Version:
2/13/12

picture of the week

thought-bite of the week:

electric eel (top) and freshwater dolphin (bottom)
click on image to see full-size graphic

"In this paradise of American jungles, as everywhere else, a long , sad experience has taught all living beings that gentleness is rarely linked to might."
(Humboldt, "Personal Narrative", from Jaguars and Electric Eels, ed. & trans. Wilson, p. 66)

mini-text of the week (start):

"In Calabozo, in the middle of the llanos, we found an electric machine with great discs, electrophori, batteries and electrometers…"

Humboldt, "Personal Narrative", from Jaguars and Electric Eels, ed. & trans. Wilson, pp. 57-8, 62 (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

√

(10') This week's thought-bite and mini-text: "Nature red in tooth and claw"; relation between mechanical and biological forces & substances. Sometimes the boundaries (or lack of boundaries) weren't understand: 1) Humboldt's battery with the bits of flesh between the disks. 2) Ancient technique of tempering a new sword with human blood. 30 Astrological (and scientific!) beliefs about the interaction of extra-terrestrial bodies / forces on terrestrial organisms. Follow-up on last meeting's mention of older words for "scientist": "experimental philosopher". "Natural Philosophy" and (vs?) "______ical Philosophy". (Speaking of "vs": universe/university, multiverse, diversity). Small-group discussion and report-out: What does "modern" mean? (dates, periods, events, world-views?)

√

(15') 1% & 99% (no, not that meaning - two other meanings for this course)

The Humboldt Canoe begins to paddle deep into sustainable environmentalism. We're finishing the basic reading (have you?), and now need to branch out for more reading.

1) Where you should be (soon) on the reading and class participation: a self-scoring guide (adjusted for delay in getting books):

A+: Has finished Jaguars and Eels and even Helferich. Read Wikipedia about AvH, and the other short texts, long ago (and maybe checks the Wikipedia article occasionally now). Follows the links on the class outline page (like the one to Dungeness Crab). Independently finds more reading. (And we have at least one person in the class who is doing extra reading.) Could lead a group discussion about that reading for half an hour, with a little
advance notice.
B: Has read the Wikipedia article, is nearly done with J&E, is caught up on Helferich.
C: Read the Wikipedia article briefly, has read some of J&E and Helferich.
D: Has twice read a couple pages of J&E and Helferich.
F: Has read at most a couple pages.

Employers would have a similar rubric, but with more brutal consequences: They would fire the CDF and sternly warn the B- (and only once).

How far (or not far) can BS take you if you haven't done the reading? Example using writing assignments: #1 Portrait - a long way, and it didn't matter - we were looking for an initial writing sample; #2 Leaving Home - still quite a ways; #3 My Education - not very far; #4 Humboldt Species Description - fatal

2) Here's a similar rubric for class participation:

A+: Always in class/workshop, often leads, speaks in front of the group, talks outside class/ workshop, has even discussed the course with people outside the course. Is getting quite impatient with other students and perhaps even the instructor.
B: Attends most class/workshop meetings. Talks often in class (though not very often in front of everyone). Leads now and then in small groups.
C: Attends most meetings. Talks regularly in partner/small-group activities, leads - but only rarely.
D: Has missed half the meetings or more, talks very little (almost never in
front of everyone), never leads.
F: Has missed a lot of meetings, seldom talks even in small groups, has never spoken in front of the group, never leads. Avoids even obvious need to participate.

3) Something more generic:

A+: Could pursue the topic independently now, beyond class and course, and - with an hour of prep - could step in for me for half an hour - not at my level of expertise, but enough that any others who care would benefit from it. Can distinguish the difference between A, B, C, D, and F students (where the C student can't distinguish the difference between A and B, just - sort of hazily - that both are better than self).

4) What assessment means (not just tests and assignments!) and how that relates to grades and curves and letting your light shine (or lightS - we each have our own strengths and weaknesses). Types of assessment: summative, formative; norm-referenced, criterion-referenced.

5) What grades mean when they get beyond the letter itself (grad courses, major courses, 100-/200-level courses, SINQ courses). The issues of grade inflation and differential GPAs.

√

(20') Housekeeping and support of learning activities.

See previous meeting's outline for modification to schedule (delays) and assignments (reduction).

1) Mentor feedback about the "My Education" assignment. Why it's important to be able to write to length.

2) (review) Writing activity about a Humboldt-related species remains as announced at the start of the course. Specifications to come next week.

3) (review) The truth is out (from talks about class and my "free lunch" offer): you people do have interests, abilities, and communication skills. So the "book report" activity will remain, but will be converted to a choice of: a) writing, to close specifications, about a medium-size article which you'll choose from a list of about 10; OR b) reading a book carefully selected according to your high-interest topic choice, with considerable latitude, though less considerable longitude :-) of response. Texts to be available by the end of week 7.

4) (review and expansion) The group project will proceed generally as announced at the start of the course, but its scope will be limited to draft / outline (Big Idea for a Major Project), rather than finished, packaged product. Reasons: a) never enough time; b) we're contemplating another SINQ (summer, maybe) and even a Humboldt Capstone. This course's group projects will be handed off (anonymously) to your successors for further development. Into the projects we'll integrate the species descriptions and the foundation for learning materials of use to Humboldt-named schools, or just about any school. You learn best when you have to teach what you've learned. To be an educated, committed citizen is both to learn and to teach.

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(20') Group activity related to group project: plan the Humboldt SINQ appearance at PSU Earth Day; re-brand a Humboldt-named school (colors, totem animal /plant, mascot & costume, rally implement, cheer, events)

:-) Should we offer the Humboldt-named schools a lesson plan organized around a banquet of Humboldt-named plants and animals? Maybe with a fund-raiser?

Maybe: trial organization of groups by categories (majors? definite ideas already for projects? math people? foodies? outdoor interests? making things? travel background? hobbies?)

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)

√

(5') The midterm: description and Q&A. Course deadlines. Remember: the mid-term is optional (see previous meeting)

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(5') Checkups & Previews: See "schedule and assignments" page (week 4) for directions about getting smart phone apps for the course. (WWHD?) What shall we do with/to the people who haven't gotten on board the SINQing Humboldt Canoe - haven't come forward with information about their interests and skills? Maybe we can find an idea in Walls's description of loading the canoe.:-)

Link to midterm