BIO 1408 (4:3:3) General Biology I (Non-Majors) Department of Biology Division of Arts and Sciences Levelland Campus SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE Fall 2013 Kristin Bingham Instructor in Biology
Instructor: Kristin Bingham Office: Science Building S- 185 Office Telephone: 894-9611 ext. 2308 E-mail: kbingham@southplainscollege.edu Office Hours: MTWR 8:30-9:30 T 11:00-12:00 F 9:00-12:00 GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION BIOL 1408 GENERAL BIOLOGY I (NON-MAJORS) FALL 2013 Course Description: This general biology course is devoted to principles shared by all organisms. These principles are cell biology, energy, genetics, evolution, and ecology. This course is suitable as a required lab science for nonbiology majors. Course Implementation: PREREQUISITE: CREDIT: TEXT: LAB MANUAL: None Four semester hours Campbell, Essential Biology with Physiology, 4th Ed. by Simon, Dickey and Reece. THE BOOK IS REQUIRED. Lab exercises will be handed out in lab, so you will not need to purchase anything for lab. Course Objectives: A. To introduce basic biological principles through an integrated approach. B. To investigate the cellular processes of living organisms with an emphasis on biological chemistry applications. C. To investigate the unifying themes and key concepts of the different types of organisms. D. To acquaint the student with the anatomy, function, genetics and evolution of different types of organisms. E. To instill an appreciation of the variety and diversity of major organism groups. G. To allow laboratory investigation of topics covered. Class format: The format of this class may be a little different from other Biology classes you may have attended. Traditional lectures will occur, but my hope is that there will be more class discussions than lectures. I am excited about this opportunity for all of us. I hope you will be open to whatever comes our way, be prepared, and participate. Work hard and this semester will be a rewarding experience. To be prepared for class you will be responsible for reading chapters in the book and taking online quizzes over that topic. In class, we will discuss specific topics, do group work, assignments, have in class quizzes, labs, LEARN, and have fun along the way.
Policies, Procedures and Rules: This course will be conducted according to the policies and procedures of the South Plains College Student Handbook and General Catalog. Attendance Policy: Attendance is mandatory. Punctual and regular class and lab attendance is required of all students. Students are responsible for all class work covered during absences from class, even in cases in which they are able to satisfy the instructor that the absence was unavoidable. Excessive tardiness will not be tolerated. When unavoidable situations such as illness, weather, an official college trip, or a death in the family causes absences, I may permit the student to make up class work missed. In such cases it is the student's responsibility to complete the work missed within one week of their return to class. Absence Policy: When absences become excessive and, in my opinion, minimum course objectives cannot be met, the student will be withdrawn from the course. Any student with 4 absences (or tardies) will be withdrawn from the class. In addition, an instructor is required to initiate a student's administrative withdrawal when the student has missed every class during a fourteen consecutive calendar - day period (4 class meetings) excluding holidays. Class meetings consists of lecture period and a lab period; consequently, being absent from one class meeting will count in 2 absences. If something extraordinary arises during the semester, I will certainly take this into consideration and some exception to the attendance policy may be made. Should a student, for any reason, delay in reporting to a class after his/her official enrollment, absences will be attributed to the student from the first meeting of the class. A student who does not attend a class by the 12th day of class will automatically deleted from the class rolls. Tardy Policy: Excessive tardiness will not be tolerated. A student, who is consistently tardy, disturbs class, is disrespectful and rude, and will be withdrawn (dropped) from the class. Grades: There will be many academic opportunities (grades) for you this semester. They will consist of quizzes (several types), exams, group assignments, and potentially individual assignments. You can ALWAYS see your grades on Blackboard, and feel free to come see me at anytime about how you are doing, or for any reason. The explanation for the major exams and quizzes follows: (Subject to change) Exams: There will be five major exams given during the semester. The exams will be announced in advance and will be primarily classroom material with a little lab material. Three of the exams will be taken in class. The other 2 will be taken online using Blackboard (at home or in the computer lab) This arrangement is subject to change. The exams will be multiple choice, true false, and fill in the blank. For the Blackboard exams you will have a specific due date and time for each one and will be told in advance, and it will be posted on our Blackboard calendar. If it is known in advance that an absence will occur on an exam date, and the instructor is notified ahead of time, it may be possible, under special circumstances, to take the exam at an alternate time. Otherwise the missed exam will count as a zero when computing the semester average, Due to the complexity and time involved in setting up lab exams with microscopes and specimens involved, this policy is rigidly adhered to. DO NOT MISS EXAMS!!! Quizzes: Reading Quizzes: There will be 10 assigned reading quizzes over selected chapter(s). Quizzes will be taken through Blackboard with the due date posted on our class home page, on the calendar in Blackboard. The day it is due and the time will be posted. Should you not take a quiz you will receive a grade of zero. There are no make up quizzes. Like exams, quizzes will be open to take for multiple days.
In Class Quizzes: During our class time there will be opportunities to have quizzes over discussions and lectures. These quizzes will use a remote (clicker) type system. There will be 10 total in class quizzes. I know you probably would prefer not to take as many quizzes as we will have, but in the long run your grades will be better on the major exams. They will help me determine if you are grasping the material and how much effort you are putting into the class. Do the reading, participate in class, be attentive and engaged in class and these should be very good grades for you. Homework: Homework activities will periodically be assigned to you (genetics problems, or group assignments, or topics to research to discuss in class), I do not accept late homework so keep this in mind as you go through the semester. These assignments may also contribute to some quiz grades. Participation: This course works best with open communication and participation. Points for participation are given for various activities and are directly proportional to the effort that you put forth to the task at hand. Discussions: Student led discussions will occur at various points throughout the semester. You will be responsible, either individually or with a group, to research a topic and present information about it, as well as fostering a discussion of the topic amongst your peers. Class Activities: Various activities in class and lab will reinforce readings and material currently being covered. Points earned in these activities will accumulate with other Participation categories. Concept Tests: Questions will be posed during class time and are intended to access comprehension of material being discussed. These questions will contribute to your Participation grade. Summary of Grades: Exams 60% Letter Grade Course Average Quizzes 20% A 90 > Participation 20% B 80-89 Total 100% C 70-79 D 60-69 F < 59 THERE IS NO CURVING OF GRADES The last day to drop this course is: November 19, 2012 Study Aids: Peer Tutors may be available for one-on-one tutoring sessions that are free of charge. Contact the instructor or the Counseling Center for more information. Students with disabilities: Any student with disabilities or special needs should identify themselves the first week of class. I will do everything in my power to accommodate any special needs. The student is responsible for providing the necessary documentation from the SPC Disabilities Services office.
Students with disabilities, including but not limited to physical, psychiatric or learning disabilities, who wish to request accommodations in this class should notify the Special Services Office early in the semester so that the appropriate arrangements may be made, In accordance with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide acceptable documentation of his/her disability to the Disabilities Services Coordinator. For more information, call or visit the Special Services Office in the Student Services Building, 894-9611 ext. 2529. Academic Integrity: It is the aim of the faculty of South Plains College to foster a spirit of complete honesty and a high standard of integrity. The attempt of any student to present as his own any work, which he has not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a most serious offense and renders the offender liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension. Dishonesty (cheating) of any kind on examinations and quizzes on written assignments, illegal possession of examinations, the use of unauthorized notes during an examination or quiz, obtaining information during an exam from the textbook or from the exam paper of another student, assisting others to cheat, alteration of grade records, illegal entry or unauthorized presence in an office are examples of cheating. Complete honesty is required of the student in the presentation of any and all phases of course work as his own. Dismissal Policy: A high standard of conduct is expected of all students. It is assumed that obedience to the law, respect for properly constituted authority, personal honor, integrity, and common sense will guide the actions of each member of this class. Any student who fails to perform to expected standards will be asked to withdraw from the class. Electronic devices (cell phones, text messaging devices, music devices, etc): ALL electronic devices need to be in the off and/or silent mode -- no vibrating either. All electronic devices will be put away during class including exams. If the electronic device rings or buzzes, is being used during class for text messaging or a student gets up from class to answer a phone call, 10 points will be deducted from the students next major exam grade per incident. Privacy: The federal law guaranteeing student privacy is the policy of this professor as well as that of SPC. This means that I will not discuss your grade with anyone other than you (which means that I will NOT discuss your grade with your parents, guardians, friends, etc.) Diversity Statement: In this class, the teacher will establish and support an environment that values and nurtures individual and group differences and encourages engagement and interaction. Understanding and respecting multiple experiences and perspectives will serve to challenge and stimulate all of us to learn about others, and about ourselves. By promoting diversity and intellectual exchange, we will not only mirror society as it is, but also model society as it should and can be. Lab Safety: Each student will be informed/trained on the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) for Laboratories at South Plains College documentation and training during the first week of the semester. Each student will be required to acknowledge receipt of this information and be required to follow all procedures outlined by the instructor and/or staff of South Plains College. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS): These data sheets detail any potential hazards which may be incurred while utilizing various chemicals in the laboratory. The MSDS notebook is located in room 146 of the science building. All students are encouraged to read about the chemicals used in the lab in the MSDS notebook. Please ask the instructor if you need assistance.
Attitude: I expect you to take this course seriously. Give serious thought to the subject matter, participate in the discussion, and exercise your capability for critical thought. You must attend class and keep up with the readings; otherwise, either you will become lost and confused or the entire class will be slowed down. This course covers a large amount of topics. We will be busy, and I can promise you that if you decide to work at this course to the best of your ability, and put some time into studying, you will enjoy this course a lot. It is designed with some fun along the way. This course is about effort, if you plan to work hard and have a positive attitude, you will do great. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To help insure a great semester and successful completion of this course: Attend class and be on time. Read the assignments Be an active part of the class, pay attention. Do assignments on time. If you have questions, ASK ME! Please! Find (make) time to study, schedule your time wisely Study as much as possible, and then study some more! Have Fun!! Do you know the difference between being trained and being educated? Your objective in coming to college may be only to obtain the necessary training and degrees or certificates to get a job that will provide a comfortable income. That should be a part of your college objective -- but only a part. You are required to take a variety of General Studies courses on the road to achieving your goals. Many students see these courses only as roadblocks to their education. This is not true. The goal of education is to develop within you a solid base of knowledge from a variety of different fields, and to teach you to solve problems and think critically. This is the pathway to becoming an intellectual. An intellectual is a person who truly enjoys learning and thinking. You can achieve this if you have the right attitude and work hard in all your college courses. It may not seem important to you now, but years after college, you will find that achieving intellectualism will bring a wealth to your life, and a satisfaction that you will never reach if you only take interest in a narrow world of your designated field of study.
Biology 1408 - Fall 2013 Biology I for Non-majors Section/Major Exam Topics and Reading Assignments Chapters/Reading Assignments Introduction - Chapter 1 Chemistry for Biology - Chapter 2 Molecules of Life - Chapter 3 A Tour of the Cell - Chapter 4 Exam I In class The Working Cell - Chapter 5 Cellular Respiration - Chapter 6 Photosynthesis - Chapter 7 Exam II Online Cellular Reproduction - Chapter 8 Patterns of Inheritance - Chapter 9 Exam III In class Introduction Biological Chemistry Cell Cell Energy Mitosis Meiosis Mendel EXAM I EXAM II EXAM III Structure and Function of DNA - Chapter 10 Cloning / Gene Mutations - Chapter 11 DNA Technology - Chapter 12 Exam IV In class How Populations Evolve Chapter 13 How Biological Diversity Evolves - Chapter 14 Exam V Online (Exam type may change) Intro to Ecology and the Biosphere - Chapter 18 Population Ecology Chapter 19 Communities and Ecosystems - Chapter 20 Exam VI In class DNA Evolution Ecology EXAM IV EXAM V