PIERCE COLLEGE
FORT STEILACOOM
______________________________________________________________________________
Biology
101: General Biology
Instructor: Barbara Seavy Phone:
(253) 964-6667
Office Hours: T Th
3:30 – 4:30pm Voice Mail: (253) 588-3603
or by appointment x5026
Office: C219 Email: bseavy@pierce.ctc.edu
Course Website: http//www.pierce.ctc.edu/biology
Click on instructor’s name
REQUIRED TEXT and
MATERIALS:
Biology: Concepts & Connections (Fourth Edition) by Campbell, Mitchell and Reece
Student Lab Manual for Biology Labs On-Line by Palladino
Biology Laboratory Manual (Customized; Sixth Edition) by Vodopich & Moore
Lectures (C312): T Th 5:30 – 6:50 pm Labs (C210): T Th 7:00 – 8.50 pm
Credits: 5
BIOL 101 is an introductory course designed for those students going into health care fields and those wishing to continue into the sciences. Lectures and laboratory experiences combine to give the student an understanding of the scientific method, biological principles, and processes characteristic of all living organisms. This is an overview course which examines the cellular basis of life, genetics, principles of evolution, plant and animal biology, and organisms within an ecological context to include population and community structure, ecosystems, behavioral adaptations, and conservation biology. A term project is designed to help students make connections between biology and biological issues that touch their lives in a variety of ways and to enhance their ability to respond appropriately to these issues.
COURSE OBJECTIVES (PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES)
1. To provide an understanding of the field of biology and basic biological principles presented
through lecture and laboratory exercises.
2. To increase your awareness of the relevance of biology to your life via an examination of
contemporary issues/problems and enhance your ability to make wise and informed
decisions on issues of a biological nature.
3. To develop an appreciation for the diversity of organisms on Earth, their importance to the
health of this planet, and your place within this web of life.
4. To provide an opportunity for your intellectual development through the practice of the
following skills:
· Recognize and explain orally and in writing the concepts of biology using the language of the discipline.
· Collaborative work within a laboratory team.
· Critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving strategies.
· Integration, synthesis, and application of acquired knowledge; assessment and decision-making regarding current biological issues.
· Locate information sources, i.e., research.
5. To develop your skills in the safe use of laboratory equipment and the performance of
laboratory techniques used in biology.
Lectures are used to discuss some of the more important or difficult topics as well as to consider information not available in the text. For best understanding of the material, prepare for lectures by reading the assignment before coming to class. For certain topics, text material will not receive detailed coverage in lecture, rather the text reading will serve as a background and foundation for the lecture. Note-taking during lecture is important. Some lecture material is not in your text. Lecture notes also serve as a guide for exam preparation.
Labs give you experience in how a biologist answers
questions, collaborative problem-solving as a scientific team, and
exemplification of the biological concepts covered in lecture. Read
and prepare for the lab before you come to class. Before
arriving to lab you should understand what is going to be accomplished that day. It is important that you arrive on time
in order to receive procedural instructions and information pertinent to the
exercise.
Missed labs can not be made up. If you must miss a lab for a legitimate reason, contact the instructor beforehand to arrange for a possible way to earn some of the points missed.
All assignments and answers to lab questions must be written individually. No credit will be given for work copied from other sources, including another student. You will have two labs/week. Both labs of a week are due Tuesday of the following week. Other lab assignments and pre-labs are due when designated.
Late assignments: Assignments turned in late will lose 1/5th (20%)
of the total points of the assignment. One week grace period: Late assignments must be turned in no
later than
one week after the due date (unless otherwise indicated). Late assignments will not be accepted after the one week grace period.
TERM PROJECT
You will select a topic and a partner(s)—no more than
3 people—on a biological issue of your interest. You and you partner(s) will present your material orally to the
class along with a creative teaching aid.
Additionally, you will turn in a two-page written essay with
bibliography discussing and summarizing your research on the topic.
Detailed instructions for the term project will be given to you in a
separate handout.
EXAMS will be
objective and may include multiple choice, true/false, matching, completion,
definitions, and essay. Some questions
will be designed to test your knowledge of the reading, lecture, and lab
material. Other questions will require
you to apply the principles you have learned to new situations. Exams are scheduled during lecture
times. The final exam will be comprehensive.
EXAMS are based on:
·
Lectures. Take your own notes.
Early in the quarter find someone who takes good
notes and will allow you to copy them in case you must miss a lecture.
QUIZZES will be given during lab time. They will test you on the topics covered that week in both lecture and lab including the current lecture. Quizzes will not be given during some weeks and are indicated by “NQ” (No Quiz) in your Lecture and Lab Schedule. Quizzes can not be made up. Exceptions to this will be made only for documented legitimate reasons.
Timeliness to class. To avoid disrupting the teaching and learning process, students will
arrive to class on time.
Attendance. Attendance is part of your lab grade and
will be taken at the beginning of lab. If a
student arrives in lab after attendance is taken, no change will be
made in the record. He/she will be
recorded as absent. There are no make-up labs.
Classroom behavior. Students will refrain from conversation and/or distractive behavior during lectures and lab instructions. Disruptive or unsafe behavior will not be tolerated.
Cell phones. Out of courtesy to the instructor and fellow students, turn off cell phones during lectures and labs.
Exam absences. Absence from an exam for bona fide
medical reasons or family emergency will
require written evidence. I will
determine, in consultation with you, the fairest way to respond. I
will want to know about these occurrences before the fact. If
you know you must miss an upcoming exam and the reason is legitimate, it may be
possible to make arrangements to take the exam provided the instructor is
notified a reasonable time prior to the exam.
To receive credit for the
course, you may not miss the final comprehensive exam and more than one
midterm exam.
Late assignments. Assignments turned in late will lose 1/5th
(20%) of the total points of the assignment.
Late assignments will not
be accepted after the one week grace period.
Cheating/plagiarism will not be
tolerated. Exams, quizzes, and assignments are to assess your
knowledge and comprehension. For the first offense, cheating on an exam
will result in a 0% for
that exam.
A second offense will result in 0.0 for the course. Cheating on a quiz or a
plagiarized assignment will result in 0% for
that quiz/assignment and a consultation with the
instructor.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Students with disabilities who believe they need special accommodations should register with the Disability Support Services (DSS) Office in room C300K. Call (253) 964-6526 or 964-65277 for an appointment. Students requesting academic adjustments must obtain the Approved Quarterly Academic Adjustments, Auxiliary Aids or Services (green) form provided by DSS before adjustments can be made.
NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to modify the course
requirements, calendar, assignments, grading procedures, and other related
policies as circumstances dictate.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Your grade for BIOL 101 will consist of the following items listed with their point value:
Midterm Exams (3 @ 100 pts each) 300
Final Comprehensive Exam 150
Quizzes (7 @ 10 pts each) 70
Video Assignments (3 @ 10 pts each) 30
Term Project 150
Lab Assignments (16 @ 10 pts each) 160
Assignments A-1 through A-4 (points vary)* 32
Lab Attendance/Participation/Group Work (3 pts/lab) 60
Total Points Possible 952
*Points for these assignments are indicated in brackets in the Lecture and Lab Schedule.
Your course grade will be computed by adding your total points and dividing by the total points possible.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LAB
Each lab assignment is worth 10 points. Labs will be from three sources:
Lab Manual, On-Line Labs, and Instructor’s Labs.
Following are specific page assignments for your Lab Manual and On-Line
Labs. For each of these labs you will
be given a handout with the exercises and questions you are to do. Some of the exercises/questions will be the
same as in your Lab Manual and some will not.
You will
respond on the handout and turn it in, rather than writing your responses in your Lab Manual.
LAB
MANUAL Pages ON-LINE
LABS Asgmt
Scientific Method 1-1
to 1-8 EnzymeLab 1, 2
The Microscope 2-1
to 2-7 and 2-8 to 2-10 FlyLab 1, 2
The Cell 3-1
to 3-15 EvolutionLab 1, 2, 4
Diffusion and Osmosis 8-1 to 8-8
and 8-10 to 8-11 PopEcoLab 1, 3
Photosynthesis 12-1
to 12-5 and 12-7 to 12-10 DemographyLab 1, 3
Mitosis 13-1
to 13-6
Meiosis 14-1
to 14-3
Genetics 16-1
to 16-3 and 16-6 to 16-8
INSTRUCTOR’S
LABS. Your answers will be written on the lab
handout.
Electrophoresis (very similar to the one in your Lab Manual, pp6-5 to
6-8)
Protists and Plankton
Angiosperms
Animal Evolution and Diversity
Crab Adaptations
ALTERNATIVE LABS IN CASE INSTRUCTOR MUST
CANCEL CLASS
In case the instructor is ill or cannot get to campus because of
inclement weather, an alternative lab assignment will be posted from the
following list:
1. PedigreeLab 1a-c 4. DemographyLab 1,
3
2. TranslationLab 1 or
3. LeafLab 1 PopEcoLab 1,
3
5. Relevant Activity. Choose an activity that is relevant to what
we are studying or have studied. Spend
at least 2 hours doing the activity.
Write a 2 – 3 page double-spaced report about it using Arial or Times
New Roman #12 font. Include what you
did and with whom (if this applies), why you chose the activity, a summary of
your experience (what you learned), and a personal comment/critique re your
experience. Describe any preparatory
work done before you did the activity.
Following are some ideas, but you may choose one of your own or
modify any of these.
·
Devise an activity that you share with your family in which you either
teach them something you are learning, or you all learn something new about
biology and how it relates to your lives.
·
Involve your family in assessing your family’s conservation efforts –
recycling, taking shorter showers, carpooling, volunteering, etc – draw up and
commit to a Family Conservation Plan.
·
Survey and assess a local business or businesses with regard to their
conservation or animal rights efforts, e.g., supermarkets: do they offer alternative choices such as
eggs laid by free-ranging chickens; photo print shop: how do they dispose of their chemicals; your doctor: does he/she offer alternative hormone therapy
besides Premarin. Educate and encourage
behavior changes if you feel they are needed.
·
Visit a zoological or botanical park.
View the animals and plants through the eyes of a biologist. Before you go, make a list of observations
you will make based on biological principles and issues. Use lecture and text as a guide. Make sketches to include with your report.
·
Visit a local wildlife or marine sanctuary or choose a specific
ecosystem to visit. Prepare a list of
observations you want to make based on biological concepts. Use lectures and text as a guide. Observe the animals and plants and
ecological interactions. Make sketches
to include in your report.
·
Visit a business or health care facility that may represent your chosen
field, such as your dentist, doctor, specialist, veterinary, hospital, research
lab, or social service agency. Make an
appointment and go prepared with questions and specific observations you want
to make.
·
Volunteer your time to a local conservation project – stream/wetland
restoration, beach clean-up, recycling effort, wildlife rehabilitation center,
etc. In your report include the goals
and specific principles/guidelines that are being followed in order to
accomplish those goals.
· Volunteer your time at a nursing home, hospital, veterinary, shelter for the homeless, etc. In your report include details about the needs of the clients, the services provided, how the operation is supported, and specific issues facing health care workers.
UNIT 1. ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF CELLS
1 T Jan 6 What is Life and How Do We Ch. 1 T: Lab Safety,
Q Study It? Microscope Tech
Chemical Basis of
Life Ch. 2 (Stereoscope)
Scientific Method
Th 8 Molecules
of Cells Ch.
3 Th:
Library Orientation
DNA & RNA Ch.
10: 186-201 A-1
DUE A-1: “Biology in the popular
press” [10]a—Thurs lab this week
2 T Jan 13 DNA
& RNA Ch.
10 T: The
Cell
Q Cell Structure &
Function Ch. 4 Microscope Tech
(Light)
Th 15 Cell Structure &
Function Ch. 4 Th:
Electrophoresis^
Cell
Energetics Ch.
5 (Read p239, 245)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
3 T Jan 20 EXAM
1 (Chs 1 – 4 and 10) T: EnzymeLab*
#1, 2
Cell Energetics Ch. 5
Th 22 Cell Energetics Ch. 5 Th:
Diffusion & Osmosis
Cell Respiration Ch.
6 A-2 DUE
A-2
Term project topic and partners [5]—Thurs lab this week
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
4 T Jan 27 Cell
Respiration Ch.
6 T: Photosynthesis
Q Photosynthesis Ch. 7
Th 29 Photosynthesis Ch. 7 Th:
Mitosis and Meiosis
Cells &
Reproduction: Mitosis Ch. 8
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
5 T Feb 3 Cells
& Reproduction: Meiosis Ch. 8 & 540-41 T: Genetics
Q Genetics Ch.
9
Th 5 Genetics Ch. 9 Th:
FlyLab* #1, 2
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
6 T Feb 10 EXAM
2 (Chs. 5 – 9) T: Video: Animal
Evolution
& Natural Selection Ch. 13
& 718-19 Imposters (60m)
UNIT 2. EVOLUTION OF LIFE
ON EARTH
Th 12 Evolution
& Natural Selection Ch.
13 & 718-19 Th:
EvolutionLab*
#1, 2, 4
Project Progress: Discuss progress of term project with me—Thurs
lab this week
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
7 T Feb 17 Speciation Ch.
14 T: Protists & Plankton^
Q
Th 19 Beginning
of Life on Earth Ch. 16 Th: Video: Flower Sex
Land
Colonization: Plants & Ch. 17 & 652-55 (60m)
Fungi A-3 DUE
A-3: Annotated Bibliography for project [10] – due Thurs this
week
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
8 T Feb 24 Land Colonization: Plants & Ch.
17 & 621-23, T:
Angiosperms^
Q Fungi 632-38
Animal
Evolution: Invertebrates Ch. 18:
366-84
Th 26 Animal
Evolution : Invertebrates Ch.
18: 385-94 Th: Animal Evol &
&
Vertebrates Diversity^
A-4:
Pre-Lab Exercise (crabs) [7]—due Tues next week
9 T Mar 2 Animal
Evolution: Vertebrates Ch. 18 T: Crab Adaptations^
(Read
506-07; review
osmosis)
A-4 DUE
UNIT 3. ECOLOGY/ORGANISMS INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Th 4 EXAM 3 (Chs 13, 14, 16-18) Th:
PopEcoLab* #1, 3
Biosphere Ch.
34 OR
DemographyLab*
#1,
3 (You choose)
Project presentations and
essay due next week!!”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
10 T Mar 9 Biosphere Ch.
34 Project
presentation in
Q Population
Dynamics Ch. 35 both
labs this week.
Th 11 Population
Dynamics Ch. 35 Hand in
essays.
Community Structure Ch. 36
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
11 T Mar 16 Community
Structure Ch. 36 T: Video: Natural
Conservation Biology Ch. 38 Connections (60m)
Th 18 FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 5:30 – 7:30 PM C312
[ ] = Number
of points assigned. *On-Line
Labs
Q = Quiz ^Instructor’s
Labs
Unmarked
labs are from your Lab Manual
Lecture, labs, and
reading assignments are subject to change as circumstances dictate.
Biology 101 Pierce College
This contract must be signed and handed in to receive a grade for this
course.
I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE SYLLABUS PROVIDED. I AM AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING:
n Quiz, exam, and final exam dates. I understand that no make-up quizzes or exams will be given.
n Laboratory schedule, guidelines for lab preparation, safety practices, and policies on missed labs.
n That assignments are due at the beginning of lab of the following week unless otherwise indicated. Late assignments (turned in within one week of due date) will lose 20% of their points. Late assignments will not be accepted after the one week grace period.
n Term project and essay guidelines and deadlines.
n Lecture and laboratory expectations.
I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC HONESTY. I PLEDGE TO REFRAIN FROM ANY ACT OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY, INCLUDING:
n Cheating on exams and quizzes.
n Any form of plagiarism.
n Misuse of library materials, including unauthorized removal or damage.
SIGNATURE______________________________________
NAME___________________________________________
DATE____________________________________________
Please answer
the following questions:
What is your major and/or career goal?
What other science courses have you taken?
When was the last time you took a biology class? How many years ago?
What do you expect to get from this class? Do you anticipate that this class will be helpful to you in your career and/or everyday life? If so, how?
Are there any biological issues or concerns you have that you would like to know more about or understand better?