I will update this page regularly with specific topics for upcoming lectures, and then the Powerpoint presentations that I use in class will be uploaded each afternoon after class.  Sometimes I forget.  If you need to access a presentation, and I have not posted it yet, please email me.  Depending on your browser, you may view them on-line or download them and view them on your computer.  Please keep in mind that these figures act as a jumping off point for teaching and discussing in class, and there may be information that was discussed in class that did not have an accompanying figure.  Click on the dates to access the presentation.
    A few days before each lecture, I will post the specific parts of the textbook and/or articles that I will base the lectures on.  I do not promise to cover everything in these sections, but if you want to read before lecture, this will give you the areas to focus on.  Test material will come from what is presented in lecture.

1/21  Introduction to Class

1/23  Strong Inference (article on webpage)

1/26  What is a gene?

1/28  How is information extracted from DNA to make proteins?

1/30  What are genes roles in evolution?

2/2  How does evolution occur, and who evolves?

2/4  Where did Homo sapiens come from?

2/6  Human Evolution and Race: Are we genetically predisposed to be racist?

2/9  Nature and Nurture: What determines traits such as BMI, IQ, reproductive strategy, and more...?

2/8  More Nature and Nurture
End of Material for Exam #1

2/16  Evolution and Ecology:  H. floresiensis

2/18  Ecology:  Introduction

2/20  Ecology:  What happens as populations approach their carrying capacity?

2/23  Biodiversity:  What is it, and what can increase or derease it?

2/25  The Reintroduction of Wolves to Yellowstone NP

2/27  Succession and Chernobyl

3/2  What has happened to the non-human inhabitants around Chernobyl?

3/4  Competition between Species
End of Material for Exam #2

3/9  Global Climate Change

3/11  Global Climate Change:  Energy use, Biofuels, and Food

3/13  Global Climate Change and the Conflict in Darfur

3/23  Restoration Ecology

3/25  How many animals do we want to save?

3/27  In class exercise: What can you do to help non-humans?

3/30  How different are the mental capabilities of humans compared to non-human animals?

4/1  Animal Research Ethics

4/3  Genetically Engineered Organisms

4/6  Genetically Engineered Organisms

quiz for discussions week of 4/6 (as pdf)

End of Material for Exam #3

4/13  Environmental Toxins: DDT and BPA

4/15  Overpopulaton: disease and population reductions

4/20  Overpopulation and Education

4/22  Invasive Species

4/27  Recycling

4/29  Vaccines

5/1  Grizzly Bears

5/4  Emergence

pre-exam 4 quiz (as pdf)

End of Material for Exam #4
End of Semester