COURSE SYLLABUS

BSC 1005C-Biological Sciences with Lab # 5609Online Instruction

Semester Code 535: Semester and Year Fall 2017

INSTRUCTORName: Professor Kelli StickrathEmail: Stickrath.kelli@spcollege.eduPhone: 727.712.5835Office and Online Chat Hours: will enter once scheduledOffice Location: Tarpon Springs Campus, LY 211Instructor Web Page:

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTDean: Dr. Natavia MiddletonOffice Location: Midtown Campus, MT 310Office Phone Number: 727-398-8288 Email: middleton.natavia@spcollege.edu

Academic Chair: Mr. Michael DavisOffice Location:   LY 206, Tarpon Springs CampusOffice Number:  727.712.5459 Email: davis.michael@spcollege.edu

Syllabus Addendum: www.spcollege.edu/addendum

COURSE INFORMATION Course Description: This course introduces the essential principles relevant to the biological sciences through combined lecture and laboratory activities. Contemporary issues are applied to topics in biology and include the process of science, evolutionary theory, organisms and ecology, cell structure and function, basic biological chemistry, diversity of life, and genetic mechanisms. The course has 7 modules with dated assignments in each section. The dates of the opening and closing of each module/section are listed in the course schedule.

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Course Goals: Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through online measures developed by individual course instructors. Course Objectives: 1. The student will demonstrate their understanding of the process of science by:

a. explaining the terms and premises involved in solving problems scientifically, scientific research, and peer review. b. identifying an observation of interest, developing a hypothesis and designing an experiment to test it. c. discussing scientific contemporary issues using essential science skills including, but not limited to, critical thinking, efficient written and/or oral communication, and the ability to identify reliable scientific information.

2. The student will be able to explain the diversity of life and identify the general characteristics of each of the major life groups by:

a. naming characteristics of major biological taxonomic categories. b. comparing major taxonomic categories, distinguishing similarities and differences among them. c. identifying live and/or preserved specimens belonging to each of the major taxonomic groups.

3. The student will describe the underlying organization of nature, including the basic structure, function and homeostatic integration in select biological organisms by:

a. recognizing levels of complexity in nature. b. identifying major cellular structures and their functions. c. describing the processes of cell division and its role in the life cycle of organisms. d. describing how organisms obtain and process energy, with special emphasis on photosynthesis and aerobic cellular respiration. e. describing how organ systems function in order to provide homeostasis. f. performing dissection of selected organisms to identify major structural components relevant to their function and maintenance of homeostasis.

4. The student will explain the conceptual basis of evolutionary theory by:

a. applying the principles of evolutionary theory to the understanding of changes in abundance and kinds of life with time. b. describing different mechanisms of evolution such as natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow. c. describing the importance of mutation in producing variation. d. explaining the evidence of evolutionary change.

5. The student will describe the basic concepts and application of genetics by:

a. differentiating among chromosomes, genes, alleles, genotype and phenotype. b. solving genetics problems involving complete dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked traits, multiple alleles,multiple genes and simple pedigrees. c. describing the role of meiosis in heredity. d. describing technology that arises from our understanding of genetics and explaining its uses and implications.

6. The student will demonstrate their understanding of basic ecological principles by:

a. explaining the flow of energy through ecosystems with respect to the laws of thermodynamics governing flow through successive trophic levels. b. analyzing biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems.

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c. explaining community ecology and interactions among populations. d. describing population dynamics, human population growth and topics in sustainability.

7. The student will demonstrate the use of basic scientific equipment and techniques by:

a. using a microscope to observe cellular structures and other specimens as well as identifying the parts of the microscope. b. using various types of scientific equipment to collect specimens or conduct scientific experiments. c. applying the knowledge of use of the equipment to real world scenarios.

Prerequisites: ENC 1101 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C

Availability of Course Content All assignments have posted due dates and students may not make up past due assignments unless a valid reason for missing the class work has been submitted to the instructor. The course will open on the first day of class, and close on the completion of the final exam, when grades will then be posted to MySPC.

Proctored Testing Information: Student will have a proctored midterm October 6-8 and final exam December 1-3. You will need to make arrangements to take your exams.  Please see information in the Online Proctored Testing module under the course content tab.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK & OTHER RESOURCE INFORMATION Required Textbook:Discover Biology. 6th edition. 2015. Singh-Cundy, Cain and Dusheck. WW. Norton & Company. ISBN: 9780393644234Discover Biology website assignments are not mandatory; however, they have helpful resources when studying for quizzes and exams. StudySpace is free to students and included flash cards to quiz yourself on chapter materials. http://wwnorton.com/college/biology/discoverbio5/ Bookstore: www.spcollege.edu/textbooksLibrary: www.spcollege.edu/libraries

LEARNER SUPPORT Accessibility: www.spcollege.edu/drAcademic Support Services: www.spcollege.edu/supportOn-Campus Support: www.spcollege.edu/tutoring/#tab=2Online Support: www.spcollege.edu/tutoring/#tab=3Student Services and Resources: www.spcollege.edu/services

IMPORTANT DATESAugust 14th First Day of ClassesAugust 18th Last Day to Drop and Receive RefundSeptember 4th Labor DayOctober 6-8th Midterm ExamsBSC1005C Standard Course Page 3 of 11

October 19th Withdrawal DateOctober 31st All College Day- no classesNovember 10th Veteran’s DayNovember 22nd-26th Thanksgiving HolidayDecember 1st-3rd Final Exams

Financial Aid Dates: www.spcollege.edu/pages/dynamic.aspx?id=800

DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

ATTENDANCEThe College-wide attendance policy is included in the Syllabus Addendum: www.spcollege.edu/addendum/#attendThe policy notes that each instructor is to exercise professional judgment and define “active participation” in class (and therefore “attendance”), and publish that definition in each syllabus.For this class, attendance is defined as daily log-ins Monday through Thursday, and all work completed AND submitted within the posted time frame. Three or more missed assignments anytime throughout the semester is considered not participating and you will be dropped from the course. Missing an exam will guarantee you being dropped. An absence is considered excused with written documentation and verified by the instructor. Since this course is available online, you can participate from any location with internet access. In addition, have a backup plan-a place to go that has access to a computer in case your computer fails to function. Not having a computer/having a broken computer, no internet is no excuse for missing assignments.

GRADINGThis class uses a weighted percentage system, which means all assignments for a certain category make up a percentage of your grade regardless of the number of points for each assignment. Each category holds a certain value towards your overall grade. Here is the breakdown of all grade categories:Exams- Exams #1 & 3Midterm (Exam #2) and Final (Exam #4)

20%40%-Proctored

Quizzes-(lowest dropped) 20%Graded Online Activities 20%**PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME ACTIVITIES ARE CALLED QUIZZES IN MYCOURSES BUT THEY ARE STILL ACTIVITIES. WHEN IN DOUBT, PLEASE REVIEW THE COURSE SCHEDULE.Grading Scale:

Letter Grade PercentageA 90-100B 80-89C 70-79D 60-69F >60

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Rubrics have been provided for written assignments to help understand grading.

STUDENTS’ EXPECTATIONS AND INSTRUCTOR’S EXPECTATIONSStudent expectations of the instructor:

You can expect your instructor to provide you with an online syllabus clearly stating course policies and grading scale. 

You can expect your instructor to grade assignments in a timely fashion. You can expect your instructor to respond to questions in a timely manner. Most

communication will take place through the D2L email system. Emails through the regular email system will not be returned.

You can expect your instructor to provide you with the same quality information as in any class, online or face to face.

You can expect your instructor to clearly state expectations for assignments, including what the assignment requires you to do and how it will be graded. In many cases a rubric will be provided to help you understand the grading process.

You CANNOT expect your online instructor to make special exceptions for you about assignment due dates or other class requirements.

You CANNOT expect your instructor to read your work any time you want.  I will not be able to give you comments on work other after the due date.

Instructor’s Expectations of Students Be prepared to work as hard, or harder, in this course as you would in a face-to-

face course. In average, students who take online classes spend 10-12 hours a week doing class work. This class may take you more than that.

Test your technology prior to participating in any new activities.

Read the syllabus. For an online course, the syllabus provides the guidelines and expectations for your participation. 

Check your course site at least once every 24 hours. Some instructors might choose to send updates via email, while others might post announcements that you will only see by logging in to the course management system and accessing your course. For activities that require prompt feedback, your instructor might expect you to access the course and participate at least once per day.

Check your email frequently. Accessing email at least once per day is highly recommended for online students.

Schedule regular times for your online activities. Plan to spend at least one evening a week and a few hours each weekend on your coursework.

Be an active participant. Complete all readings, participate in discussions, and complete activities on time.

Be willing to use resources outside the course and to effectively summarize that information for assessment. All required videos and websites will need to have notes taken on the information to prepare you to understand the material and be tested on this

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material. It is your responsibility to view/participate/complete the needed work to be effective on the assessments.

Be proactive. Pay attention to due dates and don’t expect your instructor to remind you when deadlines are approaching.

Required Interaction (e.g., expectations on communication between and among students and the instructor). You are required to check D2L on a daily basis Monday through Thursday, and are responsible for all due dates, assignment modifications, and class general information. Updates occur almost daily, so that is your expected participation level. Tests and assignments can be due on weekends, and holidays.Online Student Participation and Conduct Guidelines: www.spcollege.edu/addendum/#onlineguideAcademic Honesty: www.spcollege.edu/academichonestyNetiquette: SPC has outlined expectations for student behavior and interaction for online discussions, email, and other forms of communication: www.spcollege.edu/addendum/#expectations

TURNITINThe instructor of this course requires the use of Turnitin.com as a tool to promote learning. The tool flags similarity and mechanical issues in written work that merit review. Use of the service enables students and faculty to identify areas that can be strengthened through improved paraphrasing, integration of sources, or proper citation. Submitted papers remain as source documents in the Turnitin database solely for the purpose of detecting originality. Students retain full copyright to their works. The Turnitin Usage Agreement can be reviewed at: turnitin.com/agreement.asp. Students who do not wish to submit work through Turnitin must notify their instructor via course email within the first seven days of the course. In lieu of Turnitin use, faculty may require a student to submit copies of sources, preliminary drafts, a research journal, or an annotated bibliography.

STUDENT SURVEY OF INSTRUCTIONThe Student Survey of Instruction is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement.TECHNOLOGYMinimum Technology Requirements:

Have access to a reliable, internet-connected computer with an operating system that supports standard web browsers and word processing applications

The ability to download plugins and media readers that may be necessary to access some course content

Students with disabilities need to have access to any assistive technologies needed to navigate and read web content. The SPC Disability Resource Center can help you determine what tools you need to study online.

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Have a backup plan in case your technology fails. Technology failure is not an excuse for missed work. The campus has computers in the LSC, libraries have computers, and friends have computers.

Minimum Technical Skills: Use the Internet. Open and run applications, especially productivity software like word processors and

spreadsheet programs. Open and navigate to particular websites. Write and respond to email messages Add attachments to email messages; and Download and install software, including any applicable Java or Adobe Flash updates. Be proficient with the Learning Management System (LMS)-For SPC it is Desire to Learn

(D2L).Accessibility of Technologies: MyCourses (Brightspace by D2L) Accessibility Statement: www.brightspace.com/about/accessibility

Privacy: MyCourses (Brightspace by D2L) Privacy Statement: www.brightspace.com/legal/privacy

Technical Support: www.spcollege.edu/helpdesk

Online learning skillsMuch has been written about the characteristics that make some learners successful. The list below represents a compilation of the most common features of successful online learners and some of the best practices that can lead to success.The successful online learner should:

1. Possess self-motivation and self-disciplined study habits. Since the online environment lacks much of the structure present in the face-to-face classroom, you must exercise real commitment when adhering to deadlines. In an online course you will need to:

o Log in regularly – usually several times per weeko Plan to spend 10-12 hours per week on each 4-credit courseo Be prepared to interact in large or small group written “discussions” with other

studentso Be able to complete individual or group projects and submit electronic fileso Ask for help if technical or academic problems arise

2. Be proficient with time management: students often decide to take online courses because they do not have the time to attend class in person. But to be successful online, you must carve out time from family and work commitments to spend on your online coursework.

3. Meet the technical and computer skill requirements below: o Have access to a reliable, internet-connected computer with an operating system

that supports standard web browsers and word processing applications

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o The ability to download plugins and media readers that may be necessary to access some course content

o Students with disabilities need to have access to any assistive technologies needed to navigate and read web content. The SPC Disability Resource Center can help you determine what tools you need to study online.

4. Be able to communicate through writing: Moving from the face-to-face classroom to the online environment involves a transition from the spoken to the written word. Many online courses also require a great deal of reading in the course site. You should also:

o Have good research skills and understand basic web navigation and search strategies

o Be able to work collaboratively, even when communication is via email or course discussion boards. You may not meet your fellow students in person or in a “synchronous” conversation, but online learning requires good social skills and “netiquette.”

ASSIGNMENTSTentative Class ScheduleReadings are in bold face.

Quiz Assessments are in italics, and Graded Online Activities are underlined. Both Quizzes and Graded Online Activities are worth a grade.

All assignments are due by 11:30pm Sunday night. Review sheets for the exams will be provided in MyCourses.

Date/Week Module Activity Notes/Links1-8/14 1 Reading #1 – Chapter 14

Video #1 – Evolution, It’s a ThingVideo #2 – Natural SelectionVideo #3 – Animal Development: We’re Just TubesActivity #1 – Evidence to Support EvolutionActivity # 2-Discussion: Evolution in Current HistoryAssessment #1– Course Syllabus Quiz (located in BEGIN HERE Module)Assessment #2 – Quiz Chapter 14

8/20

2 – 8/21 1 Reading #1 – Chapter 15Video #1- Speciation: Of Ligers & MenVideo #2 – Population Genetics: When Darwin Met MendelVideo #3 – Evolutionary Development; Chicken TeethVideo #4 – MutationsActivity # 1 – Discussion “Mutations in Evolution”Assessment #1-Quiz Chapter 15Activity #2-Vocabulary, “Doing Good Science” – Submit to Dropbox

8/27

3-8/28 2 Reading #1 – Chapter 1Reading #2 – Scientific Observation

9/3

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Video #1 – Process of ScienceVideo #2 – The Scientific MethodActivity #1-Discussion “Doing Good Science”Activity #2 – “My Science Experiment” – Observations – Submit to DropboxAssessment #1 – Quiz: Processes of Science

4-9/4

9/8-9/10

3 Reading #1 – Reading Chapter 9-11 (on the midterm)Video #1 – DNA Structure and ReplicationVideo #2 – DNA, Hot Pockets, and the Longest Word EverVideo #3 – The Twisting Tale of DNAVideo #4 – Genotypes and PhenotypesVideo #5 – HeredityActivity #1 – My Science Experiment – Analysis – Submit to Dropbox in Module 2Assessment #1-Quiz Chapter 9 – 10Assessment #2 – Quiz Genetics Chapter 11Exam #1 on Modules 1 & 2 Chapters 1, 14, & 15

9/10

5-9/11 3 Reading #1 – Chapter 7 – Meiosis – Section 7.5 – page 161 – 168Reading #2 – Chapter 13Video #1 – MeiosisVideo #2 – Meiosis: Where Sex StartsVideo # 3– DNA FingerprintingVideo #4- How to Sequence the Human GenomeActivity #1 – Discussion – DNA Technology and SocietyActivity #2 – Genetics Problems – Submit to DropboxAssessment #1– Quiz Meiosis

9/17

6- 9/18 4 Reading #1 – Chapters 17 – 19Video #1 – Classification PresentationVideo #2 – Taxonomy: Life’s Filing SystemVideo #3 – Comparative Anatomy: What Makes Us AnimalsVideo #4 – Simple Animals: Sponges, Jellies, & OctopusesActivity #1 – Simple Animals – Porifera to NematodaAssessment #1 – Chapters 17 & 18Assessment #2- Simple Animals Quiz

9/24

7-9/25 4 Video #1 – Complex Animals: Annelids & ArthropodsVideo #2 – ChordatesActivity #1 – Complex Animals – Annelida to ChordataAssessment #1 – Complex Animals Quiz

10/1

8 – 10/2

10/6-10/8

4 Reading #1 - Chapter 20, 21 for Exam #3Video #1 – Ecology – Rules for Living on EarthVideo #2 – Ecosystem Ecology: Links in the ChainActivity #1 - “Who Feeds Where?”Assessment #1-Quiz-Chapters 20-21

Exam #2 Proctored Midterm on Modules 3 & 4 Chapters 7

10/8

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(meiosis only), 9-11, 13, 17-199 –10/9 5 Reading #1 - Chapters 23, 24, and 25 for Exam #3

Video #1 – The Hydrologic and Carbon Cycles: Always RecycleVideo #2 – Nitrogen & Phosphorus Cycles: Always Recycle! Part 2Video #3 – 5 Human Impacts on the EnvironmentActivity #1 – Discussion - What is My Impact?Activity #2 – Summarize Florida’s Major Natural SystemsAssessment #1 Quiz Chapters 23, 24, and 25

10/15

10 –10/16 6 Video #1 – The MicroscopeActivity #1- Label the MicroscopeActivity #2 – Microscope Use Activity- Submit to DropboxAssessment #1 Quiz - Microscope Parts/ Use

10/22

11-10/23 6 Video #1 – The Times and Troubles of the Scientific MethodVideo #2 – The Scientific Method: Steps, Terms and ExamplesVideo #3 – Scientific MeasurementActivity #1 – Employing the Scientific Method and Measurement

10/29

12-10/30

11/3-5

7 Reading #1 – Chapter 3 (on the final exam)Reading #2 – Chapter 4 (on the final exam)Video #1 – The Hierarchy of LifeVideo #2 – A Tour of the CellVideo #3 – Why are Cells Small?Video #4 – Eukaryopolis – The City of Animal CellsVideo #5 – Plant CellsVideo #6 – In Da Club – Membranes and TransportVideo #7 – Cell Organelles – Part 1Video #8 – Cell Organelles – Part 2Assessment #1 – Quiz – Cell PartsExam #3 on Module 5 & 6 20-21, 23-25, Microscope Info

11/5

13-11/6 7 Reading #1 – Chapter 7 (mitosis only)Reading #2 – Chapters 5-6Video #1 – Mitosis 1Video #2 – Mitosis: Splitting Up is ComplicatedVideo #3 – Mitosis 2Video #4 – ATP & RespirationVideo #5 – PhotosynthesisVideo #6 – HomeostasisVideo #7 – Homeostasis DisruptionsAssessment #1- Quiz – Chapters 5 & 6

11/12

14 – 11/13 7 Reading #1 – Chapter 26Video/Activity #1 – Virtual Frog DissectionAssessment #1 – Quiz – Anatomy of a FrogAssessment #2 – Quiz – Chapters 7 & 26

11/19

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15- 11/20 Thanksgiving week 11/2616 – 11/27Exam 12/1-12/3

Exam #4– Final Exam – PROCTORED on Chapters 3-6, 7 (mitosis), and 26

12/3Proctored Link

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