Office: BI 54 Office: ST 67
Phone: 253-833-9111 Phone: 253-833-9111mext. 4379
e-mail: bhaulman@greenriver.edu e-mail: rvieira@greenriver.edu

Textbooks:

WELCOME

Our objectives are to accomplish the following:

1) Become aware of the human and natural history of Western Washington.

2) Recognize how humans have helped to shape Western Washington and how Western Washington has helped to shape us as residents of the Pacific Northwest.

4) Develop sufficient knowledge to understand/evaluate issues and events affecting Western Washington.

5) Develop skills to work effectively with your peers.

6) Develop your written and oral communication skills.

Assessment Goals:

Green River Community College is attempting to implement individual competencies into the curriculum. This course will help improve your skills in the following areas:

1. Critical Thinking:

In this course, you will read, listen to lectures, watch films and videotapes, and discuss information and ideas with your classmates. There are ways to do each of these activities that demand critical thinking and ways that do not. For example, critical thinkers are active rather than passive readers. They read texts closely, note key ideas, look up difficult words, work hard to understand difficult passages, and keep up a dialogue with the text in the margins. Critical thinkers are also active rather than passive listeners. They listen carefully to lecture and/or discussions, try to understand statements from speaker’s perspective, and try to understand the assumptions behind those statements, Critical thinkers recognize that others may see the world differently than they do and see those perspectives not as threats but as part of the continuing and necessary dialogues that are inherent in civilizations. Critical thinkers think clearly, logically, and specifically about issues, and can refer to specific details and information to support their generalizations. Part of our job as instructors involves teaching you to be critical thinkers by explaining and modeling the behaviors of critical thinkers.

2. Written Communication:

Writing in this course will analyze, interpret, and synthesize the various readings and other course materials. Additional elements critical to writing clearly and effectively are clear focus and ideas, coherent structure and organization, correct grammar, careful editing, and effective use of language.

3. Oral Communication:

You will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of the issues we study by speaking clearly and effectively. We expect students to be actively engaged in class discussions, in seminars, in small group activities, in panel presentations, and in your final group project. We will assess not only how often you contribute in these contexts but also the quality of your contributions and the civility with which you engage in discussions.

4. Responsibility:

Regular attendance, punctuality, class preparedness (including reading materials and completing assignments before class discussion), timely submission of assignments, and an atmosphere of mutual respect are all required of you as students of this course.

Your goals as students and mine as an instructor may differ, but our basic responsibilities are essentially the same. I have attempted to structure this course with some flexibility, but it is important that you follow these responsibility guidelines. I understand that your life is busy, and that you probably have a job and other responsibilities beyond school. However, I stand by these responsibilities and will expect them to be fulfilled by everyone equally.

Specific Expectations:

1. Be in class and complete all assignments. Tardiness and absenteeism are not acceptable and will affect your grade and your enrollment in the class.

2. Be scholarly. Spelling, grammatical structures, clear writing, citing of sources, etc. are all considered basic to scholarly inquiry.

3. Participate fully: spend significant time outside of class reading and thinking; come to class prepared to listen actively and to contribute your ideas to discussions.

4. Participate in collaborative learning in all its forms (group projects, panel groups, study groups, etc.). You are not in this intellectual pursuit alone.

5. Deal with us and others in this class in an open, honest, and direct manner in all matters.

Differently-abled clause

If you need course adaptations or special accommodations because of a disability, or if you have emergency medical information we should know about, or if you have special needs we should know about, please notify us during the first week of class. You can reach us by phone at 833-9111, ext. 4380,4379, or 4481. Or, you can schedule an office appointment to meet us in the HS Office Building, office number 52 or BI Office Building, office numbers 54 or 57 during our office hours or at an alternative mutually agreeable time. If this location is not convenient for you, we will schedule an alternative place for the meeting. If you use an alternative medium for communicating, please let us know well in advance of the meeting (at least one week) so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged.

Grading -

We will distribute more detailed descriptions of each element.

Quizzes -

There will be weekly quizzes (about 10-15 questions) to check comprehension of the assigned readings.

Exams -

There will be two exams which will include multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.

Field Experiences -

There will be six Field Experiences this quarter. Each Field Experience will involve a focused trip to visit a major site (some historical, some biological) in Western Washington. You are expected to attend at least two and write a short paper placing your two Field Experiences within the context of the class. The Field Experience paper (1-2 typed, double spaced pages) will attempt to synthesize and integrate the materials we cover in class and in your readings with the particular site you visit.

Research Paper -

Students will write a research paper which will focus on an aspect of the human/nature interaction in Western Washington. The paper must be in

APA Style, minimum 5-8 pages, typed, double-spaced. Minimum of five outside sources, two of which must be electronic.

Portfolio with self-evaluation coversheet -

Toward then end of the quarter, students will turn in a portfolio of class work (so throw nothing away !!) along with a self-evaluation cover sheet. The portfolio will include ungraded class assignments.

Final Presentation -

You will be responsible for a group presentation at the conclusion of class which will center around your individual research papers.

Grade distribution:

Exams 2 30%

Quizzes 10 10%

Field Paper 2 20%

Research Paper 1 20%

Portfolio 14 10%

Final Presentation 1 10%

Grading scale

94%-100 A 4.0
90-93 A- 3.7
87-89 B+ 3.3
83-86 B 3.0
80-82 B- 2.7
77-79 C+ 2.3
73-76 C 2.0
70-72 C- 1.7
67-69 D+ 1.3
63-66 D 1.0
60-62 D- 0.7
below 60% not passing

 Student Understandings

1. I understand the standards in this course and that I am responsible for monitoring my own learning.
1. I understand that when we are working in small groups I am responsible to take an active part in advancing the assigned work of the group.
2. I understand that I will be held responsible for assessing my own work using criteria and standards discussed in class.
3. I understand that if at any time in the semester I feel unsure about my "grade", I may request an assessment from the instructor.
4. I understand that nearly every class period will have something due, quiz, seminar questions, self test, etc.
5. I understand that the film group, seminar, exam, research paper, and portfolio, and final presentation assignments will be prepared using the format discussed.
6. I understand that I am responsible for my own learning.
7. I understand the use of the quizzes employed in this class is to prepare for the coming week.
8. I understand that some projects will be worked on in pairs or larger groups.
9. I understand that the work of the course requires consistent classroom attendance and active participation.
10. I understand that the choice is mine not the instructors.

Date ______ Print Name_____________________

                                Signature   _____________________