TENTATIVE CLASS SECHEDULE

Science & Environmental Journalism: JOUR 4872

Critical Thinking in Environmental Studies: ENVS 4800

Online Schedule: http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/scischedule.html

Class Syllabus: http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/scisyllabus.html

WEEK 1

Jan. 15

• Introduction to the course
• Environmental/scientific issues and journalism: opening discussion

Jan. 17

• Overview of class theme

Readings for today: http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/anthropocene.pdf

Access a Quicktime movie of the course overview presentation here: http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/anthropocene.mov

Assignment due today in class:

Two or three-paragraph, double-spaced summary of Paul Crutzen's proposal concerning the "Anthropocene." (See readings above.) Please be prepared to discuss his idea. I may call on you to describe it.

WEEK 2

Jan. 22

• Class theme continued, with late-breaking news. See:
• Exceptionally warm winter temperatures observed at Barrow, Alaska this winter: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/news/4769.html
• This warm winter, and weak winter freeze-up comes on the heels of the most dramatic melting of Arctic Sea ice in recorded history: http://www.nsidc.colorado.edu/news/press/2007_seaiceminimum/20070810_index.html
• Study released in November finds that 2002 drought led to the addition of 360 million tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/media/2007/CO2andDrought.html

• Discuss final projects.

Reading assignment due today:

Final project instructions, handed out first day of class, also available at http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/final.html. Please read the instructions before class so you will be prepared to ask questions about the final projects.

Jan. 24

• What is news?
• Structure of a news story

Reading assignment due today:

Read the Structure of a Story presentation. Download it here: http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/storystructure.pdf

WEEK 3

Jan. 29: GUEST TEACHER – DESERAI CROW

• Ms. Crow is a doctoral candidate at Duke University who is being considered for a job here at the School of Journalism & Mass Communication. More info, and the title of her talk, to come.

Jan. 31

• More on newsworthiness & the structure of a news story
• Ledes and nutgrafs

Assignment due today:

Come to class with an example of a news story on a newsworthy scientific or environmental topic from a newspaper, magazine or online source. This is not a written assignment. But please be prepared to describe your story for the rest of the class, and to explain why you think it is newsworthy. Also, pay close attention to the top of the story. Did it invite you to read on or turn you away? How did the writer handle this? Be prepared to discuss this in class.

WEEK 4

Feb. 5

• Guest speaker: Prof. James White.

Reading assignment for today:

1. Review the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Summary for Policy Makers report: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf. (Note: This is a big file.) It's packed with synthesis information from the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report. Concentrate on the major conclusions, which are written in bold. And please be prepared to discuss the readings. I may call on you in class to summarize some of this material or answer questions.

Assignment due MONDAY, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. as an email attachment: Newspaper-style story, 500-words maximum, written double-spaced, based on the presentation by Prof. White. Note: There will be no make ups.

Feb. 7

• Discuss Jim White's presentation and how to write the story, which is due Monday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m.

WEEK 5

Feb. 12

• Review your stories in class (Remember: the stories are due Monday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. as an email attachment.)

Feb. 14

• Lessons from your stories, writing tips, quotations, interviewing, etc.
• Discuss alternatives to field trip later in the semester

WEEK 6

Feb. 19

• Brief, informal student presentations on final project ideas

Assignment due today in class:

Be prepared to give a five-minute (max) oral summary of your final project idea.

Feb. 21

• If necessary, brief, informal student presentations on final project ideas
• Discuss final project proposals

WEEK 7

Feb. 26

• Wrapping up on climate change:

§ The potential impact of China

§ Some impacts are occurring more rapidly than predicted

Reading for today: TBA

Feb. 28

• Preparing for the next presentation: solutions to global warming

Assignment due today in class: Proposal for final project

WEEK 8

March 4

• Presentation by Prof. Paul Komor on renewable energy

Assignment due MONDAY, March 10 at 9 a.m. as email attachment: Newspaper-style story, 500-words maximum, written double-spaced, based on the presentation in class. Note: There will be no make- ups.

March 6

• TBA. I may cancel class so we can attend INSTAAR's Arctic Workshop. (See: http://instaar.colorado.edu/AW)

WEEK 9

March 11

• In-class review of energy stories

March 13

• Biofuels: panacea or dead end?

Reading for today:

§ "Grass is Greener," by yours truly: http://audubonmagazine.org/features0709/energy.html

§ "Brewing a Better Ethanol" video side bar: http://www.audubonmagazine.org/features0709/energy-webexclusives.html (Make sure to click on the link to watch the video)

WEEK 10

March 18

• What is science?

Reading for today: TBA

March 20

• The nature of science as revealed by the evolution & intelligent design debate

Reading for today: TBA

WEEK 11

March 25: NO CLASS. SPRING BREAK

March 27: NO CLASS. SPRING BREAK

WEEK 12

April 1

• Thomas Kuhn's "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"

April 3

• Telling inconvenient truths: the interface of science, journalism & politics in the global warming debate.

Access a Quicktime movie of my presentation here: http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/truth.mov

WEEK 13

April 8

• Prepare for trip to National Renewable Energy Lab

Access my renewable energy presentation here:

http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/renewables.pdf

April 10

• NO CLASS: FIELD TRIP ON FRIDAY INSTEAD

Friday April 11

• Field trip to National Renewal Energy Laboratory

Note:

Students who can't come on the field trip will write a substitute story or paper. Details TBA.

Assignment due MONDAY, April 14 at 9 a.m. as email attachment: Newspaper-style story, 500-words maximum, written double-spaced, based on the field trip. (Or alternative assignment.)

WEEK 14

April 15

• Review your stories in class
• Final climate change topic: Water and the West

Access the water presentation here:

http://stripe.colorado.edu/~yulsman/water.pdf

April 17

• Students present final papers

WEEK 15

April 22

• Looking toward the future — optimistically

April 24

• Students present final papers

WEEK 16

April 29

• Students present final papers

May 1

• Wrap up/take-home message

Assignment due today in class:

Final term paper.