1
ENGL 2310 Literature and Science SYLLABUS
Fall 2015
Week 1: Getting Started, Lit and Science, Practice reading, writing, conversing, and being a team.
M 8/24: Literature and Science, history of the disciplines; what are universities for? our notions of
the “Two Cultures” and, briefly: What is team-based learning? How will it work?
[HMWK: Write your answers to the “Opening Exercises.” Review the handout on the Two
Cultures. Take some time to look at this timeline of the history of science:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_scientific_discoveries#17th_century Take I-RAT 1
(over Dr. Ross’s opening remarks and the two timelines) on Blackboard.
W 8/26 Form teams. T-RAT 1. Share your “Opening Exercises” with your team. Make a list of three
things you want to share as a team with the rest of the class. Team sharing.
[HMWK: Read handout on critical reading and the poem “Galactic Diary of an Edwardian Lady.”
Read the two sample paragraphs of student writing on the scientist and the artist; be prepared
to comment and do a peer review. Take I-RAT 2 on Blackboard]
F 8/28 Take T-RAT 2 and do team application on the reading exercise. Practice peer review of the two
sample paragraphs in teams
[HMWK: Write two paragraphs, from your own point of view, that describe the person of
science and the person of the arts. Be prepared for peer review by printing three copies. Bring
all three to class on Monday.]
Week 2: Faber Book of Science and Early Writings on Science
M 8/31 Peer reviews of scientist/artist descriptions. Class discussion: what do we think about the
two cultures, about specialization and isolation of the disciplines?
[HMWK: Read in Faber Book of Science (or handout) “Introduction” (xiii-xxvii) 14 pp and “Galileo and
the Telescope” (p. 8-16). Revisit the science history timeline:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_scientific_discoveries#17th_century Take I-RAT 3 on
Blackboard.]
W 9/2 T-RAT 3. Team application on Faber readings.
[HMWK: Read in Faber—or on handouts--“Little Animals in Water,” Van Leeuwenhoek (p. 28-29);
“An Apple and Colours,” Sir Isaac Newton and others (p. 30-34); “The Big bang and Vegetable Love,”
Erasmus Darwin (p. 47-50). Revisit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_scientific_discoveries#17th_century .Take I-RAT 4 on
Blackboard.]
F 9/4 NO CLASS, Dr. Ross out of town
2
Week 3
M 9/7 NO CLASS, Labor Day
[HMWK: Read in Faber--or on handout—“Those Dreadful Hammers: Lyell and the New Geology,”
Charles Lyell (p. 71-78); “The Devil’s Chaplain,” Charles Darwin (p. 114-128); “God and Molecules,” J.
C. Maxwell (p. 167-168). Take I-RAT 5 on BB.
W 9/9 T-RATs 4 & 5. Team applications on Faber readings: The early movements in science that
made the Scientific Revolution and the Second Scientific Revolutions possible. Searching the
timelines. Where are your thoughts now, about science and society?
[HMWK: Write for at least 25 but no more than 45 minutes (set a clock and don’t stop) in a
simple free writing way (don’t edit, don’t worry about “correctness,” spelling, etc.) on your
thoughts to date vis-à-vis this class, your university education, and the roles of science and the
humanities in your life.]
F 9/11 Guided in-class writing using Sondra Perl’s Composing Guidelines.
[HMWK: Drawing upon your last night’s homework and the guided work you did in class today,
and using Perl’s guidelines, begin your own Journal with one or more of the following prompts:
“What is college for?” “Why am I in college?” “What are my intellectual strengths and
weaknesses?” “What do I need to know about science?” “What do I need to know about the
arts and humanities?” “How can I help myself become an educated person?”]
Week 4
M 9/14 As a team, decide upon one prompt or topic (you may make up one of your own, as long as
you get Dr. Ross’s approval) for a short theme. Discuss what needs to be said in such a theme and
take notes.
[HMWK: Write a draft of at least two full pages on this theme, make three copies.]
W 9/16 Workshop: Peer reviews of themes.
[HMWK: Revise your theme. Read in The Time Machine: I Introduction (p. 5-9); II The Machine
(p. 9-12); III The Time Traveller Returns (p. 12-16); IV Time Travelling (p. 16-20). Take I-RAT 6 on
BB.]
F 9/18 Take T-RAT 6, team applications on The Time Machine.
[HMWK: Read in The Time Machine: V In the Golden Age (p. 21-24); VI The Sunset of Mankind
(p. 24-28); VII A Sudden Shock (p. 28-33); VIII Explanation (p. 33-41). Take I-RAT 7 on BB. Finish
up your draft of Theme 1.]
3
Week 5
M 9/21 Final drafts of Theme 1 due at the beginning of class. T-RAT 7 and team application on The
Time Machine.
[HMWK: Read in The Time Machine: IX The Morlocks (p. 42-46); X When the Night Came (p. 4651); XI The Palace of Green Porcelain (p. 51-56); XII In the Darkness (p. 56-61). Take I-RAT 8 on
BB.]
W 9/23 Take T-RAT 8 and do team application on The Time Machine.
[HMWK: Read in The Time Machine: XIII The Trap of the White Sphinx (p. 61-63); XIV The
Further Vision (p. 63-67); XV The Time Traveller’s Return (p. 67-68); XVI After the Story (p. 8-71);
Epilogue (p. 71). Take I-RAT 9 on BB.]
F 9/25 Take T-RAT 9. Team application.
[HMWK: Using the Perl Guidelines, write for no less than 25 and no more than 45 minutes on
any of the following prompts: “What did I like about The Time Machine?” “What bothered me
in this novel?” “What does this story offer to me in the way of life lessons?” “How is my
reading comprehension improving?” “What about the way I’m thinking?”
Week 6: Theme 2 and Classics of Science Fiction
M 9/28 Bring your journals to class; each team member will read one piece of writing to the team and
the team will comment. Teams determine one theme topic for all.
[HMWK: Draft Theme 2]
W 9/30 Peer revision of themes. Introductory comments about the language and conventions of
science fiction.
[HMWK: Read in Wesleyan Anthology: Robert Heinlein, 1959 “All You Zombies—“ (p. 324-336)
and Frank Herbert, 1970 “Seed Stock” (p. 477-489) ((time travel and alternative history;
evolution and environment). Take I-RAT 10 on BB.]
F 10/2 T-RAT 10 and team application on Heinlein and Herbert stories
[HMWK: Read in Wesleyan Anthology: John Kessel, 1990 “Invaders” (p. 654-674). Take I-Rat 11
on BB. Finish draft of Theme 2]
Week 7
M 10/5 Theme 2 due at the beginning of class. Take T-RAT 11 and team application on Kessel’s story
and time travel.
[HMWK: Read in Wesleyan Anthology: Isaac Asimov, 1941 “Reason” (p. 160-176)
(artificial/posthuman life forms). Take I-RAT 12 on BB.]
4
W 10/7 Take T-RAT 12 and team application on Asimov story.
[HMWK: Read in Wesleyan Anthology: Ursula Le Guin, 1969 “Nine Lives” (p. 452-476)
(artificial/posthuman life forms). Take I-RAT 13 on BB.]
F 10/9 Take T-RAT 13 and team application on Le Guin story.
[HMWK: Read in Wesleyan Anthology: Read in Wesleyan Anthology: Ray Bradbury, 1950
“There Will Come Soft Rains” (p. 234-240) (apocalypse and post-apocalypse) and Arthur C.
Clarke, 1951 “The Sentinel” (p. 241-249) (alien encounters). Take I-RAT 14 on BB.]
Week 8
M 10/12 Take T-RAT 14 and team application on Bradbury and Clarke stories.
[HMWK: Robert Silverberg, 1968 “Passengers” (p. 430-442) (alien encounters) and Gibson,
1982 “Burning Chrome” (p. 547-565) (computers and virtual reality). Take I-RAT 15 on BB.]
W 10/14 Take T-RAT 15 and team application, wrapping up science fiction unit.
[HMWK: Prepare a Study Guide for the Midterm. See document on Blackboard. Bring this to
class]
F 10/16 Review for Midterm: all teams will have three to five “things to know for the Midterm”
ready.
[HMWK: prepare for Midterm. Teams would be wise to arrange a study date and to exchange
their Study Guides]
Week 9
M 10/19 Midterm examination
[HMWK: relax!]
W 10/21 Discuss midterms. Introduction to poetry and to poetry of nature.
[HMWK: Read at least three times, once out loud: “The Tables Turned” and Excerpts from
“Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey,” William Wordsworth. Take I-RAT 16 on
BB.]
F 10/23 Take T-RAT 16 and team application on poems by Wordsworth and the idea of the poet of
nature.
[HMWK: Read at least three times, once outloud: “To Autumn,” John Keats; “Besides the
Autumn Poets Sing,” Emily Dickinson; and “Acquainted with the Night,” Robert Frost. Take I-RAT
17 on BB.]
5
Week 10
M 10/26 Take T-RAT 17 and team application on poems about the passing of our life-time..
[HMWK: Read at least three times, once outloud: “As I Walk These Broad Majestic Days,” Walt
Whitman; “I Like to see it lap the Miles,” Emily Dickinson; and “Standardization,” A. D. Hope.
Take I-RAT 18 on BB.]
W 10/28 Take T-RAT 18 and team application on poems that refer to technology.
[HMWK: Read at least three times, once outloud: Spring,” “The Windhover,” “Pied Beauty,”
Gerard Manley Hopkins; “To make a prairie,” “Hope is the thing with feathers,” Emily
Dickinson. Take I-RAT 19 on BB.]
F 10/30 Take T-RAT 19 and team application and in-class writing (Theme 3).
[HMWK: Read at least three times, once outloud: ““haunting the quark,” and “inkman,” Rg
Gregory; “O sweet spontaneous,” e. e. cummings; “M. Degas Teaches Art and Science at Durfee
Intermediate School—Detroit 1942,” Philip Levine. Take I-RAT 20 on BB. Share your in-class
writing ideas with your team.]
Week 11
M 11/2 Take T-RAT 20 and team application. (Last day to withdraw from classes)
[HMWK: Read in The Doctor Stories “Introduction” (p. vii-xvi) and “Old Doc Rivers” (p. 13-41).
Take I-RAT 21 on BB. Revise your in-class Theme 3.]
W 11/4 NO CLASS (Dr. Ross out of town)
[HMWK: Read in The Doctor Stories: “The Girl with a Pimply Face” (p. 42-55); “The Use of
Force” (p. 56-60). Take I-RAT 22 on BB. Arrange for a written peer review of Theme 3; revise as
needed.]
F 11/6 Theme 3 due at the beginning of class. T-RAT 21 & 22. Team application on medical fiction,
the perspective of a medical practitioner.
[HMWK: Read in The Doctor Stories: “A Night in June” (p. 61-68); “The Birth” (p. 127-128);
“Dead Baby” (p. 130); “The Practice” from The Autobiography (p. 119-126); Afterword: My
Father, the Doctor (p. 133-142). Take I-RAT 23 on BB.]
Week 12
M 11/9 T-RAT 23. Team application: the medical perspective.
[HMWK: Read in Consciousness: Preface (p. ix); Chapter 1 Consciousness: Starting Out (p. 1-9);
Chapter 2 Personal Matters (p. 11-21). Take I-RAT 24 on BB.]
6
W 11/11 T-RAT 24. Team application: the mind-body problem
[HMWK: Read in Consciousness: Chapter 3 Defining the Problem (p. 23-39); Chapter 4
Consciousness in the Laboratory (p. 41- 57). Take I-RAT 25 on BB.]
F 11/13 T-RAT 25. Team application: the mind body-problem.
[HMWK: Read in Consciousness: Chapter 5 Consciousness in the Clinic (p. 59-74) and Chapter 6 The
Unconscious (p. 75-90). Take I-RAT 26 on BB.]
Week 13
M 11/16 T-RAT 26. Team application: the mind-body problem
[HMWK: Read in Consciousness: Chapter 7 Free Will and the Brain (p. 91-112). Take I-RAT 27 on
BB.]
W 11/18 T-RAT 27. Team application: the mind-body problem
[HMWK: Read in Consciousness: Chapter 8 Integrating Information and the Brain (p. 113-135). Take
I-RAT 28 on BB.]
F 11/20 T-RAT 28. Team application: the mind-body problem
[HMWK: Finish Consciousness: Chapter 9 Onto New Horizons (p. 137-147) and Chapter 10 Final
Matters (p. 149-166). Take I-RAT 29 on BB.]
M 11/23- F 11/27—Thanksgiving Vacation
Week 14
M 11/30 T-RAT 29. Team application: the mind-body problem
[HMWK: Begin reviewing for Final Exam.]
W 12/2 Individual and Team Self Assessments.
[HMWK: Review for Final Exam]
F 12/4 Review for Final Exam.
Week 15
M 12/7—Study day
W/F 12/9 or 12/11 exam