Salt Lake Community College - Biology Department
BIOL1050 (BS): Introduction to Animal Biology
Spring Semester 2014
Instructor: James R. Hampton
E-mail: jhampton@bruinmail.slcc.edu
Required Course Materials:
1) Textbook: Zoology 9th Ed. Miller & Harley McGraw Hill
2) Must have a computer capable of using appropriate course applications (e.g. Canvas) and word-processing
programs (e.g. Microsoft Word and Excel).
Course Description: Prereq: RDG 0900 w/C grade or better, or appropriate Accuplacer score. Coreq: BIOL
1055. For non-science majors. Topics include: animal classification, evolution, and diversity. Three hours of
lecture per week with additional lab component (BIOL 1055) required.
General Education Statement:
This course fulfills the Biological Science requirement for the General Education Program at Salt Lake Community
College. It is designed not only to teach the information and skills required by the discipline, but also to develop
vital workplace skills and to teach strategies and skills that can be used for life-long learning. General Education
courses teach basic skills as well as broaden a student’s knowledge of a wide range of subjects. Education is
much more than the acquisition of facts; it is being able to use information in meaningful ways in order to enrich
one’s life. While the subject of each course is important and useful, we become truly educated through making
connections of such varied information with the different methods of organizing human experience that are
practiced by different disciplines. Therefore, this course, when combined with other General Education courses,
will enable you to develop broader perspectives and deeper understandings of your community and the world,
as well as challenge previously held assumptions about the world and its inhabitants.
ePortfolio Statement:
Each student in General Education courses at SLCC will maintain a General Education ePortfolio. Instructors in
every Gen Ed course will ask you to put at least one assignment from the course into your ePortfolio, and
accompany it with reflective writing. It is a requirement in this class for you to add to your ePortfolio. Your
ePortfolio will allow you to include your educational goals, describe your extracurricular activities, and post your
resume. When you finish your time at SLCC, your ePortfolio will then be a multi-media showcase of your
educational experience. For detailed information including a Student ePortfolio Handbook, video tutorials for
each ePortfolio platform, classes, locations and times of free workshops and other in-person help, visit
www.slcc.edu/gened/eportfolio.
COLLEGE-WIDE LEARNING OUTCOMES
The Core Themes of SLCC’s Mission focuses on Access and Success, Transfer Education, Workforce Education
and Community Engagement. As such, all courses and programs address one or more of the below CollegeWide Learning Outcomes. Upon successful completion of any program at SLCC, students should:
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Acquire substantive knowledge in the discipline of their choice sufficient for further study, and/or
demonstrate competencies required by employers to be hired and succeed in the workplace.
Communicate effectively.
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Develop quantitative literacies necessary for their chosen field of study.
Think Critically.
Develop the knowledge and skills to be civically engaged, and/or to work with others in a professional
and constructive manner.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
In order to full-fill the goals of the College-wide Learning Outcomes, the following course learning outcomes of
been established for this course. Upon completion of this course a person educated in Animal Biology should be
able to demonstrate a general understanding of the following essential learning outcomes
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The domain and process of science, the chemical basis of life, the cell as the basic unit of life, evolution
and the diversity of life, DNA and the continuity of life, and the interrelationships of living organisms.
The concept of organizational levels and emergent properties of life will also be emphasized.
Students will be introduced to and will show mastery in organismal animal biology. The majority of this
class is devoted to describing animals as functioning (whole) organisms. The “atoms to ecosystems”
approach (found in the majority of biology classes) is taken, namely: atoms → molecules → cells →
tissues → organs → organ systems → whole organisms → populations → ecosystems. This class also
focuses on animal diversity, and variation found among animals that is accountable to adaptation to
different environments or differences in evolutionary histories.
Students will understand the chemical basis for metabolism and all life, particularly animals.
(Biochemistry)
Students will appreciate the evolutionary basis of biology, understand basic mechanisms of evolution,
learn pathways in animal evolution, and the basis for theories of relationships of animal groups to each
other (Evolutionary Biology).
Students will become familiar with diversity in animals and the relationships between animal groups.
They will also be able to explain how animals are classified within the taxonomical system utilized by
biologists. (Taxonomy)
Students will learn basic concepts of embryonic development in animals and how similarities and
differences in development indicate evolutionary relationships in the kingdom (Development, Anatomy
and Morphology).
Student will appreciate animals as functioning entities and will be able to describe animal interactions
with their environments and other species. (Physiology)
Students will appreciate the diversity of animal life, how it developed and how we are a part of the
diversity (Diversity of Life)
Students will be able to describe animal interactions with their environments, and other species.
(Ecology)
GENERAL POLICIES
Syllabus: This syllabus represents an “agreement” between you the student and the instructor. It is designed to
insure course integrity and fairness as well as provide students with a clear understanding of course
expectations. The instructor and students are expected to use the syllabus and schedule as a guide for the
semester. Any deviation from the syllabus or schedule will be discussed and agreed upon by the instructor and
students.
Attendance: Attendance at one of the first two class meetings is MANDATORY! If you do NOT attend at least
one of the first two lectures, YOU RISK BEING DROPPED from the course by the end of the day on January 17.
Americans with Disabilities Act: Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring
accommodations or services under ADA, must contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC). The DRC
determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these accommodations and services for the college."
Please contact the DRC at the Student Center, Suite 244, Redwood Campus, 4600 So. Redwood Rd, 84123.
Phone: (801) 957-4659, TTY: 957-4646, Fax: 957- 4947 or by email: linda.bennett@slcc.edu"
Academic Dishonesty: Absolutely NOT tolerated and includes all forms of cheating and plagiarism as outlined in
the Student Code. Penalty for first offense will be a grade of “0” on the assignment or exam; second offense
will be an “E” for the course.
Missed Due Dates: To be determined by instructor.
Electronic Devices: Cell Phones, pagers are to be turned off during class. Computers can be used for notetaking and course-related purposes ONLY but should not be used during class for working on other tasks (e.g.
answer emails, Facebook, other classes etc.). You will be asked to leave if your electronic device disrupts the
class in anyway. Cell phones MUST be turned completely OFF during exams.
Classroom recordings: Students may not record or publish information from the class without written
authorization from the instructor. If used without authorization you have violated Privacy/Intellectual Property
Rights.
Incomplete Grade and Withdraw from Class: A grade of “I” (Incomplete) is the instructor’s option and is not
given except only in the most extenuating of circumstances for which there is verifiable written documentation.
In order to receive an incomplete, nearly all course work must have been completed (e.g. ~75%) with a passing
grade. Last day to withdraw from class with refund is February 3, without refund is March 24. It is the
responsibility of the student to drop/withdraw from this class, not the instructors.
Student Code of Conduct:
The student is expected to follow the SLCC Student Code of Conduct found at
http://www.slcc.edu/policies/docs/Student_Code_of_Conduct.pdf
Emergency Evacuation Procedures: we will leave the building immediately in case of an emergency. We will
follow school guidelines at: http://www.slcc.edu/emergency-prepare/emergency-procedures.aspx
Other SLCC academic policies may be found in the SLCC 2013-2014 Catalog, the Spring Semester Class Schedule
and the Student Code of Conduct.
EVALUATION/GRADING
Examinations: Four Section exams worth 100 points each will be given during the semester. Exams will contain
multiple choice questions and one short answer essay question. The lowest score on the section exams will be
dropped before grades are calculated. There will be no make-up or re-take exams. Dropping an exam is
intended to make such provisions unnecessary. In addition, there will be a comprehensive final exam given
according to the schedule set by the College. No student will be allowed to take the final examination early. You
will not be allowed to take any exam if you enter the room more than ten minutes after the exam has been
distributed or if someone else has completed the exam and left the room.
Lab: Enrollment in laboratory is mandatory. The score from the laboratory will count 20% of the grade (100
points).
Exam Dates:
Exam 1 February 4th
Exam 2 March 4th
Exam 3 April 3rd
Exam 4 May 1st
Final exam as scheduled by the college.
Schedule:
Week 1: Introduction to scientific Method, Start Evolution
Week 2: Evolution
Week 3: Classification, Ecology
Week 4: Animal Cell and Biology Orientation. Exam 1
Week 5: Embryonic Development
Week 6: Protista, Porifera, Bilateral symmetry, Platyhelminthes
Week 7: Introduction to ecdysozoa, Lophotrochozoa, Nematoda, Rotifera
Week 8: Exam 2, Mollusca, Annelida
Week 9: Arthropoda, Lophophorates
Week 10: Introduction to Deuterostomes, Echinodermata, Hemichordata
Week 11: Spring Break
Week 12: Non-vertebrates, chordates, relationships of Deuterostomes
Week 13: Exam 3, Introduction to vertebrata
Week 14: Jawless vertebrates, Placodermi, Acanthodii and Phylogenies
Week 15: Amphibia, Reptile, Aves
Week 16: Mammalia Exam
Tentative Grading Scale:
A: 465-500 (93-100%)
B: 415-429 (83-85.9%)
C: 350-379 (70-75.9%)
A- : 445-464 (89-92.9%) B+: 430-444 (86-88.9%)
B- : 395-414 (79-82.9%) C+: 380-394 (76-78.9%)
D: 285-349 (57-69.9%) E: 285 or below (<57%)