SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY

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HOME WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS J. SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY TAXA OF LIFE

Time is a brisk wind, for each hour it brings something new...  -Paracelsus

COURSE SCHEDULE

You will notice that the topics in the course schedule are much more than just the classification of life. Although that alone would be quite an imposing task, the classification systems serve as means to launch into explorations of the diversity of life and how that diversity came about. Thus, most weeks will examine topics in biodiversity and themes in evolutionary biology. The course is divided into 5 units, the last 4 of which culminate in a paper. Unit 5 culminates in a personal essay and units 2-4 conclude with journal-style articles that explore the origin, evolution and appropriate taxonomy of the groups in question.  The following schedule is intended only as an outline of topics, themes, and deadlines for planning purposes. Detailed week-by-week schedules can be found on the weekly assignments page.

 Both sections W1 (9-11) and W2 (10-12)  will meet in FSH 201-202.  Thus, the class will meet as a larger combined group during the 10-11 hour or Common Hour.

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO EVOLUTION, PHYLOGENY, AND SYSTEMATICS
JANUARY 14 MONDAY COMMON HOUR INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
SEPARATE HOUR ANSWER QUESTIONS; CHOOSE TEAMS
JANUARY 16 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR ACTIVITY 1: WINTER BIRD COUNT
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 1: A RESPONSE TO THE ASSIGNED READINGS
JANUARY 18 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 2: INTRODUCTION TO EVOLUTIONARY THEORY AND CLADISTICS
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 2: MCCLADE AND VERTEBRATE EXAMPLE
UNIT 2: ANIMALS AND BACTERIA
JANUARY 21 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 1
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 3: VERTEBRATES 1: AGNATHA, SHARKS, AND THE ORIGIN OF VERTEBRATES
JANUARY 23 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 4: VERTEBRATES II: BONY FISHES AND AMPHIBIANS
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 3: INTRODUCTION TO VERTEBRATES - AGNATHA AND SHARKS
WINTER BIRD COUNT EXCEL SHEET DUE
JANUARY 25 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR ACTIVITY 4: BONY FISHES AND AMPHIBIANS
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 5: OTHER TETRAPODS
JANUARY 28 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 2
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 5: OTHER TETRAPODS
JANUARY 30 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 6: OTHER DEUTEROSTOMES, PARAZOA, AND RADIATA
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 6: OTHER DEUTEROSTOMES, PARAZOA, AND RADIATA
FEBRUARY 1 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 7: PROTOSTOMATA I
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 7: PROTOSTOMATA I
FEBRUARY 4 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 3
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 8: PROTOSTOMATA II
FEBRUARY 6 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 9: PROTOSTOMATA III
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 8: PROTOSTOMATA II
FEBRUARY 8 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 1
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 10: ARCHAEA & EUBACTERIA I
FEBRUARY 11 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 4
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 9: PROTOSTOMATA III
FEBRUARY 13 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 11: EUBACTERIA II
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 10: ARCHAEA & EUBACTERIA I
FEBRUARY 15 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 2
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 11: EUBACTERIA II
UNIT 3: PROTISTS AND FUNGI
FEBRUARY 18 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 5
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 12: EXCAVATES & EUGLENOIDS
FEBRUARY 20 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 13: CRYPTOMONADS, HAPTOMONADS, AND CHROMALVEOLATE I
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 12: EXCAVATES AND EUGLENOIDS
FEBRUARY 22 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 3
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 13: CRYPTOMONADS, HAPTOMONADS, AND CHROMALVEOLATE I
DUE AT 4 P.M. THE FIRST DRAFT OF PROJECT 1
FEBRUARY 25 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 6
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 14: CHROMALVEOLATA II
FEBRUARY 27 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 15: CHROMALVEOLATA III
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 14: CHROMALVEOLATA II
FEBRUARY 29 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 4
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 15: CHROMALVEOLATA III
DUE AT 4 P.M. THE FIRST REWRITES OF PROJECT 1
SPRING BREAK
MARCH 10 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 7
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 16: AMOEBAE AND RHIZARIA
MARCH 12 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 17: FUNGI I
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 16: AMOEBAE AND RHIZARIA
MARCH 14 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 5
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 17: FUNGI I
MARCH 17 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 8
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 18: FUNGI II
MARCH 19 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR ACTIVITY 18: FUNGI II
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 19: RED ALGAE
MARCH 20 THURSDAY DUE AT 4 P.M. THE FINAL DRAFTS OF PROJECT 1
EASTER BREAK MARCH 21-24
UNIT 4: PLANTS
MARCH 26 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 6
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 19: RED ALGAE
MARCH 28 FRIDAY MEET AT 6 A.M. WE WILL TRAVEL TO THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY IN PITTSBURGH
DUE BEFORE WE LEAVE THE FIRST DRAFT OF PROJECT 2
MARCH 31 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 9
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 20: GREEN ALGAE
APRIL 2 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR DIALOGUE 21: LIVERWORTS AND MOSSES
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 20: GREEN ALGAE
APRIL 4 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 7
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 21: LIVERWORTS AND MOSSES
DUE AT 4 P.M. THE FIRST REWRITES OF PROJECT 2
APRIL 7 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 10
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 22: VASCULAR CRYPTOGAMS
APRIL 9 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR ACTIVITY 22: VASCULAR CRYPTOGAMS
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 23: INTRODUCTION TO THE SEED PLANTS
APRIL 11 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 8
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 23: GYMNOSPERMS
APRIL 14 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 11
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 24: FLOWERING PLANTS I
APRIL 16 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR ACTIVITY 24: FLOWERING PLANTS I
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 25: FLOWERING PLANTS II
APRIL 18 FRIDAY COMMON HOUR UNKNOWN 9
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 25: FLOWERING PLANTS II
DUE AT 4 P.M. THE FINAL DRAFTS OF PROJECT 2
UNIT 5: ECOLOGY AND DARWINIAN SELECTION
APRIL 21 MONDAY COMMON HOUR GAME 12
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 26: EXERCISES IN VARIATION AND NATURAL SELECTION
APRIL 23 WEDNESDAY COMMON HOUR ACTIVITY 27: FOREST ANALYSIS
SEPARATE HOUR ACTIVITY 28: FOSSIL COLLECTION FROM DEVONIAN DEPOSITS
APRIL 25 FRIDAY BOTH HOURS ACTIVITY 29: SPRING BIRD COUNT
DUE AT 4 P.M. FINAL DRAFT OF PROJECT 3
APRIL 28 MONDAY COMMON HOUR ACTIVITY 30: CONSOLIDATE DATA WITH OTHER TEAMS
SEPARATE HOUR DIALOGUE 26: RESPONSE TO ASSIGNED READINGS
APRIL 29 TUESDAY COMMON HOUR THE LAST CLASS
MAY 2 FRIDAY 8-10 A.M. FINAL EXAM PERIOD:
  • GAME 13
  • FINAL DIALOGUE
  • PERSONAL ESSAY DUE
  • THE PORTFOLIO MUST BE LINKED

This page maintained by Jack R. Holt and Carlos A. Iudica.  Last modified: 01/16/08