Reflection 1: Creature Discomforts—When We Fear Animals

Sometimes a fear of an animal can be a healthy thing because it might translate into respect for that creature. A healthy fear can keep animals—and us—safer. But sometimes, a fear of an animal can be most harmful. Fear might keep us from interacting with some animals. Or worse, fear might motivate us to destroy others. History has shown us that those animals whom humans fear have often paid a deadly price. Which animals do we fear the most and why? And what is the difference between a healthy fear of an animal and one that is irrational? Finally, which animals are you afraid of and why?

Cite two of the following articles in your reflection:

• "Why We Fear Snakes" (LiveScience)
• "The Shape of Fear ... Why Spiders Scare Us So Much" (Daily Mirror)
• "What Are You So Scared Of? Saber-Toothed Cats, Snakes, and Carnivorous Kangaroos" (Slate)
• "Most People are Afraid of These 11 Animals, But They're Actually Harmless" (Viralnova)
• "Ten Surprisingly Lethal Animals" (Woman's Day)
• "Are You Afriad of Dogs" (QickandDirtyTips)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Two full pages in length 
• Works cited page

Due: Week of Feb 2nd

Animal News 1.28.15

• $703 million: What Americans will spend on their pets this year—on Valentine's Day (Time)
• Up 30%: India's tiger population (BBC News)
• Why are dozens of dogs missing from a central Texas county? (Huffington Post)
• Old school: Snakes 70 million years older than previously thought (Discovery News)
• Abundance of gray whales in California thanks to ... climate change? (CNN)
• "Sea monster" shark caught off the Australian coast (National Geographic)

Multimedia Presentation Assignment, Pt. II

Here are the assignments for your multimedia presentation:

Sec. 27 (MoWe @ 12 PM):

Week 5 (Week of Mo 2.16): Arturo T., Gabrielle L. - Wild Warfare: The History of Animals in War; Ian Y., Sherry F. - Bigfoot around the World: Sasquatches, Yerens, and Yetis

Week 6 (Week of Mo 2.16): Amit R., Yvonne C. – If We Could Talk to the Animals: Unlocking Human-Animal Communication

Week 7 (Week of Mo 3.02): Dillon S., Jesse D. - Unspeakable Acts: The History of Zoophilia

Week 8 (Week of Mo 3.9): Maria V., Erika C. - Where the Wild Things Are: Fending Off Nature’s Most Common Predators

Week 11 (Week of Mo 3.30): 1. Daniel L., Sophia A. - Cryptids of the World: Champ, Mokele-mbembe, and Orang Pendek; 2. Quinten L., Marielle G. - The Story of Dogs: A Look at Canine Evolution

Week 12 (Week of Mo 4.6): Sze W., Kevin L., Steven W. - Understanding the Ivory Trade

Week 13 (Week of Mo 4.13): Oskar L., Vincent M. - Conversations with Koko

Week 14 (Week of Mo 4.20): Cristian R., Laura M.- Chimpanzees, Orangutans, and Gorillas: Our Closest Relatives

Week 15 (Week of Mo 4.27): Gunjan K., Elizabeth A. - De-extinction: Resurrecting Extinct Species

Week 16 (Week of Mo 5.4): Beatriz B., Joseph V. - The Greatest Shows on Earth: The History of American Circuses

***

Sec. 13 (Tu/Th @ 9 AM):

Week 4 (Week of Mo 2.9): Tim A., Nick B. - Bigfoot around the World: Sasquatches, Yerens, and Yetis

Week 6 (Week of Mo 2.16): Jason L., Javier T. - The Sacred Cow: Worshipping Animals; Amrit A., Lisa E. - Wild Warfare: The History of Animals in War

Week 7 (Week of Mo 3.02): Kyle M., Peter M. - Unspeakable Acts: The History of Zoophilia 

Week 8 (Week of Mo 3.9): 1. Josh N., Kayla B. - Where the Wild Things Are: Fending Off Nature’s Most Common Predators; 2. Katie M., Lana N. - If We Could Talk to the Animals: Unlocking Human-Animal Communication

Week 11 (Week of Mo 3.30): Carlo S., Brian T. - Cryptids of the World: Champ, Mokele-mbembe, and Orang Pendek 

Week 12 (Week of Mo 4.6): Neda N., Summer A. - Understanding the Ivory Trade

Week 13 (Week of Mo 4.13): Julie B., Sierra P. - The Greatest Shows on Earth: The History of American Circuses

Week 14 (Week of Mo 4.20):  1. Aniruddha P., Allen C., Anjeleah G. - Chimpanzees, Orangutans, and Gorillas: Our Closest Relatives, 2. Alex H., Alyssa M. - Ship Down: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex and the Real-life Moby Dick

Week 15 (Week of Mo 4.27): Thi T., Sarah F. - De-extinction: Resurrecting Extinct Species 

Week 16 (Week of Mo 5.4): Angel V.H., Gina T. - Conversations with Koko

***

Sec. 69 (Fr @ 9:30 AM):

Week 4 (Week of Mo 2.9): Christopher H.D.L.H., Kassandra H. - Bigfoot around the World: Sasquatches, Yerens, and Yetis

Week 5 (Week of Mo 2.16): Guha N., Eric N. - De-extinction: Resurrecting Extinct Species

Week 6 (Week of Mo 2.16): Romeria D.V., Naomi C. - Understanding the Ivory Trade

Week 7 (Week of Mo 3.02): Marion H., Emely G. - The Stuff of Nightmares: Prehistoric Creatures of the Sea

Week 8 (Week of Mo 3.9): Yazdaan M., Benjamin L. - Where the Wild Things Are: Fending Off Nature’s Most Common Predators

Week 11 (Week of Mo 3.30): Khan N. - To the Rescue: When Animals Save Human Lives

Week 12 (Week of Mo 4.6): 1. Nathan H., Alejandro J. - The Sacred Cow: Worshipping Animals; 2. Berenice B., Sarah L. - Ship Down: The Tragedy of Whaleship Essex and the Real-life Moby Dick

Week 13 (Week of Mo 4.13): Leilanie M., Jennifer A. - The Story of Dogs: A Look at Canine Evolution

Week 14 (Week of Mo 4.20): Aaron V., Eddie L. - Chimpanzees, Orangutans, and Gorillas: Our Closest Relatives

Week 15 (Week of Mo 4.27): Monica V., Armaun T. - Wild Warfare: The History of Animals in Warfar

Week 16 (Week of Mo 5.4): Aaron W., Vanessa N. - Cryptids of the World: Champ, Mokele-mbembe, and Orang Pendek

Multimedia Presentation Assignment, Pt. I

As you know, this semester you and a classmate will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation and class hand-out.

The next post contains your randomly assigned partner, date, and topic. Some time will be given in class to trade your topic, if you should so desire. 

Requirements:

• The work distribution is up to each group, though it should be somewhat equitable
• The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length—everyone must present at least part of the time
• There should be approximately 10 slides, including at least one video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes in length)
• You must provide a handout related to or outlining your presentation (23 hard copies or via email) 
• On the day of your presentation, email both your presentation (or a link) and handout to me at dhdelao@gmail.com.

You may utilize any presentation program you like (e.g PowerPoint, Prezi, Keynote). Please sort out any technical issues before your presentation date (our room's projection system can be found throughout campus).

The best presentations will:

• Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important 
• Use words economically 
• Include visually interesting illustrations—gifs are also acceptable
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects 
• Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities
• Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud)—ad blockers are also helpful in saving time*
• Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important

This is an opportunity to be creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual layout of your presentation.

*If you use PowerPoint 2007, here is a quick video explaining how to embed a YouTube clip into your presentation. Remember, embedding clips can save time during a presentation.

Lower scoring presentations might:

• Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront
• Be thinly researched
• Allow visuals to overrun their content, or lack a cohesive style
• Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way—often achieved by reading an entire presentation
• Lack multimedia
• End without a concluding slide

Remember, you must provide your own laptop. Also, Macs will require an Apple-specific adaptor to connect to the university’s projection system. Some newer model PCs, with HDMI-only connections, may also require special adapters.