Welcome to PCC’s Malheur Fieldtrip class, BI 161 and G 161. During this trip you will have the opportunity to experience the environment of Oregon’s Great Basin region located in the southeastern corner of the state.
 

Lynn Larsen     Portland Community College    Sylvania HT 305 PO Box 19000 Portland,  OR  97280 Phone:  (503) 977-4039 Fax:  (503) 977-8164  E-mail: llarsen@pcc.edu   Office Hours:  Tuesday 9-11am   Thursday 8-11am or by appointment

Melinda Hutson    Portland Community College   Sylvania HT 305 PO Box 19000 Portland, OR 97280   Phone: (503) 977-4146 Fax: (503) 977-8020 E-mail: mhutson@pcc.edu Office Hours: MWF 8-9am 1-2pm or by appointment

CLASS WEBSITE: http://spot.pcc.edu/~mhutson/161/

GRADING: You will be graded on both individual and group work. Below is a breakdown of how you can earn points:

• Pre-trip Questions (15%) You will receive questions at the first pretrip meeting over the reading material. The object is to provide you with an overview of the Great Basin area before we embark on our fieldtrip. Your answers to these question must be typed and they are due the night of our second pretrip meeting on April 18.
• Field Journal (15%) During the fieldtrip you will keep a journal that will include information from your instructors, your own observations, and your own reflections on what you are seeing and doing. This journal will be due at the first post trip meeting on May 16.
• Participation (15%) You will be evaluated by your instructors during the fieldtrip as well as the pre and post trip meetings. We will be looking for your level of participation in class activities.
• Group Field Data (15%) You will be working with some of your fellow student to gather scientific data at selected sites during the fieldtrip. Your group will compile and analyze the data into a form that is meaningful and useful for the class. This data will become part of a class website. Your group will be able to meet and work together on this project during the post trip meeting on May 16. The Field Data is due by the end of the class meeting on May 16.
• Oral Presentation (15%) Your group will present its findings to the rest of the class through an oral presentation. You will discuss what you did, why you did it and what you learned. Visuals are encouraged to help the class better understand your data. Oral presentations will be given during the class meeting on May 30.
• Evaluation of your group (5%) You will critique your field group. Did you work well together? Did everyone participate? What problems did you group have? How could your group have worked better? This evaluation will be typed and due at the class meeting on May 30.
• Web Site Analysis (10%) The final product of this class will be a website. The data from each group will be incorporated into this site. You will be asked to visit the site and critique it. Your evaluation will be based on both content and presentation. Your website analysis will be typed and due at the class meeting on May 30.
• The Big Picture (10%) It is too easy on a trip like this to focus only on your group and lose track of how all the information goes together to make a cohesive picture. You will write a paper consolidating all the information from the groups to provide a big picture of the areas where we collected data. This paper is to be typed and due by Thursday June 6. You can turn it in to either instructor.

The following assignments can be turned in late: pre-trip writeup; field journal; evaluation of your group. You will lose 10% of the grade each calendar day that the assignment is late (excluding saturdays and sundays).

None of the other assignments will be accepted late, as they impact the grades of other members of the class.

WHERE WILL WE BE STAYING? We will be staying at the Malheur Field Station. This is not a 4 star resort, but there will be beds, hot water and good food. The Field Station is located approximately 30 miles south of Burns and is run by a consortium of colleges. In case of emergency the phone number there is (541) 493-2629. Don’t count on a cell phone working well over there, coverage is spotty at best.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BRING? The following is a list of things you should bring for this trip. Please bring what you need but don’t get too carried away, space on the vans will be limited.

• sleeping bag

• pillow

• toiletries (soap, shampoo, towel, etc)

• ear plugs (we’ll be sleeping in an open dorm)

• binoculars

• sun glasses

• sunscreen

• bug spray

• journal and pencils/pens

• plant, animal, geology books (see bibliography for suggestions)

• snacks

• money for lunch and dinner on Thursday and for snacks along the way

• warm clothes (it can get cold!)

• light weight clothes (it can get warm!)

• sturdy walking shoes

• hand lens

• water bottle (and water)

• camera
• watch
• big flashlight or lantern (we’ll be in a dark cave at one point)

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE... Although we will be off campus and having lots of fun, this is still a PCC class. No drugs or alcohol or firearms will be allowed on this trip!