Bio 142 Introductory Biology II Fall 2015 Pre-­‐req’s: Bio 141 Introductory Biology I (C or better) Dr. Anneke Lisberg “Main Ideas” of this course: In this course we will explore… • The scientific process: o Our current understanding of biology is derived from a rigorous, evidence-­‐
based process • Evolution: o Ongoing processes (random & selective) create diversity and drive evolution • Anatomy & Physiology: o Organized systems of bodies work together to meet the basic needs of survival • Ecology: o Organisms exist and interact within their environment (biotic and abiotic) • Synthesis: o Ecological interactions drive the evolution of anatomical & physiological systems o Evolutionary history places constraints on evolution by natural selection Learning outcomes/objectives: Through this course, students will… • [LO1] Plan & conduct experiments, integrating current scientific literature with novel data and analyses to formulate and test hypotheses • [LO2] Interpret and explain evolutionary processes and principles through novel scenarios • [LO3] Discriminate commonly-­‐held misconceptions about evolutionary processes from scientifically-­‐supported statements • [LO4] Create & interpret phylogenetic trees to describe and assess alternate hypotheses about evolutionary history • [LO5] Compare the diverse anatomy and physiology of living organisms to o Synthesize concepts of form & function and cause & effect to explain & predict physiological function & malfunction o Identify impacts and evidence of common descent and natural selection on current similarities, limitations, and divergences • [LO6] Diagram and categorize ecological interactions • [LO7] Defend & critique the validity of conservation strategies • [LO8] Communicate professionally & effectively, both orally and in writing Assessment: Your accomplishment of the learning outcomes will be assessed based on the following: • Key questions on lecture exams (LO2,3,5,6,8) • Key questions on lab practicals / quizzes (LO4,5) • Group experiments and presentations in lab (LO1,7,8) • Take-­‐home essays & short-­‐answer responses (LO2,5,6,7) Introductory Biology 142 Spring 2015 Dr. Anneke Lisberg lisberga@uww.edu Lectures (1305 Hyland): MWF 1:00-­‐1:50 Office Hours (203 UH): Mon: 11-­‐12, Wed: 10-­‐ 11, Fri: 10-­‐12 or by appointment LECTURE TOPIC READINGS: W Sept 02 – F Sept 04 Intro to Evolution, Natural Selection -­‐ Chapter 21 M Sept 07 Labor Day, No Classes W Sept 09 – F Sept 11 Natural Selection, Sexual Selection & Kin Selection M Sept 14* – F Sept 18 Microevolution -­‐ Chapter 22 M Sept 21 – F Sept 25 Macroevolution, Misconceptions, Take-­‐home 1 assigned -­‐ Chapter 23 M Sept 28 – W Sept 30 Tissues -­‐ 10.1, 28.1-­‐28.10, 37.3, http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/intro/epith.htm F Oct 02 EXAM I in class (100 points) & Take-­‐home 1 DUE (20 points) M Oct 05 – F Oct 09** Cardiovascular -­‐ 38.1, Chap 39 M Oct 12 – F Oct 16 Respiratory, Digestion -­‐ Chapters 39-­‐40 M Oct 19 – F Oct 23 Immune , Renal/Excretion, Take-­‐home 2 assigned -­‐ Chapters 43, 41 M Oct 26 – W Oct 28 Reproduction -­‐ Chapter 42 F Oct 30 EXAM II in class (100 points) Take-­‐home 2 DUE (20 points) M Nov 02 – F Nov 06 Nerves & Reflexes: Basics of Nervous System function -­‐ Chap 35, 37.1-­‐37.2 M Nov 09 – F Nov 13 Intro to plant anatomy & physiology, Take-­‐home 3 assigned -­‐ 28.4, Chap 29, 31 M Nov 16 – W Nov 18 Intro to Ecology & Climate, Biomes -­‐ 47.6 F Nov 20 EXAM III in class (100 points) Take-­‐home 3 DUE (20 points) M Nov 23 – W Nov 25 Population Ecology -­‐ Chapter 46 F Nov 27 Thanksgiving Break, No Classes M Nov 30 – F Dec 04 Community Ecology & Applied Conservation (same lec slide set) -­‐ 25.3, Chap 47 M Dec 07 – F Dec 11 Biodiversity, Take-­‐home 4 assigned -­‐ C8 (just before Chap 44) FINAL EXAM: Wed Dec 16, 12:15-­‐2:15 am (100 pts, NOT cumulative), Take-­‐home 4 DUE (20 pts) *last day: drop-­‐no W: Sep 15 **last day to drop-­‐with W: Oct 09 Lecture Grades: 4 lec exams x 100 pts = 400 pts, 4 take-­‐home qs x 20 pts = 80 pts, Evo D2L quiz = 5 pts, BONUS: Eco or health service (5pts) Course Grades: Lecture: 67% of final grade, Lab: 33% of final grade. Welcome to Introduction to Biology 142 Goals: Introductory courses are not “easy,” they are “foundational,” meaning that if you do well in this course you should leave with a knowledge and skill set necessary for success in future courses. The big topics of second semester (evolution, anatomy/physiology, ecology) will introduce you to concepts and terms that will reappear in nearly every biology class from here on! Biology is fascinating (not that I’m biased), but it is very challenging, especially at first. It requires learning and applying complex topics, highly detailed information, and essentially learning a second language. On top of this, it required the ability to express ideas logically, clearly and articulately in presentations and in writing. Nearly all students have to substantially change the way that they approach note-­‐taking and studying in order to succeed in this course. Grading Scale: A (>92%), A-­‐ (90-­‐92%), B+ (88-­‐89%), B (83-­‐87%), B-­‐ (80-­‐82%), C+ (78-­‐79%), C (73-­‐77%), C-­‐ (70-­‐72%), D (60-­‐69%), F Resources: o Textbook: Biology: how life works, by Morris, Hartl, Knoll and Lue Classroom etiquette: • The following basic rules are essential to maintaining a positive learning environment for all: • Turn your phones off, and keep them away for the whole class. No texting, no browsing. • Laptops are OK, but ONLY if you are using them to take notes. Using them for any other purpose in lecture is distracting and disrespectful to your fellow students. • Talking in class: this class moves quickly. If you miss something or have questions, just raise a hand and ask (or put an asterisk in your notes for later.) We will have discussions in class, but please do not talk to your classmates outside of these discussions. This is distracting and disrespectful to your fellow students who are trying to listen and keep up and to your professor. Absences: The University of Wisconsin-­‐Whitewater is dedicated to a safe, supportive and non-­‐discriminatory learning environment. It is the responsibility of all undergraduate and graduate students to familiarize themselves with University policies regarding Special Accommodations, Academic Misconduct, Religious Beliefs Accommodation, Discrimination and Absence for University Sponsored Events (for details please refer to the Schedule of Classes; the “Rights and Responsibilities” section of the Undergraduate Catalog; the Academic Requirements and Policies and the Facilities and Services sections of the Graduate Catalog; and the “Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures” (UWS Chapter 14); and the “Student Nonacademic Disciplinary Procedures” (UWS Chapter 17). Planned absences (see above) should be reported in the first 2 weeks of class or within 2 days of notification. Last-­‐minute unforeseeable emergency absences should be reported prior to missed class being missed if feasible given the nature of the emergency or (if can’t communicate immediately) within 24 hours. Take-­‐Home Exams: • In addition to the four in-­‐class exams, you will be writing four take-­‐home exams. The take-­‐home questions will be available on D2L a minimum of one week before the exam day and are due when you take the in-­‐class exam (turn in a printed hard-­‐copy to me.) • You may ask questions of classmates but YOUR WORK MUST BE YOUR OWN. Any plagiarism from other classmates or from outside sources will result in a zero for the assignment (for both the “copier” and the “copied”) and can result in severe academic misconduct penalties. Note that many of you will end up using the same sources, so plagiarism can be very obvious! • Use credible sources: if the information is wrong in your answer, you will lose points. If you are unsure of how to find good sources or if you are unsure if a particular source is credible, ask! • Cite your sources! Give url’s for all online sources at the end of your take-­‐home essay. Course terms: NOTE that this syllabus is considered a contract for the course. If you choose to continue in this course (and I hope you do!) then you are indicting your agreement to the course terms. DO WE GET SMARTER? à YES! HOW? à ACTIVELY WORKING & CHALLENGING YOUR BRAIN DAILY!! Before Class: • Read the recommended reading. Although the book and lecture are not identical, the book presents material in a different way. Reading it and then hearing it helps concepts sink in AND help you take better notes in lecture. Reading before lab will also be VERY helpful! • Print out the lecture slides from D2L and bring them to class to guide note-­‐taking. Note that because I post the PPT files, you can change colors, slides/page etc. to your preferred format. In Class: • Do not miss classes! It seems obvious, but there are courses that students can pass by downloading lecture slides alone. This is NOT that class. I don’t take attendance-­‐you are all adults! However, students that miss lectures do poorly on exams. The material from one lecture typically accounts for at LEAST one-­‐to-­‐two letter-­‐grades of material on an exam! • Showing up is great, but it isn’t enough. Be prepared (read before you come to class), be an involved listener, and ask questions (in class, or write your questions down and talk to me in office hours. ) • Take detailed notes (bullet points, not whole sentences) alongside your printed lecture slides in lecture. The slides provide an outline to guide note-­‐taking and studying, but do not contain all of the information that you need. You are responsible for all material that I say in class, even if it isn’t written out. Slides also occasionally pose questions—if you can’t answer them with confidence, chances are you’ve missed something-­‐come talk to me! After Class: • Study 2-­‐3 times every week, at least. This too much info to cram into the week before an exam. PLUS this will make you smarter! • NOTE: reading is NOT studying! Reading your book is great lecture prep or review, but true studying requires creating something NEW! (If its not challenging, its probably not helping!) • Create outlines and/or concept maps that include ALL of the info from your lecture notes. Did you write anything that seems incomplete? Are there terms or questions that your notes don’t expand on? How are the ideas connected to one another? If you aren’t sure, come talk to me! • Maintain a separate list of all unfamiliar terms from lecture. Flashcards or alphabetized term lists can be helpful to make, since you can test them out of context. o Study in both directions: termàdefinition and definitionà term. o Also make concept sheets, for example an “equations” sheet, an “examples” sheet etc. • Use all modalities: read, listen, write, and speak. • Be colorful: color-­‐coding outlines to show relationships creates a reference for future reviews! • Study alone first, then in groups. Group studying may help you think about things in a new way and expose gaps in your understanding. BUT do your own work before you discuss things in groups: it is easy to hear something and think “Oh, yeah, that makes sense”, but it is another thing entirely to come up with information on your own. That’s what you are going to have to do on your tests! If you have a hard time sticking with a study schedule, it may be helpful to set study dates with classmates. However, make sure that you and your partner are a good match and can stay on-­‐task! After Exams: • Assess your strengths and weaknesses. Learn from your mistakes by sitting down with each test after you get it back. Was there a particular mistake that came up multiple times? Did you get terms but not concepts? Vice versa? Identifying your strengths & weaknesses will help you not only improve in this course but also succeed throughout your future career. This process really pays off! • Exam regrades. If, after taking the exam home and checking your sources you feel that a question should be looked at again, explain why you think the question should be re-­‐graded and submit it to me in writing within 2 weeks of the exam. I’m happy to take a look at regrades! • Exam I Rewrite. Because biology is challenging (as are my exams), there is nearly always a trial and error period for students when it comes to note-­‐taking, studying and test-­‐taking in this course. I truly want you to succeed and, most of all, I want you to leave this class prepared to excel in your future biology courses. Therefore, after the first exam (NOT every exam!), I will allow you to rewrite answers to questions that you got wrong for partial credit back. o ALL incorrect answers must be re-­‐attempted to receive any credit back o Corrected answers must be TYPED and included in a separate document o The original exam must also be included, attached to the corrected answers sheet o For multiple choice, give the CORRECT answer & why the answer you selected is incorrect Not only will this process allow you to learn concepts and terms that you may have missed the first time through, it will help you figure out where and how you missed things to help you improve on the subsequent exams!