Columbia College
Environmental Conservation (NATRE 1)
Instructor: Dr. Tom Hofstra
Spring 2008
Meeting/Credit information
Lecture:
Tuesday and Thursday 8:00AM - 9:25AM (Toyon 2)
Field
trips as announced
3
units
Office hours (Toyon 4): I welcome and
encourage students to discuss course-related issues with me outside of lecture
and lab time. Please make an appointment
with me in a timely manner, either in person or by email.
Phone: 588-5155
E-mail:
hofstrat@yosemite.cc.ca.us
Web Page: http://columbia.yosemite.cc.ca.us/hofstrat/Default.htm
Textbook (Required):
Environmental
Science: A Global Concern, 9th ed. 2006. by
Cunningham. Published by McGraw Hill. ISBN#
9780073219916
Course Description: Conservation of the
biological and physical environment. History of the conservation movement. A case-study approach to land use practices
of environmental conservation with current topics on endangered species,
environmental pollution, wilderness management, energy, population, and the
uniqueness of California natural resources.
Field trips may be required.
Course Objectives:
By the conclusion of the course, each student should be able to:
1.
Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and ramifications of
environmental conservation,
2. Demonstrate an
understanding regarding the concepts of natural resources,
3. Demonstrate an
understanding of the U.S. conservation movement of the 1800's and early 1900's
and the more recent environmental movement of the 1960's to the present,
4. Demonstrate an
understanding of the fundamentals of human population dynamics and be able to
relate this to natural resources management and consumption,
5. Demonstrate
and understanding of our basic environmental resources including resource
description, inventory, uses, management and case-study examples,
6. Demonstrate an
understanding of environmental pollutants and the consequences and complexities
of applying technology to the use of natural resources,
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of
resource recycling,
8. Demonstrate an
understanding of the significance of outdoor recreation to the use of natural
resources and fossil fuel energy resources,
9. Compare the
environmental uniqueness of California with that of Alaska,
10. Demonstrate an
understanding of educational and employment opportunities in the environmental
sciences.
Rules:
1.
Show
up and pay attention – you get out of it what you put in.
2.
Cheating will not be tolerated and will result in immediate
failure (F) for the course.
3.
Turn
off your cell phone during lecture and lab.
No text messaging during lecture and lab. Don't even look at your cell phone during
class time.
4.
If
you come in late (which is frowned upon) be quiet, don't let the door slam, and
sit in the closest seat to the door you came in.
5.
Wear
or bring shoes and clothes that you can walk in the woods in if you have too.
|
Source |
Date |
Points |
|
Midterm Exam |
MIDTERM
EXAM, Tuesday Feb. 26 |
100 |
|
Final Exam |
Finals Week |
100 |
|
Independent project |
Week 15 |
100 |
|
General participation/attitude |
Always |
100 |
|
Quizzes (2) |
Tuesday,
Feb. 19, Tuesday April 15 |
(2 x 25) 50 |
|
Total |
|
450 |
90%+ = A, 80-90% = B, 70-80% = C, 60-70% = D, below 60% = F
Participation in lecture
and on fieldtrips is mandatory and will be monitored (attendance will be taken on random
days when I remember to) and figured into your final grade.
Exams will be in
two parts. A take home portion
consisting of a choice of questions (you pick 3 of 7) will be distributed the
period before the scheduled day of the exam.
This portion is worth 45 pts, is open book, and you are encouraged to
use a variety of resources, but you must work alone. You may use the take home exam during the in
class portion of the exam. The take home
portion of the exam will be due the day of the exam before lab starts at 2:40
PM. Late take-home exams are marked down
1pt/minute late. The in class portion of
the exam is worth 55 pts, and consists of short answer, multiple choice, and
matching questions. Spelling of
scientific terms is very important and will be counted when your tests are
graded. Tests will cover the material
discussed in lecture, activities, and corresponding text readings. The three
lecture exams will not be cumulative.
Projects:
Each student will have the opportunity to complete
an individual or group project.
This project is worth as much as an exam (100 pts). Projects are intended to give students
real-world experience in the field of wildlife biology. Depending on the project (independent or
group) students will design their project either independently or as a
group. Projects will be due at the end
of the semester, with progress checks at regular intervals.
If you have an emergency, contact me prior to an exam. Make-up exams will be given under extenuating
circumstances only and will require written documentation validating the reason
for missing the exam (e.g. Doctors note).
Field
trips:
When
we go on field trips you have to provide your own transportation (carpooling is
encouraged). We meet at the site of the
field trip. Fieldtrips may occur during
lecture times or other times including weekends (scheduling problems will be
considered and dealt with if necessary).
Longer field trips on the weekends may require not having class some
week(s).
Tentative Schedule – Subject to Change
– Stay Tuned for Updates
|
Week |
Topic |
Chapters |
Event |
|
1 |
Course
introduction, defining "environmental conservation", conservation
definitions - interpretation and analysis, conservation and preservation. Video
clip: http://www.storyofstuff.com/ Introduce: http://www.focusthenation.org |
1 |
|
|
2 |
Film: Guns,
Germs and Steel Discussion
of film |
1 |
|
|
3 |
Film: The
Greatest Good |
1 |
|
|
4 |
Focus the
Nation Planning and
Execution |
25 |
|
|
5 |
Film: Global
Warming Global
Warming: Local Implications and
Solutions |
15, 16 |
|
|
6 |
Film:
Inconvenience Truth Politics and
Science |
15, 16 |
|
|
7 |
Film: Oil on
Ice Discussion
of film |
19, 20 |
QUIZ:
Tuesday, Feb. 19 |
|
8 |
Film:
Cadillac Desert 1 – Nature’s Mercy Endangerd species,
local endangered species |
17 |
MIDTERM
EXAM, Tuesday Feb. 26 |
|
9 |
Film:
Cadillac Desert 2 – Mulholland’s Dream Biomes |
17 |
|
|
10 |
Film: The
Evolutionary Arms Race Community
Biology and Evolution |
4 |
|
|
11 |
Film: GMO
Crops |
9 |
|
|
12 |
Jamestown
Wastewater Treatment Plant |
17 |
|
|
13 |
Save the
Clavey Restore
Hetch Hetchy |
17 |
|
|
14 |
Film: Who’s
Counting?: Human Population |
7 |
|
|
15 |
Project
Presentations |
|
QUIZ:
Tuesday April 15 |
|
16 |
Finals |
|
FINAL EXAM |