General Cell Biology, Biol&160
Spring 2010
LECTURE
Sections C&D: Building 15, Room 220; M through Th 11:30 – 12:20
LAB:
Section C(5062): Building 15, Room 125L; Monday 12:30 – 2:20
Section D(5063): Building 15, Room 125L; Wednesday 12:30 – 2:20
Instructor
Kim Harrington (you can call me Kim or Mrs. Harrington or Your Majesty Professor Harrington)
Office Building 15 (The Science and Engineering Building) Room 237
Contact Information
Telephone:
253-460-4305
Email:
kharrington@tacomacc.edu
Office Hours
M 9:30-11:00
Th 9:30-11:00
F 11:00-1:00
Building 15 Rm. 237 (My office)
Building 15 Rm. 237 (My office)
Building 15 Rm. 237 (My office)
I welcome you to see me during my office hours. I am also usually happy to see you at other times,
though sometimes I will have to ask you to see me at another time. You can also make an
appointment to see me. If you are not on campus, you can make an appointment via email or phone
message for a time in which we can have a phone conversation.
Catalog Description
Biology 160 is an introductory cell biology course for students preparing for health professions.
Major concepts of cell biology will be introduced, including the chemistry of life, the structure,
reproduction and metabolism of cells, genetics and evolutionary biology. Lab included.
Prerequisites
Completion of ENGL 95 AND READ 95 with a grade of “C” or higher; completion of MATH 90
with a grade of “C-“ or higher; or equivalent assessment in these areas.
Course Overview
Biology is incredibly exciting because it affects every aspect of our lives! I hope this class will
help you to understand how your body and the things around you work. I hope it will help you to
make better decisions. I hope you will get as excited about biology as I am! Oh, and I hope that
you will have the foundation information that you will need in other classes mastered so that you
ace them like I hope you ace this class.
Degree Learning Outcomes
 Core of Knowledge (COK): Demonstrate a basic knowledge of each of the distribution areas
(Written Communication, Humanities, Quantitative Skills, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences;
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or, as applicable, specific professional/technical programs), integrate knowledge across
disciplines, and apply this knowledge to academic, occupational, civic and personal endeavors.
Communication (COM): Listen, speak, read, and write effectively and use nonverbal and
technological means to make connections between self and others.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving (CRT): Compare, analyze, and evaluate information and
ideas, and use sound thinking skills to solve problems.
Information & Information Technology (IIT): Locate, evaluate, retrieve, and ethically use
relevant and current information of appropriate authority for both academic and personal
applications.
Living & Working Cooperatively/Valuing Differences (LWC): Respectfully acknowledge
diverse points of view, and draw upon the knowledge and experience of others to collaborate in a
multicultural and complex world.
Responsibility & Ethics (RES): Demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes responsible
and ethical behavior toward individuals, the community, and the environment.
Course Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
1) Apply the principles of the scientific method in gathering information and relating mechanisms to
observed phenomena. (1,2,4) (CRT, ITT)
2) Discuss the basic principles of science, biology and the characteristics of living things. (1,3)
(CRT, COM)
3) Explain the levels of biological organization from the atomic level to the ecosystem level. (3)
(CRT)
4) Describe what atoms are and how they combine to form molecules. (3) (CRT)
5) Compare & contrast the different kinds of chemical bonds. (3) (CRT)
6) Explain basic chemical principles including acids/bases, pH, buffers and reactions. (3) (CRT)
7) Compare the functions and chemical functional groups of the major groups of organic
compounds: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. (3) (CRT)
8) Describe the relationship between molecular monomers and polymers. (3) (CRT)
9) Apply the chemical properties of water, including the concept of polarity, within biological settings.
(3) (CRT)
10) Explain what enzymes are and what they do. (3) (CRT)
11) Compare & contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structures. (3) (CRT)
12) Describe the structure of the major cell organelles and discuss how that structure facilitates the
organelle’s specific function(s). (3) (CRT)
13) Explain the structure and functions of the plasma membrane. (3) (CRT)
14) Describe the basic steps of cellular respiration and photosynthesis. (3) (CRT)
15) Apply biological principles (scarcity, carbon emissions, etc.) to global energy use issues. (1,2,3)
(CRT, LWC, RES)
16) Explain the chromosomal basis of inheritance. (3) (CRT)
17) Describe the cell cycle and the process of mitosis in cell division. (3) (CRT)
18) Describe the process of meiosis and the genetic importance of meiosis in life cycles and sexual
reproduction. (3) (CRT)
19) Describe the structures of DNA and RNA.
20) Explain the processes of replication, transcription & translation and their regulation. (3) (CRT)
21) Explain cellular controls of protein production and consequences of errors with those processes.
(1,3) (CRT)
22) Describe the basic tenants of evolution by natural selection. (1,2,3) (CRT)
23) Explain the basic evidence for evolution including the evolutionary connection between
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. (1,2,3) (CRT)
24) Research, interpret, critique, and present biological information. (1,2,4) (CRT, ITT, COM)
25) Demonstrate competency with using a light microscope including the visualization of both
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. (3,4) (CRT, LWC, RES)
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26) Demonstrate knowledge of safe lab practices. (4) (CRT, LWC)
27) Gather and critically evaluate experimental evidence and draw appropriate conclusions from
observations and empirical data. (1,2,4) (CRT, ITT, COM, RES)
28) Demonstrate the safe and appropriate lab techniques including pipetting, gel electrophoresis,
slide preparation and mass/volumetric measurement. (4) (CRT, RES, LWC)
Instructional Methods Used
This course utilizes a combination of lecture, laboratory exercises, small group discussions,
activities and online assignments.
Academic Assistance
I am one of many resources available to help you succeed in this class. Here are some other resources.
Study Group
You should join or form a small study group for this class. A study group is an excellent source of
help.
Tutoring Center
Biology tutors are available at no additional cost in the Tutoring Center on the second floor of
building 11. Appointments can be made in person or by calling 253.566.6032. For more
information see: http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesandservices/writingandtutoringcenter/
Supplemental Instruction
Each course has a supplemental instructor assigned to it. We will make a schedule for tutoring
times in the first week of the quarter. These supplemental instructors are students who have
successfully completed this course and are able to help you with questions that you may have.
http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesandservices/supplementalinstruction/
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center staff in Building 7 can help you address personal difficulties that interfere
with your studies. This includes things like test anxiety. Call 253.566.5122 to make an
appointment. http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesandservices/counseling/
Laboratory
The laboratory is an integral part of Biology 160. It is included so you can experience biology. You
are expected to actively participate in all the experiments.
Before coming to the lab, study the experiment so that you are familiar with it. The assigned
experiments are listed in the Course Schedule.
All students must follow the biological science lab safety procedures and standard operating
procedures established by Tacoma Community College, the Science & Engineering Department, and
the instructor. Students who repeatedly or willfully violate these procedures may face sanctions,
including removal from the course, a failing grade, and referral to the college for action under the
Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. The departmental safety procedures for biological
science are available at:
http://www.tacomacc.edu/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/academics/sciencesdivision/Biolo
gy%20Laboratory%20Safety%20Rules_Sep09.pdf
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Textbooks & Supplemental Materials
Biology, Concepts and Connections with additional readings Custom Edition for Tacoma
Community College by Campbell and Reese
Biology Lab Manual for Tacoma Community College
Technology
MasteringBiology is an online tutorial and homework program that accompanies your textbook and
will be utilized in this course.
Evaluation Criteria & Grading Standards
Grading will NOT be on a curve. You will be graded according to how well you demonstrate your
understanding of the material taught in this course. This means that you are not competing against each
other for a few A's. Instead, you should help each other learn the material. You are each other's best help.
The final grade will be determined as follows.
Homework 10 from 10-30 points each
Final Exam
Exam 5 @ 70 points each
Labs 10 approximately 30 points each
182 points
100
280
300
Note: The number of assignments may change. This will result in a change in the total points.
The course grade will be determined from the percentage of the possible points earned using the table
below. As described in the Quizzes and Exams section, the lowest quiz score is not included in the
course grading. You can calculate your current grade at any time calculating your percentage earned:
total po int s you have earned
100
total po int s possible so far
The grade will be based on a percentage of the total points earned, using the following table:
GRADE
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DE
PERCENTAGE
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
0-59
GRADE POINTS
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.3
1.0
0.7
0.0
Exam dates are on your schedule. The lowest exam score (or one that you missed) is dropped and does
not count toward the final course grade. (If an exam receives a grade penalty due to academic
dishonesty it will be included in the final course grade. This exam will not be included when
determining which exam scores are dropped.) Exams may include questions about the laboratory
experiments. Exams may be cumulative. There are no make-up exams.
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A two hour final exam is given. The exam may include questions about the laboratory. The exam is
cumulative. Only exams missed due to dire emergency may be made up or taken early. I must be
notified before the missed exam. Travel is not a dire emergency. Do not schedule travel on exam
dates. The exam date is listed on the Course Calendar.
Homework
Homework will be assigned throughout the quarter. Late homework will lose 20% per class day that
it is late. Most of the homework is at the MasteringBiology web site, but two of them are available in
Angel. You are responsible for making sure that you leave plenty of time to allow for technical or
computer difficulties and still complete your assignments on time. The due date will not be extended
due to internet, portal or other technical issues.
Withdrawals and Incompletes
Please see the calendar of important dates. http://www.tacomacc.edu/areasofstudy/academiccalendar/
Attendance
Successful completion of this course will require perfect or near-perfect attendance. Students will be
responsible for all the material that is presented during lecture and laboratory sessions. A missed lab
cannot be made up and all lab quizzes, exams and assignments cannot be made up. A missed exam
cannot be made up. Late assignments will not be accepted without advance approval.
Academic Dishonesty
As stated in the TCC Catalog, ‘Students are expected to be honest and forthright in their
academic endeavors. Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication or other forms of academic dishonesty
corrupt the learning process and threaten the educational environment for all students” (pg. 31).
In this course, sanctions for academic dishonesty will be as follows:
No dishonorable conduct will be tolerated. Any form of academic dishonesty on quizzes / assignments
will result in a 0 grade for that assignment / quiz. Other forms of dishonesty or misconduct will also result
in a 0 grade. Second offenses of any type of academic dishonesty will result in an E for the course and the
student is asked to not return to class. Dishonorable conduct includes:
Cheating (to violate rules): Honesty is expected in all endeavors.
Plagiarism (to present the ideas or words of another as one’s own or to not properly cite a source
when using adapted words or ideas): Tables, figures and words should never be copied directly
from a book, Internet, another student’s paper or any other works.
Lying (to be untruthful or false): There is no reason to lie to an instructor. Be truthful and take
responsibility for your own actions.
Stealing (to take and carry away without permission): Permission is required to borrow any
materials from the classroom.
Other violations: A student that is in violation of any college policies or other forms of
dishonesty/conduct will be asked to leave the class upon the first offense, will lose all points for that
period and will be reported to the Associate Vice President for disciplinary proceedings.
The complete Administrative Procedure for Academic Dishonesty is available on the TCC
website at: http://www.tacomacc.edu/campuslife/studentrightsandresponsibilities/
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Accommodations
Students with Special Needs: All students are responsible for all requirements of the class, but
the way they meet these requirements may vary. If you need specific auxiliary aids or services
due to a disability, please contact the Access Services office in Building 18 (253-566-5328).
They will require you to present formal, written documentation of your disability from an
appropriate professional. When this step has been completed, arrangements will be made for you
to receive reasonable auxiliary aids or services. The disability accommodation documentation
prepared by Access Services must be given to me before the accommodation is needed so that
appropriate arrangements can be made.
http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesandservices/accessservices/
Classroom policies (as applicable)
Children/visitors in Class: Only students that are enrolled in the class may attend on a regular
basis. There are some instances that I will allow visitors. However, you must get permission from
me at least one day before bringing a visitor into the classroom.
Cell Phones and Pagers: These must be on vibrate if present in the classroom. Please remove
yourself from the classroom before using such a device during breaks, before class and after
class. No text messaging is allowed during class.
Electronic Dictionaries/translators: These devices are not allowed in the classroom. It is your
responsibility to learn the needed vocabulary and be able to apply it. English is the primary
language used in this class and everyone is expected to write, speak, and understand English. A
grade of ‘B’ or above in English 91 is recommended.
Classroom Etiquette
Students come to class to learn. It is expected that everyone will act in ways that are respectful and
that promote learning for all students and will refrain from actions that interfere with learning.
Specific examples include
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Arrive on time. If you arrive late, do your best to minimize the disruption to other students. If I
will be late, I will send someone to inform you. Use the time to study. If late arrivals become a
problem, I will close and lock the door ten minutes into class and not allow anyone to enter
after that point.
Be ready to learn when the class begins. Even quiet conversation is very disruptive during class.
If you cannot hear what is said or see what is written on the board, let me know.
Stay until the end of class. If you must leave early, sit near the exit and minimize the disruption to
other students.
Learn the names of the people you interact with in class and lab.
Guests, including children, are welcome in class on an occasional basis with my prior approval.
Guests must not disrupt the class in any way. You are responsible for your guests. Guests are not
allowed in the lab.
Turn off all alarms and ringers before class starts.
Beverages are allowed in a classroom. Food should generally not be eaten in the classroom,
except as necessary to maintain your health. Food and beverages are not permitted in the lab
rooms.
If you have a contagious illness, stay home.
I can usually answer a few quick questions before and after class. However, lengthy discussions,
and confidential or private discussions should take place during office hours or by special
appointment.
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Etiquette for Classroom Dispute Resolution
If you have questions or concerns about this class or me, please come to talk with me about your
concerns. If we are unable to resolve your concerns, you may talk next with the Chair of the
Program/Department, Rebecca Sliger 253-460-4428. The Chair can assist with information
about additional steps, if needed.
Caveats
This syllabus and schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances. If
you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check for announcements made while you
were absent.
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