College of Arts and Sciences
Department of
Spring 2013
Plants and Human Society, BIOL 1315-01
Instructor: Dr. Robert Corbett
Office: Hayes Biology 205-15
Office Hours: Wednesdays 03:30 PM – 05:15 PM
Thursdays
01:00 PM – 02:30 PM
Fridays
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
(or by appointment)
Office phone number: 409-880-8254
Email address: rwcorbett@my.lamar.edu
Required Course Materials:
1. Textbook: Levetin and McMahon. Plants and Society, 6th edition (ISBN: 9780073524221)
or 5th edition (ISBN: 9780072970067). Recommend the Kno e-book version
(www.kno.com)
2. i >clicker2 student remote (ISBN: 1429280476) made by Macmillan MPS (formally VHPS).
(The original i>clicker remote will also work)
3. Access to a computer with internet access to use Blackboard
4. ScanTron™ form 882-E and No. 2 pencils for exams
Course Description: A plant oriented, non-chemically based course for non-science majors
including plant anatomy, growth and development, and multiple uses of plants by human society.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, students will have learned:
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A basic understanding of plants and their differences from animals.
A basic understanding of biological processes at the cellular and whole plant level.
The different types of plants and how they evolved.
How plants and their environment interact.
How plants and animals co-evolve.
About different types of plants used by society besides those used for food.
About important medicinal uses for plants.
Critical thinking skills to solve biological problems.
The importance of scientific terminology and its applications.
Core Curriculum Outcomes:
• Critical Thinking – Students will be given a take home lab assignment to identify and
analyze various produce items at local supermarkets and determine which represent fruits
or vegetables (see Foray to Supermarket Assessment document).
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Empirical and Quantitative Skills – As part of the “Foray to Supermarket” assignment,
students will graph and analyze their collected data in order to answer questions related to
the assignment (see Foray to Supermarket Assessment document).
Teamwork – Students will work in groups of 4 to 5 students to research a use of plants or
plant products, write a term paper, and present their research to the class as a group (see
Term Project document).
Communication – Student groups will submit a written paper on a use of plants or plant
products and present their research to the class in the form of a PowerPoint presentation
(see Term Project document).
Grading Policy: The final course grade will be determined by a combination of your lecture
grade (60%) and your lab grade (40%). Final course grades will be determined as follows: A =
90 – 100%, B = 80 – 89%, C = 70 – 79%, D = 60 – 69%, F = 59% and lower. Lecture grades will
be determined as follows:
Lecture exams
Term group project
Class Participation
TOTAL
75%
20%
5%
100%
(Lecture exam average X 0.75)
(Term Project grade X 0.20)
((Participation earned/Participation total) X 0.05)
(1.00)
Exam Policy:
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There will be four (4) hourly exams. The fourth hourly exam will be given during the final
exam time and will only be partly cumulative.
A ScanTron™ form 882-E and No. 2 pencil will be needed for each exam.
All belongings besides your ScanTron™ and pencil(s) will be left at the front of the room
during exams.
Cell phones or other electronic devices are not allowed during exams unless permission is
given by the instructor. Students caught looking at cell phones during an exam will receive a
grade of zero (0) for the exam.
Excuses for missed exams must be given in writing within 48 hours of the exam (before or
after) in person or by email. Submitted excuses will be considered on an individual basis and
the instructor’s decision whether to accept the excuse is final.
If you arrive to the exam after the first exam has been turned in, you will not be allowed to
take the exam.
Exams may contain any combination of multiple-choice, definition, true/false, and/or essay
questions.
Exams are not cumulative; however, some concepts build on material covered on previous
exams.
If possible, some class time the lecture before each exam will be used to review the material
for the exam.
Study guides will be given at the discretion of the instructor and on a schedule decided by the
instructor.
Exams are not returned to students, but may be looked at during office hours or by
appointment.
Hourly exams will be worth 100 points each for a total of 400 points.
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Term Project: Groups of 4 to 5 students will choose a topic demonstrating how plants are used
by human society to research and present to the class. Additional information about the term
project will be given out in a separate document during class and/or online using Blackboard.
This project addresses the State Learning Objective
Class Participation: You are required to purchase an i>clicker remote for in-class participation.
i>clicker is a response system that allows you to respond to questions I pose during class. You
will be graded on your in-class participation (not whether or not you answer the questions
correctly). In order to receive this credit, you will need to register your i>clicker remote online.
To register your i>clicker online, you must have come to class at least once and voted on at least
one question. Once you have voted on a question in class, go to http://www.iclicker.com to
register your i>clicker remote. Complete the fields with your first name, last name, student ID,
and remote ID. Your student ID should be your Blackboard login ID (not your Lamar University
ID number‼). The remote ID is the series of numbers and sometimes letters found on the bottom
of the back of your i>clicker remote. i>clicker will be used every day in class, and you are
responsible for bringing your remote daily in order to receive participation credit.
Attendance and Behavior Policy:
• Lecture attendance is not mandatory, however participation points will not be able to be
earned unless students attend lecture with their registered i>clicker.
• Lecture will begin promptly as scheduled. If you arrive late, please enter quietly, do not
disrupt the class, and do not walk in front of the presentation. If you need to leave class early,
please inform the instructor and attempt to sit where leaving will cause the least disruption to
the rest of the class.
• While in class, turn off cell phones, pagers, and iPods. These are unwelcome distractions to
me and your fellow students. These should be left in pockets or bags during class. Students
caught using any of these devices during class (texting included) will have them confiscated
until the end of class and five (5) points will be deducted from their lecture average for each
offense.
• Laptops/tablets are allowed to be used during lecture as long as all sounds are turned off and
they do not cause a distraction. Students whose laptops/tablets disrupt lecture will be
prohibited from using them during lecture in the future.
• Disruptive students will be asked to leave. Multiple offenses will result in heavier penalties
not excluding a failing course grade.
• Make-up exams will only be given during the 48 hours after the regularly scheduled exam. If
the exam is on a Thursday, then a make-up exam can be taken on Friday or the following
Monday.
Important dates:
01/18
01/21
02/04
02/19
03/11 – 03/15
03/29
Last day to register or change classes (with late fee)
MLK Day Holiday – NO CLASSES
Census Date/12th Class Day
Last day to drop or withdraw without academic penalty
Spring Break – NO CLASSES
Good Friday Holiday – NO CLASSES
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04/02
04/03
05/07
05/14
Last day to drop or withdraw with academic penalty
Last day for undergraduates to apply for graduation
Final Exams Begin
BIOL 1409 Final Exam, 5:00 – 7:30 PM
Census Date (Six Drop Rule does not apply)
Monday, February 4: Census Date/12th Class Day. Students may drop or withdraw without
consulting with their Instructor, Department Chair or the Records Office. The Six Drop Rule
does not apply to students who drop before 5:00p.m. on February 4.
Drop Dates (Six Drop Rule applies)
Tuesday, February 19: Last day to drop or withdraw from the course without academic penalty
and receive a Q. Six Drop Rule applies beginning on February 5. Students should consult with
Instructor and the Records Office to initiate a drop between the dates of 2/5-2/19.
Tuesday, April 2: Last day to drop or withdraw with academic penalty. Student must be passing
the course at the time of the requested drop in order to receive a Q. The drop form, including all
required signatures, must arrive in the Records Office by no later than 4:00p.m. on April 2. Six
Drop Rule applies.
*Note: Any student seeking to drop after April 2 must submit a fairly thorough written
explanation, including supporting documents if applicable, of the extenuating circumstances for
which the action is being requested. The explanation must be shared with and approved by the
Instructor, the Department Chair, and the Dean of the college before the drop form will be sent to
the Senior Associate Provost for a final review and decision.
Link to List View of Academic Calendar
http://events.lamar.edu/academic-calendar-listing.html
Disability Accommodation
It is the policy of Lamar University to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to
federal and state law and to the University’s commitment to equal educational opportunities.
Students with a documented disability should contact the Director of the Office of Services for
Students with Disabilities (SFSWD) which is located in 105 Communication Building. Students
may write to P.O. Box 10087, Beaumont, Texas 77710, call 409.880.8347, fax 409.880.2225 or
e-mail SFSWD@lamar.edu. The Director will arrange to meet with the student to determine
reasonable academic adjustments and/or accommodations. Additional information is available at
http://dept.lamar.edu/sfswd.
Academic Honesty
Students are specifically warned against all forms of cheating and plagiarism. The Lamar
University Student Handbook clearly reads: “Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty in
any phase of academic work will be subjected to disciplinary action. Punishable offenses
include, but are not limited to, cheating on an examination or academic work which is to be
submitted, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of source materials.” One aspect of the
Handbook’s definition of cheating includes “purchasing or otherwise acquiring and submitting as
one’s own work any research paper or other writing assignment prepared by an individual or
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firm.” Plagiarism is defined as “the appropriation and the unacknowledged incorporation of
another’s work or ideas into one’s own and submitted for credit.” Faculty members in the
College of arts and Sciences investigate all cases of suspected plagiarism.
Any student who is found guilty of academic dishonesty in this course will receive a grade of
“F” for the assignment for violation of any of the forms of academic dishonesty listed above. A
letter will be sent to the Vice President of Student Affairs to be placed in the students file
reporting the violation and action taken. The Department reserves the right to take additional
actions (including an “F” for the course or suspension) through the office of the Vice President
of Student Affairs if the professor and the department chair deem it necessary.
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BIOL 1315-01 LECTURE SCHEDULE
Spring 2013 (Subject to Change)
Date
17-Jan
Day
Thursday
22-Jan
24-Jan
29-Jan
31-Jan
05-Feb
07-Feb
12-Feb
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
14-Feb
19-Feb
21-Feb
26-Feb
28-Feb
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
05-Mar
07-Mar
12-Mar
14-Mar
19-Mar
21-Mar
26-Mar
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
28-Mar
02-Apr
04-Apr
09-Apr
11-Apr
16-Apr
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
18-Apr
23-Apr
25-Apr
30-Apr
02-May
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
15-May
Tuesday
Lecture Topic
Syllabus, Blackboard, i>clicker
Plants in Our Lives
The Plant Cell
The Plant Body
Plant Physiology
Plant Physiology
Plant Life Cycles: Flowers
Plant Life Cycles: Fruits and Seeds
WRAP UP & EXAM I REVIEW
Term project – Topic due
LECTURE EXAM I
Plant Systematics and Evolution
Diversity of Plant Life
Diversity of Plant Life
Human Nutrition
Term project – References due
WRAP UP & EXAM II REVIEW
LECTURE EXAM II
SPRING BREAK - NO CLASSES
SPRING BREAK - NO CLASSES
Grasses
Legumes
Stimulating Beverages
Term project – Paper rough draft due
Herbs and Spices
Medicinal Plants
Poisonous and Allergy Plants
WRAP UP & EXAM III REVIEW
LECTURE EXAM III
Psychoactive Plants
Term project – Paper final draft due
Materials: Cloth, Paper, and Wood
Materials: Cloth, Paper, and Wood
Term project – Presentations
Term project – Presentations
WRAP UP & EXAM IV REVIEW
Term project – Presentations
FINAL EXAM / EXAM IV (5:00 – 7:30 PM)
Link to Final Exam Schedule
http://www.lamar.edu/_files/documents/current-students/courseschedules/Spring%202013%20Final%20Exam%20Schedule.pdf
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Reading
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