Fall 2008
Geos 220: Environmental History of the Southwest
Class times: TTH 11:00-12:15
Location: Education 211
Professors and TAs
Dr. Paul Sheppard
Lab. of Tree-Ring Research
West Stadium 105c-1
1-520-621-6474
sheppard @ ltrr.arizona.edu
office hours: MF 11:00-12:00
Ms. April Chiriboga
Lab. of Tree-Ring Research
West Stadium 104A
1-520-621-5391
april @ ltrr.arizona.edu
office hours: W 1:00-3:00
Mr. Nick Augustine
Educational Technology
Info Commons, Main Library
no office phone
nicka1 @ email.arizona.edu
office hours: TTh 1:00-2:00
![]()
Course Objectives and Summary
- UA On-line catalog description for Geos. 220: Environmental and cultural history of the Southwest emphasizing discovery of the past using historical science techniques of tree-ring and packrat midden analyses and repeat photography.
- This course will cover several paleoenvironmental tools that have been involved extensively in reconstructing the natural and cultural history of the Southwest (as well as for other regions, too). They include:
- Tree rings
- Packrat middens
- Alluvial stratigraphy
- Repeat photography
- Historical documents
- Whereas the overall scope of this course encompasses broad time scales, its focus increases in detail as it moves from the distant to the recent past.
- Spatially, the greater Southwest includes most of Arizona and New Mexico as well as southeastern Utah, southwestern Colorado, and northern Mexico.
- This course has been described in detail in an article published in 2008 in the Journal of Geoscience Education. Click here to see it.
Prerequisites
Please be sure that you have fulfilled the stated course prerequisites: two courses from Tier One, Natural Sciences (NATS 101, 102, 104).
UA General Education
- Geos. 220 is a General Education course. The UA on-line catalog states that General Education provides "foundational facts, processes, theories, and habits of mind to meet the challenges of the 21st century across a variety of disciplines," and it "encourages students to develop a critical and inquiring attitude, an appreciation of complexity and ambiguity, a tolerance for and empathy with persons of different backgrounds or values and a deepened sense of self." Geos. 220 is designed to fulfill these mandates.
- More specifically, Geos. 220 is a Tier Two general education course, which means it includes a "more in-depth examination of particular disciplines." Please accept that content of this course will be covered in more detail than might have occurred in Tier One courses.
- There are varying opinions about the usefulness of General Education. For example, see this "con" argument against the current gen-ed system at the UA. To be fair and balanced, see this "pro" argument extolling the virtues of general education at the college level. By the way, gen-ed at the UA is not intended to help undeclared students find a major for themselves (see again the two points above).
Lecture Attendance
Attendance will not be monitored directly, but students are expected to attend lectures according to UA policy. In the past, students who have attended lectures regularly have done well in this course, and vice versa. Students who have attended attentively have done especially well. Click here for a Daily Wildcat cartoon on classroom attention, and click here for a Daily Wildcat op-ed piece about attending class.Readings
- There is no textbook for the course, simply because there is no single book that covers all of the varied content of this course while not including other, non-pertinent topics.
- Instead of a single textbook, specific short readings will be available through this course web page. The reading assignments will be updated as needed.
- For some readings you will need the Adobe Reader application loaded onto your computer; that is pretty common these days and most university computers already have Adobe Reader installed. If you need it for your own computer, it's a free download from here: Adobe.
- For some readings you will need to know a password, which will be divulged in class. If you forget the password, contact the instructors.
- If you have problems with computer access to any readings or assignments, contact the instructors.
Course Web Page
- The url for the course web page is http://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/geos220/.
- This page contains the course syllabus plus links to notes for each lecture, homework assignments, quiz and exam dates, professor and TA contact information, and other important sites of interest.
- Students who access the web syllabus regularly during the semester do well in this course.
- Details of the writing assignments, quizzes, and/or outside activities are posted only on the web page and will not be distributed in class.
- A hardcopy printout of this syllabus is available for copying at the main office of the Tree-Ring Laboratory, West Stadium 105B.
Writing Assignments
- There are two 1000-word writing assignments in this course. They are intended to provide a chance for in-depth research on complex topics, to foster critical thinking, and to allow practice for writing.
- Each writing assignment will be broken into two parts:
- The written essay, complete with cited references (50% of grade)
- The list of references cited, the more the better, with a good mix of kinds of references (50% of grade)
- The grading of these written assignments will be rigorous, based primarily on the effective use of research material and the overall quality of the writing. In general, the more reference material cited the better, and having just one topic in each paragraph, including an identifiable topic sentence, would be good. To improve writing quality, check out the free UA Writing Skills Improvement Program, which includes presentations on essay organization and paragraph structure, two areas of consistent difficulty in this course.
- More specific guidelines for the essays and grading criteria will be provided.
Grading Guidelines
- Grading will be based on:
- 4 in-class quizzes (quick)
- 2 outside activities (easy and fun)
- 2 writing assignments (difficult)
- 3 exams (two midterms and a unit final exam with a comprehensive section)
- The distribution of credit and grading will be as follows:
Points Quizzes = 100 (25 pts. each x 4 quizzes) Outside activities = 50 (25 pts. each x 2 activities) Writing Assignments = 200 (100 pts. each x 2 essays) Midterm Exams = 400 (200 pts. each x 2 exams) Final Exam = 250 (200-pt. unit exam + 50-pt. comp.) Total Points = 1000
- Letter grades for the course will be determined from the percentage of earned points relative to the total, as follows:
900-1000 points (90 to 100%) = A 800-899 points (80 to 89%) = B 700-799 points (70 to 79%) = C 600-699 points (60 to 69%) = D below 600 points (60%) = E INCOMPLETES WILL BE CONSIDERED
ONLY UNDER DIRE MEDICAL EVENTS.
Exams and Other Graded Assignments
- Students can arrange with the instructors to take exams or quizzes in advance of scheduled dates if a valid reason for missing the scheduled dates is offered, such as: personal or family emergency, medical reasons, or UA Athletic obligations. If an exam or quiz is missed for unforeseen reasons (e.g., car accidents, sickness, emergencies, etc.), a make-up may be arranged within three days of the scheduled exam so long as proof of the necessity of the absence is provided (e.g., a written statement from a medical doctor, etc.).
- According to UA policy, the Final Exam MUST be taken during the scheduled time, unless you're unfortunate enough to have two at the same time or four on the same day, in which case please see the instructors.
- Completely missing exams or failing to do other graded essays and activities makes it difficult to succeed in any course. For example, if nothing is turned in for an assignment, a score of 0 will be entered for that grade.
- Students who are late on a graded assignment and don't have an acceptable excuse may turn in that assignment late for up to one week past the due date.
- However, the maximum score for late work will drop 10% after the due date.
- In short, it's best to turn in assignments on time, but if an assignment is late, it's still worth turning it in. After one week late, the door closes on assignments.
Extra Credit
Extra credit is offered to all students, as follows:
- "Extra" credit does not mean "instead of" credit. That is, an extra credit score can be added to the final point total only by students who have turned in everything else.
- Only one extra credit assignment per student may be turned in.
- The extra credit project is to be a self-sponsored field trip to some pertinent prehistoric cultural site in the Southwest. The exact details of extra credit assignments can vary between students, and many possibilities exist in or near Tucson and throughout the Southwest:
- Near Tucson: The Romero Ruin of Catalina State Park.
- Slightly farther away: Murray Springs mammoth site, Casa Grande, Tumacácori, Besh Ba Gowah, Tonto, Pueblo Grande.
- Even farther away: Homolovi, Montezuma Castle and Well, Flagstaff Sinagua sites (Wupatki, Sunset Crater, and Walnut Canyon), Canyon de Chelly, Navajo Tsegi Canyon, Gila Cliff Dwellings, Pecos, Salinas Pueblo, and Kuaua.
- No extra credit adventure need last more than a day, and many could be a mere stop-in while traveling for other reasons. Spend at least a couple hours at the site learning about its prehistoric human-environment interactions.
- Three things will be required to earn extra credit points from a field trip:
- You must consult with Dr. Sheppardin person, not just by email, and preferably during office hoursbefore your trip to be sure that your proposed site is acceptable and to help prepare yourself to maximize your visit. For example, you will get recommended reference material to take with you. If you're already traveling and see some place appropriate to spend time at, do it and come see me after.
- Turn in a 2-page, (typed, double-spaced) essay describing what you saw and explicitly linking it to lecture topics of the course, the more the better. Discuss dates, how dating was done, where and how food and water were obtained, and when and why the people left. Include at least TWO citations, one of material obtained at the site AND one of a published or web-based reference related to your site.
- Your report must include a picture of you at the site. Make it obvious that you were at the site.
- Small groups of two or three students may travel together, but each student must do the consultation and essay independently.
- The total possible points available for extra credit is 50.
- Extra credit essays may be turned in at any time up until November 18, 2008.
Code of Conduct
It is important that we allprofessors, TAs, and students alikeobserve rules of common courtesy, such as:
- Adhere to the ABOR code of conduct and the UA Code of Academic Integrity.
- If you must arrive late or leave early (something not encouraged), please do so quietly.
- If you have a cell phone, please turn it off during class. If you must talk with or text message someone during lecture, please do that outside of class.
- If you must read the newspaper, tackle the crossword and sudoku puzzles, study for some other course, sleep, or do anything else not related to this course during our lecture time, please do it elsewhere, not in lecture. These activities are officially considered disruptive.
- There will be no racism, sexism, or violence tolerated in the classroom.
- It's acceptableeven encouragedto study together, of course. However, cheating will not be tolerated, including but not limited to:
- Copying work of others during exams or quizzes.
- Turning in work of others as your own, including work of students from past semesters.
- Plagiarism on papers. Click here for a definition of plagiarism.
- Special note on plagiarism: Some definitions of plagiarism imply that all that is necessary to avoid it is to put someone else's text in quotes and then cite the original source. While technically this may be true and acceptable in some academic settings, copying someone else's text (put in quotes or otherwise) is hereby NOT acceptable in this course. This includes text from fellow students or students from past semesters, published articles or newspapers, and web sites. In short: Citing yes, quoting no.
- Another note on plagiarism: If you'd like a fictional account of plagiarism, try Stephen King's, "Secret Window, Secret Garden," definitely a horror story. The movie, "Secret Window" with Johnny Depp and John Turturro, wasn't bad either.
- Students found cheating on any assigned work will receive a score of 0 for that assignment.
Special Provisions
- In compliance with Title III of the Americans With Disabilities Act (1990), students who require special assistance will be suitably accommodated. Students must be registered with the University and a minimum of 5 days notice for such accommodations is requested.
- If the schedule outlined below conflicts with major religious observances, please let the professor know.
- If English is not your native language and you feel that you must use a translation dictionary during exams, please contact the professor.
- Students requiring accommodation in testing or note taking: Please notify the professor and provide the Disability Resource Center letter within the first few days of the course.
- Student athletes and others who need signatures periodically: Please notify the professor that you'll be needing signatures generally, and please alert the professor before a particular signing period is due so that your most up-to-date grade can be calculated.
- Honors College students: An Honors Contract is allowable. See the instructor to arrange those details.
Tentative Lecture Schedule
Part I - Southwest Background
Date Topic Reading Class Events BOD = book of the day, not required or even expected for now, just encouraged for later Tue
Aug 26Course introduction: Defining the Southwest
Lecture notesGetting started Thu
Aug 28Geology: General and SW
Lecture notesRequired: US Geological Survey: The Great Ice Age Begin studying for in-class Quiz 1: Geological Time Roadside Geology series
Upheaval from the Abyss, Dave Lawrence
Tue
Sep 2Climate: General Circulation
Lecture notesThu
Sep 4Climate: SW features
Lecture notesRequired: Gutzler: SW monsoon (password protected pdf file)
Optional: NOAA web pages on El NiñoTake in-class Quiz 1: Geological Time Glen Canyon, A Novel, Steven Hannon
Tue
Sep 9Dating Techniques
Lecture notesRequired: Emil Haury: Recollections of Dramatic Moment in Southwestern Archaeology (password protected pdf file)
Optional: Try the video version: In the Field of Time (Main E57.H3I5 1995)
Optional: National Geographic Magazine, Sept. 2001, How old Is It?Begin Activity 1:
Crossdating Tree RingsTree Rings and Telescopes: The Scientific Career of A.E. Douglass,
George E. WebbThu
Sep 11Paleo-Ecology and Climate Techniques
Lecture notesOptional: Diamond: Packrat Historians Changing Mile, Steven Hannon
Tue
Sep 16SW Ecosystems: Deserts
Lecture notesTurn in Activity 1: Crossdating Tree Rings
Begin studying for in-class Quiz 2: SWRiversA Sense of Place,
Janice Bowers
The Desert Year,
Joseph Krutch
Desert Solitaire,
Edward Abbey
Thu
Sep 18SW Ecosystems: Mountains
Lecture notes
The Mountains Next Door, Janice Bowers
Tue
Sep 23In-class review Part I -
Southwest Background
Click here for study guide to Exam ITake in-class Quiz 2: SW Rivers Wed
Sep 24Extra review session - Southwest Background LTRR classroom,
Math East basement,
see map above3:00 PM led by April Thu
Sep 25Exam I - Southwest Background Part II - Prehistoric Environmental Issues Date Topic Reading Class Events BOD Tue
Sep 30Early Humans: Pleistocene
Overkill
Lecture notesRequired: Martin & Burney: Bring Back the Elephants
Optional: A graceful gazelle becomes a pest: an example of how exotic species introductions might go awry
Optional: La Brea Tarpits
Optional: Bering Land Bridge animationBegin Essay #1: Wolf Re-introduction to the SW Silent Sky,
Allan Eckert
Thu
Oct 2Deep-time history: Vegetation and climate history
Lecture notesOptional: Land Use History of North America
Optional: Story of Tucson's Past in Sediment. A Requiem for Arroyos.Tue
Oct 7Anasazi
lecture notesOptional: Provenance study of Chaco timbers New Light on Chaco Canyon, SAR Series
Collapse,
Jared Diamond
Thur
Oct 9Hohokam
Lecture notesRequired: Where do the salts go? A 4-page, sobering description of soil salinization in Arizona
Optional: Pueblo Grande HohokamTurn in essay #1 The Hohokam: Ancient People of the Desert, SAR Series Tue
Oct 14Sinagua and Mogollon
Lecture notesThur
Oct 1614th & 15th Century Transition
Lecture notesPrepare for Quiz 3: SW Cultural Geography Tue
Oct 21Spanish-Mexican
Lecture notesMajestic Journey,
Stewart Udall
![]()
Pueblo Revolt,
David Roberts
![]()
Guns, Germs, and Steel,
Jared Diamond
Thur
Oct 23Navajo-Apache
Lecture notesTake in-class Quiz #3: SW Human Geography Navajo Long Walk,
Joseph Bruchac
![]()
Sing Down the Moon,
Scott O'Dell
Tue
Oct 28In-class review Part II - Prehistoric Environmental Issues
Click here for a study guide to Exam IIWed
Oct 29Extra review session - Prehistoric Environmental Issues LTRR classroom,
Math East basement,
see map above3:00 PM led by Paul Thur
Oct 30Exam II - Prehistoric Environmental Issues Part III - Modern Environmental Issues Date Topic Reading Class Events BOD Tue
Nov 4SW Forest Fire History
Lecture notesBegin Essay #2: Southwest Forest Fire Management Thur
Nov 6SW Forest Health
Lecture notesOptional: Healthy Forest Initiative Tue
Nov 11Veteran's Day, no classes Thu
Nov 13Anglo-American arrival to SW
Lecture notesOptional: The Arroyo Problem in the Southwestern United States
Optional: A Java simulation on grazing (kind of fun)Turn in Essay #2
Begin Activity #2: Arizona StateMuseumLegacy of Change,
Conrad Bahre
![]()
View From Bald Hill,
Bock and Bock
![]()
Kill the Cowboy,
Sharman Apt Russell
Tue
Nov 18SW Drought
Lecture notesOptional: Understanding and Defining Drought. From the National Drought Mitigation Center Last day to turn in Extra Credit reports Thu
Nov 20SW Flooding
Lecture notesOptional:
Floods and Debris Flows in Sabino CanyonTurn in Activity #2 Tue
Nov 25Global Change and the SW
Lecture notes
Required: Southwest may see warmer, wetter climate in the future
Optional: Climate Change Effects on Southwest Water resources
Optional: Assessment of Potential Future Vegetation Changes in the Southwestern United States
Optional: Ecosystem Services: Benefits Supplied to Human Societies by Natural Ecosystems. A very readable "white" paper, 13 pages of text with pictures.
Optional: Glacier Retreat. A USGS report on retreating glaciers, perhaps evidence of "global warming."
Optional: Drought and Climate Change. From the National Drought Mitigation Center
Optional: UA College of Science Lecture Series on Global Change. Our very own College of Science putting a weekly lecture on global change."
Optional: Drought and Climate Change. From the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Optional: Study predicts dust-bowl Southwest. Are we headed for serious environmental changes?
Optional: Op-ed on sustainability in the SW. Especially good for Business majors.The Weather Makers,
Tim Flannery
Thu
Nov 27Thanksgiving Day, no classes Click here for latest Daily Wildcat opinion about holding classes during this week. Tue
Dec 2SW Water Issues
Lecture notesRequired: ADWR: Arizona's Water Supplies and Water Demand
Required: ADWR: Tucson Active Management Area
New 12/3/03: The ADWR has removed these two web sites without replacing them. Their most important point was that agriculture uses ~80% of the state's water budget, which we know from lecture.
Required: AZ Daily Star: Pumping of groundwater spurs surge in earth fissures
Cadillac Desert,
Marc Reisner
Thur
Dec 4In-class review Part III - Modern Environmental Issues Begin reviewing for Quiz 4: SW Cultural Chronology Tue
Dec 9Final Course Review
Optional: A summary of this course. Student course evaluations
In-class Quiz #4: SW Cultural ChronologyFinal Exam Official Review Sessions Date Instructor Time Place Fri
Dec 12Paul TBA, afternoon LTRR Classroom
Math East Annex Room 20Mon
Dec 15TBA TBA, morning LTRR Classroom
Math East Annex Room 20Mon
Dec 15TBA TBA, afternoon LTRR Classroom
Math East Annex Room 20Tue
Dec 16Final Exam: Part III plus a comprehensive section 11:00 - 1:00 Education 211
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, The University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721 USA
Comments to Paul Sheppard: sheppard @ ltrr.arizona.edu
Copyright © 2000-2008, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, Univ. of Arizona
Revised August 2008
URL: http://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/geos220/syllabus.html