Biology 100C SYLLABUS SCHEDULE

Section 3100

Summer 2004

Page last updated: 5/13/04

Welcome to Doc Rock's Syllabus for Biology 100, Summer 2004

BIOLOGY 100 C               

Instructor:  Dr. Sandy Rock                                                                                        Office:  B146  Phone: 564-6178

Office Hours: By appointment                                                                          

Email: srock@bcc.ctc.edu or (preferred) at my personal e-mail  (I'll link this to whichever of my e-mails is actually working.)

Section 3100:         M, T, W, Th                   9:30 A.M. -12:00 P.M.                  Room B114

Biology 100 is a one-quarter class for non-science majors that covers important biological concepts and their applications to everyday life. The aim of the course is to produce scientifically literate students who are able to make informed personal and political decisions about their health, community and environment. This section will emphasize the biological basis for personal, public and environmental health.

TEXTS:

• Biological Perspectives. (BSCS)  Kendall Hunt Publishing, Dubuque, Iowa.

•  Biology 100 Module. Burton, et al. 1999. Bellevue Community College, Bellevue, WA.

•         Students are responsible for reading appropriate sections in the text chapters assigned. Students are responsible for additional assigned reading. Texts should always be brought to lecture and lab.

•         Students are expected to attend all lectures and laboratory sessions. There will be no make-up laboratories or lab exercises.    LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

•              Exams will cover material from lectures, texts, outside readings and laboratories. Exams must be taken when administered.

•              Grades will be based on the following percentages:

Assignments (approximately 25)                                                                       25%

Position Paper                                                                                                      15%

Bioregional Portrait                                                                                              15%

Midterm Exam                                                                                                       10%

Final Exam                                                                                                             20%

Participation & Attendance                                                                               15%

                                                                                                                             100%

Bellevue Community College Science Division Policy on Cheating

You, the student, are expected to conduct yourself with integrity. If you cheat*, or aid someone else in cheating, you violate a trust. If you cheat, the following actions will be taken:

1.        You will receive a grade of “0” on the work on which the cheating took place. This grade cannot be dropped.

2.        A report of the incident will be sent to the Dean’s office. He/She may file a report in your permanent record or take further disciplinary action such as suspension or expulsion from the college.

*Cheating includes, but is not limited to, copying answers on tests and assignments, glancing at nearby test papers, swapping papers, plagiarizing, and illicitly giving or receiving help on exams or assignments.

Explanation of Coursework

Assignments: These include in- and out-of-class readings, pre-labs, and laboratory exercises. While your Position Paper and Bioregional Portrait are considered assignments, they are given separate billing and grading due to their requiring more work and attention.

Position Paper: This is an individual project that will nurture and challenge your critical thinking and research skills. (These are abilities on which we will focus during the quarter.) You should choose a topic about which you feel passionate. In the paper, present your thesis statement, several points that support your statement, supportive paragraphs, and a conclusion that supports your initial thesis. You will be graded on focus, clarity, and logic. Equally important: good grammar, punctuation and spelling! (Almost nothing lowers credibility of a written piece more than poor spelling!) The instructor will give you as much support and encouragement through this process as you need and request. However, your thesis and conclusions must be your own. You will give an oral presentation of your paper during the week prior to Final Exam week.  (Paper Format) (Some possible topics/areas.)

Bioregional Portrait: This project should be as fun as it is informative…to you, to the instructor and to your classmates. The intention is to give you a “Sense of Place,” meaning an awareness of your relationship with the environment around you. For details, see page 119-120 of your module.

Midterm Exam: This should give both you and the instructor an idea of how you are progressing with the course.

Final Exam: This will cover the entire quarter and counts 20% toward your final grade. Studying for this will give you the opportunity to visualize the larger concepts that we have emphasized during the course. The exam will include multiple choice, true/false and very short essay questions.

Participation/Attendance: This will be a highly interactive class. Your attendance and participation are essential. Your interest in and passion about learning in general will influence not only this portion of your grade, but your overall performance grade. If it is clear to the instructor that you are making efforts to understand broad biological concepts that influence your life, this will carry considerable weight!

Extra Credit: You will be able to receive extra credit for spontaneous assignments throughout the quarter. These may be simply topics that come up during class discussion or something about which the instructor would like someone to inform the class. Up to two (2) extra credit assignments can be used to make up for missed regular assignments.

 * Text = "Biological Perspectives," BSCS, ISBN 0-7872-8232-4 (3-ring notebook w/CD)

** Lab Manual = "Biology 100 Student Module, Burton, BCC

***We will pick two of these for different dates. Each student will be expected to participate in one. I will try to schedule these so that one or the other does not conflict with your work/school schedules. Most likely they will be on weekends, although we could schedule one on a weekday. It'll be getting dark earlier and earlier, so let's keep that in mind too. Obviously some of these are much easier to get to than others, but I've taken groups to all that are listed (except Juanita). SR 9/23/03

****Laurie Deveraux of Bellevue's "Stream Team"