Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | ENV-2175-VO01 - Natural and Cultural History of Vermont

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Jaimi DeFeo
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jen Guarino

General Education Requirements

VSCS Natural Science

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course explores the ways in which Vermont's natural environment and its peoples' cultural practices influence each other over time. A natural history overview includes the geology, weather, wildlife, and vegetation of Vermont. A cultural history overview explores human society from post-glacial to present-day time periods to understand how people interact with this changing landscape. Students uncover patterns in the natural and cultural environments that demonstrate both the uniqueness of Vermont and its place within the larger northeast region. Field trips and labs are required.

Essential Objectives

1. Explain the basic ecological principles necessary to interpret past, present, and future trends within natural settings.
2. Describe the geological time scale as it applies to the major geologic events affecting Vermont.
3. Describe and discuss how geological, ecological, and cultural factors shape Vermont's landscape over time.
4. Analyze the causes and effects of Vermont's weather patterns and discuss the implications for Vermont’s ecosystems and species due to climate change.
5. Describe the physiographic regions, biomes, and major ecosystems in Vermont, and explain the abiotic and biotic factors that make each distinct.
6. Connect the effects of climate, vegetation, wildlife, and topography to each other.
7. Explore the ways in which native peoples adapted to post-glacial climate change and consider the ways in which modern Vermonters can adapt to present-day climate change.
8. Describe how culture and the economy influence land and water uses and can be used to exploit groups of people to gain access to natural resources.
9. Analyze Vermont policies and laws that guide natural resource decisions within the state and explore the ways in which such decisions affect the northeast region and the broader world.
10. Explain how knowledge created in the natural sciences has contributed to the creation, maintenance and dismantling of social inequalities and discuss the impacts of diversity and inclusion on scientific research and practice.
Laboratory Objectives:
1. Use field techniques, tools, and resources to identify the major ecosystems in Vermont, describe their ecological functions, and assess their environmental services for humans.
2. Make observations of evidence of human activities on the landscape and conduct research to create hypotheses about past land and water uses.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, interpreting, applying, and evaluating the accuracy of data and information sources.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Fall 2024 textbook details will be available on 2024-05-20. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

ENV-2175-VO01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

• Weekly reading assignments
• Discussion board topics
• Field observation reports
• Quizzes
• Timelines/PowerPoint
• Water quality assessment
• Computer mapping project
• Online research, videos, podcasts

Evaluation Criteria

The Story of Vermont readings and assignments: 30%

Labs & Reports: 30%

Discussions: 20%

Other Assignments: 20%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

• Check into the Canvas Modules every Tuesday for the most up-to-date news and assignments as we move through the semester. Attendance is very important for the successful completion of this course and will be marked at the end of each week when assignments are due.
• Students are expected to participate in all discussion forums, take any quizzes, and do all homework weekly in order for their attendance to be marked as “Present” and to get their weekly grades. Each week we will cover new material, therefore, it is important to stay on top of all assignments.
• Read the assigned material and demonstrate an understanding of those resources in your assignments and posts.
• Do not hesitate to ask for extra help if you need it or clarification if you don't understand something. It may help me to clarify things for others, too. I am always available for questions through email and we can set aside some time on Zoom, if necessary.
• Check your email throughout the week, as I will send out "Announcements" about new modules as well as any updates or notices. Please take a moment to set your preferences for noticesand check your school email or forward it to your personal account.
• All assignments must be uploaded to or completedin Canvas to be graded. Do not email me any assignments for grading. Contact me if you cannot upload an assignment.
• All posts and assignments should be in your own words. Copying and pasting from sources is not allowed and will be considered plagiarism unless it is a quote and identified as such. Proper grammar and spelling are expected in all assignments. Using AI to write any assignments is not allowed in this course.
• For more information, please read the "Netiquette" document about online communication expectations for this class, which will be posted the first week of class in the Modules section.
• CCV lists a 3-credit course as taking about 8-10 hours a week, and a 4-credit course requires 14-16 hours, including the contact time and homework.
• You can check your most recent grades in the "Grades" section of Canvas, which can be found to the left of the page under the course section. Your average is calculated with each new grade. Communication goes a long way, and ultimately, you are responsible for your final grade, so take advantage of all available resources. Those who do best in the class are the ones who complete all the assignments on time each week. You will be responsible for passing in your work, asking for help or clarification, or making arrangements if there are issues beyond your control. Please reach out if this happens so we can work on a plan together.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Weekly discussion board topics cannot be made up since everyone will move on to the next topic each week and it will no longer be a "live" discussion. Interacting with classmates is an essential part of online discussions and cannot be made up after the fact. Focus on completing this first, when possible.

For each day an assignment is late (other than the discussions, which will not be graded late), 5% will be deducted per day for up to one week. The assignment will automatically close in Canvas after that, and you will no longer be able to upload it. Please contact me if you need any help or to discuss special circumstances. I will do my best to work with you, but do not wait until the end of the semester. You will not be able to make up a whole semester's worth of work at the end.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity