HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SPRING BRANCH CAMPUS
BIOLOGY 1406 /GENERAL BIOLOGY I/
FALL 2010, COURSE Number //55348//
Instructor: Dr. Jessica A. Moody
Jessica.Moody@hccs.edu
TEXTBOOK: Campbell, N.A., BIOLOGY, 8th Edition, Vol. I, Benjamin/Cummings Publishers, 2008.
LAB MANUAL: Merritt R.G. and Keating, R.J., LABORATORY EXERCISES FOR COLLEGE GENERAL
BIOLOGY 1, 3rd Edition, 2002.
LECTURES:
Tuesday:
Room 515 2:00-5:00 p.m.
LABS:
Thursday:
Room 528 2:00-5:00 p.m.
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment only
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Discussions focus on biological chemistry, biological processes, cellular morphology,
metabolism, genetics and molecular biology. Core Curriculum Course; cannot be used in conjunction with 1308.
PREREQUISITE: College reading skills/one year of high school Biology/high school Chemistry recommended.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
1.
Roll will be taken, and I expect students to attend all classes. Good class attendance is absolutely essential to do
well in this course! I reserve the right to drop a student after missing in excess of 12.5% of the hours of
instruction. It is a good idea to exchange names and phone numbers with others in the class so that you can
obtain the information you missed as quickly as possible. In case of a prolonged absence (2 or more class
meetings), the instructor should be notified. In the event you are absent, it is your responsibility to check for
information you missed as a result of your absence.
2.
Exams will be given at the beginning of class time. After the first exam has been completed, submitted, and that
student has left the room, no more exams will be passed out. DON’T BE LATE TO AN EXAM! Each student is
allowed to drop ONE LECTURE exam only. No make-up lecture exams, quizzes, or lab exams will be offered.
3.
Assignments- Two case studies will be assigned during the semester. You will be working in groups; however,
reports are to be written individually. Reports should be typed and double-spaced. Due dates to be announced. No
late work will be accepted. Instructions for this assignment will be posted on the Learning Web and/or Blackboard.
4.
All phones and beepers must be turned off or be in silent (courtesy) mode. You may not leave the room during a
test to answer a phone call. Should this occur your test will be taken up immediately. There will be no use of cell
phones in the laboratory. I will allow the use of laptops in class, but only if you are using them for note taking
purposes.
5.
LABORATORY. Students are expected to abide by the rules of safety at all times during the laboratory
exercises. Students work in groups during the laboratory sessions, but individual participation is expected in
completion of laboratory reports. These reports are to be completed and turned in at the following laboratory
session or when requested. A grade will be given for each report. To encourage timely submission of laboratory
reports, points will be deducted if they are turned in at the time of the laboratory examination (other instruction
may be given during the semester regarding your lab reports).
5.
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY DURING EXAMINATIONS. A verbal warning will be promptly issued if
dishonesty is suspected with a possible F entered for the test grade. If it should become a chronic and persistent
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problem the student will be advised to withdraw from the course.
6.
STUDENT CONDUCT. Abusive language or disruptive behavior by a student(s) will not be tolerated. Talking
and sleeping in class during lectures is distracting to the professor and to other students. It will not be tolerated.
7.
STUDENT HANDBOOK- important information for all students. Also contains the mission statement of the
Houston Community College System (available online at HCCS home page.)
8.
DISABILITIES.
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who
needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the
respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.
For questions, contact Donna Price at 713.718.5165 or the Disability Counselor at your college. To visit
the ADA Web site, log on to www.hccs.edu, click Future Students, scroll down the page and click on the
words Disability Information.
District ADA Coordinator – Donna Price – 713.718.516
Central ADA Counselors – John Reno – 713.718.6164,
Martha Scribner – 713.718.6164 Northeast ADA Counselor – Kim Ingram – 713.718.8420
Northwest ADA Counselor – Mahnaz Kolaini – 713.718.5422
Southeast ADA Counselor – Jette Friis – 713.718.7218
Southwest ADA Counselor – Dr. Becky Hauri – 713.718.7910
Coleman ADA Counselor – Dr. Raj Gupta – 713.718.7631
9.
No children are allowed in class at any time.
10.
CORE CURRICULUM. Essential to the learning process are six basic intellectual competencies. Among the
objectives covered in this course the following components will be addressed such as reading, writing, speaking,
listening, critical thinking and computer literacy.
11.
If a student lacks the prerequisite for this course they should meet as soon as possible with the Instructor to
determine the exact status of this situation.
12.
As mandated by the Texas State Legislature students who repeat a course for a third or more times may soon face
significant tuition and fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. Please ask your
Professor or Counselor about opportunities for tutoring or other possible assistance prior to considering course
withdrawal or if you are not receiving passing grades.
13.
It’s your responsibility to submit all the work required during the semester including exams, quizzes, lab reports,
homework, and any other assigned work; you will receive a grade of (0) for any missing work.
14.
Contact: E-mail will be the best choice for contact.
GRADE DETERMINATION:
Your grade will be
determined by the following
Details
Points
(if applicable)
Lecture Exams
5 Exams 100 pts each: T/F, short answer,
multiple choice, essay
400
Percent of
Final
Average
40%
Quizzes
150
15%
Case Studies
Various times throughout the semester; lecture
& lab
Real life case studies: 2 worth 50 pts each
100
10%
Lab Work
Participation, lab reports, assignments
100
10%
Lab Exam
1 Exam 150 pts: Objective type questions,
multiple choices, practical work
150
15%
Final Exam
Final Exam is comprehensive
100
10%
1000
100%
Total:
2
LETTER GRADE ASSIGNMENT:
Letter Grade
A
Final Average in Percent
> 89.5
B
79.5 – 89.5
C
69.5 – 79.5
D
59.5 – 69.5
F
< 59.5
Tentative Instructional Outline: *Note: Subject to Change*
Week
Number
Lab
Lecture
1
AUG 31
Syllabus; Exploring Life (Ch. 1)
SEPT 2
Scientific Method, Lab 1
2
SEPT 7
Chemistry of Life (Ch 2) and Water (Ch 3)
SEPT 9
Carbon (Ch 4)
Lab 3
3
SEPT 14
Exam I (Ch 1-4)
SEPT 16
Lab 2
4
SEPT 21
Macromolecules (Ch 5)
Lab 4
SEPT 23
The Cell (Ch 6)
Lab 6
5
SEPT 28
The Cell Membrane (Ch 7)
SEPT 30
Metabolism (Ch 8)
Lab 5
6
OCT 5
Exam II (Ch 5-8)
OCT 7
Labs 7, 8
7
OCT 12
Cellular Respiration (Ch 9)
OCT 14
Photosynthesis (Ch 10)
Labs 9, 10
8
OCT 19
Cell Cycle (Ch 12)
OCT 21
Meiosis (Ch 13)
Labs 11, 12
3
Week
Number
9
Oct 26
Lab
Lecture
Lecture Exam III (Ch 9, 10, 12, 13)
Oct 28
Lab 13
10
NOV 2
Genetics (Ch 14)
NOV 4
Inheritance (Ch 15)
Lab 14
11
NOV9
DNA Structure (Ch 16)
NOV 11
Lab 15
12
NOV 16
Lecture Exam IV (Ch. 14-16)
NOV 18
LAST DAY FOR STUDENT WITHDRAWALS
13
NOV 23
Gene to Protein (Ch 17)
NOV 25
Gene Regulation (Ch 18)
Case Study: Huntington’s Disease
Case Study: The Donor’s Dilemma
14
NOV 30
Viruses/Bacteria (Ch 19)
DEC 2
DNA Technology (Ch 20)
15
DEC 7
Lecture Exam V (Ch 17, 18, 19, 20)
LAB EXAM
DEC 9
Case Studies Due
16
FINALS
DEC 13-19
Final Exam (Comprehensive)
IMPORTANT DAYS
See calendar for exact date and time/ withdrawal, drop, holidays…etc.
08/31/10
last day drop/add/swap
09/10/10
Official date of record.
11/18/10
Last day for administrative withdrawals-4:30 pm
12/12/10
instruction ends
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HCC Course Withdrawal Policy
The State of Texas imposes penalties on students who drop courses excessively. Students are limited to no more than six
total course withdrawals throughout their educational career at a Texas public college or university.
In order to withdraw from your class, you MUST first contact your professor, PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline to
receive a “W” on your transcript. After the withdrawal deadline has passed, you will receive the grade that you would
have earned. Zeros averaged in for required coursework not submitted will lower your semester average significantly, most
likely resulting in a failing grade of an “F”. It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from the class; however,
your professor reserves the right to withdraw you without your request due to excessive absences. If you do not feel
comfortable contacting your professor to withdraw, you may contact a counselor. However, please do not contact both a
counselor and your professor to request a withdrawal; either one is sufficient.
The final withdrawal deadline for regular term is 11/18/10 at 4:30pm. Classes of other duration (mini-term, flex-entry,
8-weeks, etc.) may have different final withdrawal deadlines. Please review HCC’s online “Academic Calendars by Term”
or contact the HCC Registrar’s Office at 713.718.8500 to determine mini-term class withdrawal deadlines.
It’s your responsibility to contact me regarding withdrawal prior to the withdrawal deadline; your absences or
disappearance from the class doesn’t mean you will receive a (W). You will receive a (W) only if you contact me
prior to the deadline.
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