BIOL100 – SURVEY OF BIOLOGY
FALL QUARTER 2013 SYLLABUS AND SCHEDULE
Instructor:
Office:
Telephone:
John Wiseley
SAM 311
(206) 934-5436
Lecture:
Laboratory:
email:
john.wiseley@seattlecolleges.edu
Website:
http://www.seattlecentral.edu/faculty/jwiseley/
Office Hours: 12-1 M-F, SAM Room 311
10:00-10:50 MTTh
Room 203
10:00-11:50 WF
Room 305
COURSE MATERIALS:
Text: “Biology for a Changing World” Shuster, et al. ISBN: 0-7167-7324-4
Lab Manual: Biology 100 Lab Manual, available in the copy center (BE room 3105A)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed for non-science majors and consists of lecture,
discussion, video, laboratory, reading and writing activities. We will look at biological concepts
common to all living organisms with the focus on life’s diversity and unity as seen through a study of
ecology, cells, inheritance, evolution, biotechnology and other current issues.
COURSE OUTCOMES: Upon completion students should be able to:
• demonstrate basic understanding of biology concepts, terms, and scientific process
• describe relationships found in ecosystems
• explain the structure and functions of organelles common to all cells
• track patterns of inheritance
• describe the principles of evolution and explain the mechanisms that drive it
• describe issues involving biotechnology
• locate, evaluate, and communicate information about basic biological concepts
• make informed decisions about biological issues
COURSE EXPECTATIONS: I expect you to attend class daily, to read the assigned textbook and lab
material prior to class, and to ask questions when you don’t understand the material. This class
requires your daily participation. Many assignments and activities will be announced in class and will
require active class participation; some may involve group activities. Meet deadlines. Material that is
turned in late will be docked 20% per day late.
Be on time for class. Silence and put away your phones during class and lab. If I find you with an
electronic device of any kind that is turned on during an exam, a zero will be awarded for the exam. I
am happy to try to reword an exam question, but electronic translators are not allowed.
STUDY HELP: Seek assistance with the course material. I am available during office hours and by
appointment to help students. Free tutoring is available in Biology open labs. The schedule for open
labs is determined early in the quarter and will be posted outside all labs. I strongly recommend that
you form study groups. The publisher’s website has numerous practice questions, animations and
other resources.
LABORATORY: Students are required to read the assigned laboratory exercise in preparation for lab. 5 point
Pre-lab worksheets will be collected at the beginning of each lab to ensure that students are prepared for the
work to be carried out that day. 10 point Post-lab reports are due at the start of the next lab period. Missed labs
cannot be rescheduled. If your absence is excused prior to lab, a zero will not be recorded. In this case, your
total points possible for the class will be less than other students and it will be skewed more toward exam
points.
TESTING: Four mid-term exams and a comprehensive final will be given during the quarter. Dates of the exams
are indicated on the schedule on the next pages. There are no makeup exams, unless I am notified before the
exam is given, and only if the absence was the result of an unavoidable serious accident, a death in the family, or
a serious illness. Exceptional circumstances must be verified by an appropriate third party, i.e. police report, a
funeral notice, or a note form the student's doctor stating the patient's inability to take the test. Make-up
exams will be more difficult than the exam administered in class. If you take issue with how I graded the exam, I
am happy to talk for it, but will not discuss it until 24 hours after you received the exam. If there is a math error
on my part, bring it to my attention as soon as you notice.
QUIZZES: Quizzes worth approximately 10 points each are given at the start of the first class of non-exam
weeks. Some “pop-quizzes” may appear on other days without warning. Missed quizzes cannot be made up for
any reason. If you are late for class, you will not be given extra time.
HOMEWORK: Homework assignments will be explained as they are assigned during the quarter.
GRADING: (points possible may vary slightly, but will be indicated on each assignment)
Mid-term Exams
Quizzes
Final Exam
Pre- and post-lab reports
Homework
4 x 60pts.
5 x 10pts
Total
240 points
50 points
100 points
150 points
100 points
640 points
Grades will be calculated according to the percentage of total points possible that you have earned according to
the following scale. Decimal grades are reported at Seattle Central CC.
A
A-
B+
B
B-
95-100%
93-94%
92%
90-91%
89%
88%
87%
86%
85%
84%
83%
82%
81%
80%
78-79%
77%
4.0
3.9
3.8
3.7
3.6
3.5
3.4
3.3
3.2
3.1
3.0
2.9
2.8
2.7
2.6
2.5
C+
C
C-
D+
D
F
76%
74-75%
73%
71-72%
70%
69%
68%
67%
66%
65%
64%
63%
62%
61%
60%
<60%
2.4
2.3
2.2
2.1
2.0
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.0
A grade of 2.0 or better is required to pass. Students who withdraw from classes before the deadline will receive W grades. The W
grade is not factored into a students GPA. The NC grade requires that you are passing the class when the grade is requested.
Academic honesty is expected. Cheating will be subject to discipline, and an F will be awarded for the assignment or exam.
Closures for Seattle Central Community College will be announced on major radio stations: KIRO, KOMO, KING.
ADA Statement: Students with documented disabilities who need course accommodations, have emergency medical information
or require special arrangements for building evacuation should contact the instructor within the first two weeks of class.
Tentative Lecture Schedule: (any necessary changes will be announced during the quarter)
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
M
Date
9/23
Lecture Topics
Introduction
Lab Exercises
Readings
Ch 1
T
9/24
W
9/25
Th
9/26
F
9/27
M
9/30
Community Ecology
Ch 22
Tu
10/1
Chemistry
Ch 2, p.20-27
W
10/2
Th
10/3
F
10/4*
M
10/7
NO CLASS
Tu
10/8
Review Session
W
10/9
Th
10/10
F
10/11
M
10/14
Organic Molecules
Ch 2, p.28-34
Tu
10/15
Cell Function and Structure
Ch 3
W
10/16
Th
10/17
F
10/18
M
10/21
Cell Function and Structure
Ch 3
Tu
10/22
DNA Structure and Replication
Ch 7
W
10/23
Th
10/24
F
10/25
M
10/28
Cell Division & Mitosis
Ch 9
Tu
10/29
Cell Division & Mitosis
Ch 9
W
10/30
Th
10/31
F
11/1
Scientific Thinking
Ch 1
Scientific Method + Lab 1: Repeatability
Population Ecology
Lab Manual Intro
Ch 21
Lab 2: Soils
Lab 3: Concept Map
Ecosystem Ecology
Ch 23
Lab 4: Owl Pellet Investigation
Ch1, 2 & 21-23
Exam #1 (Ch. 1, 2, 21, 22 & 23)
Organic Molecules
Ch 2, p.28-34
Lab 5: Organic molecules/Biochem. Tests
Lab 6: Microscope
Cell Function and Structure
Ch 3
Lab 7: Diffusion and Osmosis
Lab 8: The Eukaryotic Cell
Review Session
Ch 2, 3 & 7
Exam #2 (Chapters 2, 3, & 7 )
Lab 9: Cell Division
Gene Expression
Ch 8
Lab 10: DNA Isolation from Banana
Week
7
8
Date
Lecture Topics
10
11
Readings
M
11/4
Gene Expression
Ch 8
Tu
11/5
Gene Expression
Ch 8
W
11/6
Th
11/7
F
11/8
M
11/11
Veteran’s Day – No Lecture
Tu
11/12
Review Session
W
11/13
Th
11/14
Lab 11: Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
Gene Expression
Ch 8
Lab 12: Gel Electrophoresis
Ch 8 & 9
Exam # 3 (Chapters 8 & 9)
Meiosis
F 11/15**
9
Lab Exercises
Ch 11
Video – TBD
M
11/18
Meiosis + Inheritance
Ch 11
Tu
11/19
Genes & Inheritance
Ch 12
W
11/20
Th
11/21
F
11/22
M
11/25
Lab 13: Antibiotic Resistance
Day 2 – Meet in Lab 305
Tu
11/26
Evolution & Natural Selection
W
11/27
Th
11/28
F
11/29
M
12/2
Evolution & Natural Selection
Ch 15
Tu
12/3
Review Session
Ch11, 12, 14-16
W
12/4
Th
12/5
F
12/6
Lecture + Genetics Problems
Evolution & Natural Selection
Ch 12
Ch 14
Lab 13: Antibiotic Resistance – Day 1
Ch 16
Lab 13: Antibiotic Resistance Day 3
Thanksgiving – No Class
Thanksgiving – No Lab
Exam #4 (Ch. 11, 12, 14, 15 & 16)
Review Session
TBD
FINAL EXAM – WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11TH 8:00 - 10:00, ROOM 203
* October 4th is the last day to withdraw from the class without receiving a “W” grade
** November 15th is the last day to withdraw from the class