Heartland Community College
Math/Science Division
Student Syllabus for BIOL 114
Contemporary Biology
Spring 2007
Meeting times:
 BIOL 114-03: Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:00 am – 1:20 pm [ICB 1005]
 BIOL 114-05: Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:30 – 3:50 pm [ICB 1005]
Catalog Description:
An introduction to biological principles, including organization, function, heredity, evolution,
and ecology, with emphasis on the importance of biology to the individual and society. The
laboratory component will emphasize scientific inquiry and use of knowledge in problem
solving. This course is not intended for students planning a science major, nor will it fulfill the
prerequisite for BIOL 181 or BIOL 191. Students will not receive science credit toward their
graduation requirements for both BIOL 114 and BIOL 161.
Instructor Information:
Thuong Jongky
Associate Professor of Biology and Chemistry
Phone: 268-8659; Office: ICB 2415; e-mail: thuong.jongky@heartland.edu
If you wanted to speak with the Division Secretary (Melanie Gray) and leave a message with her,
call 268-8640.
Office hours:
Monday through Wednesday: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Tuesday: 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Thursday: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
http://www.heartland.edu/Staff/tjongky/index.html for information on classes
Lab Assistant:
Aparna Sunder
Phone: 268-8509
Required Materials:
Starr, C., et al. Biology Today and Tomorrow. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning, Inc.,
2007.
Jongky, T., and E. Wallace. BIOL 114 Laboratory Manual.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer:
This course counts as a four-credit lab science course for partial completion of the IAI (Illinois
Articulation Initiative) requirements for either the A.A. or A.S. Degree. However, it may not
count toward a biology major.
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Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
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determine how the scientific method is used to solve everyday problems as well as scientific
research problems.
differentiate between the importance of mitosis and meiosis.
solve genetic problems.
identify DNA structure and function.
outline how major body systems work, including reproductive, circulatory, digestive,
nervous, and skeletal.
differentiate between mechanisms of microevolution and macroevolution.
describe biodiversity, including bacteria, fungi, protists, animals, and plants.
relate how all living things are interconnected with each other.
apply all information learned to medical, environmental, or bioethical issues.
apply research skills and data collection techniques to complete laboratory exercises.
use a computer to access information and to analyze data gathered during lab.
criticize scientific articles and news for content and scientific validity.
formulate a hypothesis, devise a procedure, test the hypothesis, record results, draw
conclusions, and present them in a written report.
improve communication skills
Method of Evaluation
The final grade will be based on the following requirements:
Classroom Components
Chapter Quizzes
Homework quizzes
One cumulative final
In class activities + other
News journal
80 % of final grade
Total final grade %
Final Grade
90+
A
Lab Components
Labs in manual
20 % of final grade
80+
B
70+
C
60+
D
<60
F
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Make-up policies
1.
There are NO quiz make-ups. Therefore, I will give each of you 10 bonus points initially to
be used toward quiz points missed.
2.
There are NO make-ups for in-class activities. Therefore, I will give each of you 5 bonus
points initially to be used toward activity points missed.
3.
There are NO lab make-ups. Therefore, I will give each of you 10 bonus points initially to be
used toward lab points missed.
4.
The student will complete most labs before leaving class. If a lab assignment has to be
finished outside of class, the assignment is due the next class day that the student comes to
class. Only students who attend lab can finish the lab assignment.
5.
Biological news journals are due each Wednesday.
6.
Any student who does not take the final exam will receive an F for the class.
7.
In extreme cases (such as, documented severe illness, documented accident, or military
duties) when a student must miss class for more than 2 weeks, the student must contact the
instructor as soon as possible to discuss the best course of action. Some leniency in makeups may be considered for these extreme cases.
Guidelines about asking for make-ups
If you have to miss class, you do NOT need to explain to me why you missed class. That is, you
should NOT call or e-mail me to justify why you will miss class. Your decision to miss class is
important to you only. Therefore, please do NOT leave a message or e-mail asking for makeups.
Because there are no make-ups in this class, I have given you 15 bonus points (10 for quizzes, 5
for activities) for classroom materials and 10 bonus points for labs. You also have an
opportunity to earn up to 5 bonus points for the first day of class. In addition, if you present
news to the class, you may receive up to 5 bonus points.
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Incomplete Grade
An Incomplete grade may be justified to a student if the student encounters extreme
circumstances (e.g., serious illness, accident, death or serious illness in the immediate family)
toward the end of the semester and is unable to complete the semester. The student must be in a
position to pass the class if the Incomplete is given. The student must sign a form requiring
him/her to finish the class by next semester.
Required Writing and Reading
Students must read the textbook to prepare for classroom activities. Students will write about
biological news and answer questions on quizzes and labs.
Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is the presenting of others’ ideas as if they were your own. When you write a paper,
create a project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all the work,
except for that which is attributed to another author or creator, is your own. Plagiarism is
considered a serious academic offense and may take the following forms:
Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own.
Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source.
Paraphrasing someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it were
your own.
Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as if it were
your own.
[Adapted from the Modern Language Association’s MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers. New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism. The penalties for plagiarism
may be severe, ranging from failure on the particular piece of work, failure in the course or expulsion
from school in extreme cases.
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Academic Support Center Services
http://www.heartland.edu/asc/
1.
Library
The Library, located in the Student Commons Building at the Raab Road campus, provides
Heartland students with a full range of resources including books, online journal databases,
videos, newspapers, periodicals, reserves, and interlibrary loan. Librarians are available to
assist in locating information.
For more information please call the Library (309) 268-8200 or (309) 268-8292.
http://www.heartland.edu/LIBRARY/index.html
2.
Tutoring Services
Heartland Community College offers tutoring in various forms at no cost to Heartland
students at the Tutoring and Testing Center in Normal and at the Pontiac and Lincoln
Centers. Tutors are available at convenient times throughout the week. Study groups are also
available by request. For more information about services available at each location, please
call the Tutoring and Testing Center in Normal at (309) 268-8231, the Pontiac Center at
(815) 842-6777, or the Lincoln Center (217) 735-1731.
http://www.heartland.edu/asc/tutor.html
3.
Testing Services
The Tutoring and Testing Center provides a secure testing environment for students who are
enrolled in online, hybrid, and other distance learning courses; have a documented disability;
or need to take a make-up exam. Testing accommodations for students having documented
disabilities must be arranged by the student through the Office of Disability Services, and
Testing Services will only administer make-up exams at the request of the instructor.
Contact Testing Services at (309) 268-8231 for more information.
http://www.heartland.edu/asc/testing.html
4.
Open Computing Lab
The Open Computing Lab provides free computing for HCC students at convenient times
throughout the week. The computer lab is staffed by trained Lab Assistants and offers the
use of approximately 70 computers, a scanner, a laser printer, and an electric typewriter.
http://www.heartland.edu/asc/computerlab.html
Documented disability
If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please
contact Anita Moore at 268-8249 or anita.moore@heartland.edu
**Notice of Cancelled Class Sessions**
Cancelled class sessions, for all HCC classes, will be listed under Cancelled Class Meetings in
the A-Z Index and under Academic Information in the Current Students page on the HCC Web
site. Go to http://www.heartland.edu/classCancellations/ to learn what classes have been
cancelled for that day and the upcoming week. Be sure to check the last column, which might
contain a message from the instructor.
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People learn 10 % of what they read, 20 % of what they hear, 30 % of what they see, 50 % of
what they see and hear, 70 % of what they discuss, 80 % of what they experience, and 95 % of
what they teach to someone else.
YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF YOUR OWN GRADES.
Lecture
QUIZ Chpt 1
QUIZ Chpt 3
QUIZ Chpt 7
QUIZ Chpt 27
QUIZ Chpt 8
QUIZ Chpts 9
QUIZ Chpt 22
QUIZ Chpt 24
QUIZ Chpt 25
QUIZ Chpt 12
QUIZ Chpt 13
QUIZ Chpt 14
QUIZ ???
QUIZ ???
Your pts
Possible pts
20
20
20
20? 30?
20? 30?
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
FINAL
NEWS
Cancer presentation
Mitosis/meiosis
matrix
Make own quiz
Genetics pblms
30
Lab
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Your pts
Possible pts
20
10
17
20
30
17
12
14
7
23
20
10
5
15
12
13
10
21
TOTAL
245
To calculate your classroom percentage:
Your Points in lecture / Possible Points in lecture = 0._____ x 80 =
To calculate your lab percentage:
Your Points in lab / Possible Points in lab = 0._____ x 20 =
To calculate your TOTAL CLASS PERCENTAGE:
ADD THE NUMBERS IN THE TWO BOXES
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BIOLOGY 114 Spring 2007 Course and Lab Schedule (tentative)
Day
1/17/2007
1/22
1/24
1/29
1/31
2/5
2/7
2/12
2/14
2/19
2/21
2/26
2/28
3/5
3/7
3/19
3/21
3/26
3/28
Topics
Life, diversity (1.1-1.3); Scientific method (1.5)
Finish Chpt 1 as necessary
QUIZ Chpt 1; Cell basics (3.1)
Prokaryotic cells (3.4); Eukaryotic cells (3.5)
QUIZ Chpt 3 + microscope
Cell division intro (7.1-7.2); Cell cycle & mitosis (7.3-7.4)
Cell cycle & cancer (7.8); Meiosis (7.5-7.7)
Cancer presentations
QUIZ Chpt 7; Male & female reproductive systems (27.1-27.5)
Contraception & STD’s (27.6-27.7)
QUIZ Reproduction (Chpt 27 + video info); basic Mendelian genetics (8.1)
Finish Genetics (8.2-8.10)
QUIZ Genetics (Chpt 8); DNA structure and replication (Chpt 9)
Begin protein synthesis (10.1-10.5)
QUIZ Chpt 9; finish protein synthesis
QUIZ Chpt 10; begin circulatory system (22.1-22.5)
Finish circulatory system (22.1-22.5); respiration (22.6-22.10)
QUIZ circulatory & respiration systems (Chpt 22); begin digestive system (24.1-24.4)
Urinary system (24.5-24.7) begin nervous system (Chpt 25)
4/2
4/4
4/9
4/11
4/16
4/18
4/23
4/25
4/30
5/2
5/7
5/9
Begin nervous system (Chpt 25)
Finish nervous system (Chpt 25)
QUIZ Nervous system (chpt 25); Microevolution (Chpt 12)
Evidence for evolution (13.1-13.6)
QUIZ Chpt 12; begin Macroevolution (13.7-13.9)
Finish Macroevolution (13.7-13.9)
Classification (13.10)
QUIZ Chpt 13; Prokaryotes (14.1-14.2)
Protists and Fungi (14.3-14.4)
QUIZ Chpt 14
Ecosystem (Chpt 30)
Behavioral Ecology (Chpt 32)
FINAL EXAM, Mon., Dec 11, 2006, 10:00 am (BIOL 114-03) or 12:00 pm (BIOL 114-05)
Accompanying lab exercises/ Related activities
Lab 1: Scientific Method
Lab 2: Microscope
Lab 3: Observing Life
Lab 4: Cells
Video: mitosis; Lab 5: Mitosis portion
Video: meiosis; Lab 5: Meiosis portion
Lab 6: Human Sexual Reproduction
Genetics problems handout
Lab 7: Genetics
Lab 8: Building and Extracting DNA
Lab 9: Protein Synthesis
Lab 13: Circulatory System
Lab (not in manual): Nutrition Lab
Lab 12: Skeletal System (????)
Lab 14: Senses and Reflexes
Video: Visit to Galapagos
Lab 15: Natural selection
Video: Evidences for evolution
Video: Neanderthals
Lab 16: Classification and Dichotomous Key
Lab 17: Bacteria
Lab 18: Protists and Fungi
Lab 19: Plants
Lab 20: Food Chain
Lab 21: Siamese Fighting Fish
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BIOL 114 News Journal
Objectives of News Journal:
 The student finds out about events happening in the world.
 The student gets the chance to read about topics that interest him.
 The student realizes that biology affects his lives.
 The student understands the interconnectedness of all disciplines because a news item about
biology includes information about society, politics, even religion.
 The student can relate news items with concepts covered in class.
 The student becomes more aware of the validity or non-validity of scientific research.
 The instructor will learn a lot of news too!!!
Criteria:
1.
All news must be CURRENT news, dated January 2007 onward.
2.
All news must have biological content!!!!! Avoid news about meteors, for example. Avoid
news about a person’s success in training his dog, for example.
3.
WHERE you get your news depends on the week. Week 1: a news show, such as nightly
news, BBC, Nightline or a TV show from Discover channel, Animal Planet… Week 2: a
newspaper that is in our library. Week 3: a magazine (with a science theme) found in our
library. Week 4: any news items from Internet. Week 5 +: the rotation starts again.
4.
Your journal will be due each Wednesday at the beginning of class. Wednesday, May 9, is
the last Wednesday news journals are collected.
5.
Type one or more paragraphs about the news item. Within your paragraph(s), please have the
source and date of the news. For example, you watched CNN news on January 20, 2007, and
heard ...
6.
Please put all news items in a folder. Using the folder is important because the instructor
wants to reduce the chance of losing your papers. Items not in a folder will not be accepted.
7.
Each week you will hand in this folder with all previous news and the current news that
you’re handing in.
8.
No more than two news items will be accepted each week.
9.
Each news item is worth 2 pts for a maximum of 4 pts per week. The news journal is worth
30 pts total. Therefore, hand in enough news items to total 30 pts.
10.
If I notice that you have plagiarized any news articles, you will receive a zero for the entire
news journal.
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY:
Do you like to talk? Get in front of class and share your news with the class! Each time you
share your news, you will receive +1 extra point. You can get a maximum of +5 points!
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