Fall, 2006 Dr. Elizabeth M.

Salter
Tues. & Thurs. 10 AM - 11:15 PM Office Address: GR 2.244
Phone: 972 - 883-2484
Room GR2.530 School of General Studies
Email:emsalter@utdallas.edu

ISGS 4305 - 001*

HUMANS: OUR PLACE IN NATURE

*This course will meet a 3 hours science (non lab) General Education requirement
for all students except for majors in the School of Natural Sciences and
Mathematics.

We have changed dramatically over the past four million years. We are still
biological organisms adapting to environmental change. Early human skeletal remains
demonstrate that initially our bodies under went great changes. After the Homo erectus
grade, biological changes were eclipsed by cultural changes, which allowed human
expansion over the face of the earth.

Learning Objectives: 1. Students will understand the biological and cultural similarities
between ourselves and our closest primate relatives. In doing this, students will learn
scientific research methods by conducting scientific research at both the library and field
level.
3. Students will understand the underlying biological principles responsible for modern
human variation.
3. Students will understand the theoretical and scientific basis of human evolution
Outcome measures: 1. Students will conduct library research on a non human primate.
2. Students will observe and record the behavior of a zoo primate of their choice.
3. They will then analyze and evaluate the differences between wild and captive behavior to
create a model to explain the behaviors they observed and write a ten page paper to
explain these.
4 In three quizzes worth ten marks each, the students will know and explain differences
between the various stages of human evolution by evaluating the biological and cultural
evidence presented in class.
5. In the final examination, the students will be given a broad question that requires them to
analyze and evaluate some aspect of human change from the material presented during
class and from the assigned readings. This question will be answered as the 10 page final
examination.

Prerequisites:
None

Required Texts:
1.Human Evolution and Prehistory first edition
Haviland, Crawford, and Fedorak (ISBN 017641894)
2. Annual Editions:Physical Anthropology 06/07
3. Hominid Fossils (CD ROM) by James Ahern

Method of Evaluation:
Primate Assignment 30%
3 quizzes (10 marks 3each) 30%
Final Essay take home exam 30%
Attendance/participation* 10%
 *Students who are absent for three or more classes will lose a letter grade on their final
total grade. e.g. An earned grade of B+ will be lowered to a C+.

ISGS 4305 2006 Detailed Outline**

HUMANS: OUR PLACE IN NATURE
Haviland Annual Reviews
Chapters
8 17 INTRODUCTION
8 22 MODERN PRIMATES
8 24 EARLY PRIMATES
8 29 PRIMATE COMMUNITY/ECOLOGY
8 31 PRIMATE VIDEO - PEOPLE OF THE FOREST
9 5 PRIMATE CONSERVATION
9 7 EVOLUTIONARY THEORY
9 12 HEREDITY AND EVOLUTION
9 14 MICRO/MACRO EVOLUTION PRIMATE ASSIGN
9 19 SKELETAL BIOLOGY
9 21 AGE AND SEX DETERMINATION
9 26 EXCAVATION TECHNIQUES
9 28 HOMINOIDS (APES & HUMANS)
10 3 HOMINOID BEHAVIOR
10 5 AUSTRALOPITHECINES Quiz 1
10 10 EARLY HOMO/PRIMATE REPORT DUE
10 12 HOMO erectus
10 17 HOMO sapiens neanderthalensis Quiz 2
10 19 HOMO sapiens
10 24 HUMAN BEHAVIOR & EVOLUTION
10 26 ORIGINS OF DOMESTICATION Quiz 3
10 31 URBAN ORIGINS
11 2 NEW WORLD ORIGINS/Cahokia
11 7 HUMAN VARIATION to altitude
11 9 HUMAN VARIATION to cold
11 14 HUMAN GROWTH AND ADAPTATION
11 16 APPLIED BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
11 21 BLACK DEATH VIDEO
11 23 Thanksgiving Day – no class
11 M27 FINAL EXAMINATION- due by noon FINAL EXAMINATION

** I do not have copies of the texts yet, but will fill in reading assignments before the first day of
class
There is no make up work/additional work allowed in this class to improve a grade. In case of documented
illness, make-up work or an exam is allowed.

Students must submit their papers by the due date unless an extension has been granted prior to the due
date. I reserve the right to refuse to accept a paper after the due date.

Cell Phones are to be turned off during class time. Ringing phones will lead to a loss of an attendance point for that day

All assignments and the final exam must be submitted in written form to me and must also be submitted
to Turnitin.com – a plagiarism detection service. I do not accept on line submissions by email.
For more information on scholastic dishonesty see the following web page:
http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/dishonesty.html
Plagiarism/Cheating/ Academic Dishonesty, will not be tolerated. Please see UTD
Web Page under Scholastic Dishonesty for further information. It will result in a grade of 0
for the assignment involved, and the notification of the Dean of Students for further
appropriate disciplinary action. (You will not be allowed to withdraw from the course
if plagiarism is detected.)

Students who need special accommodations for note taking or test taking must contact
the Office of Disability Services in the Student Union, before any accommodation can
be provided.

Effective fall 2004, students will only be allowed to correspond with UTD Faculty and Staff using their UTD email
accounts. Students may go to http://netid.utdallas.edu to establish or maintain their official UTD computer account