Paleoanthropology (Introductory) Syllabus

The Science of Human Origins PALEOANTHROPOLOGY BI 150 MWF 11am-12pm SSC 238 BirminghamSouthern College Hominid Phylogeny: Four million years of human and ape evolution. Course Description and Objectives: Paleoanthropology – a branch of anthropology – seeks to understand human uniqueness by studying the human past using scientific methods. The narrative of our past can be found in quite divergent sources of clues – everything from details of DNA to beautiful murals in Ice Age caves. This is why the scientific quest for human origins requires the curiosity of a philosopher coupled with the skills of a skeptical detective. Instructor: Jason L. Heaton, Ph.D. E-mail: jheaton@bsc.edu Office Location: SSC 244 Office Hours: M 1:30-3:00pm, R 2:00330pm, F 9-10:30am, or by appointment We will begin our study with an introduction to evolutionary principles Office Phone: 205-226-7816 including pre- and post-Darwinian hypotheses. Additionally, you will discover that we can learn a lot about ourselves by studying the genes, bodies and behavior of our closest living relatives, the primates. To do this, you will not just read books, but we will do science. For example, you will conduct a study on primate behavior by making observations of divergent primate groups at the Birmingham Zoo. We will also consult the literature for major studies of great ape and monkey behavior. We will use this knowledge to help interpret the ancient behavior of our ancestors. You will learn that humans are cultural animals (although not the only ones), and the interplay between biology and culture define help define us. For at least 2.6 million years, our ancestors have relied heavily on the use of tools. To understand our cultural evolution, we will investigate many behavioral innovations that TEXT: Larsen, C. (2011) Our Origins: Discovering Physical Anthropology . 2nd Ed. Norton. ISBN: 978-0393-93498-4 LAB/LECTURE WORKBOOK: Suzanne Walker-Pacheco (2010) Exploring Physical Anthropology . Norton. ISBN: 089582-811-1 1 appear in the Paleolithic, such as the production and use of stone tools, the invention of fire and the origins of art. Our goal will be to make sense of human culture in terms of biology, because for our ancestors, they were inextricably linked. For portions of the course, we will dig into the past, to look at fossils and archaeological sites for the evidence revealing when and where humans first began to behave like "odd animals." We will attempt to answer many questions about our past, such as: (1) when did our ancestors begin to walk upright (2) what were their tools (3) what did they eat and (4) when did they start behaving in a ‘modern’ way? Throughout the term, we will survey examples of how researchers think about "evidence" and how scientific theories about human evolution have been built, piece by piece, from a variety of sources. We will look at examples of contrasting interpretations of scientific evidence for the human past (see Confronting the Controversy Assignment), and study why some arguments have stood the tests of time while others have not. A large portion of the class will include projects in which you will work with either your own or published data to carry out analyses for yourself (see Investigating Olduvai Exercise) learning along the way the steps of scientific methodology. This will aid you in understanding the foundation upon which our knowledge of human evolution is built. As an Exploration in Scholarship seminar, this course assumes that learning and understanding begin with curiosity. Our understanding grows as we collaborate with others, connect ideas, do research, and give and receive feedback. In this class, we present our ideas in writing, in oral presentations, in class discussions. All of these modes provide us opportunities to practice and hone our learning strategies, strategies that can serve us in this class and in all Suggestions for Study The course will progress at a fast pace with little room for alterations. You will be expected to learn material from the readings that we may not cover in lecture. The lectures will be discussions intended to expand upon and clarify the reading material and to emphasize selected points. The following recommendations should help you to study more effectively in this and all your courses. 1. STUDY TO LEARN, not for the grade. If you know the material, the grade will come. This approach may also bring you self-confidence, greater interest in the subject, and positive attention from the faculty. 2. STUDY TO UNDERSTAND. A good performance requires more than memorizing facts. Facts are an important step toward the more important goal of understanding the bigger concepts, the ones that allow you to solve problems and extend your learning. Likewise being able to express yourself well on exams or quizzes is essential. A poorly stated idea usually indicates a poorly understood idea, and I will grade it as such. 3. READ AHEAD. You will get more out of our discussions if you are familiar with the ideas being discussed. Do the reading ahead of time. While it is not easy to maintain this discipline, ultimately it makes for more efficient learning. 4. LISTEN IN LECTURE. Do not put all your attention into taking dictation to read later. Try to understand and analyze what I say while I am saying it. Do ask me to explain something that is not clear. Do not ask me to repeat something just because you "didn't get it all down." If you have done the reading in advance, you will know what you do not have to write and you can focus on the bigger picture. 5. PACE YOUR STUDYING. Pedagogy, psychology, and neurophysiology all agree on this one: Learning takes time. Keep up with material. Cramming just before the test is the least effective way to learn, especially when combined with sleep deprivation. 6. SORT OUT IMPORTANT IDEAS from details. Refer to the summaries and key terms in your texts to guide you through the chapters. Consider the points that I emphasize in lecture and in handouts in sorting out the more important ones. 2 college coursework and endeavors. In the end, we arrive in a new place, seeing the world in a new way. Identifying new ways of being, doing, and knowing is the essence of learning in college. Our Learning Outcomes focus on strengthening your skills in four areas. Students will: • Become effective classroom participants/discussants • Develop public/oral presentation skills • Learn to engage in identifying strengths/weaknesses of an argument from different points of view • Participate in library research and research with data from the primary literature Additional objectives focus on teaching content where you will learn the answers to questions, such as: • How are we similar to and different from other primates • Where did humans first originate • What can our evolutionary past tell us about our present 7. STUDY INTERACTIVELY, with pen in hand. Whether you are looking at your 12. LEARNING EFFECTIVELY TAKES TIME. There is no alternative to that, so accept it. textbook or your lecture notes, do not merely read and underline. Take How much time you devote to a course should reflect your commitment notes; outline the lecture/chapter; summarize. Write out unfamiliar terms. to learning the material. If you do not give the course a high priority, you Pronounce them out loud. Draw pictures and diagrams when appropriate. must be prepared to accept the consequences in your grade. Close your book and write or draw a description from memory of an process or concept. Asknecessarily questions: means What are theretention importantand It is important not true that spending more time more points in that lecture? How does it fit in with the reading material? How better performance. The quality of the time spent is more important than the does it relate to previous material in the course? quantity. You must discover what approaches are effective for you and you 8. NOTthe WAIT FOR AN EXAM TO FIND WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW. teaching Quiz yourself mustDO have discipline to stick withOUT them. Ask other students, frequently in the shower, onincluded) your wayfor to ideas. class, whenever you have an assistants, and — instructors (myself idle moment. Write your own essay questions and sketch out answers. If you find you are having difficulties in the course, come and talk to me. But You should be able to define important concepts and key terms, produce remember, I can help youstatements, a lot more before an exam, when there is still time examples of general and discuss intelligently the themes of to learn, than afterwards. my lectures. Essay questions are graded largely on your ability to give me an intelligible account of a concept. 9. WORK WITH ONE STUDY PARTNER. Teach each other. Even if one of you already understands a concept, both can benefit by going over it. There is no better way to test yourself than to teach another person. Small study groups are generally better than large ones because larger ones tend to waste time socializing, encourage intimidation tactics, and give each individual less time to talk. 10. USE MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES. Put all of these suggestions together and you will have found many different ways to study the same material -reading, listening, looking at pictures, writing, speaking, drawing, and teaching. Together these are much more effective than spending twice as much time repeating the same method. 11. REMEMBER THAT LEARNING MATERIAL IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP TO A GOOD GRADE. You must also perform well on the exam. When you tell me, "I knew this material but still got a low grade," the problem usually lies in one of the following: a. You misread a question on the exam. Slow down and read carefully. Course Requirements Lecture Exams 150 points: Two 75-point Exams will be given during the term. These exams will cover material from the readings and will have a combination of questions types (e.g. multiplechoice, short answer, discussion, etc.). Final Exam 100 points: The final exam will be a culmination of the semesters work. It will cover the material covered b. You answered the question you thought should be there instead of the one that was. Slow down and read carefully. In an essay, look for a one-sentence answer to the question; then expand. c. Your thinking and/or writing was fuzzy (usually both). You did not understand the concept as well as you thought. Do not look at it in your study notes and say "I know that." Practice writing, explaining or teaching it before the exam. d. You did not recognize the question when I asked it in a different way. (Do not expect straight-forward questions from me.) You have to do more than memorize a definition. You have to be able to use it, explain it, and apply it. Approach an unexpected question as a problem to be solved. What knowledge is needed to solve it? e. You did not really know the material as well as you thought you did. Reexamine your study strategy. Test yourself. Talk to me. 3 over the entire semester. It will include components of the exams and lab exercises. It will test your memory of the major concepts that we covered, but its goal will be to test your ability to critically think about and solve questions related to human evolution. A review session will be scheduled for the last week of class. Participation 100 points: This is not a traditional lecture based course. We will be doing hands-on exercises and class discussions, instead. Therefore, it is imperative that you do the readings ahead of the time, and actively participate in each class. Your participation grade will be based upon attendance, but also the percentage of courses that you actively participate in, as well. Investigating Olduvai Exercise 100 points: You will work as an interdisciplinary team to investigate the Zinjanthropus site (in Tanzania) and determine what the evidence may reveal about the lifeway of australopithecines. Our objective is to understand the behavior and survival strategies of these early hominids. You will take the role of a research team and will have to combine data from your discipline (e.g. stratigrapher, geologist, taphonomist, ethnographer, etc.) to interpret site formation, australopithecine tools, anatomy and behavior. In this exercise, you will use actual data from decades of research at Olduvai Gorge (~2 million years old). The goal is to allow you experience what it is like to be part of an inter-disciplinary research team where each person comes in as a specialist and must work with others in order to take on such a large project. Presentations/Discussions Students will perform two group presentations. 25 points: The first (a brief 5-10 minute presentation) will be given during their initial exposure to the field of anthropology and scientific inquiry. The goal will be to contrast science with pseudoscience. Students will choose a topic from a list that I have compiled and critique the evidence for/against the topic as a scientific endeavor. EXAMS 150 pts. 100 pts. Exam I and II Final Exam PARTICIPATION/DISCUSSIONS 100 pts. 25 pts. 50 pts. Participation Pseudoscience Presentation (Group Grade) Confronting the Controversy (Group Grade) DATA ANALYSIS/INTERPRETATION/WRITTEN PRESENTATION Total 100 pts. 80 pts. 530 pts. Investigating Olduvai Exercise In-Class Labs (7, 8, 13 and 14) They will be instructed on the art of presenting arguments in a concise format. 50 points: The second presentation will be aimed at presenting a controversy within anthropology. There will be five “Confronting the Controversy” (noted as CC on schedule) topics. These will deal with topics which are still hotly debated in current studies of paleoanthropology. Each week a group of four will present evidence for the two sides of the debate (two students each side, five minutes each side), then, the students will be expected to lead a discussion about the validity of the two arguments. Their goal is to foster discussion among their classmates, to show that some science is still unsettled and to practice leading a discussion. 4  Determining Group Grades For assignments where the entire (or partial) grade is computed from a group score, members of each Close-up (right) of a sabertooth cat, a predator that group will be given an evaluation often competed with our form for each member of their ancestors for food. Note, this group. This is to ensure that each canine exhibits serrated group member does their work, edges – a clear link between and if not, can be penalized by the form and function! remaining group members. Forms will be kept confidential and will be used in the computation of grades for each group member. Forms and further explanation will be given during the first group graded exercise (i.e. Pseudoscience Presentations).  Grade Calculation Additionally, scores for each assignment will be posted on the class’s Moodle page. If you believe any score is posted incorrectly, contact the Instructor within ONE WEEK of posting to check if, in fact, an error has been made. After that, scores are final. Grading Scale A = 93–100 % A- = 90–92.9 % B+ = 87–89.9 % B = 83–86.9 % B- = 80–82.9 % C+ = 77–79.9 % C = 73–76.9 % C- = 70–72.9 % D+ = 67–69.9 % D = 60–66.9 % F < 60 % If, on your first few assignments, you get a grade lower than you need in the course, do something about it right away. The rest of the assignments will not be easier! I am willing to help you do your best in this class. Don't wait until the end of the term or after the class to ask how you can improve your grade! Makeup Policy: Students must talk with the instructor BEFORE missing an exam. The instructor will consider rescheduling for a student ONLY if the student provides documentation written by an official (e.g. coach, physician, and clergy) on official letterhead. The reason for the absence must be given although details (e.g. exact nature of the illness) need not be stated. The instructor will decide whether the request justifies rescheduling of a lecture exam. The following are reasons for which rescheduling will be considered: • • • • Conflict with participation in a scheduled university academic function, performance or competition (varsity level). Exam missed due to conflict with a recognized religious observance. Exam missed due to personal emergency or illness. (NOTE: A letter from the Student Health Office is NOT sufficient since they only state you were there. You will need to provide documentation on official letterhead giving information as to why you were unable to take the exam. The letterhead is needed in order to verify the documentation.) Exam missed due to emergency of a serious nature (i.e. death or sudden/serious injury or illness) in the immediate family, defined as parent, sibling, child or grandparent. 5 Regular quizzes (i.e. non-map quizzes) will not be made up, as noted previously, students are allowed to drop the lowest two quizzes. The same goes for Confronting the Controversy discussions. These are not movable events. Additionally, labs will not be rescheduled, and an absence will be reflected in the students participation score. Academic and Attendance Policy: Attendance is expected at all lecture and laboratory meetings. Attendance will be recorded at each meeting. In-class lab exercises (Labs 7, 8, 13 and 14) cannot be made up, and the student will simply lose those points. Students will work together in lecture/lab, and effective collaboration is essential to this course. However, students will analyze data, make graphs and write papers by themselves or be in violation of the Honor Code. Every assignment that you turn in should be your own work, and not that of your partner. Students that are found in violation of the Honor Code by using graphs, statistical analyses or data interpretations created by others will receive a grade of 0 for the assignment and will be reported to the Honor Council, as will any students found cheating or plagiarizing. Blatant cheating and plagiarism are likely to result in suspension or expulsion. This also applies to the labs which you will turn in for a grade (Labs 7, 8, 13 and 14). (Right) Ernst Haeckel’s (19th century) attempt at illustrating our place in nature. 6 SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND READINGS All information in this syllabus is subject to change by written notice or by announcements during class. We will have a mixture of lectures and discussions. The lectures will be based readings in Our Origins (OO), and the appropriate chapters and pages are listed, below. We will also be discussing exercises out of the Exploring Physical Anthropology (EPA) text. These readings will compliment/supplement the major text. Also, we will discuss the specific workbook exercises (LE) or Self-Tests (ST) in lecture. Some entire classes will be devoted to labs. Date Topic Readings Assignments Week One (Feb Course overview & What is biological anthropology? What is biological anthropology? (cont'd) 5th) W F Feb. 5 Feb. 7 OO, Ch. 1 (1-6) OO, Ch. 1 (7-21) Week Two (Feb. 10th) M Feb. 10 Evolution I W F Feb. 12 Feb. 14 Movie: Darwin’s Dangerous Idea Movie: Darwin’s Dangerous Idea (continued) OO Ch. 2 (pp. 23-41) EPA LE 1.2 Week Three (Feb. 17th) M Feb. 17 Evolution II W F Feb. 19 Feb. 21 Genetics (I) Genetics (II) OO Ch. 2 (pp. 41-53) EPA ST 3.1, LE 3.2 OO, Ch. 3 (pp. 54-71) OO, Ch. 3 (pp. 71-85) CC GROUP 1 (SPECIES IN B IOLOGY) Week Four (Feb. 25th) M Feb. 24 Genes and Their Evolution I W F Feb. 26 Feb. 28 Genes and Their Evolution II Pseudoscience Presentations Mar. 3 Mar. 5 Mar. 7 Week Five (Mar. 3rd) Lab: Human Osteology Movie: Monkey in the Mirror EXAM I M W F OO, Ch. 4 (pp. 86-99) EPA LE 5.1 OO, Ch. 4 (pp. 100-119) P SEUDOSCIENCE P RESENTATIONS EPA Ch. 7 (LE 7.1-7.4) 7 M W F M W F M W F M W F M W F M W F M W Mar. 10 Mar. 12 Mar. 14 Week Six (Mar. 10th) The Living Primates I The Living Primates II NO CLASS – AT CONFERENCE Mar. 17 Mar. 19 Mar. 21 Week Seven (Mar. 18th) SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK Mar. 24 Mar. 26 Mar. 28 Week Eight (Mar. 24th) Primate Behavior Lab: Comparative Osteology Fossils and Their Place in Time and Nature I Ch. 7 (pp. 192-209) EPA LE 9.1, 9.2 Ch. 8 (pp. 212-233) Mar. 31 Apr. 2 Apr. 4 Week Nine (Mar. 31st) Fossils and Their Place in Time and Nature II Primate Origins and Evolution I Primate Origins and Evolution II Ch. 8 (pp. 234-249) Ch. 9 (pp. 250-267) Ch. 9 (pp. 268-283) Apr. 7 Apr. 9 Apr. 11 Week Ten (Apr. 7th) Movie: Ape to Man Lab: Forensic Anthropology FLOAT DAY Apr. 14 Apr. 16 Apr. 18 Week Eleven (Apr. 14th) EXAM II Early Hominid Origins I GOOD FRIDAY - NO CLASS Apr. 21 Apr. 23 Week Twelve (Apr. 21st) Early Hominid Origins II Lab: Who’s in Our Family Ch. 6 (pp.157-171) Ch. 6 (pp. 172-191) CC GROUP 2 (DO P RIMATES T ALK?) CC GROUP 3 (GAPS IN THE F OSSIL R ECORD?) EPA Ch. 8 (LE 8.1-8.4) CC GROUP 4 (L UMPERS AND SPLITTERS) Ch. 10 (pp. 285-306) Ch. 10 (pp.307-321) EPA Ch. 13 (LE 13.1-13.3) 8 F Apr. 25 M Apr. 28 W Apr. 30 F May. 2 M May. 5 W May. 7 Origins and Evolution of early Homo I Week Thirteen (Apr. 28th) Origins and Evolution of early Homo II Origins, Evolution and Dispersal of Modern People I (Archaics) Origins, Evolution and Dispersal of Modern People II (Culture) Week Fourteen (May 5th) Origins, Evolution and Dispersal of Modern People III (Genetics) Lab: The Genus Homo Ch. 11 (pp. 322-337) Ch. 11 (pp. 337-355) Ch. 12 (pp. 356-370) Ch. 12 (pp. 370-392) Ch. 12 (pp. 392-407) EPA Ch. 14 (LE 14.1-14.2) Week Fifteen (May 13th) W May 14 Final Exam 9am-12pm 9 I NVESTIGATING OLDUVAI E XERCISE DISCUSSION