\ 1. Describe the difference between a hypothesis and a theory.
\ 2. Demonstrate a proficiency in the use of a computer spreadsheet program to include graphing, table generation, and formulas for simple statistics.
\ 3. Demonstrate an ability to develop hypotheses, and devise an appropriate experimental design to test scientific questions.
\ 4. Demonstrate the use of simple and parametric statistics (including Student’s t-Test and Chi-Square), and be able to apply the appropriate statistical test to accept and reject hypotheses.
\ 5. Describe the underlying principles of evolution and inclusive fitness.
\ 7. Discuss the historic development of the Theory of Evolution, including what each of the following contributed: Darwin, Wallace, Lamarck, Malthus, Lyell, and Mendel.
\ 8. Demonstrate an understanding of the agents of evolutionary change.
\ 9. Describe the use of the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in modeling evolution.
\ 10. Identify the different definitions of species. Discuss the mechanisms of speciation.
\ 11. Discuss the evolutionary origin and history of life, and the evolution of the Primates and Homonids.
\ 12. Describe the underlying principles of ecology, including; biomes, ecosystems, abiotic and biotic factors.
\ 13. Describe the abiotic and biotic features of the major aquatic and terrestrial biomes of the earth.
\ 14. Describe the characteristics of community and population dynamics, including an understanding of; structure, logistic growth curves, carrying capacity, human population trends, mechanisms which determine growth rates in developed and developing countries, human population pyramids, r and k reproductive strategies.
\ 15. Describe interspecific and intraspecific interactions, including; mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, competition, positive, predator-prey, mimicry, coloration, defense mechanisms.
\ 16. Describe the concept of ecological succession, including; primary, secondary, climax community, disturbance.
\ 17. Describe the major nutrient cycles, including the water, carbon-dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles.
\ 18. Describe aquatic and terrestrial ecological pyramids, understanding such terms as; autotroph, heterotroph, producers, consumers (primary, secondary, tertiary, etc.), decomposers, biomass, population, energy.
\ 19. Discuss animal behavior, identifying the evolutionary significance of behavior, with an understanding of proximate and ultimate causations.
\ 20. Define general ethological terms and their underlying evolutionary significance, including; fixed action pattern, sign stimulus, imprinting, taxis, kinesis, habituation, operant conditioning, cognition, problem solving, migration, optimal foraging, game theory, communication.
\ 21. Describe different reproductive strategies that organisms employ, identifying the evolutionary importance each system represents, and understand various sexual selection mechanisms. Give examples of these strategies.
\ 22. Discuss altruism and tit-for-tat behaviors and the evolutionary relationship involved in those behaviors.
\ 23. Discuss the reproductive strategies observed in mammals.
\ 24. Define taxonomy and outline its basic concepts, and understand the use of cladegrams and phenograms in describing these evolutionary relationships.
\ 25. Identify the characteristics of the three Domains of life and the major Kingdoms therein.
\ 26. Define the characteristics and taxonomy of the organisms formerly included within Protista. Understand why Protista is no longer a taxonomic category.
\ 27. Compare the animals without a coelom: Porifera, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda.
\ 28. Discuss the coelomate protostomes: Mollusca, Annelida, and Arthropoda.
\ 29. Compare the deuterostomes: Echinodermata and Chordata.
\ 30. Describe the four major tissue types found in animals
\ 31. Describe animal bioenergetics, including energy budgets, basal and standard metabolic rates, thermoregulation, the advantages and disadvantages of endothermy and ectothermy, and acclimatization.
\ 32. Describe embryonic development in animals, including; gastrulation, the blastopore, and the three embryonic tissues and the adult structures to which they give rise.
\ 33. Describe animal nutrition. Understand the function of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, minerals, and vitamins in the mammalian diet.
\ 34. Discuss the cardiovascular systems found in Chordates, including; gas exchange mechanisms of gills, the integument, and lungs.
\ 35. Describe mammalian cardiac conduction and contraction.
\ 36. Discuss the anatomy and physiology of animal reproductive systems, with specific emphasis on mammalian structures.
\ 37. Describe oogenesis and spermatogenesis in mammals.
\ 38. Discuss the anatomy and physiology of the vertebrate nervous system. Understand the function of structures found in the mammalian brain.
\ 39. Describe the anatomy and physiology of plants, including structures of the stems, roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds.
\ 40. Identify reproductive mechanisms which have evolved in plants.

\  

\  

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

AVOID ANY APPEARANCE OF CHEATING. Cheating will result in loss of the grade for that quiz or exam. Hats are not to be worn during exams.

CELL PHONES & PAGERS: Cell phones and pagers are to be in silent mode during lectures and must be turned off during exams.  Use of cell phones in class is not permitted except in the case of recording lectures. If you are texing or surfing the net during class I will ask you to leave.  Assignments missed after being excused will result in the grade of Zero for the assignment. If you have an urgent need to have a phone or pager on, you must inform the Instructor before class, and must quietly exit the room to take a call.

LABORATORY SAFETY. Food and drink are allowed in Lab/Lecture but please use caution.  

Student are expected to follow all safety rules and to notify the instructor immediately if any accident occurs. While the risk of an accident is minimized as much as possible, there is the potential for contact with electrical appliances, heating elements, sharp instruments, chemicals, and organic materials, some of which may be biohazards. Any student deemed to be jeopardizing the safety of others will be asked to leave the lab immediately and possibly permanently. Other safety rules are listed in the Laboratory Manual and will be covered the first day of class.

Grading Criteria

Grading Scale: A =90 - 100%, B = 80 - 89.9%, C = 70 - 79.9%, D = 60 - 69.9%, F < 60%.
To pass the course, students must attain 59.5% or better in the course. Most medical fields require 69.9% (C) or better.

Lecture - 50%

Lecture exams are 40% of the total grade for the semester.  Five in class lecture exams will be given. The material for each exam will be based on lecture material.  Each will be worth 100 points, the lowest exam grade will be dropped.

In class quizzes are 10% of the total grade for the semester.  There will be a quiz in the first 15 minutes of lecture every Tuesday and Thursday unless stated otherwise by the instructor.  Students that arrive late for the quiz are welcome to take the quiz but will only be allowed to take the quiz until the last person (who was on time) finishes. The two lowest grades from this catagory will be dropped at the end of the semester.

Lab - 25%

Laboratory assignments/ homework/participation are 5%.  

Ecology Paper is 5% of your final grade.  Paper details will be discussed in class and instructions posted on blackboard.

Editing of Peer papers 5% of your final grade. Editing details will be discussed in class and instructions posted on blackboard .

Group Presentation is 5% of your final grade.  Presentation details will be discussed in class and instructions posted on blackboard .

Lab Home work and participation is 10% of your final grade.  Assignments will be announced in class and laboratory participation will be counted every lab period.  There will be no exceptions made for students who do not participate in lab.  If a student will not be able to attend a lab they will recieve a zero for that lab period.  The two lowest grades from this catagory will be dropped at the end of the semester. 

Final Exam - 25%

The Final Exam is 25% of the total grade for the semester. The exam will be comprehensive, 2 hours, in class, as scheduled on the Amarillo College Final Exam schedule. 

There are NO makeup exams; a missed exam becomes the drop grade.  There are No makeup lab tests;a missed lab test becomes the drop grade.  All grades for lecture exams, laboratory tests and quizzes, the unknown identification, and the final exam will be posted on blackboard.  Final grades will be posted on WebAdvisor.

Attendance

\ Attendance is not a numerical component of the grading of this course, but regular attendance is required for success.

Calendar

Additional Information

\ The blackboard site for this class will have the syllabus, class notes, assignmetn rubrics and any other import class information.    Lecture and laboratory exam dates are subject to change, with reasonable notification given to all students.

\ Expectations: Every student will take personal responsibility for his/her learning in this course. To succeed, each student must...

\     Attend all lecture and laboratory sessions.

\     Participate in lecture and laboratory activities by asking questions and working diligently.   

\     Spend at least 10 hours of study for each week's material.

\     Prepare for each class by reviewing previous lecture material and by reading that day's laboratory exercise before coming to class.

\     Complete all assignments when due.

\