CHINCOTEAGUE BAY FIELD STATION
  • HOME
  • University & Research
    • SUMMER COURSES >
      • REGISTRATION & FEES
      • STUDENT LIFE
    • FIELD TRIPS >
      • FACILITIES
      • ACTIVITIES & SITES
      • FIELD TRIP FEES
    • RESEARCH >
      • STUDENT RESEARCH
      • FACULTY & INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
    • Alternative Spring Break
  • PROGRAMS
    • SCHOOL PROGRAMS >
      • GENERAL INFO
      • CLASSES
      • OUTREACH
      • FAQ
      • FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
    • YOUTH CAMPS >
      • DAY CAMPS
      • OVERNIGHT CAMPS
      • CAMP ACTIVITIES
      • FAQ
    • ROAD SCHOLAR >
      • Bicycling the Eastern Shore of Virginia
      • Birding Virginia's Eastern Shore
      • Discover the Islands of Virginia's Eastern Shore
      • Kayaking the Eastern Shore
      • Share a Marine Science Adventure with your Grandchild
    • FAMILY CAMPS
    • FRIDAY ADVENTURE SERIES >
      • FRIDAY ADVENTURE SERIES BIKE TOUR
      • FRIDAY ADVENTURE SERIES KAYAKING
      • MARSH MYSTERIES CLASS
      • INTERTIDAL EXPLORERS
    • HOMESCHOOL
    • CUSTOM PROGRAMS
    • SCOUTS
    • COMMUNITY PROGRAMS >
      • SPARK CREEKWATCHERS
      • FAMILY LEARNING/FAMILY FUN DAYS
      • HISTORY OF SPARK
    • TEACHER WORKSHOPS
    • SPECIAL EVENTS >
      • PHOTOGRAPHY SUMMIT
      • COILED BASKETRY WORKSHOP
      • SERVING UP THE SHORE
      • MARSH FEST
  • ABOUT US
    • STAFF/CONTACT US
    • RENTALS
    • EMPLOYMENT
    • INTERNSHIPS
    • KIDS TO CAMP SCHOLARSHIP
    • BLOG
    • 50 Years >
      • Donate for the 50th
      • History
    • MEMBER UNIVERSITIES
    • CAMPUS
  • DONATE NOW
    • WAYS TO SUPPORT US

INTRODUCTION TO COASTAL LITERATURE

Course Description: 
In this course we will explore the association between literature and the environment, focusing in particular on whether literary ecologies of the Chesapeake Bay watershed help or hinder our effort to understand the history, culture, and environment of the region. While the endangered state of the watershed serves as a valuable environmental cautionary tale, the subsequent effort to “Save the Bay” on a local and federal level also reflects the power that a love of place can engender. We will proceed from the assumption that literary narratives play a vital role in the development of this sense of place; the study of such narratives therefore provides key insight into the complex relationship between the physical environment of that part of the Bay that concerns us most in this course: the Eastern Shore and the various human communities that inhabit and make use of the region.

While close reading of literary texts will be one of the primary foundations of this course, the broader interdisciplinary contexts of these literary narratives will also be considered in detail. In addition, there will be a significant hands-on component to the course, including field experiences in the nearby Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge and Assateague National Seashore as well as visits to sites relevant to the natural and cultural heritage of the Eastern Shore.

General Description of Field Activities:
Field activities will correspond with our reading and writing assignments. These field experiences will take two primary forms. First, guided tours (on foot and by boat) will expose us to the various terrains of the Eastern Shore that are an integral component of the literature we'll read. Such trips may include hiking the various trails at the refuge and national seashore, canoeing the cypress swamps, and clamming or crabbing in the salt marshes; second, we will explore sites relevant to the history and culture of the Eastern Shore, particularly those aspects of regional experience that are influenced by the landscape. Such trips may include tours of museums and heritage centers focused on the watermen and the underground railroad.

Prerequisites: None
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • HOME
  • University & Research
    • SUMMER COURSES >
      • REGISTRATION & FEES
      • STUDENT LIFE
    • FIELD TRIPS >
      • FACILITIES
      • ACTIVITIES & SITES
      • FIELD TRIP FEES
    • RESEARCH >
      • STUDENT RESEARCH
      • FACULTY & INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
    • Alternative Spring Break
  • PROGRAMS
    • SCHOOL PROGRAMS >
      • GENERAL INFO
      • CLASSES
      • OUTREACH
      • FAQ
      • FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
    • YOUTH CAMPS >
      • DAY CAMPS
      • OVERNIGHT CAMPS
      • CAMP ACTIVITIES
      • FAQ
    • ROAD SCHOLAR >
      • Bicycling the Eastern Shore of Virginia
      • Birding Virginia's Eastern Shore
      • Discover the Islands of Virginia's Eastern Shore
      • Kayaking the Eastern Shore
      • Share a Marine Science Adventure with your Grandchild
    • FAMILY CAMPS
    • FRIDAY ADVENTURE SERIES >
      • FRIDAY ADVENTURE SERIES BIKE TOUR
      • FRIDAY ADVENTURE SERIES KAYAKING
      • MARSH MYSTERIES CLASS
      • INTERTIDAL EXPLORERS
    • HOMESCHOOL
    • CUSTOM PROGRAMS
    • SCOUTS
    • COMMUNITY PROGRAMS >
      • SPARK CREEKWATCHERS
      • FAMILY LEARNING/FAMILY FUN DAYS
      • HISTORY OF SPARK
    • TEACHER WORKSHOPS
    • SPECIAL EVENTS >
      • PHOTOGRAPHY SUMMIT
      • COILED BASKETRY WORKSHOP
      • SERVING UP THE SHORE
      • MARSH FEST
  • ABOUT US
    • STAFF/CONTACT US
    • RENTALS
    • EMPLOYMENT
    • INTERNSHIPS
    • KIDS TO CAMP SCHOLARSHIP
    • BLOG
    • 50 Years >
      • Donate for the 50th
      • History
    • MEMBER UNIVERSITIES
    • CAMPUS
  • DONATE NOW
    • WAYS TO SUPPORT US