Concepts of Biology - Biol 1220

Rochester Community and Technical College

Fall 2005

Instructor

Dr. J. Rubin, Ph.D.                                        Office Phone:         285-7149

Jennifer.Rubin@roch.edu                              Office Location:     ST221

*EMAIL is the best way to reach me*            Office Hours:        Weds 10-11 am, 1-2 pm;

My website: www.rctc.edu/faculty/jrubin                                   Thurs 12-1 pm; or by appt.                  

WK

DAY

DATE

TOPIC (subject to modification)

READING

LAB (Thursdays)

1

M

22-Aug

Intro, Methods in Biology

Ch 1

No Lab

 

W

24-Aug

Chemistry

Ch 2

 

F

26-Aug

Carbon compounds

Ch 3

2

M

29-Aug

Carbon Compounds

Ch 3

Ex 1 Sci Method

Ex 2 Metric System

 

W

31-Aug

Cell Structure and Function

Ch 4

 

F

2-Sept

Cell Structure and Function

Ch 4

3

M

5-Sept

Labor Day – No class

 

Ex 3 Microscopy

 

W

7-Sept

Cell Membranes/Diffusion

Ch 5

 

F

9-Sept

Cell Membranes/Diffusion

Ch 5

4

M

12-Sept

Exam 1

Ch 2-5

Ex 5 Diffusion/Osmosis

 

W

14-Sept

Enzymes/Transport

Ch 5

 

F

16-Sept

Enzymes/Transport

Ch 5

5

M

19-Sept

Metabolism

Ch 6

Ex 6 Enzymes

 

W

21-Sept

Metabolism

Ch 6

 

F

23-Sept

Metabolism

Ch 6

6

M

26-Sept

Photosynthesis

Ch 7

Ex 8 Respiration

Ex 7 Photosynthesis

 

W

28-Sept

Student Success Day

 

 

F

30-Sept

Photosynthesis

Ch 7

7

M

3-Oct

Photosynthesis/Review

Ch 7

Computer lab (ST205)

    Handout: Cell Cycle

Ex 9 Cell Cycle

 

W

5-Oct

Exam 2

Ch 5-7

 

F

7-Oct

Cell division and mitosis

Ch 8

8

M

10-Oct

Meiosis

Ch 8

Lab Quiz 1

Handout: Meiosis

 

W

12-Oct

Meiosis

Ch 8

 

F

14-Oct

Patterns of Inheritance

Ch 9

9

M

17-Oct

Patterns of Inheritance

Ch 9

No Lab

 

W

19-Oct

Chromosomes; Inheritance

Ch 9

 

Th-F

20&21-Oct

MEA - No class

 

10

M

24-Oct

Chromosomes; Inheritance

Ch 9

Appendix: Genetics Problems

 

W

26-Oct

Chromosomes; Inheritance

Ch 9

 

F

28-Oct

Exam 3

Ch 8-9

11

M

31-Oct

DNA and replication

Ch 10

Handout: Nucleic Acids

Practice: Gel Analysis

 

W

2-Nov

From DNA to Protein

Ch 10

 

F

4-Nov

Staff Development – No class

 

12

M

7-Nov

Career Day – No class

 

Handout: Gel Electrophoresis

 

W

9-Nov

Recombinant DNA

Ch 12

 

F

11-Nov

Evolutionary Thought

Ch 13

 

 

 

13

M

14-Nov

Natural Selection

Ch 13

Analyze Gels

Ex 12 Evolutionary Agents

 

W

16-Nov

Natural Selection, Speciation

Ch 13, 14

 

F

18-Nov

Macroevolution

Ch 15

14

M

21-Nov

Exam 4

Ch 10, 12-15

No Lab

 

W

23-Nov

Biosphere

Ch 34

 

Th-F

24&25-Nov

Thanksgiving – No class

 

15

M

28-Nov

Biomes

Ch 35

Computer lab (ST205)

     Handout: Harris Hawks

Ex 13 Ecology

 

W

30-Nov

Population Ecology

Ch 35

 

F

2-Dec

Community Interactions

Ch 36

16

M

5-Dec

Community Interactions

Ch 36

Lab Quiz 2

 

W

7-Dec

Ecosystems

Ch 36

 

F

9-Dec

Ecosystems

Ch 36

17

M

12-Dec

Behavior

Ch 37

No Lab

 

W

14-Dec

Catch-up/Review

 

 

F

16-Dec

Exam 5

Ch 34-37

 

General Course Information

Lecture  MWF                                      9-9:50 am                SH210

 

            Labs       Thurs           Section 01         8-9:50 am                ST309

                                    Section 02       10-11:50 am              ST309

                                    Section 03         1-2:50 pm               ST309

                                    Section 04         3-4:50 pm               ST309

 

Textbook Biology: Concepts and Connections, Campbell, Reece, Mitchell, and Taylor; 4th edition,

Benjamin Cummings 2003

 

Lab Manual Custom biology lab manual for Starr and Taggart’s Biology, by Perry, Morton and Perry

 

Course website https://rctc.ims.mnscu.edu/ The website can be reached from the RCTC homepage: click on Enrolled Students, then Desire2Learn (D2L) login link. Your Username is your 8-digit Stinger ID (with the leading zeroes) + the digits 306.  Your password is your first name (first letter capitalized).  Go the the IT Help Desk to get your login and password so you can access this website from computers on campus.  I will occasionally update the “Content” link of the course website for Biology 1220 with current grades, an excel file that will show the points earned out of the total points possible.  This file will typically be updated after each exam.  On the scantron form for the first exam, for purposes of confidentiality, you will create a unique 4-or 5-digit number that will be used as your identifier for grades posted on the course website; no names or stinger IDs will be used.  Write that number somewhere so you will remember it.

 

Course Requirements

Prerequisites                                                                                     Recommended entry skills/knowledge

High school biology or BIOL 1101 or equivalent                College-level reading and writing skills

High school chemistry or CHEM 1101                                 A working knowledge of algebra

                                                                                               


Grading    

The grade you receive for the course will be based on the total points you receive for exams, quizzes, homework, lab participation, and lab assignments divided by the total number of points possible multiplied by 100 to give you a percent of the total points that you earn.  (Note: an example of point allocation - point values are subject to change.) 

                        5 exams (~50 pts each)                    250 pts

                        Quizzes/homework/assignments    75 pts

                        Lab assignments                                75 pts

                        Lab quizzes                                        50 pts

 

Grading Scale

90.00 – 100+               A

80.00 -  89.99            B

70.00 -  79.99            C          Note: Earned scores will not be rounded up.  Grades will not be based on a curve.

60.00 -  69.99            D

< 60.00                        F

 

There will be no makeup exams or assignments [except in a case of extreme emergency (e.g., you are in the hospital)].  If you are not present for a scheduled exam and have not spoken to the instructor BEFORE the scheduled exam, you will receive a zero for the exam.  You MUST make prior arrangements with the instructor.  If a make-up exam is given, it must be taken during the instructor’s office hours and within three school days of the original date of the exam; otherwise a zero will result.  If you fail to contact the instructor before the exam, but you feel your excuse is valid, talk to the instructor.  You may be able to recover some of the missed points by having the next exam worth double the points to account for points on the missed exam (with 10% deduction for late notification) – this will be solely at the instructor’s discretion. 

 

Other Business

Attendance policy

Students are expected to attend ALL lectures and labs.  There will be no make-up of missed in-class assignments.  There will be a five point deduction for each unexcused absence from lab.  Late assignments are discouraged; they get a 50% late penalty.  See me if sudden or unexpected circumstances (HOWEVER, ‘my car broke down,’ ‘my boss wouldn’t let me leave work,’ etc. are not acceptable excuses).

 

Academic Integrity Policy

NO form of academic dishonesty (i.e., cheating, plagiarism) will be tolerated.  “Wandering eyes” during exam or quiz time will be interpreted as cheating; keep your eyes on your own paper.  Any student suspected of academic dishonesty shall be dealt with according to RCTC Policy 3.6; the most likely result being a zero for the assignment.

 


Reading the Text Book

You are not expected to read the entire assigned chapter before you come to class, but you are expected to have spent at least 15 minutes reading the introduction page and summary page and skimming the chapter.  I suggest that you write down the main points from the assigned reading before class.  After class, read the details for the specific sections covered in lecture.

 

Extra Credit

None – Why?  Extra credit assignments are a distraction from the material and skills that are the focus of this course.  Those students with extra time are the students with excellent performance.  The students doing less well in the course need the extra time to study for exams and prepare for class.  For ideas on how to improve your performance, see the instructor during office hours. 

 

Special Needs/Disability Statement

If you have any type of physical or learning disability or require special accommodations, please notify the instructor or Student Support Services (1st floor, Main Campus).  There are excellent services available on campus (e.g., counseling, drop-in tutoring, alternative exam arrangements, etc.) - they are here for you. 

 

 


Biology 1220 – Table to monitor overall score for the course: exams, quizzes, and assignments

 

Exams

Lecture

Lab

 

 

Quizzes

Assignments

Quizzes

Assignments

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I encourage you to keep track of your scores for all exams, quizzes, and assignments.  I would record scores as follows:  For example, for exam 1, I would write 45/50, so you know what you received out of the total points that were possible.  When you want to know your current percentage for the course, total your scores earned on everything to date, and divide your total by the total points possible to date; multiply your result by 100 and you have the percent. 

 

Keep track of percent during the semester:

 

Date

Percent of total points earned