Department: Life Sciences (Biology)
Introductory Biology Laboratory
Spring 2014
Biol 1108 Crn# 80837
Course location and
times:
Course semester
credit hours:
Course contact
hours:
Course length:
Instruction type:
Stafford Campus; Scarcella Science & Technology Building.
Thursdays. 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. Room # S102
1 Semester Credit hour
Instructor:
Email address:
Mousumi Goswami, M.S.
Mousumi.goswami@hccs.edu
48 hrs lab.
16 weeks
In-person, Laboratory
Course Description:
1108 is a laboratory course only. However, students who have not yet taken three credit hour
lecture course (BIOL 1308) in previous semester, are highly recommended to take it with this course.
It is a course under Natural Science curriculum requirement for non-science majors requiring a 1
hour credit science course. This course includes biological molecules, cell structure and function,
respiration, photosynthesis, cell division, genetics and molecular biology (structure of DNA, RNA and
protein).
It is very important that you read the lab manual before coming to the class. Have a good
concept about what experiments you are going to do. That will help you as well as your
partners to follow the lab and it will also help the instructor to run the lab smoothly.
Course Prerequisites:
College Level Reading as determined by SAT, ACT, TASP or successfully passing ENGL 0305 with
“C” or better. You also need to have either high school level Biology or college level Introductory
Biology.
Course Goals:
The objective of this course is to give students the basic knowledge of life sciences.
PROGRAM LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Program SLO #1
To recognize, identify, and describe the basic structures and functions associated with most life
forms.
Program SLO #2
To develop basic laboratory techniques appropriate to the field of Biology.
Program SLO #3
To develop study skills and habits appropriate for pre-professional students interested in healthrelated fields.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR 1108:
SLO1: Student will be able to understand the components of the scientific method and its application
in designing of experiments and interpretation of experimental data.
SLO2: Student will be able to understand the units of measurement and be able to convert between
English and metric units.
SLO3: Student will be able to describe the parts of a microscope and use it to describe the structure
and functions of a cell and its sub-cellular structures.
SLO4: Student will be able to understand the structure and function of macromolecules such as
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Be able to describe and analyze the results of
macromolecules testing in samples.
SLO5: Student will be able to describe and analyze the results of the experiments performed to
understand metabolic processes such as enzymatic reactions, cellular respiration and
photosynthesis.
SLO6: Student will be able to describe cell division, DNA replication and protein synthesis.
SLO7: Student will be able to understand the principles of genetics and solve problems in genetics.
Tentative Laboratory Schedule
Date
Topics
Jan 23
Laboratory safety; Laboratory rules and regulations; Exercise 1 –
Basic Chemistry
Exercise 2 – Properties of Water
Jan 30
Exercise 2 – Properties of Water (Cont.)
Jan 16
Feb 6
Exercise 3 – Biochemistry: detection of Biological Molecule
Feb 13
Feb 20
Lab Test # 1
Exercise 4 – The Care and Feeding of the Microscope;
Exercise 5 – Cell Structure
Feb 27
Exercise 6 – Diffusion and Osmosis;
March 6
Exercise 7 – Enzymes
March 10-15
Spring Break
March 20
Lab Test # 2
March 27
Exercise 8 - Respiration;
April 3
Exercise 9 - Photosynthesis
April 10
Exercise 10 – Cell Division
April 17
Exercise 11 – Genetics; Lab Test # 3
April 24
Exercise 11 – Genetics (Cont.)
May 1
Exercise 12 – DNA to Protein Review
May 8
Final Exam Comprehensive
*Note that your instructor reserves the right to change the schedule as needed at any point
during the course.
Class Calendar by Date:
Week 1----------------1/13 - 1/18
Week 2----------------1/21 - 1/25 (January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance)
Week 3----------------1/27 - 2/1
Week 4----------------2/3 - 2/8
Week 5----------------2/10 - 2/15
Week 6----------------2/18 - 2/22 (February 17 – President Day Holiday)
Week 7----------------2/24 - 3/1
Week 8----------------3/3- 3/8
Week 9----------------3/10 - 3/15 (Spring Break)
Week 10--------------3/17 - 3/22
Week 11--------------3/24 - 3/29
Week 12--------------3/31 - 4/5 (March 31– Last day for Administrative/Student Withdrawals – 4:30 pm)
Week 13--------------4/7 - 4/12
Week 14--------------4/14 - 4/17 (April 18-20 – Spring Holidays)
Week 15--------------4/21 - 4/26
Week 16--------------4/28 - 5/3 (Instruction Ends)
Week 17--------------5/5 - 5/10 (Final Examinations)
Student
Assignments:
Student
Assessments:
Instructional
Materials:
Students are required to read assigned chapters before
coming to the class.
Students will be assessed via Lab exams, Lab reports,
attendance, and comprehensive final examination.
Laboratory Manual
BIOLOGY 1406; Laboratory Manual: Second edition
By Tom Loesch, Jasleen Mishra, William Palmer, Leena
Sawant, David Schwartz, Nimish Shah, Donna Wiersema.
Houston Community College (Get the latest version
available in the Stafford Campus Book Store).
Instructor Requirements:
Basic requirements
Students should be on time for class and be prepared with required materials including lab manual.
Full class attendance is required during lab.
Lab policy
Lab safety is stated in lab manual. Lab rules and regulations will be discussed during the first lab and
will be adhered to at all times. Each student is responsible for cleaning up after labs, this
includes glassware, utensils, specimens/models and other material used during lab time (no,
clean up is not covered by your lab fees).
Phones/electronic devices
Absolutely no phone or other personal electronic devices are to be used during class (lecture
and lab). This includes making or taking a call, reviewing messages, texting, playing games,
checking email, surfing the web, anything that involves a phone or other personal electronic device. If
your work or family situation requires that you be available via phone, your phone can be on vibrate
mode and you can take the call during our regular scheduled breaks or you can exit the class to
review the call. Notify your friends, family, employers, and anyone else who regularly contacts you
that you will be in class and that you should be contacted only when necessary. The taking of calls
during class is not only disruptive but it is also discourteous to classmates and the instructor.
Testing procedures
Be sure to arrive early for your examinations. There are time limits for exams. You will not be
given extended time for testing if you arrive late.
Entering and exiting the test is not permitted once exams have begun.
bathroom before or after.
Please be sure to use
Department
Students are expected to conduct themselves as adults. This includes courteous and respectful
behavior towards instructor and classmates. Disruptive behavior or any behavior that interferes with
any educational activity being performed by the instructor will not be allowed. Additionally, no student
may interfere with his/her fellow students’ right to pursue their academic goals to the fullest in an
atmosphere appropriate to a community of scholars. Disruptive behavior may result in removal from
the class.
Grading Policy:
Lab Exams (2)
Final Exam
Lab Reports
Attendance
45%
30%
20%
5%
Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Scale
100-90
89-80
79-70
69-60
Below 60
Due to privacy issues, no grades will be distributed by e-mail or phone.
Instructor Grading Criteria:
Students must adhere to testing schedule. Failure to take a test will result in a “0” for the
missed exam. Exceptions include work, family, or personal (health) emergency, and must be
documented.
There is no repeating of examinations or no extra credit. Only one make-up exam per semester is
allowed (with proper documentation) and must be arranged with instructor ASAP. The final exam is
mandatory and comprehensive.
Examination format:
There will be three laboratory exams and a final exam. Exams will include multiple choice
questions, identification, labeling and short answers reviewing models/specimens. Out of three
laboratory examinations, the lowest grade will be dropped.
There will be always few bonus questions. Each exam will carry 100 points.
Laboratory Reports: Students need complete the laboratory report each day before leaving the
class and need to be signed by the professor. Lab reports will count 20 % of final grade.
HCC Policy
Statement: ADA
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. Instructors are
authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability
HCC Policy
Statement:
Academic
Honesty
HCC Policy
Statement:
Sexual
Harassment
HCC Policy
Statement: Safe
and Secure
Learning
Environment
Support Services Office. If you have any special needs or disabilities that
may affect your ability to succeed in college classes or participate in any
college programs or activities, please contact the DSS office for
assistance. At Southwest College, contact:
Dr. Becky Hauri
5407 Gulfton
Houston, Texas 77081
Phone: 713-718-7909
Fax: 713-718-7781
TTY: 713-718-7909
Students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor and
integrity in fulfilling course requirements. Disciplinary proceedings may be
initiated by the college system against a student accused of scholastic
dishonesty. Penalties can include a grade of "0" or "F" on the particular
assignment, failure in the course, academic probation, or even dismissal
from the college. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to,
cheating on a test, and plagiarism.
It is a violation of HCCS policy for an employee, agent, or student of the
college to engage in sexual harassment as defined in the EEOC guidelines
(EEO/AA Compliance Handbook 47).
It is the policy of HCC to provide a safe and secure environment within
which learning can take place effectively. Accordingly, disruptive,
threatening, or violent behavior in the classroom will not be tolerated.
Disruptive, threatening, or violent individuals will be asked to leave the
classroom for that day. Failure to comply with this request may lead to
removal and/or arrest by the police. This is in addition to any college
disciplinary action to which the individual might be liable.
Student Success Tutoring
Policy
The college will provide tutoring for the students. More information will be
available later. You can check the tutoring and open lab. schedule at
http://learning.swc.hccs.edu
Early Alert process
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
that you might fail a class because of excessive absences and/or poor
academic performance. The counselors with work with you 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.
HCC Policy
Attendance
Statement:
Student
attendance, 3peaters,
withdrawal
deadline
Students are expected to attend classes regularly. Students are
responsible for materials covered during their absences, and it is the
student's responsibility to consult with instructors for make-up
assignments.
Instructors check class attendance daily. A student may be dropped from a
course for excessive absences after the student has accumulated
absences in excess of 12.5% of the hours of instruction.
Class attendance will account 5% of final grade.
Habitual tardiness will not be tolerated. Students are expected to be in
attendance for the entirety of the scheduled class and are responsible for
completing assignments scheduled during their absence/s. It is the
responsibility of each student to amend their professional/personal
schedule to meet the class schedule
Repeaters
Students who repeat a course for a third or more times may soon face
significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges
and universities. Please ask your instructor / counselor about opportunities
for tutoring / other assistance prior to considering course withdrawal or if
you are not receiving passing grades.
Withdrawals
In case of prolonged absences the instructor should be notified. The
student must go through proper channels in order to officially withdraw
from a course; non-attendance does not automatically withdraw one from
any course. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a
request for withdrawal from any course. Students will be required to
formally request a drop from their instructors prior to the administrative
drop date deadline March 31st, 2014, Monday – 4:30 pm. I will no
longer be able to assign a “W” for you after that date! You will receive
the grade you earn, with no exceptions! I am under no obligation to
withdraw you from this course if you stop attending! If a student fails to
officially withdraw, he or she may be issued the grade of "FX" at the
end of the semester for non attendance. Exceptions to this policy will
be made only under extraordinary circumstances.
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 first time entering freshmen to no more
than SIX total course withdrawals throughout their educational career in
obtaining a certificate and/or degree. There may be future penalties
imposed as well.
If you are in difficulty and need assistance - tutoring, child care, financial
aid, job placement – to stay in class or to improve your academic
performance, HCC Student Services can help you. In any case, you no
longer are able to drop a course by yourself. You MUST visit with your
instructor, or a faculty advisor, or a counselor, or online student services at
http://studentservicesonline@hccs.edu prior to withdrawing (dropping) the
class.
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 because of
the visa consideration. Please contact the International Student Office at
713-718-8520 if you have any questions about your visa status and other
transfer issues.
ASSESSMENT RUBRICS
INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I - BIOLOGY 1108
Performance Factors
1. 1. Student will be
able to
understand the
components of
the scientific
method and its
application in
designing of
experiments and
interpretation of
experimental
data.
1. 2. Student will be
able to
understand the
units of
measurement
and be able to
convert between
English and
metric units.
F
Unable to
differentiate
between
appropriate
and
inappropriate
experimental
design.
Cannot
interpret data
collected from
the
experiments
or draw
conclusions.
D
Occasionally
differentiates
between
appropriate
and
inappropriate
experimental
design, but
needs
direction to
proceed to
the next step
of interpreting
data and
drawing
conclusions.
C
Consistently
differentiates
between
appropriate
and
inappropriate
experimental
design, but
needs
direction to
proceed to
next step of
interpreting
data and
drawing
conclusions.
Unable to
understand
the units of
measurement
and the
conversion
between
English and
metric units.
Occasionally
able to
understand
the units of
measurement
and unable to
convert
between
English and
metric units.
Consistently
understands
the units of
measuremen
t but unable
to convert
between
English and
metric units.
Rating Scale
B
Consistently
differentiates
between
appropriate
and
inappropriate
experimental
design.
Attempts to
understand
the data but
needs
assistance
from
instructor to
draw
conclusions.
Consistently
understands
the units of
measuremen
t but
occasionally
be able to
convert
between
English and
A
Consistently
differentiates
between
appropriate and
inappropriate
experimental
design. Takes
appropriate
steps or explains
appropriate
steps
independently
and correctly.
Is able to draw
conclusions from
the collected
data.
Consistently
understands the
units of
measurement
and the
conversion
between English
and metric units.
3.Student will be
able to describe
the parts of a
microscope and
use it to describe
the structure and
functions of a cell
and its subcellular
structures.
Unable to
demonstrate
the knowledge
of the
microscope
parts or its
use. Does not
understand
structure or
function of a
cell or its subcellular parts.
Occasionally
able to
demonstrate
the
knowledge of
microscope
parts but not
its use. Can
only describe
the structure
or function of
a few subcellular
organelles.
Occasionally
able to
demonstrate
the
knowledge of
microscope
parts and its
use. Can
identify cell
and its subcellular parts
but not relate
to their
functions.
4. 4. Student will be
able to
understand the
structure and
function of
macromolecules
such as
carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins
and nucleic
acids. Be able to
describe and
analyze the
results of
macromolecules
testing in
samples.
5. Student
will be able to
describe and
analyze the
results of the
experiments
performed to
Unable to
explain the
structure and
function of
macromolecul
es. Unable to
describe the
testing
procedure or
interpret data
from the
testing.
Able to
explain the
properties of
only one or
two classes
of
macromolecul
es. Unable to
describe the
testing
procedure or
analyze the
results of the
macromolecul
e testing.
Unable to
describe or
analyze the
results of the
experiments
performed to
understand
Occasionally
able to
describe but
unable to
analyze the
results of the
experiments
Able to
explain the
properties of
any two
classes of
the
macromolecu
les.
Occasionally
understand
the principles
of
macromolecu
le testing but
cannot
interpret
data.
Occasionally
able to able
to describe
and analyze
the results of
the
experiments
metric units.
Consistently
able to
demonstrate
the
knowledge of
microscope
parts but
only
occasionally
its use.
Consistently
identify the
structure of a
cell and its
sub-cellular
parts but
only
occasionally
relate them
to their
functions.
Able to
explain the
properties of
at least three
classes of
macromolec
ules.
Consistently
understand
the principles
of
macromolec
ule testing
but can only
partially
interpret
data.
Consistently
able to
describe and
occasionally
analyze the
results of the
experiments
Consistently able
to demonstrate
the knowledge
microscope parts
and its use. Is
able to identify
the cell and its
sub-cellular
structures and
relate to their
functions.
Able to explain
the properties of
all four classes
of
macromolecules.
Consistently
understand the
principles of
macromolecule
testing and be
able to interpret
data.
Consistently able
to understand
metabolic
processes such
as enzymatic
reactions,
cellular
understand
metabolic
processes such
as enzymatic
reactions,
cellular
respiration and
photosynthesis.
6. 6. Student will be
able to describe
cell division,
DNA replication
and protein
synthesis.
7. Student will be
able to
understand the
principles of
genetics and
solve problems
in genetics.
metabolic
processes.
performed to
understand
these
processes..
performed to
understand
these
processes.
performed to
understand
these
processes.
Unable to
understand
and explain
cell division,
DNA
replication and
protein
synthesis.
Occasionally
able to
understand
and explain
cell division.
Unable to
explain DNA
replication
and protein
synthesis.
Able to
understand
and explain
cell division
and DNA
replication.
Occasionally
able to
explain
protein
synthesis.
Unable to
explain
principles of
genetics and
solve genetic
problems.
Occasionally
able to
explain
principles of
genetics but
unable to
solve genetic
problems.
Able to
understand
and explain
cell division.
Occasionally
able to
explain DNA
replication.
Unable to
explain
protein
synthesis.
Occasionally
able to
explain
principles of
genetics and
solve genetic
problems.
Consistently
able to
explain
principles of
genetics but
only
occasionally
be able to
solve genetic
problems.
respiration and
photosynthesis.
Consistently able
to describe and
analyze the
results of the
experiments
performed to
understand
these processes.
Consistently able
to understand
and explain cell
division, DNA
replication and
protein
synthesis.
Consistently able
to explain
principles of
genetics and
solve genetic
problems.
Your grade will be determined by your scores on the assessments given by your instructor.
These grading rubrics are just a general guide to student performance.