Instructors:  Alison Cawood and Miriam Goldstein
Instructor Email: acawood@ucsd.edu; mgoldstein@ucsd.edu
Prerequisites: All students will be required to pass a swim test (form included in waivers) that is administered by a Certified Lifeguard or American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor.

Course Description: Hunt for octopus and sea slugs in the tidepools. Discover the invisible crustaceans in every drop of seawater. Dissect a squid. Ninety-five percent of all animals on Earth are invertebrates, and the ocean is home to the biggest, most beautiful, and strangest of them all. We will cover the anatomy and life history of the approximately 35 currently recognized invertebrate phyla, their evolutionary relationships, and their ecological roles in marine environments. This course covers material that is fundamental to any student interested in marine biology, evolution, or organismal biology. We emphasize hands-on experiential learning – students will observe live animals, perform dissections, and take field trips to natural habitats.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the course students will:

• Be able to recognize animals in each of the major phyla with a basic understanding of its way of life, even for species that are new to them.

• Be familiar with the many common invertebrates found in the dominant marine habitats of southern California, including (but not limited to) the rocky intertidal, eel grass beds, kelp forests, sandy and muddy bottoms, and salt marshes.  

• Possess an understanding of how all animal life is related.

Lab and field components, including dissection, will be a major part of this class.  Field trips involve getting wet and dirty.

Expectations:

Field work is a major part of this class and students must be willing to get wet and dirty. We will be doing almost daily dissections, so students uncomfortable with dissection may want to consider another class. Students will be expected to work efficiently without direct supervision, maintain a detailed laboratory notebook, and complete reading assignments outside of class. Students are expected to be punctual and respectful of classmates and the teachers. Participation in the form of questions and discussion is expected. Curiosity is a must.  Cell phones (during class activities) are prohibited.