BSC 1005C BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES WITH LAB
COURSE POLICIES/ SYLLABUS
FALL 2015 #4334 LAB ROOM
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Name: Susan Popa
Office Hours: By Appointment
Email popa.susannah@spcollege.edu or MyCourses email (preferred)
Phone: 712-5821
Instructor Web Page: http://webapps.spcollege.edu/instructors/id/popa.susannah
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT:
Academic Chair: Dr. Mark Italia
Office Location: LY 206, Tarpon Springs Campus
Office Number: 712-5459
Dean: Dr. John Chapin
Office Location: UP 337, Seminole Campus
Office Number: 394-6995
COURSE DESCRIPTION: BSC 1005C BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE WITH LAB. 3 credit hours. This
course introduces the essential principles relevant to the biological sciences through combined lecture
and laboratory activities. Contemporary issues are applied to topics in biology and include the process
of science, evolutionary theory, organisms and ecology, cell structure and function, basic biological
chemistry, diversity of life, and genetic mechanisms. 69.50 contact hours.
LEARNING OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES:
1. The student will demonstrate their understanding of the process of science by:
a. explaining the terms and premises involved in solving problems scientifically, scientific research,
and peer review.
b. identifying an observation of interest, developing a hypothesis and designing an experiment to test
it.
c. discussing scientific contemporary issues using essential science skills including, but not limited to,
critical thinking, efficient written and/or oral communication, and the ability to identify reliable
scientific information.
2. The student will be able to explain the diversity of life and identify the general characteristics of
each of the major life groups by:
a. naming characteristics of major biological taxonomic categories.
b. comparing major taxonomic categories, distinguishing similarities and differences among them.
c. identifying live and/or preserved specimens belonging to each of the major taxonomic groups.
3. The student will describe the underlying organization of nature, including the basic structure,
function and homeostatic integration in select biological organisms by:
a. recognizing levels of complexity in nature.
b. identifying major cellular structures and their functions.
c. describing the processes of cell division and its role in the life cycle of organisms.
d. describing how organisms obtain and process energy, with special emphasis on photosynthesis and
aerobic
cellular respiration.
e. describing how organ systems function in order to provide homeostasis.
f. performing dissection of selected organisms to identify major structural components relevant to their
function and maintenance of homeostasis.
-24. The student will explain the conceptual basis of evolutionary theory by:
a. applying the principles of evolutionary theory to the understanding of changes in abundance and
kinds of life with time.
b. describing different mechanisms of evolution such as natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow.
c. describing the importance of mutation in producing variation.
d. explaining the evidence of evolutionary change.
5. The student will describe the basic concepts and application of genetics by:
a. differentiating among chromosomes, genes, alleles, genotype and phenotype.
b. solving genetics problems involving complete dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked traits,
multiple alleles, multiple genes and simple pedigrees.
c. describing the role of meiosis in heredity.
d. describing technology that arises from our understanding of genetics and explaining its uses and
implications.
6. The student will demonstrate their understanding of basic ecological principles by:
a. explaining the flow of energy through ecosystems with respect to the laws of thermodynamics
governing flow
through successive trophic levels.
b. analyzing biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems.
c. explaining community ecology and interactions among populations.
d. describing population dynamics, human population growth and topics in sustainability.
7. The student will demonstrate the use of basic scientific equipment and techniques by:
a. using a microscope to observe cellular structures and other specimens as well as identifying the
parts of the
microscope.
b. using various types of scientific equipment to collect specimens or conduct scientific experiments.
c. applying the knowledge of use of the equipment to real world scenarios.
Criteria Performance Standard:
Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy,
demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by
individual course instructors.
PREREQUISITES: ENC 1101 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C
Mon and Wed 2:00 PM - 4:15 PM in DE-431
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: Discover Biology. 6th edition. 2015. Singh-Cundy, Cain and Dusheck.
WW.Norton & Company. ISBN: 9780393936728
Discover Biology website assignments are not mandatory; however have helpful resources for
studying for quizzes and exams. StudySpace is free to students and includes flash cards to quiz
yourself on chapter materials. http://wwnorton.com/college/biology/discoverbio5/
LIBRARY: http://www.spcollege.edu/central/libonline/
FINANCIAL AID: http://www.spcollege.edu/central/SSFA/HomePage/calendar.htm
-3IMPORTANT DATES:
August 17
First Day of Classes
August 21
Last Day to Drop and Receive Refund
September 7
Labor Day
October 20
College Day
October 22
Withdrawal Date
November 11
Veteran’s Day
November 25-29
Thanksgiving Holiday
December 7-10
Final Exam
STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR EXPECTATIONS:
Student Expectations:
1. The college has an official policy on academic honesty and proper classroom behavior. It is the
student’s responsibility to review the online Academic Honesty Policy or "Academic Honesty and
Student Behavior: Expectations of Students at SPC" brochure. College policy states that a first offense
(cheating, plagiarism, etc) is given a “zero” for the assignment with no possibility of replacing the
score. In addition, on the first offense, a form is filed in the Assistant Provost’s office. This does not go
onto the student’s transcript, but, should a second offense occur, the student is then subject to
expulsion from school. I take this subject very seriously and will not tolerate academic dishonesty or
inappropriate/disruptive behavior in the classroom.
2. All electronic devices (cellular phones, laptops, blackberrys, iPods, etc.) are to be turned off before
the class starts. Use of these devices in lab is in violation of College Policy and subject to disciplinary
action. It is considered to me as a mental absence, so it will be counted as an unexcused absence for the
day. I also reserve the right to answer all phone calls received during the class.
3. No food, drinks or tobacco products are allowed in the lab.
4. Be on time, it is disruptive to other students when one is late for class. If you are tardy to class you
will lose points from the day’s laboratory handout. If you are more than 10 min late (without a
documented excuse), you will not be permitted into class and it will count as an unexcused absence.
5. Once class starts, you are required to be there until it is over.
6. Do not talk while I or another student is talking. You will be given one warning if you are disrupting
class. If a second offense occurs, you will be asked to leave the classroom and be given an unexcused
absence for the day.
7. Students who are not actively participating in class will be reported to administration at the 60%
point in the semester. Administration will automatically withdraw (WF) students for nonparticipation. Active class participation will be judged based on missing no more than 3 classes by the
60% point in the term. A student who has missed no more than 3 classes by that deadline will be
considered to be actively participating. A student with more than 3 absences will be deemed “not
actively participating” and assigned a grade of “WF” by administration.
Instructor Expectations:
1. Assignments will be graded and returned within one week of the date submitted.
-42. I will be available for assistance outside of class by appointment. Please contact me via email to set
up a meeting time.
3. I will respond to all email correspondence within 24 hours on weekdays and within 48 hours on
weekends. Email is the best way to get in touch with me as I am not usually in the office to check
voicemail.
4. I will notify you in advance if I will be out of touch for more than 2 days.
ATTENDANCE: The college-wide attendance policy is included in the Syllabus Addendum
(http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/policies.htm). The policy notes that each instructor is to
exercise professional judgment and define “active participation” in class (and therefore “attendance”),
and publish that definition in each syllabus. For this class, attendance is defined as having no more
than three unexcused absences. The last day for you to voluntarily withdraw with a grade of W is
October 22, 2015. I will not be able to withdraw you from the course during any point throughout the
semester.
Students will be automatically withdrawn at the beginning of the term for non-payment of course fees.
Faculty verifies that students are in attendance at least once each week during the first two weeks of
class. Students classified as “No Show” for both of the first two weeks will be administratively
withdrawn. Immediately following the 60% point of the term (October 22, 2015), each instructor will
verify which students are actively participating in class as defined above. Students classified as not
meeting the criteria for active class participation will be administratively withdrawn with a “WF.”
However, nonparticipation after the 60% deadline will result in a “F” grade. Students and instructors
will automatically receive an email notification to their SPC email whenever a withdrawal occurs.
Please come see me if you have any questions.
MYCOURSES: Your myCourses class contains the syllabus and powerpoints. It also has an email area
where you can communicate with me. You can also check your attendance, grades and your current
class average. Please check the MyCourses website on a regular basis.
GRADING:
CURRENT EVENT SUMMARIES: Find four current articles (written within the last year) related to
Biology and write a 200+ word summary about the article. Articles can be found in newspapers,
magazines, journals or from reputable internet sources (check with me if you are unsure). Articles
should be properly cited at the end of your summary using MLA or another appropriate format.
Current events must be posted to the discussion forum and you are expected to post a comment to at
least one other student's summary for each of the four current events. Current events will not be
accepted after due dates, but they may be submitted early (you do not have to wait until after the due
date of one to move on to the next). See the "Current Events Rubric" located in the Current Event
Summaries tab for a breakdown of how your summaries will be graded. The schedule below includes
the dates that current event summaries are due. There are 4 current event summaries 4 @ 25 points
each = 100 points.
EXAMS: There will be five unit exams on the lecture materials and the classroom activities. The exams
will be primarily multiple choice. The exam answer form we will be using for all exams is Scantron
Form 882. Dates and material covered on each exam are listed on your course schedule.
MAKE-UP EXAMS: There are no makeup exams unless you have verifiable documentation as to your
absence.
QUIZZES: The online post- class quizzes are worth 10 points each. Each quiz has a due date. Check
the dates online. The first quiz has unlimited attempts. Be sure to take this quiz until you receive 100%.
-5Starting with the second quiz, you have a one-time submission and a 20-minute time limit. Once the
grades are documented by your instructor, the quiz will be reopened for review purposes only. Makeups for quizzes are not permitted unless you have verifiable documentation, so make sure to take
quizzes by the due dates. Each quiz is ten questions and in a multiple choice or true/ false format.
There are 20 quizzes @ 10 points each= 200 points total. You can drop your lowest quiz=190 points
total.
Each classroom activity report is worth 10 points. 30 lab reports x 10 points= 300 points.
Possible points:
Final Grade
90-100%
80-89.9%
70-79.9%
60-69.9%
0-59.9%
Quizzes
Current Events
Exams
30 Classroom Activities
Total possible points =
=
=
=
=
=
190 (lowest dropped)
100
500
300
1090
A
B
C
D
F
There will NOT be any available extra credit at the end of the semester. Do NOT “request” extra
points or additional assignments at the end of the course. No response will be given to these requests.
The instructor reserves the right to make changes where necessary to the schedule and assignments.
Changes will be announced in class and/or Mycourses. Students need to check Mycourses regularly
for course information and are responsible to note any changes.
The Syllabi Addendum is an important part of your syllabus and can be easily accessed by using
the link below. Do take the time to read this very important information—
http://www.spcollege.edu/addendum/
STUDENT SURVEY OF INSTRUCTION: The student survey of instruction is administered in
courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All
student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of
performance improvement.
-6BSC 1005C Biological Sciences with Lab Tentative Course Schedule
Fall 2015
Date
Topic
Chapter
Aug 17
Introduction
Activity #1: Scientific Method
Discussion on bad science- chocolate hoax
Aug 19
The Nature of Science
Activity #2: The Microscope
1
Aug 24
Patterns of Genetics
Activity #3: Genetics Avatar
9
Aug 26
Chromosomes and Human Genetics
Activity #4: Human Mendelian Traits
10
Aug 31
DNA and Genes
Activity #5: DNA Extraction/ worksheet
11
Sep 2
Activity #6: Genetics Soap Opera
Review session/ Exam #1 (Ch. 1, 9-11)/ Current Event #1 due
Sep 7
NO CLASS- Labor Day
Sep 9
From Gene to Protein
Activity #7: Transcription/ Translation
DNA Technology
Activity #8: DNA Fingerprinting
12
Sep 14
Evolution: Change in Populations
Activity #9: Evolution “The Big Picture”/ Natural Selection
14
Sep 16
The Origin of Species
Activity #10: Flashy Fish
15
Sep 21
Review session /Exam #2 (Ch. 12-15)/ Current Event #2 due
Sep 23
The Chemistry of Life
Activity #11: Chemistry pH
2
Sep 28
Chemistry, continued
Activity #12: Crime Scene Analysis
2
Sep 30
Cell Structure
Activity #13: Cells (Prokaryotic vs. eukaryotic)
3
Oct 5
Energy, Metabolism, and Enzymes
Activity #14: Catalase experiment
5
13
-7Oct 7
Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration
Activity #15: Plant extract spectrophotometer
Activity #16: Chromatography
6
Oct 12
Chapter 6, continued
Activity #17: Cricket cell respiration
6
Oct 14
Review session/ Exam #3 (Ch. 2, 3, 5, 6)/ Current Event #3 due
Oct 19
Cell Division
Activity #18: Mitosis/ Meiosis worksheets
7
Oct 21
Homeostasis
Activity #19: Homeostasis Exercise
Activity #20: Bone hunt and organ system discussion
26
Oct 26
Bacteria, Archaea, and Viruses
Activity #21: Bacterial Pathogens
Activity #22: Human Microbiome
17
Oct 28
Activity: Analyze Human Microbiome
Protista, Plantae, and Fungi
Activity #23: Protista/ Fungi
18
Nov 2
Activity #24: Plantae
18
Nov 4
Review session/ Exam #4 (Ch. 7, 26, 17, 18)/ Current Event #4 due
Nov 9
Animalia
19
Activity #25: Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelmin, Nematoda, Mollusca, Annelida
Nov 11
NO CLASS: Veteran’s Day
Nov 16
Activity #26: Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Chordata
Nov 18
Growth of Populations
Activity #27: Sandhill gopher tortoise inventory
Nov 23
Activity #28: GPS analysis
Nov 25
NO CLASS: Thanksgiving Holiday
Nov 30
Ecological Communities
Activity #29: How Big Is Your House?
23
Dec 2
Ecosystems
Activity #30: Wetlands
24
Week of December 7 Exam 5 (Ch. 19, 21, 23 & 24)
21