Michigan Department of Education Secondary Program Review

 

Eastern Michigan University

 

Syllabus BIOL 315

 

COURSE TITLE:  BIOL 315 Evolution

 

 

Instructor:

Peter Bednekoff

Office: 405 Mark Jefferson

Office hours: 4:00-5:30 M, 4:00-5:30 W & 2:00-4:00 F

(Please make an appointment if you need to schedule a particular time.)

Email: peter.bednekoff@emich.edu                  Phone: (734) 487-4394

 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: This lecture and discussion class examines basic concepts of evolutionary biology emphasizing evolutionary theory, evolutionary processes and contemporary topics in evolutionary biology.  An integrative approach at the cell and molecular, organismal, population, and higher taxonomic levels will be incorporated to understand the role of evolution as the organizing principle of all levels of biology and life.  BIOL 315 is one of the three core courses.  Students are required to take two out of these three courses.  Course meets for 3 hours of lecture and discussion each week.  Prerequisite - BIOL 110/120; Corequisite - BIOL 301 Genetics.

 

COURSE GOAL: Evolution is the core theory of biology.  As such, evolution is not a separate body of information but is rather a way of thinking that applies to all aspects of the life sciences.  Misunderstandings about evolution are generally misunderstandings about biology and the nature of scientific inquiry.  This course will confront common misunderstandings, practice evolutionary analysis, and introduce students to the nature of scientific research and its communication.

 

“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.”           T. Dobzhansky, 1973.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

By the end of the course each student should have mastered an array of knowledge and skills.  These sort into six clusters.  Numbers at the end of each line refer to the Michigan Curriculum Framework Science Benchmarks.

1) Understand how to scientifically evaluate the evolution of any living thing

-         apply the criteria for success in science to alternative hypotheses and theories (II.1 R)

-         summarize the patterns of evidence that evolution can explain (III.4 LE)

-         understand the logic of natural selection (III.4 LE)

-         spot misconceptions about evolution in own thinking and in the media (II.1 R)

2) Understand the ideas and evidence in population genetics

-         apply the Hardy-Weinberg null model (III.3 LH)

-         predict the trajectory of alleles when genotypes differ in fitness (III.3 LH)

-         understand how mutation, migration, and selection affect trait means and

-         variance (III.3 LH)

-         use quantitative genetics to describe heredity and understand selection (III.3LH)

3) Understand the analysis of adaptation

-         posing and test hypotheses about adaptation (I.1 C, III.4 LE)

-         evaluate hypotheses about sexual selection (III.4 LE)

-         evaluate hypotheses about social behavior (III.4 LE, III.5 LEC)

-         understand cause and effect in life histories and aging (III.2 LO, III.4 LE)

-         assess arguments over the adaptive value of sexual reproduction (III.3 LH, III.4 LE)

4) Understand how scientists study the history of life on earth

-         understand the basis for radiometric dating (III.4 LE)

-         recognize the major patterns and limitations of the fossil record (III.4 LE)

-         recognize the uses of species definitions and the ways in which speciation may occur

-          (III.4 LE)

-         understand the relative timing of major events in the history of life (III.1 LC, III.2 LO,

-         III.4 LE, III.5 LEC)

-         recognize the patterns and probable causes of extinction (II.1 C, III.4 LE)

-         be able to construct and understand phylogenies (I.1 C, III.2 LO, III.4 LE)

5) Be able to communicate and work with other members of the class

-         evaluate references to evolution in modern culture (I.1 C, II.1 R)

-         understand and interpret summary statistics and graphs (I.1 C)

-         be able to read and summarize articles from the primary literature of science (I.1 C)

-         be able to succinctly and forcefully present material to a classroom audience (I.1 C)

-         work productively with others to summarize consensus and understand genuine (I.1 C)

6) Relate aspects of the class to personal development, current events, and intellectual history

-         recognize the contributions of major figures to evolutionary thinking (II.1 R)

-         understand the general course of intellectual development in students

-         discuss major ideas about teaching and learning in science

-         consider options for teaching the core theory of biology in public schools.

 

 

Class time: M-W 5:30-6:50 p.m.

Textbook: Scott Freeman & Jon C. Herron. 2001. Evolutionary Analysis, 2nd Edition.

 

Expectations: To succeed in this class, you will need to come to class prepared and to participate during class.  Preparation will involve reading the textbook, consulting the website, solving problems, and consulting the scientific literature.  Participation involves all interactions with other members of the class.  Any actions that contribute to learning by others are positive participation. Actions that diminish the learning of others will lead to penalties and, if necessary, expulsion from the class.

 

Academic Dishonesty: If during any portion of this class, you engages in any activity that can be characterized as academically dishonest, as defined by the EMU Undergraduate Catalog, you will receive a failing grade for BIOL 315.

 

Schedule of Class Activities:

Period

Activities

Reading / Topic

1

Questionaire. Syllabus

Chapter 1. A Case for Evolutionary Thinking: Understanding HIV

2

Surveying the evidence

Chapter 2. The Evidence for Evolution

3

Quiz

Lecture: Natural selection on quantitative variation

4

Spot the flaw;

Figuring heritability

Chapter 3. Darwinian Natural Selection

 Chapter 7, pages 224-245

5

Quiz

Lecture: Natural selection and random mutations

6

Mutation scorecard

Genetics simulations

Chapter 4. Mutation and Genetic Variation

Chapter 5. …Selection and Mutation as Mechanisms of Evolution

7

Quiz

Lecture: Random loss and non-random mixing in population genetics

8

Genetics simulations

Chapter 6: … Migration, drift, and non-random mating

9

Quiz

Lecture: Testing hypotheses about adaptation

10

Hypothesize & predict

Chapter 8: … evolutionary analysis of form and function

11

Quiz

Lecture: Sexual selection

12

presentations; case studies

Chapter 9. Sexual Selection

13

Quiz

Lecture: Selfish genes and cooperative behavior

14

presentations; games of Life

Chapter 10. Kin Selection and Social Behavior.

15

Quiz

Lecture: Evolutionary biology of aging

16

presentations; life history derby

Chapter 11. Aging and Other Life History Characters.

17

Quiz

Lecture: Epistatis, linkage, and the adaptive value of sex

18

Video and Discussion

Ch. 7, pages 213-224 plus pages 340 &389-390

19

Quiz

Lecture: Speciation—space & selection

20

Case studies

Chapter 12. Mechanisms of Speciation.

21

Quiz

Lecture: Inferring phylogeny

22

Make a tree

Chapter 13. Reconstructing Evolutionary Trees.

23

Quiz

Lecture: Origins, extinctions & fossils; Chapters 14 & 15

24

Group Presentations

Inferring the ancestry of all vertebrates, all animals, or all eukaryotes

25

Quiz;  Presentations

Current research on phylogenies

26

Presentations

Current research on phylogenies

27

Presentations

Current research on phylogenies

28

Presentations; discussion

 The teaching of evolution; Position papers due

 

Evaluation Criteria:           

Quizzes                                                300 pts.            (12 x 25 pts.)

Presentations                                          70 pts.            (10, 20, 50 pts)

Phylogeny groupwork                             30 pts

Position paper and discussion                  50 pts.

Participation                                           50 pts.

 

Quizzes:  Every second meeting through Apr. 9, we will start class with a quiz.  Each quiz will have some short answer questions, a few problems or essay questions, and one challenge question.  You may not take quizzes early.  You may make up any missed quiz for 3/4 credit.  No excuses are expected (or accepted).

 

Presentations: For the first presentation, you will present a graph from the book to the class.  These presentations will take place through Feb. 10.  For the second presentation, you will give a 2 min. sketch of a scientific article on Feb. 17, Feb. 24, or Mar. 10.  For the third presentation, you will make relate recent phylogenetic findings to the textbook in 5-8 min on Apr. 9, 14, 16, or 23.  I will ask you to take on the persona of the scientist conducting the research.  Late presentations will earn a maximum of 3/4 of the points available.  Specific directions will be given later in this course.

 

Phylogeny groupwork:  Working in a group, you will be asked to find and analyze molecular data for a set of organisms.  Groups will present and discuss their results on Apr. 7.

 

Position paper and discussion:  On Apr. 23 we will discuss the teaching of evolution in schools.  Beforehand, I will ask you to work in groups of 4 to 6 on position papers that summarize your views.  In class, we will discuss any points of consensus and contention. Outside guests may be invited.  Any student who does not contribute fully to their group or misses the discussion will be given a zero.

 

Participation:  In all class periods, you will be expected to respond to questions, perform activities, listen to presentations, and generally contribute.  You get 1 point for each class period that you are present throughout and generally engaged.  During 6 class periods, you will be “on call.”  You earn 2 points each time if you respond at least twice when called upon.  You may also earn up to 10 points by helping your classmates to learn.  These points will be based on polling the class about who helped them to learn.