Biol 201 003W and 005W syllabus

Spring 2016

Department of Life Sciences Stephanie HudonBiology 1 Office: Online Tues and Thur 10:00-12:00BIOL201 – 003W & 005W [email protected]

Students and Instructors are accountable for all information on the Course Syllabus, as well as the Institutional Syllabus Addendum, which is located on the Blackboard Site for this course. For further information regarding Library resources, accommodations, and more, please refer to the addendum on Bb.

Instructor AvailabilityThere are two ways to contact me outside of class time. The first resource is my virtual office hours during my posted office hours or by appointment. The second resource is via email. I will check my email Monday-Friday by 10:00am and respond to emails at that time. I may be available at other times throughout the day, but it is not guaranteed. I might not respond to email on weekends or holidays. This means that questions about assignments due Sunday night will not be answered in time to complete the assignments. Make sure to ask all questions on the assignments at least two days before the Sunday they are due.

I am always available for appointments either in person or through the Collaborate tool in Blackboard. E-mail me to schedule an appointment.

Virtual Office HoursWhat are virtual office hours? These are the hours, in this case during the day that I will be available to you online. So if you send me an email, IM, or Google Chat, I will probably answer you within seconds/minutes. As the semester progresses and I assess your comfort with online tools, we may begin to use the Collaborate tool as a virtual classroom. I will make myself available to you using tools that are most convenient for all of us!

Course DescriptionThis is an introductory biology course for science majors. It will emphasize biological principles important in understanding living organisms to include evolution, general biochemistry, cytology, Mendelian and molecular genetics. Prior completion of CHEM 101 or CHEM 111 is strongly recommended. Students who believe they may be eligible for advanced-placement status in courses listing BIOL 201 as a prerequisite should see the Biology assistant dean. Additional fee required for lab. COREQ: BIOL 201L

General Education Competency Area This course fulfills the Idaho General Education competency area of Scientific Ways of Knowing by meeting the following competencies: A. Apply foundational knowledge and models of a natural or physical science to analyze

and/or predict phenomena. (Fulfilled by all learning outcomes.)

Revision date: 5/1/23 1

B. Interpret and communicate scientific information via written, spoken, and/or visual representations. (Fulfilled by all learning outcomes.)

C. Describe the relevance of specific scientific principles to the human experience. (Fulfilled by all learning outcomes.)

Academic Affairs Objectives:This course meets the following Academic Affairs Objectives:

Learn to Learn. Students learn that as important as content knowledge is, shaping one’s future requires the development of skill in discerning, applying, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating knowledge in diverse contexts. The educational experience at CWI prepares students for a world in which they are likely to change occupations and face unpredictable life events. We strive to develop courses and learning experiences that give students the tools to confidently thrive in a complex, information-saturated, diverse, and dynamic world.

Make Connections. Students learn success in today’s interconnected world requires deliberate engagement and comfort with multiple perspectives, cultures, and contexts. In navigating difference and diversity in the natural and social worlds, students connect ideas, forms of knowledge, and practices to create a richer understanding of themselves as personally and socially responsible citizens.

Solve Problems. Students identify problems, analyze and implement solutions, and interpret and reflect on outcomes to develop skills to individually and collaboratively face challenges and create opportunities.

☐ Reason Ethically. Students learn that ethical ideas and moral conduct may be understood from many perspectives: as products of historical, cultural, and religious forces, as reflections of human nature, and as personally held attitudes and beliefs. Students learn to articulate ethical self-awareness, ethical issue recognition, and varieties of ethical perspectives to evaluate, create, and live consciously according to their own personal moral values.

Course ScheduleAssignments will be open on Mondays by 5:00 pm and will be due the following Sunday by 9:00 pm. Discussion Boards will have initial posts due on Thursdays.

Course Objectives and Outcomes Students who satisfactorily complete this course should be able to meet the following objectives:

A. Students will be able to define evolution and demonstrate an understanding of the process and theory of evolution. (meets Make Connections and Solve Problems objectives)

B. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between structure and function at multiple levels of biological organization and use this understanding to solve problems and describe relationships. (meets Make Connections and Solve Problems objectives)

C. Students will be able to discuss and provide examples of information flow within biological systems. (meets Make Connections and Solve Problems objectives)


D. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of energy and matter transformations and be able to discuss how these processes impact the global community. (meets Make Connections and Solve Problems objectives)

E. Students will be able to provide examples of biological systems and explain how they function both with the system and within the world around it. (meets Make Connections and Solve Problems objectives)

Outcomes AssessmentThe above objectives and outcomes will be assessed in the following manner:

Student Learning Outcomes

Expanded Description of Student Outcomes

Method of Assessment

Students will be able to define evolution and demonstrate an understanding of the process and theory of evolution.

1. Students will be able to discuss, evaluate, or provide examples of evolution at different levels of biological organization.

2. Students will be able describe the impact of evolution the human experience and understanding our place on earth.

Students will be assessed formatively and summatively via homework assignments, discussion boards, wikis, quizzes, lecture exams, and a signature assignment.

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between structure and function and use this understanding to solve problems and describe relationships.

1. Students will be able to provide examples of how structure informs the function including biochemical structures. .

2. Students will be able analyze how the change in a structure may impact the function of organisms at different levels of biological organization.

3. Students will be to apply these concepts to solve biological problems.

4. Students will be able to apply concepts from the theory of evolution to discuss the relationship between structure and function.

5. Students will be able describe the relationship between various biological structures and their function to the human experience.


Students will be able to discuss and provide examples of information flow within biological systems.

1. Students will be able to discuss, describe, or recognize the properties of DNA, RNA and proteins.

2. Students will be able to explain the processes of DNA replication, transcription, and translation.

3. Students will be able to discuss



the principles of heredity including Mendel’s laws and their implications.

4. Students will be to apply these concepts to solve biological problems regarding information flow.

5. Students will be able to apply concepts from the theory of evolution to discuss how biological information is modified and passed from generation to generation.

6. Students will be able describe how information flow shapes the human experience.

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of energy and matter transformations and be able to discuss how these processes impact the global community.

1. Students will understand and/or be able to communicate the fundamental processes of energy flow and nutrient cycling.

2. Students will be able to define, describe, or recognize various types of energy and matter.

3. Students will be able to apply or describe how the laws of thermodynamics apply to biological activities.


5. Students will be able describe how energy and matter transformations shape the human experience.


Students will be able to provide examples of biological systems and explain how they function both within the system and the world around it.

1. Students will be able to identify and distinguish the three types of cells (prokaryote, plant and animal) and discuss the properties of each cell type.

2. Students will be able to describe the function and importance of biological systems and their relationship to the human experience.

3. Students will be able to identify systems at different levels of biological organization and apply the concept or emergent properties at various levels.

4. Students will be able to apply, discuss, or recognize feedback mechanisms, their role within biological systems, and how they are controlled.




6. Students will be able to discuss and provide examples of how biology intersects with other scientific disciplines and how these intersections can be exploited to the benefit of the global community.

7. Students will be able to apply concepts from the theory of evolution to discuss the formation and continued changes of biological systems.

Signature AssignmentsThe signature assignment for this course will be a case study. The signature assignment will be posted, along with directions, to our Bb course site. It will be due on the final day of instruction (not finals week!) and must be uploaded to Taskstream if you are a CWID student. If you are unfamiliar with Taskstream, please see our folks in the Tutoring Lab or the IT Help Desk.

Grading Policy90% - 100% of total points = A Exams (note these are in-person!) 30%80% - 89.9% of total points = B In–person Final Exam = 10%70% - 79.9% of total points = C Assignments (quizzes, discussion boards, 60% - 69.9% of total points = D LearnSmarts, Journals etc.) = 35%Below 60% of total points = F Lab 25%

Late Assignments : Assignments are due as announced on Blackboard unless otherwise noted. Late assignments will not be accepted regardless of technical issues.

Exams: There will be three or four one hour-long exams that must completed within 1 week of the opening of the exam at the CWI testing center. The testing center requires 2 days advanced notice to schedule exams. Extensions will not be allowed for any reason. Use the course schedule to plan your semester accordingly.

Laboratory Attendance: You are strongly encouraged to attend EVERY lab. Upon recommendation of the faculty and to maintain an appropriate level of academic rigor in core biology coursework, the following laboratory attendance rules will apply to all students. A student may miss two lab periods without penalty. Upon the third missed lab period, students will be penalized 5% of the total points offered for the lecture and lab combination (equivalent to a ½ letter grade reduction). Each additional week missed will result in the same 5% reduction in points. Missed assignments or work associated with missed labs will NOT be accepted. Exceptions for military personnel will be made in accordance with College policies; no other exceptions will apply.


Technical issues associated with submitting graded works through blackboard must be reported within one week of the issue accompanied with a help desk ticket from the IT department.

Any errors in the gradebook must be brought to the instructor’s attention within one week of posting to be corrected. After this one week period has passed, the grade is permanent.

This grading scheme is subject to change based on the progression of the class.

Textbooks and Required Materials

For the textbook there are a few options. Both of the physical textbooks have the same material and only one needs to be purchased. The custom text is a smaller version with only the chapters covered in 201 represented. The regular edition will have both the chapters covered in 201 and 202. If you intend to take more Biology courses I encourage you to consider the full edition.

1. Custom Edition of Textbook with Connect Plus Access: Raven, P., G. Johnson, K. Mason, J. Losos, and S. Singer. Biology 10th ed., McGraw Hill, New York City, USA. ISBN-13: 978-1-259-37654-2. Only available through the CWI bookstore.

2. Raven, P., G. Johnson, K. Mason, J. Losos, and S. Singer. 2008. Biology 10th ed., McGraw Hill, New York City, USA. ISBN-13: 978-0-07-338307-1

Another option for the textbook is to purchase an electronic copy. This e-text comes with the Connect Plus code that may be purchased independently of the physical textbook. There are other e-text purchasing avenues you may explore as well. When you access the first assignment in Blackboard it will take you to the Connect website where you can register and purchase access. For example, click on the Chapter One quiz and it will automatically direct you to Connect.

Connect Plus is a required component and can be purchased with your textbook or separately

Methods of DeliveryThis is an online course. You will read chapters from the textbook, watch recorded lectures, complete activities within Connect Plus, and take quizzes & complete assignments through Blackboard online, write a variety of learning or reflection exercises, engage in discussions with your fellow students via the discussion board, create multi-media presentations, as well as participate in other active learning opportunities.

For the most part, you can participate in these activities on your own schedule. However, this course is NOT self-paced and assignments must be completed by the scheduled due date (see the “Grading” section of this syllabus above for late assignment policy and the course schedule for due dates). You may complete the online activities from wherever you choose─from work, home or a campus computer lab—but within a fixed schedule. This means that you will be unable to work ahead and complete the course before the semester ends. Instead, I will make available portions of the course on a weekly basis, right up to end of the semester. Classes will run from Monday evenings until the following Sunday.. All assignments and quizzes will be due by 9:00pm on Sundays (MST) with the exception of Discussion Boards which will have an initial post due on Thursdays at 9:00pm .Revision date: 5/1/23 6

In most instances, the lecture presentations and reading assignments will be the focus of our discussions and other activities. If you have questions about what you’ve read, please ask them; chances are other students will have the same questions. If you have a specific class related question that is time sensitive, please e-mail me directly to ensure a timely response.

All assignments, quizzes, or assignments are to be completed online (with the exception of exams that need to be completed at the testing center). I do not require any in-person or on-campus meeting times.

Finally, please note that the course site contains quite a bit of material that complements and supplements your text, including interactive documents, videos, audio recordings, etc. Please use these materials to enhance your understanding of the module topics. Anything posted on Bb or in Connect and all materials in the text are considered testable materials on the exam.


Course Calendar


Academic Week Week Of: Topic

Reading Assignment

In-Person Exam Scheduled

Week 1 Jan 11Introduction & Syllabus; The Science of Biology

Chapter 1 NONE

Week 2 Jan 18The Nature of Molecules and the Properties of Water

Chapter 2 NONE

Week 3 Jan 25The Chemical Building Blocks of Life

Chapter 3 NONE

Week 4 Feb 1 Cell Structure Chapter 4 NONE

Week 5 Feb 8 Cell Membranes Chapter 5

EXAM #1(Chapters 1 - 4)

Week 6 Feb 15 Energy and Metabolism Chapter 6 NONE

Week 7 Feb 22 Photosynthesis Chapter 8 NONE

Week 8 Feb 29 How Cells Harvest Energy Chapter 7 NONE

Week 9 Mar 7 How Cells Divide Chapter 10

EXAM #2(Chapters 5 - 8)

Week 10 Mar 14Sexual Reproduction and Meiosis

Chapter 11 NONE

Mar 21 No Class – Spring Break NONE

Week 11 Mar 28 Patterns of Inheritance Chapter 12 NONE

Week 12 Apr 4

Chromosomes, Mapping, and the Meiosis-Inheritance Connection

Chapter 13 NONE


Week 13 Apr 11DNA: The Genetic Material

Chapter 14 EXAM #3(Chapters 10 - 13)

Week 14 Apr 18 Genes and How They Work Chapter 15 NONE

Week 15 Apr 25 Review and Signature Assignments Due

Week 16Finals May 2-4 NONE NONE FINAL EXAM

This calendar is subject to change.Exam 1 must be taken Feb 8-13Exam 2 must be taken Mar 7-12Exam 3 must be taken Apr 11-16The Final must be taken May 2-4(three days only!)

Please call or go online to schedule your exams at least two business days in advance at:http://registerblast.com/cwidaho/Exam or call (208) 562-2542.All of your exams and the final can be scheduled the first week of classes to ensure you get the days and times you need.

Course ExpectationsBiology 1 will be a challenging course for most students. To succeed, you will need to devote approximately 3 hours of work for each credit hour the class is assigned. So, doing the math… that means you should plan to spend at least 9 hours each week on this class. This is not a set number. Some students will need more time while others may need less time. You are also expected to rely on yourself, your classmates, tutors, the companion website or other sources for help. I will be available during office hours and by appointment but a major component of your college education is working with groups of your peers and developing interpersonal skills to help you succeed in the workplace (as well as in this class!). I encourage you to work with your classmates to work on assignments, however all projects and journals must be your own work. You are free to discuss with each other, but the work must be your own.

You are encouraged log into blackboard daily to space out your work, but should not let more than two days pass without working on course material.

You will not be permitted to turn in work after deadlines. In other words – NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS ARE ACCEPTED. If you encounter a technical problem, please contact CWI technical support immediately. Links to technical support are under the Student Resources button. Online instruction requires a philosophical shift for the student and instructor. This course requires you to be more active in your learning process. In other words, you cannot be a passive learner who waits for information. Instead you must be pro-active in watching, reading, studying, writing, questioning, discussing, and understanding the material of this course. I will be your guide to knowledge, not your provider. This is part of the fun and excitement in an online course!!

Behavioral Expectations:Revision date: 5/1/23 10

Every student has the right to a respectful learning environment. In order to provide this right to all students, students must take individual responsibility to conduct themselves in a mature and appropriate manner and will be held accountable for their behavior. Students who disrupt the class or behave inappropriately or disrespectfully, as determined by the instructor, may be asked to leave the classroom.

If conduct continues to be an issue, students may be referred to Student Conduct for judicial action. It is the student’s responsibility to check their email to receive notification of any scheduled appointments or other urgent communications.

Any student who has witnessed or experienced a violation of the student code may contact Student Conduct at 562-2305, or email: [email protected]

Academic Honesty: All work submitted by a student must represent his or her own ideas, concepts, and current understanding.

All material found during research must be correctly documented to avoid plagiarism. Cheating or plagiarism in any form is unacceptable and violations may result in disciplinary action ranging from failure of the assignment to failure of the course. Repeated acts of academic dishonesty may have more severe institutional ramifications. The consequences for cheating in this class are listed below:

Any violation of the Academic Honesty Code of Conduct will result in a failing grade for the course.

Personal Technical Skills Required To Take the Course

This online class will not teach you how to use the computer, use Blackboard, navigate the web, or manage your electronic files. If you are having difficulties, you may contact your instructor, IT helpdesk (208-562-3444), and/or tutoring services (see student resources of Blackboard for information regarding tutoring services). For those participants who fear they may not be able to navigate the technical skills of this course, please use CWI services and/or see the instructor before dropping the course. We want you to succeed.

You will need to possess the ability (or be able to quickly acquire) the following minimum technology skills:

Navigate, browse, and use the Internet and Blackboard. Download/upload/create/save/edit/open Word or PDF documents, video,

and audio Download/upload and listen to or view audio and video files

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE ONLINE COURSE:1. I must emphasize again…you must have access to a reliable computer and the

internet, plus backup plans (another computer, access to a library or computer lab, etc.). If you don’t have internet access for more than a day, you risk falling behind.

2. Computer failure or an inability to get to a working computer is not an excuse for missed assignments. If availability of a machine is in question, or if because of travel or work you cannot get on the internet at least several times a week, re-evaluate taking this online course.


mailto:[email protected]

Hardware and Software RequirementsYou may not be able to view all course content through mobile devices and therefore may miss important information. Therefore, you must have daily access to a computer that has:

Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows XP, or equivalent Internet browser equivalent to Explorer 7.0 or higher (for example, Firefox,

Opera, Chrome, or Safari). Dependable High-Speed Internet access with at least 1.5 Mbps download and .5

Mbps upload. You can use speedtest.net to check your speed. Microsoft Word or equivalent Word Processing Software (e.g., OpenOffice suite).

A link for downloading OpenOffice software for free is available under the “CWI Student Resources” button.

Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, iTunes, QuickTime Player or equivalent software. You will find these links under the “CWI Student Resources” button.

A backup option must be available for all of the above items, should your primary access fail for any reason.

Access to hardwired internet access (as opposed to wifi or cell phones) to submit documents, quizzes, and test.

Methods of CommunicationCommunication in this course will take place in several ways such as the Grade Center, Discussion Board, email, and/or Blackboard announcements. Please check Blackboard and your email daily to make sure you are not missing important information regarding class content and deadlines.

Netiquette ExpectationsText-based communication is especially prone to misinterpretation. It is important that you consider this in course communication. Use academic language: please use complete sentences, appropriate punctuation, standard spelling, and capitalization. Communication should conform to academic standards of courtesy. For example, flaming, profanity, and ad hominem (personal) attacks are unacceptable. Failure to adhere to these standards will result in a zero for the assignment and may result in an immediate failure in the course. Students should be aware that the use of sarcasm is particularly prone to misinterpretation. With that in mind, do not use sarcasm. The use of emotion icons (emoticons - , , etc.) may help convey some of the important nonverbal elements of communication.

Assessment Method and Turnaround TimeFeedback for assessments will normally be given within a week after the assessment due date. Should more time be required to give feedback, an email and/or announcement will be sent. The large majority of your feedback will be input into your My Grades center either in an attached document, rubric, or in the comment box.

Instructor’s Role in Interactive AssignmentsInstructor participation in interactions will vary depending on the assignment. However, you can expect that your work will be looked at by the instructor.

Definition of AttendanceAll CWI Instructors are required to report attendance and course participation during the first two weeks to One Stop Student Services for financial aid purposes. Attendance is defined below. If you do not meet attendance standards, you can be dropped from the course.

Week 1: Login to Blackboard and McGraw Hill Connect and complete required assignments.Revision date: 5/1/23 12

http://www.speedtest.net/

Week 2: Login to Blackboard and McGraw Hill Connect and complete required assignments.During the rest of the semester: [Clarify for your course]

Affidavit of Syllabus as ContractThis syllabus serves as a contract between the instructor and the student. By continuing in this course, you accept the terms outlined above and acknowledge that any changes to this syllabus will be posted in Blackboard with a class announcement.
