Fall 2008

BIO-11: HUMAN BIOLOGY

BIOLOGY 011-03/04:  Lecture

TuTh 10:30-12:10

S 35

BIOLOGY 011-03:  Section 0269 Lab

Tu 12:30-3:10

SC 2116

BIOLOGY 011-04:  Section 0270 Lab

Th 12:30-3:10

SC 2116

Course Website:    http://faculty.deanza.fhda.edu/heyerbruce/bio11/

¬     Required Text: Human Biology, 10th ed.; Mader; McGraw Hill 2008.

¬     Required Lab Manual: Human Biology Laboratory Manual, 10th ed.; Mader; McGraw Hill 2008.

Textbook supplemental website:    http://www.mhhe.com/maderhuman10

Instructor: Bruce Heyer

Email:  heyerbruce @ fhda.edu

Office: SC 1212

Office Hours: MW 4:15-5:15

TTh 9:30-10:30

Phone: (408) 864-8933

Biology-11 is course designed to introduce the life sciences to non-science majors and others, with an emphasis on the application of biological principles to humans. We are all living beings in a living world and have a need to understand the basic principles of life. We need to be informed citizens to evaluate the daily news reports, advertisements, and political claims to make informed opinions and decisions regarding personal health, ecological impacts, and biotechnical innovations. We are able to share the excitement of new discoveries and enhance our appreciation for the natural aesthetics and wondrous diversity of life on earth. This course will provide you with the tools and perspectives to accomplish such aspirations. We start the course peering into the workings of cells and the mechanisms that define life. Next we examine some of the incredible processes performed by the human body. And finally we consider the interactions and balances regulating human ecology and the impacts of our society and lifestyle choices upon the earth.


TIPS TO HELP YOU DO WELL IN THIS COURSE

There is no question that this class can seem intimidating with novel concepts and extensive new vocabularies. Although this course is designed for non-science majors, it is not an easy class! Some keys to success and satisfaction are:

¬      Attend every lecture and lab.

¬      Be prepared! Do the text reading before you come to class. If my lecture is the first you hear of a topic, you'll likely get lost. Especially with the pace we fly through topics: unprepared = frustrated. Prepare questions for unclear material - questioning is a form of active learning.

¬      Download and print out the lecture slides, when available, and bring them to class. But don't expect them to replace taking notes. Taking notes is another form of active learning.

¬      Develop good study habits. Spend time studying outside of class every day. Review lecture notes after each lecture. Be able to explain the concepts for each diagram presented in lecture in your own words.

¬      Construct study tools. Learning content-intensive material such as Biology often requires many steps: seeing, hearing, thinking, and doing. Create a list of terms in bold print presented in lecture. Write out flashcards and reorganize your lectures notes after each lecture as physical activities to help you process the material.

¬      Form a study group! Repeated experience has shown that those who study collectively do better. A study group will help you get to know your fellow classmates and provide intellectual reinforcement as well as moral support. Come prepared to a group study session by reviewing lecture material on your own first. Compare notes and test each other. Learn by teaching: an excellent way to learn how well you understand a matter is by explaining it to someone else.

¬      Review! The textbook ARIS supplemental website has animations, flashcards, quizzes, case studies, and other tools to enhance your comprehension. Take the quizzes with your study group!
The registration code needed to access this web site is found on the insert at the front of the text. You can go to the College Library or the Open Media Lab downstairs in Learning Center West for help with internet access.

Participation in this class is expected to proceed with professionalism and mutual respect. Questions and experiences you have to clarify or enlarge on the topics being discussed are welcome. Please do not be distracting to your colleagues (including me) in class. Students are expected to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code and College Policies on academic integrity and academic freedom stated in the De Anza College Catalogue. Individuals found engaging in cheating, plagiarism, or disruptive behavior will be expelled from the class, awarding a failing grade, and reported to the administration for further disciplinary sanctions.  Refer to the "Student Rights and Responsibilities" section of the College Student Handbook.


Support Services:

The college has a wide range of support services to provide students with assistance.  These services range from tutoring and special short courses in reading and writing skills to financial aid and special programs for educational transition, reentry, and disabled students.  If you would like to see if any of these programs would be of help to you, please check with the counseling office in the Student and Community Services Center. Consult your class schedule for a list of telephone numbers, or go to the Student Services website.

Specific help for students enrolled in biology classes is available at the Math/Science Tutorial Center in S-43.  Additional academic assistance may be found at the Student Success Center.

If you need a special accommodation for a physical or learning disability, please talk to me after the first class session so that I can make appropriate adjustments in the class to meet your needs.  Visit Disability Support Services (DSS) in the Student Services Center and the Educational Diagnostic Center (EDC) in Learning Center West, room 110 for testing, advice, assistance, and special programs. Consult the Disability Information Student Handbook (DISH) at http://www.deanza.edu/specialed/dish .


Safety: 

In the event of an emergency that requires the evacuation of the room, we will exit the room and proceed to the grass of S Quad in front of the Learning Center for roll call and further instructions. Do not leave campus until you have been instructed to do so by your instructor or by emergency personnel!


Labs: 

Bio-11 fulfills the general education laboratory-science requirement for college degree programs. Therefore participation in all labs is expected and you must pass the laboratory portion to receive credit for the course. If you miss any three labs you may be dropped from the class. Non-participation is considered equivalent to non-attendance.

Read the lab experiments before you come to class and come prepared to begin work. It is next to impossible complete a lab exercise and learn anything from the process if you are reading the instructions for the first time. The safety of you and your classmates may depend on your preparedness when we are using hazardous materials. You may also need to bring food or some other biological specimen from home or to dress in attire appropriate for the activity, so again, be prepared and read ahead. You will also have a pre-lab assignment you must complete before you come to lab. These pre-lab assignments are designed to familiarize you with the terminology and concepts pertinent to the day's lab activity.

Each lab session will start with a lab quiz administered only during the first fifteen minutes of class and covering the previous week's lab exercise, pre-lab, and associated discussions. You must bring a Scantron 2020 (short brown) form to each lab class.

The score for each week's lab is the total out of the pre-lab (5 pts), the lab quiz (10 pts), & the lab manual report (10 pts).

The final lab class will consist of a comprehensive lab exam (100 pts) derived from the questions on all the pre-labs and lab quizzes. You will need to provide a Scantron Form # 882-E (long green) answer sheet and a #2 pencil for this exam.


Lecture Exams:  There are three exams based upon material covered in lecture. These exams are non-cumulative and will be composed of multiple choice and matching questions. As with the lab exam, new (clean and unwrinkled) Scantron Form # 882-E (long green) answer sheet and a #2 pencil will be needed for each lecture exam.

Please note the dates of all exams. If you are sick or have an emergency, contact me BEFORE the exam and special arrangements might be made in extenuating circumstances. Vacation plans are not extenuating circumstances!


Grading:

¬    Lecture Exams: non-comprehensive midterm & final exams. Each exam counts 100 points. (3 x 100 = 300 points)

¬    News Reports: one brief report worth 35 points, and one extensive report worth 65 points. (35 + 65 = 100 points)

¬    Lab Score: overall percentage lab score is worth 100 points. *

* {Remember - even though the lab score is only 20% of the course grade,
you must pass the laboratory portion to pass the class!}

The final class grade will be determined as a percentage of the maximum total 500 points:

|   92-100%= A   |   88-91%= A-   |   84-87%= B+   |   80-83%= B   |   76-79%= B-   |

|   72-75%= C+   |   64-71%= C   |   52-63%= D   |   <52%= F


Return to Biol-11 class web page.