Course

Dinosaur Planet

Faculty
Science & Technology
Department
Earth & Environmental Sciences
Course code
EAES 1130
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
Fall
Winter

Overview

Course description
This course uses fossils to explore the origin, evolution, behaviour and extinction of dinosaurs. This course examines changes in the public perception and scientific interpretation of dinosaurs since their initial discovery, with particular emphasis on dinosaurs' relationships to each other, adaptations and the history of the Mesozoic time period.
Course content
  • Fossils: Definition, interpretation and influence of taphonomic processes
  • Geologic time: uniformitarianism, evolution, previous mass extinctions, plate tectonics and global environmental change
  • Classification: systematics, cladistics and characteristics that separate the major groups of dinosaurs
  • Origin and evolution of the dinosaurs
  • Mesozoic paleobiology: what other plants and animals existed with the dinosaurs and affected their evolution
  • Dinosaur evolution: adaptive radiation of groups of Saurischia and Ornithischia throughout the Mesozoic era
  • The rise of birds: evolution, timing and function of feathers, and why some dinosaurs still exist around us
  • Non-avian dinosaur extinction: different extinction hypotheses and evidence supporting the impact hypothesis
  • Dinosaur metabolisms: endothermy, ectothermy and other hypotheses for dinosaurs' metabolic rates
  • Dinosaurs and the media: how public perception of dinosaur science has changed over time
Learning activities

This course is presented using lectures and laboratories that illustrate the practical aspects of the lecture material. Coordination between the lecture and laboratories will be maintained, where possible.

Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

Lecture assignments and quizzes: 0-20%

Laboratory assignments: 9-20%

Laboratory tests: 20-30%

Term Projects: 0-20%

Term tests: 20-30%

Final Exam: 25-30%

Total: 100%

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • distinguish between major groups of dinosaurs on the basis of general morphology;
  • use shared derived characteristics for the major groups of dinosaurs to interpret evolutionary relationships;
  • read, construct and annotate a simple phylogenetic tree to interpret and test relationships between major groups of dinosaurs;
  • relate changes in plate tectonics and paleogeography to dinosaur evolution;
  • infer the age of dinosaur fossils using relative and absolute age dating;
  • describe and differentiate between fossil vertebrates;
  • explain how the study of dinosaurs is representative of the iterative nature of the scientific method, including the role of new observations, discoveries and advances in study techniques;
  • analyze differences between the fossil evidence and how the media and public view dinosaurs;
  • use fossil remains such as bones and trackways to infer dinosaur behaviour.
Textbook materials

Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials include:

Fastovsky, D. E., and Weishampel, D. B. (Current edition). Dinosaurs: a concise natural history. Cambridge University Press.

Requisites

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for EAES 1130
Alexander College (ALEX) ALEX SOSC 1XX (3)
Athabasca University (AU) No credit
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU SCEL 1XX (3)
College of the Rockies (COTR) COTR GEOL 1XX (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU GEOG 1XXX (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG GEOG 1XXX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU EASC 103 (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU GEOL 1031 (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU GENV 1XX (3)
University Canada West (UCW) UCW SCIE 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO EESC_O 1st (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV EOSC_V 116 (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC GEOG 1XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV GEOG 1XX (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC EOS 1XX (1.5)
Vancouver Community College (VCC) VCC EVSC 1XXX (3)
Vancouver Community College (VCC) No credit
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU GEOL 1st (3)

Course Offerings

Fall 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
0
Remaining seats:
35
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A2100
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section notes

EAES 1130 001 - Must FIRST register in LAB section, EAES 1130 L01 or L02

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
0
Remaining seats:
35
On waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - South Bldg.
Room
S3805
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section notes

EAES 1130 002 - Must FIRST register in LAB section, EAES 1130 L03 or L04