Houston Community College System
Department: Life Sciences
BIOL 1406: BIOLOGY I FOR
MAJORS – FALL 2009
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
A contemporary course including application of the scientific method, cellular and molecular
biology, classical and human genetics, virology.
Course Title:
Biology I
Course Number
1406 – CRN# 98270
Credit Hours:
4 Semester Credit Hours:>
Prerequisites
College Level Reading
Semester and Year
Fall 2009
Instructor
Dr. Tom Loesch
Class Days and Times
MW 8-11AM
Class Room Location
Stafford S108
Office:
Biology Office SW Campus
Office Hours:
Appointments arranged in advance
E-mail
tom.loesch@hccs.edu
Voice mail Box
ADA STATEMENT:
The HCCS colleges are dedicated to providing the least restrictive learning environment for all
students. The college district promotes equity in academic access through the implementation of
reasonable accommodations as required by the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title V,
Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) which will enable students
with disabilities to participate in and benefit from all post-secondary educational activities.
If you require reasonable accommodations because of a physical, mental, or learning disability,
please notify the instructor of this course as soon as possible and preferably before the end of the
first two weeks of class to arrange for reasonable accommodations.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A contemporary course including applications of the scientific method, cellular and molecular biology,
biochemistry, classical and human genetics, virology. This course is intended for BIOLOGY MAJORS. The
coursework and readings will be geared toward students who intend to pursue biology (or a related discipline) as a
major. If you are not majoring in biology (or a related science/health discipline), you may want to enroll in
BIOL1308, the first semester of our biology for non-majors sequence.
LEARNING OUTCOMES – BIOLOGY 1406
(1) Apply the scientific method in a laboratory setting.
(2) Demonstrate an understanding of basic organic chemistry and apply chemical concepts to living systems,
examine cell structure, function, and reproduction utilizing the Cell Theory as a unifying theme in biology.
(3) Examine the importance of energy flow by analyzing the interrelated processes of cellular respiration and
photosynthesis.
(4) Analyze the genetic components responsible for heredity and examine current advances in bioscience
technologies.
(5) Demonstrate basic knowledge of virology and the impact of viruses on living things.
PREREQUISITES
College reading level as determined by SAT, ACT, TASP; or successfully passing ENGL0305 with a “C” or better.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Campbell, N.A., J.B. Reece, 2008, Biology, 8th ed., Benjamin Cummings Publishing, San Francisco, CA
Biology 1406 Laboratory Manual, Houston Community College – Southwest, 2nd. edition.
Other Operating Guidelines
(1) You are spending a good deal of time, energy and money on this course – please, make the most of your
investment! There is a school-mandated attendance requirement for this course (please see the “Classroom
Evaluation” section for a description). If you’re still struggling with certain aspect of the course, please
make an effort to see me and I will gladly make time to help you work through the material.
(2) Make up tests are very difficult to schedule and may not be rescheduled for unauthorized absences. I
reserve the right to give students who miss a test an alternate version of the appropriate test. Other
assignments (e.g. critiques) not turned in on time will be docked 10% of their final value for each class day
that they are late. There will be NO make up labs.
(3) My purpose in this class is to act as your guide through this subject material. I also must make sure that
your grade in this class indicates your mastery of the subject material required by this college. I am not
here to spoon-feed you. It takes approximately 2-3 hours of study time for each hour of class time to
master the material. This class will have over 96 contact hours (4 hr. credit) compared to 48 contact hours
that comprise the normal class (3 hr. credit). The class and study time necessary to succeed in this class
will be close to 300 hours (20 hours per week)!
(4) Please do not talk during class. If you feel the need to discuss something with a classmate, please do so
outside. I will not be offended if you need to take an important conversation outside briefly so as not to
distract your classmates. No cell phones on in class and pagers off or on vibrate.
EVALUATION:
The final course grade will be determined by the percentage of points earned in the following:
5 Tests @ 100 points each
=
500 points
2 Critiques @ 75 points each
=
150 points
Attendance
=
50 points
Total Lecture Points
=
(700 points- 50% of Final Grade)
1 Final Exam @ 300 points
=
350 points (25% of Final Grade)
2 Lab Tests @ 150 points each
=
300 points
Lab Notebook @ 50 points
=
50 points (350 total Lab points-25% of Final Grade)
------------------------------------------------------------------TOTAL
=
1400 points
Tests (100 points each, Final Exam = 350 points)
There will be 5 tests throughout the course (including the comprehensive final exam). Dates for the tests are listed
in the course calendar. The tests will cover material covered prior to the date of each test material). Tests will be
given at the beginning of class on designated dates (see course calendar) with lecture or lab following the test. The
final exam will cover material from the entire course, but about 1/4 th of the exam will contain material from the
chapters and labs not covered in previous tests.
Critiques (75 points each)
Throughout the course, each student will be required to submit two “critiques” of current articles in the news
pertaining to biology (and there are plenty of them!). Critiques will be on pre-assigned topics, and should be at least
one page in type-written length (500 words or more), 12-point font, with standard margins! While the topics will be
pre-assigned, students will be allowed to choose their own articles pertaining to the topic. Articles chosen for
critique should be at most three years old and may come from any one of a number of sources (newspapers,
magazines, internet, etc.) Specific directions will be handed out in class.
A good critique should be a fair mix of scientific summary, and of educated, well-thought opinion of the article
chosen for the critique. Critiques should NOT consist simply of opinion with no summary, nor should they be
paraphrased re-hashes of the articles with no opinion at all. (See Handout for specifics). Due dates for the
critiques are listed in the course calendar. In order to receive full credit, you MUST include a copy of the article
you’ve chosen with your critique. Critiques will be due at the beginning of class on the specified dates – I will NOT
accept e-mails of your critiques or articles!
Attendance Policy: (50 points)
You will receive 50 points for your attendance in class. For each unexcused absence, you will lose ten of these
points. After five unexcused absences, the professor recommends the student drop the class. In order for an
absence to be considered “excused” the student must bring some form of documentation as to the reason for the
absence (e.g. doctor’s note, court record, etc.). Partial unexcused absences from class will also be considered to be
“absences”. The instructor reserves the right to take attendance at any time, even several times, during class. If
you wish to drop the class you must use the proper drop form, have it signed, and turn it in to the registration
office before the deadline.
Reading Assignments & Possible Unannounced Quizzes:
It is expected that each student will read the pre-assigned section of the text BEFORE coming to CLASS each
day. Reading assignments for each class will be given at the end of the previous class. Use the class schedule to stay
ahead of the lectures. The instructor may give pre-lecture quizzes to make sure the students are prepared for class.
These quizzes MAY NOT BE ANNOUNCED in advance.
Class Participation:
While there is no “formal” assessment of your participation in class, it is appreciated and will no doubt aid in your
learning (and your classmates’ learning) of the material!
Make-UP Exam Policy:
Make up tests are very difficult to schedule and may not be rescheduled for unauthorized absences. I reserve the
right to give students who miss a test an alternate version of the appropriate test. Other assignments (e.g. critiques)
not turned in on time will be docked 10% of their final value for each class day that they are late. There will be NO
make up labs.
Warning: Students who are repeating this class for the third time will be charged an additional fee per class
hour.
FINAL GRADE “CALCULATOR”
Critique #1 - _______________________ (75 points max.)
Critique #2 - _______________________ (75 points max.)
Attendance - _______________________ (50 points max.)
Test #1 - __________________________ (100 points max)
Test #2 - __________________________ (100 points max)
Test #3 - __________________________ (100 points max.)
Test #4 - __________________________ (100 points max)
Test #5 - __________________________ (100 points max)
Total Lecture Points _________________ (700 points max- 50% of Final Grade)
Lab Test # 1 _______________________ (150 Points)
Lab Test # 2 _______________________ (150 Points)
Lab Notebook ______________________ (50 Points)
Total Laboratory Points ______________ (350 points max.- 25% of Final Grade)
Final Exam - _______________________ (350 points max.- 25% of Final Grade)
TOTAL - _________________________ (1400 points max., not including extra credit)
Divide your total by 1400 = Final Percentage = _________________ %
Letter Grade Assignment:
A = 90-100% (or higher)
B = 80-89 %
C = 70-79 %
D = 60-69 %
F = 0-59 %
GUARANTEED GRADUATE POLICY:
Houston Community College System guarantees that graduates of its Associate of Arts,
Associate of Science, or Associate of Applied Science and all Certificate programs, providing
under certain circumstances, additional education and training tuition free to students lacking
appropriate mastery of specified competencies. For additional information, refer to the HCCS
college catalog.
WITHDRAWAL POLICY:
Withdrawal from the course before the official day of record (see current catalog) will result in a
final grade of “W” on the student transcript and no credit will be awarded. Prior to the official
day of record, it is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a request for withdrawal
from any course.
International Students: Receiving a W in a course may affect the status of your student visa. Once a W is given
for the course, it will not be changed to an F for visa considerations. You may contact the International Student
Office at 713 718 8520 if you have any questions about your student visa status or other transfer issues.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy
The State of Texas has begun to impose penalties on students who drop courses excessively. For example, if you
repeat the same course more than twice, you have to pay extra tuition. Beginning in Fall 2007, the Texas
Legislature passed a law limiting students to no more than SIX total course withdrawals throughout their
educational career in obtaining a certificate and/or degree.
To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by which
your professor will “alert” you and distance education (DE) counselors that you might fail a class because of
excessive absences and/or poor academic performance. You should visit with your DE professor or a DE counselor
to learn about what, if any, HCC interventions might be available to assist you – online tutoring, child care, financial
aid, job placement, etc. – to stay in class and improve your academic performance.
If you plan on withdrawing from your DE class, you MUST contact a DE counselor or your DE professor prior to
withdrawing (dropping) the class and this must be done PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline to receive a “W” on
your transcript. **Final withdrawal deadlines vary each semester and/or depending on class length, please visit the
online registration calendars, HCC schedule of classes and catalog, any HCC Registration Office, or any HCC
counselor to determine class withdrawal deadlines. Remember to allow a 24-hour response time when
communicating via email and/or telephone with a DE professor and/or counselor. Do not submit a request to
discuss withdrawal options less than a day before the deadline. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you
will receive the grade that you are making in the class as your final grade.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
HCCS is committed to a high standard of academic integrity in the academic community. In
becoming a part of the academic community, students are responsible for honesty and
independent effort. Failure to uphold these standards includes, but is not limited to, the
following: plagiarizing written work or projects, cheating on exams or assignments, collusion on
an exam or project, and misrepresentation of credentials or prerequisites when registering for a
course. Cheating includes looking at or copying from another student's exam, orally
communicating or receiving answers during an exam, having another person take an exam or
complete a project or assignment, using unauthorized notes, texts, or other materials for an exam,
and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam or any part of an exam.
Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without
giving proper credit by documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report or
project that someone else has prepared, in whole or in part. Collusion is inappropriately
collaborating on assignments designed to be completed independently. These definitions are not
exhaustive. When there is clear evidence of cheating, plagiarism, collusion or misrepresentation,
a faculty member will take disciplinary action including but not limited to: requiring the student
to retake or resubmit an exam or assignment, assigning a grade of zero or "F" for an exam or
assignment; or assigning a grade of "F" for the course. Additional sanctions including being
withdrawn from the course, program or expelled from school may be imposed on a student who
violates the standards of academic integrity.
SOFTWARE PIRACY:
Law strictly prohibits unauthorized copying of software purchased by Houston Community
College for use in laboratories. Houston Community College administration will take
appropriate disciplinary action against anyone violating copyright laws.
COMPUTER VIRUS PROTECTION:
Computer viruses are, unfortunately, a fact of life. Using the diskettes on more than one
computer creates the possibility of infecting computers and diskettes with a computer virus. This
exposes the computers of the college, your personal computer, and any others you may be using
to potentially damaging viruses. The college has aggressive anti-virus procedures in place to
protect its computers, but cannot guarantee that a virus might not temporarily infect one of its
machines. It is your responsibility to protect all computers under your control and use and ensure
that each diskette you use, whenever or wherever you use it, has been scanned with anti-virus
software. Since new viruses arise continually, your anti-virus software must be kept current.
And, since no anti-virus software will find every virus, keeping copies of data (backups) is
extremely important.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT:
It is the policy of the Houston Community College System to provide equal employment,
admission and educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin,
sex, age, or disability.
HCCS Colleges strive to provide an excellent learning environment free from harassment or
intimidation directed at any person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Any form of harassment will not be tolerated.
Changes may be made to this syllabus when deemed appropriate by the professor. Students will be notified of any
changes in a timely manner.
My thanks to Dr. Fenton, Dr. Switzer and Don Shult for allowing me to use their class syllabuses as a guide.
COURSE CALENDAR:
COURSE CALENDAR
Week 1
Critique #1, Use of Organic Chemicals to Effect Biological
Systems (+ or -)
Course Introduction – Syllabus, Chapter 1 &2
Lab. – Intro. To Lab. – Safety Issues
Lab – Scientific Method (Handout)
Week 2
Chapter 3 & 4
L – Basic Chemistry
Week 3
Test 1 chapters 1,2,&3, Lect. Chapter 4 &5
L- Properties of Water
Carbopol Dem. (pH effect on association bonds)
Week 4
Chapters 5 & 6
L – Biochemistry: Detection of Biological Molecules
Week 5
Lab. Test 1, Chapter 6, & 7
L – The Microscope
Week 6
Test 2, chapters 4,5,6, & 7, Critique #1 Due
Chapter 8 & 9
L- Cell Structure
Week 7
2nd.Critique – Effects of Viruses on Organisms Today
Lecture Chapter 9 & 10
L – Diffusion & Osmotic Relationships of Cells
Week 8
Chapter 10 & 11
L – Enzymes
Week 9
Test 3, chapters 8,9, 10 & 11, Lect. Chapter 12 & 13
L – Respiration
Week 10
Chapter 12 & 13
L - Photosynthesis & Spectrophotometry
Week 11
Chapter 14 & 15
L –Cell Division
Week 12
Second Critique Due
Test 4, chapters 12,13,14 & 15, Lect. Chapter 15 & 16
L – Genetics
Week 13
Chapter 17 & 18
L – DNA to Protein
Week 14
Chapter 18 & 19
Lab Test 2
L – Biotechniology and DNA Extraction
Week 15
Test 5, chapters 16,17 & 18, Lect. Chapter 20 & 21
Week 16
FINAL EXAM
Fall 2009
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Dates
8/24-28
8/31-4
9/7-11
9/14-18
9/21-25
9/28-10/2
10/5-9
10/12-16
10/19-23
10/26-30
11/2-6 (Last Day to Drop 11/6)
11/9-13
11/16-20
11/23-27 (26=Thanksgiving)
11/30-12/4
12/7-11 Finals
Biology 1406
Acknowledgement Page
I acknowledge that I have read the syllabus for Biology 1406 and understand
the effort and time commitment necessary to succeed in this Science Majors
Class.
(OVER 300 HOURS OF STUDY)
Name_____________________________________________________
Email Address _____________________________________________
Current Phone # ____________________________________________