BIOL
315L: COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE ANATOMY LABORATORY(2)
FALL SEMESTER, 2002
Phone: 362-6549
Email: mwilson@hollins.edu
Office hours: MWF
T, Th
*Please feel free to stop by my office at any time.
If I am available, I will be happy to meet with you; however, if it is not a
good time for me, we can set up a time to meet that is convenient for both of
us.
Laboratory: Dana 209 Wednesday
(Section 1)
Thursday (Section 2)
Laboratory Text (required): Kardong, K. V., and Zalisko, E. J. 2002.
Comparative
Vertebrate Anatomy, A Laboratory Dissection Guide. 3rd
Edition.
The main objective of this laboratory course, along
with the co-required lecture component, is to compare the design and structure
of vertebrate animals. This course will
provide you the opportunity to learn basic skills and techniques of vertebrate
dissection and the opportunity to identify the anatomical structures of several
vertebrates. Emphasis will be placed on
the identification of anatomical structures, the functional morphology of these
structures, and the major adaptive changes that occur in the evolution of
vertebrate structure. Developmental and
ecological influences on life history also will be explored.
Grading
The grade you will earn in this laboratory will be
based on your performance on weekly quizzes, general laboratory skills, and
three laboratory practical exams. Short
laboratory quizzes, given during the first 10-15 minutes of each laboratory,
will be formed from the material and specific activities covered in the
previous laboratory as well as the laboratory to be covered on that day. At several points during the semester, your
general laboratory performance (dissection skills, knowledge of laboratory
safety, and knowledge of anatomical structures and their functions) will be
evaluated via short oral quizzes.
Laboratory practical exams will test your knowledge of specific
terminology, structures, and the function of specified structures based the
material covered in each third of the semester.
Laboratory quizzes (10/drop lowest
2) 80
Laboratory performance 20
Laboratory Practical Exam 1 50
Laboratory Practical Exam 2 75
Laboratory Practical Exam 3 75
Laboratory points total 300
Assignment of Semester
Letter Grades
At the end of the semester, you will be given a letter grade for this course based on your performance on the evaluations listed above. I do not grade on a curve, nor to I have any preconceived ideas about how many A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s, or F’s should be assigned. I am happy to give all A’s if each student EARNS an A. Earning 93% or more of the total possible points will result in an “A”, earning 90-92% will result in “A-”, earning 87-89% will result in a “B+”, earning 83-86% will result in a “B”, and so on. Earning fewer than 60% of the total possible points will result in failing grade for the semester. Remember, everyone starts with an “A” in this course; its your job to keep it there!
1. If you have special needs,
please make me aware of these needs as soon as possible.
2. You are expected to attend
ALL laboratory meetings. You will be
expected actively participate and have a command of the material covered in
each laboratory meeting. I will not
always take attendance formally; however, I will pay close attention to who
does not attend class. Missing one or
more laboratories is very likely to have a negative effect on your grade. You must attend laboratory on the day
(Wednesday or Thursday) you are scheduled to unless you have made
arrangements with me ahead of time.
3. The laboratory is
where much of your learning about what comparative vertebrate anatomy really is
will occur. In this course, laboratory
exercises may differ from what you have experienced in other courses. While I will be present in laboratory and
give you plenty of direction and explanation, learning and understanding the
material is largely up to you (I cannot chain you to the lab bench and force
you to dissect and learn the muscles of the neck in the cat!). You may find that identification of
structures and their functions comes easy to you, or you may find that these
tasks take time and much concentration (as is the case with most of us,
including me!). Do not fall behind
in your laboratory assignments or rely on learning the material at some later
time (i.e. simply glancing at the diagrams in your laboratory manual just
before a lab practical is not the best way to learn structures). Putting in
your time each week in laboratory will pay off, while skipping out early each
week is likely to have negative consequences. If you feel you need additional
time in the laboratory, arrangements can be made to keep the laboratory
open at alternative times.
4. Read the laboratory textbook sections and all
handouts that correspond to the material to be covered in each
laboratory. You paid a lot of money for
your textbooks, so you might as well use them! You will be held responsible for
all handouts and announcements made laboratory.
5. Clean up after yourself in the
laboratory –leave it as clean (or cleaner!) than you found it.
6. Use good study habits and prepare for tests in
advance - do not wait until the night before to study for the lecture tests,
laboratory practicals, or final exam. Be able to explain terms and concepts in
your own words so that someone else can understand the material. Remember, if you can teach the material to
someone else effectively, you've mastered it
7. Missed laboratory quizzes will not be made up
(remember that I drop your lowest two scores on laboratory quizzes). Weekly laboratory quizzes are given during
the first 10-15 minutes of each laboratory.
If you are more than 15 minutes late to laboratory, you will not be
allowed to complete the quiz.
8. Each laboratory practical
exam will be given during the first portion (first 60-90 minutes) of the
laboratory period on the day that it is scheduled. In the event that classes are cancelled on a
day laboratory is scheduled to meet (e.g. Tinker Day), the laboratory will be
open for extended hours prior to and/or following that day so that you may
complete the assigned laboratory exercises.
Please be aware that specific arrangements will be made for the first
practical exam (October 2/3) in anticipation of Tinker Day (more specifics on
this will be given as the time approaches). A make-up laboratory practical
will be given only under EXTREME circumstances (e.g. if you were to miss
because of hospitalization).
9. You are bound by the Hollins
University Honor Code at all times.
Please pledge all work.
10. A graduate student enrolled in this
course will be required to conduct an independent project, exploring some
aspect of the form and function of one (or more) vertebrate groups. This project should in some way add to the
laboratory’s collection of vertebrate anatomy and enhance the learning of
current and future students of Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy at
Laboratory Schedule
WEEK
|
DATE |
TOPIC |
READING |
|
1 |
W/Th Aug 28/29 |
Laboratory
techniques and terminology |
Chapter
1 |
|
2 |
W/Th Sept 4/5 |
Protochordates
and Agnathans (the Lamprey) (quiz 1) |
Chapter
2,3 |
|
3 |
W/Th Sept 11/12 |
Vertebrate
external morphology; Integuments (quiz 2) |
Chapter
4,6 |
|
4 |
W/Th Sept 18/19 |
Connective
tissue histology; the skull (quiz 3) |
Chapter
5 |
|
5 |
W/Th Sept 25/26 |
Axial
Skeletons; girdles, limbs, and joints
(quiz 4) |
Chapter
5 |
|
6 |
W/Th Oct 2/3 |
LAB PRACTICAL 1; Muscles (lamprey, dogfish, and cat) |
Chapter
6 |
|
7 |
W/Th* Oct 9/10* |
Muscles
(cat)
(quiz 5) |
Chapter
6 |
|
8 |
W/Th Oct 16/17 |
Digestive
and respiratory systems
(quiz 6) |
Chapter
7,8 |
|
9 |
W/Th Oct 23/24† |
Urogenital systems
(quiz 7) |
Chapter
9 |
|
10 |
W/Th Oct 30/31 |
LAB PRACTICAL 2; Circulatory
systems (lamprey and dogfish) |
Chapter
8 |
|
11 |
W/Th Nov 6/7 |
Circulatory
system (cat)
(quiz 8) |
Chapter
8 |
|
12 |
W/Th Nov 13/14 |
Circulatory
system (cat; hearts); Brain (lamprey and dogfish)(quiz 9) |
Chapter
8 |
|
13 |
W/Th Nov 20/21 |
Brain
and Sensory Systems (dogfish, sheep) (quiz 10) |
Chapter
10 |
|
14 |
W/Th Nov 27/28 |
No Lab – Thanksgiving Holidays |
|
|
15 |
W/Th Dec 4,5 |
LAB PRACTICAL 3 |
|
*
Thursday’s lab meeting time TBA
† I will be out of town on this day at a conference.