Fall Semester 2010
Biology 1309 Life on Earth Syllabus (Course # 21157 - 021)
Location: RRC3 3323, TTR 5:40 pm- 7:00pm
INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Oranit (Orie) Gilad
Office phone: (512) 223-1790 ext. # 26548
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 7:00pm – 8:00pm @ RRC 3323
ACC Email: ogilad@austincc.edu
Personal Email : orie.gilad@gmail.com
Website: www.austincc.edu/ogilad/
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Biology 1309 Life on Earth is a survey of the living organisms on
our planet for the non-science major students. The course focuses on evolutionary and natural
history, structural and behavioral adaptations, biological diversity and co-evolution.
PREREQUISITES: This course requires college level reading and writing skills. You must
have: (1) at least a 5 or above on both the ACC reading and writing assessment tests, or (2)
passed both the reading and writing portions of the TASP, or (3) are exempt from the TASP. If
you do not meet these requirements, you may be withdrawn from the course.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: The required Guidebook for this course is Biology 1309 Life on
Earth Concepts and Questions, 5TH edition, by Bernice Speer, et. al. available at the bookstore.
COURSE RATIONALE: This course is designed for students who are primarily non-science
majors. Through the use of lectures, good science videos and web-based homework assignments,
students are introduced to the organisms that inhabit this planet, their characteristics, their
evolutionary relationships and their adaptation to life on earth.
The course is based on a series of 13 video episodes produced by the BBC and narrated by David
Attenborough. It is an evolutionary approach to studying the many life forms on earth, starting
from the beginnings of life to the present day.
Since these videos were produced several years ago, some clarifications and additional
information will be introduced in class regarding some evolutionary processes of several
organisms. This additional information will add to the concepts presented in this course and
reinforce the approach of the videos.
COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES: The common course objectives for BIOL 1309 are
found at http://www2.austincc.edu/biology/ccobjectives
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SPECIFIC SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES: There are specific skills and competencies that
I expect students who complete this course to achieve:
• Ability to explain evolutionary relationships among different organisms
• Ability to discuss adaptations, using several different examples
• Ability to observe phenomena and to record information
• Ability to apply biological concepts to new examples
• Ability to demonstrate higher level thinking skills
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY: This course is taught in the classroom as a lecture
course.
ACCeID: You will need an ACCeID to use the Blackboard site and ACC Online. If you don't
already have an ACCeID, go to the ACCeID Manager Login at:
https://acceid.austincc.edu/idm/user/login.jsp. Click on "First-Time Login" and follow the
instructions. You must be able to access Blackboard.
BLACKBOARD SITE: A Blackboard site has been set up for this class. I will use Blackboard
to post announcements, class materials and your grades. I will also use Blackboard to send emails to the class. For this reason, you MUST use your ACC e-mail address. That is the only email address that Blackboard will use and the only e-mail address that will be used to send out
official notices and feedback.
Information about the ACC e-mail can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/google/
You can have your ACC e-mail forwarded to another e-mail address if you prefer. See more
information at: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=10957
To get started on Blackboard, go to the login site at: http://acconline.austincc.edu/ and click on
the “Student Guide – Getting Started with Blackboard” link. This will help you set up your
Blackboard account and get you to the course site. If you need help, call the ACC Help Desk at
512-223-HELP.
Please put my e-mail address into your address book or your Spam Blocker may block my
emails.
You are expected to check Blackboard on a regular basis. I will post required class materials on
Blackboard, including material for you to read or web sites to explore. If I post online lecture
notes on Blackboard, I may not cover the same material in class unless you have questions.
You can also use Blackboard to keep in touch with other students who are enrolled in this course
to form real or virtual study groups. You can post questions and comments to everyone through
the Blackboard class discussion groups or you can use the real time Chat Room from this site.
COURSE CALENDAR: A tentative calendar with exam dates, topics of lectures and videos
will be provided separately. Schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes
will be announced in class and an updated calendar will be available on the course’s website
and Blackboard.
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COURSE GRADING SCHEME
GRADES: Your final grade depends on the total number of points you accumulate from these
sources. The course grade will be calculated according to the rubric below. There are no + or –
grades given at ACC.
Source
Number
Points per
Total Points
Exams
4
150
600
Makeup Exam
1
150
H/W questions
200
Attendance & Participation
100
*Total
900 (100%)
* Please note: if the number of exams or assignments changes during the semester, the total
number of points will be adjusted before computing your course average.
Final Grading Scale: 89.5-100% = A; 79.5-89.4% = B; 69.5-79.5% = C; 60-69% = D; below
60% = F
I. EXAMS:
There are three exams for this course, each worth 150 points. All exams are given in the Testing
Center and are available for the dates indicated on the attached schedule. There is no curve. The
exam format will be a combination of objective questions (such as multiple-choice, true-false,
and matching questions) and written questions (such as short answer, essay, flow-charting and
drawing). The exams will be based on the information covered during the unit, whether
presented in lecture, through videos, in readings or articles, or in the study objectives for the unit.
You will be expected to spell all terms correctly in order to receive full credit. There are no
retests in this course; once you have taken an exam, you may not take it again to try for a better
grade.
In general, each missed class results in a drop of 10 points on an exam; as a result, attendance is
highly encouraged.
II. MAKEUP FINAL EXAM:
There is an optional comprehensive make-up exam covering material from the entire semester.
It will be used as a make-up exam if you miss a regularly scheduled exam for a VALID reason
(accepted by the instructor), or do poorly on any one exam. The optional make-up exam can
only substitute one test score. If you miss more than one exam, you will receive a grade of 0 for
the second missed exam and the instructor reserves the right to withdraw you from the course.
III. H/W QUESTIONS:
The BIOL 1309 Guidebook contains questions related to each of the videos. You are responsible
to answer all the assigned questions for the topics covered for each lecture and video. I will
randomly collect study guides from students on Thursdays and grade the questions assigned for
the topics covered thus far. I will also select exam questions from the assigned homework
questions. You may write your answers in your Guidebook or on a separate piece of paper.
Late video questions will be accepted but will be discounted 2 points for every class that they are
late.
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If you miss a video in class you must watch it in one of ACC’s Media Centers or through another
method. You MUST have the Librarian sign your Guidebook on the appropriate video page or
your video questions will NOT be accepted for a grade.
TIMELY RETURN OF PAPERS: Homework assignments and exams will be graded within 2
weeks.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN THIS COURSE:
Active Learning: The foundation in science that you develop in this course will be
valuable in your further studies. Therefore you will need to be actively involved in
your learning. The following are ways to be active learners in biology or any other
field:
 Attend. Come to every class and be punctual. For most students, attendance
is directly related to succeeding in this class.
 Communicate. Let me know if you don’t understand an idea. Speak up in
class, talk to me afterwards, come to office hours, or email me. If something
doesn’t make sense to you, it probably doesn’t make sense to others in the
class, too. Also, let me know if you will have to be absent from class or if
there is anything going on in your life that impacts your performance so we can
make arrangements.
 Participate. “Science is NOT a spectator sport.” Biology requires your
participation both because you learn better when you participate but also
because we will be learning about things that directly impact your life and how
you think about our world. Besides, it’s much more fun when you’re part of
the discovery. Do the reading and the homework, speak up in class, and share
your own understanding with others.
 Know your learning style. Are you a visual learner, or do you prefer to learn
by doing? We all learn in different ways. Here is a site that will give you a free
5-minute quiz, and tell you how you learn and strategies to help you learn
better. Log onto http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
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COURSE POLICIES:
A. ATTENDANCE: You are responsible for attending all lectures. For most students, course
performance is linked to course attendance. You are responsible for all materials, activities,
assignments or announcements covered in class, regardless of your reason for being absent. If
you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to get lecture notes from someone in the class and to
get handouts and assignments from me. If you miss a video, it is your responsibility to go to one
of the ACC Media Centers that offer the videos and watch the video independently (see my 1309
webpage for updated information on locations). Make sure to have a librarian sign your
Guidebook at the appropriate episode.
B. WITHDRAWAL: If you decide to drop the class, you are responsible for completing all
necessary paperwork. If you stop attending class and do not withdraw yourself from the course,
you will end up with a grade of F for the semester.
The last day to withdraw from this semester is 18 November, 2010.
C. INCOMPLETE: A grade of incomplete (I) will be assigned only if you have all of the
following:
- A valid reason (instructor makes decision) with written documentation
- Requested a grade of “I” in writing
- Completed all of the course work scheduled before the drop deadline
- Completed more than 50% of the course work, and
- At least a 70% (c) average on completed work.
D. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Each ACC campus offers support services for
students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must
request reasonable accommodations through the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) on
the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to
do this three weeks before the start of the semester. Students who are requesting accommodation
must provide the instructor with a letter of accommodation from the OSD at the beginning of
the semester. Accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the letter of
accommodation from OSD.
E. SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: “Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may
be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam
or quiz, plagiarizing, unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work.
Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or selfexpression. Academia is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken
electronically or on paper, projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and
homework.”
F. STUDENT DISCIPLINE: Any student caught cheating as described above will receive a “0”
for that section and further disciplinary actions will be considered. Students should be familiar
with the current policies and procedures in the ACC Student Handbook (also available in the
Student Development Office), and the ACC General Catalog (also available in the Admissions
and Records Office).
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G. ACADEMIC FREEDOM: Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common
good. The common good depends on a search for truth and upon free expression. In this course
the professor and students shall strive to protect free inquiry and the open exchange of facts,
ideas and opinions. Students are free to take exception to views offered in this course and to
reserve judgment about debatable issues. Grades will not be affected by personal views. With
this freedom comes the responsibility of civility and a respect for a diversity of ideas and
opinions. This means that students must take turns speaking, listen to others speak without
interruption, and refrain from name-calling or other personal attacks. Disruptive behavior will
be privately counseled, and, if continued, could result in the withdrawal of the disruptive
student from the course by the instructor.
ACC Policy Concerning Copyrighted Materials: All class materials provided on the
instructor's web page, Blackboard, CD, and/or in printed form (videos, objectives, assignments,
etc.) are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the copyright
holder (this may be the instructor, ACC, or a publisher). Reproduction consists of photocopying,
scanning, copying, or posting files on a server or web site. Students currently registered for this
section have permission to print one copy of course materials for their own personal use. No
permission is given for posting any course materials on web sites.
TESTING CENTER POLICY: Exams will be given through the testing center. For the
policies go to: http://www2.austincc.edu/testctr
STUDENT SERVICES and INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES: The following websites can
provide valuable information and resources:
Student Services Web Site: http://www.austincc.edu/resources_students/services.pphp
Student Handbook:
http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/
Services for Students:
http://www3.austincc.edu/evpcss/newsemester/pdfs2/studsvcs.pdf
Campus-based Student Support Services Overview:
http://www3.austincc.edu/evpcss/newsemester/pdfs2/sssover.pdf
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