Syllabus - Life on Earth

Course Requirements

GRADING SYSTEM

Course Grades:

Your final grade is determined by the total number of points you accumulate from the following sources:

5 Lecture Exams @ 100 points each	500 points
15 Homework Assignments @ 15 points each	225 points
5 Classroom Activities @ 5 points each	25 points
Total for Course	750 points

Due to ACC policies, grades cannot be discussed by phone or e-mail. Your grades will be posted on Blackboard. Please feel free to discuss your grades with me in person.

Grading Scale: 90‑100% = A; 80‑89% = B; 70‑79% = C; 60‑69% = D; < 60% = F

Since there are extra credit points included in every exam and two extra credit homework, I do not round grades or curve scores. Your grade is based on the points that you accumulate during the semester. In the case of a borderline grade, I look at whether you participated in classroom activities, took the optional final, and completed homework assignments. This decision will be solely at the instructor’s discretion.

Assessments:

Lecture Exams

There will be five lecture exams, each worth 100 points. The exam dates are listed in the schedule. The exam format will be a combination of objective questions (such as multiple-choice, true-false, or matching questions) and written questions (such as short answer, essay, flow-charting, drawing and identification). The exams will be based on the information covered during the unit, whether presented in lecture, through videos, in textbook or study guide readings, or in homework assignments. You will be expected to spell all terms correctly in order to receive full credit.

Cell phones and pagers must be turned off during exams. Watches are not allowed during exams. Anyone with a cell phone or watch during the exam will receive a grade of 0 and will be referred to student services for scholastic dishonesty. If you have a work pager that you cannot turn off, you can leave it with me during the exam. Once you take an exam, you may not take it again to try for a better grade. All exams will be given in class on the days when they are scheduled unless the class and the instructor think that there is a valid reason for changing the date. You may not leave the room during an exam without permission from the instructor. If you do leave the room without permission, you must turn in your exam materials. Your grade will be assigned based on what you have completed. If you are late and another student has already completed and turned in an exam, you will not be allowed to take the exam. You will have to either take a makeup exam or a grade of 0.

Optional Final:

An optional comprehensive final will be given at the end of the semester for any student who wants to try to improve an exam grade. The grade from the final exam will substitute for one of the regular exam grades if the final exam grade is higher. This policy does not apply to an exam that the student has missed and did not make up (i.e., an exam with a grade of 0). If you have an exam with a grade of 0, the final grade will be substituted for the next lowest exam grade, if the final grade is higher.

Homework Assignments:

Each week, you will be given a homework assignment that pertains to the material we are covering. Most of these assignments will require Internet access; some may require a high- speed connection in order to work. Unexpected problems (such as unplanned closures) may result in changes to homework assignments.

Homework assignments are developed with certain goals in mind: (1) to help you prepare for lecture and keep you on task in your studying, (2) to introduce higher-level thinking activities, (3) to bring in additional or updated materials that relate to course objectives, and (4) to help you relate the material in class to the real world. Homework assignments also serve as good study guides for the exams and optional final. Exams include questions from homework materials.

The homework assignments will take time to finish, so please do not wait until the last minute to work on them! You will submit your homework through Blackboard. There will be a paper-based set of instructions that you need to do first. This includes the questions that you will need to answer, as well as the instructions for any web sites or reading assignments. After completing the instructions, you will use your answers to work through a Blackboard-based homework. After finishing the Blackboard-based homework, you will submit your homework through Blackboard. You will only have one opportunity to submit the Blackboard-graded homework for credit. Once you start the Blackboard-graded homework, you cannot open a new tab or window or Blackboard will submit your homework “as is”. The paper-based instructions are not graded.

Homework will usually be due by the beginning of the next week (3:00 pm). See the course schedule for specific dates. After the deadline, the Blackboard-based homework will not be available and your grade will be zero (0). There is no credit for late homework. Please do not wait until the last minute to do your homework. If your server is not working or the internet goes down or you have a technology problem, you will not be able to submit your homework on time.

If the homework is entirely multiple choice, you will be able to see the correct answers and any feedback as soon as you submit the assignment. Click OK to see the homework. After that, you can access the graded homework by going into My Grades and clicking on the blue highlighted homework name, then on the blue highlighted grade. You should then be able to see your homework, your answers, correct answers, and any feedback that the instructor has left.

Homework count toward your grade. It is your responsibility to keep track of the deadlines. A significant part of your grade is based upon homework. Many homework assignments send you to web sites. If you have trouble accessing a web page, you may need to use another computer or check to make sure that your computer has not blocked pop-ups on these sites.

Classroom Activities

There are activities that will be done during class. Each day’s activities will be worth 5 points. Only the highest five activity scores will count toward your grade. You must be present and participate in each activity to earn points for these activities. If absent, your grade will be zero.

Extra Credit:

Every exam will have some extra credit questions. There are two extra credit homework assignments available during Week 1 and Week 10. There are also 4 points of extra credit on exams. No other extra credit is available.

Makeup Exams:

You can miss one lecture exam and make it up. Use this wisely because you will not be able to make up two exams, regardless of your reasons. Makeup exams will be given in the RRC Testing Center. You must schedule and take the makeup exam within one week of the original test deadline. Makeup exams are written exams (fill-in-the-blank, short answer and essay questions).

Readings

For more information, see the complete syllabus below.

1. The Tangled Bank: An Introduction to Evolution, ACC Special Edition by Carl Zimmer. 2010. McMillian Learning Curriculum Solutions. Important: Get the ACC Special Edition, which is different from the 1^st and 2^ndeditions. Available only at ACC bookstores.

2. BIOL 1309 Life on Earth Study Guide for RRC, 4^th edition (revised), July 2018 by BIOL 1309 Redesign Team. This study guide is not sold through any bookstore. You can download and print this from this course’s Blackboard site. (Modified for my sections.)

3. Life of Mammals, episode 1. DVDs are available at ACC libraries. Free online videos are available. Will be needed for extra credit assignment #2.

4. Homework assignments, available in the Homework area of the course Blackboard site.

You are responsible for all materials covered in the study guide, textbook, lecture, homework assignments, and class activities.

Course Subjects

BIOL 1309 Schedule, RRC

Fall 2018

Date	Lecture Topic	Study Guide	Week’s Homework	Due Date for HW
Aug 27	Introduction; Syllabus; Science as a Process	Section 1	HW #1 EC #1	Sep 5 (EC Sep 5)
Aug 29	Classification & Nomenclature	Section 2	HW #2	Sep 10
Sep 3	All ACC campuses are closed for Labor Day
Sep 5	Scientific Nomenclature	Section 2
Sep 10	Evolution – An Introduction	Section 3	HW #3	Sep 17
Sep 12	Evolution – An Introduction	Section 3
Sep 17	Exam 1
Sep 19	Darwin and Natural Selection	Section 4	HW #4	Sep 24
Sep 24	Natural Selection; What the Rocks Say	Section 5	HW #5	Oct 1
Sep 26	What the Rocks Say	Section 5
Oct 1	First Life: Episode 1	Section 6, pp 28-34	HW #6	Oct 8
Oct 3	First Life: Episode 1	6: pp 28-24
Oct 8	Exam 2
Oct 10	First Life: Episode 2	Section 6, p 35	HW #7	Oct 15
Oct 15	Tree of Life	Section 7	HW #8	Oct 22
Oct 17	Tree of Life: Mammals & Birds	Section 7
Oct 22	Birds; Ways of Change (part 1)	Section 8	HW #9	Oct 29
Oct 24	Ways of Change (part 1)	Section 8
Oct 29	Exam 3
Oct 31	Ways of Change (part 2)	Section 8	HW #10 EC #2	Nov 5 (EC Nov 7)
Nov 5	Change 2; History in Our Genes	Section 9	HW #11	Nov 12
Nov 7	Adaptations	Section 10
Nov 12	Adaptations; Origin of Species	Section 11	HW #12	Nov 19
Nov 14	Origin of Species	Section 11
Nov 19	Exam 4
Nov 21	Radiations & Extinctions	Section 12	HW #13	Nov 26
Nov 26	Extinctions; Intimate Partnerships	Section 13	HW #14	Dec 3
Nov 28	Intimate Partnerships	Section 13
Dec 3	Primate Evolution	Section 14	HW #15	Dec 10
Dec 5	Hominid Evolution	Section 14
Dec 10	Exam 5
Dec 12	Optional Final

This schedule is a tentative schedule and may change. See Blackboard for changes.

All ACC campuses will be closed for Labor Day, September 3.

All ACC campuses will be closed for Thanksgiving, November 22 through November 25.

Last day to withdraw with a grade of “W” is November 26.

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes

Course-Level for Life on Earth:

Specific skills and competencies expected of students who complete this course include:

• Ability to explain evolutionary relationships among different organisms

• Ability to discuss adaptations, using several different examples

• Ability to apply biological concepts to new examples

General Education for Life on Earth:

As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:

Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.
Interpersonal Skills - Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.
Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.
Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

DEPARTMENTAL COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES

The ACC Biology Department has specified the content for this course in the departmental common course objectives. The departmental objectives are located under “Course Information” at: http://www.austincc.edu/biology/

Complete syllabus

Syllabus for BIOL 1309 – Life on Earth

Synonym: 58986 Section: 003

Lecture: MW 3:00 to 4:20 pm

RRC3 3313.00

Fall 2018

Instructor: Bernice Speer

Office Location: RRC3, Room 3322.00

Office Hours: Mon/Wed 4:30-5:50 pm

Tues 5:00-5:20 pm

Thurs 7:00-9:00 pm

Other hours by appointment

Office Phone: 512-223-0323 (with voice mail)

e-mail: bspeer@austincc.edu

Course Description:

A survey of the living organisms on our planet for the non-science major. Emphasis on evolutionary and natural history, structural and behavioral adaptations, biological diversity and co-evolution.

Skills Requirement:

Reading and writing proficiency as determined by the COMPASS or ASSET test, or by the statewide THEA test, or by providing an official transcript from another college. If you do not meet these requirements, you may be withdrawn from the course

Course Rationale:

This course was designed for students who are primarily non-science majors. Through the use of lectures, readings, classroom activities, good science videos and web-based homework assignments, students are introduced to the organisms that inhabit this planet, their characteristics, their evolutionary relationships and their adaptation to life on earth.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Course-Level for Life on Earth:

Specific skills and competencies expected of students who complete this course include:

• Ability to explain evolutionary relationships among different organisms

• Ability to discuss adaptations, using several different examples

• Ability to apply biological concepts to new examples

General Education for Life on Earth:

As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:

Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.
Interpersonal Skills - Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.
Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.
Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

Departmental Common Course Objectives:

The ACC Biology Department has specified the content for this course in the departmental common course objectives. The departmental objectives are located under “Course Information”, “Common Course Objectives” at: http://www.austincc.edu/biology/

Instructional Methodology:

This course is taught in the classroom as a lecture course. PowerPoint lectures are posted on the class Blackboard site for student use. The instructor uses in-class activities and videos to illustrate specific lecture concepts. Other resources include a study guide and a textbook that lecture materials are based upon. Homework assignments are given every day to accompany the lecture materials covered in class.

Required Textbooks and Materials:

You will need the following items:

1. The Tangled Bank: An Introduction to Evolution, ACC Special Edition by Carl Zimmer.

2010. McMillian Learning Curriculum Solutions. Important: Get the ACC Special

Edition, which is different from the 1^st and 2^ndeditions. Available only at ACC bookstores.

2. BIOL 1309 Life on Earth Study Guide for RRC, 4^th edition (revised), July 2018 by BIOL 1309 Redesign Team. This study guide is not sold through any bookstore. You can download and print this from this course’s Blackboard site. (Modified for my sections.)

3. Life of Mammals, episode 1. DVDs are available at ACC libraries. Free online videos are available. Will be needed for extra credit assignment #2.

4. Homework assignments, available in the Homework area of the course Blackboard site.

You are responsible for all materials covered in the study guide, textbook, lecture, homework assignments, and class activities.

GRADING SYSTEM

Course Grades:

Your final grade is determined by the total number of points you accumulate from the following sources:

5 Lecture Exams @ 100 points each	500 points
15 Homework Assignments @ 15 points each	225 points
5 Classroom Activities @ 5 points each	25 points
Total for Course	750 points

Due to ACC policies, grades cannot be discussed by phone or e-mail. Your grades will be posted on Blackboard. Please feel free to discuss your grades with me in person.

Grading Scale: 90‑100% = A; 80‑89% = B; 70‑79% = C; 60‑69% = D; < 60% = F

Since there are extra credit points included in every exam and two extra credit homework, I do not round grades or curve scores. Your grade is based on the points that you accumulate during the semester. In the case of a borderline grade, I look at whether you participated in classroom activities, took the optional final, and completed homework assignments. This decision will be solely at the instructor’s discretion.

Assessments:

Lecture Exams

There will be five lecture exams, each worth 100 points. The exam dates are listed in the schedule. The exam format will be a combination of objective questions (such as multiple-choice, true-false, or matching questions) and written questions (such as short answer, essay, flow-charting, drawing and identification). The exams will be based on the information covered during the unit, whether presented in lecture, through videos, in textbook or study guide readings, or in homework assignments. You will be expected to spell all terms correctly in order to receive full credit.

Cell phones and pagers must be turned off during exams. Watches are not allowed during exams. Anyone with a cell phone or watch during the exam will receive a grade of 0 and will be referred to student services for scholastic dishonesty. If you have a work pager that you cannot turn off, you can leave it with me during the exam. Once you take an exam, you may not take it again to try for a better grade. All exams will be given in class on the days when they are scheduled unless the class and the instructor think that there is a valid reason for changing the date. You may not leave the room during an exam without permission from the instructor. If you do leave the room without permission, you must turn in your exam materials. Your grade will be assigned based on what you have completed. If you are late and another student has already completed and turned in an exam, you will not be allowed to take the exam. You will have to either take a makeup exam or a grade of 0.

Optional Final:

An optional comprehensive final will be given at the end of the semester for any student who wants to try to improve an exam grade. The grade from the final exam will substitute for one of the regular exam grades if the final exam grade is higher. This policy does not apply to an exam that the student has missed and did not make up (i.e., an exam with a grade of 0). If you have an exam with a grade of 0, the final grade will be substituted for the next lowest exam grade, if the final grade is higher.

Homework Assignments:

Each week, you will be given a homework assignment that pertains to the material we are covering. Most of these assignments will require Internet access; some may require a high- speed connection in order to work. Unexpected problems (such as unplanned closures) may result in changes to homework assignments.

Homework assignments are developed with certain goals in mind: (1) to help you prepare for lecture and keep you on task in your studying, (2) to introduce higher-level thinking activities, (3) to bring in additional or updated materials that relate to course objectives, and (4) to help you relate the material in class to the real world. Homework assignments also serve as good study guides for the exams and optional final. Exams include questions from homework materials.

The homework assignments will take time to finish, so please do not wait until the last minute to work on them! You will submit your homework through Blackboard. There will be a paper-based set of instructions that you need to do first. This includes the questions that you will need to answer, as well as the instructions for any web sites or reading assignments. After completing the instructions, you will use your answers to work through a Blackboard-based homework. After finishing the Blackboard-based homework, you will submit your homework through Blackboard. You will only have one opportunity to submit the Blackboard-graded homework for credit. Once you start the Blackboard-graded homework, you cannot open a new tab or window or Blackboard will submit your homework “as is”. The paper-based instructions are not graded.

Homework will usually be due by the beginning of the next week (3:00 pm). See the course schedule for specific dates. After the deadline, the Blackboard-based homework will not be available and your grade will be zero (0). There is no credit for late homework. Please do not wait until the last minute to do your homework. If your server is not working or the internet goes down or you have a technology problem, you will not be able to submit your homework on time.

If the homework is entirely multiple choice, you will be able to see the correct answers and any feedback as soon as you submit the assignment. Click OK to see the homework. After that, you can access the graded homework by going into My Grades and clicking on the blue highlighted homework name, then on the blue highlighted grade. You should then be able to see your homework, your answers, correct answers, and any feedback that the instructor has left.

Homework count toward your grade. It is your responsibility to keep track of the deadlines. A significant part of your grade is based upon homework. Many homework assignments send you to web sites. If you have trouble accessing a web page, you may need to use another computer or check to make sure that your computer has not blocked pop-ups on these sites.

Classroom Activities

There are activities that will be done during class. Each day’s activities will be worth 5 points. Only the highest five activity scores will count toward your grade. You must be present and participate in each activity to earn points for these activities. If absent, your grade will be zero.

Extra Credit:

Every exam will have some extra credit questions. There are two extra credit homework assignments available during Week 1 and Week 10. There are also 4 points of extra credit on exams. No other extra credit is available.

Makeup Exams:

You can miss one lecture exam and make it up. Use this wisely because you will not be able to make up two exams, regardless of your reasons. Makeup exams will be given in the RRC Testing Center. You must schedule and take the makeup exam within one week of the original test deadline. Makeup exams are written exams (fill-in-the-blank, short answer and essay questions).

Timely Return of Papers:

Graded exams and assignments will be returned at the beginning of the next class period. I will post your grades on Blackboard as soon as I have finished grading an assignment or an exam.

Attendance Policy:

Regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class. Everyone is expected to attend and participate in lecture activities. If you do not do so, you should not expect to succeed in the course. You are responsible for all materials, activities, assignments, or announcements covered in class, regardless of your reason for being absent or late. If you do miss a class, be sure and ask another student for lecture notes and get any handouts, PowerPoint lecture notes, and homework assignments from Blackboard.

Class Participation and Expectation:

As part of my personal philosophy in teaching non-science major classes, I feel that a typical class should involve a mixture of different components. While part of a typical class period may involve “traditional” lecture, I will also use media, classroom assessment activities and small group activities on a regular basis. It is important for each student to participate actively in class activities to gain the most benefit from them. So, jump in and get your hands on the stuff, engage your mind, talk and discuss. We tend to put things into long-term memory that we find interesting or experienced through hands-on and visual experiences. In short:

Passive behavior ¹ learning!

You are expected to work cooperatively with other students in the class. By helping your fellow students, you will learn the material better. I use non-graded classroom assessments to help students understand material better. Some of the assignments will be done in teams during class time. If you do not participate in teamwork, you will not earn credit for team-based assignments. Help yourself learn the material by getting involved!

To pass the course (with a grade of 70% C), you should expect to spend at least 3-4 hours outside of class for every hour spent in class. For this class, that means a minimum of 9-12 hours per week of quality, undisturbed study time outside of class per week to complete homework assignments, read the required materials, study and prepare for exams.

ACCeID:

You will need an ACCeID to use the ACC Online Services and Blackboard. If you don't already have an ACCeID, go to the ACCeID Manager Login at:

https://acceid.austincc.edu/idm/user/login.jsp

Click on "First-Time Login" and follow the instructions.

Use of ACCMail:

All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify you of any college related emergencies using this account. Students should only expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account. Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with instructors and staff. Instructions for activating an ACCmail account can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/accmail/index.php.

For privacy reasons, I must use the Blackboard system to e-mail students. Because Blackboard automatically uses your ACCMail address when sending e-mails, it is imperative that you set up and check your ACCMail account regularly. By ACC policy, I cannot respond to a student e-mail sent from another e-mail address. If you send me an e-mail from a non-ACC e-mail account and I respond by mistake, you accept responsibility for any possible breach of student privacy and you cannot hold the instructor responsible for your actions.

You can have your ACC e-mail forwarded to another e-mail address if you prefer. See more information at: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=10957

Blackboard Site for This Section:

You will be using Blackboard extensively throughout this class to access course materials and homework assignments. You will also use Blackboard to submit assignments. Announcements and grades will be posted on Blackboard. I also use Blackboard to send e-mails to the class.

To get started on Blackboard, go to the login site at: http://acconline.austincc.edu/ and click on the “Student Guide – Getting Started with Blackboard” link. This will help you set up your Blackboard account and get you to the course site.

You are expected to check Blackboard regularly. Announcements clarify course materials, remind about deadlines, correct problems with urls, and give hints about difficult concepts.

ACC Photo ID:

You must have an ACC photo student ID to use the testing center. You can get more information at this web site: http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/student_id.php

Technology Requirements and Problems

On page iii in the study guide, technology requirements for the class are discussed. Read this carefully. Make sure you have the proper software installed. If you have trouble accessing a web page, make sure that pop-ups are not blocked or try a different browser or a different computer. If you still have problems, contact the ACC Help Desk at 512-223-4636 or at http://www.austincc.edu/helpdesk/home_student.html. If you have a laptop, check with the Learning Lab staff to see if they can help you resolve the problem. If nothing else works, you may have to use an ACC computer in an ACC library, Learning Lab or computer lab.

Official Biology Department Policy Concerning Student Use of Organisms in the Classroom and Laboratory:

Most ACC biology classes, particularly those with laboratory components, use actual organisms during instruction in addition to images and models. ACC students generally are preparing for real-world careers requiring workers with hands-on experience. These careers include health care, veterinary work, horticultural and agricultural work. Other students plan to transfer to four-year colleges and will be participating in biological research where hands-on experience is equally important.

Organisms used at ACC are fundamental in biology instruction and they are utilized to teach specific skills and knowledge. Their condition and usage varies from course to course. Students will be expected to actively participate in these activities. Students with particular concerns in this matter should consult with their instructor and/or departmental officials before enrolling in a course so that they can know what will be required of them.

Some organisms are observed alive while others are dead and preserved in various ways. Student manipulation of organisms ranges from culturing living organisms to dissecting preserved ones. Some examples include, but are not limited to: bacterial culturing for microbiology courses; cat, pig or rat dissection for anatomy courses; skeleton and pelt examination for field biology; and use of frogs in physiology experiments.

General Policies

Withdrawal Policy:

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his/her name is removed from the roll should he/she decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he/she should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date. The student is also strongly encouraged to retrain their copy of the withdrawal form for their records.

Student-Initiated Withdrawal:

You are responsible for monitoring your progress in the course and determining if you need to withdraw. If you decide to withdraw, you will complete this activity through Online Services. It is your responsibility to withdraw yourself. Withdrawals do not require instructor approval. If you stop attending class and do not withdraw yourself from the course, you will end up with a grade of F for the course.

Per state law, any student taking a class for the third time or subsequent time in a course taken since Fall 2002 may be charged a higher tuition rate for that course. This is the Rule of Three or Third Course Attempt. There is more information at

http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/thirdattempt/index.php

State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or universities. With certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count towards this limit. Details regarding this policy can be found in the ACC college catalog. This is the Texas Six Drop Rule.

The last day to drop the class without leaving a W on your transcript is September 12, 2018. If you withdraw by this date, you do not have to worry about the 6-course withdrawal rule.

The last day to withdraw for the semester (the Final Withdrawal Date) is November 26, 2018. If you withdraw between September 13 and November 26, you will get a W on your transcript and it will count toward the six-course withdrawal limit.

Instructor-Initiated Withdrawal:

I will withdraw students from the course under these circumstances:

(1) I do not receive your signed and dated student information sheet by the end of the third class period. (For this semester, the deadline is Wednesday, September 5, 2018.)

(2) Safety policies are not followed in the classroom.

(3) A student is disruptive in class, creating an environment that is not conducive for learning.

I reserve the right to withdraw any student who misses an exam and does not take scheduled make-up exams. If you are dropped for these reasons, you will not be reinstated.

Retroactive withdrawals will not be given in this class

Reinstatement Policy:

If I drop you for any reason, I will not reinstate you. If you are dropped for non-payment, you will not be reinstated into the course.

Incomplete Grade Policy:

An instructor may award a grade of “I” (Incomplete) if a student was unable to complete all of the objectives for the passing grade in a course. An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester.

Incomplete grades are rarely given in this class, will be given solely at my discretion, and only if a major emergency comes up towards the end of the semester after the withdrawal deadline.

An incomplete (I) will be assigned only if:

1) You have a valid reason and I agree to give an incomplete grade,

2) You request an incomplete, with written documentation,

3) You have completed more than 60% of the course work,

4) You have at least a C (70%) average on completed work, and

5) The reason for your request occurred after the official drop deadline for the semester,

6) You provide all documentation and sign the required form prior to the last day of class.

Be aware that incompletes that are not finished convert automatically to F grades, regardless of your class average when you request the incomplete. Once you receive an incomplete grade, it will not be converted into a withdrawal for any reason.

Bad Weather Policy:

If classes are cancelled because of bad weather, ACC notifies instructors and students on the ACC homepage (http://www.austincc.edu) and on local radio and television stations.

Concealed Handgun and Campus-Carry Policy:

The Concealed Campus Carry video includes important information on who can carry a concealed handgun, where they can carry, LTC responsibilities, and how to report a violation. Students are required to watch this video during the first week of class to ensure students have this important information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DXVlWhixa0

The Austin Community College District concealed handgun policy ensures compliance with Section 411.2031 of the Texas Government Code (also known as the Campus Carry Law), while maintaining ACC’s commitment to provide a safe environment for its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Beginning August 1, 2017, individuals who are licensed to carry (LTC) may do so on campus premises except in locations and at activities prohibited by state or federal law, or the college’s concealed handgun policy. It is the responsibility of license holders to conceal their handguns at all times. Persons who see a handgun on campus are asked to contact the ACC Police Department by dialing 222 from a campus phone or 512-223-7999. Refer to the concealed handgun policy online at www.austincc.edu/campuscarry

ACC ACADEMIC POLICIES AND SERVICES

Student Discipline:

Classroom behavior should support and enhance learning. Behavior that disrupts the learning process will be dealt with appropriately, which may include having the student leave class for the rest of that day. In serious cases, disruptive behavior may lead to a student being withdrawn from the class. ACC’s policy on student discipline can be found on the ACC website at http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow/

Statement on Scholastic Dishonesty:

A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend on the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college. See the Student Standards of Conduct and Discipline Process and other policies at http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow

I take acts of scholastic dishonesty very seriously in this class. I follow the policies outlined in the ACC Students Need to Know Document. For information on these policies, go to:

http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow

Student Rights and Responsibilities:

Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association. These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to others in the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment. This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student. As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures.

Statement on Students with Disabilities

Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the Office of Students Accessibility Services (SAS). Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.

Students who have received approval for accommodations from SAS for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from SAS before accommodations will be provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student.

Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for the accommodations.

Additional information about Student Accessibility Services is available at http://www.austincc.edu/sas

Note to SAS students in this class: Please be aware that lecture exams will be placed only in the RRC testing center or RRC SAS office (depending on your accommodation letter). You are required to take your lecture exams on the same days as other students. Please see the schedule for dates and make appropriate arrangements.

Safety Statement

Austin Community College is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. You are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and agree to follow ACC safety policies. Additional information on these can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/ehs. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the Emergency Procedures poster and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. Additional information about emergency procedures and how to sign up for ACC Emergency Alerts to be notified in the event of a serious emergency can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/emergency/.

Please note, you are expected to conduct yourself professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be immediately dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending future activities.

Testing Center Policy:

Under certain circumstances, an instructor may have students take an examination in a testing center. Students using the Academic Testing Center must govern themselves according to the Student Guide for Use of ACC Testing Centers and should read the entire guide before going to take the exam.

To request an exam, one must have:
• ACC Photo ID
• Course Abbreviation:            BIOL
• Course Number:                   1309
• Course Synonym:                 58986
• Course Section:                    003
• Instructor's Name:                Bernice Speer

Do NOT bring cell phones to the Testing Center. Having your cell phone in the testing room, regardless of whether it is on or off, will revoke your testing privileges for the remainder of the semester. ACC Testing Center policies can be found at:

http://www.austincc.edu/students/testing-services/instructional-testing/testing-center-guidelines

In this class, you will only use the Testing Center for makeup exams and only at this campus (RRC).

Student and Instructional Services
ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students and offers a broad variety of opportunities and services. Information on these services and support systems is available at: http://www.austincc.edu/support

Links to many student services and other information can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/

ACC Learning Labs provide free tutoring services to all ACC students currently enrolled in the course to be tutored. The tutor schedule for each Learning Lab may be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/tutor

For help setting up your ACCeID, ACC Gmail, or ACC Blackboard, see a Learning Lab Technician at any ACC Learning Lab.

ACC Policy Concerning Copyrighted Materials:

All class materials provided on the instructor’s web page, Blackboard, and/or in printed form (classroom activities, objectives, assignments, etc.) are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the copyright holder. This may be the instructor, ACC, or a publisher. Reproduction consists of photocopying, scanning and copying files, or posting on a server or web site. Students currently registered for this section have permission to print one copy of course materials for their own personal use. No permission is given for posting any course materials on web sites.

Each student currently enrolled in this BIOL 1309 section is hereby given permission to down-load and print one copy of the course materials from the Blackboard site for his/her own use.

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

1.00 KNOWLEDGE (remembering previously learned material)

1.10 Knowledge of specifics

1.11 Knowledge of terms

1.12 Knowledge of specific facts

1.20 Knowledge of ways and means of dealing with specifics

1.21 Knowledge of conventions

1.22 Knowledge of trends and sequences

1.23 Knowledge of classifications and categories

1.24 Knowledge of criteria

1.25 Knowledge of methodology

1.30 Knowledge of the universals and abstractions in a field of study

1.31 Knowledge of principles and generalizations

1.32 Knowledge of theories and structures

2.00 COMPREHENSION (grasping the meaning of material)

2.10 Translation (converting from one form to another)

2.11 Interpretation (explaining or summarizing material)

2.12 Extrapolation (extending the meaning beyond the data)

3.00 APPLICATION (using information in concrete situations)

4.00 ANALYSIS (breaking down material into its parts)

4.10 Analysis of elements (identifying the parts)

4.20 Analysis of relationships (identifying the relationships)

4.30 Analyis of organizational principles (identifying the way the parts are organized)

5.00 SYNTHESIS (putting parts together into a whole)

5.10 Production of a unique communication

5.20 Production of a plan or proposed set of operations

5.30 Derivation of a set of abstract relationships

6.00 EVALUATION (judging the value of a thing for a given purpose using definite criteria)

6.10 Judgments in terms of internal evidence

6.20 Judgments in terms of external criteria

What is Bloom’s Taxonomy? This is a standard model that attempts to place cognitive skills (mental thinking skills) into categories. Bloom’s Taxonomy has six levels of thinking, going from the simplest level of thinking (knowledge) to the most complex level (evaluation). Each level requires more of our thinking skills and incorporates the previous levels as well. When people use the terms “problem-solving” or “critical thinking”, they are usually referring to these higher-level thinking skills.

There are several other models for cognitive skills but Bloom’s Taxonomy is widely used. In college, students are expected to work beyond the knowledge level (lowest category) and use higher-level thinking skills. See Blackboard (Syllabus folder) for specific examples of how questions over the same material can be written at different levels.

BIOL 1309 Schedule, RRC

Fall 2018

Date	Lecture Topic	Study Guide	Week’s Homework	Due Date for HW
Aug 27	Introduction; Syllabus; Science as a Process	Section 1	HW #1 EC #1	Sep 5 (EC Sep 5)
Aug 29	Classification & Nomenclature	Section 2	HW #2	Sep 10
Sep 3	All ACC campuses are closed for Labor Day
Sep 5	Scientific Nomenclature	Section 2
Sep 10	Evolution – An Introduction	Section 3	HW #3	Sep 17
Sep 12	Evolution – An Introduction	Section 3
Sep 17	Exam 1
Sep 19	Darwin and Natural Selection	Section 4	HW #4	Sep 24
Sep 24	Natural Selection; What the Rocks Say	Section 5	HW #5	Oct 1
Sep 26	What the Rocks Say	Section 5
Oct 1	First Life: Episode 1	Section 6, pp 28-34	HW #6	Oct 8
Oct 3	First Life: Episode 1	6: pp 28-24
Oct 8	Exam 2
Oct 10	First Life: Episode 2	Section 6, p 35	HW #7	Oct 15
Oct 15	Tree of Life	Section 7	HW #8	Oct 22
Oct 17	Tree of Life: Mammals & Birds	Section 7
Oct 22	Birds; Ways of Change (part 1)	Section 8	HW #9	Oct 29
Oct 24	Ways of Change (part 1)	Section 8
Oct 29	Exam 3
Oct 31	Ways of Change (part 2)	Section 8	HW #10 EC #2	Nov 5 (EC Nov 7)
Nov 5	Change 2; History in Our Genes	Section 9	HW #11	Nov 12
Nov 7	Adaptations	Section 10
Nov 12	Adaptations; Origin of Species	Section 11	HW #12	Nov 19
Nov 14	Origin of Species	Section 11
Nov 19	Exam 4
Nov 21	Radiations & Extinctions	Section 12	HW #13	Nov 26
Nov 26	Extinctions; Intimate Partnerships	Section 13	HW #14	Dec 3
Nov 28	Intimate Partnerships	Section 13
Dec 3	Primate Evolution	Section 14	HW #15	Dec 10
Dec 5	Hominid Evolution	Section 14
Dec 10	Exam 5
Dec 12	Optional Final

This schedule is a tentative schedule and may change. See Blackboard for changes.

All ACC campuses will be closed for Labor Day, September 3.

All ACC campuses will be closed for Thanksgiving, November 22 through November 25.

Last day to withdraw with a grade of “W” is November 26.

Syllabus Sections

Publish Date

Life on Earth

Course Information

Office Hours

Course Requirements

Readings

Course Subjects

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

Complete syllabus