Monday, Feb 4th – 1ST Exam Assigned |
|
|
Monday, Feb 11th – 1ST Exam DUE |
|
|
Preparation: Reserve Readings, Rooted in Barbarous
Soil Ch. 1 -4, The Golden Highway Ch. 1 -2 |
|
|
|
|
|
2nd X A M |
Monday, Mar 3th – All Materials DUE |
|
Monday, Mar 10th – 2ND Exam Assigned |
|
|
Monday, Mar 17th – 2ND Exam DUE |
|
|
Preparation: Reserve Readings, Rooted in Barbarous Soil
Ch 5-8, The Golden Highway Ch. 3-4 |
|
|
|
|
|
FINAL X A M |
Monday, Apr 7th – All Materials DUE |
|
Monday Apr 23, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
– FINAL EXAM DUE |
|
|
Preparation: Reserve |
|
Description of Exams:
The first two exams are take home exams worth 100
points each. The final exam may be a
take home exam, and is worth 200 points.
All exams will be in essay form.
The exams are designed to enhance your critical thinking and writing
skills. It will be necessary for you to select,
organize and present material from the reading, class notes, and your own
ideas. All sources used should be
cited. Plagiarism will result in a
failing grade.
The exam will be assigned the class period before
it is due, except for the final which will be assigned at the beginning of the
final exam period. If the class fails to
have any further questions, the exam will be assigned that day. If all materials are approved before the due
date, you will be able to choose which exam question you would like to
answer. All exams are due at the
beginning of the class following the date assigned. I do not give make-up exams or accept late
papers. The exam questions for all three
exams are included with the syllabus.
Please look them over carefully and ask any questions you may have.
All exams are to be typed, double-spaced with
12-inch font and one-inch margins.
Please only include a cover sheet – no costly portfolios. The length of the paper is not as important
as the quality of work. I will grade you
work according to the Grading Criteria, and not according to how much you
write. If you are uncomfortable with
this, please come and see me. If you
have any questions on the format of the exams or what is expected of
you, please ask. It is very likely that
you are not the only one that has questions.
This is your education, please treat it as such.
NO EXAMS WILL BE ASSIGNED VIA EMAIL!
GRADING CRITERIA FOR EXAMS
(each
criteria is weighted equally)
1. Is there
a concise thesis, a coherent progression of ideas, and a conclusion that
accurately sums up your paper?
2. Did you
answer all parts of the question?
3. Did you
develop all points and ideas equally?
Did you leave anything out?
4. Were the
examples or illustrations you used the best available? Did they come from the appropriate reading
material?
5. Did you
include visual aids to enhance the points of your argument, i.e. maps, charts,
photographs?
6. Do all of
your examples support your thesis?
7. Are there
mechanical problems, i.e. spelling, grammar, fragments, etc.?
8. Are all
sources used and cited – required readings, class discussions, and your own
critique?
9. Are there
factual inaccuracies?
10. Does
this represent something that could be used to teach others?
Your readings, notes and outlines for each of the
exam questions, must be approved by the instructor by the due date in order to
receive choice on the exam questions.
The readings, notes and outlines for the first two exams are worth 25
pts each and the final readings, notes and outlines are worth 50 pts. If you do not get the material in by the due
date an exam question will be assigned to you at the end of the class period
before the exam is due. For the final
exam, if you do not get your materials in before the due date, the final exam
question will be assigned at the beginning of the final period, and the exam
will be written in class. If you have
approved notes, readings and outlines by the due date you can choose which exam
question you will answer.
The readings consist of the reading you do with the
required sources. You should bring these
materials to each and every class, and use them. I will be checking these materials to ensure
that you are reading, and reading effectively.
This provides a great opportunity to discuss reading strategies and
identify any problems with the required readings.
The notes consist of the notes that you take in
class, or outside of class. I will be
checking your notes to ensure that you are taking effective notes, and that
your notes will be useful to you.
The outlines will be of the exam questions. I expect you to outline each exam question,
including citing sources and thesis statements.
These outlines will be crucial to writing a good exam.
These readings, notes and outlines can be turned in
any time before the due date, and may be turned in multiple times. So plan ahead, and don’t procrastinate.