Sense+of+Place

Sense of Place Assignment: Journal and artwork

What does sense of place mean? Sense of place is the feeling or perception you have of a physical place in the natural world. I am asking you to foster a strong connection to one place, one piece of natural land. This may be a place that is very familiar to you (some area you frequent walking your dog, walking with friends/family, on an ATV, playing sports, hunting/fishing, hiking, the list goes on)-- or this may be a place that is relatively unfamiliar to you (a place you have driven by/on the bus a million times and never visited on foot).

I would like for you to observe this place with an especially reflective lens, o discover what is special or unique about your place. I would also like you to consider how this place fits into the larger ecosystem (which may require some quick research); how this place is a natural resource. **I hope these visits and your reflective study will augment your understanding of the diversity of Native American cultures; of the different ways in which Native Americans conceive of space and place; of how Native Americans conceive of natural resources differently than you or I are accustomed to. Your culminating journal entry will be a formal response to how your sense of place and experience in a natural environment relates to the devastation of Native American space and place at the hands of European and American settlers.**


 * Requirements:**
 * To visit this natural surrounding **at least twice** over the next week and a half._ _
 * To compose **two** journal entries documenting these visits (may be handwritten)._ _
 * To create **one** piece of artwork/photography to represent your place (please use your cell phone if you have one and email me your picture at jmccabe@rsu16.org ; we can further communicate on how to collate these for future display).
 * To write a **one page to two page, double-spaced more formal** reflection on how your experience visiting this location and reflecting on your sense of place relates to how Native Americans (be specific, refer to class readings) conceived of natural resources and their place in the world. Have there been/are there still other ways of viewing and using land? You are expected to reflect additionally on how the Trail of Tears or another example of devastation of human life and natural resources of Native Americans relates to your attachment and feelings to the place you’ve chosen. You might reflect on your own experiences of dispossession or dislocation (please ask me for clarification).[[file:Sense of Place Formal Journal Rubric.odt]] [[file:Beccasformaljournal--mycomments.pdf]]


 * An informal presentation of your place in class (more details to come)


 * First Journal Entry:**
 * § Date of your visit
 * § Describe the place that you have selected. Where is this place? What are the physical characteristics of this place? What kind of plant/animal life comprises of this area? Is this area industrialized at all; nearby homes/human development?
 * § What mood are you in, in this place? Is this changed from minutes ago? What did you think about?
 * § Why did you choose this space? What is your current relationship with this place?
 * Second Journal Entry:**
 * § Date of your visit
 * § A paragraph describing how your place has changed (you may include how //you// have changed in relation to your space here as well) since the last time you visited.
 * § What mood are you in, in this place? Is this changed from minutes ago? What did you think about?
 * § Your choice: