The semester project is a class assignment you must do outdoors, on your own individually or in small groups of two or three persons. (If four persons wish to work together they may form two 2-person groups and work together.) Students have the opportunity to replace the longer Environmental Detective Project with a Humane Society Donation and Dog Walk.
Select the project you wish to do after reading the instructions (scroll down).
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
The Environmental Detective Project has somewhat more complex instructions than the Dog Walk. Read them with care (click on the links). Again, as stated above, students have the opportunity to replace the longer Environmental Detective Project with a Humane Society Donation and Dog Walk.
Read the submission instructions below with care.
Environmental Detective.
If you select this project you MUST submit it online with the described method. It can be submitted ONLINE at any time during the semester, within the semester calendar dates :
Only method: Submit your presentation program (e.g., PowerPoint or Keynote) online on Blackboard (in the appropriate Semester Project folder on Blackboard) with a short message (with your presentation attached).
This must be in the Semester Project submission when posted on Blackboard: 1. A short message identifying yourself and the project (about 10 - 20 words). 2. An ATTACHED file of the PowerPoint Presentation program file or Keynote Presentation program file with your presentation.
Record of submission: The file that will be present in the Blackboard bulletin board assigned for the project is the record of submission. If you don't see the file you have done something wrong. If the file is not in the appropriate Semester Project folder on or before the deadline you will EARN a zero.
Dog Walk.
If you select this project you can submit it with the methods described below. However, the online method is the method you SHOULD select if you know how to submit things online (or wish to learn). Students who wish a record of submission MUST submit online:
Method 1: Use this method if you don't want to mess with "picky" sumission details required by the instructor , and if you wish to have a record of your submission. Submit your writings and photographs and the receipt from the Humane Society (Palm Valley Animal Shelter) as a message and attachments in the assigned bulletin board on Blackboard.
This must be in the Semester Project submission when posted on Blackboard: 1. A minimum 100-word message written on a word processor identifying yourself and the project and discussing your experience. 2. An ATTACHED photo of you and the dog you walked. 3. An ATTACHED photo of you and the bag of dog food you donated. 4. An ATTACHED readable photo (with a digital camera -- most cell phones have one these days) or scanned (with a scanner) digital copy of the donation receipt obtained from the Humane Society (Palm Valley Animal Shelter).
Record of submission: The file that will be present in the Blackboard bulletin board assigned for the project is the record of submission. If you don't see the file you have done something wrong. If the file is not in the appropriate Semester Project folder on or before the deadline you will EARN a zero.
Method 2: Submit your writings and photographs and the receipt from the Humane Society (Palm Valley Animal Shelter) in the Pecan Campus mailbox of the instructor (there are three ways to do this -- scroll down) -- note that it did NOT SAY UNDER THE DOOR TO MY STC OFFICE -- as indicated below using an UNFOLDED manila envelope (about 8.5 by 11 inches). AGAIN NOTE: It said Pecan Campus mailbox -- to which only STC personnel have access (a student cannot walk up the the mailbox with the assignment). To facilitate grading (i) your name, (ii) course number, and (iii) class section number (course number and course section is written together, e.g., Biol. 2306.VO1, or Biology 1409.P07) must be written on the OUTSIDE of the envelope. If ALL THREE of these are not present on the outside of the envelope with legible writing the highest grade you will EARN on the project is number grade 40. If TWO of these are not present on the outside of the envelope with legible writing the highest grade you will EARN on the project is number grade 50. If ONE of these are not present on the outside of the envelope with legible writing the highest grade you will EARN on the project is number grade 60. (For more MAILBOX information see below.)
1. Printed on paper a minimum 100-word message written on a word processor identifying yourself and the project and discussing your experience. 2. A photo quality (real photo or printout on photo quality paper) of you and the dog you walked. 3. A photo (real photo or printout on photo quality paper) of you and the bag of dog food you donated. 4. The donation receipt obtained from the Humane Society (Palm Valley Animal Shelter).
NOTE: The photo MUST be on a photo quality paper. A photo printed on a regular photocopy paper does NOT qualify for a grade. Also, if printed on a photo quality paper the PRINTING QUALITY must be QUALITY. (Don't print if you have a lousy printer...)
Record of submission: There is no record of submission. If your assignment is not in the hands of the instructor at the time of grading you will EARN a zero. This method of submission is a courtesy to students who think it is too complex to submit online. (If you feel it is necessary to have a record of your submission, then you must submit the assignment online as described above.)
For address information, see below (scroll down).
Method 3 (This option is only available to students meeting in a classroom at some point in the semester when the project is due): Submit your photographs and the receipt from the Humane Society (Palm Valley Animal Shelter) at the last class meeting (as per the semester calendar). To protect the project ALL ITEMS must be submitted in ONE plastic POCKET sheet protector (a POCKET sheet protector with ONE pocket, opening up, with standard holes allowing it to be stored in a binder provided in class by the instructor).
Note: From previous experience with disrupted class meetings, online students CANNOT walk in nor send the project with someone else to a class meeting to have the project submitted.
This must be in the Semester Project submission when submitted in a manila size plastic sheet protector: 1. Printed on paper a minimum 100-word message written on a word processor identifying yourself and the project and discussing your experience. 2. A photo quality (real photo or printout on photo quality paper) of you and the dog you walked. 3. A photo (real photo or printout on photo quality paper) of you and the bag of dog food you donated. 4. The donation receipt obtained from the Humane Society (Palm Valley Animal Shelter).
NOTE: The photo MUST be on a photo quality paper. A photo printed on a regular photocopy paper does NOT qualify for a grade. Also, if printed on a photo quality paper the PRINTING QUALITY must be QUALITY. (Don't print if you have a lousy printer...)
Record of submission: There is no record of submission. If your assignment is not in the hands of the instructor at the time of grading you will EARN a zero. This method of submission is a courtesy to students who think it is too complex to submit online. (If you feel it is necessary to have a record of your submission, then you must submit the assignment online as described above.)
Below is a YouTube plastic sheet protector video for students unsure of what is a plastic sheet protector -- "letter paper size", to fit into a class-binder provided by the instructor.
Additional information, including address information, to all students submitting the Dog Walk Project via the instructor's PECAN mailbox (The Environmental Detective project must be submitted online):
To protect the project it must be inside an UNFOLDED "letter paper size" envelope (as close as possible to 8.5 by 11 inches -- often called a manila envelope) when submitted to the biology department secretary who will be the STC person putting your envelope in the instructors Pecan mailbox (whether it arrives from you in person or via regular mail or campus mail). Much smaller or much larger envelopes will not be accepted. (It has come to my attention that some students do not know what is a "letter paper size". I suggest you read this web page.)
Make sure the assignments reach the instructor's Pecan Campus mailbox (NOT MY OFFICE) by the due date, e.g., with one of the following methods:
(i) Walk in to the Biology Department secretary (Pecan Campus, building J, 3rd floor) with the envelope containing the assignments. Make sure you have your NAME, COURSE NUMBER, and CLASS SECTION on the envelope. The Biology Department secretary will put your envelope in my mailbox.
-- or --
(ii). Send it via campus mail to the instructor (no postage necessary): Dr. Jan A. Nilsson, Biology Department, Pecan Campus mailbox. Make sure you have your NAME, COURSE NUMBER, and CLASS SECTION on the envelope. Your project will arrive via campus mail and the Biology Department secretary will put your envelope in my mailbox.
-- or --
(iii). Send it via U.S. Postal service, or any other carrier of your choice (postage necessary): Dr. Jan A. Nilsson, Biology Department, South Texas College, Pecan Campus, McAllen, TX 78501. Make sure you have your NAME, COURSE NUMBER, and CLASS SECTION on the envelope. Your project will arrive via U.S. mail and the Biology Department secretary will put your envelope in my mailbox.
The semester project is a class assignment you must do outdoors, on your own individually or in small groups of two or three persons. (If four persons wish to work together they may form two 2-person groups and work together.) Students have the opportunity to replace the longer Environmental Detective Project with a Humane Society Donation and Dog Walk.
Environmental Detective.
This must be in the Semester Project submission when posted on Blackboard: 1. A short message identifying yourself and the project (about 10 - 20 words). 2. An ATTACHED file of the PowerPoint Presentation program file or Keynote Presentation program file with your presentation. 
, and if you wish to have a record of your submission. Submit your writings and photographs and the receipt from the Humane Society (Palm Valley Animal Shelter) as a message and attachments in the assigned bulletin board on Blackboard. 