Natural History of the Southwest Spring 2007

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Syllabus

(download this Syllabus as a Word document)

Instructors:

TA:

  • Anna Tyler atyler@email.arizona.edu BioSciences West Building 431. Office hours: Mondays 2:30-4:30 PM and by appointment..

Goal: To provide an overview of the ecology and evolution of plants and animals of the Southwest region.

Required Text:

Phillips, S. J. and Wentworth Comus P. (eds). 2000. A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press. 628 pp.

Lectures: M-F 1:00 - 2:15 PM, Marley Building, Room 30

Class structure: Lecture (50-60 min) plus creature demonstrations (25-30 min) or student presentations (10 min).

Field trips: Compulsory: February 16 or February 23 (sign up for one).
Optional: April 19 (sign up if you want to go. We only take 15 students).

Expectations: Participants are expected to:

  1. Attend lectures and one field trip.
  2. Participate in two of the three following activities:
    1. Give a presentation on a selected topic (my favorite organism from the Southwest).
    2. Make a plant collection (30 specimens in a plant press-notebook).
    3. Make an insect collection (15 different insects belonging to at least 5 different orders).

Grades:
100-90 points = A or S
89- 80 points = B or P
79-70 points = C or P
69-60 points = D or P
< 60 points = F

  • Based on 3 midterm exams (25 points each), grade from two activities (10 points each), field trip report (5 points).
  • Extra credit: attendance to at least 25 sessions, not counting exams or field trips (5 points).
  • There will be no curving and no makeup exams .
  • Field trip is compulsory and 15 points will be subtracted from final grade if field trip is missed.
  • Drinking alcohol during field trips will result in dismissal from the course.
  • Plagiarism, cheating and other forms of dishonesty may also result in dismissal from the course.

Important dates:

  • Exams: February 22, March 31, May 2.
  • Last day to hand in plant and insect collections: April 25
  • MLK Jr. day no classes
  • March 15-23 no classes – Spring recess.
  • May 5, 2005. Last class.