Biology 21-Plant Biology
Dr. Sellers-Spring 2006
Office 310A; Phone 559-730-3827; email jims@cos.edu
Office hours- MWF 10-11 am; 12-1 Monday; 8-9 am Thursday
A. Books Required:
Stern, Introductory Plant Biology, 10th edition
Watts, Pacific Coast Tree Finder
Materials – you need a small 1” hard backed 3 ring binder dedicated for Biology 21 and
brought to class for each class session, lecture and lab.
B. ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATIONS
1. lecture exams (3)............................................................................300 points
2. final comprehensive lecture exam........................................……..150 points
3. chapter and literature study guides…………………………………95 points
4. lab reports and lab evaluations( must be present for credit)......….120 points
5. field trips and associated study guides ( must be present for credit)60 points
6. power point project…………………………………………..........35 points
Grading scale: 90-100% = A
80-89 % = B
70-79 % = C
60-69 % = D
Keep in mind that this grading scale is for
the total course points possible. Some
assignments are less difficult than others.
After each exam total all scores to
determine your current grade.
C. This is a Blackboard course
For this course I use Blackboard classroom management software, which requires all students in
Biology 21 to have access to the Internet, have a student email account, and check Bio 21 on
Blackboard daily for announcements, assignments, and grade checks. In this digital age of
computers and communication it is essential my students know how to access information from
and for the course and stay in touch with me. With cell phones, answering machines, email, and
face-to-face contact, there is no reason for students not to be in contact with me almost daily.
D. Course assignments and activities (example from fall 2005)
Instructions
1. Place all assignments in a 3 ring binder, only 1.0” (No big binders!!)
2. Write your name clearly on the spine of the binder on a label that is sure to stick.
3. Include this master list as the front page of your assignments.
4. Make sure each assignment page with my stamp(s) in the upper right corner is (are) clearly visible. This is where
my notes to determine your assignment grade are located.
5. Place the assignments exactly in this order. Use titled section separators.
6. Do not write in the space in front of the assignment on this checklist except for the power point and test scores.
This area is for my marks.
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A. Chapter, Article, and Topic Study Guides
____________(5) Jeffry pine article (pine tree)
____________(5) What is plant biology-Ch1 SG (white pine cone)
____________(5) How plants use fire (FIRE)
____________(5) Wildland Fire in National Parks (three mountains)
____________(5) The nature of life-Ch2 SG (grape bunch)
____________(5) Fire wars video SG (honeybee)
____________(5) Cells-Ch3 SG(pansy)
____________(5) Roots-Ch5 SG(carrot)
____________(5) Stems-Ch6 SG (Joshua tree)
____________(5) Dendrochronology report (solar system)
____________(5) Leaves-Ch7 SG (big leafed maple leaf)
____________(5) Flowers-Ch 8 SG (four petaled flower)
____________(10) Invasive species report (various grasses in clump; mushrooms)
____________(10) Three Rivers and KOP plant analysis (two acorns)
____________(5) Bacteria and Viruses (three leafed clover)
____________(5) Algae (world globe)
____________(5) Fungi (three inky cap fungi)
B. Lab Exercises
____________(10) Measurement lab (maple leaf and katydid)
____________(10) Microscope lab (microscope, mouse, test tube)
____________(10) Cells lab (three grape leaves with tendrils)
____________(10) Root lab (radish)
____________(10) Stem lab (Wind)
____________(10) Leaves lab (rose flower)
____________(10) Flowers lab (bunch of seven flowers)
____________(10) Three Rivers vegetation analysis
____________(10) Classification (ginkgo leaf)
____________(10) Kingdom survey part 1 (marsh scene)
____________(10) Kingdom survey part 2 (three mushrooms)
____________(10) Plant creation (rose + star)
C. Field Trips
___________ (25) KOP audio study guide (acorn)
___________ (20) Urban botany audio study guide (acorn & leaves)
D. Power point projects (include the scores posted on blackboard)
___________(35) Crop
___________(20) Invasive species
E. Tests (include the scores posted on blackboard)
__________(100) Exam 1
__________(100) Exam 2
__________(100) Exam 3
E. GENERAL INFORMATION
It is important for you to communicate with the instructor if for any reason you must miss
any class. You can earn points only if you are in class, on time with the assignments, and if the
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assignment is thoroughly completed. Plan on spending at least 2 hours doing homework for each
hour you are in class per week. We have 2 assignments per week in this class, some are easy,
some are difficult, and all require you to take time to read the text and write answers to questions
or do brief analysis of material presented or examined in class.
If you have a physical, mental, or learning disability which requires any special
accommodations, I will be happy to make any necessary arrangements with you. Please see me
at your earliest convenience.
1. Attendance - As a way of encouraging you to attend class and be present on time
you will receive full credit for your assignments ONLY if you are present and on time. If
you are late you will not receive a stamp for the day's assignment, however you may include the
assignment in your assignment portfolio for partial credit. I know parking can be a huge problem
but it is your responsibility to arrange to be on class on time with your assignment completed.
There will be a basket on the front desk where your assignments should be placed as soon as you
enter the room.
There are no late assignments -assignments are DUE in class at the regular time. Your
attendance is essential on lab work, field trips, and in-class reports.
There is no make-up for missed exams, field, or lab exercises. You must make every
attempt to be at each class session.
If you are absent for an exam you must bring verifiable documentation of the
excuse, i.e., doctors note. The exam scores you do take will be averaged to replace the
missing score. You will not take the test.
A student will be dropped from the course if more than 6 class hours are
missed or the student has less than 55% of the total possible accumulated points.
The last day to voluntarily drop without a W is Jan 30.
The last day for the student to voluntarily drop with a W grade is March 24.
2. Handouts in class are distributed once only. If you miss handouts, lose them, or
they are stolen, make arrangements to copy the handouts from one of your colleagues.
3. We will take several field trips as part of the course curriculum. These are an
important and required component of the class. These trips will require you to travel to
several local sites designated with maps and directions given in advance of the trip.
Kaweah Oaks Preserve – audio tour with a study guide you can complete on your schedule.
Kaweah Oaks Preserve can be conducted within the time given for our lab section even though
we will not be going to KOP together. If you choose to visit the preserve on the week it is
scheduled for you to do the work, you could use the lab time to complete the assignment. By
discovering the preserve on your own time you can take additional time and go at your own pace
to fully integrate the concepts and species presented. Three Rivers will be taken during the
regular lab class scheduled but also requires an additional hour.
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Neighborhood tour/Urban botany-a self guided audio tour of urban landscapes in Visalia.
Cheating or plagiarism will be dealt with according to the Student Code of Conduct, which
includes consequences ranging from reprimand to expulsion.
Use of pagers and cellular phones-turn off or mute pagers and/or cellular phones while you
are in class. They are intrusively rude. Dedicate the time you are in class to the subject and
handle your personal business outside of class time.
This course is a component of your general education at COS. As such, it will be taught as though it is
likely to be the last biology course you will take at the college. It is my goal to provide you with an overview of
plant biology. As a result of taking this course you will be able to better understand the plant life in your home and
yard, agricultural plants, and the greater world of natural ecosystems of which you are a part.
Each class session usually consists of an introductory lecture and review of the materials assigned in the
text followed by an exercise that illustrates the concepts under discussion. These exercises may be labs from the
laboratory manual, labs from the instructor, and various studies using the plants on the campus. Videos, slides, and
games will be used to illustrate and explain concepts.
The course is designed for balance between less rigorous assignments and more difficult ones. The tougher
assignments are the tests, the less rigorous assignments are the lab exercises and moderately rigorous assignments
are the field trips and plant collections. All require preparation and study. The most important thing you can do to
improve your grade is to be present for all activities and assignments. Most students receive a passing grade for this
course yet an A or B is harder to earn because students who are prepared daily and in attendance for all activities
only receive those grades.
Course Description:
Three lecture/discussion and two lab hours per week. This is a general principles course in plant biology
for the non biology major. The principal topics included are: general characteristics of plants, plant survey, methods
of classification and nomenclature, plant structure and function, growth and development, reproduction and genetics,
and ecology. (Not open to students who have received credit in Biology 2). Field trips are a normal part of the
course.
This course will specifically include:
general characteristics of plants
survey of the monera, protista, fungi, & plant kingdoms
methods of classification and taxonomy
plant structure and functions
plant reproduction, genetics, and evolution
growth, development, and economic uses of plants
plant ecology and field biology
some are difficult, and all require you to take time to read the text and write answers to questions or do brief analysis
of material presented or examined in class.
If you can give this course the time required for attending classes, reading the text and other literature,
doing homework on a consistent basis, and not over extending yourself with other courses, work, and family
obligations, then you will be successful in this course.
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