Nan Ho
Syllabus http://lpc1.laspositascollege.edu/lpc/ho/Spring2008/Zoo1/Zoo1syllS08.htm
Section V01, 5 semester units
Las Positas College, Spring 2008
(925) 424-1344
Office hours--Room 2149 (subject to change): T 1:30 - 2:20 pm; Th 1:30 - 3:10 pm, F 12 - 1:40 pm
OFFICE HOURS FOR FINALS WEEK (beginning May 22)
Friday, May 22, 11:30 am - 2:20 pm
Tuesday, May 27, 9:30 - 10:20 am
Wednesday, May 28, 1:30 - 3:10 pm
All grading will be done by June 3rd. Grades and ethologies will not be completed until then. You may come in on June 3 to pick up your papers.
Zoology 9 Colloquium (optional 1-unit course)
Lectures (text only) will be posted here as soon as possible. Please allow at least a week for a lecture link to appear.
Major groups of animals from Protista and Animalia Kingdoms, with emphasis on the evolution of form and function and their relationship to behavior and ecology. Laboratory dissection and observation of anatomy with correlative studies in the laboratory and field. Designed for majors in biology, zoology, wildlife management, and related fields.
| Lecture | MWF | 10:30 am-11:20 am | Room 1814 |
| Lab | TTh | 10:30 am-1:20 pm | Room 1810 |
Zoology 1 is a rigorous course that articulates to and/or is comparable to courses in the UC system and the CSU system. Expect to put in a lot of work outside of class time, not only for studying, but for additional lab work and field work. Your ethology project and insect collection will involve extended time in the field.
You are required to bring the necessary materials for each lab class. Please consult the schedule to determine the materials you need to bring for each day. If you are not prepared with the correct materials for a lab, there will be a reduction in your grade (as explained in class).
| Required | |
| Miller, Stephen, and John P. Harley | Zoology, 7th ed., The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2007. http://www.mhhe.com/zoology |
| Hickman, Cleveland P., and Lee B. Kats | Laboratory Studies in Integrated Principles of Zoology, 13th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2005. |
| Perry, James W., and David Morton | Photo Atlas for Biology, Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1996. |
| Ho, Nan | General Zoology-ZOOL 1; XanEdu custom coursepack, National Archive Publishing Company, 2005. |
| Ho, Nan | Zoology 1 Laboratory; McGraw-Hill Primis custom book, McGraw-Hill, 2006. |
| For lab: | Loose-leaf 3-ring binder, lined notebook paper, and No. 2 pencils |
| Gloves (available in bookstore) | |
| Recommended | |
| Elson, Lawrence M. | The Zoology Coloring Book, Harper Perennial, 1982. |
| Zoology Quick-Study, BarCharts, Inc., 1997. |
No one "gives" you a grade for this class; you earn your grade.
Your progress in this class will be evaluated in several different ways: exams, lab practicals, announced and unannounced quizzes, homework, in-class assignments, lab notebook reports and assessments, and long-term projects. There are no make-up exams, practicals, or quizzes.
Two-thirds of the course is devoted to laboratory, so expect that materials from lab will be tested on exams. Lab attendance is mandatory. Make-ups for labs are not always possible, and are completely at my discretion.
You are required to bring the necessary materials for each lab class. Please consult the schedule to determine the materials you need to bring for each day. If you are not prepared with the correct materials for a lab, there will be a reduction in your grade (as explained in class).
Some in-class assignments will be completed in lecture or lab and then turned in immediately. There are no make-ups for these assignments.
Due dates for all other assignments are announced in class. Assignments are due at the beginning of class. No late assignments are accepted. Please plan accordingly to be on time. It is your responsibility to earn your grade.
Extra credit points may or may not be available periodically throughout the semester. These opportunities are announced in class.
Cheating and plagiarism will result in automatic zero credit for the test or assignment involved. Further disciplinary action at the college level may result. You are responsible for reviewing and abiding by the Academic Honesty Statement of the Las Positas College Faculty Senate. http://www.laspositascollege.edu/facultystaff/honesty.php. Please see me if you have any questions about this policy.
| Tentative Grading Scale (subject to change) | Tentative Point Values |
|
| Midterm exams | 3 @ 100 | 300 |
| Final exam | 150 |
|
| Quizzes, in-class assignments, homework | 250 |
|
| Lab notebook checks | 500 |
|
| Lab practicals | ~ 4 @ 100 | 400 |
| Field trips and associated assignments | 5 @ 25 | 125 |
| Insect Collection | 200 |
|
| Ethology | 390 |
|
| Population ecology project | 190 |
|
| Tentative Total Possible Points (subject to change) | 2505 |
It is your responsibility to keep track of your grades. Letter grades are not assigned until the end of the semester.
Extra credit points, if any, are applied after the final course grading scale is set. Therefore, extra credit can only help your grade. Not doing extra credit can not lower your grade.
The minimum grading scale is:
| A | 90 - 100% |
| B | 80-89% |
| C | 70-79% |
| D | 60-69% |
| F | below 60% |
Five field trips are scheduled. These trips are both fun and educational, and are an integral part of your study of zoology. The only anticipated cost to you for these field trips is a $5.50 group reservation admission fee for the Oakland Zoo, your own transportation and parking costs to field trip locations. Fees are subject to change. Details on the field trips will be announced in class.
Materials from field trips will be assessed on exams. To receive credit toward your grade for each field trip, you must both participate fully in the activities and complete a required assignment. There is no partial credit for field trips.
| Date | Field Trip Destination | Meeting Time | What to Bring and Wear |
| T 1/29 | Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek www.wildlife-museum.org | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm | Small notebook |
| Th 4/17 | Least Tern Island, Hayward, http://www.ebparks.org/parks/hayward | 11:15 am - 1:00 pm | Water, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, sturdy shoes, work gloves (if possible) |
| Th 4/22 | Sunol Regional Wilderness, Sunol http://www.ebparks.org/parks/sunol | 10:45 am - 12:45 pm | Water, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, sturdy shoes, long pants and socks, waterproof sandals or waders, field trip confirmation sheet (to waive parking fee) |
| T 4/29 | Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach http://www.fitzgeraldreserve.org/ | 11:30 am - 1:30 pm | Water, hat, sunscreen, dress in layers, sturdy shoes with tread, complete change of clothes |
| T 5/20 | Oakland Zoo, Oakland www.oaklandzoo.org | 11:00 am - 12:45 pm | water, hat, sunscreen, student ID, $5.50 admission, $6 parking fee (fees subject to change) |
Due to travel time and the inherent nature of field trips, possible conflicts could arise and you may miss part of TTh classes scheduled before or after field trips. Field trips have been scheduled as best as possible to minimize the amount of classtime you might miss. You will receive a letter that you can give to the professors for those classes; the letter will request (but not demand) that you be allowed to attend our field trip AND that you be allowed to make up any work in other classes. It is up to the other professor to make that decision. If it is not possible or convenient for the other professor to allow you to miss part of her/his class, you must inform me at least two weeks in advance. See next paragraph for details.
If you are unable to attend a field trip for any reason (including conflicts with other classes), you must inform me at least two full weeks before the date of the field trip, so that an alternate assignment (usually including field and written components) can be arranged.
Field trips may be cancelled due to inclement weather and other uncontrollable factors. Please call my voicemail on the morning of the field trip for any last-minute changes, cancellations, or announcements. If a field trip is cancelled, plan to come to class at its regularly-scheduled time, unless otherwise instructed.
The purpose of the ethology project is to give you the opportunity to conduct an independent semester-long field research project on animal behavior. You will choose an animal to observe in its natural setting. Details about the project will be discussed extensively in class.
There will be both a written scientific paper and an oral presentation. Information on the scientific paper, citations, references,and oral presentation will be presented in class.
Classroom and Laboratory Rules
Closed-toed and closed-heeled shoes: For safety reasons, only closed-toed and closed-heeled shoes are allowed in the lab room. You will not be allowed to enter the laboratory with any other footwear. I highly recommend that you store an extra pair of shoes in your car or backpack in case you forget to wear the appropriate footwear.
Cell phones, pagers, iPods, and all electronics: To ensure a learning environment free of disruptions, all electronic devices must be turned off and put away during class. If your cell phone, pager, or other electronic device goes off during class or is otherwise used, your total course grade will be reduced by 50 points per occurrence. If this disruption occurs repeatedly, then you will asked to leave the room for the duration of the class period. There will be no make-up work for any assignment, quiz, exam, etc., during your absence.
Personal calculators, cell phones, and other electronics are not allowed for any quizzes or exams. If quizzes or exams require any calculator work, you will be loaned one during the exam. No calculators are provided for basic math problems.
Food and drink: For safety and health reasons, as well as according to department, College, state, and federal regulations and safety codes, food and drink (including bottled water) are completely prohibited in the lab. All food and beverages must be secured inside your belongings. Nothing may be taken by mouth; for example, you may not chew gum, eat candy, apply lip balm, or take medication while in the lab.
Bringing materials to lab : You are required to bring the necessary materials for each lab class. Please consult the schedule to determine the materials you need to bring for each day. If you are not prepared with the correct materials for a lab, there will be a reduction in your grade (as explained in class).
Using and caring for lab equipment and supplies: You will be taught how to properly use our lab equipment and supplies. You are responsible for following care and use instructions. Any improper handling or use of equipment and supplies will result in a reduction in your course grade (as explained in class).
Recording: Recording of any kind is not allowed in the lecture or the lab.
Academic honesty: You are responsible for reviewing and abiding by the Academic Honesty Statement of the Las Positas College Faculty Senate. http://www.laspositascollege.edu/facultystaff/honesty.php. Please see me if you have any questions about this policy.
Attendance Policy, Cancelled Classes, and What to do if I am Absent or Delayed
Attendance Policy
"It is assumed that each student will consider attendance an absolute requirement. It is the student's responsibility to attend every class the scheduled length of time. Excessive absences, tardiness, and leaving class early may be taken into consideration by instructors in assigning grades...A student absent for a total of four consecutive, or six cumulative, instructional hours and/or two consecutive weeks of instruction may be dropped from that class by the instructor."-quoted from the College Catalog
Lab attendance is mandatory. Materials from the laboratory portion of the class are important and your understanding of this material will be assessed on tests, quizzes, lab practicals, etc. Make-ups are not always possible and are completely at my discretion.
Cancelled Classes
You can check for cancelled classes by checking the College homepage: http://www.laspositascollege.edu/
What to do if the professor is absent or delayed
First, please check the College homepage to make sure class is not cancelled. Then, if our class is not listed as cancelled, and I am absent or delayed more than five minutes at the beginning of class, please review the previous class session's notes and be prepared for a short quiz when I arrive. If I am still not there after 20 minutes, please call my voicemail for any further instructions (925-424-1344).
Will you write me a letter of recommendation? I would be pleased to help you with a letter of recommendation. I write confidential, honest, and comprehensive assessments of your work and potential. I have written letters in support of student applications for scholarships, transfers, jobs, graduate and professional schools (medical, dental, vet, optometry, pharmacy, etc.), internships, and fellowships. You must make arrangements with me at least a month before you need the letter. Provide the following materials: current resume or CV, 1-2 page personal statement of purpose, copies of all college level transcripts, signed waiver forms (if applicable), addressed and stamped (with sufficient postage) envelopes for each separate recommendation that needs to be mailed.
How do I get my final exam grade and final course grade? Provide me a self-addressed and stamped (with sufficient postage) envelope or postcard by the day of your final exam. I will mail you the information when grades are completed. Grades will not be sent by email.
How long will you keep my work after the semester end? One semester.
How can I succeed in this class? I want each of you to succeed in this class.
Here are some effective Secrets of Success that previous students have used for doing well in this class: