Caitlin Kintz Colloquium Journal 5

Caitlin Kintz

Journal # 5

IDS 3920

           

     When I first came into Colloquium class this semester I was not exactly sure what to expect. I had heard various things about Colloquium from past students such as how we will go on fun field trips and learn hands on. Overall I absolutely enjoyed Colloquium class and I have gained an enormous amount of knowledge and a deeper appreciation for nature and the animals and plants that live there. From the readings we had to do, the activities that we did in class, or the field trips we were able to go on, I was enjoying my time in class while learning so many new things. 

 

            The readings that we had to do for class were very interesting because we were reading about the environment that is right outside of our houses. In class, discussing the readings with the other students made the readings easier to understand and it also allowed for us as students to get to know each other better at the same time. Reading A Land Remembered completely changed my outlook of the land that FGCU campus is on and the land in Southwest Florida. The people who came before us and cultivated the land made it possible for us to enjoy our lives years after they worked so tirelessly on the land. The characters were dealt so many hardships throughout their lives but they never gave up and they never thought badly of the land. They always cared for and nurtured the land no matter what environmental circumstances they were dealing with at the time.

            The different activities that we did in class throughout the semester, such as group and solo presentations were great because they showed us different ways one can view the environment. Each student’s different perception of what we had been learning in class was evident during each presentation. Besides learning new information during presentations, we developed skills that are important in any career by having to speak and present in front of a group of peers. 

            In my opinion the best parts of Colloquium were all of the awesome field trips that we went on. The very first field trip at ECHO was one of the best because they were an organization that helps people all over the world by relieving hunger. They were a Christian organization that promoted using what you have to make what you need, and I found that to be very inspiring and such a wonderful mission. Each of the field trips were special and exciting in their own ways as they were each so different from the others. Probably one of the most special highlights was the field trip to Fort Myers Beach when we went to one of the oldest homes on Estero Island, the home of Jo Hughes. Jo Hughes was such a fantastic woman who was one of the first families on Estero Island. The stories that she told us and the history that was in those stories was something that most people will never get the opportunity to hear.

 

    Colloquium was a class that I was not too sure about in the beginning but quickly became one of my favorites. Being able to actually go outside during classes and enjoy the fresh air was always a treat, since for the most part us as students are inside all day at school or at work. I gained so much knowledge about my environment that I know I would have never learned if it had not been for Colloquium. This was a class that was exciting and enriching throughout the semester and I know now why it is a requirement for FGCU students. 

Word Count: 619

           

Caitlin Kintz Colloquium Journal 4

Caitlin Kintz

IDS 3920

Journal # 4

 

During this semester in Colloquium we have learned about so many different types of Southwest Florida species. From different types of trees and plants to all different kinds of animals, I have learned about so many species that are in my own backyard. The melalecua tree was one that stuck out to me because it is seen all over FGCU campus and in the Southwest Florida area. Back home in West Palm Beach I live near a road called “Melaleuca Street”, which I drive on every single day at home but I never actually knew that the street was the name of a tree which I thought was so interesting. The melaleuca trees are very invasive and when the trees are cut     down, tons of seeds are found which produce even more melaleuca trees in its place. The melaleuca trees are beautiful trees but are very invasive to our environment. 

 

            Another type of Southwest Florida tree that was interesting was the Sabal Palm which is the state tree of Florida. The Sabal Palm has “boots” on the trunk that little animals live inside of and use as shelter. The American Alligator is a very dangerous animal that the male American Alligators can grow up to 14 feet long. They have large tails that are very dangerous and can hit their prey with. The American Alligators drag their prey deep underwater and store their prey in underwater dens.

          

 

  The Wood Stork is an endangered bird that is white in color with pink toes. The Wood Storks’ wingspan is 6 feet and they eat small fish. They even fly as much as 80 miles to retrieve their food. The Wood Stork uses their pink toes as bait and they wiggle their toes in the water to attract fish as fish think that it is worms. It is so interesting that animals have the intelligence to use their bodies in different ways to attract their prey. We learned about so many types of species in Colloquium and then on the field trips we were able to see these animals and trees up close and personal. Being able to gain the knowledge of different species in Southwest Florida and then being able to see in person what we had been learning about made it fun and information that I will always be able to recall. 

Word Count: 401

Caitlin Kintz Colloquium Journal 3

Caitlin Kintz

Journal # 3

IDS 3920

One of my favorite field trips was when we went to Downtown Fort Myers. I have never been to downtown Fort Myers so everything was saw and learned about was completely new to me. When we first started driving into Downtown Fort Myers we saw the Edison home and learned some interesting facts about the home. The royal palm trees that lined the street of the Edison home were brought to Florida from Cuba because Thomas Edison’s wife wanted to make the area that they newly live in look nicer. We learned that Edison was the man of the millennium and one of the most famous men in the world during his time.

Right after we got off the bus downtown we walked over to the Caloosahatchee  to look at the view and we saw a replica of the Nina ship coming towards us getting ready to dock. It was awesome to see a replica of such a famous ship that not many people will ever get to see a replica of. 

      We saw many different sculptures and buildings in down town Fort Myers and one of my favorites was the fountain that was named “The Uncommon Friends” which were sculptures of Edison, Ford, and Firestone. The sculpture was so interesting because it portrayed the most important men of a certain time era all sitting together. Each of these men contributed to developing America in huge ways.

      Another interesting part of this field trip was seeing the Indigo Hotel and learning about all of its history. In the Hotel Indigo each room is decorated differently which makes it very unique. Behind the Hotel is a wall with a mural painted on it that shows African American slaves, but the painting was not named. There was controversy over the mural because instead of showing the founding fathers it shows what the artist thought was the most important part of history. 

     The field trip to Downtown Fort Myers was definitely my favorite because of all the history I was able to experience firsthand. Now when I go back to Downtown Fort Myers I will be able to point out different facts about the history of Fort Myers that not many people have knowledge of. All of our field trips were exciting but this one definitely stuck out to me as important.

Word Count: 400