Fs101 Backyard Biology
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PL
Expectations and Calendar
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last update: September 7, 2004
You are expected to be present for all class meetings as well as for scheduled activities as sescribed in the calendar.
You will be responsible for a group of four students, with whom you will work closely throughout the entire semester. As part of your responsibilities, you will be expected to give these students feedback on drafts of their written work and on their practice presentations, and to facilitate in-class small group discussion during workshops. I will rely on you to document both attendance and participation for "your" four students during in-class sessions and outside-of-class events. To that end, you will need to devise a grade sheet to keep track of your impressions - for each day, you should note down the quantity and quality of a students contributions (using a check/plus/minus system, giving a "0" for absences or missed tasks).
We will meet weekly from 4:30 to 5:30 pm on Tuesdays to keep each other informed about how things are going and to tie up remaining loose ends in terms of logistics and planning. During these meetings, we may also decide to modify time plans and assignments if this seems sensible. Your assessment of student responses and course dynamics will help us to make decisions about course logistics.
To keep yourself organized and monitor your own progress with your group, I will request you to keep a journal in which you record issues that you think might need attention, as well as problems that came up during or outside of class and how you responded to them. This journal will serve as an informal writing assignment. It's primary function, however, should be to help you remember things to bring up at our meetings and to keep track of other course-related issues. I suggest that you use part of the journal for logging attendance and student contributions.
Your formal written work for the course will consist largely in composing introductory sections to your group's projects on the course website. You will learn the mechanics of using Dreamweaver software during the workshops scheduled for the course.
You will also be expected to lead discussions on readings in class (see calendar). In addition, I have scheduled a number of "PL-panels" during which all of you will help give perspectives on issues of interest to first-year students (see calendar for specifics).
On the calendar below, you will find additional logistic tasks you need to perform for particular class days. Keep in mind that this is a work in progress -- please check back often and ask if something doesn't make sense to you. Particularly, you should cross-check the regular course calendar against your PL calendar to make sure the two check out with each other.
Grading Rubric (to be discussed):
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| class attendance | 20 |
| PL meeting attendance | 10 |
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enthusiastic engagement with students and course materials as demonstrated by: - preparation for class - participation in class - engagement in related activities outside of class - documentation in notebook |
35 |
| website on summaries (including introduction) | 15 |
| website on research papers (including introduction) | 20 |
Calendar
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Date
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Time:
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Tasks
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PLs
responsible
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Su
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22
Aug
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11:45 meet in Steffee B212 |
all
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Mo
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23 Aug
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1:30 pm |
meet with students and Dr. C. in B212 be prepared to talk about importance of trying a wide selection of classes / benefits of a liberal arts education |
all
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6:30
pm
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check on cart computer setup in B212: make sure each computer has an internet connection | ||||
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7 pm students meet with PLs in Steffee B212 |
help each student to generate a list of 10 classes they would like to take (don't let them leave without a completed list!) help students to complete the "catalog assignment" help students to navigate WebAdvisor to search for open classes; also use the |
all
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Tu
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24 Aug
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8 am -12:30 pm & 1:30 - 3:30 pm |
preparatory meeting with your students in B212 immediately before each student is meeting with me: - check on their
catalog assignment; |
all
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We
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25 Aug
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10:00
- noon
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Arena Registration in Wise - meet with your
students at entrance |
all
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Th
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26 Aug
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11:-12:15
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Come prepared to participate in PL panel discussion: What were important First-year issues for you / your friends at Allegheny College? What might be most helpful for students to know right now? What mystified you about syllabi and time planning when you first arrived? What would have been helpful to know? |
all
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Tu
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31 Aug
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11:-12:15
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present and lead discussion on: Sara Stein: Ellen's Lot |
PL reading assignment: Chapter 8 from "The Elements of Teaching Writing" |
Jessica
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present and lead discussion on: Beth Waterhouse: A refined taste in natural objects |
Emilie
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orchestrate small-group
writing exercise: extract questions about description writing assignment & make sure they get asked during whole-class follow-up discussion |
all
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Tu
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31
Aug
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4:30
- 5:30
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PL meeting 1: Plan classes for next week |
all
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by
Th
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2
Sep
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draft computer scavenger hunt |
Jill
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Th
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2 Sep
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assist with network
orientation in Murray 117: collect drafts of description from your four students from WebCT, double-check in class that each group member receives a copy of all other group member's drafts; make sure they know how to download a peer review sheet from the calendar website help with computer scavenger hunt: using the Allegheny Website to find information listen to presentation by Eric Pallant: CEED website: this defines the audience and situation for the group project you will direct all semester long |
all |
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by Tu |
7 Sep
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read the description draft for each student and fill out a peer review for each walk you assigned route for Tuesday's "Walk" at least once with the assignment in mind to catch potential snags |
PL reading assignment: chapters 3 and 4 from "The Elements of Teaching Writing" |
all
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Tu
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7 Sep
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collect peer reviews from your group and distribute to appropriate students Walk through Meadville neighborhoods, meet in Steffee B103 |
CC & PLs
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Tu
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7
Sep
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4:30
- 5:30
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PL meeting 2: Plan classes for next week |
all
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Th
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9 Sep
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data analysis |
Front Yard Analysis: Group reports and Discussion Discussion: Species composition in urban spaces Writing Workshop: descriptions |
PL: Brad
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Tu
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14 Sep
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description:
final paper |
Description presentations Group Project: Brainstorming Discussion:Succession in eastern deciduous forest ecosystems |
group 1 PL: Jill |
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Th
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16 Sep
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thoughts on group project topics |
Group Project: Distributing Topics and Tasks (30 min) Workshop: Searching the internet / Evaluating websites meet in Murray 117 |
Cynthia
Burton
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Tu
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21 Sep
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websearch
assignment
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Workshop: Searching Allecat / Locating print sources meet in Foyer of Pelletier Library |
Cynthia
Burton
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Th
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23 Sep
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Description presentations Group Project: Decide on source to use for reverse outline assignment |
groups 2 & 3 |
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Tu
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28 Sep
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reverse
outline
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Description presentations Group Project: Discuss source list for project, assign sources to group members for summary Compare and discuss reverse outlines |
group
4
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Th
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30 Sep
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summary:
draft
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Writing workshop: Summaries (group workshop, followed by class discussion) PL panel: Study Styles |
PLs
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Tu
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5 Oct
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Walk
to Greendale Ravine (collect native and non-native plant samples); meet
at Campus Center East Entrance
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Th
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7 Oct
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summary:
final paper |
Lab: Identify and document collected samples. meet in Steffee B______ |
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Tu
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12 Oct
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Fall
Break
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Th
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14 Oct
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research paper: bibliography
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summary presentations and discussion: print sources |
group 1 group 2 |
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Tu
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19 Oct
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summary presentations and discussion: print sources |
group 3 group 4 |
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Th
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21 Oct
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research paper:
outline |
Computing Workshop: Creating Webpages in DreamWeaver meet in Murray 117 |
Susan
Fenton
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Tu
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26 Oct
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Computing Workshop: Creating Webpages in DreamWeaver meet in Murray 117 |
Susan
Fenton
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Th
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28 Oct
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research paper: draft |
presentations: website summary and evaluation PL panel: Time Management |
group 1 group 2 |
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Tu
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2 Nov
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peer reviews of research papers revised outline of research paper |
Computing Workshop: Introduction to PowerPoint meet in Murray 117 PL Panel: Extracurricular Activities |
Susan Fenton |
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Th
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4
Nov
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questions for peer reviewers |
presentations: website summary and evaluation writing workshop: research papers |
group 3 group 4 |
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Tu
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9 Nov
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nearly finished PowerPoint Presentation
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Computing Workshop: Help with PowerPoint Polishing meet in Murray 117 PL panel: Choosing Courses |
PLs
& CC, Susan Fenton
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Th
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11 Nov
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Research Project Presentations and Discussion |
group
1
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Tu
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16 Nov
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final
research paper
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Research
Project Presentations and Discussion
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group 2 |
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Th
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18 Nov
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Academic Plan |
Individual Advising: See me in B219 at the appointed time; meet with your PL in B_______ 30 minutes before your appointment |
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Tu
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23 Nov
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Academic
Plan
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Individual Advising:
See me in B219
at the appointed time; meet with your PL in B_______ 30 minutes before your appointment |
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Th
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25 Nov
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Thanksgiving
Break
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Tu
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30 Nov
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Research
Project Presentations and Discussion
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group 3 |
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Th
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1 Dec
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Research
Project Presentations and Discussion
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group 4 |
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Tu
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7 Dec
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Last Day of Class: Reflect and Relax! PL Panel: What's next? |
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