Nature, Writing and Education
Working Outline for the Class
*See syllabus and handouts for details on readings and assignments.
Day 1, Tues., June 27th
Day 2, Thurs., June 29th Day 3, Sat., July 8th
Rebecca Chamberlain & Jean MacGregor
1
Summer 2006
This schedule is subject to revision.
Day 4, Tues., July 11th
Day 5, Thurs., July 13th
The Earth is our First
Teacher
--------------Welcome &
Introductions:
The Language of Place
--------------Opening poems or
passages from readings.
Part 1: How is the earth
our first teacher?
Stories of Place—
Sharing stories of our
own fondly remembered
landscapes.
Part 2: Reflecting &
mapping our own home
places.
Part 3: Introduction to
Natural History Writing.
Writing with Nature:
Linda Hogan--Walking
into nature and waking
the senses.
Questions:
What is it about stories?
What is it about nature?
Are there patterns that
come out of stories?
Are there patterns that
come out of our bodies
& kinesthetic
relationship to place?
How do we move in &
out of events as we
reshape them with
words?
Part 4: Course
Expectations:
orientation to the class.
-------------------Assignments:
Due Thursday, June
29th. First Response
Paper--Read Thoreau’s
essay, “Walking,” (pp.
71-122) and compare it
to Linda Hogan’s Essay
“Walking,” Dwellings,
(pp. 155-159.)
Landscape & Memory
Potluck Dinner at the
Organic Farmhouse
Bring insect repellent,
long sleeve shirts, a “situpon.”
--------------Opening poems or
passages from readings-Review “Walking.”
Part 1: Field Journals &
Reflective Journaling
-The Grinnell Method,
Keeping a Formal
Scientific Field Journal
-Creative Nature
Journals, Drawing as a
way of Seeing
-Naturalist Journals:
James Swann,
Lewis & Clark, Native
American record
keeping & other
examples.
Part 2: Orientation to
sitting & observing
What is our relationship
to living things?
"Sit There" Workshop
Quiet the Body, Quiet
the Mind.
Solo Sitting
Return: Share
Observations,
Part 3-Film: Buddhism,
Man, & Nature.
-----------------------Assignments:
Due Saturday July 8th.
Finish: Hogan,
Dwellings; Louv, Last
Child in the Woods.
See reading schedule for
detail of readings from
the “Nature, Writing, &
Education Reader.”
Field Trip: Woodland
Park Zoo, 8:15-5:00
Admission--$10.50
--------------Opening poems or
passages from readings.
Falconing Demos at the
Raptor Center 12:301:00.
2:00-3:45--Seminar
Discussion--Review the
zoo related readings and
Louv text & discuss the
fieldtrip.
What’s wild? What
questions come up for
us about Zoo’s in
general?
What is the relationship
of reciprocity between
animals and humans,
and can we draw
inspiration from
indigenous peoples?
-----------------------Assignments:
See reading schedule
Part 1: How Does the
Earth Speak to Us?
What’s In a Name?
Guest-- Zalmai
(?esweli) Zahir,
Etymology of
Lushootseed Place,
Plant, and Bird names.
Part 2: What is the work
of Science and Story?
How do we observe the
world around us?
Seminar Discussion
Thoreau, Hogan, and
selected texts on Native
Culture from reader.
-----------------------Assignments:
See reading schedule
The Environmental
Imagination
-------------Opening poems or
passages from readings.
Part 1: Children,
Imagination &
Environmental Learning
Opal Whitely & the
Child’s Imagination
Conversations with
Plants & Animals
Part 2: Mountains,
Forests, & Saltwater—
Stories of Plants and
animals of the
Northwest.
-Slugs and Swamps
Marginalized Animals
and Places:
How are some plants or
animals marginalized,
and how to traditional
myths or stories bring
them to life in new
ways?
What is the role of
storytelling and poetry
in education? Examples
from Mary Oliver and
others.
------------------------Assignments:
See reading schedule
Nature, Writing and Education
Working Outline for the Class
*See syllabus and handouts for details on readings and assignments.
Rebecca Chamberlain & Jean MacGregor
Summer 2006
This schedule is subject to revision.
2