Topics covered include cell biology, genetics, plant structure and function, ecology and animal structure and function. Lectures and laboratory work are coordinated. There are three hours of lecture and three hours of lab per week. The prerequisite is placement in English 131.  Students scoring below 42 on the asset reading test are to complete remedial English courses before taking Biology 131. 

Instructor

Lab Manual

Lab Guide

Course Objectives

Attendance Policy

All students are expected to be present at the start of lecture and lab. 

Being on time for class shows respect, it allows fellow students to learn effectively, and it increases the chances that all students will be successful. It also demonstrates maturity and responsibility.

Once seated in the classroom, remain seated during the entire lecture.  Other students find it disruptive to have people entering and leaving the classroom during lecture.

Private conversations should be conducted outside of class.

Handouts will be made available throughout the semester. It is your responsibility to obtain copies of this material and retain it in an organized fashion for future reference.

It is expected that you will read the appropriate material, as indicated on the course calendar, prior to class. This will help you to understand and apply the complex concepts and principles that will be covered by the lectures.

Every student must attend a lab section. The laboratory experience is considered essential to learning in this course. There is no substitute for the actual specimen. It will be impossible to pass this course if you do not attend the labs.

You may not turn in for credit lab exercises for which you were absent.

Conduct

Cheating in any form is unfair and will be dealt with. Refer to the student handbook for details. All work in this course is to be original. Copying is stealing and is a form of cheating.

Tape recorders are not permitted in class without the consent of the instructor.

The wearing of headphones is not permitted at any time. 

State law forbids handguns on campus.

If you arrive late to class, please enter the room but wait at the door until you are invited to be seated. It is very impolite and inconsiderate to cross the room in front of or behind the professor while class is in progress, and latecomers will always be asked to join the group in short order. This is not done to embarrass anyone for being late; rather it is done to cause the smallest possible interruption to the teaching/learning process for professor and everyone else who somehow made it to class on time.

There is to be only one conversation at a time in class unless you are participating in group work or activities; when a student is talking to the class, all "eyes and ears" are on that individual. For some reason, when a student begins to talk by asking or answering a question, it is a signal to all of the other students to begin whispering to one another and to ignore the one who is speaking. The message this sends to the speaker is that her/his comments are worthless and unimportant; we can't have that in college. The spirit of academic life values everyone's opinions, ideas, and questions. Those opinions, ideas, and questions will command everyone's attention.

When you have made an error in action or judgment, accept responsibility gracefully. This is not easy, especially when a printer doesn't work, all parking spots are taken, or a car breaks down. It does no good to try to spread or pass the blame to others; so doing makes you appear to be a person of poor character.

Be considerate of other students and turn off beepers and cell phones before the start of class.

Under no circumstances is talking on cell phones allowed in lecture or lab (this includes text messaging).  The instructor reserves the right to deduct points from the grade for cell phone use.

Once seated in the lecture hall you are to stay seated for the entire period.  Walking in and out of the classroom distracts the other students and the professor.  You are to use the restrooms and drinking fountains before or after class.

Examinations

The lecture portion of the course is divided up into 4 units. Each one of these units is worth 100 points total. The 100 points for each unit will come from homework, quizzes, and a lecture exam at the end of each unit. The exams will be primarily objective, i.e., multiple-choice, matching, true-false, etc. The exams are graded on a Scan-trons machine. Any machine errors will be corrected if brought to my attention. However, if the misscored question has a changed answer or an eraser mark, no credit will be given.

Lecture exams may be made up ONLY if the student provides an official WRITTEN excuse for the absence. If a problem comes up on the day of the exam, call the phone number given on the first page and leave a message on the voice mail BEFORE THE START of the exam. If allowed, the make-up exam will be cumulative and essay and will be given on the Friday of the last full week of the semester. It is your responsibility to remind the instructor two weeks prior to this date about taking the make-up. Only one exam may be made up.

The lab portion of the course is divided up into 4 units. Each one of these units is worth 100 points total. The 100 points for each unit will come from lab reports, quizzes, and a lab exam at the end of each unit. there are no make-ups for any missed reports or quizzes.

Lab exams are extremely difficult to make up, as the lab practical setup is taken down at the end of the second day. If you know in advance that you will be unable to attend on the scheduled lab exam day, you MIGHT be allowed to take the exam with another lab section. However this is not to your advantage.  Only one lab exam may be made up.  The makeup lab exam will only be given on the  Friday of the last full week of the semester.  

The instructor reserves the right to alter the sequence of lectures, labs and exams as circumstances dictate. The number of points per assignment may vary.

The final exam schedule for HFCC may be found at http://hfcc.edu/current_students/final_exams.asp

Grading

Required materials

set of colored pencils
#2 pencil with eraser

Schedule adjustments

Membership in a class does not cease until a student officially withdraws either in person in the Registrar’s Office or by using the touch tone registration system. A grade of DR (drop) is recorded on a student’s transcript whenever a class is officially dropped before the end of the TENTH week of the semester. If a student stops attending a class without officially withdrawing, or notifying the instructor in writing, a grade of E will be recorded. Refer to the current college catalog for specific details.

Assisted Learning Services

The college has an Assisted Learning program to facilitate equal opportunity for students with disabilities. Services may include free tutoring, taped textbooks and readers for the legally blind and reading impaired, and administration of exams to students who are unable to take them with their regular class. To qualify for these services please contact the Assisted Learning office personally. The office is located in the Learning Resource Center and the phone number is 845-9617. Would any student using these services please identify themselves to me at their earliest possible convenience so that I may be of assistance.

Internet access on campus.

Students may use the computers in the Media Lab on the second floor of the Library. To use the computers, you need three things: your login ID, your password, and a HFCC Library card. Obtain your login ID from https://my.hfcc.edu/webadvisor/  A HFCC Library card may be obtained in person at the Circulation Desk in the Library.