SHASTA COLLEGE

CENTER FOR SCIENCE, LANGUAGE ARTS, & MATH

FIRST CLASS HANDOUT

 

BIOL 10 – GENERAL BIOLOGY

 

Course Units:    4

Class Hours:     54 lecture / 54 lab total

 

Course Instructor:         Dr. Morgan Hannaford

                                    Office:  1607                Phone:  (530)242-2324

                                    E-mail:  mhannaford@shastacollege.edu

                                    Web page:  www3.shastacollege.edu/mhannaford

 

Lab Instructors:                        Ginger Bolen, Patrick Frost, Irena Stroup

 

CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an introduction to the major concepts of modern biology.  Topics covered include cell biology, heredity and nature of genes, evolution, diversity of life, and principles of ecology.  Emphasis will be placed on those aspects of biology that are rapidly reshaping our culture.  This is an approved general education course for non-life science majors who desire a introductory biology course with laboratory.

 

BASIC MATERIALS FOR THE CLASS

Required textbook: 

Essential Biology, 3rd edition.  Campbell, Reece & Simon. 

Addison Wesley-Benjamin Cummins..

 

*Required Lab Assignments:  You are responsible for printing and reviewing weekly lab assignments and bringing them to lab.  Labs can be found on the Bio 10 webpage:

http://www3.shastacollege.edu/mhannaford/bio10

 

ATTENDANCE AND DROP POLICY

Students are expected to attend all lectures.  Laboratory attendance is required, roll will be taken.  Three or more unexcused absences may result in a lower lab grade.

 

METHODS OF EVALUATION / GRADING SCALE

Lecture will be worth 50% of your final grade based on 4 lecture exams.  Lab will be worth 50% of your final grade based on lab worksheets, quizzes, homework assignments, and attendance – refer to your lab instructor’s grading policy.

 

The grading procedure will be a modified percentage grading system.  The top grade in the class will serve as 100%.  Thereafter the grades will be based on ten percent intervals:  90% to 100% (top grade) = A;   80% to 89% = B; 70% to 79% = C; 60% to 69% = D; and < 59% = F.  Makeup exams must be arranged at least one week before the scheduled exam time.  No makeup exam will be given for unexcused absence.

 

Participation safety-net:  Students earning an 80% or better in laboratory work will automatically earn at least a passing grade (C) if all lecture exams are attempted and improvement is observed throughout the semester.

PLEASE NOTE:  All students are responsible for being sure they are registered for any classes they are attending.  Students wishing to drop a class or who are no longer attending a class are responsible for completing a drop form with the Admissions and Records Office or any Extended Education Center.  It is not the instructor's responsibility to register or drop a student from a class.

 

ADDING A CLASS

Students may add a full-term class through the fourth week of the term.* After the first class meeting, approval of the instructor is required to add the class, which includes both the signature of the instructor and the first date of attendance.  IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY to pick up the form from the Admissions and Records Office and take it to the instructor for approval.  The student must then return the form to the Admissions and Records Office or Extended Education Center for processing before the add is finalized.

 

DROPPING A CLASS WITHOUT RECORD

Students may drop a class, and have no notation appear on their transcripts, through the fourth week* or 30% of the term for classes less than a semester in length.  IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DROP CLASS.  The necessary forms are available from Admissions and Records, Extended Education Centers, or by mail.  If a student intends to drop a class and stops attending but fails to file the necessary forms, the instructor will assign a failing letter grade.

 

WITHDRAWING FROM A CLASS WITH A "W" GRADE

Students may withdraw from a class after the official "drop" date and up through the fourteenth week* or 75% of the term for classes less than a semester in length.  The notation "W's" will appear on the student's transcript and will not be used in calculations of grade point average.  Excessive "W" shall, however, be used as factors in probation and dismissal procedures.  IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO OBTAIN FORMS AND SUBMIT THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK TO WITHDRAW FROM A CLASS .  Forms are available from Admissions and Records, Extended Education Centers, or by mail.  Students who have not dropped or withdrawn from a class before the end of the fourteenth week or 75% of the term will be assigned a course grade.

 

ATTENDANCE

Students are expected to attend all class meetings.  A student who fails to attend the first meeting of a course without notifying the instructor may be dropped from the class.  In addition, an instructor may drop a student during the first 30% of the term for excessive absences.  Nevertheless, IT IS ALWAYS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO OFFICIALLY DROP OR WITHDRAW from the class.  Students who fail to file the necessary forms, even though they stop attending class, will be assigned a course grade.

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

            Cheating will not be tolerated.  Cheating includes sharing information during exams or submitting laboratory work that is not your own.  You will receive an F (zero points) for the offending assignment or event.