Biology 1307 - General Biology II
Syllabus, Spring 2008
Dr. Jon Baskin
Office: Kleberg Engineering 116 Telephone: 361 593-3580 -- e-mail: kfjab02 at tamuk.edu.
Baskin's home page: http://users.tamuk.edu/kfjab02/
Office Hours: 9-10:30, M, W, F; 9:30-11:30, T, Th, or by appointment. I am frequently in my
office at other times, and will be happy to visit with you if I’m not specifically engaged.
Course Description: Continuation of a two-semester course in biological concepts; will emphasize
organismal diversity and comparative anatomy, reproduction, physiology, ecology, behavior and
evolution. Three lecture hours and one discussion hour a week for one semester. Concurrent
enrollment in BIOL 1107 recommended. Prerequisite: BIOL 1306.
General Education Requirements: This course is part of the general education requirements for
Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and satisfies the component area, General Science.
Course prerequisites: BIOL 1306
Course Objective: Biology 1307 is the second of two courses designed to provide a thorough
introduction to biology. The goal of the course is for students to learn important facts about the
natural world and to understand the significance of these facts within the context of major biological
concepts. Specifically, Biology 1307 is an introduction to the systematics, anatomy, and physiology
of the plant and animal kingdoms. The course will examine the structure and function of plant and
animal organ systems in the framework of the evolution of adaptations.
Required Text: Starr and Taggart. 2006. Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life, Eleventh
Edition, Brooks/Cole-Thomson Learning. Tenth edition is O.K. to use.
Each student is also required to acquire a student transmitter for TurningPoint. This is available
through the TAMUK bookstore and may come bundled with a new textbook.
Recommended Study Materials: Study Guide for textbook, Biology Now CD (both are packaged
with purchase of new textbook.
Grading: Student grade will be determined in the following manner
Recitation = 18%
Lecture quizzes/ participation 4%
Exam 1 = 18%
Exam 2 = 18%
Exam 3 = 18%
Final exam = 24%
Please keep all of tests and assignments, in case there is a question concerning the assigned grade in
the course. Grades will be awarded as follows:
90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, and less than 60% = F
The last day to drop the course with an automatic grade of Q is April3. After April 3, you must talk to
me before dropping the course. The last day to drop the course with an automatic Q if you have a
passing grade is May 5. It is up to you to take care of all the necessary paperwork
Learner Outcomes: Upon successful completion of BIO1307, the student will be able to
1. Characterize the major groups of protists, fungi, plants, and animals.
2. Explain plant anatomy, especially structures involved in photosynthesis and water and nutrient
transport.
3. Explain basic mechanisms of plant physiology involved in reproduction, and chemical control and
describe those parts of plant anatomy needed to provide these mechanisms.
4. Characterize the major groups of animals and understand the evolutionary relationships among
those groups.
5. Discuss the processes of negative feedback and homeostasis and their roles in maintaining life.
6. Understand the structure and function of animal circulatory, respiratory and reproductive systems;
explain the organization and function of the human immune system.
7. Understand the digestive system structure and function in animals; describe modes of nutrition and
how to apply them to good health maintenance.
8. Describe hormones and explain the activity and interactions of the endocrine system that provides
chemical coordination within the human body.
9. Understand the structure of the human nervous system and explain how the neuron functions to
provide an electrical/chemical transmission system which results in internal communication and a
sensory system vital to life.
10. Compare the stages of embryological development and describe how differentiation of cells
occurs.
Lecture Exams: The THREE periodic exams and the FINAL exam will cover material presented in
class as well as information from the textbook. The examinations will consist of multiple-choice
questions and short answer questions. The first three exams will be over material covered during the
exam period. The final lecture exam is COMPREHENSIVE, giving you the opportunity to
synthesize various topics covered during the semester.
Multiple-choice questions will be machine graded. Each student must buy FOUR (4) Scantron sheets
from the bookstore, one for each periodic exam and one for the final. Scantron sheets will NOT be
available in class the days of the exams. Bring a Number 2 pencil and your Texas A&M-Kingsville
ID to each examination. The Scantron sheet and the examination sheets MUST be turned in together,
or else you will be given an incomplete (I) grade for the course and a zero (0) for the examination.
You may sometimes have more than one exam scheduled during the same week or even on the same
day. It will be up to you to manage your time properly to deal with such situations. Our schedule in
this course is too tight to modify it to accommodate another class. If you feel you have a problem in
this area, please see me WELL BEFORE the exam.
Make-up Policy: There will be NO make-ups for unexcused missed exams. If you miss one lecture
examination, the percent score on the final will be substituted for the missed test. You will receive a
zero for each additional missed exam. In the case of crises and emergencies (that you can document
and that are considered a valid excuse by me), talk to me (or phone me) BEFORE the exam and more
flexible arrangements may be scheduled. (Under those conditions the exam may be unique, and may
be more difficult) BONUS: If you take all three lecture exams, you may substitute your lowest grade
with the final exam percent grade, if the final exam grade is better.
Lectures: The lectures may cover material in addition to what is contained in the text, although they
will focus on the assigned reading in the text book.
Recitation: This time allows for increased interaction with the instructor. The primary purpose is to
help students better understand topics that are not clear. This will be assessed by weekly quizzes of
the material covered in lecture.
Lecture Outlines: These can be downloaded from the class web site
(http://users.tamuk.edu/kfjab02/Biology/BIOLOGY%20II/b1307_tamuk.htm) and are designed to
assist you in note-taking during lecture. They are NOT intended to be comprehensive.
Classroom Decorum: Cell phones shall be turned off during class. On first offense, the instructor
will pick up and retain the cell phone until the end of class. For repeat offenses, you will be asked
to leave.
Do NOT carry on personal conversations once lecture has started. Repeated offences will result in
your being removed from the lecture.
Other: There is no policy of required attendance. However, it is unlikely that you will earn an
acceptable grade if you do not attend class regularly. Attendance will be recorded for each lecture
and will be considered in the final grade, especially in borderline cases. Attendance alone does
not guarantee a passing grade. It is important that you take complete and comprehensive notes of
the lecture material. It is also essential that you study regularly.
The university offers special workshops for students who need to improve their note taking and study
skills.
Disability Statement: "Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to
request accommodations in this class, should notify the Services for Students with Disabilities
Office (S.S.D.) early in the semester so that the appropriate arrangements may be made. In
accordance with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide documentation of
his/her disability to the S.S.D. assistant coordinator. For more information, call (361) 593-3024 or
visit Life Services and Wellness.”
Academic misconduct statement: You are expected to practice academic honesty in every aspect of
this course and all other courses. Make sure you are familiar with your Student Handbook,
especially the section on academic misconduct. Students who engage in academic misconduct are
subject to university disciplinary procedures.
Forms of academic dishonesty:
1) Cheating: deception in which a student misrepresents that he/she has mastered information on an
academic exercise that he/she has not mastered; giving or receiving aid unauthorized by the
instructor on assignments or examinations.
2) Academic misconduct: tampering with grades or taking part in obtaining or distributing any part of
a scheduled test.
3) Fabrication: use of invented information or falsified research.
4) Plagiarism: unacknowledged quotation and/or paraphrase of someone else’s words, ideas, or data
as one’s own in work submitted for credit. Failure to identify information or essays from the
Internet and submitting them as one’s own work also constitutes plagiarism.
Nonacademic misconduct: The University respects the rights of instructors to teach and students to
learn. Maintenance of these rights requires campus conditions that do not impede their exercise.
Campus behavior that interferes with either
1) The instructor’s ability to conduct the class
2) The inability of other students to profit from the instructional program, or
3) Campus behavior that interferes with the rights of others will not be tolerated.
An individual engaging in such disruptive behavior may be subject to disciplinary action. Such
incidents will be adjudicated by the Dean of Students under nonacademic procedures.
Sexual misconduct: Sexual harassment of students and employers at Texas A&M UniversityKingsville is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any member of the university community
violating this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
Tentative Schedule
Week of
TOPIC
Jan 17
Introduction
Life’s Organization
Jan 22
Macroevolution and Classification
Prokaryotes and viruses
Jan 29
EUCARYOTES
Alternation of Generations
Protists
Challenges to survival in multicellular eukaryotes
Fungi
PLANT EVOLUTION
The Plant Kingdom: Seedless Plants
The Plant Kingdom: Seed Plants
Plant Structure, Growth, and Differentiation
PLANT ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
Leaf Structure and Function
Stems and Plant Transport
Roots and Mineral Nutrition
Reproduction in Flowering Plants
Plant Growth and Development
Homeostasis in plants
EXAM 1
ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION
Common challenges
Body Plans
Animal development
The Animal Kingdom: An introduction to Animal Diversity
The Animal Kingdom: Protostomes
The Animal Kingdom: Deuterostomes
Biodiversity
THE ANIMAL BODY
Introduction to Structure and Function
SPRING BREAK
Neural Signaling
Neural Regulation
EXAM 2
Sensory Reception
Protection, Support, and Movement
Circulation
Gas Exchange
Nutrition and Digestion
Homeostasis in Animals
Human Reproduction
Immunity
Endocrine Regulation
Community Structure and Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Exam 3
The Biosphere
FINAL EXAM 8:00 am
Feb 5
Feb 12
Feb 19
Feb 26
Feb 4
March 11
Mar 18
Mar 25
April 1
April 8
April 15
April 22
April 29
May 6
May 10
Starr/Taggart
(chapter)
1.1-1.3
19.5-19.7
21
e.g., Fig. 22.20
22
28.1, 28.2
24
23.1-23.5
23.6-23.10
29
29
30
30
31
32
28
28
25.1-25.2
43
25.1-25.2
25.3-25.16
25.17-26.15
27
33
34
34
35
37
38
40
41
42
44
39
36
46
47
48