Introductory Biology: Unity of Life Syllabus
Course # BIOL 1408 (for<!--This file created 4:47 PM 8/24/1999 by Claris Home Page version 3.0-->merly BIO 1684), Sections 001 Synonym 15143
Lecture MTWTh
Lab MTWTh
Instructor: Elizabeth A. Ramirez Garza, B.S., M.S.
HOW TO REACH THE INSTRUCTOR
Email: lramirez@austincc.edu (in subject include Bio1408Sum04)
Phone: Voice Mail:
Office Hours: Monday thru Thursday
And if necessary by appointment via voice mail or e-mail
Web site: http://www2.austincc.edu/eramirez
Introductory Biology: Unity of Life is designed for non-science majors who desire a more conceptual approach to biological topics. An introduction to the nature of science, the characteristics of life, the molecular and cellular basis of life, genetics, reproduction, and development. An emphasis will be placed on how these topics are related to current issues, such as genetic engineering, biotechnology, and problems facing modern society.
To successfully complete this course regular class attendance, a minimum of 12 hours per week of study time outside of class, and a strong commitment to succeed is required. Students are responsible for all information presented in class or found in the book. There is a mandatory Biology Lab Safety Rules and Information Training at the second lab meeting. To attend and complete this course you will have to attend this meeting and sign the ACC Biology Department Safety Contract or you will be dropped from this class.
BIOL 1406 and
1408 may not both be counted toward graduation. Fee: $24 Insurance: $3.10 Skills: E (course
prerequisite
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS and
SUPPLIES
Ø Basic Concepts in Biology by Starr 5th ed.
Ø Lab Manual: Lab Manual For Introductory Biology: Unity of Life by Jacquelyn Jarzem, Ph. D., and Steve Muzos, PhD., 5th edition BIOL 1408 L5
Ø Safety goggles (it can be purchased in bookstores and has to have Z87.1 written on them).
Ø Closed toed shoes for lab (not cloth or woven material)
COURSE OUTLINE/CALENDAR
“Please note: schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes will be announced in class.”
Lecture
Topics and
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July 5 |
Introduction |
Introduction |
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Ch.1 |
Bio Lab Safety Training |
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July 6 |
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Lab 1 |
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July 7 |
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Lab3 Parts 2, 3, 4 |
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July 8 |
Exam #1 |
Lab 4 Parts 1, 3, 5 |
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July 12 |
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Lab 5 |
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Ch.6 |
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July 13 |
Ch.7, Appendix V |
Lab 6 Part 1,2,4 |
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July 14 |
Review |
Lab 7 |
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July 15 |
Exam #2 |
Lab 8 Part 2, 3 |
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July 19 |
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Review for Lab Practical |
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July 20 |
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1st Lab Practical |
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July 21 |
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Lab 16 Parts 2, 3 |
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July 22 |
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Lab 18 |
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July 26 |
Ch.10 |
Lab 12 |
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July 27 |
Final Withdrawal date |
Lab 13 |
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July 28 |
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Lab 14 |
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July 29 |
Review |
Lab 15 and 19 |
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August 2 |
Exam #3 |
Lab 10 and 11 |
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August 3 |
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Lab 18 |
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August 4 |
Immunology |
Lab 17 |
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August 5 |
Reproduction & Development |
Review for Lab Practical |
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August 9 |
Review for Comp. Final Exam |
2nd Lab Practical |
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August 10 |
Final Comprehensive Exam #4 |
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INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY
This course is taught in the classroom as a lecture/lab combination.
The lecture
meets twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday) and the lab follows the Thursday
lecture period. The course objectives
will be emphasized. Visual Aids such as
CD ROM animations from Star and
COURSE RATIONALE
This class will give my students the ability to make educated decisions about their health (diet, nutrition, cancer, AIDS, etc) and jobs (engineers, graphic designers, CPA’s). Specific skills and competencies are expected of students, who successfully complete this course, including:
1 ability to observe phenomena and to record and analyze data
2 ability to infer from data
3 ability to demonstrate higher level thinking skills
4 ability to solve problems
5 ability to construct graphs from data
6 ability to obtain information from graphs
7 ability to manipulate equipment
8 ability to work effectively in a group
9 ability to work safely in a lab setting
10 ability to follow directions
11 computer literacy
Students can apply the course to their everyday life and potentially to a future career. After this course students may want to enroll in BIOL 1409 Introductory Biology: Diversity of Life or BIOL 1323 Human Nutrition, etc.
COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES
Common course objectives are attached. They can also be found at:
http://www2.austincc.edu/biology/ccobjectives
COURSE EVALUATION/GRADING
SYSTEM
The final grade will be based on: 55% Average of 4 Exams
10% Quizzes
5% Class Activities
15% 2 Lab Practicals
5% Pre lab reports
5% Lab notebook
5% Lab participation and clean-up
Final course grades will follow the structure as follows:
A= 100-90%
B= 89-80% D= 69-60%
C= 79-70% F= 59% and below
NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Missed quizzes, class activities, or lab activities cannot be made up. You will
receive a 0 for any quizzes, class activities, and all lab assignments associated
with that lab (Pre lab reports, lab notebook, lab participation and clean up) you do
not participate (attend) in. You must provide me with written proof that an
emergency (a serious accident, serious illness with a doctor’s note or death of an
immediate family member obituary in order to have an excused absence.
REQUIRED TESTS
Tentative Exam Schedule
1st
Exam-
2nd
Exam-
3rd Exam-August 2, 2003
4th/Final
Comprehensive Exam-
Lab Practicals will test you over procedures and information covered in lab.
1st Lab Practical July 15
2nd Lab Practical August 9
STRUCTURE OF EXAMS
Exams will contain questions from lectures, handouts, internet assignments, critical readings, and assigned readings. They will have multiple choice, matching, fill in the blank, short answer and Essay. No exams will be given early for any reason. You are required to take all tests at the scheduled time.
EXTRA CREDIT (10 pts) due by July 15th must be scheduled with me no later
than July 29th. Critical Reading Presentation/Write
ups due at the beginning
of class
Critical
Choose 3 published articles on one topic in Cellular and Molecular Biology (look on your objective list for the class) write an introduction, summary, and a critical comment on them. A photocopy of the articles that you choose should be attached to your critical reading. The journals that you can select an article from are Nature, Bioscience, Science, Natural History, and Scientific American. The article should not be from before 2001.
Refer to "Evaluating Reports of Science" to give you some ideas on ways you can
critically comment on the article you choose. Answer 4 evaluation questions in
essay form on each of the articles.
Format: The critical reading should be minimum 5 pages double spaced text
printed on 8 1/2" X 11" paper. The font should be 12 point size. Margins for
each page should be 1” on sides, top and bottom. The Critical Reading should be
written from the 3rd person, focus on a theme, and include a introduction,
summary and conclusion.
References: All sources should be cited in a list at the end of the paper. Author,
Title of article, Journal name, Volume #, Issue #, date, page #.
Evaluation: The Critical Readings will be evaluated on content, level of effort,
format, and organization.
LAB REPORTS
You must read all assignments prior to class. You must come to lab prepared. The lab reports will consist of:
Pre-lab write up- Before lab you must write in ink legibly on the right-hand side of your bound notebook. Write the title, purpose to the lab, hypothesis, safety considerations, the procedure that will be followed and answer all the questions in the introduction section of the exercise. Graphs must be done on graph paper. The title can be word for word from the manual. The purpose is the reason for doing the lab and can be found in the manual in the reading section that precedes each lab’s procedure. “To examine the effect of temperature and pH on enzymes” is a good example of a purpose of an experiment. In your own words, write out the procedures from the manual. When you come to lab, at the beginning of lab I will check off your pre-lab write up. This is your pre lab report grade, so do a good job. Turn in your pre-lab at the end of lab.
During the Lab class, follow all directions in the Lab Procedures section of the exercise. As you do the labs document your results, answer all the questions in the lab notebook in ink. Drawings and diagrams can be done in pencil. Each person will write their own notes, lab reports. Document your accurate, detailed results in the lab notebook. Fill in all tables. During lab be sure to document all results carefully. I will compare your results to the rest of your group members. Write the names of your group members on your lab notebook results section first sheet on the top right hand corner.
Lab participation and clean-up consists of:
ü Arriving on time with your lab manual, lab notebook with pre lab done, goggles, and closed toed shoes
ü Fully participate during lab and stay until your group finishes the exercise and completes all clean-up activities
ü Check-out with your instructor before leaving class so I can make sure your lab notebook is up-to date and that your lab station has been cleaned up
After lab is over, finish answering the questions in the results section and, complete calculations if you were not able to complete them during lab. The lab notebook will be due the following lab meeting.
COURSE POLICIES
In the interest of equality and fairness, all students are required to follow the policies and deadlines described in this syllabus. Please do not ask for exceptions, as they will not be granted. The existing policies and deadlines make reasonable allowance for emergencies that may arise during the semester.
Attendance will be taken in lecture and lab. Absences from 4 or more classes can result in being dropped from the course. Students are ultimately responsible for dropping the class should they decide to stop attending. It is assumed that your registration for this class at this particular time precludes any conflicts with work or family responsibilities. Therefore, work schedule or family responsibilities will not be accepted as excuses for missed tests, or classes. Do not schedule doctor appointments or trips to conflict with this class. You are responsible for all assignments and information whether you are present or not. It is your responsibility to get any material or information from other students that you did not receive due to being absent.
Classroom behavior:
Private, personal chats during class are not allowed. Students who persist in private conversations not pertinent to the class will be asked to leave the room. No food or drink is allowed in the classroom or laboratory. Behavior during laboratory work is crucial since, students will be handling materials that are potentially harmful. Absolutely no “clowning around” will be tolerated during lab. If your instructor suspects that you might not be taking laboratory safety seriously, you will be kicked out of the lab. Cellular Phones and Pagers are to be turned off during class and lab.
Success (making good grades) in this course is highly correlated to attending class. Study groups are an excellent way for preparing for this class and exams. You need to read the assigned readings and Labs before class and come prepared to discuss the topics. Tardiness is a disruption to the class so, please be on time. You are responsible for all work you missed.
Missed exam policy
If you miss a test, you will receive a 0 for that test. The only exceptions are if there is a death in your family of if you are seriously ill and cannot physically come to class. In this latter instance, you must present a note from your doctor stating that you were physically unable to come to class. A cold or the flu is not an acceptable illness. Only one makeup exam will be given per student regardless of the reason. The only excuse accepted for a makeup exam is a documented note from your doctor specifying specific days that you could not come to class. If the exam was given during those specific days a makeup exam can be arranged. If the exam was given at any other time, you cannot take a makeup exam. In any case, if you are not able to come to an exam, you must inform me of that fact before the time of the exam. A phone call or an email either to me or to the departmental office is sufficient. If a make-up exam is in order, you must make plans with me for the taking of the exam within 6 days after the regularly scheduled exam. Failure to either inform me or to make plans for the make-up will result in a 0 for that exam. There are no Makeup Exams for the mandatory comprehensive Exam. There are no retakes for the final exam.
When you walk in for an exam you will need to place your belongings on the floor against the wall in the front of the class. You may not talk during a test; you may not look through your bag; you may not leave the room and come back and complete the exam; you may not look on your neighbor’s answer sheet. Any student caught in any form of scholastic dishonesty shall be recommended for maximum penalty allowed by ACC policy. You may consult the student handbook for more information regarding academic dishonesty policies followed by the college.
WITHDRAWALS
If you decide to
drop this class, it is your responsibility to protect your academic record by
withdrawing no later than
Be aware of the state limit about credit hours that apply to students.
Students during or after fall 1999 have state limits on the number of credit hours that a student can take before having to pay out-of-state fees. Students cannot longer drop courses repeatedly without worrying about passing that limit. If the state paid the fee for the student and the student subsequently drops the
class, it counts against that student’s total.
The limit is 1.5 x the credit required for a 2-year degree. (If we require 60 hours, their limit is 90 hours.)
INCOMPLETES
Incompletes will not be given without satisfactory explanation and completion of at least 2/3 of the course work with a grade of C or higher.
REINSTATEMENT PROCEDURES
Reinstatement procedures will follow those outlined in the current ACC General
Catalog.
STATEMENT ON SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
"Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to, cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to, tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations; and homework.”
STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM
"Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good. The common good depends upon a search for truth and upon free expression. In this course the professor and students shall strive to protect free inquiry and the open exchange of facts, ideas, and opinions. Students are free to take exception to views offered in this course and to reserve judgment about debatable issues. Grades will not be affected by personal views. With this freedom comes the responsibility of civility and a respect for a diversity of ideas and opinions. This means that students must take turns speaking, listen to others speak without interruption, and refrain from name-calling or other personal attacks."
STATEMENT ON STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
"Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office of Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester.”
“Students who are requesting accommodation must provide the instructor with a letter of accommodation from the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) at the beginning of the semester. Accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the letter of accommodation from OSD.”
If you have a disability that affects your classroom performance or your testing, please discuss your situation with your instructor during the first two weeks of the semester.
STATEMENT ON LAB SAFETY
"Health and safety are paramount values in science classrooms, laboratories and field activities. Students are expected to learn, understand and comply with environmental, health and safety (EHS) procedures and protocols, and must agree to abide by the ACC science safety policy. Students are expected to conduct themselves with appropriate professional behavior and with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be immediately dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending all activities. Specific safety information for each activity will be discussed at the beginning of the activity. For those activities that require specific safety training, a student who is late and misses the safety training will not be able to participate in the activity. The comprehensive science safety policy can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/sci_safe/.
Protective eyewear required for lab. Notice Concerning Use of Organisms (Dr. Bostic/draft 2003-12-11)
Most ACC biology classes, particularly those with laboratory components, use actual organisms during instruction in addition to mere images and models. ACC students generally are preparing for real-world careers requiring workers with hands-on experience. These careers include health care, veterinary work, horticultural and agricultural work. Other students plan to transfer to four-year colleges and will be participating in biological research where hands-on experience is equally important. Organisms used at ACC are traditional in biology instruction and they are utilized in traditional ways. Their condition and usage varies from course to course. Students with particular concerns in this matter should consult with their instructor and/or departmental officials before enrolling in a laboratory course so that they can know what will be required of them. Some organisms are observed alive while others are dead and preserved in various ways. Student manipulation of organisms ranges from culturing living organisms to dissecting preserved ones. Some examples include: bacterial culturing for microbiology classes, animal and plant dissections for organismal biology courses, cat or pig dissections for anatomy courses, skeleton and pelt examinations for field biology. STUDENT INSURANCE STATEMENT
· Students enrolled in lab and field courses are covered by student insurance if they are injured as a result of the lab or field activity.
· Procedures regarding student insurance will be covered in your safety training.
TESTING CENTER POLICIES
http://www2.austincc.edu/testctr/
STUDENT SERVICES
The Web address for student services is: http://www.austincc.edu/resources_students/services.php
The ACC student handbook can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/
INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES
The Web address for instructional services is:
http://www3.austincc.edu/evpcss/newsemester/pdfs2/studsvcs.pdf
then click on ”Campus Based Student Support Overview”:
http://www3.austincc.edu/evpcss/newsemester/pdfs2/sssover.pdf.
Textbook: Biology Concepts and Applications by Starr
A. DNA-instructions passed down through generations, susceptible to mutations
B. Metabolism-Capturing and using energy and raw material
C. Receptors-Sense and responds to changing conditions in environment
D. Cells-Types Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic
E. Capacity to Reproduce, Grow and Develop
A. Scientific Method
B. Scientific Theory
C. Research in the Past & Present
III. Molecular basis of life (Chapter 2)
A. Atom Structure
1. Neutrons
2. Protons
3. <