BIOL& 160 – C1 : General Biology
Walla Walla Community College – Fall 2015
Lecture: MTThF
10:30 – 11:20 (243)
Instructor: Dr. Stephen Shoemake
Lab: W
Office: 42
10:30 – 12:20 (217)
Phone: (509) 527-4643
e-mail: stephen.shoemake@wwcc.edu
Web page: http://staff.wwcc.edu/steve.shoemake
Required
Text:
WWCC Custom Edition of Biology, 12th Edition
Office hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
(Sylvia Mader)
11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Actually, the unofficial rule is this…If my door is open; I am available to talk to you. If it is closed I am either
not here, or I am frantically prepping something. Give me a break unless your problem is urgent.
Official Course Description
Introduction to the study of the cell, the basic component of all living organisms. This class
is intended to provide a solid background for students planning to enter Allied Health
programs. Emphasis is on cell chemistry, structure, metabolism, energetics, cell division
and genetic principles. The basics of DNA technology are also covered. Lab work is
required. This course does not satisfy the prerequisite for BIOL& 212 or BIOL& 213.
Prerequisite: Appropriate placement score or grade of C or higher in ENGL 087; or
permission of the Science Division Chair or designee. Recommended: READ 098.
Formerly BIO 151, Cell Biology.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, each student should be able to…
1. explain how the concept of homeostasis applies to cellular biology,
2. demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles of inorganic and organic
chemistry as they apply to cellular processes,
3. describe basic cell structure,
4. recognize the significance of the relationship between cellular structure and function,
5. demonstrate understanding of genetic mutation and how it ultimately impacts the cell,
6. solve problems using concepts of Mendelian genetics,
7. describe basic metabolic processes that occur in cells,
8. demonstrate the ability to graph and interpret data,
9. demonstrate the ability to properly care for and focus a compound microscope,
10. demonstrate the ability to use lab glassware used for measuring accurately.
THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME
LECTURE AND LABORATORY CONTENT
Major topics discussed in the course description may be presented and reinforced through
lectures, group work, or individual assignments. The sequence of topics may not exactly
follow the sequence they are presented in the textbook, and you may have to read all or
part of several different chapters in the course of working on one major topic. Although the
lecture and the laboratory deal with different aspects of the major topics, the material
investigated in the laboratory is meant to support and clarify lecture topics. For this
reason, the lecture exams may contain material from both the lecture and the laboratory.
The text book for this course is important. Rely on it heavily as a valuable resource for
learning this material. Although I will rarely assign specific reading assignments, I expect
you to find and read the sections in the text book that refer to the topics presented in
lecture and lab.
GRADING
Your final grade will be calculated based on the percentage of the total points you have
earned out the total possible points applied to the grading scale below:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
GPA
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.3
1.0
0.0
Percentage range
93
100 %
90
92 %
87
89 %
83
86 %
80
82 %
77
79 %
73
76 %
70
72 %
67
69 %
60
66 %
0
59 %
Percentages will be rounded to the nearest percentage point for assignment of grades.
There will be three unit exams and a comprehensive final. Two of the unit exams and the
final will be worth 100 points. Your lowest unit exam score will be worth only 50 points.
(That way a poor exam score doesn’t hurt you as much.) THIS DOES NOT APPLY
TO THE FINAL EXAM! It is worth 100 points regardless of whether it is
the lowest score or not. The laboratory portion of the course is worth 100 total
points, and will consist of quizzes and assignments given in the laboratory on laboratory
topics. The total points possible for laboratory may vary; so your total laboratory score will
be calculated by multiplying your total laboratory percentage by 100. In other words, the
total laboratory score is equivalent to one exam. A grade breakdown follows:
THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME
Graded things
2 highest unit exams (2 @ 100 pts. ea.) ………….…………………......
Lowest unit exam................................……….........................................
Final Exam.................................……………………………...…..............
Laboratory (quizzes & lab assignments)…..………………..…………...
Group Work & Lecture Assignments………………….………………….
Points possible
200 points
50 points
100 points
100 points
Variable
Barring extenuating circumstances, you are assured a grade no worse than that indicated
by your total percentage on lecture and laboratory exams. That is, if you earn 93% of the
points, you will get an A. I reserve the right, however, to lower the scale if I deem it
necessary. Note: Grades will not be posted on Canvas, but you are welcome to stop
in to my office to check. I have a running total on my computer.
POLICY ON MAKE UP EXAMS
MAKE UP EXAMS ARE GIVEN IN EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES ONLY! If an
emergency arises and you need to take a test on a day other than the day it is scheduled,
you must talk to me BEFORE THE DAY OF THE TEST and schedule a date for you to
take it. If you miss a test without informing me at least one full day in advance, you will be
given a “0” for that test; unless you can show me some proof of an emergency that
prevented you from contacting me. I reserve the right to give you a make up exam that is
different in form (i.e. all essay) than the regularly scheduled exam.
ATTENDANCE
I expect you to attend every lecture and laboratory session for the full amount of time that
it is scheduled. (DO NOT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS OR ANYTHING ELSE DURING
SCHEDULED CLASS TIME!) Since you are adults, I will not dock you points for missing
a class. You will, however, be held responsible for all of the material covered in the course
regardless of whether or not you were in attendance when it was presented. Additionally,
you will be held to the due date for an assignment even if you were not in class when it
was assigned. If you ever have to miss a class, ask one of your fellow students to pick up
an extra copy of any handouts and assignments for you. Make sure that you get the notes
they took in class, too. I will try to post most assignments on my Web site so you can
download and print them out (no guarantees). If all else fails, come and see me to get any
assignments you may have missed. Under no circumstances will I allow students to copy
my lecture notes after they have missed a class. REMEMBER - NOT KNOWING THAT I
ASSIGNED SOMETHING IS NOT A VALID EXCUSE FOR IT BEING LATE.
(Note: Since laboratories often involve set-ups that are only available during lab time, you may not be able to
make up a lab session that you miss.)
LATE WORK POLICY
Late assignments will be penalized 20% of the total possible points for the assignment.
Assignments turned in more than 2 class days after the designated due date WILL NOT
BE ACCEPTED FOR CREDIT. (Example: If an assignment is due on a Monday, you
have until Wednesday to turn it in for credit.) If you turn it in after that, you will be given a
“0” for the assignment.
THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME
GROUP WORK POLICY
The intention of group work is to promote learning in a manner that is not available to you
outside of class. It is often of great value to talk to your fellow students about difficult
concepts, or to work with them to solve complex problems. For this reason, you CAN
NOT EARN POINTS FOR GROUP WORK IF YOU WERE NOT IN CLASS TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITY. If you miss a class session in which group work is
collected for grading, you will be given a “0” for that activity. These points can not be
made up.
WITHDRAWAL
The last day that you can drop this course is Nov. 9th. To drop a course, you must
complete the proper forms at the Admissions Office. It is your responsibility to initiate a
drop. Failure to officially drop a class or withdraw from school in a timely manner may
disqualify you from receiving a refund of tuition and fees and cause you to receive a failing
grade.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Cheating and/or plagiarism will not be tolerated. The following excerpt is from the “Student
Code of Conduct” policy which can be found on the Web through the following route:
wwcc.edu  current students  Student Policies  Student Code of Conduct.
(Direct URL: http://www.wwcc.edu/CMS/index.php?id=426.)
PLAGIARISM/CHEATING
1. Plagiarism is defined as the buying, borrowing, or stealing of written material for the
purpose of fulfilling or partially fulfilling any assignment or task required as part of the
student’s program of instruction at the College. Any student who plagiarizes shall be
subject to disciplinary action.
2. Any student who aids or abets the accomplishment of such activity as defined in
subsection (1) above shall also be subject to disciplinary action.
3. An instructor may take reasonable action against any student who is deemed to have
been guilty of plagiarism or cheating. Course of action might include but not be
limited to:
a. student receive warning and lowered grade;
b. student receive failing grade for the course;
c. student dropped from course;
d. student be recommended for suspension or dismissal from the College;
e. case referred to civil action.
An instructor taking action against any student for an act of academic misconduct shall
report such action to the Vice President of Instruction and the Vice President of Student
Services, as soon as possible, but no later than five working days after the incident. Any
student subject to action of an instructor for a violation of this section may seek review
of that action by the Vice President of Student Services, if such request is submitted in
writing within five working days from the date of the complained-of action.
THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME
EXAM CHALLENGE PROCEDURE
You may resubmit each unit exam for re-grade if corrections are needed due to grading
errors. If you feel you have been graded unfairly, you may challenge individual test
questions. The procedures for doing so are written below. Challenges are due one week
after the exam in question is handed back. Challenges turned in after that will not be
considered. I WILL NOT VERBALLY ARGUE POINTS WITH YOU UNLESS YOU BRING
IN A WRITTEN CHALLENGE FIRST.
1. Check the correct answer. Make sure you are convinced that the
answer you selected is better than the one the key says is correct.
2. Write out a challenge. In this challenge, you should indicate why you
think you should be given credit for something that I counted wrong or did
not give you points for. Be precise, and back up your assertions with
references from the text book or some other valid source. I'm pretty
confident that the answers I selected are the correct ones. If you want me to
give you credit for your answer, you need to convince me that it is a better
answer than the one I put (or at least that it is equally as good an answer).
THINGS THAT IRK ME
I think it is only fair that I let you know some of the things that upset me, so that you can
avoid doing them. If you really want to make me mad, you should…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
let your cell phone ring in class.
read/send a text message, or play on the Internet while in class.
carry on a conversation while I am trying to lecture.
show up for class late.
gather up your books and shuffle around before I am done talking.
ask me, “Do we have to know this?”
whine a lot about having too much information on a test.
WHAT I EXPECT FROM YOU
As a student in my class, I expect that you will…
1.
2.
3.
4.
show due respect to your fellow students and to me.
be prepared to start class before class starts (i.e. phones away, notes out).
frequently review course material.
do all of the reading in the text and lab handouts which supports what we
discuss in lecture and lab.
5. Keep track of your progress. In other words, if you are doing poorly, you should
realize it early and come to see me before it is too late.
6. Enjoy yourself. General Biology is a fascinating subject. If you keep this in
mind, the work that this course requires is much more tolerable.
THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF TOPICS / EXAMS
I have not attached exact dates to the topics below so we are free to adjust the amount of
time we spend on each. The test dates are firm, and will include all topics covered in
lecture and laboratory up to the exam. The text book for this course is excellent, and you
should rely heavily on it for studying. I will not usually test you on subjects I have not
presented in class, but time limits the amount of detail I can present. I will expect you to fill
in the gaps with your reading. THE MOST RELIABLE THING YOU CAN DO TO
ENSURE YOUR SUCCESS IS TO DO ALL OF YOUR READING.
Topic
Introduction / Syllabus review / Group Demo
Hierarchy of Biological Structure / Negative feedback
Characteristics of Life
Chemical bonds, reactions, ATP
Characteristics of water
Chemistry of macromolecules
Cell Structure & Function
Mitosis & Meiosis
Energy and Metabolism / Enzymes
Cellular Respiration
Genetics & DNA Technology
Text Chapter(s)
N/A
1, 31 (instructor will provide)
1
2,3
2
3
4, 5
9,10
6
8
11,12,16
Test dates
Lecture Exams
Lab Quizzes
1
2
3
1
Tuesday, Oct. 6th
Monday, Oct. 26th
Thursday, Dec. 3rd
Wednesday, Oct. 14th
2
Covers all information from 9/23, 09/30, and 10/07 labs.
Wednesday, Oct. 28th
3
Covers all information from 10/14 and 10/21 labs.
Wednesday, Nov. 18th
Lab Final
Covers all info. from 10/28, 11/04, and assignment on 11/13
Wednesday, Dec. 2nd
Covers information from all labs
Final Exam
Wednesday, Dec. 9th
Comprehensive
THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME
Laboratory Schedule
(Note: Many labs require extensive set-ups; and therefore can not be made up if you miss them.)
Date of Lab
Sep. 23rd
Sep. 30th
Oct. 7th
Oct. 14th
(QUIZ*)
Oct. 21st
Topic
Lab safety & etiquette / Techniques for
measuring liquids / Internet assignment
Standard curve determination / analysis
Care & use of the microscopes /
microscope parts, focusing on prepared slides
Survey of Kingdoms / Cell types /
making a wet mount
Organelles Review Activity
(bring completed organelles assignment to lab)
Oct. 28
th
(QUIZ*)
Nov. 4th
Nov. 11th
Nov. 18th
(QUIZ*)
Dec. 2nd
Enzyme Catalysis
Yeast Fermentation
Veterans Day: College Closed
(Note: The material that would have been
covered in this lab will be presented as a
worksheet this week. It will be on the next quiz)
Forensic DNA Experiment
Lab Final
* = Note: All quizzes will be handed out as soon as the lab period
begins; and will last a limited amount of time. If you arrive late, you
will get less time to complete your quiz.
If you or a fellow student does not have reliable access to food or other essential needs,
there are resources available through WWCC’s Warrior Resources. For information,
please contact Magdalena Moulton at 509-524-4790 or Paul Lund at 509-524-5231.
Are you the first in your family to attend college? Do you want to transfer to a four-year
university after WWCC? Are you unsure of what to major in? Not sure where to
transfer? Need academic support? Would you like your own personal guide to help
you? Contact the TRiO office at 509-527-4258 in Walla Walla or 509-758-1721 in
Clarkston to see if you are eligible.
Note for students regarding disabilities: If you have a disability for which you may
be requesting an accommodation, contact Claudia Angus, Ph.D., Coordinator of
Disability Support Services (phone: 527-4262 or email: claudia.angus@wwcc.edu ) as
early as possible in the quarter. I can not give you accommodations until you do so.
THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME