MISSOURI WESTERN STATE
COLLEGE
School of Liberal Arts and
Sciences
Department of English,
Foreign Languages, and Journalism
Nature
and the Human Spirit
Time: 12:00 – 12:50 p.m.
MWF Place: SSC 210
Professor:
Dr. Elizabeth L. Sawin Office: SSC 215
Phone: 271-4272 Office hrs: MW
2-4 p.m.; F 2-3
Email: sawin@missouriwestern.edu
COURSE
DESCRIPTION:
Is nature dead or
divine? A living system or raw material? Necessary or healing? "Out"
there or "in" here? Does nature have rights? Do we have sense? Have
American attitudes toward nature changed in the stories we tell, the poems we
write, and the movies we see? We will study the complex relationships between
nature and the human spirit.
REQUIRED
TEXTS:
Literature
and the Environment: A Reader on Nature and Culture. Eds. Anderson, Slovic, &. O’Grady
New
York: Longman, 1999.
Into
Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer (on order)
Prodigal
Summer by
Barbara Kingsolver (on order)
REQUIRED
ASSIGNMENTS:
Paper
on poetry 80
Paper
on fiction 80
Paper
on major course question 80
Mid-term
test & quizzes 80
Attendance/participation 40
Final
or special project* 40
400 points
*Special Project (more on this later)
400-360 = A 3599-320
= B 319-280 = C 279-240 = D
100-90% 89-80% 79-70% 69-60%
N.B. I reserve the right to make changes in the nature of the work we do this semester if need be or if some opportunity arises that would be an ideal performance objective for this course. The percentages for final grade assignment will, however, stay the same.
COURSE OBJECTIVES FOR 210 :
1.
Recognize the major characteristics of literary
genres
2.
Discuss literature, orally and in writing, with
assurance
3.
Appreciate literary works which are encountered
4.
Understand the different ways in which literary
theme may be treated in literature
The
student is expected to:
1.
Read poetry, prose fiction, and drama
2.
Investigate various methods of approaching and
understanding literature
3.
Write papers, including themes and essay
examinations
4.
Read a variety of literary works in which a
chosen theme is dominant
STATE LEVEL GOALS:
To develop students’
abilities to understand the moral and ethical values of a diverse society and
to understand that many courses of action are guided by value judgments about
the way things ought to be. Students should be able to make informed decisions
through identifying personal values and the values of others and through
understanding how such values develop. They should be able to analyze the
ethical implications of choices made on the basis of these values.
A.
Compare and contrast historical and cultural ethical perspectives and belief
systems.
B.
Utilize cultural, behavioral, or historical knowledge to clarify and articulate
a personal value system.
C.
Recognize the ramifications of ones’ value decisions on self and others.
D.
Recognize conflicts within and between value systems.
E.
Recognize and analyze the effect of context on ethical decisions.
To develop students’
understanding of the ways in which humans have addressed their condition
through imaginative work in the humanities and fine arts; to deepen their
understanding of how that imaginative process is informed and limited by
social, cultural, linguistic, and historical circumstances; and to appreciate
the world of the creative imagination as a form of knowledge.
A.
Identify works in humanities and fine arts.
B.
Explain historical, cultural, and social contexts in humanities and fine arts.
C.
Identify aesthetic standards used to make critical judgments in humanities.
D.
Understand differences and relationships between formal and popular culture.
E.
Apply aesthetic standards to works in humanities and fine arts.
ACADEMIC
HONESTY:
You
are expected to do your own reading and writing in this course. Any student who submits someone else's work
as his or her own will receive no credit (0 points) for that assignment. A second infraction will earn an
"F" in the course. Students will be reported to the Dean of Students.
Taking ideas from articles published on the web without citation or
copying work from other students is NOT acceptable academic behavior.
ATTENDANCE / PARTICIPATION POLICY:
10%
(40 points) of your grade will be assigned to the work you do in class,
including almost daily but brief, in-class writings and unannounced quizzes
about the assigned readings, videos, or speakers. Most of these writings will
receive a plus or minus mark from me, but some will receive points. To recognize your steady participation in
the course, you will receive up to 10% of the course points according to the
following schedule:
Perfect
attendance with work accomplished in class: 40
points
One
absence with work accomplished in class: 37
points
Two
absences: “ “ 33
points
Three
absences: “ “ 29
points
Four
absences: “ “ 25
points
Five
absences: “ “ 21
points
No
points for in-class work will be awarded if you have more than 5 absences. If
an extraordinary and prolonged medical emergency occurs, I reserve the right to
make an adjustment, but only if you provide substantial written
documentation. Do not take chances with
your health or safety but save your absences for real emergencies.
DISABLED
STUDENT POLICY:
If
you have a recognized disability that requires special consideration, please
make an appointment to see me during the first week of classes so that we can
discuss privately how I might help you succeed.
REQUIRED
FORMATTING for out-of-class copy:
Identify
yourself in the upper, right-hand corner:
Name
English 210
Nature of the Assignment
Date
Use
regular white paper. Leave one-inch margins on all sides.
Center
the title. Number each page (bottom right)
Single-space
within paragraphs. Double-space between paragraphs.