Water and Fire is an introduction to college chemistry through the study of environmental systems. Topics in chemistry are introduced as needed to understand aspects of two flow systems: the Nisqually River from glacier to Sound and the flow of solar energy to the earth. Ultimately all of the topics in a traditional introductory course will be covered. Water and Fire will prepare students to take any upper division class requiring a chemistry background. For more information go to http://www2.evergreen.edu/waterandfire.

In this upper-level class we will study the origin of our atmosphere and how it has become what we now have; winds, precipitation types and patterns, and ocean circulation; our storms, thunderstorms, hurricanes; ice ages and past and present climate change; world climates; causes of drought and desertification. We want to understand what we are doing to our atmosphere and what we have to do next.

In this introductory web design course we'll learn to write HTML and CSS code by hand, using the principles of web standards and the conventions of graphic design as guides to producing well formed and visually interesting web sites. We'll use Photoshop to a limited extent.

Are American children ruder and lazier than they used to be? Have privileges such as money and entertainment become problems? This course introduces the history of American childhood, providing new and surprising perspectives on the phenomenon of growing up, and of adults' ideas about children. Weekly guest speakers include professionals and private citizens with a special interest in children. Credit can be awarded in history, literature, sociology, and writing. The class benefits students seeking endorsements for the MIT program, parents, and others who work with or care about children. Students enrolled for eight credits will complete additional reading and writing assignments.

The Wilderness First Responder course, taught by the Wilderness Medicine Training Center, is designed for wilderness guides, expedition leaders, and outdoor instructors. We will study a variety of problems you might encounter in wilderness situations including trauma, the treatment of wounds, the treatment of shock, and allergic reactions. In addition, each student will develop hands-on skills in treating patients in varying environmental conditions. Students who successfully complete the class will receive WFR and CPR certificates.

In this group contract, students will acquire and use tools for developing conservation proposals for wildlands and rivers in Washington. Many roadless areas and wild rivers lack protection from harmful developments, in part because citizen conservation groups lack well-documented proposals for regional-scale conservation of Washington's natural areas. Faculty will provide guidance in combining tools of conservation biology with practical research, mapping and writing skills, to produce useful reports and recommendations for conservationists.

This class will engage the histories of women of different races, classes and sexual identities in order to try to understand the contradictory and uneven changes after World War II that have led us to where we are today. We will explore a variety of topics including labor issues, sexuality, motherhood, the construction of femininity and third-wave feminism. Throughout, we will be tracing the gender/race systems and the ways gender and race hierarchies intertwine with sexual regimes to form a society with shared, though contested, rules and understandings.

Gender and religion are arguably the biggest stumbling blocks to multicultural understanding, and the areas fraught with the most misconceptions and stereotypes. Through fiction, nonfiction, poetry, films, guest speakers and seminars, we will examine some of the many and varied forms of gender and religious expression and identity, and how they influence culture and politics. We will focus primarily on the Middle East (home to only about 1/4 of the world's Muslims), but also address women and Islam in other parts of world including the U.S. For a final project, students may either research and write a resource bibliography on a particular aspect of women and Islam, or design a curriculum unit suitable for elementary, middle or high school classes.

Students will learn to use a variety of carving and sculpture tools, and how to approach various woods as a medium. An introductory project–carving a spoon–will introduce basic skills. A sharpening workshop will teach care and feeding of knives and gouges. Design sessions will develop skills in 3-D thinking, model-making and sketching ideas in clay, plaster and other materials. Students will create original projects as they learn traditional techniques, drawing inspiration from the great carving cultures of the world. There will also be a field trip to Seattle to observe carvings in museums.

This two-session class will focus on enhancing writing skills needed for communicating with academic and popular audiences. During the first session, students will study effective editing and composition, with an emphasis on writing projects associated with the dissemination of community resource materials such as editorials and position papers. During the second session, students will study creative writing. They will focus on creating a credible protagonist, doing exercises such as tension building and reading their work before other members of the workshop.

We all know what it's like to have a teacher or editor write "please clarify" in the margins of our papers. This class will demystify this frustrating request by focusing on clarity and the concrete practices that constitute well-written prose. To this end, students will master agent/action analysis, cohesion and coherence, concision, coordination, force, and elegance. Intended for students from all disciplinary backgrounds.

This workshop will introduce students to writing, acting and directing actors for the screen. No lights, no cameras, no audio gear. This is bare bones creativity - the stuff one ought to know before walking onto a film set. We will focus on understanding and applying the art, power, and magic of "intention" as writers crafting stories, as actors motivating characters, and as directors guiding actors to get the best performances.