Click the button below for a link to the library resource guide , where you will find databases, archives and special collections, historical maps and land surveys, and website links for local history.
Woods Journal (20%)
Four entries, due Sundays on 9/22, 10/6, 10/20, 11/17
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Your Woods Journal will include informal reflections recounting walks in the campus woods. I recommend exploring as many parts of the woods as possible, including various features such as the prairie, cemetery, bird blind, and Burly. Your journal entries should document sections of the woods visited and observations of wildlife. You might include personal reactions, thoughts, or questions that came up for you during or after your walk, as well as any insights in connection to class readings and discussions.
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Mainly, the journal entries should demonstrate continuing interaction with the woods throughout the semester. This is an opportunity to explore and immerse yourself in the space while building familiarity and curiosity through close observation of the woods and its wildlife (flora and fauna). I recommend downloading a nature app to your phone, such as Seek or Merlin Bird ID, which can help identify unfamiliar species that you encounter. You can even include as part of your journal entry a list of identified species accompanied by an image and/or brief description for each one. Overall, think of the Woods Journal as field research that will help inform the research and writing that you will do for the other assignments.
As part of each journal entry, you should create and post media connected to your walk, such as photographs, illustrations, short video/audio files, or maps (hand-drawn or digital). You are required to write at least one journal entry (min. 300 words) for each unit, for a total of four entries worth 50 pts/each. Your journal entries can be based on scheduled walks that we take during class visits and/or individual visits on your own time. You are encouraged to create additional journal entries for extra credit, though limited to a maximum of 100 bonus points (in other words, up to 10 extra journal entries worth 10 pts/each). You are not required to upload copies of your journal entries to pilot. Journal entries are assessed according to the same criteria as your participation grade: Full Credit, Partial Credit, and No Credit. You can keep track of your assessment in the Attendance section of Pilot.
As part of each journal entry, you should create and post media connected to your walk, such as photographs, illustrations, short video/audio files, or maps (hand-drawn or digital). You are required to write at least one journal entry (min. 300 words) for each unit, for a total of four entries worth 50 pts/each. Your journal entries can be based on scheduled walks that we take during class visits and/or individual visits on your own time. You are encouraged to create additional journal entries for extra credit, though limited to a maximum of 100 bonus points (in other words, up to 10 extra journal entries worth 10 pts/each). You are not required to upload copies of your journal entries to pilot. Journal entries are assessed according to the same criteria as your participation grade: Full Credit, Partial Credit, and No Credit. You can keep track of your assessment in the Attendance section of Pilot.
Wilderness Reflection (15%)
Due Sunday, Oct 13
In this assignment, you will write a public-facing essay reflecting on wilderness concepts and related views of nature, as explored in class readings and discussion from Weeks 1-5 and through your personal perspectives and/or experiences in relationship to wilderness spaces. Public-facing is meant in a very general sense here as a piece of writing that might reach a broad audience, presenting timely information, and in a style that is accessible and less formal than academic writing while incorporating a personal perspective. The essay should be clearly structured and focused on a key idea or issue related to "wilderness"--as cultural or mythic concept, historical construction, environmental concern, or ecological place/habitat--and should include consideration of specific cultural and philosophical views of wilderness within or across different time periods and geographic locations, and how your own views or experiences might be placed alongside these contexts. Beyond that, there are many possible approaches that you might take in discussing the key idea/issues, but here are some general prompts.
Why is wilderness important ecologically and culturally? How is wilderness both a real (natural) and imagined (cultural) place? How has wilderness been defined and shaped throughout American history? Who has access to wilderness spaces and who doesn't have access? Why is wilderness preservation important, both historically and in contemporary contexts? How have definitions or views of wilderness been destructive? What is your definition or view of wilderness? How is it similar to or different from popular notions of it as remote, pristine, or untouched by humans? Is wilderness something you have long valued or something you haven't thought much about? Why? What are some wilderness spaces that you've visited? Or are there specific places you would like to visit? Are there any wilderness narratives that you've read and how did these influence your perceptions of wilderness? What kinds of emotions does wilderness evoke for you? How have the readings and class discussions so far influence your view of wilderness?
These are just a number of questions you might address in your essay and you might have others that come up for you that you'd like to explore. You should not try to cover all of the possible topics but focus on a few that you find compelling and interrelated under a specific theme. Your essay should strive to describe your various impressions while providing critical reflection on the key idea of wilderness. For example, your reflection should include one or more of the following:
The paper must be a minimum 1,000 words with a copy of all written text uploaded to the Pilot dropbox in a Word document or your work will not be graded. Remember to cite all sources, include relevant digital media on your website (images, video, etc.), and format your essay in a clear and visually appealing design. You will be assessed according to the following criteria: content, reflection, connections, organization, and clarity of writing
Why is wilderness important ecologically and culturally? How is wilderness both a real (natural) and imagined (cultural) place? How has wilderness been defined and shaped throughout American history? Who has access to wilderness spaces and who doesn't have access? Why is wilderness preservation important, both historically and in contemporary contexts? How have definitions or views of wilderness been destructive? What is your definition or view of wilderness? How is it similar to or different from popular notions of it as remote, pristine, or untouched by humans? Is wilderness something you have long valued or something you haven't thought much about? Why? What are some wilderness spaces that you've visited? Or are there specific places you would like to visit? Are there any wilderness narratives that you've read and how did these influence your perceptions of wilderness? What kinds of emotions does wilderness evoke for you? How have the readings and class discussions so far influence your view of wilderness?
These are just a number of questions you might address in your essay and you might have others that come up for you that you'd like to explore. You should not try to cover all of the possible topics but focus on a few that you find compelling and interrelated under a specific theme. Your essay should strive to describe your various impressions while providing critical reflection on the key idea of wilderness. For example, your reflection should include one or more of the following:
- Exploration and critique of assumptions, values, beliefs, and/or biases about wilderness (either your own or others)
- Multiple or conflicting perspectives about the wilderness (historically and/or currently)
- Alternative ways of thinking about wilderness (your own proposal for alternatives and/or ones you have researched and find compelling)
- Consequences of human actions in relation to wilderness (i.e. settler conquest/theft, preservation and conservation, resource extraction, tourism, pollution)
- Discussion of how behaviors or viewpoints may change based on new insights about wilderness
The paper must be a minimum 1,000 words with a copy of all written text uploaded to the Pilot dropbox in a Word document or your work will not be graded. Remember to cite all sources, include relevant digital media on your website (images, video, etc.), and format your essay in a clear and visually appealing design. You will be assessed according to the following criteria: content, reflection, connections, organization, and clarity of writing
Wilderness History (20%)
Due Sunday, Nov 3
In this paper, students will demonstrate understanding of course content from Weeks 6-9 by researching and writing about an aspect of wilderness conservation or preservation focusing on a specific historical development, era, figure, policy, and/or movement. The essay must also explain varying cultural and philosophical views of wilderness, relevant to the historical time period and geographic location, and evaluate how arguments for conservation/preservation of the specific wilderness space (i.e., National Park, region, ecosystem) may have intersected with histories and practices of racism, sexism, and settler colonialism. For example, you might focus on Aldo Leopold and how his ideas about wilderness changed during his career and how those ideas influenced conservation biology and/or the designation of wilderness spaces. Other topics include the intersection of automobiles and wilderness tourism; how American expansionism or agrarianism depleted and destroyed wilderness spaces and in turn contributed to the creation of frontier myths; intersections between gender, race, class, ability and/or ability in public conversations and debates about wilderness; how the creation of the National Parks and Forests further displaced indigenous tribes; the creation of the Wilderness Act of 1964 and the extent to which it contributed to wilderness conservation and/or tourism.
Regardless of your approach, keep in mind that the audience for this essay is not academic but a broader public. Think of your history as an informational narrative that educates readers about an aspect of the wilderness history. Remember to include relevant digital media on your website (images, video, etc.) and to format your essay in a clear and visually appealing design. You must also cite sources and ensure the accuracy of the information you are providing, with substantive reference to at least 2-3 assigned readings (non-fiction, fiction, or a combination) and include at least 3 secondary sources, correctly cited according to MLA standards. The paper must be a minimum 1,500 words with a copy of all written text uploaded to the Pilot dropbox in a Word document or your work will not be graded. You will be assessed according to the following criteria: content, analysis, research, organization, and clarity of writing
Regardless of your approach, keep in mind that the audience for this essay is not academic but a broader public. Think of your history as an informational narrative that educates readers about an aspect of the wilderness history. Remember to include relevant digital media on your website (images, video, etc.) and to format your essay in a clear and visually appealing design. You must also cite sources and ensure the accuracy of the information you are providing, with substantive reference to at least 2-3 assigned readings (non-fiction, fiction, or a combination) and include at least 3 secondary sources, correctly cited according to MLA standards. The paper must be a minimum 1,500 words with a copy of all written text uploaded to the Pilot dropbox in a Word document or your work will not be graded. You will be assessed according to the following criteria: content, analysis, research, organization, and clarity of writing
Wilderness Narrative (25%)
Due Tuesday, Dec 10, 12:30 pm
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This assignment is a culminating project for the course, allowing you to showcase both critical and creative approaches toward readings, topics, and debates explored throughout the semester. The primary criteria for the project are demonstration of writing, research, and analytical skills focused on crafting a persuasive representation or narrative of wilderness.
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The project should include interpretation of relevant preservation debates, consider contemporary practices of restoration and rewilding, address any intersecting issues, such as racism, sexism, or settler colonialism, and analyze how literary texts and/or nature writing might offer aesthetic appreciation and/or cultural critique of wilderness places, concepts, and ideals. The form, genre, or structure of the project is open to multiple approaches, as long as it fulfills the primary criteria and engages in an effective narrative or storytelling approach. Possibilities include but are not limited to: a place history of a National Park or designated wilderness area that interweaves human, natural, and ecological interactions over time; literary analysis of one or more wilderness narratives assigned in this class including nonfiction or historical research; short story; scripted podcast; interactive website; photo or video documentary; art history analysis of wilderness landscapes; or any other ideas students might want to pursue.
Written portions of the project may include revised material from the Wilderness Reflection and History essays and must be a minimum of 1,500 words with a copy of all written text uploaded to the Pilot dropbox in a Word document or your work will not be graded. Remember to cite all sources, include relevant digital media on your website (images, video, etc.), and format your essay in a clear and visually appealing design. You will be assessed according to how well your project meets the course outcomes as well as creativity, preparation, organization, and clarity of writing.
Written portions of the project may include revised material from the Wilderness Reflection and History essays and must be a minimum of 1,500 words with a copy of all written text uploaded to the Pilot dropbox in a Word document or your work will not be graded. Remember to cite all sources, include relevant digital media on your website (images, video, etc.), and format your essay in a clear and visually appealing design. You will be assessed according to how well your project meets the course outcomes as well as creativity, preparation, organization, and clarity of writing.
Presentations (5%)
Tuesday, Dec 10 (12:30-2:30 PM)
During our scheduled final exam time, all students will present their websites while offering a reflection on their experiences of this class, answering the following prompts (in no particular order):
- What did you learn in this class that was unexpected, especially interesting, or inspiring?
- Which topics/readings did you enjoy most about the class? Which did you find the most challenging?
- How did you approach the different assignments? Which of these do you think represent your best work? Which ones did you find the most difficult?
- What skills, knowledge, or experience did you develop and how might you use these in a professional setting or your intended career?
- What would you recommend most about this class and what do you think could be improved?
