Instructors:

Harvey Good, Ed.D., Professor of Biology, University of La Verne

Mailing Address: University of La Verne, 1950 3rd St., La Verne, CA 91750
Office Telephone: (909) 593-3511, ext. 4606
Office Fax: (909) 392-2709
E-mail address: goodh@ulv.edu
Office Hours: 8-5, M-F (June 15-26)
Web site: http://www.ulv.edu/~natsci/biology/good.html

Alfred P. Clark, Ph.D., Professor of Humanities, University of La Verne

Mailing Address: University of La Verne, 1950 3rd St., La Verne, CA 91750
Office Telephone: (909) 593-3511, ext. 4240
Office Fax: (909) 392-2709
E-mail address: clarka@ulv.edu
Usual work week: 8-5, M-F
Web site: http://www.ulv.edu/dlc/hum290/apc.html

Course Description:

The focus of this course is the impact of the American Indians, Spanish, Mexicans, and U.S. citizens on the environment of California over time. California provides a historical laboratory for many of the positive and negative aspects of humanity's interaction with its habitat. The course will include environmental field work and historical research into environmental issues.

Goals of the Course:

1. Students will be able to describe the main environmental issues that California faced in the past and faces in the present and future.

2. Students will be able to explain how Californians created and dealt with environmental problems in the past, especially which approaches were successful and which were unsuccessful.

3. Students will be able to outline the general history of California and place the environmental history of the region in proper historical context and perspective.

4. Students will be able to describe the methodology of environmental science and to apply this methodology to environmental issues.

5. Students will be able to explain the methodology of history and to apply it to selected events in the past.

6. Students will be able to recognize the importance of analyzing problems using methodological resources from several fields.

7. Students will be able to analyze from the environmental and historical perspective an area or site in California.

Requirements of the Course:

1. Complete the readings, workbook, and other assignments for the course and show competency on the two scheduled examinations (midterm and final).

2. Satisfactorily complete a term project for the course, including submitting the project proposal and final project on time of the scheduled dates. Students may choose ONE project from among the following three options:
   • Option #1: An analysis of an environmental issue or issues in ONE book or monograph relating to California using the methodologies of the fields of biology and of history. (see pages 4-5 in the CORE 340 WORKBOOK or the Assignments section of the CORE 340 Blackboard site)

        OR

   • Option #2: An Interview with Someone Knowledgeable in the California Environment. (see page 14 in the CORE 340 WORKBOOK or the Assignments section of the CORE 340 Blackboard site)

        OR

   • Option #3: A Term Paper on a Topic in California Environmental History. (see page 15 in the CORE 340 WORKBOOK or the Assignments section of the CORE 340 Blackboard site)

   Note: The Term Project Proposal Form can be found on page 16 of the CORE 340 WORKBOOK.

3. Go on three field experiences, write them up for the instructors, and report on them to the class through CORE 340 Blackboard Communication at http://bb.ulv.edu/. Field experences are visits to sites or museums of significance to the environmental history of California. (see pages 17-19 in the CORE 340 WORKBOOK or the assignment section of the CORE 340 Blackboard site) Each student selects field experiences he or she would like to make and obtains the instructors' approval before going on them. One field experience must relate to Indian California; one to Spanish or Mexican California; and one to U.S. California.

4. Participate in class discussions through CORE 340 Blackboard Communication at http://bb.ulv.edu/.

5. View assigned videos, including John Muir, America's Endangered Species, and Preserving California's Rare and Endangered Species.

6. Pay attention to environmental issues in the news and report on them in class discussions.

Textbooks, Readings, Illustrations, and Videos:

Andrew Rolle, California: A History, 5th Edition (Wheeling, Illinois: Harlan Davidson, 1997)

Allan A. Schoenherr, A Natural History of California (Berkeley, California: University of California Press, c. 1992)

Workbook (handouts) provided by Professors Good and Clark

Articles, primarily from newspapers and magazines, on Contemporary Issues in the Environmental History of California. These articles in full text are online through Proquest Direct located on La Verne's Wilson Library's website. Full texts of all of the required articles are linked to the course schedule located in the assignments section of the CORE 340 Blackboard site. To access these articles, the student must first logon to Proquest Direct using the username and password provided in the letter sent to each student welcoming them to the course.

The following videos: John Muir, America's Endangered Species, and Preserving California's Rare and Endangered Species.

Note: Approximately 75 pages will be covered each week. The workbook will guide and supplement the reading, asking questions about concepts and themes that the student should learn and consider. The student is responsible for 1) all the material in the assigned reading, 2) the questions and concepts contained in the Workbook, 3) engaging meaningfully in class discussions through the Blackboard Discussion Board, 4) information that is discussed in these discussions.

Grades

Grades in this course will be earned by a total point accumulation based on the following distribution:

Personal Confidential Assignment/Grade Sheets

Each student in CORE 340 has his or her own confidential Assignment/Grade Sheet, the web location of which can be found in the welcome letter sent to the student at the beginning of the course covering the workbooks.

Using CORE 340 Blackboard Communication

CORE 340 Blackboard Communication is located at http://bb.ulv.edu/. To access it, follow these steps:

1. Open your web browser and go to http://bb.ulv.edu

2. Click Login, enter your Name and Password, and click OK.

3. You will see "My Blackboard"; click "Toward a Sustainable Planet" under "My Courses" (on the left).

4. You will arrive at the Toward a Sustainable Planet course announcements page. Click the Communication button on the left.

5. To report to the class on a field experience, click "Discussion Board," then click on the appropriate field experience. Next, click on and read any reports you find there that you have not read, click the "Reply" button, and type in your report.

6. To send an e-mail to the entire class, after clicking the Communication button, click on "Send E-Mail," and then click on "Send E-Mail to All Users." You can then type in the Subject, the Message, and click "Send Message."