The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) Catonsville

Division of Mathematics, Science and Engineering

Department of Biology
SECTION: BIOL 108 91449 CR1
SEMESTER: Fall 2015
COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: BIOL 108 - Investigating the Living World
This course is an overview of the basic principles of biology taken from an integrated perspective. The topics covered
include human biology, evolution, genetics, and ecology. The laboratory portion of this course reinforces and
supplements the lecture with inquiry-based activities.
4 credits: 3 lecture hours and 3 laboratory hours per week.
Prerequisites: RDNG 052 and MATH 081.
I. Basic Corse Information
a. INSTRUCTOR: Bernadette Allman
b. OFFICE LOCATION AND TELEPHONE: MASH 219 443- 840-4212
i. Email: ballman@ccbcmd.edu
c. OFFICE HOURS:
MW 5:00 5:45
d. BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT CONTACT INFORMATION LABB 203
443- 840-4212
e. COURSE MEETING DAYS AND TIMES:
BIOL 108 CR1
MW 5:45- 7:10 PM
Rm. CLLB 034B
BIOL 108 C3A LB
M
7:20- 10:15 PM
Rm. MASH 138
f. Statement of Student Out-of-Class Work Expectations: It is expected that you will spend a minimum of
seven hours per week outside the class including reading, class preparation, homework, studying, etc. Students:
please note that these are minimal requirements for any course, and that many students require more time than
this to be successful in science courses.
g. MATERIALS: Required: For laboratory courses, appropriate clothing (including shoes which cover the tops
of the feet and have good traction) is required. See Course Procedures for more information

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK(S):
Essentials of the Living World. 4th Edition George Johnson
Lab Activities will be posted on Blackboard and must be printed before class.
Optional Supplies:
Safety glasses Goggles must be worn during experiments in lab. Department supplies goggles.
II. COURSE PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES:
A. Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

1. assess basic biological questions using current scientific literature;

2. explain current events and discoveries based on biological information;
3. find, evaluate, use and cite valid sources to investigate current biological and
biotechnological advances from social and ethical perspectives;
4. propose solutions to everyday problems using biological knowledge;
5. apply the steps of scientific methodology and appropriate technology;
6. explain the functions and interrelationships of organ systems of the human body;
7. describe how cell structure and cell reproduction contribute to functions of human organ systems;
8. apply concepts of Mendelian genetics to explain ethnic diversity in the areas of genetic inheritance
and disorders;
9. determine how one's biological past has an impact on one's future;
10. discuss how humans have developed in a direct relationship with their environment;
11. explain the interrelationships between organisms and their environment;
12. discuss the impact that humans have on the future of their environment;
13. organize data into graphs and tables and employ basic mathematical skills to quantify data; and
14. effectively communicate scientific results and information to others.
B. Major Topics

I. Cell structure and function

1

II. Organ Systems

A. Interactions among organ systems
B. Homeostasis
C. Response to stimuli
D. Obtaining energy
E. Reproduction
III. Genetics
A. Transmission genetics
B. Molecular genetics
IV. Evolution
V. Conservation and ecology
C. Rational: This course can be used to meet the General Education requirement of a four-credit course in the
science domain for general education.
This course is recommended for students in the early childhood and elementary education curricula.
II.

Evaluation

Students must pass lecture and lab with a 60% to pass the course. Failure in either the lecture
or the lab is an automatic F for the course.
A. Requirements
Exams (400 points) are given at the end of each of the four units. Exams will consist of 50 multiplechoice questions.
Homework (200 points each) the activities will be posted on Blackboard at the start of each unit. Hard
copies of homework assignments are due at the start of class, the class before the each unit test (dates
listed below). Assignments will not be accepted late or submitted on line. Please download the
word files and type the answers, then print a hard copy to turn in.
Osmosis Lab Report (50 points) Students MUST complete the following assignment:
Osmosis Lab interpretation paper worth at least 5% of the total course grade that allows students to
demonstrate at least 5 of the 7 General Education Program outcomes. More information on this to
follow.
Weekly lab reports (150 points) must adhere to the format listed in course procedure section and are
due at the start of the following weeks lab and will NOT be accepted late.
B. GRADING POLICY
Unit I
Unit I
Unit II
Unit II
Unit III
Unit III
Unit IV
Unit IV
Formal Lab Report
Lab Total
Total

Due Dates
Homework Unit 1
Exam 1
Homework Unit 2
Exam 2
Homework Unit 3
Exam 3
Homework Unit 4
Test Unit 4/ Final Exam

M 9/23
W 9/30
W 10/14
W 10/21
M 11/16
W 11/18
W12/9
M 12/14

50 points
100 points
50 points
100 points
50 points
100 points
50 points
100 points
50 points
150 pts.
800 points

BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT GRADING SCALE:

A
90 - 100%
B
80 - 89%
C
70 - 79%
D
60 - 69%
F
59 and below

720 - 800 pts

640 - 719 pts
560 639 pts
480 559 pts
0 480 pts

C. Attendance policy
The goal of classroom activities is to provide the greatest educational benefit to all students. Class participants
should expect and provide mutual respect and consideration in words and actions. Student behavior in class
should not interfere with the rights of others or with the educational process - an instructor has the right to
dismiss a student from class for behavior that she judges to be disruptive to the teaching and learning process
According to Departmental Policy, there will be no use of electronic communication devices (i.e. cellular phones,
electronic pagers, etc.) by students in the classroom unless prior permission has been granted by the instructor.
Attendance at each class and lab is essential. Please be on time. Students with a legitimate problem about
attendance should discuss the situation with their instructor. If the unexpected happens, however, it is the
students' responsibility to contact the instructor as soon as possible and to make up all missed work. Missed
exams can be made up ONLY if the student notifies the instructor or the biology secretary within 24 hours.
D. Audit Policy
The deadline for withdrawing from a course or changing to an audit for the Fall 2012 semester is Friday
November 2. Failure to officially withdraw from a class you have stopped attending may result in an "F" grade.
Student who are auditing course are expected to fully participate in class.
IV. Course Procedures
A. Course-related policies and procedures:
No food or drink is allowed in any Science lab at any time. Feet should be covered with closed-toed
shoes to provide protection from broken glass and other laboratory hazards. Eye, hand, skin and clothing
protection may be required when chemical or biological hazards are present. Failure to abide by this
policy will result in removal of students from the class.
B. College wide syllabus policies: For college wide syllabus policies such as the Code of Conduct
related to Academic Integrity and Classroom Behavior or the Audit/ Withdrawal policy, please go to
the MySyllabiPolicies Tab on the MyCCBC page. Please pay particular attention to the following
sections of MySyllabiPolicies:
Attendance Policy
Code of Conduct for Academic Integrity
Grades AU
Grades -W
C. Contact information for course-related concerns: Students should first attempt to take concerns to
the faculty member. If students are unable to resolve course-related concerns with the instructor, they
should contact Ms. Karen Dalton, Catonsville BIOL Coordinator at kdalton@ccbcmd.edu or 443-8404688.
D. Additional Procedures: No food or drink is allowed in any science lab at any time. Feet should be
covered with closed-toed shoes to provide protection from broken glass, spilled chemicals, and other
laboratory hazards. Eye, hand, skin and clothing protection may be required when chemical or
biological hazards are present. Failure to abide by laboratory safety policies will result in removal
of students from the class.
E. Course calendar/schedule:

Readingassignments:

Date

Lecture Topic

Reading
Chapters
0, 1
2

M 8/31
W 9/2
M 9/7
W 9/9
M 9/14
W 9/16
M 9/21
W 9/23

Intro; Syllabus; Chars of Living Things

Intro to Chemistry/ Water
Labor Day/ No class
Carbon Chemistry (Proteins, Lipids)
Carbon Chemistry (Carbs, Nucleic Acids)
Cells Structure
Plasma Membrane/ Transport
Review; HW Unit 1 Due

M 9/28

23, 26, 5

Lab 3: Egg Osmosis Lab (Formal

Lab Report 50 pts)

W 9/30

Introduction to animal body/ Digestive

System/ Enzymes
Exam Unit 1

M 10/5
W 10/7
M 10/12

Excretory System/ Cardiovascular System

Respiratory System/ Cellular Respiration
Nervous /Immune/ Endocrine

27, 24
25, 7
29, 28, 30

Lab 4: Enzymes (10 pts)

W 10/14

Reproductive/ Review; HW Unit 2 Due

31

M 10/19
W 10/21
M 10/26
W 10/28
M 11/2
W 11/4
M 11/9
W 11/11

Cell Division
Exam Unit 2
DNA (Discovery, Structure, Replication)
Mendel (Inheritance)
Protein Synthesis
Biotechnology
Evolution
Evolution

8, 9

Lab 6: Mitosis (15 pts)

11
10
12
13
14, 15
16.1

Lab 7: GMO Part 1

M 11/16

Review; HW Unit 3 Due

W 11/18
M 11/23

Exam Unit 3
Ecology 1

19

Lab 11: Environmental Effects

on Photosynthesis (15 pts)

W 11/26
M 11/30
W 12/2
M 12/7

Thanksgiving Break
Plant Structure/ Photosynthesis
Ecology 2
Human Impacts

32, 6
20
22

Lab 12: Owl Pellets

W12/9

Review; HW Unit 4 Due

12/14

Exam 4 5:30- 7:30

3
3
4
4

Lab
Lab Safety (15 pts)

Lab 1:Scientific Method (10 pts)

Lab 2: Microscopes

(10 pts)

Lab 5: Mouse Respiration (15

pts)

(10 pts)

Lab 8: GMO Part 2

(10 pts)

Lab 9: GMO Part 3

(10 pts)

Lab 10: Comparative Anatomy

(10 pts)

This syllabus may be changed with notification to the class.

(10 pts)

Lab 13: Water Quality and

Investigating Water Sheds with
Field Scope