USC-AIKEN
Spring 2016
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY & GEOLOGY
BIOL 122, 4 credits
BIOL 122 - BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES II
Course Policies, Procedures, & Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Kristina Ramstad
Office Location: SBDG 219A
Office Hours: Mon 9-10:30am, Wed 2:30-4pm
Lecture
Mon & Wed 1:00-2:15pm, SBDG 327
Lab
Section 001 Tues 9:25am – 12:05pm, SBDG 103
Section 002 Tues 1:40pm – 4:20pm, SBDG 103
Section 003 Wed 9:00am – 11:40am, SBDG 103
E-mail: kristinar@usca.edu
Phone: 803.641.3439
Required Texts
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Campbell – Biology in Focus. Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky, Jackson and Reece. 2014. Pearson Publ.
Online versions of this text are also available. If you rent or buy a used text, you will need to purchase
access to Mastering Biology (about $60).
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Biology 122 Laboratory Manual, USCA Department of Biology & Geology
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A Photographic Atlas for the Biology Laboratory. Van de Graff & Crawley. 2005. Morton Publ.
Course Description
Biological principles and concepts from the tissue through ecosystem levels of organization with emphasis on
evolution.
Course Objectives
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To acquaint students with biological principles associated with multicellularity, development, phylogeny,
ecology and evolution.
To acquaint students with the anatomical organization of organisms, including tissues, organs and
systems and their functions.
To trace the development of organisms.
To trace the phylogeny of organisms.
To acquaint students with the behavior and ecology of organisms.
Key Competencies
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have demonstrated the ability to:
• Discuss biological principles and topics of historical and current interest and importance.
• Describe the multicellular biological processes that operate at histological, organismal, population,
community and ecosystem levels of organization.
• Apply theoretical concepts in the laboratory by following a written procedure.
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USC-AIKEN
Spring 2016
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY & GEOLOGY
BIOL 122, 4 credits
Course Presentation
This course will consist of lectures by the instructor, classroom discussion, and group and individual laboratory
exercises. Weekly lecture homework will be completed and submitted online (www.masteringbiology.com,
Course ID: MBRAMSTADSPRING2016); lab exercises will be completed during lab and collated into a lab
notebook.
Grading and Evaluation
Achievement of course objectives will be evaluated by weekly homework, lecture exams, lab exercises and
notebook reviews, lab reports and lab practicals. The lecture will count for 60% and the lab for 40% of final
course grades. Four lecture exams will be given throughout the semester and your highest exam score will be
counted twice, so it is well worth preparing for the exams!
The grading scale is A = 100-90%, B+ = 89-85%, B = 84-80%, C+ = 79-75%, C = 74-70%, D+ = 69-65%, D = 64-60%,
F = 0-59%.
Attendance and Participation
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Course announcements and updates (eg, changes to the syllabus) will be communicated via Blackboard.
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This is a survey course and covers a great deal of material! The text is good and can help explain lecture
material you may not fully understand. I will not cover all of the text in class, but you will understand
lectures better if you read the assigned text sections before you come to class, and you will do better on
tests if you keep up with the reading.
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Students are expected to attend lectures. I will provide information in class that will supplement your text.
You will be expected to know this additional material for lecture exams, so it is imperative that you attend
lectures to do well in this class.
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Attendance for this class will be taken via the app Kahoot! which you can download to your smart phone at
getkahoot.com. You can participate in the Kahoot! questions on paper if you prefer.
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The lab is heavily scheduled and you will be expected to stay for the entire period.
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You will be expected to have read all laboratory exercises before attending labs. You must bring your
laboratory manual and photographic atlas to the laboratory.
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USC-AIKEN
Spring 2016
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY & GEOLOGY
BIOL 122, 4 credits
•
Passing this course requires 75% attendance in lab. You cannot get a passing grade in the course with more
than three lab period absences.
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No make-up exams will be given for missed lecture exams. Should you miss an exam for a documentable,
excusable reason (eg, sickness or required university event), then an alternative may be arranged. However,
you must contact me within 24hrs of missing the exam, and only one exam will be treated in this manner;
any other missed exams will be assigned a score of zero.
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There will be no opportunity to make-up missed lab practicals unless it can be arranged for another lab
period during the week the absence occurred.
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Mastering Biology assignments must be turned in on time; no late assignments will be accepted. For all
other assignments, late submissions within 48 hours of the due date will receive an automatic loss of 50% of
points and submissions made more than 48 hours of the due date will not be accepted.
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March 31st is the last day to withdraw without having a “WF” recorded on your transcript. You will receive a
mid-term grade prior to that date to help you decide if you should withdraw from the class.
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You may use a portable electronic device to take part in Kahoot! questions at the start of lecture and in lab.
However, use of portable electronic devices (e.g., cell phones, pagers, MP3 players, iPods, ereaders) is not
allowed for any other reason during class. Their use during any assessment will result in a failing grade on
that assignment or exam.
Additional Help
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You are strongly encouraged to meet with me if you are having problems in the course. Please make an
appointment or drop by during my office hours (see first page).
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Private tutors and help with writing (e.g., lab reports) are available through the Center for Student
Achievement in Penland Rm108.
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If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability that might affect your performance in this
class, please contact the Office of Disability Services, B&E 134, (803) 643-6816, as soon as possible. The
Office of Disabilities Services will determine appropriate accommodations based on medical documentation.
Honor Code
It is the responsibility of every student at the University of South Carolina Aiken to adhere steadfastly to
truthfulness and to avoid dishonesty, fraud, or deceit of any type in connection with any academic program.
Students who violate this Honor Code, or knowingly assists another to violate this Honor Code, shall be subject
to discipline. By signing your name to an assignment, quiz, or exam you are acknowledging that you will adhere
to The Honor Code at USCA. Infractions of this honor pledge will not be tolerated. Cheating, plagiarism, and
other activities that can be reasonably considered as dishonest will result in a failing grade for the course and
forwarding of the matter to the University Judicial Committee.
Note: Plagiarism is the theft of ‘intellectual property’ through an intentional attempt to present another’s ideas
or work as your own.
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USC-AIKEN
Spring 2016
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY & GEOLOGY
BIOL 122, 4 credits
Lecture Schedule
Date
11 Jan
13 Jan
Topic
Foundations of evolution I
Foundations of evolution II
Readings
Ch 1
Ch 19
Due Friday 1pm
18 Jan
20 Jan
MLK Jr Day - No class
Mitosis and meiosis
Pp 174-183, Ch 10
25 Jan
27 Jan
No Class
Origin and diversification of prokaryotes
Ch 24
HW2
1 Feb
3 Feb
Origin and diversification of eukaryotes
Origin and diversity of land plants
Ch 25
Ch 26
HW3
8 Feb
10 Feb
Exam 1
Plant structure and growth
Ch 28
HW4
15 Feb
17 Feb
Reproduction in flowering plants
Ecology and diversity of fungi
Ch 30
22 Feb
24 Feb
Evolution of populations I
Evolution of populations II
Ch 21
29 Feb
2 March
Phylogeny
Exam 2
Ch 20
7-11 March
Spring Break
14 March
16 March
Speciation
Broad patterns in evolution
Ch 22
Ch 23
21 March
23 March
Rise of animal diversity
Origin and diversity of vertebrates
Ch 27
28 March
30 March
Animal perception and movement
Animal reproduction and mating systems
Pp 779-802
Pp 729-733,736-737, 809-811
HW9
4 April
6 April
Exam 3
Behavioral ecology and genetics
Pp 803-809, 812-814
HW10
11 April
13 April
Population ecology I
Population ecology II
Ch 40
18 April
20 April
Community ecology
Ecosystems and energy
Ch 41
Ch 42
25 April
Global ecology and conservation biology
Ch 43
2 May, 2pm
Exam 4
HW1
HW5
HW6
HW7
HW8
HW11
HW12
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USC-AIKEN
Spring 2016
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY & GEOLOGY
BIOL 122, 4 credits
Lab Schedule
Dates
12, 13 Jan
Topic
Scientific Method
Lab Exercise
I
Due
19, 20 Jan
Microscopy, Prokaryotes & Eukaryotes
II
Lab exercises
26,27 Jan
Mitosis & Meiosis
Group project initiated
III
Lab exercises &
Lab I report
2, 3 Feb
Lab Practical 1
9, 10 Feb
Plant Diversity
IV
Lab exercises
16, 17 Feb
Monocots, Dicots & Plant Tissues
V
Lab exercises
23, 24 Feb
Flowers, Fruits & Seeds; Fungal Diversity
VI & VII
Lab exercises
1, 2 March
Lab Practical 2
Group project completed
8, 9 March
No Lab - Spring Break
15, 16 March
Animal Development
Read pp 742-745 in Campbell text
VIII
Lab exercises
22, 23 March
Animal Phylogeny I & II
IX & X
Statistics exercise I
29, 30 March
Vertebrate Form, Function & Tissues
XI
Lab exercises
Statistics exercise II
5, 6 April
No lab - work on your lab report
12, 13 April
Ecology - Trophic Pyramids & Food Webs
XII
Lab exercises &
Group project report
19, 20 April
Lab Practical 3
Notebook
Notebook
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USC-AIKEN
Spring 2016
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY & GEOLOGY
BIOL 122, 4 credits
Acknowledgement of having read the syllabus
In your natural handwriting copy out the following statement in the space provided below:
I have read the BIOL 122 syllabus and understand the policies on lecture, lab, grading, exams, attendance, quizzes, honor
code, and cheating. While attending this class, I will act in a manner that is respectful to me, the other students, the
professor, and guest speakers.
Please write out statement below and print your name.
Your name
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