Assignment 2A- John Muir- Human7

1. Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Assignment 2a John Muir-Human7
2. Contains the sources you used with links to these sources .25 points
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/

3. Contains a brief paragraph how it connects to your study of humanities. 1 point
Learning about John Muir connects with my study of humanities because it helps me to see how others perceive California and how I may change my view or add to my point of view about this State that I am native to. John Muir is a very well known activist for the conservation of the environment and through his work he teaches people to appreciate nature all on its own.
4. Contains the following "analytical elements":
a. Observation: What did you choose? What do you see or hear or feel or think of in the choice you made? What is the subject of the work? If you chose a 'thing' what is the work made of and what techniques (colors, lines, shapes, textures)does the creator use? Be specific in your description. If you chose a place, be specific in your description of what you see or hear. Talk to your reader as though they cannot see the item but somehow must draw a painting of what you see or hear. 1 point
I chose to write about John Muir as stated earlier because I have heard his name before and never really knew who he was. I feel that after researching about him that he was one of the first environmentalist’s that had made his research known to many in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. I think that if it was not for him we would not have our beautiful Yosemite Valley which I have personally been too and thought it was a majestic place. I had never seen such beauty before and I thank John Muir for allowing me to see it as he saw it so many years ago.
John Muir was born in Scotland on April 21, 1838. He died December 24, 1914. Even though he was born in Scotland he called California his home. This man did more for California’s environment than anyone I have ever heard about before. He was an engineer, a naturalist, and a writer. He wrote with so much passion for the environment that many took note and began to listen to his ideas about saving the Yosemite Valley. He convinced President Theodore Roosevelt to save the Yosemite Valley and make it a national park. He invited the President out to camp with him and apparently even before they had reached their campsite Muir had convinced Roosevelt to take the park out of state hands and put it under the protection of the national government. Muir established the Sierra Club which he was president until he died. He wanted to make sure that other areas in California were being preserved and because of his writings and inspiration Sequoia, Mount Rainer, Petrified Forest and Grand Canyon were all created. He has many places that were named after him even a college at UCSD all in his honor. He was recently inducted in the California Hall of Fame by our current governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver.
b. Interpretation: What is your choice about? Give specific examples to support this statement in 2 sentences; do so in a way that teaches us something about your choice. Make Paulo Freire proud! .75 point
John Muir was a pioneer in environmentalism and because of his passionate writings many influential people of his time began to take note and realize that all of the earth is interconnected to each other and if we did not take care of the earth and all its beauty it would one day come back to haunt us. I think that his famous quote sums up what we are experiencing today in with global warming:
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” -- My First Summer in the Sierra, 1911, page 110.

I think that John Muir wanted everyone to experience nature and make their own interpretations about what nature is and how we as humans should live in harmony with it. He did not want us to just read about it. He felt very strongly about humans taking nature in and this way we would make our own opinions about the beauty of it. I think he believed that we would all be inspired by its beauty and become activists for our earth.
“Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”


c. Judgment: What led you to your choice? What do you think or feel about this choice? Why do you feel this way? Support your thoughts with specific observations. .5 point
I think that I picked a great choice and have added to my knowledge about our Yosemite and how environmentalism was started so many years ago. I am so glad to have chosen this topic. Next time I visit a national park or am out in the woods I will think of John Muir and his passion for California’s natural beauty. I think we should all take in a little nature and leave the city behind. I know that for me it is a welcomed rest and relaxation that cannot be beat. I am inspired to teach others around me and read more about John Muir.
d. Questioning: What else would you like to know about this choice? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. Example: I learned that John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath was based on his personal experience working with farm workers. I would like to know if the characters he used in that book are fictitious or are they people he met? .5 point
If I could ask John Muir anything, I would ask him how it felt to camp with the president and be such an advocate for the earth. He has done so much I wonder if he feels like a celebrity of sorts and how he deals with that. I know that John Muir felt that the world was interconnected and I wonder what he would say about global warming and how to solve it.
5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that person’s blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here). .5 point
Sierra Baxter wrote:
Paulo Freire’s ideas relate to our class because one of his most well known theories is on students taking their education into their own hands. I am sure we are learning about this in the beginning of the semester so that we can take his idea of taking responsibility as a student to learn everything we possible can and do our best to get the education that we want .
I learned from Elizabeth Baxter that students should take a more active role in their education so that they can learn as much as possible and get what we want out of it. I thought that was very well said. I never thought about it in that way before but it makes perfect sense. Thanks Sierra. It makes me think of my education in a different way and pushes me to ask more questions and make this experience a more rewarding and enriching experience.
Maria Nye