Gary Wagenbach: 318 Hulings Hall, x 4390, e-mail = GWAGENBA

Bridgit Seegers will serve as a TA, e-mail - seegersb

There is a truly amazing array of living organisms on the Earth. Estimates of species diversity range from about 2 to 30 or 40 million, maybe more. Many have traditionally been viewed under the heading of "invertebrates", that category generated by early students of "natural history" for all of the non vertebrates. A moment of reflection shows the limitations of this distinctly human centered viewpoint. We will emphasize the exploration of metazoan animals and perhaps a few protists. Higher taxa (phyla and classes) of animals will be the main focus, and since the highest diversity at this level is in the sea we will study animals from the sea, as well as freshwater and the land.

The approach to learning I ask you to use is to lead by means of investigative laboratory study. We will be asking many members of the animal kingdom to inform us about their world as much as possible. Mini lectures, direct observation and some experimentation, discussion, and other guidance from me will follow as we try to make sense of a myriad of invertebrates. Both a functional and evolutionary perspective will be applied. In summary you are asked to meet me "half way" and I will contribute the other half of the time and energy to make the course work for you and provide an opportunity to learn.

An active engagement with the subject is expected. I submit that you will learn more about how to learn as a result. Specific subject matter and content is easily forgotten, as we all know, but is remembered better if you engage the subject matter to be learned in a direct and manipulative way.

Acquiring an understanding of "invertebrate" organisms has profound implications ranging from identification of model systems such as the nematode Caenorhabditus, to invading species of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, and many with medical and agricultural implications. I seek to have the new knowledge and viewpoints you acquire help you think as a biologist and to forever change and enhance your view of the natural world and the relationship of humans to it. The main goals developed for the course include:

- enhance your skills as a working scientist

- learn about the diversity of animal species and higher taxa, body plans and life cycles

- develop a detailed understanding of body design and function among the invertebrates, the Bauplan if you will; an evolutionary perspective informs body design

- discover that while we may know a fare amount about a few taxa and species we are ignorant of the biology of the vast majority

- hone your skills in asking questions and seeking answers to those questions by direct observation as well as study of the relevant literature

- acquire skill and confidence that will be useful in locating and studying invertebrates no mater where you may encounter or what you may want to do with them (e.g. eliminate agents of disease, preserve native species and their habitats, enhance biological control agents, molecular biology, ecology, interpret the fossil record, or for aesthetic pleasure)

- develop skills involved in running effective class discussions

- develop skills involved in making effective class presentations

Maintain a binder of your work as described below.

Attendance and active participation in all class activities is expected.

Completion of a few quizzes and a final examination.

Completion of selected small scale projects.

Notebook (accumulated observation and analysis) 60 %

• body plans for 6 phyla
• notes, observations, questions and analysis of examples in addition to those used for the 6 reports on body plans
• at least one oral report on a body plan
• one project report on a study of a "system", e.g. reproduction

Quizzes 15 %

Final examination (to include a lab practical) 20%

A small special project of your choice 5 %

We have Olin 04 designated for our use. We can move between Hulings 115 and Olin 04 as our needs dictate. Normal meeting time is T and Th 10:30 to 12:15.

Scheduled time for lab work is on Tuesday afternoon from 1-5 .The designated lab space is 115 Hulings. Supplementary lab space for computer work is located in the ground floor computer imaging lab. You each will have a work space you can use for the term. Bring a dissecting kit to lab and keep it at your work station so it is handy at all times.

Be prepared to use e-mail for communication among class members and with my self and Bridget.

Some assignments will be computer based. You are expected to make use of digital imaging systems and the Internet. A set of common hold folders have been set up into which you can turn in computer projects.

The main text for the term is Jan A. Pechenik. Biology of Invertebrates (4^th ed.). McGraw-Hill, 2000. A detailed assignment list is available on a separate sheet.

Other readings in the form of primary and secondary articles, reserve readings and supporting references for lab work will be made available as we need them.

You are required to develop a written record of your ongoing work in the course. This effort is to include preparation of a Bauplan for each phylum studied and response to selected questions posed by you, class members, or instructor. I am thinking that 6 detailed studies of this sort will be required for completion and a top score. You are asked to write/draw only on the right hand page (left page consistently if you are left handed and want to use the left page). The facing page not immediately used will be used later for instructor comments, your further reflections and response from fellow students. Some examples of past work will be available.

Here is an outline of Gary's conception of how to use an active and investigative approach to learning about the biology of invertebrates. Required will be a presentation of your discovery and explication of a Bauplan for each of the phyla chosen for study (some assigned and some optional).

The presentation of each Bauplan should include both text and drawings that you prepare; remember to make those records only on the right hand page (or left if you are left handed) of paired sheets in the designated 3-ring binder. Use plain paper and pencil or sometimes fiber tip pens for drawings. Notes can be made with a ball point pen but a fine point pencil or mechanical pencil with medium lead is a better tool. No drawings with ball point please. Include prints obtained from computer imaging where useful.

Each presentation should be organized to include information about all the main features of each Bauplan. We will work out what to include during laboratory sessions. TA Jon can help you with some suggestions and examples from past work in the course.

I also ask you to practice the habit of evaluating the status of any ideas, explainations, or other form of information about each Bauplan and additional notes and observations. By so doing we will all develop a more critical view and deeper understanding of scientific thinking. Mainly what I am thinking here is that is important to distinguish between supposition, observation of another person, observations of your own, hypothesis, a question, guessing, experimental evidence, theory, opinion, text book "facts", your opinion, a class mates opinion , that of a published author or that of an instructor etc. Sources of any information or observations should be clearly indicated by the manner in which you prepare narrative, documentation, or make use of a brief citation. The reader should not have to guess where the findings you present are coming from. Develop some simple and clear code for this purpose and then make notations in the margin of your notes to be included in your notebook. Word choice can also be used to indicate status and ownership of data and ideas. For example, your own direct observations are highly valued in the context here and you can so indicate by writing or speaking in the first person.

Periodically you will be asked to have a fellow student respond to your presentations by writing comments on the required blank pages. Gary and Jon will, from time to time, also provide written feed back on those same blank pages. Jon will be in charge of coordinating this effort.

I see my role to serve as a guide, and facilitator for the preparation of each Bauplan. I will provide assistance in a variety of ways including helping you find examples, finding resources, giving advice, written evaluation, demonstrating techniques, and making demonstrations.

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Last modified: December 13, 2000
Questions? gwagenba@carleton.edu