Detailed Schedule -- MONT 100N, Modeling the Environment

Fall 2017, Prof. Little

Note: All information on this page is still under development and subject to change.
The following day-by-day listing shows the planned topic for each day's class and the due dates of the larger individual assignments. There will also be several smaller writing assignments (as described in the course syllabus) and group writeups from the group project days. The due dates for those will be announced when the assignments are made. This is a tentative, evolving schedule. Topics may be added, deleted, or rearranged during the course of the semester. Any changes will be announced in class and here. Note: Reading assignments labeled

Date Class Topic Reading
8/30 Course Introduction start reading LS, Chapter One
12/4 The Encyclical Letter Laudato Si' -- Caring for our common home LS, Chapter One
12/6 Laudato Si' -- The human roots of our problems LS, Chapter Three
12/8 Laudato Si' -- What can we do? LS, Chapter Four
9/8 Focus on writing day 1 -- ``They Say'' GB, Introduction and part I (pages 1 - 51)
9/11 Measurement and units MW, Chapter 1
9/13 Linear and Logarithmic Scales MW, Chapter 1
9/15 Group project day 1 -- the Greenland ice sheet -- Paper 1 due MW, Chapter 1
9/18 Ratios and percentages MW, Chapter 2
9/20 Probabilities and proportions MW, Chapter 2
9/22 Group project day 2 -- Demographic data and Excel spreadsheets -- Problem Set 1 due LH, Chapter 2
9/25 Focus on writing day 2 -- ``I Say'' GB, Part 2 (pages 53 - 102)
9/27 Graphical displays of data -- pie charts, bar charts, and scatter plots Class notes
9/29 Group project day 3 -- the US energy economy -- Problem Set 2 due MW, Chapter 3
10/2 Linear functions and modeling MW, Chapter 4
10/6 Regression and least squares MW, Chapter 4
10/4 Group project day 4 -- The Mauna Loa atmospheric CO2 data -- Problem Set 3 due MW, Chapter 4
10/9,11,13 Fall Break -- no class GB, Part 3 (pages 103 - 138)
10/16 Focus on writing day 3 -- ``Tying it all together'' GB, Part 3 (pages 103 - 138)
10/18 Exponential functions and models MW, Chapter 5
10/20 Exponential regression -- Problem set 4 due MW, Chapter 5
10/23 Group project day 5 -- The 2014-15 Ebola outbreak MW, Chapter 5
10/25 Spare day/review for midterm
10/27 Midterm Exam covers: Collapse, MW Chapters 1 - 5
10/30 Power functions and modeling MW, Chapter 6
11/1 More on power function models; Zipf's Law MW, Chapter 6
11/3 Begin difference equations -- Problem Set 5 due MW, Chapter 7
11/6 Affine difference equations and solutions MW, Chapter 8
11/8 Equilibrium points and stability MW, Chapter 7
11/10 Logistic population models -- Problem Set 6 due MW, Chapter 7
11/13 Group project day 6 -- logistic models with harvesting MW, Chapter 7
11/15 Group project day 6, continued -- logistic models with harvesting, sustainability MW, Chapter 7
11/17 Systems of difference equations -- Problem Set 7 due MW, Chapter 8
11/20 More on systems -- structured population models MW, Chapter 8
11/22,24 Thanksgiving Break -- no class
11/27 More on systems -- epidemic models MW, Chapter 8
11/29 Group project day 7 -- modeling the carbon cycle MW, Chapter 8
12/1 Begin discussion of Collapse D, Prologue, Chapters 2,5
12/4 Continue Collapse D, Chapters 7,8,9
12/6 Modern societies and collapse -- lessons for the future? D, Chapters 14,15,16
12/4 Spare day -- Paper 2 due
The Final Exam for this course will be given at the published time for MWF 9:00am classes (to be announced by Registrar).

Last modified: August 8, 2017