Upon arriving at orientation and finding out that I had been placed into an Honors science course, my initial reaction was one of extreme nervousness. Science had always proven to be my worst subject and I couldn’t imagine succeeding in a general education college science course, much less one taught at the Honors level. Despite my fears, this class would prove to be a worthwhile experience that taught me a great deal about science and its practical connections to the world around us. Throughout the class, our group discussed interesting topics like climate change, the different survival strategies of various species, and pollution. Instead of using traditional textbooks, Dr. Fink assigned chapters in scientific novels to be read each week. These books captured my interest throughout the class and helped me understand the importance of scientific studies by providing me with real-world connections.
Every few weeks, Dr. Fink would instruct us to make connections between the books. We would attempt to mimic the style of Mark Kurlansky’s A World Without Fish while writing about the topics covered in the other works. You can peruse one such assignment attached below.