Bio 1300g (Section 005)    Spring 2006

Animal Diversity

 

Professor: Jim Novak  Office: LS 1162

Tel: (217) 581-6385

Mailbox in Biological Sciences Office (LS 2070)

email: jmnovak@eiu.edu

Office Hours: MWF 1000 - 1100, R 1400 - 1500; or, by appointment.

 

Synopsis – This course is designed as a survey of animal phyla, examining the diversity of evolutionary solutions to survival and reproduction available within the Kingdom Animalia. Material presented in lecture will be supplemented with laboratory examinations of, and experimentation with, specimens. Evolutionary relationships between major taxonomic groups within the animal kingdom will be emphasized throughout the semester.

 

Prerequisites – Successful completion of Bio1100, with a grade of "D" 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 $10°° 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:

Hickman, C.P., L.S. Roberts, A. Larson, and H. l’Anson. 2004. Integrated Principles of Zoology. 12th ed. McGraw-Hill, Boston, MA.

Lab handout packet – purchase during the first week of classes from 0900 – 1100 and 1400 – 1600 in Room 1120 of the Life Sciences Annex; cost $3

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

 

Optional Materials:

COURSE HANDBOOK - purchase during the first week of classes from 0900 – 1100 and 1400 – 1600 in Room 1120 of the Life Sciences Annex.

INSTANT NOTES IN ANIMAL BIOLOGY by R.D. Jurd (1997) (currently about $35 new (cheaper used) on Amazon.com).

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

 

Attendance – Lecture

With the exception of school holidays, lecture sections will meet between 1200-1250 h on M, W, & F; please avoid the embarrassment of arriving late. I won't take attendance regularly after the first two weeks, 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. If you absolutely must take a call during class (i.e. an emergency) please leave the classroom.

Attendance – Laboratory

Lab sections meet on Thursday from 1100-1350 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 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 100 points and cover only the portions of the course immediately prior to the test date (i.e., they are not cumulative). The final exam is worth 150 points and is comprehensive; including questions concerning material presented throughout the semester, but will emphasize material presented after the third exam. Unless otherwise noted, lecture exam format will generally consist of mixture of multiple choice, matching, short answer, and essay questions (Not all types of questions may appear on each exam). 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.

 

Grading – Laboratory

There will be 4 practical exams given over the course of the semester during lab period, each worth 50 points – none of these exams will be comprehensive (each covering only material directly preceding the exam date). The Final Lab Exam (100 points) emphasizes the last three weeks, but is comprehensive. Lab practicals 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.

  

Semester Project

As a class, we will be completing a semester-long research project that examines the biology of an assigned animal taxon. 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 (a schedule of due dates and project information will be handed out in Lab during the second week of classes). 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). You will receive a more detailed breakdown of the research project during the first laboratory session

 

Grade Point Breakdown

 

Mid-term exams (3 @ 100 points each)    300 points

Laboratory practicals (4 @ 50 points each)          200 points

Final lab practical exam                            100 points

Final lecture exam                                     150 points

Semester Project                                       150 points

Miscellaneous                                                       100 points

       (pop quizzes, lab assignments, etc.)                          z

TOTAL                                                    1000 points

 

Thus, your awarded grade for the class will be determined on a 1000-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 point scale (90-100 % = ‘A’, 80-89 % = ‘B’, etc.).

 

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 Judicial Affairs. Please feel free to speak with me, or 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. Do not be afraid to use the internet. Google is a powerful search engine and can help you find additional information on topics. BE AWARE THAT THE QUALITY OF INFORMATION VARIES GREATLY FROM SITE TO SITE ON THE INTERNET. If the information on the site conflicts with the book you may want to bring this up in class and we can discuss it.

 

3. Seek help at the Learning Assistance Center (x6696) or the Counseling Center (x3413) to obtain help with studying for this class.

 

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, 13 Jan

 

Send me an email message (jmnovak@eiu.edu) containing the following items, each on a new line of text:

 

  1. Your name as you wish to be addressed
  2. Your SSN - if you prefer not to send your SSN via email simply state so.
  3. 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 -- you may use any sequence of numbers or letters].
  4. your phone #
  5. A version of the following statement: "Yes/No you may/may not release my phone number to the rest of the class."
  6. Your class standing (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior)
  7. Your major
  8. A version of the following statement: "Yes/No you may/may not release my email address to the rest of the class."

 

Week

Topic

Chapters

1

1/09

-

1/13

Course Introduction; A sponge by any other name is still porous? Life in the soup

1; 2

2

1/18

-

1/20

Bringing the soup inside; Genetics is easy - even a monk can do it

3; 5

3

1/23

-

1/27

 Without evolution, life would be a copy machine; What’s in a name?

6; 10

4

1/30

-

2/03

How to make a (almost) perfect copy; How can 4 little letters give us an elephant or an ant?; Form and function

7; 8; 9

5

2/06

-

2/10

Life's balancing act; You are what you eat; Scaling up                                               First Exam (2/10)

30; 32; 38

6

2/13

-

2/15

Protozoans

11

7

2/20

-

2/24

Prtozoans (cont.); Porifera; Cnidaria

12 (233 - 234; 236 - 245); 13(247 – 267)

8

2/27

-

3/03

Platyhelminthes; Pseudocoelomates (Nematoda and Rotifera)

14(274 – 289); 15 (295 – 303; 306 – 309)

9

3/06

-

3/10

Mollusca (Polyplacophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Cephalopoda); Second Exam (3/10)

16 (316 – 321; 322 – 323;

10

3/13

-

3/17

Spring Break - No Classes

REVIEW

11

3/20

-

3/24

Segmented Worms; Arthropods (Trilobita, Chelicerata)

17; 18

12

3/27

-

3/31

Arthropods Redux (Crustacea, Uniramia)

19; 20

13

4/03

-

4/07

Echinodermata

22 (442 – 460)

14

4/10

-

4/14

Protochordata;Jawless Fish                                                                        Third Exam (4/14)

23; 24 (486 – 493)

15

4/17

-

4/21

Jawed Fishes and Amphibians

24 (493 – 513); 25

16

4/24

-

4/28

Amniota (Reptiles; Birds; Mammals)

26; 27; 28

 

FINAL EXAM – Wednesday, May 3, 1230 - 1430

 

Note: All dates represent my best guess. However, since this is the second time I have taught this course, all dates should be treated as tentative

 

 

 

Date

Topic

12-Jan

Introduction to the Phyla

19-Jan

The Evolution Game

26-Jan

Classification and Phylogeny;

Lab Quiz (Phyla and Evolution)

2-Feb

Microscope Basics/Studying Diversity

9- Feb

Systems and Processes

16- Feb

Protozoans

23- Feb

Porifera and Cnidaria

2-Mar

Open for Project

9-Mar

Open for Project;

Lab Quiz (Protozoa, Porifera, Cnidaria)

16-Mar

Spring Break – No Class

23-Mar

Platyhelminthes and Pseudocoelomates

30-Mar

Mollusca;

Lab Quiz (Platyhelminthes and Pseudocoelomates)

6-Apr

Annelida;

Lab Quiz (Mollusca)

13-Apr

Arthropoda

20-Apr

Echinodermata and Chordata

27-Apr

Lab Final - All Metazoan Phyla

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 (Annelida through Chordata), but also contain questions about earlier lab exercises.