Vertebrate Zoology

This is Session 1 of 2 in the full year Vertebrate Zoology series

PREREQUISITE: It is required to take Session 1 before you can enroll in Session 2.

CLASS DESCRIPTION

In this full-year, in-depth Vertebrate Zoology course, students will explore the fascinating world of vertebrates through the lens of evolution. From fish and amphibians to reptiles, birds, and mammals, we’ll examine each major group in detail—uncovering their evolutionary history, unique adaptations, anatomy, and ecological roles along the way.  The class will be geared toward students 12-17 in two difficulty levels.

I plan to have a focus on tropical rainforest species, and to offer an optional end of the year field trip to Panama for students who want to get hands on with a 5 day workshop like we do for our Marine Science students each year!

CLASS FORMAT

No live classes- view lessons on YOUR schedule. In general, expect 1.5-2.5 hours to work through the lesson plan each week, and an additional 2-5 hours working on assignments (it really depends what assignment your child chooses to do and how they manage their time). For classes with two levels, the material is the same for both- the depth of the assignments differs. Younger students and students who do NOT want to participate in dissections (video or in-person) should be placed in Level 1. Older students, or younger students who want more of a challenge, should be placed in Level 2. Each lesson consists of a fully narrated PowerPoint presentation with images and videos to enhance the topics. Students will have access to our learning management system, Canvas, for viewing their lesson, printing worksheets, taking quizzes, viewing/submitting assignments, participating in discussions, and viewing grades/feedback.

Read more details about class format.

Week 1: The Classification and Evolution of Vertebrates

We’ll focus on taxonomy and phylogeny, the two ways we will be classifying vertebrates in this class, and finish with an overview of evolution.

Week 2: Vertebrates- More Than Just a Backbone

We’ll learn all of the characteristics and structures that make a vertebrate a vertebrate, both through comparative embryology and adult anatomy.

Week 3: Jaws (It’s not just a movie about Sharks!)

We’ll go back over 500 million years in Earth’s history and follow the evolution of a major game changer for vertebrates- jaws!

Week 4: Adaptations for Living in Water

Vertebrate life began in the water. What adaptations were required to make living in a watery world easier?

Week 5: How the Paleozoic Era Shaped Vertebrate Evolution

We’ll march through over 4 billion years of Earth’s history, focusing on the Paleozoic era and all of the life that evolved during that time.

Week 6: Chondrichthians Part 1: Evolution of Cartilaginous Fish and Modern Batoids

We’ll cover the phylogeny and taxonomy of Chondrichthyans, discover the ancient ancestors that evolved into today’s modern species, and discuss the batoids- skates and rays. Stingray dissection lab.

Week 7: Chondrichthians Part 2: Modern Sharks

We’ll continue our study of Chondrichthyans by focusing on modern sharks and conservation issues. Shark dissection lab.

Week 8: Osteichthyans Part 1: Evolution of Bony Fishes

We’ll discuss the two major groups of Osteichthyans, their characteristics, and evolution. Then, a focus on extant Sarcopterygians.

Week 9: Osteichthyans Part 2: Modern Bony Fishes

This week we’ll focus on the largest group of vertebrates on the planet, the Actinopterygian fish. Fish dissection lab.

Week 10: Fish Leave the Water and Head for Land!

It’s time for life to leave the water and head for land! We’ll discuss the transitional species and the evolutionary steps toward our next group of vertebrates–amphibians.

Week 11: Amphibians: The Next Step Toward Land

We’ll focus on the biology and ecology of modern amphibian groups. Frog dissection lab.

Week 12: Adaptations Required for a Land Based Life

We’ll discuss the seven major life functions that had to evolve in order for life to live fully on land.

Week 13: How the Mesozoic Era Shaped Vertebrate Evolution

We’re going back in time again, to witness the rise of the reptiles during the Mesozoic and understand their evolution.

Week 14: Vertebrate Divergence: Sauropsids and Synapsids

We’ll finish up the semester with a detailed look at the different evolutionary pathways the two groups of amniotes–sauropsids and synapsids–took.

Doing labs in-person is OPTIONAL

All labs are on video so students can see the lab and complete their assessment without having to directly participate. However, as with most things, doing is better than just observing!

WEEK 6

Stingray specimenLinks to an external site.
Gloves
Goggles
Tweezers or Forceps
Scalpel
Scissors
ADULT SUPERVISION

WEEK 7

Shark specimenLinks to an external site.
Gloves
Goggles
Tweezers or Forceps
Scalpel
Scissors
ADULT SUPERVISION

WEEK 9

Fish specimenLinks to an external site.
Gloves
Goggles
Tweezers or Forceps
Scalpel
Scissors
ADULT SUPERVISION

WEEK 11

Frog SpecimenLinks to an external site.
Gloves
Goggles
Tweezers or Forceps
Scalpel
Scissors
ADULT SUPERVISION

This is Session 2 of 2 in the full year Vertebrate Zoology series

PREREQUISITE: It is required to take Session 1 before you can enroll in Session 2.

CLASS DESCRIPTION

This is the second session of our full year of Vertebrate Zoology. We’ll be focusing on reptiles, birds, and mammals in this session, with an optional dissection of a member of each vertebrate group.  At the end of the year we will have a 5 day hands-on field trip in the rainforests of Panama to get up close and personal with all of the vertebrate groups we’ve studied this year!

CLASS FORMAT

No live classes–view lessons on YOUR schedule. In general, expect 1.5-2.5 hours to work through the lesson plan each week, and an additional 2-5 hours working on assignments (it really depends what assignment your child chooses to do and how they manage their time). For classes with two levels, the material is the same for both–the depth of the assignments differs. Younger students should usually be placed in Level 1. Older students, or younger students who want more of a challenge, should be placed in Level 2. Each lesson consists of a fully narrated PowerPoint presentation with images and videos to enhance the topics. Students will have access to our learning management system, Canvas, for viewing their lesson, printing worksheets, taking quizzes, viewing/submitting assignments, participating in discussions, and viewing grades/feedback.

Read more details about class format.

Week 15: The Mechanics of Ectothermy–The Science of Being “Cold Blooded”

We’ll discuss specific examples of ectotherms that live in harsh conditions, specifically extreme heat and extreme cold, and the adaptations they have evolved to thermoregulate in these environments.

Week 16: Reptiles Part 1: Turtles

This week is all about turtles! We learn about their morphology, physiology, and ecology and finish up with an optional turtle dissection.

Week 17: Reptiles Part 2: Lepidosaurs

Lizards and snakes and tuataras, oh my! We’ll learn all about these creatures, focusing on feeding and defense adaptations. There will be an optional snake dissection.

Week 18: Reptiles Part 3: Crocodylians

We will cover the 3 families of extant crocodylian species, focusing on predation and reproductive adaptations.

Week 19: Reptiles Part 4: Mesozoic Reptiles

We’ll learn about ancient marine, terrestrial, and avian reptiles of the Mesozoic, including the dinosaurs! Evolutionary adaptations and taxonomic lineages will be the focus.

Week 20: The Mechanics of Endothermy- The Science of Being “Warm Blooded”

We’ll discuss specific examples of endotherms that live in harsh conditions, specifically extreme heat and extreme cold, and the adaptations they have evolved to thermoregulate in these environments.

Week 21: Avians Part 1: Evolution of Birds and Mechanics of Flight

We’ll start our unit on birds by discussing the evolutionary adaptations that distinguish them from the dinosaurs, then hone in on how flight works.

Week 22: Avians Part 2: Characteristics of Modern Birds

We’ll cover morphology, physiology, behaviors, and reproduction of modern birds, followed up with an optional bird dissection!

Week 23: Avians Part 3: Migration, Conservation, and Species Profiles

We’ll discuss the amazing adaptations birds have for navigating during migration, some of the serious threats facing species around the world, and then end our bird unit with a focus on several orders of tropical species.

Week 24: How the Cenozoic Era Shaped Vertebrate Evolution

We’ll work our way through the final era of Earth’s History, our era, the Cenozoic. We’ll discuss the drivers of evolution during the last 66 million years and what the future may hold.

Week 25: Mammals Part 1: Evolution of Mammals

We’ll cover the history of the evolution of early synapids through the late Paleozoic and Mesozoic, focusing on Pelycosaurs, Therapsids, and Cynodonts, working our way up to the first true mammals. The focus will be on the adaptation of morphological and physiological traits.

Week 26: Mammals Part 2: Monotremes and Marsupials

We’ll focus on two of the three major mammal lineages, monotremes and marsupials. We’ll discuss the adaptations of each and highlight several species in all of the major groups.

Week 27: Mammals Part 3: Placentals

Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh! And that’s just Order Carnivora! We’ll go through all 4 of the major superorders of placental mammals, highlighting several species from each with a focus on tropical species of Panama (sloths, jaguars, coatimundi, and more!). Also, the opportunity to do a rat dissection!

Week 28: Mammals Part 4: Primate Evolution and Species

We’ll discuss the characteristics and evolution of primates, and the main groups (prosimians, anthropoids, monkeys, hominids). We’ll then highlight the adaptations of species of each.

Week 29: Mammals Part 5: The Great Apes and Human Evolution

We will continue our species profiles from last week, focusing on the final group–the great apes. We’ll finish our year long study of vertebrate zoology focusing on the evolution of the final vertebrate…HUMANS!

Doing labs in-person is OPTIONAL

All labs are on video so students can see the lab and complete their assessment without having to directly participate. However, as with most things, doing is better than just observing!

For all dissections, you will need gloves, goggles, strong dissecting scissors, tweezers/forceps, a scalpel, and an adult!

Week 16:

(Turtles are the most difficult animal to dissect, due to the difficulty of removing the shell!)
Turtle Specimen
Gloves
Goggles
Scalpel
Scissors
Flathead screwdriver with a wide head
Serious tools to cut through bone. Examples are bone cutters, hacksaw, side cutters, etc…
ADULT SUPERVISION

Week 17: 

Snake Specimen

Week 22: 

Bird Specimen

Week 27: 

Rat Specimen