Resources for Faculty

Examples of 05-06 Student Work and Course Assignments

Fall '05

Winter '06

Spring '06

Assignments:
Lifetime Health and Fitness, Instructor Tina Davis (Blessing the Boats)

Student Work:

WR 123 Research Papers:
Moksha Rainbowlight, Palette’s Playground of Pick-nicks:
A multi-dimensional look at creature interdependency *
Aimee Robbins, The Goddess Within *
Karen Olch, Cultivating Compassion: The Connection Between Humans, Nature and Kindness *

(* note: require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view)

Responses to Instructor Lynn Tullis' WR 122 Mid-term Question:
Lucille Clifton will be at Lane Community College in the Performing Arts Center on Thursday, May 4. . . Summarize Clifton’s talk and/or discuss in depth one or two of her main ideas.  How do we see these ideas manifested in her poetry?

(* note: require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view)

Fall '05

WR121 Introduction to Composition; instructor Bill Woolem (Refuge)

ENG 106 Introduction to Literature: Poetry; instructor Bill Woolem
(Blessing the Boats )

Lifetime Health and Fitness; instructor Tina Davis (Refuge)

WR121, Instructor: Bill Woolem
working with Terry Tempest Williams' book, Refuge

Assignment 1
Length: 350-500 words or more
In an interview about her book Refuge, Terry Tempest Williams states: "I can tell you that in Refuge the question that was burning in me was, How do we find refuge in change?" Write an essay looking at one of the changes Terry Tempest Wiliams explores in this book and what kind of refuge she finds in that change. Do the best you can to also address whether you think Williams sees finding refuge in change as an important quality of a well-lived life.

Assignment 2: Write an essay which examines Terry Tempest Williams’ insights and experience with the question you address. Turn the light of self-examination upon yourself and work out your insights and experience in relation to this question.
Length: about 750-1000 words, more if needed

 Here are the questions you composed in class (with my editing and additions):

In Refuge , Terry Tempest Williams examines the idea of sacrifice in relation to her family, her religion, the world of nature, the Great Salt Lake, and the world of birds. Focus on some aspect of her treatment of sacrifice and also explore how her idea of sacrifice translates in the idea of a well-lived life for you. Look not only at what sacrifice you have made or that have been made for you, but how you understand sacrifice to affect the quality of your life.

In her book, Refuge , Terry Tempest Willia ms asserts that the only time that matters is now, and she finds refuge in living for the moment. Explain her perspective. Then turn attention to yourself. How do you find refuge in the uncertainty of life, knowing that life is brief and ever changing?

In her book, Refuge , Terry Tempest Williams claims that to find refuge in change, one must look outside or beyond the physical world and into the spiritual world. Explain her perspective. If you find comfort in the spiritual world, whether you are religious or not, how does this work? What’s the nature of the comfort you find? Why is it important to you?

In her book, Refuge , Terry Tempest Williams finds refuge in nature. Explore her experience. How does the evironment you are in have an impact on your ability to find refuge in change? Is there a place you go to in order to reflect on change? Describe it. Explain its importance.

In her book, Refuge , Terry Tempest Williams is affected spiritually in finding sources of refuge in her life. Explain this. How are you affected spiritually in your life finding refuge? What provides this refuge? Explain the impact and importance of this refuge.

In her book, Refuge , Terry Tempest Williams uses her memories to cope with changes in her life. Explain how she does this. What memories do you turn to in time of change and how do you find refuge in those memories? Explain their importance to you and your sense of well-being.

Terry Tempest Williams finds the bird refuge a place of sanctuary. Explain how this wo rks for her. Is there a place where you find refuge? Why do you return to that place? What memories contribute to the sense of refuge you find in this place?

Every life is replete with event and things that become symbolic over time. Terry Tempest Will iams is no exception. Explain she way she transforms things in her life from having factual meaning to having symbolic meaning. Where does symbolism exist in your life? What has become symbolic? How does these symbols help you understand the meaning of your life?

Terry Tempest Williams’ religious background contributes significantly to her understanding of life and death. Explain. How does religion affect your views regarding finding refuge in death or in change?

Terry Tempest Williams suggests that r efuge is an essential aspect of life in order to live well. Explain. How is this true or not true for you? How is having refuge essential to your sense of well-being? Or is it not essential?

Terry Tempest Williams finds beauty in death. Explain. How about you? How, from your perspective and point of view can death be understood as beautiful? What experiences have you had that help support this view?

What does Terry Tempest Williams see as the relationship between living well and having certainty in life? How do you understand this relationship? Do you need certainty in order to live well? Explain.

How does Terry Tempest Williams submit herself to life? Explain. And you? What parallels do you mind in your own life? What makes them important?

In her story, Terry Tempest Williams grows on the physical as well as the spiritual plane. Explain. How a bout you? How has your growth come about? What has contributed to your physical growth? How about spiritual? Do these two elements of life merge? How?

Terry Tempest Williams must deal with the way those closest to her will one day die. Explain. Ho w do you find refuge in knowing that those closest to you, those whom you love, will some day be gone? Draw upon examples of where this has happened or where you know it will happen one day.

How do you live every day to its fullest knowing that change is inevitable? How did Terry Tempest Williams? Give examples along with explanation of how you deal with change and how you live fully.

Terry Tempest Williams explores how her faith affects her perceptions and understanding of time. Explain. Look at yours elf. How do you understand the movement and existence of time and how does your own faith/religion/spirituality affect your sense of time?

Terry Tempest Williams explore the impact of dreams and dreaming in her life. Explain. How do your dreams affect y our daily life and your daily decisions? Do you find that have an impact on the larger picture of your life. Explain, using examples and discussing how and why dreams matter to you.

Woolum
ENG 106 Introduction to Literature: Poetry
working with Lucille Clifton's Blessing the Boats

Please form groups of 3-4 students. Tape two pieces of sketch pad together so that you have a rather large “canvas” to work with. Tape them either vertically or horizontally.

Then, working together, select two or three of Lucille Clifton’s poems that can be understood in relation to each other and bring them to life in picture form, using the materials I’ve brought to class. Work to give special focus to the poems’ imagery as well as to the stories they tell or the moments in time they portray. Make your illustration a pictorial view of the poems’ content, images, and tone and work to interpret the poems by how you situate and color the images and actions in your illustration.

Copy the poems on to the illustration, deciding how best t o position the poems in relation to the picture itself.

Each group will present its work and teach some aspect of Lucille Clifton’s poetry to the rest of the class.

Lifetime Health & Fitness
Human Sexuality
Instructor Tina Davis
Students have an extra credit option to read 2 stories from books (1 from each or 2 from Refuge) and relate the stories to the class topics in some way. They then submit an outline to me about talking points then share it with the class in round table discussion. I've found this to be a wonderful assignment and will move it to a required assignment soon.

Winter '06

Dance Composition
Instructor Bonnie Simoa
Students used the book Blessing the Boats as a springboard for one of their dance studies. Those dances will then be developed for inclusion in The Works, Student Dance Concert, April 21 and 22, 2006.

Spring '06

Lifetime Health and Fitness; instructor Tina Davis (Blessing the Boats)
Modification of Bill Woolem’s assignment

TINA’S MODIFICATION FOR HUMAN SEXUALITY:

• Groups 3-5
• Give each group copy of selected poem (using poems re: female anatomy & phys, lumpectomy, menstruation, peeping tom, uterus)
• Have group discuss the relationship of how their assigned poem connects to class concepts/topic of sexuality
• Have groups draw picture w/poem written in a way that relates to class topics
• Groups present work to class and relate to class concept