BIO 1000: Human Biology for Non-Majors
Instructor: Dr. Jonathan Alvarez BS DC
Location:
Lecture Day / Time:
Office hours: I am available after class or by appointment. Please email me to set
up a time.
Primary Contact Method by Email: drjohndc111@yahoo.com
Course Description: This one-semester course familiarizes the student with
the principles of the living world, the basic form and function of the
human body, and how these two relate to each other. Basic variations
of life forms and the inter-relationships of the human body to the
surrounding world are the main thrusts of the course. This course
does not apply toward a biology major or minor. (General Studies –
Level II, Natural Science.)
Prerequisites: Minimum performance standard scores on reading, writing, and
mathematics preassessment placement tests (determined by
Admissions).
Required Text(s):
 HUMAN BIOLOGY, 11th edition, Sylvia S. Mader, McGraw-Hill, 2013. 13th ed.
 Bio 1000 note pack, by Dr. Alvarez available in the book store.
 The text book will be important for the images and for other study
reasons. The power point has images. Your note pack does not. So you
will have to follow along and mark the appropriate images from the
power point to your book. For example, the human bones. The book has
diagrams of the bones and their names. (I will elaborate on this during
class throughout the semester)
Attendance Policy: Attendance is required. Studies show that students that
are both punctual and present consistently have a higher success rate
than students that attend class inconsistently. If you must miss a
class I suggest you ask a fellow class mate what was covered and catch
up on the notes taken. During class, please NO phones / texting or
calling and talking during class. Class is only 75 minutes. You will survive
putting your phone and other electronics on pause for social media
reasons. If there is an emergency, please take the call outside. Of it is
not an emergency, whoever is contacting you should respect the fact
that your in class, and you all can visit later on the topic.
If you miss a class, please contact a fellow classmate for the notes and
any announcements you would have missed.
Grading Policy:
Exams:
4 exams X 100 pts. Each
400 pts. Total
Please keep your scantrons (when they are handed back, which is one week after the
test) so you can keep track of your grade in the class.
There is NO EXTRA credit offered. Please do not ask or argue this point.
Homework will be assigned from time to time. I will announce well ahead of time the
assignment and when it is due. Late assignments will not be accepted.
During a test, please do not use MP3 players, phones, dictionaries, language
translators, etc… only # 2 pencil and scantron is allowed on the desk during a test.
Tests are scantron. You will need to purchase at least 4 scantron sheets.
The dates of the tests are not outlined. After we finish the material for the test, we
will have the test 7 (1 week) from that time.
7 days is plenty of time for preparing for an exam.
Summary of what we will be covering: (subject to change)
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xii.
xiii.
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xv.
xvi.
xvii.
The Chemistry of Life.
Cells and tissues.
Body Planes and Regions.
The Integumentary System and body membranes.
The Skeletal System.
The Muscular System.
The Nervous System.
The Senses.
The Endocrine System.
Blood.
The Circulatory System.
The Lymphatic System and Immunity.
The Respiratory System.
The Digestive System.
Urinary System and Fluid Balance.
The Reproductive System
Development and Heredity.
Makeup Policy: As a general rule makeup to exams will not be granted unless severe and
uncontrollable circumstances arise. Scheduling a trip during an exam date is an example of an
unacceptable excuse. If after exhausting all options to make an exam date you know that you
will be missing an exam, you must contact me and arrange to take the exam before the exam
date. NO MAKEUPS WILL BE GIVEN AFTER THE CLASS HAS TAKEN THE EXAM. IF
ATTENDANCE TO THE FINAL EXAM IS REQUIRED.
Dishonesty: Neither cheating nor plagiarism will be tolerated. (Plagiarism is the act of using
someone else’s work or ideas as your own.) Both of these represent serious academic
offenses and result in automatic dismissal and failure of the course. Refer to the
Student Handbook for additional information on MSCD’s policy regarding “academic
dishonesty.” If you are caught, the result is a zero on the test.
Disagreements
If you have a disagreement with me. Please see me first, bring the issue to me first, either
after class, via email or at a set time we schedule to talk about the issue.
If we can not resolve the issue, then we can go to the next appropriate person. The department
chair Dr. Lux. However 99.9 % of the time the issue is resolved if you simply come to
me.
NC, RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS and ADA POLICIES Fall 2010
NC POLICY
The assignment of the NC notation is done by Admission and Records. It is entirely
the student’s responsibility to obtain the form, get the instructor’s signature, and
turn in the completed form to Admissions and Records before the deadline. If a
student simply quits attending a class without going through the proper drop
procedures, they will receive an automatic “F.” The No Credit (NC) notation is
not a grade. It may indicate withdrawal from a course or course repetition. The
NC notation may also be used in self-paced courses to indicate that the student
and/or faculty have decided to extend the student’s exposure to the course in
order to increase the student’s proficiency. In order to earn credit, the student
must reregister and pay for the course in a subsequent term.
CLASS ATTENDANCE ON RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS
Students at MSCD who, because of their sincerely held religious beliefs, are unable
to attend classes, take examinations, participate in graded activities or submit
graded assignments on particular days shall, without penalty, be excused from such
classes and be given a meaningful opportunity to make up such examinations and
graded activities or assignments provided that advanced written notice that the
student will be absent for religious reasons is given to faculty members during the
first two weeks of the semester.
Nothing in paragraph 1 of this policy shall require MSCD faculty members to
reschedule classes, repeat lectures or other ungraded activities or provide
ungraded individualized instruction solely for the benefit of students who, for
religious reasons, are unable to attend regularly scheduled classes or activities.
However, presentations, critiques, conferences and similar activities involving
students, shall be scheduled to avoid conflicts with such student’s religious
observances or holidays, provided that reasonable advance notice of scheduling
conflicts is given to faculty members.
Because classroom attendance and participation are important aspects of learning,
MSCD students should not register for courses if regularly scheduled classes or
activities routinely conflict with their religious observances or holidays (e.g.,
conflicts resulting in weekly absences for an entire semester).
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
The Metropolitan State College of Denver is committed to making reasonable
accommodations to assist individuals with disabilities in reaching their academic
potential. If you have a disability which may impact your performance, attendance,
or grades in this class and are requesting accommodations, then you must first
register with the Access Center,.
Students desiring a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with
Disabilities Act must provide an official Access Center faculty notification letter
and contact the instructor immediately to discuss their needs. All such
discussions will remain confidential. Please note that accommodations are never
provided retroactively (i.e., prior to the receipt of the faculty notification letter).
Further information is available at the Access Center located in the Auraria
Library, Suite 116, 303-556-8387 or by visiting their website at
www.mscd.edu/~access, as they are the designated department responsible for
coordinating accommodations and services for students with disabilities
STUDY SKILLS-Suggestions
KEEP UP with reading / material – difficult to catch up once get behind
Notetaking
Recommend 3-ring binder (w/ notebook paper) vs. spiral notebook
easier to add/delete, insert handouts, exams, etc.
don’t have things falling out all the time
(small one for campus, larger for home)
LISTEN to lecture – will be tested over more than just lecture notes!!
***If you do not know something, then look it up. Use your book, the
web, other sources. Do not just let the information go uninvestigated
Preparing for exams:
Read over notes after each lecture – helps to “decipher” them while still fresh
Fill in missing details, clarify concepts, and annotate lecture notes using
textbook
Pay special attention to any
figures from the text presented during lecture
Summarize key concepts using index cards or summary sheets
Include. diagrams / mnemonics in summary info.
Review for exams, I will review with you before each exam. However do read
complete set of lecture notes at least twice before exam
Usually best to study alone and at times with study group or another student.
Resources for Assistance:
The Tutoring Center, Central 103 and Tivoli 124, 303-556-6439
www.mscd.edu/~tutoring
Free services include tutoring and study skills for Metro students.