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General Biology I
Biol. 1408.W02
Spring 2012, Tentative Calendar (as taught by Dr. Nilsson)

This is a face-to-face, web-enhanced class. Some assignments and activities are online using the Internet and Blackboard Class Management System.





Course Setup
This class is a Face-to-Face, web-enhanced class. Classrooms: Mid-Valley Campus, G 209 or PB 6B (pending construction) and G 204. The class uses web pages located on the STC regular server, called the "General Biology Hub" -- where you can find much class information, and web pages located on the STC Blackboard server, called Blackboard Plaza -- where you find additional information and where you will submit SOME assignments. Since this is a web-enhanced, face-to-face class, alternative non-Blackboard assignment is provided for students who do not wish to use Blackboard. However, before you consider a non-Blackboard assignment, please read the article and the YouTube video below.


Click on the article thumbnail to read it...







Additional Blackboard course shell
The course has an additional course shell. This is a shell in addition to the regular Blackboard course shell, and it is called the "Town Hall". The Town Hall course shell involves the two class discussion assignments and is explained in the Grading Criteria of the class. The Town Hall course shell will not be available at the beginning of the semester -- not until the Blackboard people have set it up after a week or two of the semester. All biology classes taught by this instructor (not just students in this class) will participate in the Town Hall.




Calendar Chapter Overview Course Outline
x The course follows the textbook chapters as close as possible in the order given below. The progress of the chapters covered is tentative and therefore not included in the calendar details with assignment deadline below.


Unit I: The Cell

Week 1. Jan 15 - 21. Introduction, chapter 1

Week 2. Jan 22 - 28. Basic chemistry, chapter 2

Week 3. Jan 29 - Feb 04. Organic chemistry, chapter 3

Week 4. Feb 05 - 11. Cell structures, chapter 4

Week 5. Feb 12 - 18. Cell membrane, chapter 5

Week 6. Feb 19 - 25. Energy and Enzymes, chapter 6

Worksheet Exam 1 Chapter 1 - 6

Week 7. Feb 26 - Mar 03. Photosynthesis, chapter 7

Week 8. Mar 04 - 10. Cellular respiration, chapter 8

Week 9. Mar 11 - 17. SPRING BREAK

Unit II: Genetics

Week 10. Mar 18 - 24. Cell reproduction -- mitosis, chapter 9

Worksheet Exam 2 Chapter 7, 8, and 9 (in part)

Week 11. Mar 25 - 31. Sexual reproduction - meiosis, chapter 10

Week 12. Apr 01 - 07. Mendelian genetics, chapter 11

Week 13. Apr 08 - 14. DNA and the genetic code, chapter 12

Worksheet Exam 3 Chapter 9 (in part), 10 - 12

Unit III: Evolution

Week 14. Apr 15 - 21. Evolution I, chapter 15 and chapter 30 (selected text)

Week 15. Apr 22 - 28. Evolution II, chapter 16, chapter 17 (selected text)

Week 16. Apr 29 - May 05. Endterm Exam (comprehensive from Exam, 1, 2, and 3, plus evolution (selected text)).

Week 17. May 06 - 12. Final week. Learning Self-Assessment




Calendar Details
x The course follows the textbook chapters as close as possible the order given above. The calendar is dynamic, so there MAY be a few minor modifications during the semester (updated and changed as needed). If this happens it will be announced in class.



x All DUE DATES are flagged with a blue and yellow arrow x




The assignments (Class Discussion Key Quiz, Evolution Worksheet Quiz, General Class Discussion, and the Town Hall Meeting) in the extra course shell called the TOWN HALL are now listed in the Semester Calendar. Due to time concern and Blackboard platform transfer problems, the longer Evolution Worksheet Quiz, has been replaced with a shorter quiz.




x Week 1. Jan 15 - 21
"Familiarize yourself with the course week"
x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday.

Read the information message and view the video(s) on the first page when logging in to the class (Blackboard Content "Home" page).

Take the Student Contract Quiz (deadline January 29, 2012, 10:59PM). If you read this you have probably already submitted the quiz. (However, it is posted here since it is possible to reach this calendar from the Syllabus, without first submitting the quiz.)

After passing the student contact quiz with 100 (can be taken unlimited times), become familiar with the textbook and the class web pages (Dr. Nilsson's CyberClassroom -- on the Blackboard server, and the Class Hub page -- on the STC server). Pay special attention to the Grading Criteria, the Grade Recorder, and the Semester Calendar (this document). Visit "Blackboard Plaza" and read the information message and listen to the YouTube from the instructor.

Post an Introductory posting message (deadline January 30, 2012, 10:59PM), introducing yourself and say hello to the class, in the "class help desk" (in the bulletin board for introductions).

Figure Discussions opens, Friday, January 20, 2011, 8:00AM.

Continue familiarize yourself with the textbook, class pages, read online instructions, and online reading assignments located on the class hub.


x Week 2. Jan 23 - 29
"Continue to familiarize yourself with the course week" 		x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday.

Continue to familiarize yourself with the course. Read messages in the Introduction bulletin board and the Study Group / Collaboration bulletin board (in the help desk).

Look through your textbook for textbook figures, read and post in the "Figure Discussions".


x Week 3. Jan 30 - Feb 05
"The introduction and familiarization period is over -- "real" start of the class" 		x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday.

Thursday, February 02: Memorization Quiz 1 may be attempted for the first time (out of three attempts during lab hours; last time to attempt this memorization quiz is Thursday, March 08.

x FIRST CRITICAL DEADLINE: Student Contract Quiz due on or before Sunday, January 29, 2012, 10:59PM. This contract should normally have been submitted over a week ago. Student who has not submitted the Student Contract Quiz by the deadline will be considered a non-participating student and will be removed from the class roster. Student, who has not submitted the Student Contract Quiz will be blocked (automatically -- not by the instructor) by the Blackboard settings and cannot submit class assignments on Blackboard after this date.

Worksheet Exam 1, and Semester Project (Field Lab Project) submission folders on Blackboard OPEN -- Monday, January 30, 2012, 8:00AM. (See the Grading Criteria and the Grade Recorder for details.)

x Introductory Posting in the Introduction bulletin board in the class help desk due on or before Monday, January 30, 2011, 10:59PM. Last chance to place an "introduction" message and say hello to the class. It doesn't really make any sense to say hello to the class mates after more than 2 weeks have passed -- does it? Since this is part of your grade, and since this is a method by the instructor to see which students are working in the class and which students may have problems, a student who has not introduced himself/herself to the class will lose 1 grade point.

Wednesday, February 01, 2011-- 12th Class Day.


x Week 4. Feb 05 - 11 x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday.


x Week 5. Feb 12 - 18
"Valentine's Day week" 		x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday.


x Week 6. Feb 19 - 25
"President's Day week" 		x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday.


x Week 7. Feb 26 - Mar 03 x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday (Virtual Lab in the Classroom PB5).

General Class Discussion begins, Friday, March 02, 2012, 08.00AM. (Blackboard, Town Hall Course Shell.)


x Week 8. Mar 04 - 10 x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday (Cellular Respiration activity in PB5).


x Memorization Quiz 1 (last attempt), Thursday, March 08.


x Worksheet Exam 1 due, Tuesday, March 06.


x Week 9. Mar 11 - 17
"Spring break week" 		x

x Class Discussion Key Quiz. Sunday, March 11, 2012, 10:59pm. Student who has not submitted the quiz with a 100 by the deadline will NOT be able to participate in the General Class Discussion, and will EARN a ZERO for the assignment. (The assignment is worth 11 percent -- MORE than a letter grade. DON'T MISS THE DEADLINE!!!)

S p r i n g b r e a k



x Week 10. Mar 18 - 24 x Back to school, refreshed with new energy, ready for the second half of the semester!


CLASS MEETING: Tuesday and Thursday (Video in PB5.).

x General Class Discussion Midsession. Tuesday, March 20, 2012, 10:59pm. Minimum 10 General Class Discussion postings TOTAL (in the Town Hall course shell) due when the instructor checks the Blackboard tracking system.

Class Discussion Key Quiz re-opens for students who has not submitted the quiz AND has e-mailed the instructor and asked to have it re-opened, Thursday, March 22, 2012, 08.00AM. (Blackboard, Town Hall Course Shell.)


x Week 11. Mar 25 - 31 x


CLASS MEETING: Tuesday (Mitosis and Meiosis) and Thursday (Meeting in the Lab: Mitosis Phases. Class meets in the LAB.).

x General Class Discussion ends. Friday, March 30, 2012, 10:59pm. Minimum 25 General Class Discussion postings TOTAL (in the Town Hall course shell) due when the instructor checks the Blackboard tracking system. Students with 24 or fewer postings will lose the endsession discussion grade points (see the Grading Criteria for the class).



x Week 12. Apr 01 - 07 x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday (class meeting: Meiosis / Genetics). Thursday (BREAK).

Town Hall Meeting begins, Monday, April 02, 2012, 08.00AM. (Blackboard, Town Hall Course Shell.) Evolution Worksheet Quiz opens, Monday, April 02, 2012, 08.00AM. (Blackboard, Town Hall Course Shell.) Evolution Worksheet Quiz due next week.

x Semester Project due submitted on Blackboard due ONLINE on or before Wednesday, April 04, 2012, 10:59PM. The Dog Walk Project has an extended deadline and may also be turned in on Blackboard on or before April 14, 2012, 10.59PM. (The other two projects must be submitted ONLINE no later than April 04.) Face-to-face students may submit the Dog Walk in the classroom on April 10.

S e m e s t e r b r e a k Thursday, April 05 - Sunday, April 08, College Closed


x Week 13. Apr 08 - 14 x

CLASS MEETING: Tuesday (Genetics 2: DNA) and Thursday (Lab Practicum Review. Class meets in the LAB. Last chance to practice focusing and look at the mitosis phases).
x Evolution Worksheet Quiz (Town Hall Meeting Key Quiz) closes, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 10.59PM. (Blackboard, Town Hall Course Shell.) Student who has not submitted the quiz with a minimum 100 CANNOT participate in the Town Hall Meeting -- and will EARN a ZERO for the assignment at the end of the semester. THERE WILL BE NO SECOND WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.

x Virtual Lab done in the classroom, lab due date Tuesday, April 10, 2012.


x Worksheet Exam 2 due, Tuesday, April 10.

x Dog Walk (Extended CLASSROOM deadline for Face-to-Face students) due in the class Tuesday, April 10, 2012.


x Lab Practicum Review (Microscope Practice. Last chance to practice focusing and look at the mitosis phase. SIGN-UP for Practicum!!! (Exam 2 key)), Thursday, April 12.

x Dog Walk (Extended ONLINE deadline) due ONLINE April 14, 2012.

x Town Hall Meeting Midsession. Saturday, April 14, 2012, 10:59pm. Minimum 10 Town Hall meeting postings postings TOTAL (in the Town Hall course shell) due when the instructor checks the Blackboard tracking system.




x Week 14. Apr 15 - 21 x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday (Genetics 3) and Thursday (Lab Practicum DAY 1. Microsope focusing GROUP 1. Class meets in the LAB.)


x Lab Practicum (Microscope Focusing day 1 / Group 1), Thursday, April 19. x Microscope Drawings (WILL NOT BE COLLECTED), Thursday, April 19. Memorization Quizzes cannot be taken the day of the Lab Practicum...


x Week 15. Apr 22 - 28 x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday (Genetics (Key Exam 3)/ Evolution) and Thursday (Lab Practicum DAY 2. Microsope focusing GROUP 1. Class meets in the LAB.)


x Worksheet Exam 3 due, Tuesday, April 24. (Exam 2 key)) Memorization Quiz 2 and 3 (second to the last attempt)

x Lab Practicum (Microscope Focusing day 2 / Group 2) due, Thursday, April 26. Memorization Quizzes cannot be taken the day of the Lab Practicum...

x Town Hall Meeting ends. Friday, April 27, 2012, 10:59pm. Minimum 25 General Class Discussion postings TOTAL (in the Town Hall course shell) due when the instructor checks the Blackboard tracking system. Students with 24 or fewer postings will lose the endsession discussion grade points (see the Grading Criteria for the class).



x Week 16. Apr 29 - May 05 x
CLASS MEETING: Tuesday (Catch-Up Day / Study Day for the final exam. Class meets in Pb6B -- 1:15PM) and Thursday (Endterm "Final" Exam. Class meets in Pb5A -- 1:15PM).

x Memorization Quiz 2 and 3 (last attempt), Tuesday, May 01.
x All open semester blackboard assignments close Tuesday, May 01, 2012, 10.59pm (Figure Discussions, readings will disappear and can no longer be used to study for the final exam.) Some assignments, listed earlier in the calendar, have already closed.


x Endterm Final Exam, Thursday, May 03.

Learning Self-Assessment opens Thursday, May 03, 2012, 4:00PM. Must be submitted on Blackboard...


x Week 17. May 06 - 12 x x Learning Self-Assessment closes Wednesday, May 09, 2012, 10:59PM.

GRADUATION, Saturday May 12, 2011.

This is it -- class is over! Grades are due by STC on Monday afternoon next week. You will get your grades from STC, not posted on Blackboard and not from the instructor.





Comment: The calendar may be changed due to unforeseen circumstances to meet the needs of a particular class. The instructor therefore reserves the right to alter (add, delete, or revise) any items of the above, online or via verbal instructions in class. The student is responsible for taking note of any such changes and acting accordingly.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Let's have an interesting semester!