Version:
2/25/12

picture of the week

thought-bite of the week:

Mt. Chimborazo
click on image to see full-size graphic

"…often during astronomic observations I almost dropped my instruments when I realized my face and hands were covered with these hairy bees. Our guides assured us that these bees only attacked when you annoyed them by picking them up by their legs. I did not try."
(Humboldt, "Personal Narrative", from Jaguars and Electric Eels, ed. & trans. Wilson, p. 17)

mini-text of the week (start):

"…the general phenomena of plant distribution…"

Humboldt, "Personal Narrative", from Jaguars and Electric Eels, ed. & trans. Wilson, pp. 14-16 (read more)

(X') = anticipated time in minutes (total=75)

(0001) etc.=item in Humboldt Project document collection

Key to notes added AFTER the class meets:

√ = topic / activity that was adequately dealt with during the class

+ = topic that was started but needs more attention & will be resumed at next / subsequent meeting(s)

- = a topic / activity that was proposed though not begun, but will be taken up later

Struckthrough text like this = a topic / activity that was proposed but not included is not going to be taken up after all

Italic bold green text like this = comments after the meeting

√

(3') This week's thought-bite and mini-text: climate and species distribution - why they didn't "get it" (climate / species zones, evolution itself) when it's so obvious now. Key terms: endemic, invasive.

Speaking of "getting it": We in 2012 often don't understand how very different (and worse) living conditions and standards were "back then" (=before ~1600, certainly; in the "First World" even as recently as 1920s; elsewhere even now). Presentation coming soon.

√

(2') Summary of Wednesday, February 22, 5-6:30 pm "Payment for Ecosystem Services in the Ecuadorian Andes,"Kathleen Farley, San Diego State University

√

(15') Start of writing assignment #4: Research and describe a Humboldt-related species for a specific audience. Due Tuesday, March 6. First step: fall in love with a Humboldt-related species - here's where to start doing that (link: Humboldt-named species)

+

(30') Exploring group projects (continuation of previous meetings):

1) Groups report about Tuesday discussions. Instructor & mentor (and others) comment.

2) Specifications for the group projects.

3) Examples of Major Projects (if carried out through final stage) - MAJOR PROJECTS, not ideas - this is NOT what YOU are expected to do:

a) An actual "Humboldt Box" with: general letter ("Dear Humboldt School… Regards, PSU Humboldt Capstone Teams"); "Getting Started" (brief user manual); Teacher's Manual (intro to AvH and the subject areas; descriptions of learning modules and support materials, like props; how to teach with them; assessment tools); collection of learning modules (what the kids see and do); informational brochure for school stakeholders (bilingual).

b) week-long meeting of teachers from 3 Humboldt-named schools to create collection of learning modules and train to use them (here's the - [as yet] unsuccessful - grant proposal);

c) course proposal for UNST capstone to produce a prototype "Humboldt Box" and the support materials for getting it in front of in-building stakeholders in a Humboldt-named school.

3) Groups work separately. Suggestion: Sketch a timeline and think backward from it.

Here is Enchanted Learning - but one of many sources of learning activities, especially for younger learners. Here's their "Explorers" page about Humboldt. Here's their section about "astronomy:Earth", with activities that could be inspiration for learning activities for Humboldt-named schools. Here is "ThirteenEd Online", about lesson plans (example: math). There are countless lesson plans for climbing walls + math, ••. LessonPlanet has reviews of climbing wall lesson plans, including activities that simulate the climbing done by Lewis & Clark, or climbing up Kilimanjaro to learn about ecological zones. And here's an event that could serve as the structure for a project about art and Humboldt: The Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest (follow link to "Teacher Resource Center" for case study and lesson plan).

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(10') More about trust and sources of info: Small groups: Where do you get your own information, opinions, conclusions, solutions, and how do you check it out? If time: So what can the educated citizen read while we wait to see what today's classics will be in the eyes of tomorrow's inhabitants? (periodical press; local, quotidien; long-term knowledge). How do educated citizens become capable writers? (See above: what do educated citizens read?)

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(5') Checkups & Previews: updated directions about getting smart phone apps for the course. (WWHD?)

Upcoming: presentation about society back then (and any time before 1800 or so), to help understand how H related to people of other classes / races (teaser: When was it that someone's ears first popped with a change in altitude?)

Next two weeks: Humboldt's influence on the