Humanity in the Food Web

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Contents

Course Information

Please report errors and problems with this wiki to Prof. Gates

Instructors

Kaustubh Bhalerao & Rich Gates & Luis Rodríguez

Office Hours

Each instructor has blocked a weekly office hour in their respective office.

  • Bhalerao - by arrangement only
  • Gates - Wednesdays 1-3 pm
  • Rodriguez - Tuesday - Friday's 9-11 am

Alternatively, contact us to schedule an appointment.

Contact Information

Kaustubh Bhalerao bhalerao@illinois.edu (questions about guest speakers, grade summary)

  • 376A Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building
  • 217-244-3925


Rich Gates rsgates@illinois.edu (questions about presentations, webpage-wiki, journal entries)

  • 360C Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building
  • 217-244-2791
  • Or via IM (take your pick):
    • gates_rich1 via Yahoo Messenger
    • gates_rich via Gizmo5


Luis Rodríguez lfr@illinois.edu (questions about external graders, field trip, attendance/quick-writes )

  • 376C Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building
  • 217-333-2694
  • Or via IM (take your pick):
    • rodriguezluisf via AIM
    • wheezito via YahooIM
    • wheezito@hotmail.com via MSN
    • wheezito via iChat
    • luis.f.rodriguez1@gmail.com via Google Talk
    • wheezito via Skype (please make prior arrangements to Skype)

Writing Graders

Ann Helm helmpa@comcast.net

Emelie Mies emeliemies@gmail.com

Course Description

This course is about the human food web, the complex network of technologies, environments, people, and social institutions that produce, process, and distribute the world’s food supply.

You will come to understand the food webs of the past, present, and future and will explore various human roles, including your own, in the global technology-environment-society-food system. Course topics include domestication, mechanization, urbanization, the green revolution, biotechnology, food safety, the environment, and appropriate technologies.

You will also develop your abilities in critical thinking, written and oral communication, and discriminating judgment with regard to your actions as a consumer and citizen in the food web.

Course Format & Policies

The course includes several different means or activities to accomplish the above objectives, including:

  1. Reading assignments. You will read from a variety of books, journal articles, and websites. You are expected to complete the required readings before coming to class so you can effectively participate in class discussions (a requirement). It will be considered a lack of class participation if you fail to read your assignments and the participation portion of your grade will suffer. These reading assignments will also be useful for completing written assignments. Reading assignments and class agendas may be accessed by clicking the topic title in the proposed schedule below.
  2. Class discussions, exercises, and possibly, field trips. You learn best when you articulate what you have read and experienced and what you do not yet understand. You are expected to actively participate in class exercises. Field trips to farms, food processing plants, and other relevant locations may be considered.
  3. Journals. You are to submit a minimum of four entries (approximately every third week) in a course journal. Your journal may include (a) reactions to class exercises and discussions, (b) observations from readings outside of class, (c) any other comments that characterize your growth in the subject area, and, (d) comments or questions for the instructional team. Journal discussion pages may be accessed by clicking the topic title in the proposed schedule below, and then choosing the 'discussion' tab at the top.
  4. Reviews, Papers, and Projects. You will complete one Book Review of approximately three pages, a Position Paper of approximately three pages, one Term Paper of approximately 10 pages (these papers may be interrelated and each may build upon the previous paper), and one Oral presentation of approximately 10 minutes in length (which may be based upon one of your written assignments).

Academic Integrity

Questions of academic integrity will be addressed following Part I, Section 402 of the Student Code.

There will be no cheating. Please think twice before taking the risk of putting yourself or any of us in such an uncomfortable postion. If, however, suspicious activity is observed you should expect swift action on our part.

Grading Policy and Assignment Descriptions

Points shall be accumulated throughout the semester based on the evaluations listed in Table 1.

Click the assignment title in the table for more specific details about each assignment.

Table 1. Grade contributions
Evaluation Points
Journal Entries 10%
Participation 10%
Book Review 15%
Argumentative Paper 15%
Term Paper 25%
Quiz 1 5%
Quiz 2 5%
Presentations 15%
Total 100%

Journals will not be accepted after the due date. All other assignments submitted late will be reduced 10% per day, up to a maximum of 50%. Draft papers submitted late will reduce the final grade.

Gradebook

Proposed Schedule

Table 2. Proposed TSM 311 Schedule and Class Content for Spring 2010
Dates Friday Afternoon Lecture Assignment Due
Jan. 22 Introductions, Course Overview, Tragedy of the Commons (Rodríguez) None
Jan 29. Hunter-gatherer Societies (Bhalerao) E-mail wiki log-in to Dr. Gates (rsgates@illinois.edu)
Feb. 5 Emergence of Agriculture (Rodríguez) None
Feb. 12 Domestication, Creating New Plants & Animals (Gates) Journal #1; Presentation Topic
Feb. 19 QUIZ 1, Early Agriculture (Bhalerao) None
Feb. 26 Intensification of Agriculture (Rodríguez) Position Paper, 1st Draft
Mar. 5 Modern Livestock Production Systems (Gates) Journal #2, Response #1
Mar. 12 Pres Grp 1, Organic Farming (Rodríguez?) Final Term Paper Quick-Write (in-class), Book Review, 1st Draft
Mar. 19 Field Trip 1: Energy Farm (Rodríguez) Position Paper Final
Mar. 26 Spring Break None
April 2 Pres Grp 2, Role of Government & Markets in Food Web (Bhalerao) Journal #3, Response #2, Term Paper, outline
April 9 Pres Grp 3, Genetically Modified Foods (Bhalerao) 1st Draft (2 copies ea.)
April 16 Pres Grp 4, Food Supply, Security & Safety (Gates) Book Review, Final
April 23 Pres Grp 5, Human Nutrition, Food & Culture (Gates) Quiz #2, Peer Review of 1st Draft of Term Paper
April 30 Pres Grp 6, Human & Environment Interactions (Rodríguez) Journal #4, Response #3; Term Paper, Final

Required Materials

  • Purchase 2-3 Blue Book Examination Booklets (8.5 x 11 in size) from the IUB Bookstore (approx. $0.25 each). You will need these during the quizzes.
  • This wiki.
  • Readings on reserve in the library
    • Please note, readings for this course in the electronic reserve are listed under Grade Danao and Angela Green, previous instructors for this course.

Supplemental Resources

Writing Assignments

Writing Response Form

The goals of the course are to increase your awareness of the food web and your role in it and to improve your critical thinking and communication skills. Consequently the instructors will be asking the following general questions as they review students’ writing projects:

  • How has this helped you learn more about the food web and your role in it?
  • Are you thinking critically or are you justifying your initial opinion?

Additionally, they will also be asking the following specific questions about students’ writing projects:

1) Content

  • Is there a clear thesis statement?
  • Is the thesis well supported with facts and reasoning?
  • Are the facts accurate and cited?
  • Is the paper factually complete? (are the most important facts relevant to the subject included?)
  • Are weaknesses, criticisms and assumptions considered carefully or too quickly dismissed?
  • Does the conclusion follow from the reasoning?

2) Organization

  • Is the information presented in a logical manner?
  • Are there signposts that help the reader understand where the writer is going?
  • Are there transitions that connect different ideas, or are ideas presented in a disjointed manner?

3) Audience

  • Is the vocabulary and complexity appropriate to the audience?
  • Is the tone appropriate to the intended audience?
  • Does the writer help the reader follow the line of argument and make the subject interesting and compelling?

4) Mechanics

  • grammar
  • spelling
  • punctuation
  • proper citation of facts

Developing Effective Thesis Statements

Other links

Retrieved from "http://biomass.age.uiuc.edu/index.php/Humanity_in_the_Food_Web"
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