Fall  2010    Bio 108 Plants and Society 

Instructor -Peter S. Brown E-mail: brown@mesacc.edu

Office: Nursing Building, South end, room 181

Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 2-3 PM  Tuesday & Thursday 1-2 PM  . Friday by appointment.  In general, after lab is a great time to talk.

Office Phone: 480-461-7034

Web site: www.mesacc.edu/~brown/

Lecture:  Room LS 208, MWF  10-10:50 AM

Lab: Room LS 202 M or W   11 AM-1:50 PM

Textbook (required):  Plants and Society, 5th edition by Levetin and McMahon

Laboratory manual (required):  Plants and Society, 7th edition, fall 2008 (Brown and Dinchak)

Description: The study of plants in relation to humans; as a source of food, fiber, drugs, and other products; for aesthetic value, survival and energy. Prerequisites: None

This course is intended for non-biology majors and transfers as follows:

ASU NAU U. of A
PLB 08 (SQ) Bio 100 & 100L (LAB) ECOL 108

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Grading*:

Category Points Percent
Exams (4 exams x100 points.  Final exam** is optional and replaces your lowest exam grade). 400 51
Labs (14 labs x 15 points)  (15 labs scheduled, 1 dropped) 210 27
Lecture assignments in-class (15 assignments x 5 points) 75 10
Textbook assignments (4 assignments x 12 points) 48 6
Medicinal plant preparation and essay (28 point essay + 8 points in-class sharing) 36 5
Ethnic grocery (10 point worksheet + 6 points in-class sharing) 16 2
Total 785 100
Extra credit (if you miss a lab or just need extra points)

Boyce Thompson Arboretum assignment is worth all 25 points.  Other assignments will be available as announced in-class.

Maximum 25  3%

*The instructor reserves the right to make changes in this grading scheme.

**Final exam is comprehensive over exams 1-4. It will replace your lowest grade.

Makeup exams: No makeup exams will be given although I can usually arrange for the exam to be taken in advance. The optional final exam is comprehensive over exams 1-4 and will replace your lowest exam grade.

90%=A 80%=B 70%=C 60%=D <59%=F

Lecture attendance: Regular attendance of lecture is expected. Attendance will be taken, but it will not count towards your grade. Lecture assignments will be given about once a week for about 10% of your grade.  You must be in lecture to receive these points.

Lab attendance: Lab attendance is REQUIRED.. No make-up laboratory assignments will be given. Students arriving late to laboratory or leaving early will have points deducted at the instructor’s discretion.   Students attending fewer than 11 laboratories will be withdrawn from the course regardless of their overall grade.

Withdrawal policy: I will withdraw any student who has not attended a lecture or lab the 1st week. Student withdrawal without instructor’s signature is permitted until the date specified in the college calendar. After that, you are responsible for notifying me that you would like to withdraw at 461-7034. Any student who notifies me will receive a "W" (withdrew passing). Any student who stops attending without  notifying the instructor will receive a "Y" (withdrew failing).

Academic dishonesty: Academic dishonesty will result in a zero for that assignment. Subsequent instances of academic dishonesty will result in an "F" or "Y" for the course and be reported to the dean of students.

Disabilities: Reasonable accommodation will gladly be made for those with disabilities, learning or otherwise. Please talk with me, and to the Special Services office, 461-7448. The Special Services office will provide written documentation regarding the necessary accommodation.

MCC Early Alert Program (EARS)

Mesa Community College is committed to the success of all our students.  Numerous campus support services are available throughout your academic journey to assist you in achieving your educational goals.  MCC has adopted an Early Alert Referral System (EARS) as part of a student success initiative to aid students in their educational pursuits.  Faculty and Staff participate by alerting and referring students to campus services for added support.  Students may receive a follow up call from various campus services as a result of being referred to EARS.  Students are encouraged to participate, but these services are optional.  The instructor will talk to you prior to submitting your name to EARS.

 Early Alert Web Page with Campus Resource Information can be located at:  http://www.mesacc.edu/students/ears.

 

 

 

 

 

Date

Topic Textbook

Lab

Week 1 Aug 23-27

How do people use plants? p. 1-8, p.170-179, Ch. 12

Section 1: Welcome to the biology lab

Week 2 Aug 30-Sept 3

How do people use plants? (continued) Ch. 13, 14, p.237-242

Section 2: What is science?

Week 3 Sept 6-10

Mon Sept 6 Holiday

Different kinds of plants, plant diversity, fossil record. p. 134-136

Section 3: How are plants classified?

Week 4 Sept 13-17

 

Monocots and dicots

Classifying living organisms

Fri. Sept 17: Exam 1 and text 1

p. 89-92 (fig. 6.2), p.36-37 (fig. 3.5-3.7), p. 41 (fig. 3.10 c), p. 76 (fig. 5.3),

p. 123-124

Ch. 9

Section 4: Flowers

Week 5 Sept 20-24

Roots, stems and leaves p. 35-47123-124

Section 5: Leaves

Section 6: Fruits

 

Week 6 Sept 27-Oct 1

Flowers and fruits Ch. 5 (skip p. 77-81, meiosis and gametophytes)

Ch. 6

Section 8: Plant cells

Week 7 Oct 4-8

Medicinal, poisonous, allergy plants

 

Ch. 19, 20, 21 Section 7: Plant Propagation

 

Week 8 Oct 11-15

Wed. : Herbal Medicine Paper and Oral Report

Fri. : Exam 2 and text 2

Continue reading from last week

Section 10: Landscaping

Week 9 Oct 18-22

Desert plants p. 478-482

Section 10: Landscaping (continued)

Week 10 Oct 25-29

Cells Ch. 2 Section 9: Field trip to Desert Botanical Garden

Week 11 Nov 1-5

Chemistry, water, molecules of life

Fri. Nov 5: Ethnic grocery store assignment due

p. 8-18

 

Section 12:  How do leaves respond to external stimuli?

Week 12  Nov 8-12

Thurs Nov 11 Holiday

 

Wed. : Exam 3 and text 3

 

 

Section 11: Field trip Gilbert Riparian Area

Week 13 Nov 15-19

 Genetics Ch. 7

Section 13: How are traits related to genes?

Week 14 Nov 22-24

Holiday T-giving Nov 25-27

Metabolism and photosynthesis

 

p. 54-64p.

 

Monday- Makeup Section 3: How are plants classified?

Wed: No Lab

Week 15  Nov 29-Dec 3

Respiration p. 64-70

Section 14: Red onions and Elodea in saltwater

Week 16 Dec 6-10 Mon Dec 6 : Extra credit (optional) due

Wed December 8th. : Exam 4 and text 4

Friday Dec 10: Receive course grade, review for Final

  Video and Discussion
Wednesday December 15 at 10 AM Final exam (optional)    

*This schedule may change at the discretion of the instructor   ** Bring a Green Scantron & pencil to each exam.

 

 

 

 

 

Syllabus Questions

1. Who is Peter?

 

2. True or False: If you are a biology major wishing to fulfill a science requirement, this is the appropriate course.

 

3. What is the name of the textbook and laboratory manual you need? Where can you buy them?

 

4. Assume you have dyslexia and need extra time on the exams. What must you do?

 

5.  You have missed 2 labs.  How will this affect your grade? What can you do to help your grade? 

 

6. Explain how coming to lecture will help your grade.

 

7. You are a poor test taker. What other activities will help boost your grade in Biology 108?

 

8.  If you have any questions about the class your instructor has not discussed, talk to him after class or write it below and pass it in.