Meeting # & Date

Outline of meeting

Week 1: Leaving home: pictures, visions, dreams

#01 • 10 January

Our topic, our course. Main points: understanding the past; re-tracing Humboldt's experiences and research; reinterpreting the past (for ourselves, for others); tapping into tacit knowledge; staying on (or at least near) the main topic. Intake experiences questionnaire (with partner/ group discussion): life experiences relevant to this SINQ. Goals, objectives, schedule, activities, resources, results, standards. Names (on seating chart) & photos.

#02 • 12 January

"Humboldt's World – Our World", by guest presenter Prof. Steven Fuller. Writing sample, done in class (<20'): What Do You See in the Iconic Portrait of Humboldt?

Mentor Workshop

Followup discussion: main features of the course; mechanics. Skills inventory I (specific skills related to this SINQ). Writing sample: travelogue. Course standards & scoring guides. Help with getting texts.

Reading for next week, to be done by Tuesday

Amazon blurb for fast take on Helferich biography of Humboldt.

Wikipedia (English version) about Humboldt - concentrate on the early part of his life and the pictures.

Take at least 15 minutes to explore the Humboldt Project website. Follow particularly these links on the opener screen: "about the Project", "Humboldt-named schools worldwide", "named for Humboldt", and "grant possibilities".

Preface ("Humboldt's Ghost") to Helferich, Humboldt's Cosmos. Get this as part of finding out how to get the main texts for the course.

Optional/ Enrichment: compare the Spanish Wikipedia article about Humboldt to the English version. The German and French versions also differ - every group has "its" Humboldt, and French and Spanish were important languages in Humboldt's world, his own work, and his effect on the world, even today. The difference among Wikipedia articles also reminds us to think critically about the sources we use and believe, whether they are printed or on the internet.

Writing (due before class, Tuesday, 17 January)

Email instructor and mentor. Give us your preferred email address and a weekly schedule that indicates at least three different times during the week (including the weekend) when you could be available for group (e-)meetings of at least one hour per meeting. Desirable times: before and after class or mentor workshops. To your email attach a writing sample: "Writing assignment 2: Leaving Home".

Housekeeping

Choose how to get the main texts for the course, and do so by THIS FRIDAY (13 January).

Week 2: Boats, roads & paths, legs & arms

#03 • 17 January

Poll & discussion: Review & expansion of Prof. Fuller's background presentation at meeting #2
Our notions about the world of 1800.
Media representations of Humboldt and his world. - will do this over several meetings
The Weitsch portrait of Humboldt
About scoring guides
About teamwork and group projects - will do this in meeting 4
Humboldt & Hawaii
If time: Humboldt-related schools - didn't have time; will do very soon

#04 • 19 January

Activity: Basic hands-on quantities and relations. Humboldt's travel routes. Meanings of nature, ecology, economy, environment. Humboldt-named schools, and their problems and possibilities.

Mentor Workshop

Writing sample: narration of travel experience (if not done earlier). Preparation for making portraits of ourselves as environmentalists-explorers. Quiz about course / other feedback. (will lap over into next week.)

Reading

Helferich, Chapter 1 ("Tegel" - included in the free sample; read it quickly); Chapter 2 ("Tenerife"); explore Humboldt school sites via the Humboldt Project website

Writing / other preparation

Imagine yourself going on some exploration to find out something about the environment / ecology / nature. How would you prepare? What would you wear? What would you bring along to help you find out whatever it is you want to find out? Gather some props and clothing and plan your own portrait. This will lead to a later writing assignment TBA

Housekeeping

commit to a subject area / topic for individual reading and lesson plan; choose a Humboldt school (will lap over into next week's mentor workshops)

Week 3: Lands, climates & people – then & now

#05 • 24 January

Distances, areas, latitude, longitude, degrees. More about Humboldt-named schools and their part in this course. Standards for education (general, environmental).

#06 • 26 January

SINQing the Humboldt Canoe. Educational standards.

Mentor Workshop

Academic background & interests questionnaire.

Reading for next week - do by Tuesday

Helferich, Chapters 3 ("Cumaná") & 4 ("Caracas"); Jaguars and Eels, 3-28

Writing

Writing assignment 3: Your education and how it compares to standards. CHANGE IN POLICY & PROCEDURE: Print it out and hand it in during class. DON'T EMAIL IT!!

Housekeeping

commit to a subject area / topic for individual reading and lesson plan; choose a Humboldt school (will lap over into next week's mentor workshops)

Week 4: Plants

#07 • 31 January

Linnaeus and classification of life forms. What, how, and how much did explorers eat? Maybe: geology and other sciences in the time of Humboldt and Darwin (and Jefferson). Calculating volume and displacement of the Humboldt canoe, and then the content and weight of its cargo (human, animal, and other). ••Examples of Humboldt-related lesson plans mapped onto learning standards. Questionnaire: "hot-button" topics. / ••or: travel near Humboldt locations

#08 • 02 February

Humboldt's innovation of climate zones. What words did they have for "science" and "scientist", and what did those words mean? ••maps, triangulation, surveying, compasses, barometers, altimeters, transits, theodolites, and GPS; water flows downhill - or does it? the Orinoco/Amazon connection.

Mentor Workshop

Travel questionnaire and discussion: Have you been to places where Humboldt went? Where else? (continued in mentor workshop). Maybe: map skills questionnaire / ••hotbutton topics

Reading for next week - do by Tuesday

Helferich, Chapters 5 ("The Llanos") & 6 ("The Orinoco"); Jaguars and Eels, 29-64; Use your computer/ smartphone map links and applications (see below, Housekeeping) to trace AvH's route in South America, starting with his travel up the Orinoco and down the Amazon. See Helferich, p. 52 map, but be aware that some place names have been changed over time.

Writing

Continuation of Writing assignment 3: Your education and how it compares to standards. CHANGE IN POLICY & PROCEDURE: Print it out and hand it in during class. DON'T EMAIL IT!!

Housekeeping

task division within project teams/ commitment for individual contribution to the project; getting ready to use smart phone apps in the course (and classroom): iPhone users: download these free apps: Google Earth, MapQuest, Compass, World Map, Elevation, My Altitude, GPS Lite, and - ESPECIALLY - Theodolite. Android and other users: See what you can find that is similar. All participants: You are expected to share resources, including smart phone resources, when you work together face-to-face-to-screen. Update (21 Feb. 2012): list of apps

Week 5: Animals

#09 • 07 February

More about plants. Presentation: Lesson plans & pedagogy; location-based learning and other student outreach possibilities. More about the "My Education" writing assignment. Preview of the midterm exam.

#10 • 09 February

What to read, and when and how. Assessments, assignments, tests, and grades: Big Picture. Looking ahead, especially the group projects: dry-run discussion; organizing groups by interest and special strengths. Setup for the midterm.

Mentor Workshop

more peer reviewing; educational standards; video about the Amazon; upcoming: study abroad possibilities, including (for example) environmental and business sustainbility trips to Latin America, Europe, Asia.

Reading for next week - do by Tuesday

Helferich, Chapters 7 ("The Amazon") & 8 ("Cuba"); Jaguars and Eels, 65-100 (end)

Writing

Mid-term (factual knowledge, critical thinking, internationalization, sustainability, self-assessment). Activated Thursday, 9 February. Due in class Thursday, 16 February.

Housekeeping

choose a Humboldt-named species or one related to Humboldt (electric eel, Brazil nut, plant that yields curare);

choose an article for your analysis / book for your reflection (soon)

form teams to work on projects, such as MtHood/Mt Tabor/Chimborazo; learning garden; Earth Day with Alex; "Humboldt Box" construction; grant investigation; study and presentations about AvH sites then and now; contacting schools; rebranding a school

Week 6: Animals (continued); Rocks & soil; measuring the land

#11 • 14 February

Humboldt's animals. What happens when you read Darwin? Hands-on: topographical mapping. Initial formation of groups and exploration of group projects. Preview of next writing assignment (describe a Humboldt-related species for a specific target audience).

#12 • 16 February

Topographic mapping. Humboldt's plant (and animal) geography: the monumental, iconic "Chimborazo" graphic. Continuation of organization of groups and developing group projects (How about: "Kids! Don't try to do this dangerous things that Humboldt did!"). What can we trust? An illustration involving Benjamin Franklin as a scientist and rebel. Groups discuss real-world examples of trusting and critiquing.

Mentor Workshop

Reading

Helferich, Chapters 9 ("Chimborazo") & 10 ("Cajamarca"); Lyon Arboretum lesson plans correlated to state educational standards benchmarks

Writing

Housekeeping

Week 7: Rocks & soil, weather & water

#13 • 21 February

supplementary materials

More about the Chimborazo graphic, and similar "iconic" scientific graphics. Examples of group projects for "difficult" majors (architecture, business/accounting, PE/Sports). Project groups decide membership and goals, report out. Leaders and experts encouraged to come forth.

#14 • 23 February

Climate and species zones. Group projects. Introduction to Writing assignment 4: Describe a Humboldt-related species for a specific audience

Mentor Workshop

project proposal documents; time for group project activities

Reading

Helferich, Chapters 11 ("New Spain") and 12 ("Washington, Paris, and Berlin")

Writing

Writing assignment 4: describe a Humboldt-related species for a specific purpose / audience: middle-school science/ social science learners, school website, learning garden, etc. Groups establish their project idea, goals, tasks and record that information in writing.

Housekeeping

schedule & hold group (e-)meetings

Week 8: Stars & numbers

#15 • 28 February

supplementary materials

The geology and paleontology of Humboldt's time - and time itself in Humboldt's time (and ours). More about Writing assignment 4: Describe a Humboldt-related species for a specific audience. Group projects: specifics about teams, their goals, their tasks, individual responsibilities. Maybe a quantitative activity (How much wood for that canoe? How serious an error of 3 degrees of longitude / latitude?).

#16 • 01 March

Humboldt and navigation & map-making. The world Now and in 1600 (-1900+), especially standards of living and how that relates to sustainable environmentalism. Group projects (including ideas for stragglers). Humboldt's music (via Gottschalk).

Mentor Workshop

species descriptions; project /program design

Reading

Helferich, "Epilogue";

Writing

documents for group project

Housekeeping

schedule & hold group (e-)meetings

Week 9: Societies & outlooks

#17 • 06 March

AvH's encounters with native (and pseudo-native) peoples - a quick inventory for later discussion. More about triangulation. Help with group projects & species descriptions. Information sources: a) what we use; b) standard resources for the "educated citizen" reader (and writer)

#18 • 08 March

The sextant - the explorer-scientist's all-purpose tool for gathering positional data. Interaction of cultures: how have we ourselves behaved? What about the "carguero" incident during Humboldt's travel in South America? Time for group projects. Example of "educated citizen" reading, related to our course. Handout: practice text for final exam.

Mentor Workshop

study / work abroad opportunities

Reading

article "Climbing the Redwoods" for in-class discussion during weeks 9 & 10, as practice for final exam

Writing

more about group projects

Housekeeping

maybe put together your "(Thought-)Portrait of the Young Student as Alexander/Alexandra von Humboldt"

Week 10: Languages, races, peoples; going/coming home

#19 • 13 March

Modern sextants and GPS. Interaction of cultures: how is "human" defined (when, and by whom?). John Wesley Powell, "beyond the 100th meridian", settlement of the American West, Oregon, and water/land use. Time for group projects. More examples of "educated citizen" reading. Practice text for final exam. Handout: text for final exam/

#20 • 15 March

Humboldt's legacy, including his legacy in the US (Romantics, geologists, geographers, hydrologists, surveyors, emigrants). Linguistics and Ethnology in the Lives and Work of the Humboldt brothers, Powell, and Later. Powell and Indians, Cowboys, Mormons, Easterners and Foreigners. The Dust Bowl and the Great Depression; economic sustainability. Humboldt as a political activist (French Revolution 1789 - lead-up to American Civil War). Cosmos & Cosmos. Going home. How to review for the final. How to finish up course work.

Mentor Workshop

course evaluations; cultural issues: diversity, ethics

Reading

read article •• for final exam; final exam is no-books, no-notes - you will receive a fresh copy of the article at the start of the exam

Writing

finish up group projects; revise your various writing assignments for re-scoring and re-grading

Housekeeping

Final(s) week: Coming home: projects, progress, prospects

Final exam: Thursday, March 22, 1530-1720

Reading

Whatever this course inspires you to read after it is over

Writing

Whatever you write, in your role as student or citizen, as a result of this course

Housekeeping