Dr. Stuart S. Sumida
Natural Sciences 360, Summer Session – II – 2009
Monday & Wednesday
ENROLLMENT: STUDENTS MUST BE ENROLLED IN THE COURSE
TO PARTICIPATE IN LECTURES
Required Texts:
Cowen, R. 2005. History
of Life. Blackwell Publishing,
Vonnegut, K. 1985.
Galapagos. Delta Publishing, New York, 323 pages. (“VK” in
readings) (Other editions are acceptable.)
Students are expected to have
read all assigned material prior to the beginning of the designated
lecture section.
Course Packet: A packet of materials to be used as course supplements consists of printouts of all lecture PowerPoints images. The packet is available at Copy-Plus. Students are not required to purchase the packet, as all materials are freely available on-line at www.stuartsumida.com; however many students find it convenient and less expensive to purchase the packet as a whole at the beginning of the term. Copy-Plus is located at the corner of Kendall and University Parkway (near the Econo Lube-and-Tune and el Pollo Loco).
Grading Procedures:
There will be two midterms of 175 and 250 points each. The final examination will be worth 375 points. Included in those examinations will be questions on the reading from the novel Galapagos worth 25, 25, and 50 points respectively for a total of 100 embedded points. Total points possible equals 800 points. No extra cedit projects are available.
Examinations that are missed due to unavoidable problems (e.g. military
service, illness, or a death in the family) will normally be made up as an
Grading Criteria:
The course is not
graded on a curve. Letter grades are not assigned for individual exams or
quizzes; rather they are based on the cumulative points. Grades will be
set according to the criteria listed below. There is no extra credit work
available.
|
Grade |
Percentage of Total
Points |
|
|
|||
|
A |
93-100 |
B- |
77-79 |
D |
50-54 |
|
|
A- |
90-92 |
C+ |
71-76 |
F |
Below 50 |
|
|
B+ |
86-88 |
C |
60-70 |
|
|
|
|
B |
80-85 |
C- |
55-59 |
|
|
|
LECTURE SCHEDULE and READING ASSIGNMENTS
Week
|
Date
|
Topic and Readings
|
Reading
Assignment |
|
1 |
8/3 |
Course Organization
and Introduction; “Moving at the Speed of Rocks” |
“Am I already
behind!?” VK-Book 1, Ch.
1-5 |
|
|
8/3 |
Why you can’t
walk from Utah to Germany (anymore): “Deep Time” and continental drift. |
RC Chapters 1
and 6 |
|
|
8/5 |
What’s all the
fuss about classification and phylogeny? – or – Why we need to know what’s
what and who’s who (and how you do it). |
RC Chapters
2-4; VK-Book 1, Ch. 6-9 |
|
|
8/5 |
I: An ecosystem
approach: individual organisms and whole ecosystems are filled with single-celled
things II: What does
an animal have in common with a martini? |
|
|
2 |
8/10 |
I:
Plants: they aren’t just for salad anymore. II: Flowering
plants (It’s all about sex…) |
RC Chapter 14;
VK- VK-Book 1, Ch. 10-14 |
|
|
8/10 |
Midterm 1
(175 Points) including Galapagos questions |
|
|
|
8/12 |
Heterotrophy: Fungus (No
fungus = no wine, no beer…)
|
VK-Book 1, Ch.
15-18 |
|
|
8/12 |
I:
Specialization: Ya gotta
have segments. II: “All you
need is your hat and your shoes and you’re ready to go.” The life of a
mollusk |
RC Chapter 5 |
|
3 |
8/17 |
“It’s a Bug’s
Life!” and Other Arthropods |
RC Chapter 5;
VK-Book 1, Ch. 19-24 |
|
|
8/17 |
Radial symmetry
(Can a starfish suck the life out of you?) |
RC Chapter 6 |
|
|
8/19 |
I: It’s
all about backbones. Or is it? (The importance of developmental
biology) II: Fish!
More than just sushi |
RC Chapters 7
and 8; VK-Book 1, Ch. 25-29 |
|
|
8/19 |
Making it on
land: The fish to amphibian transition is a “water to land” transition; Living
amphibians – the living environmental monitors |
RC Chapter 8 |
|
4 |
8/24 |
I:
Amniotes and reptiles – more than creepy crawlies
|
VK-Book
1, Ch. 30-35 |
|
|
8/24 |
II: A a case study of convergent
evolution. Starting Dinosaurs |
RC Chapter 8 |
|
|
8/26 |
Midterm 2 (250 Points) including Galapagos
questions |
RC Chapter 9;
VK-Book 1, |
|
5 |
8/31 |
Dinosaurs – the
truth is stranger than fiction! |
RC Chapters 12
and 13; VK-Book 2, Ch. 3-7 |
|
|
8/31 |
Birds:
The dinosaurs aren’t dead! |
|
|
|
9/2 |
Mammals:
More than fur. (“You are what you eat”) |
RC Chapters 10
and 15; VK-Book 2, Ch. 8-14 |
|
|
9/2 |
I: The
Origin of Humans II:
People, Anatomy, and Animation – Biology Informs Art (Again) |
RC Chapter 17;
KV-Book 2, Ch. 8-14 |
|
Final |
9/9 |
WEDNESDAY! Final
Examination |
|
Services
to Students with Disabilities
If
you are in need of an accommodation for a disability in order to participate in
this class, please let me know ASAP and also contact Services to Students with
Disabilities at UH-183,
Policy on Attendance
and Recording of Lectures:
All lectures are the
copyrighted property of the instructor. Audio recordings of lectures may
be made for individual use only. They may not be sold, reproduced, or
redistributed in any way. Although tape recorders may be used as a study
aid, they may not be used in lieu of attendance. Attendance is not
monitored, but it is expected of all students. Students who miss a class
session must acquire the course notes from a fellow classmate. The
instructor’s lecture materials will not be distributed to individuals in the
class.
Office Hours:
Dr. Sumida’s office hours
will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays immediately after class in room BI-314
from 12:00 to 1:30. Additional hours will be added once the instructor’s
and students’ schedules are evaluated. Additional hours are normally
scheduled near midterm and final examinations.
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