SJR

What: A Unique Teaching and Learning Transformational Experience
Where: St. Johns River, Florida, aboard houseboats and canoes
When: Spring Break, 2008
Pre-requisite: A very positive, flexible attitude
To apply, please complete and submit the following 3 forms to Ms. April Moore, building 50 (Science and Engineering Building), room 3630 april.moore@unf.edu

1) Application
2) Student Agreement
3) Deposit (refundable up to December 3, 2007)
Also, review the Travel Checklist
Deadline for Applications: November 30
Student Cost $150; Deadline for payment: Monday, January 7, 2008

Houseboat for 2008

Schedule, Spring 2008

Day/Date	Travel	Activities/Schedule	Speakers/Topic
Pretrip	Field Day February 16 Group Meetings Jan 28 February 8, 22, 29 March 7, 14	Field Day: How to observe nature and incorporate sketches into a journal Basic canoeing/kayak instruction. Common knots used in boating. Field Day Pictures	Sarah Crooks Flaire (sketching) Dr. Bowman (paddling & knot tying)
Trip 1 Saturday March 15 Daily Pics	Students travel to Hontoon Island near De Land, FL on their own Hontoon Island State Park Map to Hontoon Island ferry Free ferry to Hontoon Island Hontoon Island -Lake Monroe Park (north end of US 17-92 bridge)	1 pm - students meet at ferry to Hontoon Island State Park and board houseboat docked at the State Park 2 pm - departure for Lake Beresford; anchor for boatmanship training, trip orientation and safety; travel upstream to Lake Monroe Park, tie up for evening. 4 pm - students share individual project plans and discuss group involvement; students discuss group project implementation; preparations for canoeing & kayaking next day 6-7 pm - Dinner aboard 7:30 pm - movie aboard Wekiva, Legacy or Loss? 9 pm - work on group journal 10 pm - begin quiet hours; conversations OK on topdeck only; cell phone ringers on vibrate Note: Students work on individual and group projects throughout the trip at available times on board such as transit time between ports, between events in port, after meals, etc.	Coordinator April Moore (904.347.9836) Dr. Bowman (904.382.6002) Captain Girardin (386.937.1566) [licensed captain]
2 Sunday March 16 Daily Pics	Lake Monroe Park - Wekiva River- Lake Monroe - Gator Landing	7:30- 8:30 am - Breakfast aboard 9 am - depart for canoe trip beginning at King's Landing (407) 886-0859 ending at Wekiwa Marina (407) 862-1500; pack your own lunch 3 pm - return to houseboats 3:30 pm - weigh anchor; cross Lake Monore 5-6:30 pm - Dinner on your own at Gator Grill, 407 688-9700 7:30 pm - movie aboard River Into the New World - St. Johns River 9 pm - work on group journal 10 pm - begin quiet hours; conversations OK on topdeck only; cell phone ringers on vibrate	King's Landing Wekiwa Marina
3 Monday March 17 Daily Pics	Gator Landing - Lemon Bluff	8-9 am - Breakfast aboard 9 am - weigh anchor; River of Lakes discussion 11:00 am - pick up author Bill Belleville @ Lemon Bluff 11:30-12:30 - Lunch aboard with Mr. Belleville, author and environmental activist 2 pm - group water sampling session 4:30 pm - weigh anchor; students describe project results so far and next steps 6 pm - anchor for night 6-7 pm - Dinner aboard 7:30 pm - movie aboard The River Returns 9 pm - work on group journal 10 pm - begin quiet hours; conversations OK on topdeck only; cell phone ringers on vibrate	Bill Belleville, author Bill's website
4 Tuesday March 18 Daily Pics	Lemon Bluff- Lake Jessup - Lake Monroe - Sanford - Butcher's Bend	8-9 am - Breakfast aboard 9 am - weigh anchor, students experience river and work on projects 11:30-12:30 - Lunch aboard; pick up Dr. Sherri Williams, SJRWMD, @ Monroe Harbor Marina, presentation by Dr. Williams on Water Quality & Land Management 5:45 pm - pick up Bill Dreggors @ Lake Monroe Park 6-7 pm - Dinner aboard while motoring north to Butcher's Bend; anchor; Bill Dreggors, Hot Sand and Sandspurs 9 pm - work on group journal 10 pm - begin quiet hours; conversations OK on topdeck only; cell phone ringers on vibrate	St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Dr. Williams Bill Dreggors, Folk Historian
5 Wednesday March 19 Daily Pics	Butcher's Bend - Hontoon Island	8-9 am - Breakfast aboard 9:30 am - meet bus at Lake Monroe Park for tour of DeBary Hall; pack your own lunch 11:00-11:30 - Lunch (picnic at Debary Hall). 1:00 pm - Return to houseboats; weigh anchor- depart north to Hontoon Island 4:30 - 5:30 - Joe Stewart, engineer, SJRWMD; river hydrology 6-7 pm - Dinner on your own at local restaurants 7:30 pm - movie aboard Blue Spring: Gem of the St. Johns 10 pm - work on group journal 11 pm - begin quiet hours on board; conversations OK on topdeck only; cell phone ringers on vibrate	Joe Stewart, engineer, SJRWMD
6 Thursday March 20 Daily Pics	Hontoon Island - Blue Spring - Hontoon Island	8:00 am - Breakfast (aboard) 8:30 am - depart for Blue Spring by small boat 9:30 am - plein air artists (sketching & painting) 11:30-12:30 - Lunch w/ Eddie White (grill at Blue Spring) 12:30-1:30 Cast net tying (Stuart Pacetti) 1:30-3:30pm - folk music 4-6 swim & snorkel spring 6-7 pm - Dinner on your own at local restaurants 7:30 pm - more folk music and/or movie, St. Johns River: The Steamboat Era 9 pm - work on group journal 10 pm - begin quiet hours; conversations OK on topdeck only; cell phone ringers on vibrate	Blue Spring State Park Stuart Pacetti Frank Thomas Stewart Jones Cindy Sturla Sharon Fithian Benjamin Dehart Jeanie Fitchen Riverside Pavillion Cabin BL3
7 Friday March 21 Daily Pics	Hontoon Island - Silver Glen Springs - Hontoon Island	7-8 am - Breakfast aboard 9-10 am - clean up boat 10-12 - Dean Dobberfuhl, SJRWMD conducts a walk through a shallow seagrass bed discussing the importance of submerged aquatic vegetation, water quality, and indicator species in the river 12 - Lunch 1 pm - depart for Silver Glen Springs by small boat 5-7 pm - Dinner on your own at local restaurants 7:30 pm - movie aboard The Revenge of the River 9 pm - campfire 10 pm - begin quiet hours; conversations OK on topdeck only; cell phone ringers on vibrate	Scientist Dean Dobberfuhl, SJRWMD
8 Saturday March 22 Daily Pics	Hontoon Island	8-9 am - Breakfast aboard 9 am - depart south 10 am - students report on individual and group projects 11:30-12:30 - Lunch aboard 1 pm - hike to Hontoon Island Indian mound or paddle Dead River 4:30 pm - Neil Armingeon arrives 5-7 pm - Dinner on your own at local restaurants 7:30 pm - campfire and presentation by Neil Armingeon, St. Johns Riverkeeper 10 pm - work on group journal 11 pm - begin quiet hours; conversations OK on topdeck only; cell phone ringers on vibrate	Neil Armingeon, St. Johns Riverkeeper
9 Sunday March 23 Daily Pics	Hontoon Island	7-8 am - Breakfast aboard 8-10 am - Clean boat and pack 10 am - depart for home

Luggage No hard luggage please, it occupies space even when empty. Duffel bags that may be collapsed when not in use are preferred. A pillowcase or mesh bag for laundry is suggested. If you use a plastic garbage bag, your dirty clothes may ferment. It is highly recommended that you bring only what is necessary for the trip, personal items and gear required for onboard projects. We have a full schedule and space aboard is limited. Do not count on having time to work on term papers, homework, etc. for other courses.
Special Equipment & Supplies NON-SKID SHOES that are made not to slip on wet decks are required. Bare feet are not permitted on wet decks. Reef Runner type footwear or swim fins are strongly recommended for swimmers to minimize foot injuries.
Other handy items include: flashlight; headgear to protect from sun; sunscreen; sunglasses with tether (croakie); rain jacket (preferred) or poncho; spare pair of prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses; ample prescription medicines.
Swimming Bring bathing suit, snorkel, wet suits etc. if you wish to swim at the springs. Water issuing from springs is about 72^oF. Sorry, no SCUBA gear permitted because of very limited storage space onboard.
Food preparation Each houseboat is equipped with a full kitchen with utensils, cookware, refrigerator, range, microwave and propane-fired outdoor grill. There is an ample pantry for storage of canned goods, dry foods, etc. The galley must be kept clean at all times. Clean up after yourself immediately after eating.
Showers Take camping showers by wetting oneself and immediately turning off the water. Soap and shampoo with the water off, then rinse. You should consume no more than about 4 gallons. Shower stall time is limited to 10 minutes. Towels are provided.
Sleeping Each houseboat has four double beds and a pull out sofa that converts to a double bed. Linens and pillows are provided. You must bring your own sleeping pad and sleeping bag if you choose not to share a bed. All personal sleeping gear must be stowed before weighing anchor or leaving dockside.

Required Text: River of Lakes by Bill Belleville (2004).

Supplemental Text(s)/Resources:

The Swamp by Michael Grunwald (2003)
Guardians of Florida's Water - St. Johns River Water Management District (February 2006)
Florida Waters: A Water Resource Manual from the Florida's Water Management Districts (April 2002)
Waterfront Property Owners Guide: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (December 2001)
Wetlands: Where cypress bark breaks the waters edge by the SJRWMD (2006)
Florida's Salt Marshes by the FL Marine Research Institute (June 2001)
The Cradle of the Oceans: Estuaries by the FL Marine Research Institute (June 2001)
A Green Blanket of Algae by the SJRWMD (January 2002)
Florida's Aquifers: Our most precious water resource by the SJRWMD (September 2002)
St. Johns River: An American Heritage River (www.epa.gov/rivers)

http://sjr.state.fl.us/welcome/river_tour/river_tour.html
http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/services/magazine/03summer/stjohns.cfm
http://sjr.state.fl.us/archydro/factsindex.html - watershed facts map index

DeBary Hall Historic Site - http://www.debaryhall.com/
Equinox website: www.equinoxdocumentaries.org

MTLO Description

This course is aligned with the universities Transformational Learning Opportunities (TLO) mission. The university also currently has in place community-based learning courses in various colleges and departments that will provide the initial foundation for the development of an expanded, intensive, comprehensive, and institutionally integrated centers of the university. All students will engage in disciplinary discussions and assignments related to the St. Johns River. A cross-section of students are selected through an application process to participate in the field event, a week long trip on the St. Johns River. During the trip, students are fully involved with activities on the water including guest speakers; water sampling and analysis, discussion groups, tours guided by local professionals (park rangers, naturalists, historians, anthropologists, etc.) and completion of projects chosen with the guidance of faculty mentors.

Discipline Integration

Author Bill Belleville

a)   History Uses of the river over time; importance to Native Americans; its Indian, French, Spanish and English names; its role in early Florida development; the perspective of long-time residents; old and new cultures; value to modern residents and visitors; state, federal and local efforts (or lack thereof) to preserve it.
b)   Political Science Current laws and regulations (municipal, state and federal); current legal issues and controversies; roles of St. Johns River Water Management District, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the USEPA.
c)   Science Monitor water quality parameters, compare with standards/other rivers, plot trends; identify ecological environments, fauna and flora; describe key impacts of watersheds, springs and point/non-point sources of pollution.
d)   Health Impact of river on sources of drinking water; health of food chain; waterborne diseases; algal blooms.
e)   Economics Commercial, industrial, civic and individual economic benefits; value of recreation and ecotourism; potential economic cost of degradation or loss of use; cost of restoration of degraded and preservation.
f)    Engineering Physical characteristics, flow rates, tidal influence, historical changes in drainage and runoff; navigational use for dredging; power generation; bridges, storm drainage/sewer impacts, flood plain; and restoration.
g)   Social Science River's impact on historical populations (Native Americans to current residents); impact as food source; transportation; public access; commercial/recreational use, and societal benefits; responsibilities for stewardship.
h)   Communications Authors, naturalists and artists engaged with the river (Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, John and William Bartram, John Muir, Harriet Beecher Stowe, John James Audubon, etc.); community action groups, city newspaper features and editorials; local feature magazines; and public broadcasting programs.
i)    Education State of literacy about the river and impacts; education level of professionals engaged in the river; river related jobs; school curriculum about the river; current certification and non-credit courses available related to river.

Objectives - Students will

1. engage in active, productive discourse relating to the connections between multiple disciplines and the environment and how they connect to hydrologic system and one particular unique river system in southeast Florida.

2. explore meaningful, global concepts using critical thinking model attributes such as analysis, application, synthesis and evaluation.

3. expand on foundational cause and effect scenario's through use of inquiry skills to discover secondary and tertiary rationale.

4. explain systematic differences between social economic status, regional political policies and the power of historical components that govern people and cultures.

5. evaluate formatively and summatively, the effect and connection of literature, media and technology between distinct regions in FL.

Common to all objectives is a combination of lecture, discussion, demonstrations, multimedia, journaling, collaborative/cooperative group inquiry, research, literature review and observational experiences.