Course:LFS100
| LFS 100 Introduction to Land, Food, & Community | |
|---|---|
| Course Info | |
| Instructors: | Dr. Murray Isman Dean Rickey Yada |
| Teaching Assistants: | Carrie James Akshit Puri |
| Class schedule: | Section 001: Thurs. 12:30 - 2:00 pm Section 002: Tues. 12:30 - 1:30 pm |
| Classroom: | ESB 1013 |
| Tutorial: | MCML 158 |
| Key Themes | |
| Food Systems | Food Production |
| Animal Welfare | Food Sovereignty |
| Nutrition | Food Safety |
| Food Economics | Food Waste |
| Resources | |
| Library | Student Handbook |
| Career | Connect |
For more information on this course, please contact Dr. Murray Isman (murrary.isman@.ubc.ca). Information about sections & instructors for LFS 100 may be found here.
Course Rationale and Objectives
Students will become familiar with the key themes, learning environments and core values of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems (LFS). They will gain an understanding of the components that comprise land and food systems, their inter-connections, and relevancy to different career paths and professional opportunities. Students will be introduced to practical course management skills, and encouraged to participate in community service activities related to land and food systems.
Learning Outcomes
General Learning Outcomes
In learning about the key issues facing society related to food security and safety, human health and environmental stewardship, through this course, you will:
- Gain a basic understanding of the connections between food, health and the environment
- Be better prepared to succeed in an academic program in LFS
- Begin to develop effective communication skills
- Begin building a sense of community - feel welcome and realize you are part of a larger community – i.e., LFS
Specific Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, you will understand and appreciate:
- Key issues related to food production, human health and environmental health both provincially and globally
- The essential policies and regulations of LFS
- How to access and utilize web-based information delivery systems (e.g., Connect, course material downloads, assignment submission)
- How to access and utilize UBC library research tools
- The LFS Community and the meaning of “Land, Food & Community”
Course Format
There is no required text for this course. Primary information will be delivered through the classroom sessions and the LFS 100 Connect website will be used to complete quizzes, submit assignments and access supplemental materials. There is no final examination for this course.
In addition to the scheduled weekly classroom sessions, students are encouraged to take the opportunity to complete 4 hours of LFS Service Activities. There will be some degree of choice in the activities. A list of activities (with brief descriptions and available times) will be posted on the LFS100 Connect website.
Course Requirements and Student Assessment
There is no prerequisite for this course. Students must be enrolled in their first year of a Faculty of Land and Food Systems program and receive a Language Proficiency Index (LPI) of 4 or equivalent.
| Activity | Due | Value of Overall Grade (%) |
|---|---|---|
| LFS Student Handbook Quiz (online) | Sep 29th, 2016 | 10 |
| Library Quiz (online) | Oct 20th, 2016 | 10 |
| UBC Food System assignment | part 1 Oct 6th, 2016
part 2 Oct 13th, 2016 |
20 |
| Your Food Journal | Nov 10th, 2016 | 15 |
| You & Your Garbage | Nov 24th, 2016 | 15 |
| LFS Service Activity & Reflection | Dec 1st, 2016 | Optional† |
| In-class Quizzes (3) | See course schedule | 30 |
- We reserve the right to alter assignment due dates if necessary; all assignments due on or before 11:59 PM of the date listed
- Up to 5 bonus points available
In-Class Quizzes There will be three in-class quizzes. Students are expected to complete the quiz in-class. Under circumstances where a quiz is missed, only students with a valid and verifiable reason for missing the quiz will be permitted an opportunity to take it at a later date.
Additional Comments on Course Requirements & Evaluation
Writing Assignments
General Comments - There are three written assignments required during the term. All assignments must be submitted as a .doc or pdf document. Several programs allow you to save files as .doc or pdf format including MS Word; all assignments submitted in other formats will be rejected. Know what software you are using. If you don’t have MS Word, it is installed on the computers in the Macmillan Building computer lab. All assignments should be single-spaced with 1 inch margins on all sides and left justified. Use Times New Roman font sized at 12 point.
In addition to written work, some assignments require the integration of photographs, diagrams and/or graphs. Specific details for individual assignments will be provided in- class.
All assignments must be submitted by the due date and time. If submitted late, you must provide the course instructors with a legitimate reason they can verify. Once verified, we will accept the assignment without penalty.
All assignments must be your own creation; written by yourself. If you are unsure of whether you’re properly citing references, ask your TA or instructor for clarification before the assignment is submitted. For additional information on academic honesty see: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,959#10894
LFS Student Handbook Quiz
The quiz will be administered through Connect and you will have 1 hour from the time you log-on to complete it. It is open book and will consist of multiple choice questions covering the information detailed in the LFS Student Handbook. You must make your 1st attempt at the quiz before September 29. If you do not pass on the first attempt (or wish to improve your grade), you will be given one opportunity to retake this quiz. The 2nd quiz must be completed prior to October 3. In order to pass the course, you must pass Quiz 1 with a grade of at least 60%.
Library Module/Quiz
You will complete an on-line library exercise and quiz by October 20. The quiz will be administered through Connect and you will have 1 hour from the time you log-on to complete it. It is open book and will consist of multiple choice questions. Additional details will be provided in class.
LFS Service Activity
You have the option to participate in at least one out-of-class LFS Service Activity (4 hours) as detailed in class. We will announce some suggested service activities in class and there will be a list of these on the course connect site. We will also provide a confirmation form on Connect that you can print. It is your responsibility to ensure that the supervisor of your service activity signs the form, which should be submitted along with your one-page reflection. If you wish to engage in a service activity that is not listed, please consult with your instructors first.
Academic Integrity
Academic honesty is a core value of scholarship. The integrity of academic work depends on the honesty of all those who work and study at the university and the acknowledgement of the work of others through careful citation of all sources used in your work. Plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct are treated as serious offences at UBC, whether committed by faculty, staff, or students. You should be aware of the sections of the University Calendar that address academic integrity (http://www.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=3,286,0,0) and plagiarism (http://vpacademic.ubc.ca/integrity/ubc-regulation-on-plagiarism/). Plagiarism is a serious offence that can result in expulsion. Please ensure that you understand what qualifies as plagiarism before you hand in your paper; this is YOUR responsibility. Never use another author’s ideas or phrasing without indicating a source, and use quotation marks when quoting. The copying of passages from any sources, without proper reference will be considered plagiarism. This includes copying of material from another student without acknowledging the source. If you have questions or concerns about any of these policies or conventions in relation to how they apply to the work you do in this course, please discuss them with your instructors or teaching assistants.
Course Schedule
| Week | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 8 | Introduction to the Faculty of Land and Food Systems
LFS100: syllabus, coarse format and expectations Introduction to Student Handbook, Add-Drop and other critical information |
| 2 | Sep 15 | Module 1: Food Production I (M. Isman, convenor)
Assignment: UBC Food System |
| 3 | Sep 22 | Food Production II: Dr. David McArthur – Plant varieties/biodiversity
Dr. Gabriel Maltais-Landry – Soil conservation |
| 4 | Sep 29 | Food Production III: Drs. Nina von Keyserlingk and Dan Weary – Animal Welfare |
| 5 | Oct 6 | Practical skills I: Library Skills Workshop (Katherine Miller, Woodward Library) Connect tips and tricks (Morgan Reid)
Student Services - where to go to get help (Christine Klaray, LFS Student Services) In-class Quiz #1 |
| 6 | Oct 13 | Module 2: Food Processing I (R. Yada, convenor): Dean Rickey Yada - Food Science/Food Chemistry |
| 7 | Oct 20 | Food Processing II: Dr. Siyun Wang – Food Microbiology
Assignment: Your Food Journal |
| 8 | Oct 27 | Food Processing III: Dr. Xiaonan Lu – Product Development |
| 9 | Nov 3 | Practical skills II: Co-op, volunteering and more (Karla Carreras)
Blogs and beyond (Dr. Cyprien Lomas, Director the LFS Learning Centre) In-class Quiz #2 |
| 10 | Nov 10 | Module 3: Food Utilization I (Z. Xu, convenor): Dr. Yvonne Lamers – clinical nutrition
Assignment: You and Your Garbage |
| 11 | Nov 17 | Food Utilization II: Ms. Karol Travis - dietetics |
| 12 | Nov 24 | Food Utilization III: Dr. Jennifer Black – community nutrition |
| 13 | Dec 1 | Summary and concluding discussion
In-class Quiz #3 |
Grading Rubric for LFS 100 Writing Assignments
Specific grading rubrics will be provided in Connect for each of the three written assignments. Your assignments will be marked based on content, grammar, punctuation and spelling as outlined below.
| Excellent | Good | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content | Addresses topic fully and effectively and places it in proper context with fresh, original insights and engaging personal style‡ | Addresses topic quite fully and places it in proper context, but lacks original insight and personal style‡ | Addresses topic, but lacks context and/or original insight and personal style‡ | Inappropriate, incomplete, or off topic. |
| Structure | Document has well formulated paragraph and overall structure that flows logically from idea to idea. | Document has proper paragraph structure, but at some points lacks overall cohesion or flow from idea to idea. | Document has inconsistent paragraph and/or overall structure. Distinct topics/ideas are not logically linked. | Document has no apparent paragraph and/or overall structure. |
| Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling | Document is free from all grammatical, punctuation, spelling, and word misuse mistakes. The writing communicates its message to the reader clearly and effectively at all points. | Between 1 and 4 total spelling and punctuation mistakes. No words misused. No grammatically incorrect sentences. Fluent expression and clear overall. | Fewer than 5 total spelling and punctuation mistakes. No words misused. Fewer than two grammatically incorrect sentences. Mistakes do not impede the reader's understanding. | Many punctuation and spelling mistakes. Several misuses of words. Sentences are poorly constructed, grammatically incorrect, difficult to follow and understand. |
‡For our purposes, 'personal style' is defined as the expression of original and critical thinking in your writing. The writing you do in this course should, at its best, move away from the cold and dry formulaic structure and expression you may be comfortable with, and should reflect your individual thinking and tone in response to the issues you are dealing with.