Los Angeles Harbor College
Anthropology 111 Spring 2016
Lab in Biological Anthropology
Dr. Sasha David
davidae@lahc.edu
Section 0106: Mondays and Wednesdays 11:10 – 12:35 PM
Office Hours: Mondays – Thursdays 1-3 PM
Office Phone and Location: (310) 233-4577; NEA 157
Los Angeles Harbor College Mission Statement:
Los Angeles Harbor College promotes access and student success through associate and transfer
degrees, certificates, economic and workforce development, and basic skills instruction. Our
educational programs and support services meet the needs of diverse communities as measured by
campus institutional learning outcomes.
Course Description: This course will enable students to apply key concepts and techniques in
physical anthropology. Through the understanding and use of scientific methodology, students will
experience how to solve problems related to genetics, human variation, the living primates, and
human paleontology.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Describe the scientific method and be able to show how the scientific method is used in the
context of problem-solving.
2. Collect, organize, and interpret data and information and arrive at reasonable conclusions.
3. Students will apply critical thinking to investigate and interpret the influences of heredity and
environment upon human beings.
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of why race is an unsound biological category,
yet real on a social level.
5. Students will learn how to distinguish between sound and unsound scientific methods and
gain a sense of the historical misuse of racial science.
Assigned readings for the course:
Soluri, K.E. and Agarwal, S. 2016. Laboratory Manual and Workbook for Biological Anthropology: Engaging
with Human Evolution. New York: Norton. ISBN: 978-0-393-91291-3.
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Prerequisite for this class: Anthro 101 is the prerequisite for this class. It needs to have already been
completed, with a grade of C or higher, in order for you to take 111. Even if the enrollment system
allows you to enroll in 101 and 111 at the same time, you cannot do so according to course policies.
***
COURSE WORK:
In this class, we will learn through hands-on activities:
Lab Activities: You will need your lab manual for the activities that we do in class, so make sure to
always bring it with you.
Group Presentations: You and your assigned group members will be asked to present a chapter
from the textbook. Your presentation should only cover the reading portion of the lab that you are
assigned. Presentations should last 30 minutes and include a PowerPoint summary of the reading,
and any applicable YouTube clips and other web content that you find. Note that Prezi does not
work on the classroom computer. If your presentation lasts longer than 30 minutes, it will be
stopped before it is finished.
As the exams for the class cover the presentations, your group is expected to email me five
multiple choice questions (total) based on your presentation, which will be used for the Midterm
and/or Final Exam. Your multiple choice questions are due to me on the day of your
presentation and they need to have the answers included. One point will be deducted from
your final grade for the class for every day that you are late in emailing the questions and
answers.
Pop Quizzes: On certain days, there may be a pop quiz at the end of class, to check to make sure
you were paying attention. The pop quiz will only cover that day’s activity and you will be allowed to
use any notes you have taken. Any failed pop quiz will result in 1 point deducted from your final
grade for the course.
Reading Quizzes: These quizzes will assess your mastery of the reading material in the assigned lab
for that day. See below for Reading Quiz dates and the chapters they will cover. These quizzes
consist of five True/False questions. Make sure you study the reading in depth for these quizzes.
Midterm and Final Exam: These exams will exclusively cover the material that has been presented by
the group presentations. The Midterm covers every group presentation up to the date of the test.
The Final Exam is cumulative and covers every group presentation throughout the course.
Therefore, make sure to take good notes during the presentations. There will be review sessions for
each exam in which you will receive a review sheet to help you study. Both of these exams will be
entirely multiple choice.
***
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GRADING FOR THE COURSE:
Reading Quizzes: Sixteen quizzes worth a total of 25% of your final grade total; each quiz is worth
approximately 1.5% of your final grade for the course.
Group Presentation: Worth 25% of your final grade for the course.
Midterm Exam: Worth 25% of your final grade for the course.
Final Exam: Worth 25% of your final grade for the course.
Pop Quizzes: One point deducted from your final grade for the course for each failed quiz.
Extra Credit: Ten points will be added to your final grade for the course based upon successful
completion of the course Service Learning. (For example, a final grade of 75/C will become 85/B
with the extra credit.) There will be no other extra credit offered for this course. Service
Learning is taught by Prof. Lori Minor and Prof. Megan Lange; you may enroll with either
instructor. I will distribute two handouts that give you further information about this course and
enrollment instructions.
If you have taken Service Learning during a previous semester, please give me a copy of your
unofficial transcript on or before the date of the final exam, so I can give you your extra credit for
the class. Make sure to let me know if you are enrolled in multiple sections of mine, so I can apply it
to all your sections.
Calculation of final grades: This class will use the traditional numerical values for each letter grade.
(A = 90%-100%; B = 80%-89%; C = 70%-79%; D = 60%-69%; F = 59% or lower.)
Course credit: You will only receive 2 units of credit for taking this class.
***
COURSE POLICIES:
Attendance: Attendance is taken at the end of class using a sign-in sheet.
Latecomers: Always enter through the rear door to the classroom. Do not walk in through the front of the
class when instruction is occurring.
Drop Policy: After the first week of class, it is your responsibility to drop the class if you will no
longer be participating.
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Test Taking Policy: You must be present at the very beginning of any quiz or exam in order to take
it. This pertains to all pop quizzes and reading quizzes, as well as the Midterm and Final Exam.
Make sure to bring an unwrinkled, 50-question per side Scantron form and pencil with you for every
reading quiz and the Midterm and Final Exam. You must take all quizzes and exams for the class
during the time that is specified for the section in which you are enrolled. You will not be permitted
to take any tests or exams during a class in which you are not enrolled.
Make-Up or Late Work: There will be no make-up quizzes or exams given for this class. You will
only be able to take the quizzes and exams for this class at the time that they are given in class; you
will not be able to take them earlier or later than the scheduled time and date. If you are sick, have
car trouble, cannot find a babysitter, have a doctor’s appointment, etc., you will NOT be given an
early or late make-up test. If you miss the test, you miss the test. THERE ARE NO
EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY, REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE. Therefore it is wise
to do the Service Learning extra credit opportunity in case anything like this should come up for you
during the semester. Remember, you must add Service Learning at the start of the semester. You
will not be able to add it later on.
Academic Honesty/Plagiarism Statement: All students are expected to adhere to the Los Angeles
Harbor College standards of academic honesty. These standards forbid plagiarism, unlawful copying
and, or, failure to give credit to sources that you may use in the research and writing of your class
work. Cheating and other forms of misconduct are covered under this statement. Failure to comply
with these standards will result in a failed assignment and, or, a failed grade in this class.
Controversial Content Statement: This course includes visual presentations and discussions of a
frank nature regarding particular subjects including race, religion and sexual orientation protected by
the college’s academic freedom statutes that may be considered offensive and controversial to some.
When such topics may arise during the course of this semester and a student wishes to be excused,
please notify the instructor that you wish to be excluded from class discussion on the ground that it
is personally offensive and the instructor will excuse you until such discussion has concluded.
Cell phone policy: For safety reasons, you may keep your cell phone on your desk at all times during
class; ringers must be turned off or set to vibrate. However, if you use your phone for any reason
that is not related to an emergency, I will confiscate your phone and keep it for the rest of the class
period.
Disruptive behavior: Students who engage in behavior that is disruptive to the learning environment
will be asked to leave the classroom and not return until the following class meeting, which may
involve missing a quiz or test that cannot be made up, as per the policies stated above. Assigned
seats may also be given. “Disruptive behavior” is defined as interacting with one’s neighbor at an
inappropriate time, sleeping, using the Internet, or otherwise disturbing the learning environment.
Repeated instances of disruptive behavior may lead to a failed grade or withdrawal from the class.
Disability Statement: Students with a verified disability who may need authorized accommodation(s)
for this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and the Office of Special Services or Disabled
Students as soon as possible, at least two weeks before any exam or quiz. All information will
remain confidential.
Also, please let me know if you are hard of hearing so I may accommodate you during
lectures and audiovisual presentations.
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PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO ANY OF THE ABOVE POLICIES,
REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE.
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SOME WORDS OF ADVICE:
Hearing from Dr. David: All emails that I send to you—and there may be quite a few—will only go
to your LACCD email account, so make sure you have it up and running ASAP. Also, there is a
good chance that the emails I send you will go to your spam/bulk/junk folder.
Start Keeping a Calendar: If you don’t have one already, use a calendar (whether it’s a desk or wall
calendar, or an app on your phone) and keep all your assignment dates marked in it. I am not
going to remind you about the reading quiz or exam dates.
Financial aid students: Please be aware that you will likely not receive your aid until several weeks
into the semester. The lab manual is on reserve at the library from the beginning to the end of the
semester, so not having your manual will not be accepted as a reason to take the reading quiz late.
***
CLASS SCHEDULE:
2/8
Introduction to the Course
2/10
Film
Formation of Presentation Groups
2/17
Quiz: Lab 1
Group Presentation: Lab 1: Biological Anthropology and the Scientific Method
Lab 1: Biological Anthropology and the Scientific Method Ex. 1-7
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2/22
Quiz: Lab 2
Group Presentation: Lab 2: Genetics
Lab 2: Genetics Ex. 2 & 3
2/24
Lab 2: Genetics Ex. 4, 5, 7 & 8
2/29
Quiz: Lab 3
Group Presentation: Lab 3: Inheritance
Lab 3: Inheritance Ex. 1 & 3
3/2
Lab 3: Inheritance Ex. 4, 5 & 7
3/7
Quiz: Lab 4
Group Presentation: Lab 4: Forces of Evolution
Lab 4: Forces of Evolution Ex. 1 & 6
3/9
Quiz: Lab 5
Group Presentation: Lab 5: Introduction to the Skeleton
Lab 5: Introduction to the Skeleton Ex. 1, 3 4 & 5
3/14
Quiz: Lab 6
Group Presentation: Lab 6: Bones of the Skeleton
Lab 6: Bones of the Skeleton Ex. 1 & 2
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3/16
Lab 6: Bones of the Skeleton Ex. 3 - 6
3/21
Quiz: Lab 7
Group Presentation: Lab 7: Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology
Lab 7: Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology Ex. 1 & 2
3/23
Lab 7: Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology Ex. 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8
3/28
Quiz: Lab 8
Group Presentation: Lab 8: Modern Human Variation
Lab 8: Modern Human Variation Ex. 1 & 2
3/30
Lab 8: Modern Human Variation Ex. 3 - 8
4/11
Quiz: Lab 9
Group Presentation: Lab 9: Classification
Lab 9: Classification Ex. 1 - 4
4/13
Midterm Review - Bring blank index cards or have Quizlet downloaded on your phone
4/18
Midterm Exam
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4/20
Quiz: Lab 10
Group Presentation: Lab 10: Overview of the Living Primates
Lab 10: Overview of the Living Primates Ex. 1 & 2
4/25
Lab 10: Overview of the Living Primates Ex. 3 - 5
4/27
Quiz: Lab 11
Group Presentation: Lab 11: Primate Behavior
Lab 11: Primate Behavior Ex. 1, 3, 4 & 5
5/2
Quiz: Lab 12
Group Presentation: Lab 12: Comparative Primate Anatomy
Lab 12: Comparative Primate Anatomy Ex. 1 & 2
5/4
Lab 12: Comparative Primate Anatomy Ex. 3 - 6
5/9
Quiz: Lab 13
Group Presentation: Lab 13: Primate Evolution
Lab 13: Primate Evolution Ex. 1 - 7
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5/11
Quiz: Lab 14
Group Presentation: Lab 14: Identifying the Human Lineage
Lab 14: Identifying the Human Lineage Ex. 1 & 2
5/16
Lab 14: Identifying the Human Lineage Ex. 3 - 6
5/18
Quiz: Lab 15
Group Presentation: Lab 15: The Australopithecines and Early Members of the Genus Homo
Lab 15: The Australopithecines and Early Members of the Genus Homo Ex. 1 - 6
5/23
Quiz: Lab 16
Group Presentation: Lab 16: Later Members of the Genus Homo
Lab 16: Later Members of the Genus Homo Ex. 1 - 6
5/25
Final Exam Review - Bring blank index cards or have Quizlet downloaded on your phone
6/1 @ 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM [NOTE SPECIAL TIME]
Final Exam
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