This interdisciplinary course focuses on evolutionary adaptations of the developing human species. Included will be discussions on adaptations to nature and the ways nature has been adapted to serve human needs. Are we mutations of natural selection or just lucky to be here?  The course will blend approaches from the natural and social sciences. Beware; the course itself is in a rapidly evolving state.

 

 

 

There will be a number of quizzes, a midterm, a final, a series of  projects and presentations. All will be worth 20% of the final grade.

 

For the projects, students will present on the evolutionary, ecological & adaptation struggles of one of our immediate ancestors. Presentations will be on the issues of the upcoming weeks, where students (either individually or in groups) will take responsibility for the class discussions.

 

 

Attendance: will be taken daily. As stated in the General Bulletin: “A student is permitted absences totaling two times the number of lecture meetings per week.” Thus for classes that meet two times a week, students are permitted no more than four absences. Attendance is taken only at the beginning of class. Students who exceed four absences, including times when they come in late, will have their final grades reduced for each additional absence, i.e., a B- will become a C+.

 

Late Written Assignments: will have a grade deducted for that component for each class that they are late -- a B- will become a C+.

 

Make-up Exams and Quizzes: are generally not permitted. In extraordinary cases, with appropriate documentation, a student may be permitted to make items up.

 

Plagiarism, Cheating and Computer Usage and Piracy: any student determined to have violated these policies as defined in THE NET (see The Net http://www.spc.edu/resources/downloads/NET2002-03.pdf) will automatically fail the class. The name of any student who violates these procedures will immediately be given to the Office of the Academic Dean. The College has a license for Turnitin.com so that any suspect papers will be scrutinized.

 

Standards for Classroom Behavior: the classroom is a place for mutual respect. While debate is welcome, as defined in THE NET, such disruptive actions as the use of cell phones and beepers as well as leaving the classroom once class has begun without authorization are prohibited.

 

 

 

 

Texts:

 

Jared Diamond, The Thrid Chimpanzee: Ethe Evolution and Future of the Human Animal, Harper Press

Elvio Angeloni, Annual Editions: Physical Anthropology. McGraw-Hill

 

 Themes

I           Evolution

                        Changing Theories:

                        Piltdown Man to DNA and Skeletal Evidence

 

II          Physical to Cultural or Cultural to Physical

 

III        Primates to Neanderthal

 

IV        Ice-Age to Gathering to Domestic Farming and Herding

                       Completing the package, physically and culturally & how these are related

                       Tools

 

V         Environment

                       Physical and Cultural responses to the environment. How we can adapt to

                       live anywhere.                      

 

VI        Race

                        A four letter word or does it teach us something

                        Physical Traits

                        Culture – Social Darwinism – to the Bell Curve

                        Socio-Political