Frederick Community College BIOLOGY 101-HYBRID FALL 2008
Class begins: 08/25/2008	Class ends: 12/13/2008	Last Day to Withdraw: 11/03/2008

You must send your email address to the instructor before class begins

Instructor Information:
Name: Dr. Rhonda Martin	Office:
E-mail: rhmartin@frederick.edu	Phone Number:
Office Hours: by appointment	Campus Mail Box #: 361

Course Information:
Credits: 4
On-campus Meetings: WED 5-7:35 PM – Lab Room C120	On-campus Exams: 2
Prerequisites: EN50A, EN52, MA91	Corequisites: none

Course Description:

This course presents a comprehensive survey of modern biology. Organisms from all kingdoms are used as examples to illustrate basic biological principles operational at the cellular and molecular level. Fundamentals of classical and molecular genetics and principles of systematics are also presented.

Core Learning Outcomes:

By the completion of the course students will:

1. Discuss “life”, define biology, and identify subdivisions of biology.

2. Describe the scientific method of investigation and be able to employ it.

3. Identify and describe the fundamental chemical elements of life.

4. Effectively use microscopes to study the internal and external morphology of given organisms, tissues, and cells.

5. Describe the basic structure and functional significance of the cell organelles in terms of homeostasis in organisms and the growth, reproduction, and survival.

6. Describe the basic processes involved in the metabolism of nutrients, energy utilization and waste excretion in organisms.

7. Define “genetics” and describe the process of transmission of both normal and abnormal characters from one generation to another.

8. Describe the control of gene expression.

9. Identify and describe the major evolutionary theories and the related concepts of natural selection and speciation

10. Describe the method of classification of plants and animals, describe the general and unique characteristics of the organisms used for placing them in a given taxa, and identify the relationships between the various taxa.

11. Describe the relationships and interactions between organisms and environment in terms of survival potential.

Instructional Methods:

Power point presentations for each chapter will be posted on blackboard along with links to web sites that will help to review the presented material. There will also be a study guide posted that covers all of the chapters. Laboratory time will include lectures and hands on activities.

Text(s) for Course:

Symbiosis-Benjamin Cummings custom laboratory program, Nicole Gerlanc

Brooker, Widmaier, et., Biology Volume I 2008

WEBSITE: www.brookerbiology.com

Progress Report:

By the end of the 6th week of the semester, you will have an opportunity to evaluate your progress in this course and decide if you need to make any adjustments (additional study, tutoring, conference with instructor) to assure your success in this course.

Evaluation Methods:

Assignment	Max point value
5 Lecture Exams (100 points each)	500
Project	100
Lecture Assignments, 5 @ 10 pts each	50
Lab Quizzes/Assignments, 6 @ 10 pts each (7)	60
Lab Evaluations/Presentations/Reports	100
Total Points for BI101	810
Lab attendance bonus	10

If the graded performance for online assignments differs significantly from the grade average for proctored assignments, the instructor reserves the right to administer additional tests.

Assignment of grades

Students earning 729 points or more will receive an A in BI101. Students earning at least 648 points will receive a B, at least 567 points a C, at least 486 points a D. Students earning less than 486 points will receive an F. Additionally, it is necessary to earn at least 96 points in the laboratory portion of BI101 to pass the course. Absence from more than three labs will result in the assignment of an F for BI101 regardless of your lecture performance.

Components of the grade

Exams: Four comprehensive exams will be given. They will cover material from blackboard notes, lectures, class discussions, textbook readings, and other assigned readings. Exams dates are given on the topical outline below. Exam formats are quite variable and may include multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. Exams 1,2,3 and 4 will not be cumulative. Exam 5 is cumulative and will cover material from the entire semester.

Lecture quizzes/assignments: A total of five assignments will be given and will be homework assignments.

Project/Presentation: Each student will be assigned a topic to research and present to the class. The date of the presentations is on the topical outline.

Lab quizzes/assignments: Students should be prepared for short quizzes (5-10 short answer/multiple choice questions) at any time in lab. Students will also be assigned lab reports or other written work to be turned in for a grade. There will be a total of 7 lab assignments, worth a total of 70 points. The lowest lab assignment grade will be dropped.

Lab attendance: Lab attendance is required! Tardiness to lab may be equivalent to an absence. Absence from more than three labs will result in the assignment of an F for BI101 regardless of your lecture performance. ***bonus: students attending all laboratory meetings will receive 10 extra credit points towards their overall grade.

Attendance/Participation Policy:

Lab attendance: Lab attendance is required! Tardiness to lab may be equivalent to an absence. Absence from more than three labs will result in the assignment of an F for BI101 regardless of your lecture performance. ***bonus: students attending all laboratory meetings will receive 10 extra credit points towards their overall grade.

Email Policy:

Email is an instructional tool essential to student-instructor and student-student communication. In the Blackboard environment by default, your email address is available to all students in this course.

However, students are permitted to use email addresses of other students in this course only for the purpose and the duration of this course.

Students who are concerned about the privacy of their personal email address are reminded of commercially available products that allow them to create unique email addresses specifically for the purpose and duration of this course.

The instructor can be expected to respond to regular student email inquiries (grades, posted assignments, and tests excluded) within the time frame of 24 to 48 hours.

Academic Honesty:

Work in this course is subject to the provisions of the FCC Code of Academic Honesty. Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. As a student, it is your job to practice academic honesty at ALL times. Make sure that all sources, particularly Internet sources, get proper credit for quotations, paraphrases, and ideas.

General Course Policies

1. Please do not arrive late or leave class early. This is disruptive for me and for the other members of this class. If you must enter late or leave early, please sit near the exits to minimize class disruption. Have your materials out and ready before you get into the classroom (i.e. do not rummage through your book bag looking for a pen after you’ve come in 20 min late).

2. Attendance in laboratory is REQUIRED. Absence from lab will negatively affect your grade. Absence from more than three labs will result in the assignment of an F for BI101 regardless of your lecture performance. It will not be possible to make up missed labs or quizzes due to an absence.

3. Exams or other types of assignments cannot be made up without prior approval of the instructor, and only then in the case of a documented medical or family emergency. Make-up exams must be taken within four days of the scheduled time and will be given at the testing center. Failure to follow this procedure will result in no make-up exam!

4. Absences (lab) must be excused prior to the class meeting for all non-emergencies and, within 48 hours after the class has met, for all other absences. Excusable absences may include legitimate school functions, religious holidays, illness, and family emergencies, and must be verified in writing upon request of the instructor.

5. Lab reports and other assignments that are turned in after the scheduled due date will have their assignment grade reduced by one letter grade.

6. All students are expected to uphold the Code of Academic Honesty. This means that you will use your own efforts, ideas, and materials and that you will give full credit when borrowing from another’s work. Refer to the FCC Student Handbook for further information on this policy. In this class you will sometimes work in groups on certain assignments. It is expected that while you may work together you will write up your own version of the assignment and that you will not copy another’s work.

The instructor and the College believe that students who work consistently with their instructors learn more and have higher academic achievement than those who do not.

Topical Outline (ONLINE COURSE)

Week	ACTIVITY ONLINE	ACTIVITY CLASSROOM (Lab)
Week 1- 8/25	Chapter 1 An Introduction to Biology	INTRODUCTION PRE-ASSESSMENT
Week 2-9/1	Chapter 2 The Chemical Basis of Life I *Chapter 2 chapter quiz	Scientific Investigation
Week 3-9/8	Chapter 3 The Chemical Basis of Life II	Water
Week 4- 9/15	EXAM 1(Chapters 1-3) Chapter 4 General Features of Cells *Chapter 4 Chapter quiz	Microscopes and Cells
Week 5- 9/22	Chapters 5, 6, and 10 Membrane Structure & Transport Systems Biology (minimal) Multicellularity (10.1 & 10.2)	Diffusion and Osmosis
Week 6- 9/29	Chapters 9 & 7 Cell Communication (minimal) Enzymes, Metabolism, & Cellular	Enzymes
Week 7- 10/6	EXAM 2 (Chapters 4,5,6,10, & 9) Take in test center	Fermentation
Week 8- 10/13	Chapters 7 & 8 Photosynthesis Enzymes, Metabolism, & Cellular Respiration *Chapter 8 chapter quiz	Photosynthesis
Week 9- 10/20	Chapters 11 & 12 Nucleic Acid Structure … Gene Expression … *Chapter 11 chapter quiz	DNA Extraction
Week10- 10/27	EXAM 3 (Chapters 7 & 8) Chapter 13 Gene Regulation	Mitosis
Week 11- 11/3	Chapters 14 & 15 Mutation, DNA Repair … Eukaryotic Chromosomes … *PROJECTS DUE THIS WEEK *Chapter 15 chapter quiz	Meiosis
Week 12- 11/10	Chapters 16 & 17 Simple Patterns of Inheritance Complex Patterns of Inheritance	Mendelian Genetics: Frufly packet
Week 13- 11/17	EXAM 4 (Chapters 11-14) Take in test center	Molecular Biology
Week 14- 11/24	Chapter 18 Genetics of Bacteria & Viruses Review/Catch up	NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
Week 15- 12/1	Chapter 20 Genetic Technology	LAB DISCUSSION PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Week 16- 12/8	FINAL (cumulative)	NO LAB/CLASS

NOTE: your instructor reserves the right to make changes to this outline as needed.

* Lecture homework assignments.