BSC1005C BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES WITH LABCOURSE POLICIES/SYLLABUS

FALL 2015 #4333 SI 103 LAB ROOM

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:

Name: Tamara Dizdarevic, M.S.Office Hours: By appointment onlyEmail: dizdarevic.tamara@spcollege.edu or MyCourses emailPhone: 727-631-6058Instructor Web Page: http://webapps.spcollege.edu/instructors/id/dizdarevic.tamara

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT:

Academic Chair: Dr. Mark ItaliaOffice Location:   LY 206, Tarpon Springs CampusOffice Number:  712-5459

Dean: Dr. John ChapinOffice Location: UP 337, Seminole CampusOffice Number: 394-6995

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

BSC 1005C BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE WITH LAB (3 credit hours). This course introduces the essential principles relevant to the biological sciences through combined lecture and laboratory activities. Contemporary issues are applied to topics in biology and include the process of science, evolutionary theory, organisms and ecology, cell structure and function, basic biological chemistry, diversity of life, and genetic mechanisms. 69.50 contact hours.

Mondays and Wednesdays 11am-1:15pm in SI-103

LEARNING OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES:

1. The student will demonstrate their understanding of the process of science by:a. explaining the terms and premises involved in solving problems scientifically, scientific

research, and peer reviewb. identifying an observation of interest, developing a hypothesis and designing an

experiment to test itc. discussing scientific contemporary issues using essential science skills including, but not

limited to, critical thinking, efficient written and/or oral communication, and the ability to identify reliable scientific information

2. The student will be able to explain the diversity of life and identify the general characteristics of each of the major life groups by:

a. naming characteristics of major biological taxonomic categoriesb. comparing major taxonomic categories, distinguishing similarities and differences among

themc. identifying live and/or preserved specimens belonging to each of the major taxonomic

groups

3. The student will describe the underlying organization of nature, including the basic structure, function and homeostatic integration in select biological organisms by:

a. recognizing levels of complexity in natureb. identifying major cellular structures and their functionsc. describing the processes of cell division and its role in the life cycle of organismsd. describing how organisms obtain and process energy, with special emphasis on

photosynthesis and aerobic cellular respiratione. describing how organ systems function in order to provide homeostasisf. performing dissection of selected organisms to identify major structural components

relevant to their function and maintenance of homeostasis4. The student will explain the conceptual basis of evolutionary theory by:

a. applying the principles of evolutionary theory to the understanding of changes in abundance and kinds of life with time

b. describing different mechanisms of evolution such as natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow

c. describing the importance of mutation in producing variationd. explaining the evidence of evolutionary change.

5. The student will describe the basic concepts and application of genetics by:a. differentiating among chromosomes, genes, alleles, genotype and phenotypeb. solving genetics problems involving complete dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-

linked traits, multiple alleles, multiple genes and simple pedigreesc. describing the role of meiosis in heredityd. describing technology that arises from our understanding of genetics and explaining its

uses and implications.6. The student will demonstrate their understanding of basic ecological principles by:

a. explaining the flow of energy through ecosystems with respect to the laws of thermodynamics governing flow through successive trophic levels

b. analyzing biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystemsc. explaining community ecology and interactions among populationsd. describing population dynamics, human population growth and topics in sustainability

7. The student will demonstrate the use of basic scientific equipment and techniques by:a. using a microscope to observe cellular structures and other specimens as well as

identifying the parts of the microscopeb. using various types of scientific equipment to collect specimens or conduct scientific

experimentsc. applying the knowledge of use of the equipment to real world scenarios

CRITERIA PERFORMANCE STANDARD:

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

PREREQUISITES:

ENC 1101 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK:

Discover Biology. 6th edition. 2015. Singh-Cundy, Cain and Dusheck. WW.Norton & Company. ISBN: 9780393936728

* Discover Biology website assignments are not mandatory; however they have helpful resources for studying for quizzes and exams. StudySpace is free to students and includes flash cards to quiz yourself on chapter materials.http://wwnorton.com/college/biology/discoverbio5/

LIBRARY:

http://www.spcollege.edu/central/libonline/

FINANCIAL AID:

http://www.spcollege.edu/central/SSFA/HomePage/calendar.htm

IMPORTANT DATES:

August 17 First Day of ClassesAugust 21 Last Day to Drop and Receive RefundSeptember 7 Labor DayOctober 20 College DayOctober 22 Withdrawal DateNovember 11 Veterans DayNovember 25 – 29

Thanksgiving Holiday

December 7 – 10 Final Exam Week

STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR EXPECTATIONS:

Student Expectations:

1. The college has an official policy on academic honesty and proper classroom behavior. It is the student’s responsibility to review the online Academic Honesty Policy or "Academic Honesty and Student Behavior: Expectations of Students at SPC" brochure. College policy states that a first offense (cheating, plagiarism, etc) is given a “zero” for the assignment with no possibility of replacing the score. In addition, on the first offense, a form is filed in the Assistant Provost’s office. This does not go onto the student’s transcript, but, should a second offense occur, the student is then subject to expulsion from school. I take this subject very seriously and will not tolerate academic dishonesty or inappropriate/disruptive behavior in the classroom.

2. All electronic devices (cellular phones, laptops, blackberrys, iPods, etc.) are to be turned off before the class starts. Use of these devices in lab is in violation of College Policy and subject to disciplinary action. It is considered to me as a mental absence, so it will be counted as an unexcused absence for the day. I also reserve the right to answer all phone calls received during the class.

3. No food, drinks or tobacco products are allowed in the lab.4. Be on time, it is disruptive to other students when one is late for class. If you are tardy to class

you will lose points from the day’s laboratory handout. If you are more than 10 minutes late (without a documented excuse), you will not be permitted into class and it will count as an unexcused absence.

5. Once class starts, you are required to be there until it is over.6. Do not talk while I or another student is talking. You will be given one warning if you are

disrupting class. If a second offense occurs, you will be asked to leave the classroom and be given an unexcused absence for the day.

7. Students who are not actively participating in class will be reported to administration at the 60% point in the semester. Administration will automatically withdraw (WF) students for non-participation. Active class participation will be judged based on missing no more than 2 classes by the 60% point in the term. A student who has missed no more than 2 classes by that deadline will be considered to be actively participating. A student with 3 or more absences will be deemed “not actively participating” and assigned a grade of “WF” by administration.

Instructor Expectations:

1. Assignments will be graded and returned within one week of the date submitted.2. I will be available for assistance outside of class by appointment only.3. I will respond to all email correspondence within 24 hours on weekdays and within 48 hours on

weekends.4. I will notify you in advance if I will be out of touch for more than 2 days.

ATTENDANCE:

The college-wide attendance policy is included in the Syllabus Addendum (http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/policies.htm). The policy notes that each instructor is to exercise professional judgment and define “active participation” in class (and therefore “attendance”), and publish that definition in each syllabus. For this class, attendance is defined as having no more than three unexcused absences. The last day for you to voluntarily withdraw with a grade of W is October 22, 2015. I will not be able to withdraw you from the course during any point throughout the semester.

Students will be automatically withdrawn at the beginning of the term for non-payment of course fees. Faculty verifies that students are in attendance at least once each week during the first two weeks of class. Students classified as “No Show” for both of the first two weeks will be administratively withdrawn. Immediately following the 60% point of the term (October 22, 2015), each instructor will verify which students are actively participating in class as defined above. Students classified as not meeting the criteria for active class participation will be administratively withdrawn with a “WF.”

However, nonparticipation after the 60% deadline will result in an “F” grade. Students and instructors will automatically receive an email notification to their SPC email whenever a withdrawal occurs. Please come see me if you have any questions.

MYCOURSES:

Your MyCourses class contains the syllabus and powerpoints. It also has an email area where you can communicate with me. You can also check your attendance, grades and your current class average. Please check the MyCourses website on a regular basis.

GRADING:

Current Event Summaries:

Find four current articles (written within the last year) related to Biology and write a 200+ word summary about the article.  Articles can be found in newspapers, magazines, journals or from reputable internet sources (check with me if you are unsure).  Articles should be properly cited at the end of your summary using MLA or another appropriate format.  Current events must be posted to the discussion forum and you are expected to post a comment to at least one other student's summary for each of the four current events.  Current events will not be accepted after due dates, but they may be submitted early (you do not

have to wait until after the due date of one to move on to the next).   See the "Current Events Rubric" located in the Current Event Summaries tab for a breakdown of how your summaries will be graded.  The schedule below includes the dates that current event summaries are due. There are 4 current event summaries 4 @ 25 points each = 100 points.

Exams:

There will be five unit exams on the lecture materials and the classroom activities. The exams will be primarily multiple choice. The exam answer form we will be using for all exams is Scantron Form 882. Dates and material covered on each exam are listed on your course schedule. There are 5 exams @ 100 points each = 500 points total.

Make-up Exams:

There are no makeup exams unless you have verifiable documentation as to your absence.

Quizzes:

The pre-lab “quizzes” are worth 10 points each. Each quiz is due prior to that lab. You have a one-time submission and a 20-minute time limit. The quiz will close out at the beginning of the lab. Once the grades are documented by your instructor, the quiz will be reopened for review purposes only. Make-ups for quizzes are not permitted unless you have verifiable documentation, so make sure to take quizzes by the due dates. Each quiz is ten questions and in a multiple choice or true/ false format. There are 15 quizzes @ 10 points each = 150 points total.

Activities:

Each classroom activity report is worth 10 points. 30 lab reports x 10 points = 300 points.

Possible Points Summary:

Current Events 100Classroom Activities 300Quizzes 150Exams 500 Total Possible Points 1050

FINAL GRADE SCALE:

90 – 100% = A80 – 89.9% = B70 – 79.9% = C60 – 69.9% = D0 – 59.9% = F

There will be available extra credit during this course.  Quizzes for each chapter will be available on InQuizitive; each quiz will be worth 1 extra credit point for a total of 20 bonus points this semester. The instructor reserves the right to make changes where necessary to the schedule and assignments. Changes will be announced in class and/or Mycourses. Students need to check Mycourses regularly for course information and are responsible to note any changes.

The Syllabi Addendum is an important part of your syllabus and can be easily accessed by using the link below.  Do take the time to read this very important information— http://www.spcollege.edu/addendum/

STUDENT SURVEY OF INSTRUCTION:

The student survey of instruction is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement.

BSC 1005C Biological Sciences with Lab Tentative Course Schedule Fall 2015

Date Topic ChapterAugust 17 Introduction -

Activity #1: Scientific Method & Discussion on Bad Science – Chocolate Hoax

August 19 The Nature of Science 1Activity #2: The Microscope

August 24 Patterns of Genetics 9Activity #3: Genetics Avatar

August 26 Chromosomes and Human Genetics 10Activity #4: Human Mendelian Traits

August 31 DNA and Genes 11Activity #5: DNA Extraction Worksheet

September 2 Review Jeopardy Session/Exam # 1/Current Event #1 due 1,9 – 11Activity #6: Genetics Soap Opera

September 9 From Gene to Protein 12Activity #7: Transcription/Translation

September 14 DNA Technology 13Activity #8: DNA Fingerprinting

September 16 Evolution: Change in Populations 14Activity #9: Evolution “The Big Picture”/Natural Selection

September 21 The Origin of Species 15Activity #10: Flashy Fish

September 23 Review Jeopardy Session/Exam #2/Current Event #2 due 12 – 15

September 28 The Chemistry of Life 2Activity #11: Chemistry pH

September 30 The Chemistry of Life, cont. 2Activity #12: Crime Scene Analysis

October 5 Cell Structure 3Activity #13: Cells (Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic)

October 7 Energy, Metabolism, and Enzymes 5Activity #14: Catalase Experiment

October 12 Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration 6Activity #15: Plant Extract SpectrophotometerActivity #16: Chromatography

October 14 Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration, cont. 6Activity #17: Cricket Cell Respiration

October 19 Review Jeopardy Session/Exam #3/Current Event #3 due 2,3,5,6

October 21 Cell Division 7Activity #18: Mitosis/Meiosis Worksheets

October 26 Homeostasis 26Activity #19: Homeostasis ExerciseActivity #20: Bone Hunt and Organ System Discussion

October 28 Bacteria, Archaea, and Viruses 17Activity #21 Bacterial PathogensActivity #22 Human Microbiome

November 2 Protista, Plantae, and Fungi 18Activity #22

cont.:Analyze Human Microbiome

Activity #23: Protista/Fungi

November 4Activity #24: Plantae

November 9 Review Jeopardy Session/Exam #4/Current Event #4 due 7,26,17,18

November 11 Animalia 19Activity #25: Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Mollusca,

Annelida

November 16Activity #26: Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Chordata

November 18 Growth of Populations 21Activity #27: Sandhill Gopher Tortoise Inventory

November 23Activity #28: GPS Analysis

November 25 Thanksgiving Holiday

November 30 Ecological Communities 23Activity #29: How Big Is Your House?

December 2 Ecosystems 24Activity #30: Wetlands

Week of Dec. 7 Exam #5 19,21,23,24