Date
|
Topics and Readings Due
|
Week 1: The Nature of Science
What is science? Observations in the natural world
|
Overview of course (Syllabus/calendar)
Introductions
Cooperative partners & clock buddies
Introduction to monarchs, rearing, handling and care
|
Thursday, September 4
How do we come to know science?
Read: The Nature of Science (AAAS)
Monarch observations (qualitative & quantitative observations)
Prairie wildflowers: whorled MW, common MW, cup plant, Liatris,
|
Week 2: The Nature of Science, Cell Biology, Phenology & Regional Ecology & Natural History
|
Read: Skloot: Part 1 & NOS; How to read a scientific paper
Basic of cell biology and cell division: cell division and cancer
AIMS: Cellular construction
|
Thursday, September 11
Meet in ARB: Gather by the Interpretive Shelter
Topic: What is phenology?
Read:
1. Bradley, N.L., Leopold, A.C. Ross, J., Huffaker, W. Aug.. 17, 1999. Phenological Changes Reflect Climate Change in Wisconsin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vow. 96, No. 17 (Aug.. 17, 1999), pp. 9701-9704
2. Lesica, P., & Kittelson, P. M. (2010). Precipitation and temperature are associated with advanced flowering phenology in a semi-arid grassland. Journal of Arid Environments, 74(9), 1013-1017.
3. Nature's Calendar (course packet)t
Start Short Research Project 1
Catch, observe, release: Invertebrate sampling |
Week 3: Intersection of science, justice, poverty and science advancement/research;
The Nature of Science, Cell Biology, Phenology & Regional Ecology & Natural History
|
Readings due: Skloot: Part 2 (take notes on how NOS applies to the book)
Healing power of trees: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50151807
PPT: Trees & Basic flowering plants
Begin tree & leaf ID
Introductory Letter due
|
Thursday, September 18
Report out: Short research project 1
Insect systematics: Sort insects by order
Introduction to Regional Birds:
Begin Short Research Project 2: Birds and Feeder Study |
Week 4: Intersection of science, justice, poverty and science advancement/research;
The Nature of Science, Cell Biology, Phenology & Regional Ecology & Natural History
|
Readings Due: Skloot: Part 3 : begin NOS and integration into Lacks (group)
Monarch biology & migration
|
Thursday, September 25
Quiz 1: Cell Basics, division & cancer
Read: Burghardt, K., Tallamy, D., & Shriver, W.G. (2009). Impact of Native Plants on Bird and Butterfly Biodiversity in Suburban Landscapes. Conservation Biology, 23 (1).
Feeder Results: e Bird (Citizen Science)
Overview of Exp Design
Flower ID: Black eyed Susan,compass plant, goldenrod (stiff & Canadian); Purple Coneflower; Class phenology picks
|
Week 5: Intersection of science, justice, poverty and science advancement/research;
The Nature of Science, Cell Biology, Phenology & Regional Ecology & Natural History
|
|
|
Meet in the ARB
Carbon/Ecological Footprint
Mn Biomes (Part 1)
Start research project 3: Foraging bees
Tree ID: Maples, Oaks, tamaracks, pines
Flower ID practice |
Week 6: Nobel: Regional ecology & Natural History
|
Nobel Conference: No class
Attend two lectures of Nobel
|
Thursday, October 9
Quiz 2
Report out: Short Research Project 3
Debrief Nobel
|
Week 7: Intersection of Agriculture, Science, Economics and Policy with Food and Nutrition; Regional Ecology & Natural History
|
Readings due: Nestle: Introduction, Chapters 1-5
Pollan: Section on Corn
Monarch ecology (predation & defenses)
Oberhauser, K., I. Gebhard, and C. Cameron. 2007. “Parasitism of Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) by Lespesia archippivora (Diptera: Tachinidae)”. Am. Midl. Nat. 157:312-328.
Basics of ecology: (carbon & nitrogen cycles)
|
Thursday, October 16
Start Short Research Project 4
Read: Thinking Like A Scientist (Course packet: Exp Design Project)
Phenology with Pam Kittelson
|
Week 8: Intersection of Agriculture, Science, Economics and Policy with Food and Nutrition; Regional ecology & Natural History
|
Tuesday, October 21
Reading Day
|
Quiz 3
Field trip to CAF: 2:00pm
St Peter Coop: 2:45
Compost pile: On your own
Science notebooks due
|
Week 9: Intersection of Agriculture, Science, Economics and Policy with Food and Nutrition; Regional ecology & Natural History
|
Tuesday, October 28
Readings due:
Finish Short Research Project 4
Read:
- Article from Economist: All Creatures Great and Small
- Burghardt, K., Tallamy, D., & Shriver, W.G. (2009). Impact of Native Plants on Bird and Butterfly Biodiversity in Suburban Landscapes. Conservation Biology, 23 (1).
- Seeds of Doubt by Michael Specter (New Yorker)
- Pollan:Pollan: Grass
- Nestle: 6-15
|
Thursday, October 30
Ecology(part 2 if needed)
Easy Internet Based Stats |
Week 10: Intersection of Agriculture, Science, Economics and Policy with Food and Nutrition
|
Readings due: Nestle: Chapters 16-25 (Discuss in car on way to Science Museum)
Trip to Science Museum
|
Thursday, November 6
Nutrition 101 & Dietary Guidelines
Finish Ecology as needed
|
Week 11: Intersection of Agriculture, Science, Economics and Policy with Food and Nutrition
|
Tuesday, November 11
Michele in Spain:
Readings due: Nestle: Pollan: Forest (Need an individual to lead)
Nestle: Finish Book (Need an individual to lead)
Watch: Film: Food.Inc
|
Thursday, November 13
Michele in Spain:
Watch:Marion Nestle: Nobel 2010 lecture |
Week 12: Global Climate Change; Ways of Knowing in Science
|
Readings due: Flight Behavior: Chapters 1-5; Somerville, R. C., & Hassol, S. J. (2011). The science of climate change. Phys. Today, 64(10), 48.
Basics of GCC
|
Thursday, November 20
Ways of knowing in science:
Historical and contemporary views of the NOS
Read: Lies Lies & Damned Lies (hand out)
|
Week 13: Global Climate Change:Ways of Knowing in Science
|
|
|
Thursday, November 27
No class: Thanksgiving |
Week 14: Global Climate Change; Ways of Knowing in Science
|
Flight Behavior: Chapters 6-11
Basics of GCC part 2
|
Thursday, December 4
Quiz 4
Scientific and Cultural symbols |
Week 15: Global Climate Change; Ways of Knowing in Science; Bringing CUR 260 Together
|
Flight Behavior: Finish
Three Crowns questions:
What constitutes moral and ethical behavior?
What makes for a good life?
How do individuals construct local & global community?
|
Tuesday, December 11
Citizen Science:
Sullivan, B. L., Wood, C. L., Iliff, M. J., Bonney, R. E., Fink, D., & Kelling, S. (2009). eBird: A citizen-based bird observation network in the biological sciences. Biological Conservation, 142(10), 2282-2292.
|
Final Exam: Wednesday, December 17, 2014
1:00-3:00pm
Research Presentations Due |
Updated: October 13, 2014
URL: http://homepages.gac.edu/~mkoomen/cur260/springschedule260.html
|