BLUEGRASS COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Division of Natural Sciences
An Equal Opportunity Institution
BIO 113 – General Biology Laboratory
Spring 2017 Syllabus and Course Objectives
Course Title: General Biology Laboratory
Course Number & Section: BIO 113
Location: ACHS Room 151
Credit Hours: 1
Division: Natural Sciences
Instructor: Sharon Sutherland
Contact Information:
Office Hours: 7:30 – 7:45 a.m.
3:10 – 3:30 p.m.
Or by appointment
Course Coordinator: Norman Strobel (OB 332B) 246-6456
Biology Coordinator: Rebecca McCane (OB 234A) 246-6442
Assistant Dean: Tammy Liles (OB 234K) 246-6449
Division Office Manager: Phyllis Cunningham (OB 234) 246-6445
Prerequisite or Co-requisite: Biology 112
Official Course Description: Laboratory studies in the structure and function of cells, plants, and animals; ecology; heredity; and evolution. This course is not for life science majors.
Accommodations: Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic
adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact a staff member in BCTC’s Disability Support Services (DSS) office. Please do not request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor. DSS Contact Info: http://www.bluegrass/kctcs/edu/dss/aspx DSS Toll-Free: 1-866-774-4872 ext. 6728
DSS Office Locations: Cooper Campus (OB 320-C) 246-6728 Leestown Campus (C 116) 246-6735
Code of Student Conduct: All rules and regulations set forth in the current edition of the
Student Code of Conduct will be followed in this course. Failure to abide by these policies will be grounds for dismissal from the course. If a student has any questions concerning these or other policies, refer to this booklet, available in OB200 or http://www.kctcs.edu/Students/Admissions/Academic_Policies/Code_of_Student_
conduct.aspx
Textbook: There is no textbook to purchase for this course. The labs will be posted and
available to print out on Blackboard.
Weather or Emergency Closing Information: Since this is a dual credit course taught at Anderson County High School, we will follow the inclement weather schedule for the high school. If school is cancelled for Anderson County, BIO 113 is also cancelled.
SAP Statement: If you receive grants and/or loans to pay for this class, you should be aware that withdrawing from or failing this class may affect your future financial aid eligibility. You should
review the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy for additional
information. Contact the Financial Aid Office for a copy of the SAP policy. You are expected to attend class and have the required textbook(s) even though you have not received your financial aid or you may have an appeal in process.
GENERAL EDUCATION COMPETENCIES, LEARNING OUTCOMES, AND COURSE OBJECTIVES FOR BIO 113
The BIO 113 course will address the following general education competencies and learning outcomes:
General Education Competencies
A. Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural worlds through the study of science, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, history, languages, and the arts.
B. Intellectual and practical skills, including: inquiry and analysis
• critical and creative thinking
• written and oral communications
• quantitative literacy
• informative literacy
• teamwork and problem solving
C. Personal and social responsibility, including:
• civic knowledge and engagement (local and global)
• intercultural knowledge and competence
• ethical reasoning and action
• foundations and skills for lifelong learning
D. Integrative and applied learning, including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized skills.
Student Learning Outcomes for Natural Sciences
In BIO 113, students will learn to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the methods of science inquiry by using the logic of thescientific method to answer biological questions and draw sound scientific conclusions.
2. Explain basic concepts and principles in one or more of the sciences by comprehendingbasic biological concepts and principles that govern living organisms as presented inclass.
3. Apply scientific principles to interpret and make predictions in one or more of the
sciences by solving genetics problems and experimental design problems.
4. Explain how scientific principles relate to issues of personal and/or public importance by understanding the position of humans in the hierarchy of life.
LABORATORY POLICIES
Attendance: Class attendance is required. Attendance will be taken at each class period. If a student has excused absences in excess of 20% of the class contact hours (this is equal to 3 labs), the student will be asked to consider withdrawing from the course. You need to be on time for class. Class begins promptly at 11:06 am. Don’t be late!
Assignments;
· Labs:
o Each week we will complete a new laboratory exercise. Each laboratory exercise
has accompanying worksheets that will be posted on Blackboard for students to print off and bring to class to complete during the class.
o Each lab exercise printed has experiments
and questions that must be answered and turned in at the start of the following class.
o Completed labs are due at the beginning of the following lab class period.
o Each student must submit their own, completed laboratory exercise. A student may not sign their partners’ laboratory exercise and claim it as their own.
Completed labs may be turned in up to one week late for half credit. Lab
assignments will not be taken if they are older than one week.
o Students will not be allowed to leave during class to go print off their lab exercise.
o If a student is caught doing this, they will be docked half-credit for the assignment.
o Each week’s lab exercise is worth 15 points.
:
· Quizzes:
Pre-Lab Quiz on Study Island - a new Study Island quiz will be posted on the Friday or Saturday prior to lab. Students will read the new lab procedure and then take the quiz on Study Island. This ensures that students are familiar with the next lab procedure before they come to class to complete it. The quiz is due by the end of the day on Monday. After midnight, students will no longer be able to access or submit the quiz. Students cannot make up the Blackboard Quiz under any circumstances.
Each Blackboard Quiz is worth 10 points.
Post-Lab In-class Quiz – A short quiz will be given over the material covered during the previous week’s lab on Tuesday or Thursday. You will know in advance on which day. These questions are more detailed and difficult than the questions on the Study Island quiz. Students are encouraged to use their completed labs to study for the In-Class Quizzes.
In-class Quizzes are worth 20 points.
· Exams:
Two exams are given during the semester. The midterm covers laboratory
experiments prior to Midterm. The final exam covers laboratory experiments 8-12.
The final exam is NOT comprehensive. Exams will consist of multiple-choice, short answer, essay, and hands-on practical questions
Each exam is worth 100 points.
Computation of Total Course Grade:
A modification of the final grade may be made at the discretion of the instructor based upon effort, professional attitude, attendance, or other extenuating circumstances.
The exam grading scale will be as follows:
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
0-59% = E
Make-up Work Policy
• Labs:
Because of space and time constraints, it is not feasible to set out materials and equipment for a particular lab once the lab week is completed. Also, most labs are collaborative. Students work in pairs or small groups to investigate a topic.
If you must be absent on the day work is due, it is your responsibility to turn it in
early or make arrangements for someone else to turn it in on the due date. You may place it in my mailbox in the main building office or you may also e-mail it to me. If turned in the following week, it will count for half credit. Work turned in more than a week late will not be accepted.
If you miss a lab class, you cannot complete the lab exercises and cannot turn in
the lab handout for that week. You will thereby lose those lab points for that week.
It is the student's responsibility to learn the missed information.
• Quizzes:
Quizzes are given each week. Make-up quizzes are only given in cases where
the student was present and participated in the lab that quiz covers, and if the student can
provide a written, excused reason for being absent.
If a student was absent for a lab, he/she cannot take the quiz for that lab. If an
excused absence cannot be presented, then a zero will be given for that quiz.
• Exams:
Students are expected to contact the instructor within 24 hours of an exam in
order for the absence to be excused (unless prior notification is required). It is the
instructor’s responsibility to determine if an absence is excusable. Because of space and
time constraints, it is not feasible to set out materials and equipment for a lab exam once
that week is completed. If you absolutely have to miss an exam for an excused absence,
you need to make immediate arrangements to take the exam ASAP.
• Food/Drink:
No eating, drinking, or gum chewing is permitted in the lab area at any time. This is a safety regulation.
• Use of Cell Phones: Use of cell phones is PROHIBITED during class. Cell phones
must be kept in your purse or backpack during class.
Tentative Lab Schedule: This schedule is subject to change based on inclement weather or other schedule limiting events.
Week Of: / Topics:Jan 3 / Introduction; Lab Procedures, Equipment and Safety
Jan 10 / Lab Procedures, Equipment and Safety Check off test
Jan 17 / Animal Behavior and the Scientific Method
Jan 24 / Enzyme Catalysis
Jan 31 / Microscopy
Feb 7 / Microscopy
Feb 14 / Cell Cycle
Feb 21 / Patterns of Inheritance
Feb 28 / MIDTERM LAB EXAM
Mar 7 / Natural Selection
Mar 14 / Basic Zoology Survey Sets Dissection
Mar 21 / Basic Animal Survey Sets Dissection/ Fetal Pig
Mar 27 / Fetal Pig Dissection
Apr 4 / Spring Break
Apr 11 / Population Ecology
Apr 18 / Survivorship Curves
Apr 25 / Final Lab Exam
May 2 / Final Exam Week