Los Angeles Harbor College



Los Angeles Harbor CollegeAnthropology 101 Fall 2016Human Biological EvolutionDr. Sasha Daviddavidae@lahc.eduSection 0100: Mondays and Wednesdays 9:35 AM – 11 AMOffice Hours: Monday – Thursday 1-3 PMOffice Phone and Location: (310) 233-4577; NEA 157Course Description: Introduction to the anthropological study of human evolution. Topics include the mechanisms of evolutionary change, genetics, human variation, and the reconstruction of human evolutionary history through an examination of the fossil record and through the use of comparative studies of our closest biological relatives, the living monkeys and apes.Los Angeles Harbor College Mission Statement:Los Angeles Harbor College promotes access and student success through associate and transfer degrees, certificates, economic and workforce development, and basic skills instruction. Our educational?programs and support?services meet the needs of diverse communities as measured by campus institutional learning outcomes.Student Learning Outcomes:Describe the evolutionary lineage that led to Homo sapiens, using the following species as points of reference: Australopiths, Homo erectus, Homo ergaster, Homo heidelbergensis, and Homo neandertalensis.Describe the anatomical traits necessary for bipedalism and explain the significance of the Laetoli footprints.Describe Darwin’s theory of natural selection and elaborate upon the scientific influences that shaped this theory.Describe why race is both an unsound scientific category, and a valid category of social experience. Describe scientifically sound factors that cause human variation.Apply the Punnett Square methodology in order to predict genetic outcomes.Describe the traits that make primates unique among Class Mammalia and the differences that distinguish between anthropoids and prosimians.Assigned readings for the course:Larsen, Clark Spencer. Our Origins (3nd ed.). New York: Norton. ISBN: 978-0-393-92143-4.[Please note – ONLY the third edition is acceptable for this class.]***Course Work:Lectures: Make sure to take thorough notes on each lecture for the course; this entails writing down everything from the PowerPoint slides. Your performance on the pop quizzes and exams for the class will depend on the quality of the notes that you take.Pop Quizzes: On certain days, there will be a pop quiz at the end of lecture, to check to make sure you were paying attention and taking good notes. The pop quiz will only cover that day’s lecture and you will be allowed to use your notes. Any failed pop quiz will result in 1 point deducted from your final grade for the course. If you come to class but do not turn in the quiz, it will count as a failed pop quiz. Reading Quizzes: These quizzes will assess your mastery of the material in the assigned textbook reading. See below for Reading Quiz dates and the chapters they will cover. These quizzes consist of five True/False questions. These quizzes are open-note; you are allowed to use the notes you have taken on the reading (so make sure to take good notes!). Your notes can be handwritten on paper or printouts of typed notes. If you are using printouts of typed notes, you must show them to me for approval before the quiz begins, otherwise you will not be allowed to use them. Textbooks must be put away during the quizzes. Midterm and Final Exam: These exams only cover the lectures; they do not cover the textbook reading for the course. The Midterm covers every lecture up to the date of the test. The Final Exam is cumulative and covers every lecture throughout the course. There will be review sessions for each exam in which you will receive a review sheet to help you study. Both of these exams are entirely multiple choice. ***Grading for the Course:Reading Quizzes: Nine quizzes worth a total of 30% of your final grade total; each quiz is worth 3.33% of your final grade for the course. Midterm Exam: Worth 35% of your final grade for the course.Final Exam: Worth 35% of your final grade for the course.Pop Quizzes: One point deducted from your final grade for the course for each failed quiz.Extra Credit: Ten points will be added to your final grade for the course based upon successful completion of the course Service Learning. (For example, a final grade of 75/C will become 85/B with the extra credit.) There will be no other extra credit offered for this course. Service Learning is taught by Prof. Lori Minor and Prof. Megan Lange; you may enroll with either instructor. I will distribute two handouts that give you further information about this course and enrollment instructions. If you have taken Service Learning during a previous semester, please give me a copy of your unofficial transcript on or before the date of the final exam, so I can give you your extra credit for the class. Make sure to let me know if you are enrolled in multiple sections of mine, so I can apply it to all your sections.Calculation of final grades: This class will use the traditional numerical values for each letter grade. (A = 90%-100%; B = 80%-89%; C = 70%-79%; D = 60%-69%; F = 59% or lower.)***Course Policies:Attendance: Attendance is taken at the end of class using a sign-in sheet. Whenever a student’s absences exceed the number of hours a class meets per week, the instructor will consider whether there are mitigating circumstances which justify the absences. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with his or her instructor regarding any absences that would alter the student’s status in the class.Latecomers: Always enter through the rear door to the classroom. Do not walk in through the front of the class when instruction is occurring.Drop Policy: After the first week of class, it is your responsibility to drop the class if you will no longer be participating. Test Taking Policy: You must be present at the very beginning of any quiz or exam in order to take it. This pertains to all pop quizzes and reading quizzes, as well as the Midterm and Final Exam. Make sure to bring an unwrinkled, 50-question per side Scantron form and pencil with you for every reading quiz and the Midterm and Final Exam. You must take all quizzes and exams for the class during the time that is specified for the section in which you are enrolled. You will not be permitted to take any tests or exams during a class in which you are not enrolled.Make-Up or Late Work: There will be no make-up quizzes or exams given for this class. You will only be able to take the quizzes and exams for this class at the time that they are given in class; you will not be able to take them earlier or later than the scheduled time and date. If you are sick, have car trouble, cannot find a babysitter, have a doctor’s appointment, etc., you will NOT be given an early or late make-up test. If you miss the test, you miss the test. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY, REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE. Therefore it is wise to do the Service Learning extra credit opportunity in case anything like this should come up for you during the semester. Remember, you must add Service Learning at the start of the semester. You will not be able to add it later on.Academic Honesty/Plagiarism Statement: All students are expected to adhere to the Los Angeles Harbor College standards of academic honesty. These standards forbid plagiarism, unlawful copying and, or, failure to give credit to sources that you may use in the research and writing of your class work. Cheating and other forms of misconduct are covered under this statement. Failure to comply with these standards will result in a failed assignment and, or, a failed grade in this class.Controversial Content Statement: This course includes visual presentations and discussions of a frank nature regarding particular subjects including race, religion and sexual orientation protected by the college’s academic freedom statutes that may be considered offensive and controversial to some. When such topics may arise during the course of this semester and a student wishes to be excused, please notify the instructor that you wish to be excluded from class discussion on the ground that it is personally offensive and the instructor will excuse you until such discussion has concluded.Cell phone and laptop policy: The use of cell phones and laptops is strictly prohibited during class. All electronic items, including cell phones and laptops, must be put away at all times. I will confiscate any cell phone or electronic item that is used during class; you may pick it up from me at the end of class.Disruptive behavior: Students who engage in behavior that is disruptive to the learning environment will be asked to leave the classroom and not return until the following class meeting, which may involve missing a quiz or test that cannot be made up, as per the policies stated above. Assigned seats may also be given. “Disruptive behavior” is defined as interacting with one’s neighbor at an inappropriate time, sleeping, using the Internet, or otherwise disturbing the learning environment. Repeated instances of disruptive behavior may lead to a failed grade or withdrawal from the class. Disability Statement: Students with a verified disability who may need authorized accommodation(s) for this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and the Office of Special Services or Disabled Students as soon as possible, at least two weeks before any exam or quiz.? All information will remain confidential. Also, please let me know if you are hard of hearing so I may accommodate you during lectures and audiovisual presentations.Please note that there are no exceptions to any of the above policies, regardless of circumstance.***Some words of advice:Hearing from Dr. David: All emails that I send to you—and there may be quite a few—will only go to your LACCD email account, so make sure you have it up and running ASAP. Also, there is a good chance that the emails I send you will go to your spam/bulk/junk folder.Start Keeping a Calendar: If you don’t have one already, use a calendar (whether it’s a desk or wall calendar, or an app on your phone) and keep all your assignment dates marked in it. I am not going to remind you about the reading quiz or exam dates.Financial aid students: Please be aware that you may not receive your aid until several weeks into the semester. The textbooks are on reserve at the library from the beginning to the end of the semester, so not having your textbook will not be accepted as a reason to take the reading quiz late. ***Class Schedule:8/29Syllabus Review8/31Introduction9/7Introduction9/12Reading Quiz #1: Chapters 1 & 2 Film: Dogs That Changed the World9/14Genetics9/19Reading Quiz #2: Chapter 3Genetics9/21Mendel9/26Reading Quiz #3: Chapter 4Mendel9/28Macroevolution10/3Macroevolution10/5Film: Jane Goodall’s Wild Chimpanzees10/10The Primate Order10/12Reading Quiz #4: Chapter 6The Primate Order10/17Primate Behavior10/19Primate BehaviorTED Talk: “Depressed Dogs, Cats with OCD – What Animal Madness Means for Us Humans”10/24Reading Quiz #5: Chapter 7Midterm Review–Bring blank index cards with you or have Quizlet downloaded on your phone10/26Midterm Exam10/31Australopiths11/2Reading Quiz #6: Chapters 8 & 10Australopiths11/7Homo erectus11/9Reading Quiz #7: Chapter 11Homo erectus11/14Homo heidelbergensis and Neandertals11/16Homo heidelbergensis and Neandertals11/21Early Humans11/23Reading Quiz #8: Chapter 12 & 13Early Humans11/28Race and Human Variation11/30Reading Quiz #9: Chapter 5Race and Human Variation12/5Final Exam Review–Bring blank index cards with you or have Quizlet downloaded on your phone12/7Final Exam Review–Bring blank index cards with you or have Quizlet downloaded on your phone12/12 @ 10:30 AM [NOTE SPECIAL TIME]Final Exam ................
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