Course Details:

The lectures are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 10:05
SAB (Sixth Avenue Building) - room 210

required texts:

• Miller/Spoolman "Living in the Environment" 16 ed. (other editions OK)
• see the table for other editions
• Kolbert, "Field notes from a Catastrophe"

The lab is required. You need to be signed into one of the lab sections.

section 1 is T from 10:15 to 12:35
section 2 is T from 1:00 PM to 3:30

 

Overview of class:

This class is designed to be the first, introductory course in the curriculum for Environmental Science or Environmental Studies majors. ESR220 introduces a wider range of major principles of environmental science, from ecology to planetary processes and from individual human choices for technology to the impact of whole human population.

 

Purpose of the course and learning goals:

The main purpose of the course is to provide a broad survey of the main areas of environmental science. This is intended to get students to start thinking about how all their individual courses will need to come together for them to be an effective environmental scientist, business person, or policy maker.

Three assets will be developed:

1) the ability to look at the whole problem and to be able to connect the parts of the problem and possible solutions.

2) the ability to hold multiple concepts in your head and make meaningful connections between these

3) the ability to discuss complex environmental problems using both standard English and the more specific vocabulary of the discipline

Specific learning objects will be outlined in the notes for each lecture. These will include vocabulary, simple concepts and the connection or comparison of concepts.

 

Assignments and grading:

Assignment	Points		Short Description
short paper 1	10		modify behavior
mid-term	15		over weeks 1 thru 5
advising sheet	5		course planning document
short paper 2	10		energy & climate
career plan	5		career options and statement
final	30		comprehensive
attendance	15		attendance and participation
lab total	30
course total	120

The lab accounts for 1/4 of the total grade.

The letter distribution will be based on a curve that is roughly B centered.

Late work policy: There are two papers and two in-class worksheets. The papers need to be submitted at the beginning of class as you walk in the door. If it is not in that pile it will be counted late. If you are not able to make it to class, you may submit it via email and it must be emailed by that same deadline (i.e. 9 am). Here are the deductions:

• a few minutes to a few hours late = - 2 points
• from 3 to 24 hours late = - 4 points
• 1 to 3 days late = -6 points
• more than 3 days late = - 8 points
• you cannot get less than zero

It would be hard for you to turn in the two exercises that we do in class late. But if you miss class, you have 24 hours to turn those in (via email or to my box) to get any points for those.

 

Expectations of students and student conduct code:

Lecture/Discussion - Please show up before the class starts, turn off electronic gear, and be ready for class to start promptly at 9 AM. Out of respect for others and the instructor, please do not chat during class. An outline of the lecture notes will be posted that has links to the references and learning objects used during the lecture. Be present and ready to participate in the discussions. You must honor and respect the opinions of your peers. We will be discussing some very important core values and need to have a supportive class attitude that respects differences and try to really listen to each other.

Laboratory - Attendance and participation in the laboratory is required. There will be role taken right at the beginning. You must be present and attentive. As you will learn in the laboratory, this part of the course focuses on field and group work.

Assignments - All assignments have a due time and date. Because we are trying to grade and get the assignments back to you in a timely way, there will be a grading penalty for late work.

Student Conduct Code - Portland State has a well defined conduct code. This link takes you to the official description. In the lab section we will discuss how you can both share work and ideas and still meet the requirement that all assignments represent your personal work.

Other information:

Sickness policy

You are encouraged NOT to attend class if you are sick with the flu or any other contagious disease. Do not bring your sick children to PSU either. You should stay away from school and other crowds until your fever has been gone for 24 hours (without medication).

Lectures are not mandatory so that is not a problem for the lecture section. If you have to miss the midterm quiz, you need to contact the instructor to make arrangements.

Attendance is required for the lab. If you miss a lab section because of the flu, please contact the teaching assistant. If possible, you should try to make one of the other lab sections during that week, but we realize that this is not always possible.

We are developing some make up assignments and other accomodations to fairly handle absences from the lecture or lab due to sickness.

If the lecturor is sick, you are still responsible for reading the lecture notes from that day and any reading. All assignments are due on time whether or not the lab or lecture instructor is sick.