Natural Science 0232 - Water & Life in American SW

Water and life in the American Southwest For plants, animals and people in the arid regions of the American Southwest, water is life. Many cultures have developed in the region and have adapted to frequent and episodic droughts in different ways. In this class we will first learn about the climate, geology, soils, and ecology of the Southwest and then the history of human habitation from the Ancestral Puebloans up through modern Phoenix, AZ, one of the most rapidly growing parts of the US. We will take a required field trip to the region over Spring break and follow a river system such as the Salt, Gila, or Colorado, at least partway from source to sea, camping as we go. Exact trip location will depend upon weather and political climate. We will use the trip to learn firsthand how the waters are controlled and used today and how that compares with pre-contact times and to develop research projects that will form the central required work for the class. This course is supported by the Southwest Studies Program.

Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Quantitative Skills Writing and Research In this course students are generally expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.