Western New Mexico University
COURSE SYLLABUS
Biology for General Education I & Lab
GENERAL INFORMATION
Course Number: BIOL 101 / 103
Credit/Contact hours: 4 credits - 3 lecture contact hours + 2 hours of lab
Term: Fall 2013
Course Title: Biology for General Education I & Lab
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor Name: Jan L. Frye, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM
Instructor Office Location: Deming- Mimbres Valley Learning Center Room 163A
Instructor Office Hours: M, T, W 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm; & by appt
Instructor Telephone: (575) 546-6556, ext 110
Instructor Fax: (575) 546-6552
Instructor e-mail Address: jan.frye@wnmu.edu
Course Information
Catalog Description
BIOL 101/103. Biology for General Education I & lab. Lecture and laboratory covering
biological principles, including ecology, cell biology, genetics, taxonomy, and anatomy.
The intention of this course is to promote an appreciation of the biological world we live in.
Three lectures and one laboratory per week. These courses do fulfill general education
requirements but do not apply towards any science degree. BIOL 101 need not be taken
prior to 102. (NMCCN BIOL 1113/1111) (Area III) (4)
Prerequisites: none
Textbook: Biology – Life on Earth with Physiology by Audesirk 9th or 10th edition.
No textbook for lab. Handouts will be used. Students are required to maintain a lab file or
binder that contains lab notes and assignments.
Class Schedule:
Lecture Room: MVLC Room 163
Lecture Time: Tuesday 4:00pm – 6:45pm
Lab Room: MVLC Rm 163
Lab Time: Tues 7:00pm – 8:50pm
Course Objectives and Outcomes
Course Instructional Objectives:
Upon completion of this course the successful student will have an introduction and
understanding of basic biological concepts including the scientific method, diversity and
properties of life, evolution, cell biology and human anatomy and physiology.
Course Topics, Evaluation and Grading Scale
TOPICS TO BE COVERED
Tentative LECTURE OUTLINE
Chapters
Topics
1. Introduction to Life, scientific method
2. Properties of Life, Evolution, Classification
3. Intro to Chemistry - Atoms, Molecules, H2O
4. Biological molecules
5. The cell and cell membrane
6. Energy and cellular respiration
7. Cellular reproduction
8. Mendelian genetics and inheritance
9. DNA and gene expression
10. Homeostasis
11. Human anatomy and physiology, body systems
12. Microbiology: Bacteriology, virology, parasitology
Exam Schedule:
1
1
2
3
4, 5
6, 7, 8
9
10
11, 12
31
32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38
19, 20
Exam 1 Sep. 10th
Exam 2 Oct. 8th
Exam 3 Nov 5th
Final Exam: Dec. 10, 2013 Tuesday, 4:00pm
There will be a review for each test the week prior to the examination.
There will be a quiz every week, except for exam weeks. It will be primarily on key terms and
notes from the preceding week.
Grading Scale and Policy:
Grading Policy:
90%-100% = A
80%- 89% = B
70%- 79% = C
60%- 69% = D
59%- below = F
Note: grades are based on the percentage of the possible points that a student obtains.
Lecture Possible Points
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final Exam
Attendance (lab & lecture)
Quizzes, 5 pts each
Total possible
100 pts.
100 pts.
100 pts.
100 pts.
30 pts.
50 pts
480 pts.
Note: Your lowest score on exams 1, 2, 3, will be improved by your score on your final if
you do better on the final exam. The lowest and final scores will be added
together and averaged. The average score will replace the lowest score.
Lab Possible Points
Lab Exercises (10pts each)
Lab quizzes (20pts each), if any
Lab Notebook
Total possible
150 pts.
60 pts
10 pts
220 pts.
Total possible points in the course = 700
Note, your grades for lab and
lecture will be combined into one
composite grade, so you will end
up with the same grade in lab and
lecture.
Instructor’s Expectation:
Attendance/ Absence Policy: It is expected that students will attend all lectures
and labs. Past history suggests that students who do not attend class regularly do
not perform well on exams and in the course as a whole. An attendance sheet will
be kept for each day of class. Students who are not present will not receive the
points.
Lab Attendance: Students who are not present will only receive the points if they make up the
lab.
If you miss a lab, you will receive a 0 for that lab. If you miss a second lab you must contact the
instructor for a make-up lab. If you can’t speak with me personally, you may leave a message on
my answering machine stating that you wish to make up a lab. Please leave a phone number
where you may be contacted. I may request an excuse slip before allowing the make-up. It is
your responsibility to schedule a make-up.
University policy states that the instructor of a lab may drop you after two unexcused absences.
Labs will be due the next class after completion of the lab exercise.
Late Assignment Policy: Late assignments will lose 20% of the points possible for each class
period they are late.
Make-up Exam Policy:
Students will only be allowed to take a make-up exam by arranging it prior to the
date/time of the exam (i.e., you must talk to me outside of class) or when you have a
note from your doctor.
Exams are usually handed back the class after the exam is taken. *** NO make-up
exams can be taken after the exam has been passed back to the class.***
Note, I plan to strictly enforce the above policy!
Cell Phone Policy: Student cell phones should be turned off when they are in class. Students
should not make or answer phone calls in class.
Tests, Quizzes, and Final Examinations:
Lecture Exams 1, 2, 3:
These exams will include questions from lecture material. Exams will include
matching, diagram labeling, multiple choice, and short answer essay questions.
Final Exam:. Tuesday, December 10, 2013 from 4-6 pm
The final exam will consist of 100 multiple-choice or matching questions. These
questions will come from all of the material presented in lab and lecture during
the course. Questions may include labeling diagrams which were covered during
the semester.
*Note: Any evidence of cheating on any exam will result in a grade of "F"
for the course.
Exam Policies:
-You can only have a pencil or a pen and a drink during the exam
(No other materials are to be on the desktop)
-No cell phones are to be out or in your pocket during an exam
*** You may not answer you cell phone during an exam
-Do not have any papers in your pockets during the exam
-Go to the bathroom before the exam starts – no student will be allowed to leave the
room once the exam starts
-If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for an exam you, you will not be allowed to
take the exam unless prior arrangements are made
Use of Canvas:
Handouts and notes may be posted on Canvas. Some grades will be posted on Canvas so that
each student can keep track of grades in the course. I may make announcements on Canvas
regarding upcoming events, tests, grades, materials, etc. You may personalize Canvas to send
emails or texts to wherever you would like to be notified. You also have storage space on
Canvas. You may save a document under your “files” to access from any computer. Be aware
that if you respond to an “announcement” that I make, everyone in the class will be able to view
it. Email me directly for confidential issues or questions.
Students with Disabilities:
Services for students with disabilities are provided through the Academic Support
Center’s Disability Services Office in the Juan Chacon Building, Room 220. Some
examples of the assistance provided are: audio materials for the blind or dyslexic, note
takers, readers, campus guides, audio recorders, a quiet testing area, and undergraduate
academic tutors. In order to qualify for these services, documentation must be provided
by qualified professionals on an annual basis. Disability Services forms are available in
the Academic Support Center. The Disability Services Office, in conjunction with the
Academic Support Center, serves as Western New Mexico University's liaison for
students with disabilities. The Academic Support Center’s Disability Services Office can
be contacted by phone at 575.538.6400 or e-mail at matterr@wnmu.edu.
Communication Policy Statement Regarding Official E-mail :
WNMU’s policy requires that all official communication be sent via Mustang Express.
As a result, all emails related to your enrollment at WNMU and class communication –
including changes in assignments and grades – will be sent to your wnmu.edu email
address. It is very important that you access your Mustang Express e-mail periodically to
check for correspondence from the University. If you receive most of your email at a
different address you can forward your messages from Mustang Express to your
other address.
Example: Martin Classmember was assigned a WNMU email address of
classmemberm12@wnmu.edu but Martin would rather receive his emails
at his home email address of martinclass@yahoo.com
Martin would follow the direction provided at
http://www.wnmu.edu/campusdocs/direction%20for%20forwarding%20email.htm
WNMU Policy on Email Passwords: WNMU requires that passwords for access to all of the
protected software, programs, and applications will be robust, including complexity in the
number of characters required, the combination of characters required, and the frequency
in which passwords are required to be changed. Minimum complexity shall include:



Passwords shall contain at least six (6) characters.
Passwords shall contain at least one capital (upper case) letter, and
at least one symbol (numbers and characters such as @ # $ % & *).
Passwords shall be changed at least every 90 days. (8/6/08)
Academic Integrity:
Each student shall observe standards of honesty and integrity in academic work as
defined in the WNMU catalog. Violations of academic integrity include “any behavior
that misrepresents of falsifies a student’s knowledge, skills or ability with
the goal of unjustified or illegitimate evaluation or gain” (WNMU Faculty Handbook,
2008). Generally violations of the academic integrity include cheating and plagiarism.
Refer to the catalog for definitions.
Plagiarism: “the intentional or unintentional representation of another’s work as one’s
own without proper acknowledgement of the original author or creator of the
work” (WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008)
Penalties: Student will receive a grade of zero on the assignment.
Cheating: “using or attempting to use unauthorized materials…and unauthorized
collaboration with others, copying the work of another or any action that presents
the work of others to misrepresent the student’s knowledge” (WNMU Faculty
Handbook, 2008)
Penalties: Note: Any evidence of cheating on any exam will result in a grade of
"F" for the course.
Inclement Weather policy: Refer to the OTA Student Handbook for notification procedures. In
the event that classes are closed during the scheduled final exam for this class, provisions
for students whose exams are canceled, scheduling a make-up exam or alternative
arrangements, will be made. Official announcements may be put on the WNMU website.
Tentative LABORATORY OUTLINE
WEEK
-- LAB TOPIC
Aug 20th
Intro to lab, the microscope
Aug 27th
Scientific Method & metric system
Sep 3rd
Classification using a dichotomous key
Sep 10th
Energy In, Energy out (nutrition)
Sep 17th
The Cell
Sep 24th
Diffusion / osmosis
Oct 1st
Cellular respiration / Photosynthesis
Oct 8th
Probabilities & Genetics
Oct 15th
DNA/ protein synthesis / electrophoresis
Oct 22rd
Histology; the microscope; Organs
Oct 29th
Human Anatomy I: Musculoskeletal system
Nov 5th
Human Anatomy II: Circulatory & Respiratory Systems
Nov 12th
Human Anatomy II: Circulatory & Respiratory Systems
Nov 19th
Human Anatomy III: Digestive & Nervous Systems /review
Dec 3rd
Quiz / Lab Notebook due
Dec 10th
(Lecture Final Exam only)