ORANGE COAST COLLEGE
FALL SEMESTER 2009
Class Syllabus and Proposed Schedule
Course Title: Marine Science 100L: Oceanography Laboratory
Section # 21430 Class Meets Thursday 9:30 am – 12:40 pm
Location: Lewis 104
Instructor: Professor Karen Baker
Marine Science Department
Orange Coast College
Office: Lewis 106
Office Hours:
T/Th 8:30-9:30 am
W/F 9:30-10:30 am
Or by appointment
Email address: kbaker@occ.cccd.edu
Voicemail: (714) 432 – 0202 X 23067
Lab Instructional Associate: Robert Profeta (Rip)
Student Teaching Assistants: Faith Myhra, Riley Sullivan
Catalogue description:
Marine Science 100L: Oceanography Lab is a basic introductory
laboratory class designed to supplement the Marine Science 100: Oceanography
lecture class. In this class you will receive an orientation to marine science
research processes, techniques, equipment, instruments, institutions, and
training/education centers. The class will include investigations of physical and
chemical properties of the sea, conditions of the air/sea/land interface, review of
biological taxonomy & classification, study of longitude, latitude, navigation, and
ocean basin biography and geology. We will also examine phytoplankton and
zooplankton. The class will include an oceanographic research cruise, a field
study of an estuary, and scientific investigation of the many special adaptations
of marine mammals. The class meets for three hours & 10 minutes lab per
week for sixteen weeks and is a transferable course. Not offered in credit/nocredit option.
Prerequisites:
Completion of (with a grade of “C” or better) or concurrent enrollment in
Marine Science 100: Oceanography at Orange Coast College (no exceptions!!!).
Required Text:
Marine Science 100L: Oceanography Lab Manual (15th Edition)
Available in the O.C.C. Bookstore.
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Note: Do not buy a textbook from another student from the previous semester.
For whom the course is intended:
Students who wish to learn much more about oceanography, both
worldwide and off Southern California and Orange County, and have hands-on
experience with marine animals, plants, charts, instruments, sediments, and both
physical & chemical processes. Students who would like to investigate careers
in oceanography also find this class interesting and informative.
The Lab Manual:
The laboratory manual has three sections for each chapter, 1) the pre-lab,
2) Introduction to the section and instructions, and 3) Lab exercise write ups and
critical thinking pages. The prelabs (1), and the lab exercise write ups and
critical thinking pages (3) are the sections that will be completed by you and are
discussed below:
Pre-lab Papers
Before each lab (except lab #1 – Marine Science Research) you will find a
“Pre-lab” form in the lab manual. You are to answer all of the questions on the
pre-lab form (IN DARK BLUE OR BLACK INK ONLY!) and in your own words
(DO NOT COPY FROM OTHER STUDENTS PAPERS!) and be ready to turn
this in when you arrive at class the day a specific lab is due to be considered.
These will be graded (3 points each) and returned to you the following week. All
of the answers to the question on the pre-lab are in the lab exercise – some
however must be reasoned out on your part! These will not be accepted late
(under any circumstances!) and there are no make-ups on this, and they cannot
be turned in during any other lab or lecture class meeting. We expect you to
keep the graded, returned pre-labs, record your score and keep a running tally of
the points you have earned.
Lab Exercise Write-ups and Critical Thinking Pages
At the end of each set of lab instructions you will find a set of pages called
the “Lab Exercise Write-up and Critical Thinking Pages”. We expect you to find
answers to all of the questions in each lab exercise during and after each class
and fill in the correct answers in the Lab Exercise Write-up from (you are
welcome to study with others and discuss answers outside of class, but you are
not to copy other students answers onto your lab exercise). We expect you
to do all of your own writing.
At the end of each lab exercise you will find two pages of blank (lined)
paper entitled: Critical Thinking Pages. This is where you are to evaluate and
interpret each lab exercise. We expect to read your critical thinking about each
lab exercise. We do not wish to read a list of all the things you did, we are not
that interested in whether you enjoyed this lab or not; and we definitely do not
want to read about your opinion of this class, the instructor, the student teaching
assistants, or methodologies. We do want to read your analysis and
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interpretation of how this lab exercise and the elements within it relate to
the real world ocean that you are or have learned about in Marine Science
100: Oceanography Lecture class. If you do not understand these
instructions we expect you to ask the instructor or student teaching
assistants for more information on this.
The Lab Exercise Write-ups and Critical Thinking Pages are to be stapled
together (in page order and separate from the Pre-lab) before you come to class
and turned in at the beginning of the next class meeting after each lab is
completed. These are worth 8 points each toward your final grade. They will not
be accepted late and there is no make-up opportunity. All of your writing in the
lab exercise write-ups and critical thinking pages must be in dark blue or
black ink – no pencil – and must be neat, legible, spelled correctly,
punctuated, and written in full sentences. If you cannot write clearly then print
or type up your answers and paste then into the lab exercise. It is permissible to
make drawings in colored pencil. These will be returned to you after they are
graded and recorded and we expect you to hold on to them.
Quizzes:
There will be at least 12 quizzes (20 points each) given during the course
of the semester (see course schedule). They will usually be administered at the
beginning of class. They will cover information and reading from the previous
week(s). These make up the largest part of your lab credit and therefore your lab
grade, be sure you prepare well for these. There are no make-up quizzes even
if you miss class due to an excused absence! Writing on all quizzes must be
neat, legible, spelled correctly, and written in full sentences in dark blue or black
ink. These will be returned you the following week to view and record your
scores but then they will be recollected and we will keep these, not you. The
first quiz of the semester is over this syllabus. See schedule!
Attendance, Class Preparation, and Appropriate Lab Attire:
Simply put – be in class at every meeting of the class and arrive to class
early! Do not make any other plans during this sixteen week semester for the
hours, days, and weeks that our class meets. Everything presented in lab is
important to your understanding of this topic or it would not be discussed.
Attendance is taken every day near the beginning of the class. If you miss
attendance taking you will be marked absent. We drop persistent nonattendees (three or more absences) and people who keep coming in late to
class. As a courtesy to your classmates and professor I will expect you to turn
off cell phones and pagers when you enter class.
Always bring a pen (remember dark blue or black only!), pencil, your lab
manual, and a notebook with paper to write on each time the class meets.
Because this is a scientific research lab and you will be working with
chemicals, glassware, live organisms, and instruments, you must, each day the
class meets, wear what we consider appropriate attire; these include closed toe
and heel shoes, jeans or long pants, tee-shirt, sweat shirt, regular shirt or blouse.
Do not show up to class in shorts, sandals, thongs, tank-tops, cut-offs,
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swim suits, or barefoot as you will be instructed to leave class and
therefore miss quizzes and other credit. No food or beverages are allowed
in the lab class but you can bring plastic bottles of drinking water into
class. Always enter and leave class through the front door.
Your Instructor and You:
If during the semester you have a question, a comment, or issue
concerning this class, I invite you to email or come see me in person (see first
page of this syllabus). Let’s talk and see if I can work things out.
Field Trips:
There will be at least three field trips during the semester. You are
expected attend each of these as a part of your course of instruction. You will be
provided maps to the field trip sites but for many trips, it will be your responsibility
to get there on your own, on time, and prepared. If you don’t know the area very
well, do a mapquest, or buy a Thomas Guide map and study it. If you miss a
field trip you are still responsible for all of the information gathered or covered
during that field trip. We expect you to begin now (today!) preparing for these
field trips. Talk to your boss, relatives, friends, or whomever, so that you are
available and have transportation when the field trips are scheduled. Make no
other plans and be sure to tell your other teachers about the field trips. They will
also get a note from me prior to the trip, explaining your involvement.
Final Grades:
This class is only offered for grades, there is no credit/no credit option.
The final grade for this class is based on the following: the total number of points
you earn on quizzes, prelabs, lab exercise write-ups and critical thinking pages,
and Instructor Evaluation Credit (a somewhat more subjective evaluation by the
student teaching assistants and myself, based on our assessment of your overall
effort, attendance, involvement with the class, cooperation, and commitment to
the class – see below).
Projection of point basis for final grade
Lab Exer Write-ups & critical thinking
Lab Quizzes
Pre-labs
Instructor Evaluation Credit
13 @ 8 pts = 104
12 @ 20pts = 240
12 @ 3pts = 36
= 50
Total:
430
You can calculate your grade at any point by adding up all of the credit
you have earned and then using the grade curve below to determine your letter
grade for this class.
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Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Percentage
88 – 100%
78 – 87%
68 – 77%
58 – 67%
0 - 59%
Total Score
378 - 430 points
335 – 376 points
292 – 334 points
249 – 291 points
0 - 248 points
Academic Honesty and Civility
Academic honesty is expected and required when you take quizzes or
complete pre-labs and lab exercise write-ups and critical thinking page
assignment. What that means is that you do no cheat in any way. You do not
ask other student for answers, give other student’s answers, or copy answers off
other students papers. Also, you do not use crib (cheat) sheets, notes, or
anything else during a test that gives you an unfair advantage over other
students. Also, I expect you to inform me or the teacher assistant immediately of
the identity of any student you know to be not practicing academic honesty in
th31 class. Students who I find violating academic honesty in my class will be
dealt with forthrightly and to the highest degree allowable under existing O.C.C.
policy.
I also require that you practice civility and courteousness in my class to
your fellow students, the student teaching assistants, and myself. I do not
condone and will not tolerate foul language and inappropriate behavior by
students that I deem disruptive to the order and progress of the class.
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Proposed Class Schedule
Subject to change
Week #
Date
Week #1
3 Sept
Week #2
10 Sept
Week #3
17 Sept
Title of Exercise or Assignment
Orientation to lab
Marine Science Research – Part I
Exercise #1
Marine Science Research - Part II
Exercise #1
Quiz #1 – 20 pts (Over Exer #1);
Marine Charts
DUE:
Week #4
24 Sept
Exercise #2
*Pre-lab #2 & Exer #1 Write-up & Critical Thinking pgs
Quiz #2 – 20 pts (Over Exer #2)
Bathymetry
DUE
Week #5
1 Oct
Exercise #3
Pre-lab Exer #3 & Exer #2 Write-up & Critical Thinking pgs
Quiz #3 – 20 pts (Over Exer #3)
Sediments
DUE
Week #6
8 Oct
Exercise #4
Pre-lab Exer #4 & Exer #3 Write-up & Critical Thinking pgs
Quiz #4 – 20 pts (Over Exer #4),
Water Chemistry I
Due
Week #7
15 Oct
Exercise #5
Pre-lab Exer #5 & Exer #4 Write-up & Critical Thinking pgs
Quiz #5 – 20 pts (Over Exer #5),
Water Chemistry II
DUE
Week #8
22 Oct
Exercise #6
Pre-lab Exer #6 & Exer #5 Write-up & Critical Thinking pgs
Quiz #6 – 20 pts (Over Exer #6),
Waves & Tides
DUE
Week #9
Lab Manual
Exercise #7
Pre-lab Exer #7 & Exer #6 Write-up & Critical Thinking pgs
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29 Oct
Quiz #7 – 20 pts (Over Exer #7)
Plankton – Part I & II
DUE
Week #10
5 Nov
Exercise #8
Pre-lab Exer #8 & Exer #7 Write-up & Critical Thinking
Quiz #8 – 20 pts (Over Exer # 8)
Fish and Invertebrates
Exercise #10
No pre-lab or lab exercise due today!
Week #11
12 Nov
Quiz #9 – 20 pts (Over Exer #10)
Field Trip: Long Beach Aquarium
Exercise # 9
Note: Class meets at 10:00 a.m. sharp at the fountain outside the Long Beach
Aquarium (see map to aquarium in your lab manual) on this day.
DUE
Week #12
19 Nov
Pre-lab Exer # 9 & Exer # 8 Write-up & Critical Thinking
No Quiz Today
Oceanographic Cruise
Exercise #11
Note: We will not be conducting the class cruise during normal meeting hours. If
you are unable to make the cruise at the scheduled time, you may either make
arrangements with your instructor to attend one of the other cruises or have an in
class assignment.
Class meets today at 3:00 p.m. at O.C.C. to board bus for trip to site of
Oceanographic Cruise ships departure. It is your job to be early arriving at
O.C.C. Come prepared to get wet and experience cold conditions- dress
appropriately! You may wish to also prepare for possibly getting seasick. You
are responsible for buying and using your own seasick medication. The Bus
should be able to get you back to O.C.C. by approximately 5:30 p.m.
Other Cruises: Tues, 11/24 9:30 – 12:40, Wed 11/25 9:30-12:40
DUE
Week #13
26 Nov
Week #14
3 Dec
Pre-lab Exer #11 & Exer #9 write-up & Critical Thinking
Thanksgiving Holiday, Class Cancelled
No Quiz today
Estuarine and Salt March Ecosystem
Exercise #12
FIELD TRIP: CLASS WILL MEET AT PETER & MARY MUTH INTERPRETIVE
CENTER IN UPPER NEWPORT BAY AT 9:45 A.M. A MAP TO FIELD TRIP
LOCATION IS IN THE LAB MANUAL UNDER EXERCISE #12. STUDENTS
MUST SUPPLY THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION TO FIELD TRIP SITE.
AGAIN, PARKING MAY BE LIMITED SO DEFINITELY CARPOOL! YOUR
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ASSIGNMENT ON THE INTERPRETIVE CENTER CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR
LABORATORY MANUAL. BE PREPARED TO GO ON A GUIDED WALK ON
THE TRAILS, PLEASE WEAR COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES!
DUE
Week #15
10 Dec
Pre-lab Exer #12 & Exer #11 Write-up & Critical Thinking
Quiz #9 – 20 pts (Over Exer #12)
Marine Mammals Exercise #13
DUE
Week #16
17 Dec
Pre-lab Exer #13 & Exer #11 Write-up & Critical Thinking
DUE
Lab Exer #13 Write up & Critical Thinking Pages due
Quiz #10 – 20 pts (Over Exer #13)
****Your grades should be posted by Monday, May 26th outside Room 104.
Should you wish to know your grade before that time, please make arrangements
with me.
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Marine Science 100L Class Information Sheet Chit:
This chit must be filled out, signed, dated, torn off on the dotted line, and
turned in to the instructor or the course assistant by the end of the first
class meeting.
Please Initial
1.
The instructor expects you to be in class at every class meeting and to
arrive early. No absences! Attendance is taken each day the class meets
and you are expected to be in class for each attendance.
2.
The instructor requires that you dress in appropriate attire in lab class as defined
previously in the syllabus and that you not bring food or beverage into Lewis Rm
106. You are also expected to turn off all cell phones & pagers during class.
3.
Pre-labs (3 pts) are due before each lab starts, Lab Exercise Write- Ups
and Critical Thinking pages (8 pts) are due following each lab at next lab
class meeting, at the beginning of class. No late papers will be accepted
either in lab class or in any other lab class and there are no make-ups. A
quiz (20 pts) based on the previous week’s lab will be administered at the
beginning of each lab period and there are no make-up quizzes. All
writing for this class must be in DARK BLUE OR BLACK INK – NO
PENCIL! Papers must not be copied off other students.
4.
The instructor requires you to be civil & courteous to other students in
class, the student teaching assistants, & the instructor. The instructor
requires that you always exhibit academic honesty in this class as defined
in the course syllabus.
I received the syllabus for the Marine Science 100L Oceanography Lab
class and have had the opportunity to read it. I have also had the
opportunity to ask the instructor questions about this syllabus and I have
reviewed the key instructions listed above.
X__________________________
Print your name here
__________
______________
Date
student I.D. #
Student signature here
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