American Environmental Literature

English 11-12 American Environmental Literature (Huss)

(fulfills one term of the three term American Literature requirement

for the Junior or Senior years)

In this course we will read, discuss, and write about the evolution of environmental thought in the United States from its origins in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s and Henry David Thoreau’s essays to the first environmental controversy at Yosemite National Park in 1910 in the writings of John Muir and Gifford Pinchot to its current state in the nature writings of Aldo Leopold, John McPhee, Edward Abbey, Gary Snyder and Wendell Berry.

1) How do the place and the writer's perspective of this place influence his or her nature?

2) How does the author write about nature to understand the human condition, nature itself, and human relationships with nature?

3) How does this writer advance the argument for wilderness preservation, intact ecosystems, species recovery and a sustainable relationship with nature?

There will be student presentations and seminar discussions on many environmental issues. Students will also choose to write "theory of action" persuasive arguments for some of the issues below:

1 IDAHO WOLVES: Video Narration of Slides on Idaho Wolf Control Act: proposes to eliminate 75% of the Idaho Wolf Population

2 ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE v OIL PRODUCTION: Oral Presentation on students can explore the effect of oil production in the arctic upon the largest intact caribou herd in the world

3 SHRINKING OF NATIONAL MONUMENTS: Persuasive Editorial Paper on National Monument Reductions

TEXTS:

Walden, Henry Thoreau, ISBN-13: 978-0143106500 (will be billed to you)

Desert Solitaire, Ed Abbey, ISBN-13: 978-0671695880 (will be billed to you)

Encounters with the Archdruid, John McPhee, ISBN-13: 978-0374514310

Never Cry Wolf, Farley Mowat 0-316-88179-1

The Practice of the Wild, Gary Snyder ISBN 10: 1 59376 016 7

I will supply an American Environmental Literature Reader that contains supplemental readings.

Classroom expectations:

1 Please avoid being absent and / or late. Lateness or absences will be reflected through the class participation grade.

2 Please bring your texts to class. (Loss of a homework grade each day you forget your text).

3 No cell phones

4 No food will be allowed in class.

5 Late work loses a letter grade each day.

Honors:

HONORS OPTIONS:

Honors students must maintain a B+ or above term average in the course, be a discussion leader, and turn in consistently high quality work.

OPTION 1: Consult with Phil about researching and writing a persuasive paper on another environmental controversy of your choosing: see the NRDC web site: https://www.nrdc.org/work

OPTION 2: Use the English Honors Prep Guide and study and complete one practice test at least three areas of testing:

- AP Language and Composition Test (Due Friday April 13)

-SAT Literature Test (Due Friday May 4)

-ACT English Test, (if needed by the student)

-SAT Critical Reading and Writing Tests (if needed by the student)

Course Requirements: Students' grades will be determined by papers, quizzes, contributions to class discussion, and Google Doc Reading Journal.

Three paper assignments will be completed:

-a found poem analysis of Emerson and Thoreau,

- a persuasive "theory of action" paper on an environmental issue: National Monument Reductions

- a persuasive online narration editorial on an environmental issue: Wolf Depredation

-oral presentation on Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness Proposal

There will also be opportunities for creative non-fiction nature writing. Several quizzes will ask students to analyze passages from the texts we are discussing.