Meeting 14 • 21 February 2013 • Thursday
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pictures of the week
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thought-bite of the week: "…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) |
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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) |
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(15') This week's thought-bite: expensive instruments, extreme conditions, and progressive insights into geography, climate, and species distribution: 1) Which of the planets can be seen by the naked eye? Common binoculars? Which have you yourself seen? Magnification (and the misconception about "power"); light-gathering; the importance of stable mountings and precise angular measurement; cost (in relation to size; then and now) Humboldt's portable instruments: a) the portrait of H&B at their research table; b) out in the field near Chimborazo. The portable telescopes of Humboldt's time: 1) superbrief history of telescope from 1608 into 21st C; 2) telescopes of the 18th C, including 3) the one that Capt. Cook used for advanced astronomical observation on his voyages; 4) telescopes of the 19th C; 5) history of the observatory; 6) stationery telescopes and their astronomers: Wilhelm / William Herschel; 7) the Paris Observatory - Humboldt would have known it well; 8) the Berlin Observatory - Humboldt would have been quite familiar with it too, especially after his travels; 9) the US Naval Observatory, the major center of American astronomy around 1800; 10) two sources of interest to us as we deal with the unavoidable and very complex issue of science and religion: the Vatican Observatory; Wikipedia: "Catholic Church and science"; 11) something to think about the next time you sing "Auld Lang Syne" at Times Square :-) Good topic for a group project: archaeoastronomy and ethnoastronomy – explanation; sample lesson plan for "A web-based activity exploring how different cultures have interpreted constellations" This week's mini-text about plant distribution: It's not just that the distribution of species varies with altitude, as it varies with latitude and climate; the same or similar species appear in similar zones that are separated by barriers like mountains that - once geology was mature enough to recognize this - may have arisen to isolate those species from each other. There was much effort to distinguish closely related species and to determine which were variants of ONE species and which were truly species of their own. Definition of species then was based on reproduction (the reproductive parts of the plants; the possibility of fertile mating); that principle has yielded to cladistics and classification by shared genes (see handout for meeting #11, Fortey, Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms, pp.24-5)). A thorny related problem: How to tell whether a newly-encountered being is a member of species X, say our own species. Small groups: put forth your own definition of "human". |
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(15') The iconic "Chimborazo" graphic: that was the best they had "back then" about sustainable environmentalism: the data, the thought, the presentation in words and pictures. There was NO "Big Science": no government-sponsored science (until late in 19thC in US - Powell's fights), no corporate-financed R&D. Well, there was a little, especially for military purposes (mapping, weapons). But most science was "amateur" (gentleman, a few gentlewomen Caroline Herschel! - , and a few others), because science then was not regarded as important. Producing that engraving involved huge effort and expense, even after the data was collected. Some other "iconic" images related to science (whether as concepts or as means to deliver data effectively). Special points: natural history collections; rarity of travel; topographic mapping (Wikipedia; Geosciences, Idaho State U) |
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(15') Our discussions of data and last meeting's meditation about reading Darwin were a preview of the topic: What can we trust? Can we even trust the Helferich book? Examples of "cognitive traps": availability bias; hindsight bias; confirmation bias; contamination effects (distraction by irrelevant but proximate information); overconfidence in calibration (precision ≠ accuracy; best-case scenario ≠ most probable outcome) (source: R0303, Ferguson, Ascent of Money). So what can we educated citizens read while we wait to see how today's contentious issues will work out and what today's classics will be? What our are reliable sources of information and opinion: electronic / paper / other; periodical press; local, quotidien; long-term knowledge? Related question: how do educated citizens become capable / better writers? Small groups: Where do you get your citizen information, opinions, conclusions, solutions, and how do you check it out? If you are into "think globally, act locally", where do you get your local info? What "signs" are there that your sources are reliable? |
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(10') More about writing assignment #04 and the group project: Educating the young(ish) learner about sustainable environmentalism, as you will explore with your projects, requires systematic learning (lesson plans!) mapped onto standards. Here are examples: Lyon Arboretum and Hawaii school standards • Hawaii STEM Intercommunity Portal • 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). And here's a blog article, from Scientific American, that attacks state science education standards, including Oregon's, as "'mediocre to awful." |
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(10') Exploring group projects (continuation of previous meetings): Link to the group project specifications. First, let's encourage "inclusion" by group-thinking some examples of projects that could call on the interests and expertise of: business/econ majors; architecture majors; PE/sports majors / athletes; music. Groups report out: who is doing what, how far are you getting, what have been your triumphs and problems? What help do you need? Now some general specifications (review of several earlier discussions): 2) Projects can be aimed at Humboldt-named schools, but can also target just about anything that is related to sustainable environmentalism: OMSI Planet under Pressure; PSU Earth Day; 3) Examples of projects aimed at Humboldt-named schools: Earth Day with Alex; designing a Humboldt-related learning garden or specimen collection; planning initial contact with Humboldt-named schools; researching Humboldt-named schools; re-branding a Humboldt-named school (colors, totem animal /plant, mascot & costume, rally/same implement, cheer, events); familiarizing stakeholders with Humboldt; planning the model "Humboldt Box"; adaption of lesson plans for Humboldt-related content (organized according to subject area, or according to age level); grant research and draft proposal. 4) Your part in a project does NOT have to be based on your academic subjects. You may have a serious personal interest that can help (pets, dance, sewing), or an area of "non-academic" interest, experience and talent (organizational skills) 5) The projects are Big IDEAS. They do NOT have to be Giant Finished Products. The Humboldt Project has been going on for more than five years, and already includes some student-begun projects that have been handed on to you. Your projects will be handed on to other teams. 6) Start RIGHT AWAY (or even sooner) to document your contribution to your group project so that it can be known (and graded) individually. 7) Groups work separately. Suggestion: Sketch a timeline and think backward from it. |
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(5') Announcements, Checkups & Previews: 1) apps Humboldt would have liked; 2) 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?); 3) advice about "educated citizen" reading, with a short sample; 4) one focus of "interpreting the past" to the present during the rest of the course: land and water allocation and use in the American West, including Oregon, and how Humboldt play an important role in that. One theme of next several weeks: Humboldt's influence on the development of systems of land and wa |