Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Fall 2024
Welcome to Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy. The course is a combination of 3 hours per week of online lecture, plus 3 hours per week of lab held virtually and 3 hours per week of lab in person in Science 2085.
University Catalog Description
BIO 3220-5 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (3+6)
Prerequisite: BIO 1080/1090 and BIO 1081/1091
A comprehensive study is made of the evolution of structure and function of vertebrates. The laboratory portion of the course is emphasized and will consist of detailed virtual dissections of vertebrates representing several classes.
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:
1. Comparative Anatomy Manual, of Vertebrate Dissection, 3rd Edition, Fishbeck & Sebastiani, Morton Publishing Company, 2015. ISBN for used copy is 978-1-61731-042-3, or; ISBN to purchase e-text through https://tophat.com/catalog/ is 9781640435254 for about $75. (bring lab manual to lab each week)
2.Hays Website Materials: sites.msudenver.edu/haysc |
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Optional Course Materials:
- Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates, 9th Edition, by Kent and Carr. ISBN for text is 13: 9781308799308.
- Free Resource: Swislosky, E. & Roosa, K. (2017). Atlas of Comparative Anatomy. Lumen Learning. https://louis.oercommons.org/courses/atlas-of-comparative-vertebrate-anatomy/view
Research and Citation Information
Purdue Owl: APA Style Introduction
Participation Policy
MSU Denver has a new Mandatory Participation Policy for all students. Any student who has not participated in this course by September 4, at noon, will be administratively dropped from the course by the Registrar’s Office. Participation for this course means logging into the course on Canvas or signing the attendance sheet in lab.
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College of Letters Arts and Sciences Policies
Schedule of Activities
Week/Day | Lecture | Lab | Reading |
Week 1 (8/19-25) | Intro, Vertebrate Characteristics, Vertebrate Classes | 8/19-Overview in Person
Virtual-Prochordate, Lamprey, Integument |
Kent: Ch 1 and 2
Lab Manual: Ch 3, 4, 14 |
Week 2 (8/26-9/1) | Vertebrate Classes, Early Development | 8/26-Cat Skull in Person
Virtual-Fish Skulls |
Kent: Ch 3 and 4
Lab Manual: Ch 16, 24, 53 |
Week 3 (9/3-8) | Early Development and Integument (Integument not on Quiz 1)
Quiz 1 (by 9/8 at 11:59 pm) |
9/2-Labor Day No Lab
Virtual-Amphibian & Reptile Skulls |
Kent: Ch 5 and 6
Lab Manual: Ch 26 |
Week 4 (9/9-15) | Integument, Intro to Skeleton | 9/9-Cat Trunk in Person
Virtual -Trunks & Appendicular Skeletons |
Lab Manual: Ch 16, 26, 44, 53 |
Week 5 (9/16-22) | Vertebrae, Ribs, Sternum, Neurocranium
Quiz 2 (by 9/22 at 11:59 pm) |
9/16- Cat Appendicular Skeleton in Person
Lab Exam 1-Cat Skeleton- on Canvas (by 9/22 at 11:59 pm)
Virtual – Lab Assn 1 (by 9/22 at 11:59 pm) |
Lab Manual: Ch 53 |
Week 6 (9/23-29) | Head Skeleton | 9/23-Cat Muscles in Person
Virtual – Shark Muscles |
Kent: Ch 9
Lab Manual: Ch 17, 54 |
Week 7 (9/30-10/6) | Head and Appendicular Skeleton | 9/30-Cat Muscles in Person
Virtual – Necturus Muscles |
Kent: Ch 10
Lab Manual: Ch 27, 54 |
Week 8 (10/7-13) | Appendicular Skeleton and Muscle (Muscle not on Quiz 3)
Quiz 3 (by 10/13 at 11:59 pm) |
10/7-Cat Muscles in Person
Virtual – Digestive and Respiratory- Shark and Necturus |
Lab Manual: Ch 18, 19, 28, 29, 54 |
Week 9 (10/14-20) | Muscle and Midterm (through skeleton by 10/20 at 11:59 pm) | 10/14- Digestive and Respiratory in Cat
Lab Exam 2 – Cat Muscles, Dig, Resp-on Canvas (by 10/20 at 11:59 pm)
Virtual – Lab Assn 2 (by 10/20 at 11:59 pm) |
Kent: Ch 11
Lab Manual: 55 and 56 |
Week 10 (10/21-27) | Muscles and Digestive System | 10/21 – Sheep Heart in Person
Virtual -Shark Circulation |
Kent: Ch 12
Lab Manual: Ch 21 and 58 |
Week 11 (10/28-11/3) | Digestive and Respiratory Systems (Respiratory not on Quiz 4)
Quiz 4 (by 11/3 at 11:59 pm) |
10/28-Cat Vessels in Person
Virtual – Shark Circulation |
Kent: Ch 13
Lab Manual: Ch 21 and 58 |
Week 12 (11/4-10) | Respiratory and Circulatory Systems | 11/4- Cat Vessels in Person
Virtual -Squalus Urogenital |
Kent: Ch 14
Lab Manual: Ch 20 and 58
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Week 13 (11/11-17) | Circulatory System
Quiz 5 (by 11/17 at 11:59 pm) |
11/11-Cat Urogenital in Person
Virtual -Necturus Urogenital |
Lab Manual: Ch 30 and 57 |
Week 14 (11/18-24) | Urinary and Reproductive Systems | 11/18 Sheep Brain in Person
Virtual – Shark Brain |
Kent: Ch 15
Lab Manual: 22, 59 |
Week 15 (12/2-8) | Nervous System
Quiz 6 (by 12/8 at 11:59 pm) |
12/2 Cat Nerves in Person
Lab Exam 3 – Cat or Sheep Circ, Urogenital, Nervous-on Canvas (by 12/8 at 11:59 pm)
Virtual – Lab Assn 3 (by 12/8 at 11:59 pm) |
Kent: Ch 16
Lab Manual: 59 |
Week 16 12/9-14) | Final Exam (muscles through nervous by Saturday12/14 at 11:59 pm) |
General Course Overview
Course Format
All portions of this course are online through Canvas and links to the Hays homepage. You will get behind quickly if you do not follow the weekly schedule. While many parts of the course are asynchronous, there are specific due dates for the quizzes, exams, and the 3 lab assignments.
Course Outlines and Learning Objectives
IMPORTANT LINKS for Lecture: The Hays website contains detailed outlines, learning objectives, PowerPoint slides and pre-recorded lectures. (Outlines, Learning Objectives, Recorded Lectures, and PowerPoint Slides all contain the same information, so choose a format that works best for you; you don’t have to look at all four formats.)
https://sites.msudenver.edu/haysc/biology-courses/comparative-vertebrate-anatomy-bio-3220/.
IMPORTANT LINKS for Lab: Lab Schedule and Lab Objectives
Instructor Information: Dr. Clare Hays. Office SI 2032; Phone 303-615-0777; [email protected]
Office hours are 7:30-12:30 Mondays for Teams meetings, in person meetings, email or phone calls.
EXAMS, ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES:
Assignment/Assessment | Points |
Quiz 1 | 100 |
Quiz 2 | 100 |
Quiz 3 | 100 |
Quiz 4 | 100 |
Quiz 5 | 100 |
Quiz 6 | 100 |
Midterm (Intro-Appendicular Skeleton) | 250 |
Final Exam (Muscles-Nervous) | 250 |
Lab Assignment One | 225 |
Lab Assignment Two | 225 |
Lab Assignment Three | 225 |
Lab Exam One – Mammal | 100 |
Lab Exam Two – Mammal | 100 |
Lab Exam Three – Mammal | 100 |
Lab Attendance | 140 |
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: | 2215 |
Each of these requirements is described in more detail below in the Types of Assessments/Assignments section.
Late Work Policy:
All Late Work (quizzes, exams, and lab assignments) has an automatic 10% deduction per day late. No late work is accepted once the semester ends on Dec 14.
Extra Credit Information:
You may earn up to 10 extra credit points for viewing the introductory recording and completing the corresponding quiz questions (Student Feedback Survey) that are based on the recording. The recording is found under Announcements and the Overview Module (read me first). This survey is graded by me, not the computer and may be found by clicking on Quizzes or Assignments and is due by August 31 at 11:59 pm.
Grading Scale: The total number of points possible for the course is 2215. Letter grades will be assigned on a percentage basis, as follows:
A | 1993-2215 |
B | 1772-1992 |
C | 1550-1771 |
D | 1329-1549 |
F | Fewer than 1329 |
Criteria for Evaluation
Scores on quizzes, midterm, final, lab exams, and lab assignments. Attendance for on-campus labs is taken.
Types of Assessments/Assignments
LECTURE Quizzes and Exams:
There will be 6 quizzes each worth 100 points (600 total). Each quiz has 50 multiple choice, matching, true/false, ordering, fill in the blank questions, worth 2 points each. Fill in the blank answers must be spelled correctly. These are open-note, open-book exams. However, you may not collaborate with your classmates. You can access the exams through Canvas. You can find them on the “quizzes” or “assignments” link, or through the modules, or the “calendar” link on Canvas. You will have 1 hour to complete each quiz but only one chance to complete it. Online tests open at 12 a.m. Mondays and close at 11:59 p.m. on the date listed above (Mondays-Sundays). Late online exams will have an automatic deduction of 10 percent per day late. When you are ready to take the quiz, click on the quiz link, read the instructions, and then begin. After you have answered all of the questions, click “Submit” at the bottom. You will see your score immediately. At any time, click on the “Grades” icon on the left menu of Canvas to see your gradebook for this course.
There will be an online comprehensive midterm and final each worth 250 points (500 total). These are open-note, open-book tests, but you may not collaborate with your classmates. These exams consist of old (taken from prior quizzes) and new questions in the format of multiple choice, matching, true/false, ordering, fill in the blank questions, with each of the 125 questions being worth 2 points. Fill in the blank answers must be spelled correctly. The exams are taken through Canvas. The midterm covers the first half of the course through the skeleton. The final covers the second half of the course, from muscular system through the nervous system. Online midterm and final open at 12 a.m. on the previous Monday and close at 11:59 p.m. on the date listed. The midterm must be taken by Sunday October 20 and the final must be taken by Saturday December 14 (since the semester ends that day). You will have 2 hours to complete the exams. Late online exams will have an automatic deduction of 10 percent per day late. You can access the exams through the “quizzes” link, the “assignments” link, through modules, or the “calendar” link on Canvas. After you have answered all of the questions, click “Submit” at the bottom. You will see your score immediately. At any time, click on the “Grades” icon on the left menu of Canvas to see your gradebook for this course.
LABORATORY Assignments, Attendance and Exams:
LABORATORY ASSIGNMENTS:
There will be 3 lab assignments which consist of answering laboratory objectives plus labeling and coloring pictures. The assignments cover the virtual aspects of lab, which includes all species in the lab objectives except the cat and sheep. Each lab assignment is worth 225 points, for a total of 675 points. The assignment consists of some chapter objective questions that you are to answer as well as coloring and labeling illustrations. A grading rubric is included in the lab objectives for the overall assignment and format, as well as instructions for labeling and coloring. Refer to your laboratory objectives for a list of specific structures and specific questions, as well as due dates, which are always on a Sunday at 11:59 pm. Any assignment turned in late will have a deduction of 10 percent per day late. You may assemble your lab assignments by inserting scanned images of your drawings into your final document, or inserting pictures that you took with your phone and sent to your computer, into one final document. Turn in your assignment by clicking the “Start Assignment” on Canvas for each assignment. You may find the appropriate assignment on Canvas through the Modules, the Assignment link or the Calendar link. Then, you have the option to upload a file from your computer. Once it is uploaded, click “Submit Assignment.”
View my sample lab assignment closely before starting on your lab assignments.
– Fish illustration to color and label for sample assignment
– Human illustrations to color and label for sample assignment
Completed Sample Laboratory Assignment for BIO 3220
LABORATORY EXAMS:
There will be 3 lab exams covering the in-person portions of lab on the cat and sheep structures. The exams are limited to only the structures on your Laboratory Objectives page from the in-person Monday labs. Each exam consists of identification questions taken online on Canvas. Each exam is 50 questions at two points each for 100 points total. Fill in the blank answers must be spelled correctly and should be in lower case letters. You do not need to indicate right or left unless it is a heart chamber. These are open-note, open-book exams. However, you may not collaborate with your classmates. You can access the exams through the “quizzes” or “assignments” link, or through the modules, or the “calendar” link on Canvas. You will have 90 minutes to complete each quiz but only one chance to complete it. Online lab tests open at 12 a.m. Mondays and close at 11:59 p.m. on the date listed above (Mondays-Sundays). Late online exams will have an automatic deduction of 10 percent per day late. When you are ready to take the quiz, click on the quiz link, read the instructions, and then begin. After you have answered all of the questions, click “Submit” at the bottom. You will see your score immediately. At any time, click on the “Grades” icon on the left menu of Canvas to see your gradebook for this course. There is a practice lab test worth zero points on Canvas so that you may check out the format and take as many times as you wish. This would be a good time to check if your computer needs to have the “auto capitalize” turned off.
LABORATORY ATTENDANCE:
You receive attendance points for coming to the Monday labs, provided you are not more than 20 minutes late. It is your responsibility to make sure your name is marked on the attendance sheet. Note that there is one lab session grace period if you miss a lab. Points will be distributed as follows:
Attending 13-14 labs: 140 points
Attending 11-12 labs: 120 points
Attending 9-10 labs: 100 points
Attending 7-8 labs: 80 points
Attending 5-6 labs: 60 points
Attending 3-4 labs: 40 points
Attending 1-2 labs: 20 points
Attending no labs: 0 points