Faculty Syllabus

Physical Anthropology

ANTH 2301 Lec 003– 66210                                                                                        Paul Lehman

Fall 2023                                                                                                        plehman@austincc.edu

MW 10:30 – 11:50                                                           Office Hours MW 9-10am, TTh 10-11am

RGC 10                                                                                  Office Hours virtually via Blackboard

Course description: An introduction to the study of the biocultural diversity of humans. The interaction between culture and biology produces a variety of human biological adaptations that are traced through the following venues: the fossil record of primates, primate behavior, and the genetic makeup of modern populations.

Course rationale: This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the methods and theories of physical anthropology that will allow students to: 1) apply anthropological knowledge and skills to everyday life and their chosen careers, 2) apply the course towards an associate’s degree at Austin Community College, 3) prepare them for success in upper division courses in Anthropology at other institutions.

Text: Jurmain, Robert, et al. Essentials of Physical Anthropology, 10th edition. Wadsworth, 2017. First Day Access version of the textbook online. You may opt out of this program.

Instructional methodology: This is a classroom learning course in the old-fashioned style of lectures, classroom discussion and as much interrogation of the professor as the students desire. No, really. PowerPoint-format lecture notes, required homework, and other materials are available on Blackboard. Contact with the professor and with other students is mainly in the classroom, but we have discussion boards, email, office hours, and y’all can set up a GroupMe if you want. If COVID comes back, well, who knows what will happen.

Grading: Weekly reading questions (14 chapters x 10 points each =  140 points total), 4 multiple choice exams (4 x 100 points each = 400 points total), and four written assignments (4 x 40 = 160 points total), and attendance (100 points, percentage of classes attended). 800 points total.

Reading questions will be graded on a completion rather than a quality basis. They are your guide to both what I consider important that you just learn by rote and your introduction to the more interesting, big questions of human evolution. The reading questions are an example of the “you get out of it what you put into it” aspect of studying. I certainly encourage you to bring any comments or questions about the reading questions to class, office hours, discussion boards, or email, preferably in that order. All reading questions and assignments are submitted on Blackboard. Due dates are found on Blackboard as well. Late assignments will be penalized 2 points/week or fraction thereof. Exams are multiple choice and are administered online, on Blackboard, as per the tentative course schedule below. Once again, reading questions are graded for completion, not quality.

Final grades will follow the standard ACC system of 10 points per letter grade, such that an A = 90% or more (of 800 points), B = 80% or more (of 800 points), and so on. Some previous courses have had curves, but none are guaranteed here.

Course Policies: This is a full semester, classroom-based course. You will have classes twice per week. We’ll have some videos, some artifacts and plastic casts of bones to pass around. Perhaps some lab-type exercises. You can stay after class for a few minutes to ask me questions. You can interrupt class to ask stuff. Heck, please do. You can do the reading questions during class. I’ll try to cover them all during class, but I will probably forget a few here and there. Remind me, politely and forcefully, if I do. The more discussion the better. And, of course, you can come to office hours. You do need to submit all work to Blackboard, but I’ll go over that in the first meeting. Late work is penalized 2 points/week or fraction thereof, as already covered above.

Incompletes are discouraged, and will be given only in extraordinary circumstances, like for COVID. Students must talk with me directly about incompletes before the end of the semester. Students are also responsible for knowing and following ACC administrative rules on incompletes.

Withdrawals are the responsibility of the student. I might choose to withdraw students who disappear halfway into the semester. You should familiarize yourself with the rules and deadlines concerning withdrawals. Withdrawals solely on account of grades are discouraged. Students are encouraged to talk with me at any time about their progress and grades.

Tentative Schedule

Module 1                                       Introduction & Evolution                                         Chapters 1-5

     By the end of Sunday, 9/17          Exam #1 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 2                                       Primates & pre-Homo fossils                                   Chapters 6-8

     By the end of Sunday, 10/15        Exam #2 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 3                                       Homo and Becoming Human                                 Chapters 9-11

     By the end of Sunday, 11/12        Exam #3 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 4                                       Modern Human Diversity & Evolution               Chapters 12-14

     By the end of Sunday, 12/10        Exam #4 due (other assignments earlier)

End of Sunday, 12/10/2023 = absolute deadline for ANY late work to be submitted

Student Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes Students who complete this course will:

Be able to describe what anthropology and physical anthropology are.

Understand the methods and theories of physical anthropology.

Understand the processes of evolution.

Understand the processes of biocultural hominid evolution.

Understand human diversity.

Discipline Program Student Learning Outcomes

To demonstrate knowledge of different cultural systems and human cultural behaviors, past and present

To explain how, over time, humans have adapted biologically and culturally to their surrounds.

To employ various forms of research methods and data collection

General Education Competencies in this course

Civic and Cultural Awareness - Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices

Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information

Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods

Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium

Physical Anthropology

ANTH 2301 Lec 003– 66210                                                                                        Paul Lehman

Fall 2023                                                                                                        plehman@austincc.edu

MW 10:30 – 11:50                                                           Office Hours MW 9-10am, TTh 10-11am

RGC 10                                                                                  Office Hours virtually via Blackboard

Course description: An introduction to the study of the biocultural diversity of humans. The interaction between culture and biology produces a variety of human biological adaptations that are traced through the following venues: the fossil record of primates, primate behavior, and the genetic makeup of modern populations.

Course rationale: This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the methods and theories of physical anthropology that will allow students to: 1) apply anthropological knowledge and skills to everyday life and their chosen careers, 2) apply the course towards an associate’s degree at Austin Community College, 3) prepare them for success in upper division courses in Anthropology at other institutions.

Text: Jurmain, Robert, et al. Essentials of Physical Anthropology, 10th edition. Wadsworth, 2017. First Day Access version of the textbook online. You may opt out of this program.

Instructional methodology: This is a classroom learning course in the old-fashioned style of lectures, classroom discussion and as much interrogation of the professor as the students desire. No, really. PowerPoint-format lecture notes, required homework, and other materials are available on Blackboard. Contact with the professor and with other students is mainly in the classroom, but we have discussion boards, email, office hours, and y’all can set up a GroupMe if you want. If COVID comes back, well, who knows what will happen.

Grading: Weekly reading questions (14 chapters x 10 points each =  140 points total), 4 multiple choice exams (4 x 100 points each = 400 points total), and four written assignments (4 x 40 = 160 points total), and attendance (100 points, percentage of classes attended). 800 points total.

Reading questions will be graded on a completion rather than a quality basis. They are your guide to both what I consider important that you just learn by rote and your introduction to the more interesting, big questions of human evolution. The reading questions are an example of the “you get out of it what you put into it” aspect of studying. I certainly encourage you to bring any comments or questions about the reading questions to class, office hours, discussion boards, or email, preferably in that order. All reading questions and assignments are submitted on Blackboard. Due dates are found on Blackboard as well. Late assignments will be penalized 2 points/week or fraction thereof. Exams are multiple choice and are administered online, on Blackboard, as per the tentative course schedule below. Once again, reading questions are graded for completion, not quality.

Final grades will follow the standard ACC system of 10 points per letter grade, such that an A = 90% or more (of 800 points), B = 80% or more (of 800 points), and so on. Some previous courses have had curves, but none are guaranteed here.

Course Policies: This is a full semester, classroom-based course. You will have classes twice per week. We’ll have some videos, some artifacts and plastic casts of bones to pass around. Perhaps some lab-type exercises. You can stay after class for a few minutes to ask me questions. You can interrupt class to ask stuff. Heck, please do. You can do the reading questions during class. I’ll try to cover them all during class, but I will probably forget a few here and there. Remind me, politely and forcefully, if I do. The more discussion the better. And, of course, you can come to office hours. You do need to submit all work to Blackboard, but I’ll go over that in the first meeting. Late work is penalized 2 points/week or fraction thereof, as already covered above.

Incompletes are discouraged, and will be given only in extraordinary circumstances, like for COVID. Students must talk with me directly about incompletes before the end of the semester. Students are also responsible for knowing and following ACC administrative rules on incompletes.

Withdrawals are the responsibility of the student. I might choose to withdraw students who disappear halfway into the semester. You should familiarize yourself with the rules and deadlines concerning withdrawals. Withdrawals solely on account of grades are discouraged. Students are encouraged to talk with me at any time about their progress and grades.

Tentative Schedule

Module 1                                       Introduction & Evolution                                         Chapters 1-5

     By the end of Sunday, 9/17          Exam #1 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 2                                       Primates & pre-Homo fossils                                   Chapters 6-8

     By the end of Sunday, 10/15        Exam #2 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 3                                       Homo and Becoming Human                                 Chapters 9-11

     By the end of Sunday, 11/12        Exam #3 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 4                                       Modern Human Diversity & Evolution               Chapters 12-14

     By the end of Sunday, 12/10        Exam #4 due (other assignments earlier)

End of Sunday, 12/10/2023 = absolute deadline for ANY late work to be submitted

Student Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes Students who complete this course will:

Be able to describe what anthropology and physical anthropology are.

Understand the methods and theories of physical anthropology.

Understand the processes of evolution.

Understand the processes of biocultural hominid evolution.

Understand human diversity.

Discipline Program Student Learning Outcomes

To demonstrate knowledge of different cultural systems and human cultural behaviors, past and present

To explain how, over time, humans have adapted biologically and culturally to their surrounds.

To employ various forms of research methods and data collection

General Education Competencies in this course

Civic and Cultural Awareness - Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices

Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information

Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods

Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium

Physical Anthropology

ANTH 2301 Lec 003– 66210                                                                                        Paul Lehman

Fall 2023                                                                                                        plehman@austincc.edu

MW 10:30 – 11:50                                                           Office Hours MW 9-10am, TTh 10-11am

RGC 10                                                                                  Office Hours virtually via Blackboard

Course description: An introduction to the study of the biocultural diversity of humans. The interaction between culture and biology produces a variety of human biological adaptations that are traced through the following venues: the fossil record of primates, primate behavior, and the genetic makeup of modern populations.

Course rationale: This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the methods and theories of physical anthropology that will allow students to: 1) apply anthropological knowledge and skills to everyday life and their chosen careers, 2) apply the course towards an associate’s degree at Austin Community College, 3) prepare them for success in upper division courses in Anthropology at other institutions.

Text: Jurmain, Robert, et al. Essentials of Physical Anthropology, 10th edition. Wadsworth, 2017. First Day Access version of the textbook online. You may opt out of this program.

Instructional methodology: This is a classroom learning course in the old-fashioned style of lectures, classroom discussion and as much interrogation of the professor as the students desire. No, really. PowerPoint-format lecture notes, required homework, and other materials are available on Blackboard. Contact with the professor and with other students is mainly in the classroom, but we have discussion boards, email, office hours, and y’all can set up a GroupMe if you want. If COVID comes back, well, who knows what will happen.

Grading: Weekly reading questions (14 chapters x 10 points each =  140 points total), 4 multiple choice exams (4 x 100 points each = 400 points total), and four written assignments (4 x 40 = 160 points total), and attendance (100 points, percentage of classes attended). 800 points total.

Reading questions will be graded on a completion rather than a quality basis. They are your guide to both what I consider important that you just learn by rote and your introduction to the more interesting, big questions of human evolution. The reading questions are an example of the “you get out of it what you put into it” aspect of studying. I certainly encourage you to bring any comments or questions about the reading questions to class, office hours, discussion boards, or email, preferably in that order. All reading questions and assignments are submitted on Blackboard. Due dates are found on Blackboard as well. Late assignments will be penalized 2 points/week or fraction thereof. Exams are multiple choice and are administered online, on Blackboard, as per the tentative course schedule below. Once again, reading questions are graded for completion, not quality.

Final grades will follow the standard ACC system of 10 points per letter grade, such that an A = 90% or more (of 800 points), B = 80% or more (of 800 points), and so on. Some previous courses have had curves, but none are guaranteed here.

Course Policies: This is a full semester, classroom-based course. You will have classes twice per week. We’ll have some videos, some artifacts and plastic casts of bones to pass around. Perhaps some lab-type exercises. You can stay after class for a few minutes to ask me questions. You can interrupt class to ask stuff. Heck, please do. You can do the reading questions during class. I’ll try to cover them all during class, but I will probably forget a few here and there. Remind me, politely and forcefully, if I do. The more discussion the better. And, of course, you can come to office hours. You do need to submit all work to Blackboard, but I’ll go over that in the first meeting. Late work is penalized 2 points/week or fraction thereof, as already covered above.

Incompletes are discouraged, and will be given only in extraordinary circumstances, like for COVID. Students must talk with me directly about incompletes before the end of the semester. Students are also responsible for knowing and following ACC administrative rules on incompletes.

Withdrawals are the responsibility of the student. I might choose to withdraw students who disappear halfway into the semester. You should familiarize yourself with the rules and deadlines concerning withdrawals. Withdrawals solely on account of grades are discouraged. Students are encouraged to talk with me at any time about their progress and grades.

Tentative Schedule

Module 1                                       Introduction & Evolution                                         Chapters 1-5

     By the end of Sunday, 9/17          Exam #1 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 2                                       Primates & pre-Homo fossils                                   Chapters 6-8

     By the end of Sunday, 10/15        Exam #2 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 3                                       Homo and Becoming Human                                 Chapters 9-11

     By the end of Sunday, 11/12        Exam #3 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 4                                       Modern Human Diversity & Evolution               Chapters 12-14

     By the end of Sunday, 12/10        Exam #4 due (other assignments earlier)

End of Sunday, 12/10/2023 = absolute deadline for ANY late work to be submitted

Student Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes Students who complete this course will:

Be able to describe what anthropology and physical anthropology are.

Understand the methods and theories of physical anthropology.

Understand the processes of evolution.

Understand the processes of biocultural hominid evolution.

Understand human diversity.

Discipline Program Student Learning Outcomes

To demonstrate knowledge of different cultural systems and human cultural behaviors, past and present

To explain how, over time, humans have adapted biologically and culturally to their surrounds.

To employ various forms of research methods and data collection

General Education Competencies in this course

Civic and Cultural Awareness - Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices

Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information

Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods

Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium

Physical Anthropology

ANTH 2301 Lec 003– 66210                                                                                        Paul Lehman

Fall 2023                                                                                                        plehman@austincc.edu

MW 10:30 – 11:50                                                           Office Hours MW 9-10am, TTh 10-11am

RGC 10                                                                                  Office Hours virtually via Blackboard

Course description: An introduction to the study of the biocultural diversity of humans. The interaction between culture and biology produces a variety of human biological adaptations that are traced through the following venues: the fossil record of primates, primate behavior, and the genetic makeup of modern populations.

Course rationale: This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the methods and theories of physical anthropology that will allow students to: 1) apply anthropological knowledge and skills to everyday life and their chosen careers, 2) apply the course towards an associate’s degree at Austin Community College, 3) prepare them for success in upper division courses in Anthropology at other institutions.

Text: Jurmain, Robert, et al. Essentials of Physical Anthropology, 10th edition. Wadsworth, 2017. First Day Access version of the textbook online. You may opt out of this program.

Instructional methodology: This is a classroom learning course in the old-fashioned style of lectures, classroom discussion and as much interrogation of the professor as the students desire. No, really. PowerPoint-format lecture notes, required homework, and other materials are available on Blackboard. Contact with the professor and with other students is mainly in the classroom, but we have discussion boards, email, office hours, and y’all can set up a GroupMe if you want. If COVID comes back, well, who knows what will happen.

Grading: Weekly reading questions (14 chapters x 10 points each =  140 points total), 4 multiple choice exams (4 x 100 points each = 400 points total), and four written assignments (4 x 40 = 160 points total), and attendance (100 points, percentage of classes attended). 800 points total.

Reading questions will be graded on a completion rather than a quality basis. They are your guide to both what I consider important that you just learn by rote and your introduction to the more interesting, big questions of human evolution. The reading questions are an example of the “you get out of it what you put into it” aspect of studying. I certainly encourage you to bring any comments or questions about the reading questions to class, office hours, discussion boards, or email, preferably in that order. All reading questions and assignments are submitted on Blackboard. Due dates are found on Blackboard as well. Late assignments will be penalized 2 points/week or fraction thereof. Exams are multiple choice and are administered online, on Blackboard, as per the tentative course schedule below. Once again, reading questions are graded for completion, not quality.

Final grades will follow the standard ACC system of 10 points per letter grade, such that an A = 90% or more (of 800 points), B = 80% or more (of 800 points), and so on. Some previous courses have had curves, but none are guaranteed here.

Course Policies: This is a full semester, classroom-based course. You will have classes twice per week. We’ll have some videos, some artifacts and plastic casts of bones to pass around. Perhaps some lab-type exercises. You can stay after class for a few minutes to ask me questions. You can interrupt class to ask stuff. Heck, please do. You can do the reading questions during class. I’ll try to cover them all during class, but I will probably forget a few here and there. Remind me, politely and forcefully, if I do. The more discussion the better. And, of course, you can come to office hours. You do need to submit all work to Blackboard, but I’ll go over that in the first meeting. Late work is penalized 2 points/week or fraction thereof, as already covered above.

Incompletes are discouraged, and will be given only in extraordinary circumstances, like for COVID. Students must talk with me directly about incompletes before the end of the semester. Students are also responsible for knowing and following ACC administrative rules on incompletes.

Withdrawals are the responsibility of the student. I might choose to withdraw students who disappear halfway into the semester. You should familiarize yourself with the rules and deadlines concerning withdrawals. Withdrawals solely on account of grades are discouraged. Students are encouraged to talk with me at any time about their progress and grades.

Tentative Schedule

Module 1                                       Introduction & Evolution                                         Chapters 1-5

     By the end of Sunday, 9/17          Exam #1 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 2                                       Primates & pre-Homo fossils                                   Chapters 6-8

     By the end of Sunday, 10/15        Exam #2 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 3                                       Homo and Becoming Human                                 Chapters 9-11

     By the end of Sunday, 11/12        Exam #3 due (other assignments earlier)

Module 4                                       Modern Human Diversity & Evolution               Chapters 12-14

     By the end of Sunday, 12/10        Exam #4 due (other assignments earlier)

End of Sunday, 12/10/2023 = absolute deadline for ANY late work to be submitted

Student Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes Students who complete this course will:

Be able to describe what anthropology and physical anthropology are.

Understand the methods and theories of physical anthropology.

Understand the processes of evolution.

Understand the processes of biocultural hominid evolution.

Understand human diversity.

Discipline Program Student Learning Outcomes

To demonstrate knowledge of different cultural systems and human cultural behaviors, past and present

To explain how, over time, humans have adapted biologically and culturally to their surrounds.

To employ various forms of research methods and data collection

General Education Competencies in this course

Civic and Cultural Awareness - Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices

Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information

Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods

Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium