UNIVERSITY OF GUAM

COURSE OUTLINE

Course Number: BI 303 COLLEGE/UNIT: College of Arts & Sciences

Division of Natural Sciences

Course Title: Animal Diversity CREDIT HOURS 4

Date of Final Approval: Semester Offered: SP/Odd Years

Course Counts As: General Education Requirement

X Part of Biology Major

Elective

1. CATALOG DESCRIPTION

This course is a phylogenetic survey of the animal Protista and Animalia with emphasis on structure and function of major phyla. It includes three hours of lecture weekly. The Lab, BI 303L, MUST be taken concurrently.

Prerequisite: BI 157/157L and BI 158/158L or equivalent.

Corequisite: BI 303L

2. COURSE CONTENT

Taxonomy, phylogeny, morphology and physiology of animal-type protists and members of the animal kingdom. Lab permits detailed examination of selected species.

3. RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE

Biology majors can utilize information about animals, especially within a framework of evolutional history and relationships, and structure as it relates to function.

4. SKILLS AND BACKGROUND REQUIRED OR EXPECTED

BI 157/157L and BI 158/158L or equivalent

5. TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND ANTICIPATED CLASS SIZE

Lecture sessions are taught by lecturing; student recall and review are encouraged by questioning. Lab sessions involve examination of representative organisms using microscopes and dissection techniques. Course is taught every other year, so about 18-20 students are usual.

6. ADDITIONAL COURSE DESCRIPTORS

None.

7. LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR STUDENTS

· Students practice with concepts of evolution using animals as models.

· Students practice techniques of microscopy and dissection.

· Students study phylogeny using examples from the animal kingdom.

· Students develop more understanding or organism morphology, animal physiology, and animal behavior.

· Students continue to add to the basic knowledge of scientific information, which is the foundation for later understanding of relationships and processes.

8. METHODS OF EVALUATION

· Students take written tests in lecture.

· Students take practical examinations in laboratory.

· During some semesters students have presented papers, but this has not been done every semester.

9. REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR STUDY GUIDES

Margulis, Lynn, K. V. Schwartz, The Five Kingdoms, latest edition, W. H. Freeman & Co.

10. SUBSEQUENT COURSES

Knowledge gained in a science course makes any subsequent science course easier. This is a course particularly appropriate for further work in Animal Behavior, Evolution, Ecology, Invertebrate Zoology, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, etc.