Heartland Community College
Math/Science Division
Student Syllabus for BIOL 161-01
Principles of Biology I
Fall 2013
Meeting times
Class: T and R, 8:30 am - 9:45 am [ICB 2805]
Lab: T or R (depending on what student registered for)
10:00 am – 11:50 pm [ICB 1001]
Catalog Description
Prerequisite: Completion of Math through Intermediate Algebra Level 1.
BIOL 161 is one semester of a first year, general biology course for students who plan to pursue
science careers. Students question and analyze concepts related to cell biology, molecular
biology, genetics, and evolution. Students apply their knowledge to their life and the world
around them. Students improve collaboration skills as they work with peers to solve different
problems. The laboratory component emphasizes data collection and analysis.
Instructor Information
Thuong Jongky
Phone: (309) 268-8659; Fax: 268-7964
Office: ICB 2415
Office hours
Monday 1:00-3:00 pm
Tuesday through Thursday 1:00-2:00 pm
e-mail: Thuong.Jongky@heartland.edu
Required Materials
Mader, S.S., & Windelspecht, M. (2013). Biology (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Labs should be printed from Blackboard.
myHeartland information
https://my.heartland.edu includes: Blackboard, IRIS, email, library, class cancellations, files, and
announcements/news
 If you are logging in for FIRST time, use Password Station to create password and
change your security questions after creating password.
 If you email me, I will only read and respond to your email if your email extension is
my.heartland.edu.
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Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transferability
BIOL 161 fulfills four of the semester hours of credit in Life and Physical Science required for
the A.A. or A.S. degree. This course should transfer as part of the General Education Core
Curriculum described in the Illinois Articulation Initiative to other Illinois colleges and
universities participating in the IAI. However, students should consult an academic advisor for
transfer information regarding particular institutions. Refer to the IAI web page for information
as well at www.itransfer.org.
Course Learning Outcomes
Throughout this course, students
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
hypothesize, experiment, gather data, and formulate conclusions.
question validity of results and conclusions that are presented in lab, newspapers,
magazines, TV, Internet, and radio.
relate concepts of cellular biology, molecular biology, genetics, and evolution to their life
and the world around them.
integrate concepts from one chapter to another.
improve independent learning skills.
The above course learning outcomes correlate to three of Heartland Community College’s
General Education Outcomes.
1.
CT 4: Student actively reflects on his/her answer, approach, or solution and acts upon
those reflections to improve the final result.
2.
PS 5: Student has the ability to define, interpret, and solve problems through
collaboration with others.
3.
CO 2: Student effectively delivers a message via various channels/modalities.
Method of Evaluation
The final grade will be based on the following requirements:
Classroom Components
Exams (35 %)
Cumulative final (15 %)
Ch. quizzes (10 %)
Lab Components
Labs (20 %)
In-class group activities, homework (15 %)
Reflection (5 %)
80 % of final grade
Total final grade %
Final Grade
90+
A
20 % of final grade
80+
B
70+
C
60+
D
<60
F
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Make-up policies
1. CHAPTER QUIZZES
a. Students will take a chapter quiz in class the first time. If a student does not receive a
score of 70 % or higher, the student must come into the instructor’s office and discuss
which questions were missed. The student will take the quiz again. The student will
continue taking the quiz until a score of 70 % or higher is achieved. This policy exists to
give students the opportunity to understand concepts from one chapter before moving
onto the next chapter.
b. All quiz scores for one chapter will be averaged to give the student a final grade for that
chapter’s quiz.
c. Students can only take the next chapter’s quiz once a score of 70 % or higher is achieved
on the previous chapter’s quiz.
d. If a student misses a chapter quiz in class (not in class), the student will receive a zero for
that chapter quiz. The student will get the opportunity to take the quiz at a later time to
get the 70 % or higher. The final grade for the missed quiz will be the averaged score of
all the quizzes taken for that chapter.
2. EXAMS
a. If a student misses a scheduled exam, the student will temporarily hold onto a zero for
that exam until the final exam. Once the final exam percentage is calculated, the zero
will be replaced with the final exam percentage.
b. If a student misses a second scheduled exam, the student will take the exam at a later date
and receive only 70 % of the score obtained on the exam.
c. Any student who does not take the final exam will receive an F for the class.
3. HOMEWORK
a. Homework must be handed in before the next class session that the student attends.
4. IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES
a. There are NO make-ups for activities done in and handed in during class. Most often,
these activities are done in groups.
5. LABS
a. Labs are worth 20 points. A student arriving to lab and actively doing the lab will receive
an automatic 10 points. The remaining 10 points will be obtained from answering
questions on Blackboard before leaving lab and/or from selected written results obtained
from lab.
b. A student arriving to lab at 10:15 am or after will NOT be able to complete that lab.
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Incomplete Grade
An Incomplete grade may be justified to a student if the student encounters extreme
circumstances (e.g., serious illness, accident, death or serious illness in the immediate family)
toward the end of the semester and is unable to complete the semester. The student must be in a
position to pass the class if the Incomplete grade is given. The student must sign a form
requiring him/her to finish the class by next semester.
Midterm Withdrawal
The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) requires that all schools report attendance at
midterm in order to meet federal Financial Aid obligations. Therefore, the instructor will
withdraw a student at midterm if the student meets one the following conditions.
1. The student has missed four continuous class sessions.
2. The student has missed at least three chapter quizzes and has not maintained contact with
the instructor.
3. The student has missed at least three labs and has not maintained contact with the
instructor.
Required Writing and Reading
Students will read approximately one chapter per week in the textbook. Students will write
answers to problem-solving questions, exam questions, and lab questions.
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“We learn… 10 % of what we read, 20 % of what we hear, 30 % of what we see, 50 % of what
we see and hear, 70 % of what we discuss, 80 % of what we experience, and 95 % of what we
teach others.”
William Glasser
The following sheet helps you keep track of grades for various activities.
Exams (35 %)
Quizzes (10 %)
In-class
activities (15 %)
Reflection (5 %)
Labs (20 %)
To calculate your classroom components percentage:
Your Points on exams / Possible Pts. for exams =
Your Points on quizzes/ Possible Pts. for quizzes =
Your Points on in-class activities / Possible Pts. =
Your Points on reflection assignments/ Possible Pts. =
0.______ x 35 =
0.______ x 10 =
0.______ x 15 =
0.______ x 5 =
To calculate your lab components percentage:
Your Points on lab exercises / Possible Points for lab exercises =
0.______ x 20 = _______
TOTAL CLASS PERCENTAGE
total above________ / 85
_______
_______
_______
_______
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BIOLOGY 161-01 Fall 2013
TENTATIVE COURSE AND LAB SCHEDULE
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
FINAL
Topics
Welcome; Life; Classification
Scientific Method; Basic Chemistry
Basic Chemistry; Organic Molecules
Organic Molecules
Cell Structure and Function
Membrane Structure and Function
Review
Metabolism: Energy and Enzymes
Cellular Respiration
Photosynthesis
Mitosis
Meiosis
DNA
Gene Expression
Genetics
Finish and review
FINAL EXAM
Chapter
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
7
9
10
12
12
11
Lab
1: Basic Microscopy
8: Photosynthesis
2: Life Characteristics
3: Microbes
4: Chemistry of Life
5: Homeostasis
6: Cellular Pathology
7: Cellular Respiration
9: Mitosis/Meiosis
10: Blueprint of Life
11: Mendelian Genetics
12: Human Genetic Disorders
13: DNA Detective
14: Natural Selection
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