Course Requirements

Section Participation and Weekly Reading Reflections

All students are required to participate in the discussion section Mondays from 2 to 3 PM in room 132 Mulford.

One page (can be single or double-spaced) reading reflections are due in section each week on that week's reading assignments.  These reflections should reflect critically on one or more of the readings (don't summarize the readings) and should include at least two questions for discussion.  The primary purpose of the reading reflections is to motivate you to interact with the readings and to prepare you to discuss agroecological topics with your classmates.

The reading reflections will be read by the GSI but not returned to the students.  If you want feedback on your reflection come to the GSI's office hours (Mondays 3:30 to 5:30 PM or by appointment).  Reflections will be graded using a simple √-, √, √+ system.  The reflections should be turned in at the end of section (so that you can refer to what you wrote during discussions).  Do not email your reflection or turn it in in lecture.  If you miss a section or forget to bring your reflection, bring that week's reading reflection to the next discussion section.

Field Experience

Field experience is an important component of the study of Agroecology.  All students are required to attend 2 of 3 weekend field trips and to volunteer a minimum of 6 hours working on a local farm or at a local school or community garden.  You can do an additional 8 hours of volunteer work in place of a field trip.  Volunteer hours should be completed by November 24th.  Timesheets (signed by the farm or garden manager that states days and hours worked) and a brief (2 -3 page) report on your experience is due in section on 11/24.  Brief field trip reports are due in the section following the field trip.

The best way to arrange to volunteer on a local farm is to talk to the farmers or members of their crews at the farmers' market.  There are three farmers' markets per week in Berkeley.  See http://www.ecologycenter.org/bfm/.  There are farmer contact phone numbers and often email addresses and websites under the "Vendor Directory" link.

To find garden projects in Berkeley go to:

Berkeley Community Gardening Collaborative (Links to lots of Berkeley Gardens)

http://www.ecologycenter.org/bcgc/

A few other local garden projects include:

City Slicker Farm (Oakland)

http://www.cityslickerfarms.org

Oakland Butterfly and Urban Gardens (O.B.U.G.) (Oakland)

http://obugs.org

People's Grocery (Oakland)

http://peoplesgrocery.org

Ploughshares Nursery (Alameda)

http://www.ploughsharesnursery.com/

The Garden Project (San Francisco)

http://www.gardenproject.org

Take-home Midterm Exam (Due in class October 23)

Research Paper

Each student will write a 12 to 15 double-spaced page research paper on topic of interest to them in Agroecology.  A paper topic and draft outline is due in section on September 22nd.  More detailed paper guidelines will be given to you in class.  Final papers are due December 4th.