WRIT 2701: Green Rhetoric, Winter 2020, Prof. Benz
- Warning! Highly volatile. Schedule can change
- Complete the work before class on the day it’s listed.
- (C) = readings are available in Canvas/Files or Canvas/Modules.
Week 1: Wilderness
M 1/6
- Course overview, syllabus, learning outcomes
- Read: Solnit’s “Letter to a Young Climate Activist on the First Day of a New Decade”
W 1/8
- Assign WP #1: Nature Memoir
- Read: Turner’s “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” (C)
- Read: Cronon’s “The Trouble with Wilderness” (C)
- Due: Discussion Post #1
Week 2: Nature Memoir
M 1/13
- Read: Byrd, “A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains, Letter VII” (C)
- Read: Muir, “Prayers in Higher Mountain Temples” (C)
- Read: JW Powell, “Exploration of the Colorado River” (C)
- Assign: Environmental Rhetoric Case Study
- Nature memoir Conferences with Prof. Benz (1pm-1:50)
W 1/15
- Read:Didion, “Los Angeles Notebook” (C)
- Read: Ehrlich, “A Storm, the Cornfield, and Elk” (C)
- Read: Walker, “Am I Blue?” (C)
- Due: Discussion Post #2
- Nature memoir Conferences with Prof. Benz (1pm-1:50)
Week 3: Nature Memoir
M 1/20
- No Class for MLK Holiday
W 1/22
- Read: Abbey, “The Great American Desert” (C)
- Read: Erdrich, “Big Grass” (C)
- Peacock, “The Big Snow” (C)
- Kingston, “A City Person Encountering Nature” (C)
- Nature memoir Conferences with Prof. Benz (1pm-1:50)
Sun. 1/26
- DU Sustainability Retreat, 10:00am-4:00pm
Join the Center for Sustainability at the Alliance Center (1536 Wynkoop St. Denver) for a day full of collaboration to create real change on campus and learn skills to catapult you to success! Register here.
Week 4: Environmental Rhetoric: Techniques and Case Studies
M 1/27
- Due: Draft #1 of Nature Memoir for peer review
- Peer review: In class
- Case Study Conferences with Prof. Benz (1pm-1:50)
W 1/29
- Due: Revised nature memoir with completed self-evaluation
- Read: Killingsworth and Palmer’s “Ecospeak” (C)
- Work with your Case Study Group
- Case Study Conferences with Prof. Benz: Muir and Hetch Hetchy
Week 5: Environmental Rhetoric: Case Studies
M 2/3
- Read: 2018 and 2019 DU Sustainability Reports (C)
- Due: Discussion Post #3
- Case Study Conferences with Prof. Benz: 1) Rachel Carson and Silent Spring; 2) Earth First!
W 2/5
- Case Study Presentation: John Muir and Hetch Hetchy
- Read: TBA by Presentation Group
- Case Study Conferences with Prof. Benz: 1) Frank Luntz and Climate Change
Week 6: Environmental Rhetoric: Case Studies
M 2/10
- Read: How to Write an Op-ed, select op-eds (TBA) (C)
- Read: TBA by Presentation Group
- Genre lesson: Op-ed
- Case Study Presentation: Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, and DDT
W 2/12
- Read: Sample Op-eds (TBA)
- Read: TBA by Presentation Group
- Case Study Presentation: Earth First! and the Glen Canyon Dam
- Case Study Conferences with Prof. Benz: 1) Standing Rock and DAPL
Week 7: Green Campaign: Op-ed
M 2/17
- Due: Draft of Op-ed for Peer Review
- Peer review: In class
- Case Study Conferences with Prof. Benz: Extinction Rebellion
W 2/19
- Case Study Presentation: Frank Luntz and Climate Change
- Read: TBA by Presentation Group
- Due: Revised Op-ed with self-evaluation
- Genre Lesson: Infographics
Week 8: Green Campaign: Infographics
M 2/24
- Case Study Presentation: Standing Rock and the Dakota Access Pipeline
- Read: TBA by Presentation Group
- Read: Ultimate Infographic Design Guide
- Read: Greener Ideal’s List of Best Environmental Infographics
- Read: Climate Reality Project’s Eight Great Infographics on Climate Change
W 2/26
- Due: Draft of Infographic for peer review
F 2/28:
- Due: Revised Infographic
Week 9: Green Campaign: Social Media
M 3/2
- Case Study Presentation: Extinction Rebellion and Climate Action
- Read: TBA by Presentation Group
- Read: XR Denver Instagram, XR Denver Facebook, XR Denver Twitter
- Genre Lesson: Social Media
- (E)Portfolio Conferences
W 3/4
- Due: Draft of Social Media Posts (3)
- In-class: Peer Review
- (E)Portfolio Conferences
Week 10: Revision, Dissemination, and Portfolio
M 3/9
- Assign: Final (E)Portfolio
- Due: Revised Social Media posts
- Read: Sample Portfolios
- (E)Portfolio Conferences
W 3/11
- Building your (E)Portfolio: Workshop
- (E)Portfolio conferences
- Course Evals
Week 11: Revision, Dissemination, and Portfolios
M 3/16
- No class – I’ll be available in my office
- Due: (E)Portfolio (at 11:59pm)
- Publish: (E)Portfolio online