August Wilderness Water Course

From WildWiki

AW Water Wilderness Course Syllabus

COURSE SYLLABUS

Education 110 (August Wilderness-Water)

Summer Term 2006

Course Description

ED 110- August Wilderness is an experiential, field-based course that combines wilderness travel with study, observation, and personal reflection. Located in the northwestern part of Ontario, Wabikimi Provincial Park and the surrounding “Queen Land” will serve as the wilderness context for this course, as they have for the last twenty plus years. The terrain is remote and rugged, allowing for solitude, physical challenge, and natural beauty. The physical activity focus of this course will be canoeing and students should expect to spend a good deal of time learning the fundamental skills for successful expedition canoe travel including basic and intermediate paddle skills, portaging, river lining, campsite selection and set-up, map and compass navigation, cooking, and baking, among others.

In addition, this course has an emphasis on environmental education. Students will explore both the natural and cultural history of the northern boreal forests including flora and fauna identification as well as a basic understanding of ecological and geological processes of the area. We will also learn about and practice Leave No Trace- a fundamental skill necessary to travel in pristine environments with minimal environmental impact. Finally, this course is also about learning to live and learn in community. We will spend time learning about and practicing the critical elements of successful community living including effective communication, decision-making and problem solving, leadership, and conflict resolution. Readings, journal writing, skill assessments, and group discussion provide the basis for academic credit.

All of these emphases will assist students in their transition to college and, in particular, to Earlham. While we won’t spend a lot of time orienting students to Earlham per se, the experiences, discussions, and activities will begin to build a strong foundation of self-confidence, interpersonal skills, and engaged intellectual inquiry necessary for experiencing success at Earlham.

Required Readings:

August Wilderness Water Reader 2006. The Reader is a compilation of brief essays and articles relevant to our experience in Ontario. Selections include articles on natural history, environmental ethics, personal growth, and outdoor skills. A copy of the Reader will be sent to you in early July. Please be sure to bring it with you to Earlham.

Expectations:

Students will be expected to fully engage the material and activities on this course. This means active participation in group events and discussions, careful reading of assignments both on and off-trail, positive expedition behavior, and timely completion of all assignments. It is important that students recognize that this is not a guided vacation trip. While we aim to make the course fun and, at times, quite relaxing, students should come prepared to work hard- both physically and intellectually- to make the most of the experience.

Grading:

Grading for ED 110 is Pass/No-Pass. Your performance on this course will be assessed in the following ways:

1/3 Course Participation (discussions, readings, etc) 1/3 Assignments (Essays, Journal Entries, Observation Projects, etc.) 1/3 Outdoor Skills (Campcraft, Leadership, Expedition Behavior, etc)

Students will receive a written and oral evaluation toward the middle of the program and at the conclusion of the program from their course leaders.

Instructors:

Please see the enclosed staff letter for more information about your instructors.