Introduction to Biological Anthropology – ANTH 101 (28490)

Los Angeles Valley College

Professor Sashur Henninger-Rener

Online course

Virtual Office Hours Friday 10am-12pm or by appointment

Course Objectives: The goals of this course are for students to explore and understand the evolutionary basis for humankind and the nature of contemporary human variation. Students will be expected to understand the basics of evolutionary theory and genetics. We will utilize the fossil record in comparison with non-human primate ecology to create images of various evolutionary pathways. Finally, students will be expected to illustrate the bases of modern human variation, focusing on various environmental stressors that have and continue to shape our species.

Student Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the semester, a student who successfully completes the class will be able to analyze human anatomy and behavior from an evolutionary perspective.

Text & Websites:

Jurmain, R., Kilgore, L., & Trevathan, W. (2017). Essentials of Physical Anthropology. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. ISBN 1305633814

“Learn Genetics.” (n/d). University of Utah Health Sciences. Retrieved from

See course outline for article titles, available in online through Canvas website.

Course Requirements:

Attendance is mandatory and will be recorded daily. Class participation is highly encouraged and 4 absences will result in being dropped from the course. Since this is an online course, attendance counts as turning in weekly assignments.

Late Assignments: I do not accept late assignments in this course unless you have discussed the issue with me before the original due date. Late assignments will potentially suffer a 10% deduction for each late day. If you’re having difficulty, please reach out as soon as possible.

Plagiarism Policy: Plagiarism is a serious offense and will receive an automatic zero with no opportunity to rewrite. Plagiarism means to use someone else’s words as your own, this includes copy/pasting from resources without quotation marks and citation, paraphrasing where you copy/paste and change one or two words, or any indication that you have taken credit for the original author’s work.

Grading -See below:

  • Discussions: 50 points each, 30 points for initial post, 20 for peer postings – 25% of your total grade
  • Weekly Quizzes – 10-20 points each, 50% of your total grade
  • Assignments: 50-100 points each, 25% of your total grade
  • Extra credit: I will offer extra credit for visiting the Los Angeles Zoo (or another zoo). (5 points added to primate paper grade). You will provide proof of your ticket and a 1 page write up of what you did and how it relates to course concepts.

I do not round up grades. Your grade is an accumulation of your work throughout the semester and all grades are constantly available to you on Canvas. Pay attention to them. Ask questions throughout the semester within ONE WEEK from receiving your grade for help. Do not come to me at the end of the semester for a grade boost.

0-59 = F, 60-69 = D, 70-79 = C, 80-89 = B, 90-100+ = A

ASSIGNMENTS:

Discussion Board Postings:

Throughout the semester, you will have a discussion assignment that requires you to answer questions related to the week’s material in a public forum. It will also require you to respond to AT LEAST two of your peer’s original posts.

All “Discussion Board Posts” should be 250 words minimum and should answer all parts of the questions. They will be due Wednesday, by midnight.

You will be required to respond to at least two your peers’ original posts by Saturday at midnight. These posts should be substantial. “I agree…”, “I really liked your post…”, “You covered the questions well…” are not acceptable answers. Bring in new ideas, ask new questions, and analyze their post from an academic perspective.

Weekly Quizzes:

Each week you will have a quiz worth 10-20 points regarding the topics for the week. You will around 5 minutes per question and will have to answer each question individually before moving on to the next question. You cannot backtrack. To prepare for these quizzes, take detailed notes from the video lectures and readings and have them in front of you. All the questions will come from the lectures or the readings.

Course Outline and Schedule (Subject to Change):

Date / Assigned Reading for that Week / Assignments Due
Week 1 / Introduction to Physical Anthropology – Chapter 1
1. Miller, J., Scott, E., & Okamoto, S. (2006, August 11). Public Acceptance of Evolution. Science 313: 765-766. Retrieved from
The development of evolutionary theory – Chapter 2; Natural selection
2. Root-Bernstein, R. & McEachron, D. (1982, October). Teaching Theories: The Evolution-Creation Controversy. The American Biology Teacher44(7): 413-420.
3. Kingsley, D.M. (2009, January). From atoms to traits. Scientific American, 300: 52-59. / Assignments Due:
1. Week 1 Quiz
2. Week 1 Discussion
Week 2 / 1. The Biological Basis of Life – Chapter 3
2. Carroll, S.B., Prudd’homme, B., & Gompel, N. (2008, May). Regulating evolution. Scientific American 28: 60-67.
3. Heredity and Evolution – Chapter 4; The Processes of Macroevolution – Chapter 5
4. Buckholtz, J. W. (October 2012). Neuroprediction and crime. PBS Nova.. Retrieved from / Assignments Due:
1. Week 2 Quiz
2. Natural Selection SEPUP Activity (See Canvas)
Week 3 /
  1. An Overview of the Primates – Chapter 6
2. Primate Behavior – Chapter 7
3. de Wall, F. (2013, February). Bonobo Bliss. Natural History, 121(1): 14-23.
4. Horgan, J. (2008, April). WAR WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? Discover 29(4): 24-27. / Assignments Due:
1. Week 3 Quiz
2. Week 3 Discussion
Week 4 / 1. Primate and Hominin Origins – Chapter 8 – Early primates
2. RadhaKrishna, S. (2006, July). From Purgatorius ceratops to Homo sapiens. Resonance. Pp. 51-60.
3. Wayman, E. (2012, August). Becoming human: The evolution of walking upright. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from / Assignments Due:
1. Week 4 Quiz
2. Bipedal Australopith? Activity (See Canvas)
Week 5 / 1. The First Dispersal of the Genus Homo: Homo Erectus and Contemporaries – Chapter 9;
2. Wong, K. (2006, June). Stranger in a New Land. Scientific American Special Edition, 16(2): 38-47.
3. Pre-modern Humans – Chapter 10
4. Mckie, R. (2013, June). Why did the Neanderthals die out? The Guardian. Retrieved from
5. Zimmer, C. (2013, March 4). Interbreeding With Neanderthals. Discover Magazine. Retrieved from / Assignments Due:
1.Week 5 Quiz
2. Week 5 Discussion
Week 6 / 1. The Origins and Dispersal of Modern Humans - Chapter 11
2. Caspari, R. (2012, December). The evolution of grandparents. Scientific American, 22: 38-43.
3. “Brain basics: Know your brain.” (2015, April 17). The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Retrieved from
4. Wayman, E. (2012, June 25). When did the human mind evolve to what it is today? Smithsonian. Retrieved from / Assignments Due:
1. Week 6 Quiz
2. Hominin Chart (See Canvas)
Week 7 / Human Variation and Adaptation – Chapter 12
1. Jablonski, N.G. & Chaplin, G. (2003). Skin deep. Scientific American, 72-79.
2. Goodman, A. (2000, November). Why genes don’t count (for racial differences in health). American Journal of Public Health, 90(11).
3. Brown, P. & Konner, M. (1987, June). An Anthropological Perspective on Obesity. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 499: 29-46.
4. Diamond, J. (1992, October). The arrow of disease. Discover Magazine. Retrieved from / Assignments Due:
1. Week 7 Quiz
2. Race and Intelligence Argument Response (See Canvas)
Week 8 / 1. Legacies of Human Evolutionary History: Effects on the Individual – Chapter 13
2. Prado, E. & Dewey, K. (2012, January). Nutrition and Brain Development in Early Life. Alive & Thrive. (2): 1-13. Retrieved from
3. Beil, L. (2012, December 1). Early Arrival: Premature Puberty Among Girls Poses Scientific Puzzle. ScienceNews, 182(11): 26. Retrieved from
4. Kimura, D. (1999). Sex differences in the brain. Scientific American. Retrieved from
5. Weinert, B.T. & Timiras, P.S. (2003). Theories of aging. Journal of Applied Physiology, 95: 1706-1716. / Assignments Due:
1. Week 8 Quiz
2. Week 8 Discussion

Essential Resources

Academic Counseling Services – (310) 287-7242

Student Service Building, 3rd Floor (SSB 350)

Academic counselors are available to assist you with many of your educational needs such as help in clarifying your values and goals; develop a student education plan (SEP); interpret articulation agreements with other colleges and universities, and much more.

Special Services – (310) 287-4450

Student Services Building, 3rd Floor (SSB 320)

Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact the office of Special Services as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Authorization, based on verification of disability, is required before any accommodation can be made.

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