Goals of the course
ACQUIRE BASIC CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF...
- the Earth's climate - how it works, how it has
changed in the past
- the potential for climate change (a.k.a. "global
warming")
- the potential for ozone depletion (a.k.a. "the
ozone hole")
- the role of science in environmental decision-making
DEVELOP SKILLS...
- critical thinking on environmental/scientific
issues
- concise, logical writing
- applications of basic math and chemistry
- quantitative predictions and uncertainty analysis
AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO...
- critically evaluate media reports on global
climate issues by putting them into perspective and knowing where to
look for further information.
- write an effective letter to the editor or
letter to a congressperson on these issues
- use the basic vocabulary and concepts of Climate
Science correctly (and recognize when those in the media aren't doing
so)
- track the Earth's vital signs by knowing what
to look for and where to look
- make knowledgeable contributions to the public
debate on what to do
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THIS COURSE COULD INCLUDE...
- citizenship - responsible participation in societal
decisions
- evaluating business opportunities and risks involving
climate
- K-12 science teaching
- evaluating environmental advocacy groups
- personal lifestyle choices affecting the environment
- tracking global weather and climate as a personal
hobby
Teaching philosophy
My goal is not just to convey a body of information (though
that is a large part of what will happen) but to help each student
acquire new skills and perspectives. Learning involves expansion and
change. No one teaching style is perfect for everyone, so my class will
feature a combination of methods with a focus on active, participatory
learning.
The subject of the Earth's climate involves many academic
disciplines and the students in a class like this have widely varying
backgrounds. These facts mean that some students will need to work on the
basics of a given topic while others will be able to run with it. I want
to facilitate both -- both are exciting and worthwhile.
Two themes will run through the course:
- the Earth's climate as a "coupled system"
- the provisional nature of scientific knowledge
Finally, in teaching this course, I have two ulterior motives
(besides earning a living):
- to foster the knowledge base and the critical thinking
skills required for our society to make responsible environmental decisions
in the years ahead;
- to share a sense of awe and fascination with the
Earth's climate and with the unprecedented global experiment on which
humanity has (unintentionally) embarked.
Prerequisites
None. Open to all undergraduates. A working knowledge
of high-school algebra and physical sciences will be useful; however,
the basic tools used by scientists will be reviewed and practiced as
they arise during the course.
Academic Credit
This is an NW course (provides 5 credits toward the Natural
World requirement) and you have the option to make it a W course (5
credits toward the Writing requirement).
Textbook and other resources
The text for the course is The Earth System by Lee
R. Kump et al., Prentice Hall, 2nd Edition, 2003, 419 pages. Additional
required reading material will include handouts on selected topics and six
research articles. The articles will be available as pdf files on
the class website. In addition, about 20 research articles will be
available for use in the report projects (most, but not all, as pdf files
on the class website).
Course requirements and grading
Attendance on Mon-Thurs is essential and required. A
large fraction of the grade (20-25%) comes from in-class activities. Friday
review/tutorial/lab sessions are not required, but will probably be useful
to most students. Homework will be assigned about 6 times during the
term. Late homework will be accepted for half credit. There
will be one midterm and one final exam. (Makeup exams will only
be given in extreme cases and with advance notification to the instructor.)
The Report Projects (for those getting Writing Credit) will require two
short research reports on topics assigned by the instructor. There
will be extra credit oppportunities on most homeworks. In addition,
you can get extra credit by attending suggested lectures on climate-related
topics and writing up brief reports. Grades will be determined as
follows:
W-credit
no-W-credit
· Report projects
20%
n/a
· In-class activities
20% 25%
· Homework
20%
25%
· Mid-term
15%
20%
· Final
25% 30%
· Extra Credit
up to 10%
up to 10%
Midterm: Friday, Oct 31
Final: Friday, Dec 12, 8:20-10:20am,
Room 064 JHN
Reports
General requirements for the course:
- Written reports are NOT required
unless you are taking the course for W-credit (5 credits toward the
Writing requirement).
- For W-credit, turn in two
short reports (at least 5 pages of text)
- First report due Friday,
Oct 31 (date of the Midterm)
- Second report due Friday,
Dec 12 (date of the Final)
- Reports will be based on
articles assigned by the instructor that closely follow the course subject
matter. Students will have a selection of 20 or so topics from
which to chose.
- For detailed requirements, see Reports.
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