Section 001 • CRN 43014 • Mon/Wed/Fri 4:30 – 5:20 • Old Main 115

Instructor Dr. Nanda Grow T.A. Alycia Beckstrand Office Old Main 245H Email alyciamikhail@aggiemail.usu.edu

Office Hours Mon 1-3pm & by appt Office Hours Mon 3:30-4:20 & Wed 9:30-10:20 Email nanda.grow@usu.edu

Phone (435) 797-9845 Course Description Biological anthropology is a subfield of anthropology that explores the biology, anatomy, and behavior of humans and non-human primate species within an evolutionary context. The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the questions that biological (physical) anthropologists ask about human evolution and adaptation, and the methods they employ to answer these questions. This course covers the principles of evolution and human biology, providing the basis to survey the fossil and genetic evidence for the evolution of our lineage. We will examine how the complex interactions between biology, ecology, behavior, and culture continue to influence modern human variation. Course Objectives The primary objective of this course is to develop each student’s awareness of how we, as humans, fit into the natural world around us. Upon completion, students should have a broad understanding of how evolution works, especially with regards to the history of humans and our ancestors. Learning Outcomes At the end of this course, students will…

1. Be familiar with the methods and scientific theories that biological anthropologists use when conducting research.

2. Develop recognition of and respect for human differences. 3. Understand the basic mechanisms and forces of evolution. 4. Be able to use critical reading and writing skills to assess ideas in biological

anthropology. 5. Develop the ability to discuss, explain, and critically evaluate scientific evidence for the

evolution of humans, their ancestors, and their relatives. 6. Be able to identify the links between biology, ecology, and behavior in living and extinct

primate species. 7. Identify anatomical and behavioral evidence for human evolution and cultural change.

Required Texts

1. Our Origins: Discovering Physical Anthropology, 3rd Ed. 2014 Clark Spencer Larsen ISBN: 978-0393921434

2. Assigned readings on Canvas Come prepared to all lectures (i.e. do the assigned reading before coming to class). • Canvas Course Website: https://usu.instructure.com/courses/417303 Check the website regularly for updates, course announcements, schedule changes, and newly uploaded materials.

ANTH 1020 Biological Anthropology

Fall 2016

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Grading and Course Requirements

Exam grades may be curved at the discretion of your instructor, but will not be rounded (e.g. an 89.9% will not become a 90%). Final letter grades may be based on whole number rounding. • Exams: There will be three equally weighted exams, each of which is worth 20% of your final grade (60% total; 100 points each). Exams are generally not cumulative and will include information from lectures, readings, and films covered since the previous exam. However, understanding some concepts may depend on those learned earlier in the semester. Each exam will consist of some combination of multiple choice, matching and fill-in-the-black questions. A study guide will be provided prior to each exam. The absence of a term/concept from the study guide does not preclude it from being included in the exam, nor does presence in the list guarantee it will be on the exam. • Writing Assignment: One 3-page article review essay is worth 20% of your final grade (100 points total). Refer to the assignment sheet for a detailed description. The article review combines library research and critical thinking. • Short Assignments: Short assignments are worth 10% of your final grade (50 points total; 5 worth 10 points each). These assignments will be handed out in class and either completed during class time or turned in the following class day as homework. The due date for all assignments is the following class day. Students who are absent on days that assignments are handed out may still turn in the assignment on the due date, and assignments will be posted to Canvas. • Attendance: Attendance and class participation will count for 10% of your final grade (50 points). Forms of attendance will include: (1) completion of in-class activities and (2) roll call via a sign-in sheet. Worksheets completed as attendance are separate from short assignments. While attending class, students are strongly encouraged to actively participate in classroom discussions. Days that attendance will be taken are random. The point value of each class day will depend on the total number of days that attendance is taken. Attendance will be updated in Canvas weekly so that you may keep track of your current grade. • Extra Credit: You should focus your attention on learning the coursework rather than seeking extra credit opportunities. One extra credit assignment will be given, not to exceed a maximum of 20 extra points possible. The assignment will entail the creation of a biological anthropology study aid and the presentation of it to our class (details will be provided in a separate handout). Attendance and Class Participation Regular attendance is crucial to success in this course. The only acceptable excuses for missing class are medical or family reasons, and those listed in the USU Code of Policies and Procedures for students. Students are responsible for notifying Dr. Grow of absences and for keeping up with missed material.

Points % of Final Grade Exam 1 100 20 Exam 2 100 20 Exam 3 (final) 100 20 Article Review 100 20 Assignments 50 10 Attendance 50 10 Total 500 100% A: 100-93% A-:92-90% B+: 89-87% B: 86-83% B-:82-

80% C+: 79-77% C: 76-73% C-:72-70% D+: 69-67% D: 66-60% F: below 60%

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• Assignment Late Policy: No late work will be accepted without proof of an excused absence on the due date. Students who fail to turn in an assignment without a legitimate excuse will receive zero credit for that assignment. Students should report in advance all planned excused absences. • Make-up Exam Policy: Make-up exams will not be offered unless you have a valid excuse. Students who miss a scheduled exam due to a university excusable absence must provide documentation within one week of the absence and schedule a makeup exam. Students who miss an exam without a legitimate excuse will receive zero credit for that exam. It is your responsibility to contact Dr. Grow as soon as possible to schedule a time to take the exam.

Academic Integrity Statements • Plagiarism Statement: Plagiarism consists of passing off someone else’s ideas, words, or writing as your own. You are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you have the permission of that person. For more information about plagiarism and USU policies, please consult the USU Code of Policies and Procedures for Students, Article VI. • Copyright Statement: All materials and handouts used in this course are copyrighted. These materials include, but are not limited to: syllabi, lecture slides, in-class handouts, exams, lab problems, review sheets, and problem sets. Because these materials are copyrighted, you do not have the right to copy or distribute the handouts without expressly granted permission. • Academic Dishonesty Policy: Academic dishonesty comprises the unauthorized distribution of information, cheating, and/or plagiarism. The USU Honor Pledge states: “I pledge, on my honor, to conduct myself with the foremost level of academic integrity.” Evidence of cheating or plagiarism on any exam, assignment, or paper may result in a failing grade. Academic dishonesty is never tolerated, and offending students will be reported to the university for further possible disciplinary proceedings at the discretion of department, college, and Dean including probation, suspension, expulsion, withholding of transcripts, and denial or revocation of degrees. • Privacy Statement: In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), it is the policy of the Department of Sociology, Social Work, & Anthropology at Utah State University to maintain the confidentiality of students’ records. • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you have a disability requiring accommodation, please contact the university. Alternate format materials are available with advanced notice. All accommodations are coordinated through the Disability Resource Center (DRC), University Inn Room 101 (797-2444 voice, 797-0740 TTY). Please contact the DRC as early in the semester as possible. • USU Classroom Civility Policy: Utah State University respects the rights of faculty to teach and students to learn. Maintenance of these rights requires classroom conditions that do not impede the learning process. Disruptive classroom behavior will not be tolerated. An individual engaging in such behavior may be subject to disciplinary action.

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• Statement of Non-Discrimination: Utah State University has a Zero Tolerance Policy with regard to discrimination of any kind: “In accordance with established laws, the University prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran’s status. In addition, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression is also prohibited.” This classroom is an environment where harassment and other forms of discrimination are not tolerated. How to Succeed in this Course • Be on time. Do not disrupt the class with your tardiness. • Write it down (physically, with an actual writing tool)! Take detailed lecture notes and review

them on a regular basis. Do not rely on posted slides for all your information. • Come to class prepared. Read and think about the topic beforehand, and be ready to

discuss the readings/ask questions. • Participate in class discussions. Be an active listener. • Focus. Turn off your phone. If you use your laptop to take notes, do not surf the web,

check social media, do homework for other courses, etc. during this class. Don’t try to eat a double helping of meatloaf during class.

• Come to office hours with any questions you still have. • Become best friends with your TA. Questions? Questions about the assigned readings or the material presented in lecture can be answered in-class, during office hours, or via email.

Please put the course name or number in the subject line for all email correspondence, use complete sentences, and sign with your full name.

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Schedule of Lectures and Reading Assignments

Non-textbook readings are available on Canvas. All readings should be completed before the class for which each is assigned. Additional readings may be assigned in-class or through the course website; check regularly for any additional readings! ** Schedule is subject to modification. Assignment dates/topics are subject to change. Week Date Lecture Topic Readings 1 M 8/29 Course overview

W 8/31 Introduction to Anthropology; What is Physical Anthropology?

Larsen Ch. 1

F 9/2 Scientific method; History of evolutionary thought

Larsen Ch. 2 (pp. 21-35)

2 M 9/5 NO CLASS – LABOR DAY W 9/7 Darwin’s contributions

Larsen Ch. 2 (pp. 35-51)

F 9/9 Principles of evolution Larsen Ch. 2 and 4 (skim over; we will come back to Ch. 4)

3 M 9/12

Intro to DNA; Genotype vs. phenotype; Mendelian inheritance

Larsen Ch. 2 (pp. 45-51) and Ch. 3 Things genes can't do: Weiss & Buchanan 2012 or via web: http://aeon.co/magazine/science/kenneth-weiss-anne-buchanan-genetics/

W 9/14 Mendelian genetics continued; Blood type example Assignment #1: Punnett Squares

Larsen Ch. 3 & 4 Miko 2008

F 9/16 Population genetics and natural selection in humans; Hardy-Weinberg Assignment #2: Evolution

Larsen Ch. 5

4 M 9/19 Human variation and adaptation; Race Race discussions Assignment #3: What is race?

Diamond 1994

W 9/21 Film: Understanding Race Relethford 2009 F 9/23 Exam review

5 M 9/26 JJ EXAM 1 JJ Bring a scantron

W 9/28 Intro to Primates; what defines a primate?

Larsen Ch. 6 (pp. 156-172)

F 9/30 Why do we study non-human primates? Review paper guidelines

Morgan 2012

6 M 10/3 Primate phylogeny & taxonomy Larsen Ch. 6 (pp. 172-180) W 10/5 Living Primates: Prosimians &

Anthropoids Larsen Ch. 6 (pp. 180-191)

F 10/7 Film: Life in the Trees Assignment #4: Video worksheet Living

7 M 10/10 Primates: Great apes Larsen Ch. 7 (pp.192-213) W 10/12 Catch up; Group activity

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F 10/13

Fossil evidence for human evolution; dating methods

Larsen Ch. 8 Su 2012

8 M 10/17 The Origin of Primates; Primate evolution: Paleocene to Miocene

Larsen Ch. 9

W 10/19 Film: Discovering Ardi

Th 10/20 *Attend Friday class schedule today Finish video; exam review

F 10/21 NO CLASS – Fall Break

9 M 10/24 JJ EXAM 2 JJ Bring a scantron

W 10/26 Hominin origins; Becoming Bipedal Larsen Ch.10 (pp. 286-310) F 10/28 Intro to Australopithecines

Happy Halloween! Larsen Ch. 10 (pp. 310-327)

10 M 10/31 Emergence of Genus Homo; Homo habilis

Larsen Ch. 11 (pp. 328‐342)

W 11/2 Homo erectus and the dispersal of Homo

Larsen Ch. 11 (pp. 343-361)

F 11/4 Middle Pleistocene Homo, material culture

Larsen Ch. 11 (pp. 348-361)

11 M 11/7 Neandertals vs. Modern Humans: What is Modernity?

Larsen Ch. 12 (pp. 362-381) Havarti 2012

W 11/9 Neandertal biology and behavior Larsen Ch. 12 (pp. 381-388) F 11/11 Film: Decoding Neanderthals

Assignment #5: Video worksheet

12 M 11/14 Anatomically Modern Human Origins Larsen Ch. 12 (pp. 388-415)

W 11/16 Peopling of the world guest lecture (?) F 11/18 Review Paper DUE

Catch up & group activity

13 M 11/21 CLASS CANCELED W 11/23

NO CLASS THANKSGIVING BREAK

F 11/25

14 M 11/28 Agricultural Revolution Larsen Ch. 13 (pp. 416-433) W 11/30 Agriculture and Bioarchaeology Larsen Ch. 13 (pp. 434-454) F 12/2 Extra Credit Presentations

15 M 12/5

Applying biological anthropology: Forensics

Sauer 1992

W 12/7 Biocultural evolution Larsen Ch. 14 F 12/9 Last Day - Exam Review

16 M 12/12 No Class W 12/14 JJ FINAL EXAM JJ

3:30-5:20 PM