COURSE INFORMATION
Biology 191L
Organismal Biology Lab
Spring, 2015
INSTRUCTOR: Renee Magrini
OFFICE: Bris. 334
OFFICE PHONE: 445-4286
EMAIL: renee.magrini@wnc.edu
OFFICE HOURS: 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Mon. – Thur.; 3:00-4:00 p.m. Tue. & Thur.; or by
appointment.
ATTENDANCE: It is your responsibility to attend all laboratory sessions. Attendance will be
recorded at the beginning of each lab. Attendance in lab is MANDATORY because lab
experiences are hands-on and cannot be made up. Attendance will be recorded at the
beginning of lab. If you are late and miss the taking of attendance, be sure to see me a fter
class so I can mark you present. If you fail to do this, you will be marked absent irreversibly .
Each lab class will be worth 2 points if you are present at the start time for the lab. If you are
late or leave early, only 1 point will be earned. There will be a total of 16 labs during the
semester, for a total of 32 attendance points possible. Throughout the semester, a total of 2
absences or 4 tardies or any combination totaling 4 points will be excused. Any additional
absences or tardies will diminish your attendance grade. Attendance in lab is worth 100
points toward your final lab average.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: Primarily hands-on activities, such as microscopy and
dissection.
LAB HOMEWORK: Each lab exercise in your lab manual concludes with a set of Questions for
Further Thought and Study. For each assigned lab exercise in your lab manual, you will
complete the Questions for Further Thought and Study at the end of each lab exercise. On
occasion, additional questions will be given. Study questions will be completed after lab and
turned in at the beginning of lab the following week . Lab homework must be typed on a
separate sheet from lecture homework. The student’s name, lab exercise number, and
Questions for Further Thought and Study must be typed in the upper right corner of the
page. Homework is worth 100 points toward your final lab average.
EXAMS & GRADING: There will be two (2) lab exams, one at mid-term and one at the end of
the semester. These exams are lab practicals and cannot be made up. Each lab exam will
be worth 100 points, for a total of 200 points toward your lab average.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY (CHEATING): Cheating includes, but is not limited to: looking at
another student’s quiz, lab practical, or exam; looking at one’s notes, textbook or cell phone
while taking a quiz or exam; plagiarizing another student’s work; plagiarizing copyrighted
material. Any students found cheating will be expelled from the class.
LAB MANUAL: Biology Laboratory Manual 9 th Ed. by Vodopich and Moore.
ISBN-13: 0077389697
RECOMMENDED: Photo Atlas for Biology by Perry and Morton.
ISBN-13: 0-534-23556-5
COMPUTING YOUR GRADE: Your scores on all homework assignments, lab exams, and
attendance will be summed and divided by the total points possible (i.e. 400 points) to
determine your lab average.
Hypothetical Example:
87 (Lab Exam #1)
92 (Lab Exam #2)
95 (Attn)
100 (Hmwk)
374
374/400 = .935 X 100 = 93.5% (94%)
If your final average is:
Grade
93-100 ......A
90-92 ........A87-89 ........B+
83-86 ........B
80-82 ........B77-79 ........C+
73-76 ........C
70-72 ........C67-69 ........D+
63-66 ........D
60-62 ........D59 i ........F
Grade Points
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.3
1.0
0.7
0
THIS GRADING SCALE IS ABSOLUTE--THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY!
TENTATIVE LABORATORY OUTLINE
Biology 191
DATE
Organismal Biology Lab
TOPIC
Spring, 2015
LAB MANUAL
Jan. 22
Bacteria and Archaea (Lecture during lab)
Chapter 25
Jan. 29
Survey of Prokaryotes
Kingdoms Archaebacteria and Bacteria
Exercise 24
Feb. 5
Survey of the Protists: The Algae
Exercise 25
Feb. 12
Survey of the Protists: Protozoa and Slime Molds
Exercise 26
Feb. 19
Survey of the Kingdom Fungi
Exercise 27
Feb. 26
Survey of the Plant Kingdom: Liverworts, Mosses, etc.
Survey of the Plant Kingdom: Seedless Vascular Plants
Exercise 28
Exercise 29
Mar. 5
Survey of the Plant Kingdom: Gymnosperms
Survey of the Plant Kingdom: Angiosperms
Exercise 30
Exercise 31
Mar. 12
Plant Anatomy: Vegetative Structure of Vascular Plants
Flowering Plants
Exercise 32
Mar. 19
Spring Break–No Classes!!
Mar. 26
LAB EXAM #1
Apr. 2
Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phyla Porifera
and Cnidaria
Exercise 36
Apr. 9
Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phyla Platyhelminthes
and Nematoda
Exercise 37
Apr. 16
Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phyla Mollusca
and Annelida
Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phylum Arthropoda
Exercise 38
Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phyla Echinodermata,
Hemichordata and Chordata
Dissection of Shark
Dissection of Frog
Exercise 40
Vertebrate Anatomy: External Features and
Skeletal System of the Rat
Vertebrate Anatomy: Muscles and Internal
Organs of the Rat
Vertebrate Anatomy: Urogenital and Circulatory
Systems of the Rat
Exercise 47
May 7
Ecology Lecture During Lab
Chapter 54
Textbook
May 14
LAB EXAM #2
Apr. 23
Apr. 30
Exercise 39
Handout
Handout
Exercise 48
Exercise 49
I: Catalog Course Description
1. Combines the principles of botany and zoology into one course emphasizing levels of
organization and life processes common to all organisms. Topics range from nutrient
processing and homeostasis to reproduction. Note: BIOL 190/190L plus BIOL 191/191L
transfer to UNR as fulfilling BIOL 190, 191 and 192 requirements.
II: Course Objectives
C
Gained factual knowledge (terminology, classifications, methods, trends) about
Introduction to Organismal Biology.
C
Learned fundamental principles, generalizations, or theories of Introduction to
Organismal Biology.
C
Learned to apply course material (to improve thinking, problem-solving, and decisions) in
Introduction to Organismal Biology.
C
Developed specific skills, competencies and points of view needed by professionals in
the field most closely related to Introduction to Organismal Biology.
C
Acquired an interest in learning more by asking questions and seeking answers about
Introduction to Organismal Biology.