Instructor:

Teaching Assistants:

Course Content:  The influence of humans increasingly shapes the natural landscapes and systems of this planet, leading to concerns and sometimes conflict involving wildlife.  This course is intended to provide an introduction to wildlife biology and conservation by investigating the suite of pressures influencing species survival.  We assume that you do not have a background in college-level biology and that you are not in a natural resource or biology program.  A strong interest in learning how and why humans affect wildlife is essential to succeeding in this course.

Objectives:  Wildlife in the Modern World is intended to provide students who might not otherwise study wildlife in an academic setting with a framework for understanding wildlife-related topics they will encounter in the media throughout life.  Students are encouraged to read scientific and popular literature, and to critically assess basic needs and pressures of a wide variety of wildlife.  Students who leave ESRM 150 in good standing will be able to research a wildlife species of interest, synthesize available information, and effectively communicate the species past, present, and potential interactions with humans and the natural world.  Successful students will also be able to discuss basic topics of wildlife ecology, management, and conservation with peers.

Text:  (required) Leopold, A. 1949. A Sand County Almanac. (University Bookstore). More recent scientific papers will be made available for you to read (see course schedule).

Lectures:  Some of the lectures are PowerPoint presentations that can be downloaded from the website, printed, and used as class notes. Read and print class notes before attending class to improve your note taking and help you keep up with the lectures.  I plan to post these PowerPoint presentations at least 1 day prior to lecture.

There will also be several videos shown. These are not just for entertainment, but for scientific content as well. There will be questions on the exams related to these videos.

We have a number of guest speakers to give lectures on a variety of wildlife-related topics. Material from guest speaker lectures is also fair game for exam questions.

Materials and information from discussion section are also fair game for exam questions.

Discussion Sections: In weekly discussion sections, you will have the opportunity to interact with a TA and other students while delving deeper into a variety of wildlife topics. This more casual forum will allow you to ask questions and receive help with specific problems related to course requirements.

Expectations: 
In this class, students are expected to

• attend class consistently
• be prepared for class by having completed readings and by being ready to participate actively in class discussions, group work, etc.
• turn in assignments on time
• demonstrate academic integrity and respect for others at all times
• take full advantage of the course as an opportunity to learn, think critically, and have fun!

Students can expect me to

• bring enthusiasm and a genuine interest in/commitment to the course topics
• encourage you to be actively engaged in your learning
• grade assignments in a timely manner
• be respectful and supportive
• show up to each class meeting on time and well-prepared 

Exams: There will be two midterm exams and a final exam. The format of the exams will be a combination of multiple choice, definitions, and short answer questions. You will be given a small set of example questions prior to the first exam. 

Wildlife Conservation Paper:  You will summarize the natural history of a wildlife species (or group of closely-related species) of your choosing.  To write the paper, you must conduct a literature review on that species.
 
Short Writing Assignments:  Throughout the quarter there will 4 short, low-risk 1-2 page writing assignments based on either course reading (i.e. passages from A Sand County Almanac,) or some smaller aspect of the Wildlife Conservation paper.  The papers will be assigned in class and due the following week.  Format should match that of the Wildlife Conservation paper.  These are geared toward encouraging students to: 1) keep up with reading assignments; 2) think about what they read; and 3) avoid putting off all aspects of the Wildlife Conservation paper until the last minute.

Grading
Midterm Exams (100 points each)                      200
Wildlife Conservation Paper                               100
Shiort Writing Assignments                                 40
Discussion Section                                            100
Final Exam                                                         200
Total                                                                  640

The course will, in effect, be based on "the curve" since the above percentages will apply to the top total score of the class instead of the actual potential top score. For example, if the total possible points is 100 but the top score was 90, then the percentages would be based on 90 instead of 100. This has the effect of raising the grade of all students.

Final grades are assigned according to the following scale:

For UW Grading system details you can visit http://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/front/Grading_Sys.html

Final Exam:  301 Miller Hall, Thursday, 16December 2009, 230-4:20