Comparative Anatomy and Physiology I Biology 349 |
|
INSTRUCTORS
Doreen Schroeder (Wednesday afternoon lab)
Office Location: 353 Owens Hall
Office Phone: (651)962-5229
Paper Mail: Department of Biology, OWS 153
E-mail: DJSCHROEDER@stthomas.edu
CLASS MEETINGS
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:55 AM - 12:00
LAB MEETINGS
Tuesday or Wednesday, 1:35 - 5:35 PM; 380 Owens Science Hall
NOTE: You should expect to spend a significant amount of time in lab each week BEYOND THESE SCHEDULED LAB TIMES. You will have to coordinate some of your lab times with the other members of your lab group.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course will examine functional vertebrate morphology and anatomy from physiological, behavioral, evolutionary and ecological perspectives. This course will touch upon all vertebrate organ systems but it will focus specifically upon the skeletal system, the muscular system, the nervous system and the endocrine system. In addition the course will concentrate upon the evolution, origin and development of vertebrates.
My goals for you in this course are:
• To encourage you to formulate and thoughtfully discuss your own ideas about vertebrate anatomy and function.
• To encourage you to make your own discoveries in your lab work and readings. This also includes formulating your own questions and developing methods to find answers to your questions.
My "academic" goals for this course are:
• To introduce the study of organismal biology -- especially functional vertebrate anatomy and physiology.
• To provide you with a sound foundation of basic knowledge about the organ systems of vertebrates that you may build upon with additional courses in organismal biology, physiology, evolution, neuroscience, and medicine.
COURSE DESIGN
This course includes two integrated components: Classroom and Laboratory. Classroom activities will include discussions of readings, question sessions, lecture, quizzes and exams. Labs will include experimental study of anatomical structure and function, an introduction to some of the techniques used to study organism function, dissections of anatomical systems, and group projects and presentations.
Classroom Goals
In the classroom we will identify important concepts in the field and to provide opportunities to work with this information. Discussions of assigned readings will be a major portion of our classroom activities. There will be several writing assignments and quizzes covering classroom material assigned over the semester.
Laboratory Goals
In lab we try not to dwell upon the memorization of anatomical terms that may be a hallmark of many anatomy courses. Instead we will use lab time to become familiar with the structures and principles discussed in class and to observe the relationships between structure and function in behaving animals. You will often work in small groups of 2 to 4 on projects. At times you will be called upon to make presentations of your experimental findings and observations of dissections. There will be several quizzes covering lab material throughout the semester.
Dissections Dissections remain a significant component (»35 %) of the laboratory. Representatives of several vertebrate class may be used for dissection, however we will focus on mammals (cat ) and fishes (i.e. shark) for most dissections. Dissection instruments and disposable gloves will be provided in the lab. A lab "coat" of some sort is also recommended for the dissection labs. An old, oversized shirt or clothes that you can throw away at the end of the semester may be substituted for a proper lab coat.
READINGS
Weekly reading assignments will be discussed in class and lab. Be sure to keep up with the reading as it will cover a significant volume of material that will be difficult to read and comprehend quickly. If you fall behind in the reading it will be impossible for you to quickly read and learn the material in a short period of time. Your performance in the class will suffer appreciably if you fall behind.
Primary and Secondary Texts We will use several literature sources for readings in this course. For the classroom portion of the course our primary source will be: Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, and Evolution by Kenneth V. Kardong (1995). The text is available in the bookstore. This text will be our main reference for the anatomy and evolutionary portions of the course.
We will also use a secondary text to supplement our readings for the physiological portions of the class. The physiology text we will use is Animal Physiology, Mechanisms and Adaptations by Randall, Burggren and French. Remember that the Animal Physiology text is not required for this course and it will be available for your in the library. This text is a good physiology text and the "sister" course of this course will use it as the primary text.
Lab Manuals For the dissection portion of the lab we will use two lab manuals: A Study of the Cat with Reference to Human Beings by Walker & Homberger (1993), and Laboratory Anatomy of the Shark by Ashley and Chiasson (Fifth Ed., 1988). These lab manuals are available in the bookstore. (Note: You may be able to get by using one lab manual per pair of students in your lab group so I suggest that you wait until after the first lab to discuss this option with your group.)
EXAMINATIONS
Classroom There will be 4 classroom exams in this course (including the comprehensive final exam). Classroom exams will be administered during normal class times. The final exam will be comprehensive and will cover previous material discussed throughout the semester.
A NOTE ABOUT SCHEDULED EXAMS: EXAM DATES WILL NOT CHANGE. PLAN FOR THEM EARLY IN THE SEMESTER. BE READY FOR THEM WHEN THEY ARE OFFERED. MAKE UP EXAMS OR RESCHEDULING EXAMS IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED.
Laboratory Your work in lab will be graded by your participation in discussions, worksheets and writings, periodic quizzes and subjective observations made by the instructor of your contributions. You will also be graded by your collaborators in your work-groups.
DEPARTMENT SEMINARS
You are required to attend at least one Biology-related seminar over the course o the semester. The most convenient seminar to attend may be the UST Biology Department Seminar which will be offered on most Friday afternoons (3 PM, 3M Auditorium). Several of these seminars will be of direct relevance to this course but attendance at any seminar you may find personally interesting is acceptable. You will be given a "Seminar Summary Form" to complete identifying the major points of the seminar discussion. At least one summary form must be complected by each student over the semester. Attendance at any other biology-related seminar is also acceptable. Ask me if you have any questions about the relevance of a particular seminar to this course.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Writing assignments will also be a part of this course. Some of these assignments will be graded and others will only be read for content. I strongly (strongly, strongly) encourage you to submit type-written, "word processed" documents for your writing assignments. If you don't have access to a computer, word processor and printer, please see me and I will make arrangements for you.
GRADING
Total points awarded during the semester will be converted to an official final grade only when a final point distribution has been made at the end of the semester. After each exam the point distributions will be posted along with a tentative letter grade for that exam. Students interested in monitoring their cumulative progress toward a final grade should schedule an appointment with me.
REVIEW SESSIONS
Review sessions will often be scheduled during an evening of the week prior to classroom examinations. Attendance at these review sessions is not mandatory. No new material will be covered in these review sessions.
SCHEDULING POLICIES FOR THIS COURSE
The schedule on the final page of this syllabus is tentative and is very likely to change. I will discuss major schedule changes in class and provide handouts to reflect these changes.
IMPORTANT: The dates of exams are not tentative and exam dates WILL NOT CHANGE. If you are not able to be in class on the day of a test due to illness, you must call the instructor PRIOR TO CLASS TIME to discuss your situation. A CONFLICTING WORK SCHEDULE IS NOT A VALID REASON FOR MISSING AN EXAM. You know the exam dates at least 4 weeks in advance. Schedule your time accordingly.
Due Dates: Assignments that are turned in late without the permission of the instructor will be penalized. In general, when an assignment is turned in late and you have not received an extension of the due date from me (for a valid reason), your maximum possible score for the assignment will decrease by 10% for each day it is late (yes, weekend days are included in this calculation).