CRN: 80311 – MW 1:30-4:25, room A120
Instructor : Andrew Lowe
Email : alowe@sdccd.edu
Phone : (619) 388-7536
Web page: http://faculty.sdmiramar.edu/alowe
Office & Hours: I-104 C; T & TR 10:00-11:00, W 12:00-1:00 or by appointement
Address : c/o Biology Department, Miramar College, 10440 Black Mountain Rd, San Diego, CA 92126
Required Texts & Supplies
Lecture – Marine Biology, 8 th Ed. 2007, by Peter Castro & Michael E. Huber
Lab – Biology 115 Lab Manual – available at Mira Mesa Copy (see map on last page)
Important Dates
September 3 rd
October 29 th
Drop Deadline – No notation on your record
Withdraw Deadline – Records W Grade; no drops accepted after this date
After October 29 th an evaluative grade (A through F) will be recorded.
Course Objectives, Student Learning Outcomes, and Expectations
This course in Marine Biology is designed to serve as an elective in the natural sciences. This is a survey of the marine organisms, emphasizing their natural history and special adaptations to the ocean environment. Topics include the marine environment, plankton, marine “plants”, marine invertebrates, fishes, marine birds, and marine mammals. Several field trips are required to local marine habitats…see lab schedule.
Both in the classroom and outside, you will be exposed to experiences, terminology, and interconnected concepts which may be new and perhaps even seem intimidating at times. However, if you will commit to it, I think you will find this course not only a highly rewarding experience, but fun as well. The feeling of accomplishment is a great one, especially when you do something well. It is my desire to expose you to information and experiences that will help you excel and make wise decisions in your academic and professional future.
Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

Principle characteristics of marine systems

Differentiate between the major groups that make up the natural diversity within marine systems – based on their anatomy, morphology and physiology

Understand ecological relationship between humans and other organisms and the increasingly significant impact that human activity has on the biosphere.

Understand various ways of data acquisition, flow, organization, and uses of information, in regards to energy and nutrients in living systems and how marine organisms and ecosystems function.

Clearly and effectively present ideas in speech and in writing concerning major marine and biological concepts and hypotheses.
Your education is an extremely valuable commodity. It is therefore important to extend as much courtesy as possible to your fellow classmates, so that everyone gets as much as possible out of the course. These courtesies include the following: please do not talk, exchange notes, or otherwise disrupt the class during instruction. Please turn off cellular phone ringers.
If your behavior in any way distracts other students, you may be dismissed from the class.

Attendance is mandatory.
There is no opportunity to make up field trips or labs, so it is very important that you make it a priority to be present every meeting. If you miss a lab, you will receive a zero for that day and you will need to obtain the data and notes from a classmate to study for the final exam.
District policy requires that you participate fully in lecture and laboratory experiences. If you are absent more than 6% of total course hours (or, more than 3 sessions), participation will be considered unsatisfactory and you may be dropped by the instructor. It is your responsibility to drop a course if you choose to discontinue. Failure to do so will result in an evaluative grade (A-F) on your record.
Due Dates
Due dates are tentative. You are responsible for knowing the dates of exams, and other assignments. Assignments are due at the beginning of a class period . Late assignments will be accepted
(unless specified otherwise), but 10% of the point total for the assignment will be deducted for each day or part thereof that it is late.
Lecture Exams
On exam days, be sure to get adequate rest, have back-up mechanisms in place for getting to class on time, and arrange for reliable transportation to class. There is to be absolutely no communication of any kind, between students, once an exam begins. Nothing is allowed at the test area except for a writing instrument(s) and eraser. All questions should be directed to me and you may not leave the room during an exam and resume it when you return. If you leave the room I will collect the exam, and I will grade what you have completed.
Assignments :
Although we often work in lab groups, you are expected to do your own write-ups, observations, and any out-of-class assignments. These should be neat, organized, legible, and completed in your own words by the specified due date.
Honor Code/Academic Dishonesty
By remaining enrolled in this class you are pledging, on your honor, that you will not engage in any acts of dishonesty. Cheating, plagiarism, or any act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for work that is not your own is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. You are responsible to understand and abide by District policies in the college catalog. Abuse of these policies will be reported to the dean for appropriate action. If you are aware of cheating of any kind, I would appreciate what information you have, as it essential to maintain the integrity of the course--this includes communication between individuals in different class sections, copying assignments to be collected, plagiarizing papers, etc.
Please refer to District Policy 3100.
Grading
Points will be earned for activities in both lecture and laboratory. I will keep a running total of points as should you to maintain awareness of your grade standing in the course. Points may be earned in the following ways (these are approximations):


4 Lecture exams x 100 pts ea.
Lecture assignments, & participation
 Final Lab Exam
 Lab / fieldtrip assignments and participation
400 pts
100 pts
100 pts
200 pts
Your percent score in the class will be determined as follows: Course % = (Sum of points earned by you / Sum of points possible on each assignment) x 100
Grades in the course are assigned according to the following scale:
A = 90% and above B = 80 - 89.99% C = 70 - 79.99% D = 60 - 69.99%

(Tentative – minor adjustments may occur depending on classroom discussions)
Week Dates Day Lecture Topics Activities
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Aug.
23 M Introductions & Course Overview
Lab Safety
25 W
Scientific method & Ocean Geology (Ch 1 & 2) Sand Crabs I
30 M Ocean Geography & Water Chemistry (Ch 2 & 3) Poster Presentation Prep
Sept. 01 W Currents, Waves, & Tides (Ch 3)
06 M
Sand Crabs II
----- Labor Day Holiday -----
Osmoregulation 08 W Fundamental Biology (Ch 4)
13 Lecture Exam 1
15 W Marine Microbes and Protists (Ch 5)
20 Multicellular primary producers (Ch 6)
Marine plankton & Algae
Seaweeds
22 W Invertebrates I (Ch 7)
27 M Invertebrates II (Ch 7)
Invertebrate diversity
Invert diversity & dissection
29 W Fieldtrip: Meet at Fouling Community site – 1:30 pm
Oct.
04 M Fieldtrip recap and analysis
06 W Intro. to Chordates
11 M Lecture Exam 2
Lucky Seafood Market
13 W
18
Fish (Ch 8)
Reptiles, Birds, & Mammals (Ch 9)
Fish diversity & adaptations
20 W
25 M Mammals (cont.)
Fieldtrip: Meet at Birch Aquarium – 1:30 pm
Dive Response
27 W Marine Ecology & Populations (Ch 10) Exam review
Nov. 01 M Intertidal Communities (Ch 11)
03 W Fieldtrip: Meet at Intertidal site – 1:30 pm
Intertidal prep
13:57 PST -0.05 ft Low Tide
08 M Lecture Exam 3
10 W Estuaries & Continental Shelf (Ch 12, 13)
15
17
M
W
Coral Reefs (Ch 14) Estuary prep
Fieldtrip: Meet at Estuary/Salt Marsh Fieldtrip site 1:30 pm
22 M
24 W
----- Thanksgiving Break -----
29 Epipelagic, Mesopelagic & Deep Sea (Ch 15, 16)
Dec.
01 W Fisheries (Ch 17)
06 M Human Impact, MPA’s, & Aquaculture (Ch 18)
08 W
13
Poster Presentations
Biological Invasions & Global Warming Wrap-up & review
15 W Lecture Exam 4 Lab Exam - Final

Personal Background and Objectives (20 pts) – Due: Wed, August 25 th
Within two pages (double-spaced, 12pt font), tell me about yourself and be sure to include the following information:
 A small photo of yourself attached (or embedded) to the upper left corner.
 Tell me about your science background (courses, instructors, institutions), and the reason for taking this class in particular.
 What letter grade do you expect to earn in the class and why?
 What are your academic and professional career goals, and what are your plans to achieve those goals?
 What are your interests and hobbies?
 Anything else you would like me to know about you (relevant allergies, medical conditions, etc)?
 Lastly, reflect on what you hope to achieve from this course. In doing so, compile a single question that you personally would like to have answered or challenged during the journey of this course.
Map and easy directions to Mira Mesa Copy Center:
Exit Miramar College, North on Black Mountain Rd., enter driveway of Alberto’s Taco Shop, park behind small business building. There are additional entries to the shopping center from east-bound Mira Mesa Blvd.