BIOL 3320L/01, 02 PLANT MORPHOLOGY LAB SYLLABUS
SPRING 2006
The Instructor
Dr. Heather Sutton
Office: Science 329
Phone: (770) 499-3454
Email: hsutton@kennesaw.edu (please do not use WebCT for email)
Office Hours
By appointment. Please do not hesitate to ask for an appointment should you
need help with class for whatever reason. We will set up a mutually agreeable
time.
Schedule
Lab Time:
Lab Room:
W 2:00pm-4:00pm (section 01), F 9:00am-11:00am (section 02)
SC 241
Prerequisites: BIOL 2107
BIOL 2108
Corequisite: BIOL 3320
Lab Manual (required):
Evert, R.F. and S.E. Eichhorn. 2005 or later. Laboratory Topics in
Botany. W.H. Freeman and Co.
Course Catalogue Description
Students will observe and dissect selected groups of non-vascular and
vascular plants, with emphasis on evolutionary trends and relationships.
Course Objectives
1. To give the student an appreciation of the amazing diversity found in the
major groups of plants and algae.
2. To give the student an understanding of the characteristics (especially
lifecycle characteristics) of plants and algae that are used in their
classification into major groups.
3. To give the student an understanding of the evolutionary relationships
between groups of plants and algae, including those groups that are extinct.
4. To give the student hands-on experience with living representatives of the
major groups.
The first day of class is Wednesday, January 18th, and the last day of class is
Wednesday, April 26th. The last day to withdraw without academic penalty is
Friday, March 3rd.
TENTATIVE LAB SCHEDULE
LAB DAY:
Jan 11
January 18
January 25
February 1
February 8
February 15
February 22
March 1
March 8
March 15
March 22
March 29
April 5
April 12
April 19
April 26
LAB:
Chapter in Lab Manual
No Lab
Microscopy, Cyanophyta
1, 10-7 to 10-9
Protista 1 (Slime Molds, Euglenoids, Red Algae)
12
No lab
Protista 2 (Heterokonts)
13 (13-1 to 13-6)
Protista 2 (Green Algae Part 1)
13 (13-6 to 3-10)
Protista 2 (Green Algae Part 2)
13 ( 13-10 to end)
LAB EXAM
SPRING BREAK-NO LAB
Bryophytes
14
Fern Allies
15
Ferns
16
Atlanta Botanical Gardens Trip
Gymnosperms
17
Angiosperms: Flowers
18
LAB EXAM
Fruit lab (lab 19) will be done in lecture towards the end of the semester.
Laboratory Preparation
You should always read the lab manual chapter over before coming to lab.
It would be VERY helpful to have your textbook with you also. Bring some blank
sheets of drawing paper to make notes and draw on. Keep these sheets in a
loose-leaf notebook. Using pencils for your drawings is suggested. A sharp, 3H
or 4H pencil would be best. DO NOT USE LINED PAPER!
Lab Notes and Drawings
Plant morphology labs do not have formal lab reports. Instead, during the
lab, you will be answering questions in your lab manual, and making drawings
and notes as outlined in a handout at the beginning of each lab. It is to your
benefit to make your notes and drawings as complete, neat, and accurate as
possible, as these will be a large part of the material you will use to study for the
lab exams. To encourage you in this, I will randomly select up to 6 people near
the end of each lab, to hand in their notes and drawings from that lab. You can
expect to have your notes checked a number of times over the course of the
semester. Each student will start out with a full 15% for lab notes. By doing a
good job in all labs it should be easy for you to keep most of that 15%.
You are encouraged to discuss lab material amongst yourselves.
However, the lab notes you turn in must be your own work. Labs will be graded
on their accuracy, completeness, neatness, and thoroughness.
If you have any questions about the grading of lab notes, please discuss it
with me soon after they have been handed back to you.
Laboratory Drawings
Drawings are one way to record observations and data. Drawings
provide evidence of your comprehension of the laboratory material. Captions
and labeling of the drawings provide an opportunity to consolidate and clearly
state the significance of the observations you have been making. They will be a
very useful aid in studying for the lab examinations.
Some of you may be concerned about your artistic ability (or lack thereof),
and how that may affect your grade in lab. By putting in some effort, everyone
should be able to make adequate drawings in lab. If you feel you need help with
your drawings, or are unsure as to whether they are acceptable, please ask for
help.
Laboratory Attendance
Attendance is required in that I will not accept lab notes from those who
were absent from that lab. Missing labs will decrease your chances of doing well
on the lab exams, since these will be based on the material you are to look at
and draw in lab. Many labs will be difficult to make up because in many cases
the cultures of organisms will be viable for only a few weeks. Making up a lab will
require a lot more work on your part than if you had gone to the original lab, and I
will not necessarily be around to answer questions that you may have. For those
who have an acceptable excuse (prior arrangement, doctor’s note) I will attempt
to provide a make-up lab but THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT THIS WILL
BE POSSIBLE. It is to your benefit not to miss lab unless ABSOLUTELY
necessary.
Quizzes
A number of quizzes on the lab material will be given during the semester
at the beginning of lab. The quiz will be announced a week ahead of time.
Quizzes should help you to keep up with the material and thus help you to
prepare for the lab exams. Make-up quizzes will only be available for those with
an acceptable excuse as described above under “Laboratory Attendance”.
Laboratory Exams
Laboratory exams constitute a large portion of your grade in BIOL 3320L,
and should be taken very seriously. Advanced preparation (throughout the
semester) is highly recommended. A number of students in the past have had to
retake the lab portion of this course, and have even delayed their graduation, due
to not taking this advice. More information on the laboratory exams will be given
later in the semester.
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
There is $ 7 fee for students (bring your student card). More information
about the ABG can be found at www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org Further
information about the trip will be given later in the semester.
Evaluation:
Lab Exam 1
Lab Exam 2
Quizzes
Notes and Drawings
35%
35%
15%
15%
100%
A>90% B>80% C>70% D>60% F<60%
Lab Safety:
Please follow the lab safety rules as posted on the lab door and at:
http://science.kennesaw.edu/biophys/LabSafetyGuideNoPic.doc
Changes to Syllabus
Any changes to this syllabus will be made in writing and distributed to the
class at least one week in advance of the change going into effect.
ACADEMIC WITHDRAWAL POLICY
Students may withdraw from one or more courses anytime before the last three weeks of
the semester. However, as of Fall 2004, students will be allowed a maximum of eight
total withdrawals if they enter KSU as a freshman. Transfer students will be allowed
one withdrawal per fifteen credit hours attempted, for a maximum of eight. Students
who choose to pursue a second degree at KSU will be allowed two additional
withdrawals. Students who entered KSU before the Fall of 2004 will be allowed one
withdrawal per fifteen credit hours attempted for a maximum of eight. To withdraw, the
student should complete an official withdrawal form in the Office of the Registrar.
Students who officially withdraw from courses on or before the last day to withdraw
without academic penalty will receive a “W”. Students who officially withdraw after the
last day to withdraw without academic penalty (and before the last three weeks of the
semester) will receive a “WF”, which will be counted as an “F” in calculation of their
grade point average.
The only exceptions to these withdrawal regulations will be for instances involving
unusual circumstances, which are fully documented. Students may appeal to the
academic standing committee for consideration of unusual circumstances.
LAST DATE TO WITHDRAW WITHOUT ACADEMIC
PENALTY
SPRING 2006
MARCH 3, 2006
Academic Integrity
Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions of the Student code of
Conduct, as published in the Undergraduate and Graduate catalogs. Section II of the
Student Code of Conduct addresses the University’s policy on academic honesty,
including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating, unauthorized access to University
materials,
misrepresentation/falsification
of
University
records
or
academic
malicious/intentional misuses of computer facilities and/or services, and misuse of
student identification cards. Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled
through the established procedures of the University Judiciary Program, which includes
either an “Informal” resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or a
formal hearing procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of Conduct’s minimum
one semester suspension requirement.