Field Trips /DL Colloquium/Spring 2006

Somewhere, Florida's soul exists, solemnly beautiful, and there
is no need to exaggerate there, no need to invent or
elaborate upon her ephemeral beauties, beauties that fall
like blessings on those who care for and love her."

~From Essay by Joy Williams, "Florida"

 

Freshwater lakes, high rise condominiums, barrier islands, shopping malls, coral reefs,, cypress sloughs, urban sprawl, the everglades, citrus groves, palmetto-pine flatwoods, ocean beaches, shallow gulf waters, cow pastures. . . welcome to Florida's "big backyard"!

As a distance learner, you'll be visiting places such as these as we immerse ourselves in the natural and human-made communities of Florida. How does the health of one system affect the productivity and health of another system? As students and residents of Florida, what actions can we take to protect and restore these critically important systems? These are the focus questions for the Colloquium's field experiences.

As part of this course, you will be required to go on 5 field trips. You will be given specific instructions for each field experience with goals and objectives. We will be using state and local parks in your area for some of the field trip sites. The Web Links page will direct you to parks that are close to you.

Goals:

  1. To engage students in an array of study trips to develop a heightened awareness and understanding of their environmental components and thereby enhance their "Sense of Place."

    To provide contextual community based experiences for students that supports their making meaning     from course readings and discussions. Environmental Education.

  2. To affirm with students the values of learning from first hand experiences in diverse environments. Ecological Literacy.

Objectives: Students will:

  • Demonstrate increased awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the significance and value of local environmental components based on interactive experiences in the field at a range of "environmental type" locations. make appropriate connections from readings, course assignments, and Colloquium community field trips. Demonstrate a heightened "sense of place" in their unique environment as a result of their field experiences through expression of increased sensitivity, emotional connections, and physical interactions in their journals and writing assignments.
  • Demonstrate understanding of ecological, economic, social, political-policy, health and recreational connections of study trip experiences.

    Be more motivated to initiate their own "field experiences in their community that will continue to develop their "sense of place" as a result of the stimulus and confidence gained in Colloquium experiences.

"Sense of Place" Field Trip Themes   

  Field Trip # 1:  Exploring Your Own Backyard (Session 1)    

Field Trip # 2:  The Water Cycle (Session 2)  

  Field Trip # 3:  Balancing Human Needs with Natural Systems -A Question of Sustainability/Estuaries (Session 5) 

 Field Trip #4: A Visit to Babcock Ranch: Preservation & Development
CLASS FIELD TRIP TO BABCOCK RANCH
MARCH 29TH ~ 1:30 to 3:30 Directions will be posted soon.

 

  Field Trip # 5:  Urban Sustainability (Session 9)

Look for specific field trip objectives in class assignments. Follow instructions and write a 2-3 page summary and submit as a microsoft e-mail attachment.

Review the scoring rubric for grading of field trips

Home Introduction Writing Papers Readings Schedule Assignments
Journals Final Project Field Trips Rubrics Links

 

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