I. ASCRC General Education Form
Group / Group XI: Natural ScienceDept/Program
/ Applied Arts and Sciences / Science / Course # / SCN 105N
Course Title / Montana Ecosystems
Prerequisite / none / Credits / 3
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Please type / print name / Signature / Date
Instructor / Gregory Peters
Phone / Email / (406) 207-6154
Program Chair / Cathy Corr
Dean / Barry Good
III. Description and purpose of the course:
Course Description:
SCN 105N: Montana Ecosystems investigates the Biological systems of Montana with a focus on dominant ecosystem types. Core content is reinforced in Lab exercises, which are a required, concurrent part of the course. This course discusses the influences that enable Montana’s remarkable diversity of ecosystems and species of life. Montana Ecosystems further explores the dominant vegetation patterns across Montana and how these patterns influence distribution of important species of animals. We will connect these systems to discussions of energy dynamics in living systems. Finally, The course examines the influence of humans on Montana’s natural environment.
Course Objectives:
- practice observing and reflecting on natural systems
- become familiar with Montana’s dominant ecosystems
- develop skills interpreting scientific literature
- understand the nature of science as a process
- understand principles of energy transformations in living systems
IV. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group.
1. Courses explore a discipline in the natural sciences and demonstrate how the scientific method is used within the discipline to draw scientific conclusions.
/ 1. SCN 105N exposes students to the application of the scientific method through observations and hypothesis formation in field-based laboratory explorations, as well as through interpretation of scientific literature. Ecosystem diversity is explored as a component of Biology, which is presented as a process of asking questions about the living world.
2. Courses address the concept of analytic uncertainty and the rigorous process required to take an idea to a hypothesis and then to a validated scientific theory. / 2. SCN 105N exposes students to the scientific method by presenting them with field based opportunities to ask questions, develop meaningful scientific hypotheses, and propose plausible methods to test these hypotheses. SCN 105N relates hypothesis testing to the deeper development of valid scientific theories by connecting Lab investigations to unifying scientific principles such as evolution and the laws of thermodynamics as they are presented in course content and through examination of current scientific literature.
3. Lab courses engage students in inquiry-based learning activities where they formulate a hypothesis, design an experiment to test the hypothesis, and collect, interpret, and present the data to support their conclusions. / 3. SCN 105N provides students multiple opportunities to ask questions, develop hypotheses, test hypotheses, and interpret findings through field-based explorations of local natural systems. Students will be exposed to the methods that scientists communicate findings by being asked to provide written work explaining their process, analysis of collected data, and conclusions.
V. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning goals.
Upon completion of this perspective, a student will be able to: / Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. understand the general principles associated with the discipline(s) studied. / 1. Understand core principles that influence local ecosystem diversity:
- Global weather patterns
- Physiographic influences on biotic systems
- The flow of energy in living systems
- Core principles of ecology, including biotic interactions such as predation, competition, and facilitation
- Impacts of humans on living systems
2. understand the methodology and activities scientists use to gather, validate and interpret data related to natural processes. / 2. Understand the methods scientists use to develop and explore questions, through:
- Discussing the scope and limits of the scientific method
- Evaluating scientific arguments presented in classroom discussions, in scientific literature, and from fellow students
- Examining the connections between data gathered and conclusions drawn in scientific literature
3. detect patterns, draw conclusions, develop conjectures and hypotheses, and test them by appropriate means and experiments. / 3. Observe patterns, develop hypotheses, and test them by appropriate means and experiments, through:
- Developing questions based on observations of natural phenomena encountered in field-based laboratory exercises
- Developing and testing meaningful scientific hypotheses relevant to questions raised
- Analyzing data and interpreting findings from field exercises
4. understand how scientific laws and theories are verified by quantitative measurement, scientific observation, and logical/critical reasoning. / 4. Use critical thinking skills to evaluate broader scientific conclusions through:
- Classroom discussions of the process of developing scientific theories, including the concepts of rejecting alternative hypotheses for observed phenomena and repeated hypothesis testing
5. understand the means by which analytic uncertainty is quantified and expressed in the natural sciences. / 5. Appreciate the ongoing nature of scientific research, through:
- Quantifying their own uncertainty in the process of interpreting lab exercise findings
- Discussions of the meaning of statistical significance
- Critical reflection on conclusions drawn in scientific literature
VII. Syllabus:
Below is the syllabus for SCN 105N:
SCN105N: Montana Ecosystems (3 cr) Fall 2009
Instructor: Greg Peters
Contact: or (406) 207-6154
Office Hours: T & Th, 12:30-2:00 in HB 02
Course Description:
Montana Ecosystems explores the living systems of Montana with a focus on the dominant habitat types around us. We will explore the geologic setting that influences the distribution of Montana’s remarkable diversity of ecosystems and species of life. We will explore the dominant vegetation patterns across Montana and how these patterns influence distribution of important species of animals. We will connect these systems to discussions of energy dynamics in living systems. Finally, we will examine the role of humans in influencing the natural environment and its species.
Course Objectives:
- practice observing and reflecting on natural systems
- become familiar with Montana’s dominant ecosystems
- develop skills interpreting scientific literature
- understand the nature of science as a process
- understand principles of energy transformations in living systems
- become familiar with the human impacts on the landscapes of Montana
Assessment: points grades
1) Exams (highest 3 of 4) 300 90-100% = A- to A
2) Lab Reports (4 @ 25 pts ea.) 100 80-90% = B- to B+
3) Journal Article Summaries (4 @ 10pts ea.) 40 70-80% = C- to C+
4) Field Notebook 60 60-70% = D- to D+
5) Final Exam 100 < 60% = F
TOTAL: 600
Recommendations for success:
The most important thing you can do to get the most out of this course is to commit to regular attendance in class.
There is no required text for this course, but there will be regular supplemental readings provided in class or online. Make sure to complete these readings as they are presented to keep up thoroughly with course content.
Your NetID will give you access to an online supplement to this course that includes portions of class presentations. Log in at: https://courseware.umt.edu/webapps/login/
Exams will ask you to reflect on your learning by responding to questions in a diversity of formats. Students will be expected to work alone and without outside resources.
Ultimately, make your field notebook reflect your own interests and observations.
Course Policies:
Your lowest regular session exam score will be dropped from your final grade, therefore, there will be NO make-up exams offered. In other words, an excused absence from an exam will count as your dropped exam. The final exam is comprehensive, will NOT be dropped for any reason, and is required for all students to complete the course. No early finals will be offered, so make any travel plans accordingly.
Students with disabilities will receive appropriate accommodations. Please contact me and provide a letter from your DSS coordinator so that accommodations can be made.
All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code and practice academic honesty. The Code is available for review online at http://www.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm?page?1321.
Laboratory:
The laboratory portion of this class is required for completion of the course. There are four field trips and three indoor labs scheduled over the course of the semester; please check the course schedule to ensure that you can attend all laboratory meetings. We will be using these lab field trips as opportunities to explore several of the dominant ecosystem types of Montana. Each Lab will present an opportunity to examine real-world inspired questions through application of the scientific method. We will discuss lab objectives in class prior to each trip. Please be prepared for short distances of walking, unpredictable weather, and any personal needs such as food, water, and medication. We will discuss lab policies and safety issues in detail before our first trip.
Field Notebook:
Your notebook will be your personal written record of observations and ideas from our field trips. The notebook is intended as a less formal opportunity for you to reflect in ways that are most meaningful to you about your experiences in the different habitats we explore. Consider including sketches, notes, outlines for Lab Reports, and anything else you deem relevant. You can share your notebook with your instructor at any time prior to its due date if you want feedback.
Lab Reports:
Each Lab will require a written Lab Report; due dates are in the class schedule. The lab reports will be a more formal record of your experiences in each lab. You will be expected to incorporate notebook observations, questions and hypotheses as raised in the field, lecture notes, and supplemental literature research into a thorough description of the habitat(s) visited during lab trips and an interpretation of your findings. Specific expectations will be explained in more detail prior to the first Lab Report deadline.
Scientific Journal Article Summaries:
There are 4 summaries due over the course of the semester; due dates are provided in the course schedule.Shoot for a length of about 3/4 of a page, typed and double spaced.
The publications you summarize must be peer reviewed articles concerning some topic related to Montana ecosystems, flora, or fauna. Generally, you can tell if a journal is peer reviewed by examining the "fine print" on the credits pages at the beginning of a journal, or you can look it up on the Mansfield Library website; request only those journals that are "peer reviewed". If you still have questions, email me or ask thelibrarian. Some of these journals require a subscription for access; usually the university already has a subscription. To access this, however, you must go through the university library system. Check with the COT or Mansfield librarian to get access information.
For full credit, your summary must include:
a) a copy of the article you read b) a citation for the article (APA formatting is good). Below are two examples of citations in APA format, the second for an article published strictly online:
Emery, R.E. (2005). Marital turmoil: Interpersonal conflict and the children of discord and divorce. Psychological Bulletin, 92, 310-330
Hitchens, C. (2004, June 21). Unfairenheit 9/11. Slate. Retrieved October 28, 2004, from http://slate.msn.com/id/2102723/
Some suggestions for written assignments:
§ Make sure to include your name and which assignment you are submitting
§ Read through your work to ensure that there are no errors
§ Reflect in your own words on what you have learned
§ Summarize the methods, findings, and interpretation for Journal Article Summaries
§ Always include a copy of the original article
§ Include a formal citation for all Journal Article Summaries
§ Submit work on time; late assignments will lose 10% per class meeting
Class Schedule:
Date: Topic: Assignment due:_____
Aug 31 Course Introduction, policies
Sep 2 Science as a process
Sep 7 Labor Day Holiday
Sep 9 Lab expectations, Intro to alpine systems Summary #1
Sep 11 Lab #1: Alpine
Sep 14 Montana physiography
Sep 16 Montana’s mountains, landscapes Lab Report #1
Sep 21 Montana climate, Intro to montane forests
Sep 23 EXAM 1
Sep 25 Lab #2: Montane forests
Sep 28 Montana ecosystem diversity overview
Sep 30 Diversity of Life Lab Report #2
Oct 5 Alpine habitats continued
Oct 7 Montana forest types , Intro to grassland systems Summary #2
Oct 9 Lab #3: Sagebrush & Grassland
Oct 12 Montane forests continued, dominant fauna
Oct 14 Rare Montana forest habitats and species Lab report #3
Oct 19 EXAM 2
Oct 21 Grasslands, Intro to Floodplains
Oct 23 Lab #4: Floodplains
Oct 26 Grasslands continued
Oct 28 Sagebrush steppe Lab Report #4
Nov 2 Floodplains
Nov 4 Deserts, savannah, juniper woodlands Summary # 3
Nov 5 Lab #5: Field Trip, Montana natural History Center
Nov 9 EXAM 3
Nov 11 Veteran’s Day Holiday
Nov 16 Energy transformations, food webs
Nov 18 Changes in ecosystems, ecosystem boundaries Notebooks due
Nov 19 Lab Notebooks, revise Lab reports
Nov 23 Human impacts on Montana’s ecosystems
Nov 25 Thanksgiving Holiday
Nov 30 Montana wildlands
Dec 2 Impacts of climate change Summary #4
Dec 3 Lab #7: mapping Montana wildlands
Dec 7 EXAM 4
Dec 9 Course wrap-up, instructor evaluations
Dec 16 Cumulative Final Exam