Course Format

The interdisciplinary survey of environmental issues will be provided in interdisciplinary large group sessions. Reading will be intensive and extensive, especially during the first week; plan on a minimum of 2-3 hours per day. The approach will be problem solving oriented in that environmental problems will be identified and related causes, implications, and principles will be evaluated. Some of the problems will be addressed as case studies from various disciplinary perspectives and others will be presented as panel discussions, role-playing exercises, and student interaction. In all cases, integrative thinking will be emphasized through interactions between students and members of the interdisciplinary teaching team.

Small-group sessions will emphasize a more disciplinary perspective. The small-group setting will be more conducive to discussion, interaction, and collaboration in accord with the goals of the liberal education experience. Critical thinking and values clarification will also be enhanced by the blend of the interdisciplinary lecture and small-group meeting. Small groups will meet independently several times per week as determined by the Teaching Team (see box below).

Text as Context

Read the assigned portions of the text prior to coming to class! There will be regular quizzes on key principles in the text each week during a large group meeting. Try to look for basic principles that can shore up your understanding of relevant issues. DON'T GET BOGGED DOWN IN DETAILS! We will spend some time in the large group section highlighting material from the reading and will welcome any specific questions you might have.

Grading & Exams

There will be regular quizzes and large group writing assignments comprising 20% of the overall course grade, 10% of grade will be based on service learning, and 20% based on the final. Quiz questions will be based largely on the vocabulary and review questions at the ends of the chapters in the Miller text as well as from the conceptual questions in the tutorial quizzes on the text's website. In-class writing assignments will be based largely on Critical Thinking problems posed at the end of each chapter and will integrate material from the lectures. The remaining 50% of your grade will be based on small-group assignments and participation in discussions and other activities. Assignments of additional work and grading of student performance in small-groups will be the responsibility of the instructor of the departmental section in which students are enrolled. Regular attendance in both large-group and small-group is expected.

Course Introduction

Environmental Problems, Causes & Sustainability
Vertical Integration

Full-Cost Pricing

Small Group

Chapters 2-4

Science, Ecological Principles, and Biodiversity

Small Group

Bike Trip to Harmony CoOp., Wild Hare, Goodwill, Pawn USA and Twice But Nice (maybe Farmers' Market)

Sustaining Environmental Quality

Jeopardy Review 9:00-11 am

Final Exam 9 - 11 am [Study Questions]

Small Group 11 - 12:10