Field Trips /DL Colloquium/Summer A 2005

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 3 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."

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

  3. 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.

    Field Trip Rubric

    Grade
    Presentation of Experiences
    A
    		 Goes on field trip
    Describes in detail field trip experience
    Summarizes field trip objectives clearly and with insight
    B
    		 Goes on field trip
    Describes in detail field trip experience
    C
    		 Goes on field trip 
    Writes brief summary of field trip experience
    D
    		 Goes on field trip that does not correlate with field trip objectives
    F
    		 Does not attend field trip

     

"Sense of Place" Field Trip Themes

    Field Trip # 1:  Exploring Your Own Backyard

 

    Field Trip # 2:  Balancing Human Needs with Natural Systems -A Question of .......................................................................Sustainability/Estuarys

    Field Trip # 3:  The Water Cycle

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.

 

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