An overview of animal life including the diversity and evolution of major animal groups, reproduction, development, and aspects of physiological function. Sessions will examine form, function, and evolutionary relationships in a wide variety of animal types. 

Lectures and materials will be posted weekly on Monday mornings (Eastern Time). Lectures will involve a 30-50 minute pre-recorded video. Students will be required to interact with and engage with each other through activities posted in the classroom. Feedback will be provided regularly. 

The specific learning goals for Zoology 101 are to provide learners with a working knowledge of fundamental principles in zoology while also bringing them entertainment through a unique form of instruction. Thus, this course will provide students with an opportunity to laugh with their instructor and fellow students while also gaining information regarding animal classification and systematics, animal structure and function relationships, evolution between and within major animal groups, human evolution, and animal reproduction and development. 

Optional quizzes, investigations, and tasks will be provided throughout the semester to supplement the class and allow learners to build upon what they have learned in lecture. 

The weekly course schedule will be as follows:

Week One: Introduction, Evolution, and Classification
Week Two: Phyla Porifera and Cnidaria
Week Three: Phyla Annelida and Mollusca
Week Four: Phyla Rotifera, Playhelminthes, and Nemata
Week Five: Phylum Arthropoda
Week Six: Phyla Echinodermata and Chordata
Week Seven: Vertebrata: Fish 
Week Eight: Vertebrata: Reptiles and Amphibians
Week Nine: Vertebrata: Birds and Mammals
Week Ten: Conservation and Final Wrap-Up