Bio1300                                                                                      Spring 2009

Animal Diversity

 

Professor:  Stephen Mullin                                                          Office:  LS 1114

tel:  217.581.6234                                               Mailbox in dept. office (LS 2070)

Internet:  <sjmullin@eiu.edu>

Office Hours:  Wednesdays 1000-1200 h and 1400-1500 h; or, by appointment.

 

Synopsis – This course is designed as a survey of the animal phyla, examining the diversity of body plans and physiological functions available within Kingdom Animalia.  Material presented in lecture will be supplemented with laboratory examinations of, and experimentation with, both living and preserved specimens.  Evolutionary relationships between major taxonomic groups within the animal kingdom will be emphasized throughout the semester.

 

Lecture outlines are available here.

The 2nd lecture outline is available here.

The 3rd lecture outline is available here.

Prerequisites – Successful completion of Bio1100, with a grade of "C" or better.  It is also assumed that students enroll in this course because they enjoy the challenge of learning more about animals.  Concurrent enrollment in a laboratory section is required.

Note, that there is a course fee of $20¡¡ that will appear on your tuition bill (i.e., you do not pay me or the dept. directly).  This fee is assessed to all students to partially defray expenses associated with laboratory supplies.

 

Required Materials – lecture:

Hickman, C.P., L.S. Roberts, A. Larson, and H. l'Anson.  2006.  Integrated Principles of Zoology.  13th ed.  McGraw-Hill, Boston, MA.

Van de Graaff, K.M. & J.L. Crawley.  2003.  A Photographic Atlas for the Zoology Laboratory.  4th ed.  Morton Publ., Englewood, CO.

Lab handout packet – purchase from Biol. Grad. Student Assoc. in LS1120

 

Optional Materials – laboratory:

Experiment/exercise notebook (3-ring binder w/ paper)

 

Attendance – Lecture

  With the exception of school holidays, lecture sections will meet between 0900-0950 h on M, W, & F; please avoid the embarrassment of arriving late. I won't take attendance regularly, but I can guarantee that anyone noticeably absent during the semester will not receive any leniency from me should I decide to curve grades at the end of the term.  At my discretion, "pop quizzes" will be given in lectures that are poorly attended; make-up quizzes are not an option.  [Also, see note about make-up exams, below.].

  I would like to discourage distractions during our meeting times.  Therefore, any student will be penalized ten (10) points if their pager/cellular telephone/alarm/etc. emits any audible noise during the class.

  – Laboratory

  Lab sections meet on Thursday from 0800-1050 h.  Attendance is mandatory for the lab sections: more than two unexcused absences during the term will result in your receiving a failing grade ("F") for the entire course.  If you expect to miss a lab because of an EIU-related function, see me in advance of that week, as you will be responsible for the material taught during at that time.

 

Grading – Lecture

  There will be 3 exams given over the course of the semester, plus a final exam.  Each of the midterms are worth 70 points and cover only the portions of the course immediately prior to their test date (i.e., they are not cumulative).  The final exam is worth 120 points and is comprehensive, including questions concerning material presented throughout the semester.

– Laboratory

  There will be 4 practical exams given over the course of the semester during lab period, each worth 20 points – none of these exams will be comprehensive (each covering only material directly preceding the exam date).  The Final Lab Exam (60 points) emphasizes the last three weeks, but also is comprehensive.

  So the breakdown for the course looks like this:

Component                                                        Value

Mid-term exams (3 @ 70 points each)                       210 points

Laboratory practicals (4 @ 20 points each)                   80

Final lab practical exam                                           60

Final lecture exam                                                120

Semester Project                                                  120

Miscellaneous (pop quizzes, lab assignments, etc.)       110

TOTAL                                                              700 points

 

Thus, your awarded grade for the class will be determined on a 700-point scale.  The grade distribution might be curved at my discretion, and only for your performance in the entire course at the end of the semester.  Generally, however, I will follow the standard 10-%age point scale (90-100 % = 'A', 80-89 % = 'B', etc.).

 

Proper English counts!  One point will be deducted from your exam total for every 5 spelling/grammar/context/syntax/punctuation errors on any exam and the paper for the semester project.

 

Exams – Unless otherwise noted, lecture exam format will generally consist of matching, short answer, and essay questions.  If you miss an exam, it is your responsibility to contact me before the next class meeting – failure to do so will result in a zero grade for that exam.  Written make-up exams are not an option – if you miss an exam with an excused absence, the make-up will be administered as soon as is mutually convenient and will be comprised of oral responses to my questions.

  There will be several practical exams given over the course of the semester during lab periods – these test you on your ability to correctly identify and classify organisms or parts of organisms. Practicals are timed exams and there are NO make-ups; only the last of these exams will be comprehensive (with emphasis on the last 3 weeks of the term).

 

Semester Project – As a class, we will be completing a semester-long research project that examines the biology of an assigned animal species.  This project will require plenty of advance consideration (i.e., procrastination will cause you to fail this portion of the course).  We will be completing this project in stages, with each stage requiring some work on your part (due dates announced in advance).  Your grade on the project will be based on the quality of your work during each stage and your overall participation (i.e., cooperation is expected throughout all phases of the project).

 

Academic Integrity -- I expect that you will never passively or actively cheat on any of my exams, or those administered by your other instructors.  Any documented incidence of cheating or plagiarism will result in an automatic failing grade ("F") for the entire course, and notifications to the Dean's Office and the Office of Student Standards.  Please feel free to consult your Student Handbook, if you have any questions concerning this matter.

 

Disabled Students should contact the Office of Disability Services (9th St.Hall 2002; x6583) for any arrangements that need to be made in order to ensure that you get the most out of this course.  Within reason, I am willing to make whatever accommodations are necessary to facilitate your learning of this material.

 

Further Assistance with course material -- If you suddenly find yourself with a question that is burning a hole in your brain, and cannot reach me, there are several ways of obtaining the answer.  Here are some examples:

1.  The authors of your text have thoughtfully provided a variety of resources for you to follow up on presented material.  The citations and websites are listed at the end of each chapter in the text.

2.  The outlines for my lectures are accessible through a web-site:

<www.ux1.eiu.edu/~sjmullin> – I'd like to encourage you to listen in lecture, not just show up and scribble furiously.  Understand, however, that you will be held responsible for more information than what is presented in these web-based outlines.

3.  Seek help at the Learning Assistance Center (x6696) or the Counseling Center (x3413) to obtain help with studying for this class.  Also, as a service to EIU students, the Academic Success Center provides a list of individual tutors via the web page <www.eiu.edu/~success>

4.  Help each other -- get to know your fellow students!  Active learning through testing each other on the material is one of the most effective ways to learn where your weaknesses lie with this subject matter.

 

 

 

 

 

ASSIGNMENT #1 – due Friday, 16 Jan.

Send me an internet message containing the following items, each on a new line of text:

á     your name as you wish to be addressed

á     your E-#

á     a version of the following statement:

"Yes/No you may/may not post my grade by special code."

[If "yes," then provide 6-digit code on a new line of text -- you may use any sequence of numbers or letters].

á     your phone #

á     a version of the following statement:

"Yes/No you may/may not release my phone number to the rest of the class."

á     your class standing

á     your major/degree option

Bio 1300 – Mullin                                                                        Spring 2009

Animal Diversity

                                             Lecture Schedule       

Week     Topic                                                                                  Readings

   1        Introduction; Is an animal just like any other?                                    Ch. 1

            Biochemical briefs & Development                                                    2, 8

   2        Pigeon-holing diversity                                                              Ch. 10

            Evolution......a fact of life                                                                   6

   3        Cells – their diversity & commonalty in animal life                     Ch. 3, 4 & 9

   4        Life in the balance                                                         Ch. 29, 30, & 31

            Ode to regulation                                                                32, 33 & 34

   5        The unity of structure & function                                             Ch. 7 & 35

            1st midterm exam

 

   6        Taxonomy revisited

            Protozoa – life on a depression slide                                              Ch. 11

   7        Mesozoa & Porifera – better than licking the floor                             Ch. 12

            Cnidaria & Ctenophora – not good with peanut butter                             13

   8        Platyhelminthes & Nemertea – rabbits don't even come close                Ch. 14

            Pseudocoelomates – what happened to that cavity?                                 15

   9        Mollusca – not even Foot Locker could keep up                                Ch. 16

            2nd midterm exam

            SPRING BREAK

  10       Segmented worms – like a skipping record                                       Ch. 17

            Arthropoda – the not-so-meek shall inherit the Earth                               18

  11       Arthropoda, continued......                                                     Ch. 19 & 20

  12       Protostomes – cuddly little things, aren't they?                                 Ch. 21

            Lophophorates – the stalking tentacles                                                  

  13       Echinodermata – radial, dude!                                                       Ch. 22

            Hemichordata – almost solid                                                               

            3rd midterm exam

  14       Protochordata – "It's a long way from Amphioxus"                             Ch. 23

  15       Aquatic and semi-aquatic chordates – "I'd like to be....under the sea...." Ch. 24 & 25

            Reptilia & Mammalia – life with an amnion                              26, 27, & 28

FINAL EXAMINATION on Tuesday, 5 May, @ 0800 h

                                                                                                                                                                         

  Feel free to contact me at your convenience (217.581.6234 or <sjmullin@eiu.edu>).

Bio 1300 – Mullin                                                                        Spring 2009

Animal Diversity

                                          Laboratory Schedule      

  Date              Subject matter

15 Jan.           Introductory overview of the Phyla

22 Jan.           Evolution Game

29 Jan.           Classification & Phylogeny [and practical exam on labs 1-2]

5 Feb.            Studying diversity (and optimizing scope use)

12 Feb.          Systems & Processes (+ Darwin's 200th birthday!)

19 Feb.          Protozoa & Porifera

26 Feb.          Cnidaria

5 Mar.            Project design/execution [and practical exam on labs 6-7]

12 Mar.          Project execution

19 Mar.          SPRING BREAK

26 Mar.          Platyhelminthes & Pseudocoelomates

2 Apr.            Mollusca

9 Apr.            Annelida [and practical exam on labs 10 & 11]

16 Apr.          Arthropoda

23 Apr.          Echinodermata & Chordata; [and practical exam on labs 12 & 13]

                    Reminder: Semester Project papers due on 27 Apr.!

30 Apr.          Final laboratory practical exam.

                                                                                                    

NOTE:  Each practical exam will cover material only from the labs indicated on that exam date.  The exception is the final practical exam that will emphasize the last three weeks of lab material, but also contain questions about earlier lab exercises.