History of Life on Earth
Biology 303-11010
Fall 2002
Tuesday and Thursdays 8:00-9:15
CNS 112
Instructor: Robert Ross (Paleontological Research Institution)
Office hours: Th 9:30-11:00 am, in Center for Natural Sciences Rm 213
PRI contact information: 1259 Trumansburg Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
tel 273 6623 x18
FAX 273 6620
Ithaca College contact info: Center for Natural Sciences, Biology Dept mailbox
Teaching Assistant: Shana Rosenbaum
Contact information: srosenb2@ithaca.edu
You choose the relative weighting of your grade; total must add up to 100%. The point is that if you feel you are stronger at test taking, or at project-type application, you can control the weighting a bit. Grades for each item below will be adjusted (curved) so that the mean and distribution are similar, so that, for example, tests aren’t easier to do well on than projects (or vice versa).
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Mid-term exam: |
Minimum 10% |
Maximum: 20% |
Your choice _______ |
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Final exam: |
Minimum 20% |
Maximum: 30% |
Your choice _______ |
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2 Media exercises: |
Minimum 15% |
Maximum: 25% |
Your choice _______ |
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1 Peer-reviewed research project: |
Minimum 10% |
Maximum: 20% |
Your choice _______ |
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100 word opinions on societal issues |
Minimum: 10% |
Maximum: 15% |
Your choice _______ |
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short in-class quizzes: |
Minimum: 5% |
Maximum: 10% |
Your choice _______ |
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class participation exercises |
Minimum: 5% |
Maximum: 10% |
Your choice _______ |
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|
|
TOTAL |
100% |
About The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI):
The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) is a natural history museum on “West Hill,” about 2 miles north of the City of Ithaca, on Route 96 (just south of the Cayuga Medical Center). PRI has one of the largest research collections of fossils in North America, publishes technical journals in paleontology, has an extensive library in paleontology and related subjects. PRI also has a very active exhibits and education program. PRI is in the process of planning for a major new exhibits and education facility to be called the Museum of the Earth, which may be finished as early as next summer.
Many students from Cornell, Ithaca College, and other colleges work and study at PRI, as work-study students, interns, volunteers, and thesis students. These students have worked on everything from exhibits and educational programming to scientific research and collections care to fund raising and public relations. Special student skills put to use have included computer programming, art, writing, and many others. These are real life applications, serving thousands of real people and impacting PRI’s reputation, so all positions require substantial commitment and personal motivation. If you are interested in looking into working with PRI, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
History of Life
Biology 303-11010
Syllabus
Please note:
this schedule is subject (in fact, likely) to change
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1 Th Aug 29 |
1. Introduction: Hyde Park mastodon |
due: |
keyword(s) |
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2 Tu Sep 3 |
2. Hyde Park mastodon |
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3 Th Sep 5 |
question:
should fossil animals be cloned? |
cloning
opinion response |
cloning |
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4 Tu Sep 10 |
3. Jarkov mammoth |
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5 Th Sep 12 |
question:
what should be policy about global warming? |
global warming opinion |
global
warming |
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6 Tu Sep 17 |
4. fossil hominids: late Pleistocene |
global
warming opinion response and cloning opinion response |
|
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7 Th Sep 19 |
question:
should all hominid remains be returned to native peoples? |
hominid
remains opinion |
hominid
remains |
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8 Tu Sep 24 |
5. megavertebrates and human overkill |
hominid
remains response |
|
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9 Th Sep 26 |
question:
how far should we go to protect animals from extinction? |
extinction
opinion |
extinction |
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10 Tu Oct 1 |
6. evolution of whales |
extinction
response |
|
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11 Th Oct 3 |
question:
who should have the right to control or allow whale hunting? |
whale
hunting opinion |
whale
hunting |
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12 Tu Oct 8 |
7. arms race in the sea: predator and prey in the sea |
whale
hunting response |
|
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13 Th Oct 10 |
question:
should there be larger controls on petroleum and coal use? |
fossil
fuels opinion |
fossil
fuels |
|
14 Tu Oct 15 |
Mid-term |
fossil
fuels response |
|
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xx Th Oct 17 |
Fall Break
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|
|
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15 Tu Oct 22 |
8. dinosaur size; midterm review |
|
|
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16 Th Oct 24 |
question:
is geological age a”fact?” |
geological
age opinion |
geological
age |
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17 Tu Oct 29 |
9. dinosaur predation; extinction |
geological
age response |
|
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18 Th Oct 31 |
question:
who owns what’s in the Earth? |
specimen
ownership opinion |
specimen
ownership |
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19 Tu Nov 5 |
10. birds are dinosaurs
|
specimen
ownership response |
|
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20 Th Nov 7 |
question:
should evolution be taught in science classes in all public schools? |
teaching
evolution opinion |
teaching
evolution |
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21 Tu Nov 12 |
11. pterosaurs are not birds, marine reptiles are not
dinosaurs |
teaching
evolution response |
|
|
22 Th Nov 14 |
question:
is history a science? |
history
as science |
history
as science |
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xx Tu Nov 19 |
12. synapsids are not mammals or even
reptiles
|
history
as science response
|
|
|
xx Th Nov 21 |
question:
should habitats be preserved?
|
habitat
preservation opinion
|
habitat
preservation
|
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23 Tu Nov 26 |
Thanksgiving week |
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|
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24 Th Nov 28 |
Thanksgiving week |
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|
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25 Tu Dec 3 |
13. Devonian seas over New York, origin of land life |
habitat
preservation responsen |
|
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26 Th Dec 5 |
question:
should the public be involved in making science policies? |
public
decisions opinion |
public
decisions |
|
27 Tu Dec 10 |
14. the first records of animal life: the Burgess Shale |
public
decisions response |
|
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28 Th Dec 12 |
question:
should public money be devoted to search for evidence of extraterrestial
life? |
extraterrestrial
life opinion |
extraterrestrial
life |
|
Tu Dec 17 |
|
extraterrestrial
life response |
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TBA |
Exam review |
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TBA |
Final exam |
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