SPRING 2014

Honey Bee Biology, ENTO 320 Section 500 (CRN 24256)

Instructor: Dr. Juliana Rangel-Posada Assistant Professor of Apiculture

Department of Entomology E-mail: jrangel@tamu.edu

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30pm – 6:45pm Heep Center, Room 102

3 credits, for science and non-science majors Pre-requisites: Junior or senior, or instructor’s approval

Course Overview

Welcome to Texas A&M University’s introductory course on honey bee biology, evolution, management, and preservation!! ENTO320 uses honey bees as a model organism to learn about the scientific process, as well as basic and applied concepts in biology, entomology, sociobiology, and the evolution of communication. This syllabus is a resource that will accompany you throughout the semester. You should consult it to review the course’s expectations, assignments, learning objectives, calendar, and university procedural policies. As an enrolled student in this course, you are expected to read this document carefully and agree to the conduct herein expected of you.

Course overview, expectations, assignments, and learning outcomes

Instructor Information

Dr. Juliana Rangel-Posada E-mail: jrangel@tamu.edu Phone: (979) 845-1074

Required Textbook

“The Biology of the Honey Bee” by Mark Winston (1987)

Harvard University Press, MA

Office Hours

Wednesdays 3pm – 5pm or by e-mail appointment

E-mail correspondence

I will reply to your e-mails and calls up to 48 hours after I get them

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of ENTO 320 in Spring 2014, a student in this course will be able to:

«  Describe the basic principles of the scientific process

«  Identify honey bee anatomical and biological features

and define their functions

«  Contrast how Apis mellifera has evolved into a unique

honey bee species. How does it differ from other bees?

«  Explain why honey bees sting, how they make wax comb, how they find a share food, how they reproduce and

found nests, how they navigate, and how they pollinate

«  Recognize the generation and biological significance of

Africanized and other tropical honey bees

«  Describe the history of beekeeping and discover the impact of apiculture on human society and the environment

«  Appraise how practices around the world are closely related to honey bee biology

«  List major common pests and pathogens of honey bees and current treatments

«  Interpret technical and scientific writing and write documents that are professional and scientific Page 1

ENTO 320 COURSE CALENDAR

This is a fluid schedule of the semester. Except for quizzes and exams, the dates/timing of lectures might change depending on our progress. You will be

notified in advance regarding any changes to the schedule.

«  Read the syllabus frequently

«  Meet assignment requirements

«  Turn assignments on time

«  Complete all the assigned readings

«  Attend class regularly

«  Participate in group discussions

«  Read all assigned readings

«  Communicate with me regarding planned absences

«  Be honest in your assignments and with me

«  Take all in-class quizzes

«  Take time to create a powerful, creative, and informative video presentation

«  Have fun while learning about honey bees!

To succeed in class… Week Date Lecture (L) Topic / Assignment due

1 T, 14 Jan L 1 Course introduction. L1: Introduction to biology - Chapter 1, Winston - Assigned reading 1

R, 16 Jan L 2 L2: Taxonomy, physiology, and abiogenesis - Group discussion 1

F, 17 Jan Last day to add/drop a course2 M, 20 Jan Holiday Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, no class

T, 21 Jan Quiz 1, L 3 Quiz 1 covers material from L1, L2L 3: Diversity within the genus Apis. - Chapter 2, Winston - Assigned reading 2 (Michener's Chapter 30)

R, 23 Jan L 4 L 4: Defining the Superorganism - Group discussion 2 (Wilson's Chapter 2)

3 T, 28 Jan Exam 1 Exam 1 covers Lectures 1- 4 and all readingsR, 30 Jan L 5 L 5: External anatomy

- Chapter 3, Winston4 T, 4 Feb L 5, cont. L 5: External anatomy

- Chapter 3, WinstonR, 6 Feb L 6, Quiz 2 L 6: Internal anatomy

- Chapter 3, WinstonQuiz 2 covers material from L5, L6

5 T, 11 Feb L 7 L 7: Development, nutrition, and cast differentiation - Chapter 4, Winston

R, 13 Feb L 7, continued L 7: Development, nutrition, and cast differentiation - Chapter 4, Winston

6 T, 18 Feb L 8 L 8: Nesting biology - Chapter 5, Winston

R, 20 Feb Exam 2 Exam 2 covers Lectures 5 - 8 and all readings7 T, 25 Feb Video Mystery film

Discussion Group discussions for video assignmentR, 27 Feb L 9 Age polyethism

- Chapters 6 and 7, Winston8 T, 4 Mar L 10, Quiz 3 L 10: Foraging and communication

- Chapters 8, 9 and 10, WinstonQuiz 3 covers material from L9, L10

R, 6 Mar L 11 L 11: Reproductive ground plan - Assigned reading 3

Page 2

ENTO 320 COURSE CALENDAR, continued

This course offers a maximum of 1,200 points. However, Your grade will be calculated out of a total of 1,000 points (200 fewer points than the maximum). So as you can see, to get an A grade in this course you will only need to get 900 points, which is very doable if you turn in your required assignments on time and attend class regularly. To check your progress, simply add your quiz/exam/assignment points to calculate your grade. These numbers may be adjusted due to miscalculations or errors on my part.

Point breakdown

Grade PointsA 900 +B 800 - 899C 700 - 799D 600 - 699F < 600

Curving / Extra Credit

This course will be curved such that if the class median is below 750 points, I will apply an equal amount of points to all students across the board to meet the cutoff. While I am offering a total of 1,200 points, you will only need 900+ points to obtain an A. There will be two opportunities to obtain extra credit (up to 50 points, already included in the point maximum). I am ethically bound to treat all students equally, so please do not request any other personalized extra credit or plea for opportunities to receive special treatment.

Week Date Lecture (L) Topic / Assignment due9 T, 11 Mar No class Spring Break

R, 13 Mar No class Spring Break10 T, 18 Mar L 12 L 12: Pheromones and communication

- Group discussion 3R, 20 Mar Exam 3 Exam 3 covers Lectures 9 - 12 and all readings

Extra credit - Attend Entomology Seminar: Dr. Marla Spivak - Heep Center, Room 103. 4:00p - 5:00p

11 T, 25 Mar L 13 L 13: Collective decision making - Assigned readings 4

R, 27 Mar L 14 L 14: Biology of swarming and mating - Chapters 9 and 10, Winston - Assigned readings 5

12 T, 1 Apr L 14, cont. L 14: Biology of swarming and mating - Chapters 9 and 10, Winston

R, 3 Apr Quiz 4, L 15 Quiz 4 covers material from L13, L14L 15: History of beekeeping - Group discussion 4

13 T, 8 Apr L 16 L 16: Africanized and tropical honey bees - Chapter 13, Winston - Group discussion 5

R, 10 Apr L 16, cont. L 16: Africanized and tropical honey bees - Chapter 13, Winston

14 T, 15 Apr Film "The Vanishing of the Bees"R, 17 Apr Exam 4 Exam 4 covers Lectures 13 - 16 and all readings

15 T, 22 Apr Presentations Final reports of group video projectsR, 24 Apr Presentations Final reports of group video projects

16 T, 29 Apr Wrap up Final reports of group video projectsWrap up of course, Q&A prior to final exam

R, 1 May Reading day No classes17 W, 7 May Final Exam 3:30p - 5:30p in Heep 102

- Comprehensive exam will cover: Lectures 1 -16 and all readings

Course Assessment Individual Number of Total Material Point Value Assessments VaLue

Quizzes* 25 4 100Mid-term Exams* 100 4 400Final Exam* 200 1 200Critical Readings* 25 5 125Group Discussions* 25 5 125Youtube Group Project* 200 1 200Extra Credit 50 1 50

1200900

*Required assignments, not optional

Maximum Total Points Available for CourseMinimum Total Points to Get an A

Page 3

Major Assignments

Quizzes. There will be a total of four quizzes in this class, which will cover the readings and lecture materials for each week. Each quiz will consist of 10 questions, for a total value of 25 points each. You will have 20 minutes to take each quiz. The quizzes will be based on both, the previous week’s material, and/or the material we just covered in the same day’s lecture. If the latter is the case, the quiz will be given out at the end of the lecture. Midterm Exams. There will be a total of 4 midterm exams, which will cover approximately a quarter of all the readings and lecture materials. Each exam will have 50 questions for a total value of 100 points each. You will have 75 minutes to take each exam. Midterms can only be taken once. Question types will be multiple choice, multiple answer, matching, ordering, fill-in-the-blank, picture ID, jumbled sentence, open-ended critical thinking, and similar objective questions. Final Exam. There will one final exam that will be comprehensive for all course materials, including material from the supplemental readings and film contents. The final will consist of 100 questions for a total maximum of 200 points. You will have 150 minutes to take it. The question format will be similar to that of the midterm exams, and you can expect to have seen approximately 30-50% of the final exam questions in quizzes and midterm exams previously. Questions will be randomized for each student. The final exam may only be taken once and is required.

Major Assignments, cont.

Critical Readings. There will be 5 reading assignments, each one having a value of 25 points. You will be required to turn in 4 of the 5 reading assignments in class at the beginning of the lecture period that they are due. These assignments will expose you to primary literature about honey bees from current research articles published in major journals. You will be required to read one or two scientific articles associated with each assignment and answer short questions about their content. All wr i t ing assignments wi l l be available at least two class periods before the assignment is due. Graded Discussion Groups. There wi l l be 5 d iscuss ion group assignments, and each student will have to participate in at least 4 of them. Each discussion assignment will have a value of 25 points. Students will engage in discussions on various topics relating to honey bees. For instance, there will be journal discussions in which students will form groups to read and analyze peer-reviewed articles. The discussions will be scored primarily, but not exclusively, on the participation and interaction among group members and later on during their reports to the other students and the instructor. All discussion assignments will be available at least two class periods before the discussions take place.

Major Assignments, cont.

YouTube Video Group Project. This project will challenge you to work in groups and use your favorite topic(s) learned in class to develop a final video report about honey bee biology/management. This is a required assignment for a total maximum value of 200 pts. You will be broken into groups of 3-4 students, and some lecture time will be allotted for your group to discuss the topic and content of your video. You will then create a 4-7 min innovative, instructional video that you will upload to www.youtube.com, and present to the class on weeks 15 and 16.

Understanding the point breakdown

As you can see from the point breakdown on page 3, there is a maximum of 1,200 that you could obtain in this course. However, to obtain an A, you only need to get more than 900 points. Therefore there are about 200 points that are loose and available to “play with” throughout the semester. However, pay attention to the following information before you decide how to use the point maximum. To do well in, and pass this course, you are required to: «  Take at least 3 of the 4 quizzes

available. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped.

«  Take all 4 midterm exams, no exceptions made.

«  Take the final exam only once, no exceptions made.

«  Turn in at least 4 of the 5 reading and discussion group assignments.

«  Upload and present the YouTube video assignment as a group

All images used in this syllabus and other course materials are protected by title 17 of the US Code of Law, which authorizes the fair use of copyrighted work for educational purposes. Page 4

Software

The computer(s) you use for this class must be able to view PDF files, create, edit, or save MS Word, Excel and Power Point files, must have access to the internet, and should allow you to upload, view and edit YouTube and other video and audio files. To do well in this course, you are expected to have basic p r o f i c i e n c y i n t h e s e programs.

Late Work

I will not accept late work. If you need to be absent on the date an assignment is due, you need to make proper arrangements w i th me b e f o r e t h e d u e d a t e . T e c h n i c a l e r r o r s ( i . e . , internet, software, etc.) will not be considered a sufficient excuse for tardiness or for missing an assignment. Ensure you have a back-up plan for all internet, computer and video needs.

Attendance Policies

The university’s attendance policy states that class attendance is the responsibility of individual students. I will expect you to attend every lecture, as attendance is essential to complete the course successfully. However, if you need to be absent, I expect an emailed explanation prior to the class period. If you do not notify me of planned absences in advance of a due date, I will not accommodate your requests. Examine the course calendar to schedule any planned absences. I will require scanned documents that verify university-approved absences except for sudden personal or family emergencies, medical or otherwise, that may not fall under the official guidelines. The university’s rules for excused &unexcused absences are at http://student-rules.tamu.edu/

Classroom Collegiality

To ensure that all of us have an enriching experience, please be courteous to everyone in class and: «  Turn off cell phones before class «  Don’t wander in and out of class,

or be late without prior notice «  Do not consume food «  Only use computers to take notes

(no social media posts) unless you are working on the video project

«  Do not take pictures or video of the group without their consent

Grade Disputes

I am a fair person and like to be that way with students. If I make an unintentional mistake, I appreciate it if you kindly bring it to my attention in writing, via email. I will carefully consider all polite, professionally-worded, well-reasoned disputes of any assignment scores and will return my decision within 48 hours. Please use ink when filling out exams. Do not use pencils if you want to be considered for a test score dispute or re-grade. «  If I miscalculate your points, I will

review the request and adjust them accordingly.

«  If there are proved ambiguous or inaccurate questions that appear on quizzes, exams, or assignments, I will review your request and may return points to all students.

«  If there is misinterpretation of subjective questions in assignments (reading, writing), I may return points to you if you can convincingly argue that a score should be raised based solely on how you interpreted your work. Only very convincing cases should be emailed to me, as I may reduce your score if I find sufficient reason to do so upon review. Reviewed decision will be ultimately final.

«  I will not reply to, or accept unfounded personal appeals for grade changes, especially the simple “need” for a better grade

Page 5

Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning env i ronment that prov ides for reasonab le accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact Disability Services, in Cain Hall, Room B118, or call 845-1637. Visit http://disability.tamu.edu for more information.  

Academic Integrity Aggie Code of Honor

You are expected to work individually and only use the course materials for all assignments, unless you are working on a group project. Unauthorized use of someone else’s help or knowledge for your own assignments will be considered cheating and will be treated and penalized as such.

“An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do.”

http://aggiehonor.tamu.edu