Week 17: The Koala

KOALAS are, in fact, not bears, but marsupials

Week 17: The Koala - Week of Mo 5.11*

Class: Writing workshop; Multimedia presentations

Due: RESEARCH PAPER (UP TO PAGE 9; BRING 1 COPY)

*Sec. 69: Friday, May 15 from 8:00 - 9:30 AM (Final class; RESEARCH PAPER DUE)
** Dead day on Thursday, May 14 - No class for Sec 13

Upcoming:

Week 18: The Dragonfly - Week of Mo 5.18 (Finals Week)

Sec 13: Thursday, May 21 from 8:00 – 9:30 AM

Sec. 27: Thursday, May 21 from 10:00 – 12:00 PM

Class: Informal research paper presentations; Class review

Due: RESEARCH PAPER (FINAL DRAFT)

Animal News 5.8.15

• PeTA features nude and pregnant supermodel Marissa Miller to protest SeaWorld (Time)
• Say hello to Disney, the smallest dog in Britain (Yahoo! News)
• Horrific elephant fights draw cheers in India (Daily Mirror)
• Meanwhile, China's diving pig draw ire of animal activists (UPI)
• US zoos unite to help rejected baby chimp (Huffington Post)
• Edngered cockatoos stuffed into water bottles in Indonesian smuggling ring (CNN)

Week 16: The Great White Shark

A GREAT WHITE can grow to be about 15-20 ft. or more, and can weigh more than 5,000 lbs.

Week 16: The Great White Shark - Week of Mo 5.4
Class: Writing workshop; Multimedia presentations
Due: RESEARCH PAPER (UP TO PAGE 6; BRING 1 COPY)

Upcoming:

Week 17: The Koala - Week of Mo 5.11*

Class: Writing workshop; Multimedia presentations

Due: RESEARCH PAPER (UP TO PAGE 9; BRING 1 COPY); REFLECTION 8

*Sec. 69: Friday, May 15 from 8:00 - 9:30 AM (Final class; RESEARCH PAPER DUE)

Week 18: The Dragonfly - Week of Mo 5.18 (Finals Week)

Sec 13: Wednesday, May 20 from 7:15 – 9:30 AM

Sec. 27: Thursday, May 21 from 9:45 – 12:00 PM

Class: Informal research paper presentations; Class review

Due: RESEARCH PAPER (FINAL DRAFT)

 

Animal News 4.29.15

• Snake lovers congregate at Illinois' "Snake Road" for the yearly snake migration (Mashable)
• "Monster" great white takes Australian surfer's leg (UPI)
• International groups assessing the needs of animals in post-earthquake Nepal (International Business Times)
• Russian woman arrested for attempting to smuggle 108 exotic animals—in one suitcase (One Green Planet)
• WTO: Don't trust "dolphin-safe" tuna labels (Forbes)
• Take this job and shove it: Barbie quits her SeaWorld gig (Huffington Post)

Reflection 7: Sing Like a Bird—Examing Animal-Themed Music

Since the earliest days of music, animals have been a consistent theme for musicians. Whether it was to honor an animal god or pay tribute to the beauty of nature, the early human cultures understood animals made powerful subjects for music. In the pop and rock era, animals continue to be a mainstay. For example, our first infatuation is lovingly referred to as “Puppy Love,” meanwhile we can overcome any obstacle if we have the “Eye of the Tiger.” We even enlist animals when teaching young kids basic skills. For this final reflection, examine the animal motifs of two popular songs. In your analysis, consider the rationale for using that particular animal, as well as the outcome. Is the animal used to good effect? For instance, why liken sexuality to a predatory animal (e.g. “Hungry Like the Wolf”) or a delicate insect (e.g. “Butterfly”)? From children's songs to Hip Hop, you may write about any two animal-related songs you like.

Below are websites that categorize many animal-themed songs:

• Songs with Animals in the Title (Songfacts)
• Songs about Animals (Wikipedia)
• Popular Songs with Animals in the Title (Alaska Jim's Music Charts) 
• Animal Song Titles (Who Sang that Song?) 

Requirements:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be one full page in length (no works cited page required)

Due: Week of 5.4

Week 15: The African Elephant

Once numbering in the millions, there are estimated to be less than a million AFRICAN ELEPHANTS today

Week 15: The African Elephant - Week of Mo 4.27
Class: Writing workshop; Multimedia presentations
Due: RESEARCH PAPER (UP TO PAGE 3; BRING 2 COPIES); REFLECTION 7

Upcoming:

Week 16: The Great White Shark - Week of Mo 5.4

Class: Writing workshop; Multimedia presentations

Due: RESEARCH PAPER (UP TO PAGE 6; BRING 1 COPY)

Animal News 4.22.15

• You can now search for the Loch Ness Monster using Google Street View (LiveScience)
• New "Kermit" species found in Costa Rica (CBS News)
• Nine-year-old Russian girl savaged by circus lion being taken out for a walk by trainer (Daily Mail)
• Thai officials seize a four ton of ivory stash (Reuters)
• SeaWorld launches media campaign to fight charges it mistreats its whales (Wall Street Journal)
• Video captures woman applying make up to her pet monkey (Daily Mail)

Reflection 6: Donate Now—Choosing an Animal Charity

For this reflection, you will be given a (virtual) $1,000 and tasked with donating all of it to an animal-centered charity. Who you give you money to, and how much, is up to you. However, you must provide a rationale for how you've donated your money. In other words, why did you give where you did? Are you more concerned with domestic animal issues, such as animal shelter adoptions? Or, perhaps you prefer to hlp international issues, such as elephant habitat restoration. You may spend your money in one lump sum or divide it as you see fit.

Below is a list of some of the largest animal charities in the country and world. You may choose from charities on or off this list:

• Anti-Fur Society
• WWF
• Endangered Species International
• Cetacean Alliance
• Marine Animal Rescue
• Best Friends Animal Society
• PeTA
• Greenpeace
• Animal Spay/Neuter International
• ASPCA
• One World Wildlife
• Wildlife Conservation Fund

Requirements:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be one full page in length

Due: Week of 4.20

Week 14: The Crested Black Macaque

Native to Indonesia, the BLACK CRESTED MACAQUE is highly endangered

Week 14: The Crested Black Macaque - Week of Mo 4.20
Class: Writing workshop; Multimedia presentations
Due: RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE; REFLECTION 6

Upcoming:

Week 15: The African Elephant - Week of Mo 4.27
Class: Writing workshop; Multimedia presentations
Due: RESEARCH PAPER (UP TO PAGE 3; BRING 2 COPIES); REFLECTION 7

Animal News 4.15.15

• Forget the black swan, here is the black flamingo (NBC News)
• Alligator avails itself of the family pet for dinner (International Business Times)
• Her are the states that kill the most animals (24/7 Wall Street)
• Meet Radamenes, Poland's amazing nurse cat (One Green Planet)
• British woman cured of her phobia of snakes on live TV (Daily Mail)
• Don't have a cow: Cow-less milk and cheese is here (Wired)

Week 13: The Grizzly Bear

The GRIZZLY BEAR can be found in Canada and the northwestern United States

Week 13: The Grizzly Bear - Week of Mo 4.13 Class: Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Constructing a Research Paper: A How-To”
Due: RESEARCH PAPER THESIS; REFLECTION 5

Upcoming:

Week 14: The Crested Black Macaque - Week of Mo 4.20

Class: Writing workshop; Multimedia presentations

Due: RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE; REFLECTION 6

 

Reflection 5: Life on the Wild Side—A Look at Animal Documentaries

Documentaries, non-fiction films document some aspect of reality, have been a part of cinema from the earliest days. And early documentarians quickly turned to nature for inspiration. In those days, filmmakers thought nothing of "staging" some of nature's most dramatic scenes, such as releasing prey near a predator in order to film the catch and kill. In today's animal documentaries, staging is frowned upon. Instead, contemporary filmmakers seek to find the drama in the animals' everyday situations. Contemporary documentarians also use use their cameras to highlight a particular situation, such as a pending extinction, or illegal activity. Fortunately for today's audiences, there is a plethora of animal documentaries at our disposal. For this reflection, watch 1-2 feature-length animal documentary from film or TV.

When watching, consider:

• What is the intent of the film?
• What do you know about the subject as a result of watching?
• How is the subject approached? 
• Does the filmmaker have an agenda in filming this subject?
• What was the overall impact of the film?

Note: Several animal documentaries can be found from pay streaming services (e.g. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, iTunes); however, a great many can also be found for free on sites, such as YouTube and Vimeo.

Required:

• MLA Style
• Two full pages in length 

Due: Week of Mo 4.13

Animal News 3.8.15

• When manatees (don't) attack! (YouTube)
• Goldfish dumped into a Colorado lake a devastating a delicate ecosystem (ABC News)
• Woman stopped from taking her Bengal tiger cub into Walt Disney World (Daily Mirror)
• TED 2015 presentation: Chimps should have the same rights as humans (International Business Times)
• Pets are the new kids in NYC custody battles (New York Post)
• Texas man offers to clear his neighbor's homes of snakes for free (WHOU-TV)

Week 12: The Mustang

After their introduction by Spanish explorers, MUSTANGS were quickly adopted by several native American tribes

Week 12: The Mustang - Week of Mo 4.6
Class: Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Wordiness: Exercises”

Due: PERSUASIVE ESSAY (ANNOTATED)

Upcoming:

Week 13: The Grizzly Bear - Week of Mo 4.13
Class: Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Constructing a Research Paper: A How-To”
Due: RESEARCH PAPER THESIS; REFLECTION 5

Persuasive Essay: Where the Wild Things Were

As William Stolzenburg illustrates in Where the Wild Things Were, when predators are removed from an ecosystem, things go awry. In fact, it is the delicate environs in which these predators existed that pay the price for the loss of these “keystone species.” For example, the removal of wolves from Yellowstone National Park resulted in an ecological disaster as elk quickly overran the park. In a concise persuasive essay, argue in favor of the reintroduction of predator species into their native environments. Consider why must this be achieved, and what are the consequences of failing to do so? 

When crafting your argument, tailor it to persuade an audience that might:

• Regrettably share land with an apex predator
• Believe the needs of humans supersede those of any other animal

Cite only from Where the Wild Things Were to support your thesis. This essay will be submitted annotated. Details will be explained in class.

Requirements:

• Three full pages
• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• Works cited page 
• Annotations

Due: Week of  4.6.15

Animal News 4.2.15

• Why rabbits make terrible Easter gifts (WHNT-TV)
• Animal rights activists allegedly set fire to Oklahoma Zoo, kill eight animals (Daily Mirror)
• New Illinois proposal allows dogs in courtrooms to comfort child victims (Chicago Tribune) 
• Sand boa numbers on the decline in India (The Hindu) 
• Human birth control byproducts in the water affecting fish populations (Washington Post) 
• The slap: A Thai money gets touchy with a female tourist (Daily Mail) 

Week 11: The Polar Bear

Found only in the Arctic, POLAR BEARS' habitat is increasingly threatened due to climate change

Week 11: The Polar Bear - Week of Mo 3.30*
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

*No class: 3.31 (Sec. 13)

Upcoming:

Week 12: The Mustang - Week of Mo 4.6

Class: Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Wordiness: Exercises”

Due: PERSUASIVE ESSAY (ANNOTATED)

 

Animal News 3.28.15

• Who is responsible for the pink hens on the loose in Portland? (Huffington Post)
• Empty-handed: for first in 30 years, Japanese whaling ships return from Antarctic waters with no whale kills (Yahoo! News)
• Scientists successfully splice mammoth DNA into that of a living elephant (KTVI-TV)
• New shape-shifting frog species discovered (Cleavland Plain Dealer)
• Pakistani lioness gives birth to five healthy cubs (Yahoo! News)
• Massacre: 30 elephants killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Huffington Post)

Week 10: The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat

Unlike other species, MEXICAN FREE-TAILED BATS are not currently threatened

Week 10: The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat - Week of Mo 3.23
NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK

Upcoming:

Week 11: The Polar Bear - Week of Mo 3.30
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Aniaml News 3.20.15

• Why we still don't understand whale songs (io9)
• Man stays in Fukushima to care for abandoned animals (Metro UK)
• Couple's romantic date ruined after encountering a swarm of urban rats (Daily Mirror)
• Mexico seeks homes for thousands of circus animals affected by circus animal ban (ecorazzi)
• Want to help tag a tiger? There's an app for that (BBC News)
• Was the fish you just ate caught by slaves? (Gawker)

Week 9: The Lace Monitor

THE LACE MONITOR feeds upon birds(and bird eggs), insects, reptiles, small mammals and carrion

Week 9: The Lace Monitor - Week of Mo 3.16
Read: WILD—Nine: The Lions of Zion – Epilogue: Alone on the Hill”
Class: Lecture—“The Fundamentals of Rhetoric”

Upcoming:
Week 9: The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat - Week of Mo 3.23
NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK

Reflection 4: The Truth is Out There—Exploring Famous Cryptids

Cryptozoology is the study of animals that may or may not exist. Technically, it might be the search for a long unseen species of rabbit, or as-of-yet unclassified deer. However, what places cryptozoology squarely in the realm of pseudosciences for many scientists is its pursuit of several spectacular creatures. These "cryptids" range from alleged lake monsters in North America (Ogopogo, Champ, etc.)  to man-like apes in Australia (Yowies) to bipedal river monsters in Japan (Kappas). Many of these animals are truly unbelievable, and if real, would rewrite biology books. Yet, regardless of how sensational some cryptids would have to be to exist, many people, believe—or want to believe. For this reflection examine three famous cryptids from the list below. Highlight two that you believe are at least plausible and one that you are certain does not exist. In your discussion, consider what the appeal is of these creatures. For example, why do these legends, some of whom are centuries old, persist?

Choose three from the list below:

• The Ningen
• El Chupacabra
• The Jersey Devil 
• Sasquatch (Bigfoot, Yeti, Yeren, Yowie, Almas, etc.)
• Cadborosaurus
• The Loch Ness Monster 
• The Mothman 
• Mokèlé-mbèmbé
• Champ
• Navajo Skinwalkers
• Mongolian Death Worm
• Kappa 
• The Michigan Dogman
• Ogopogo

Required:

• MLA Style
• Two full pages in length 

Due: Week of Mo 3.16

Animal News 3.13.15

• Eagle equipped with camera soars from the world's tallest building (Daily Mail)
• Whale lands on Mexican tourist boat, killing Canadian woman (Yahho! News Canada)
• Dog, rescued from an illegal Vietnamese meat market, has now bonded with Scottish family's autistic son (Daily Mirror)
• Alligator makes itself at home on a Florida golf course (SBNation)
• Fans can't get enough of Grumpy Cat at SXSW (Yahoo! News)
• British man shares his bedroom with 32 rescued reptiles (Daily Mail)

Editorial Essay: The Captive Animals Debate

Should wild animals be kept in captivity?

That question has been debated for years. This is a highly nuanced dispute, but, generally speaking, captivity proponents argue that captive wild animals offer the public their only opportunity to see exotic beasts. While, opponents maintain that wild environments cannot be properly replicated in captivity, and, thus, animals suffer. What do you think about the issue of animal captivity? Where is the issue black and white in your view, and where is it less clear? For example, are the captive animals of zoos the same as those of circuses? Should we make a distinction between those animals used for display and those used for entertainment?

For your in-class editorial this week (the week of March 9th), have ready three sources (including one from a contrary position). You may choose whatever sources you like. However, be sure that they come from legitimate sources on the subject (e.g. circus associations, wildlife preservation groups.  

Remember, an editorial expresses an opinion on a current issue. It may take a formal or informal tone, but its primary goal is always to persuade readers. Because editorials were born in newspapers, they are traditionally succinct in form and can often carry the "voice" of the author.

Below are a series of recent editorials from around the country.

• "Abolish marriage. For everyone. Problem solved." (San Francisco Chronicle) 
• "Oscars’ Winning Messages Uplift and Save Lives" (Dallas Morning News) 
• "Shaming the Ant-Vaxxers" (Calgary Sun)
• "Walmart's Visible Hand" (New York Times)