TENTATIVE BOTANY SYLLABUS

SPRING 2007
Merced College

Carl Estrella

Office: TFO 1
Office Hours: (Spring 2007): MWF 10:00 AM. You may also make an appointment for another time that would be mutually convenient.
Phone: (209) 384-6294
E-mail: estrella.c@mccd.edu

---

CONTENTS:

Course Description
Student Learning Outcomes
Meetings
Reading Resources
Methods of Evaluation
Attendance
Grading
Academic Honesty
Success Notes    

---

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Botany 1 (Principles of Botany) is a 5-unit course that includes 3 hours of lecture and 6 hours of lab per week.  This course is a study of plants including structure, physiology, development, genetics, ecology, and evolution.  Laboratory includes field trips.  This course also serves as part of an introductory biology course in the lower division biology preparation for biology majors. It is assumed that you have had and successfully passed a majors level college biology course.

---

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. Prepare and examine specimens of plants using the microscope.
2. Analyze the parts of vascular plants, including organelles and flower parts.
3. Examine the role of the major organic compounds in the structure and physiology of plants.
4. Differentiate the known mechanisms by which material enters and leave plant cells.
5. Examine the roles of enzymes and analyze specific examples from respiration and from photosynthesis.
6. Compare and contrast aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
7. Diagram the steps in the light reactions of photosynthesis.
8. Differentiate between the 3-carbon pathway and the 4-carbon pathway of photosynthesis, and how it is important.
9. Diagram and explain the steps of mitosis and meiosis.
10. State the basis of biological classification and give examples of members of each kingdom studied.
11. Describe the structure, physiology, reproduction, and importance to humans of each of the following: bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, and seed plants.
12. Identify organisms to phylum.
13. Identify angiosperm plant structures and cell types.
14. Explain how flowers and fruit develop.
15. Identify and understand the primary and secondary growth structures of a vascular plant.
16. Understand the role of internal and external environmental factors in the growth and survival of vascular plants.
17. Understand general ecological principles in terms of biomes and ecosystems.

---

MEETINGS:

Lecture and lab are held in the same room (SP-11).  Lectures are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.  Labs are held every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 am to 11:00 am.  Make sure you are present on time for any important instructions, announcements, or changes that may occur during the semester.  It is your responsibility to obtain any verbal and/or written material delivered during class or lab meetings.  Information and material may be presented at any time during a class or lab meeting.

---

READING RESOURCES:

 Lecture:  Biology of Plants, Raven, Evert, and Eichorn, 7th edition, 2005, Freeman and Company Publishers (THIS IS A REQUIRED TEXT)

Laboratory:  Laboratory Topics in Botany to Accompany Raven, Evert, and Eichorn:  Biology of Plants, Ray S. Evert and Susan E. Eichorn, Joy B. Perry, 7th edition, 2005, W. H. Freeman and Company Publishers.  (THIS IS A REQUIRED TEXT)

Highly Recommended:  A Photographic Atlas for the Botany Laboratory, Van De Graaf et. al., 4th edition (previous editions will work fine), Morton Publishing Company.  (THIS IS AN OPTIONAL TEXT)

The Botany Coloring Book, Paul Young, (any edition), HarperPerennial (a division of HarperCollins Publishers).  (THIS IS AN OPTIONAL TEXT)
 

---

METHODS OF EVALUATION:

Quizzes:   Quizzes may be given at the beginning of lab.   Come to class to verify exactly when  quizzes will be given.  Most of the time I will announce when a quiz will be given and over what material a quiz will test.  There may be pop quizzes over recently covered material (especially if attendance starts to drop).  There are no make-ups for quizzes.  You need not give me any excuse why a quiz was missed.  I will be dropping 3 quizzes specifically to address the likelihood that one or more may be missed during the semester for emergency situations.  Please do not ask for a make up.  Pre-lab quizzes may also be given to acertain how prepared you are for lab.  These pre-lab quizzes will be five points each.  Post-lab quizzes may also be given to see if learning has taken place during the lab session (so it's a good idea to ask questions and do all that is required in lab. It is your responsibility to be present for all quizzes and announcements.  Missing or doing poorly on a quiz because you were unaware of the announcement of the quiz is your responsibility.

Lecture exams: You will not be allowed to make up exams except in cases of extreme emergencies and prior notification is given.  Documentation is required.  Make up exams (if allowed) is usually given in essay form.

Lab exams are given in the form of practicums.  Questions will consist of identifying specimens, identifying structures, understanding concepts, and knowing the function of structures.  There are no make-ups on lab exams.

---

Special Assignments:

Field Trip Reports:  There are two field trips planned.  Two field trip reports will be counted for your grade.  If you are not able to go on a field trip with the class, a substitute field trip or similar assignment may be made.

Plant Collection:  You will be collecting, preserving (herbarium mount), and identifying flowering plants.  These must be flowering plants that are easily collected in vacant fields or other areas were they naturally grow. Each plant collected, mounted, and identified properly may receive up to 10 points.  Do not collect ornamentals.

Notebook: See notebook handout.

---

ATTENDANCE:

 Daily attendance is expected and you are required to maintain at least 80% attendance.  It is your responsibility to officially drop the course if that should be your desire.  I do not assume that you have dropped simply because you have stopped coming.  Not dropping by the appropriate week of instruction may result in an F grade even if you only attended the first class meeting and/or I do not have any scores. I reserve the right to drop you if I feel your lack of attendance reflects a lack of concern for learning.

---

GRADING:

TENTATIVE POINT ASSIGNMENT:

GRADING SCALE:

   90.0% - 100%     = A
   80.0% - 89.9%    = B
   70.0% - 79.9%    = C
   60.0% - 69.9%    = D
   59.9% or below   = F

SUCCESS NOTES

There is a lot of material to cover and understand in a survey course such as this and it will demand effort and time.  Please feel encouraged to seek help when needed and don’t hesitate to make friends and form study groups with other members of your class.  I am very willing to help you in our studies in anyway you feel comfortable (study groups, review sessions, individual tutoring).  All I ask is that this does not cut time from our regular schedule.

For most students, success or failure in a class like this is based on the following extremes.

1.  Daily attendance + using all of the lab time effectively + coming to class on time + taking good notes + studying notes and reading all assigned pages + testing yourself to evaluate the amount of learning that your studying has produced and taking steps to increase learning if warranted + studying together to some degree with others in the class + coming to me for assistance in studying, understanding, or learning procedures throughout the semester = Very High Probability of Success
 

2.  Missing class frequently + coming to lab late and/or leaving early + taking very little or no notes + studying very little or too late (especially if there are no class notes to help) + never testing your learning efficiency + isolating yourself from peer resources and/or instructor resources + missing exams, quizzes, and other assignments + coming to class unprepared as to the topic assigned + trying to bring up your grade too late in the semester when most of the points have already been assigned = Very Low (if any at all) Probability of Success