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BIO 131 – INTRODUCTION TO ORGANISMS – SPRING 2021

Salem State University, Biology Department
Dr. Thea Popolizio
Email: tpopolizio@salemstate.edu

SECTION: 01               TIME: Thursday 9:25-10:40am          PLACE: Online (Zoom access via Canvas)

                       

COURSE MODALITY:

This is a blended synchronous/asynchronous online course. We will meet via Zoom videoconferencing during our scheduled class time on Thursday each week. You will also complete asynchronous assignments each week.

 

VIRTUAL COURSE SUPPORT SESSIONS:

Wednesdays 1:00pm-3:00pm or alternative, by appointment. Please email me to schedule a meeting time by 4:00pm on Tuesday (or any time before then).  Note: Please contact me if these hours do not work for your schedule! I am happy to make alternate arrangements that work for both of us.

                               

You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.

—Edward O. Wilson    

 

In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, we will understand only what we are taught.                                    

—Baba Dioum

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course examines the diversity of life within evolutionary and ecological frameworks. Lecture topics include evolutionary theory, an overview of the history and diversity of life on Earth, ecological principles, and the roles that humans have played in changing the natural environment. Emphasis will be placed on the different morphological, physiological, behavioral and ecological adaptations of organisms for a variety of ecosystems in the natural world. Ultimately, you will be able to connect your understanding of these topics to important health and environmental issues, and to your own development as a student of biology. Your work in this course will also help you improve critical thinking, writing, communication and interpersonal skills.

 

COURSE GOALS & OBJECTIVES 

By the end of the course you should be able to:

  1. Explain the theory of evolution by natural selection at both the micro- and macro-evolutionary scales.
  2. Describe and evaluate the evidence (fossil, molecular, morphological) for evolution.
  3. Explain how this evidence is used to determine evolutionary links to create phylogenies.
  4. Explain the evolutionary trajectories and relationships among all major groups of living organisms in the tree of life.
  5. Explain the ways in which organisms interact in biological communities.
  6. Explain basic ecological theory, ecosystem function and human impacts on these ecosystems.
  7. Develop hypotheses, interpret scientific data, and draw conclusions based on evidence.

 

A MESSAGE FOR STUDENTS

Online courses like this one require time management, self-motivation, and, of course, a moderate level of online competence.  The weekly deadlines will almost always fall on the same day of the week which should help you develop a consistent schedule. It is critical that you do not wait until the last minute to do the coursework. I expect that you will be interacting with course material multiple times during the week. You will succeed if you manage your time carefully, keep up with the coursework, participate actively and communicate often. Online classes may not be ideal for you. Nevertheless, I believe in you and I am invested in your success. I am here to help you reach your educational and career goals despite the difficult and uncertain moment we are living through. All of us are dealing with additional stresses and challenges during the COVID-19 crisis. I pledge to honor your humanity by remaining flexible and empathetic and by modeling self-care. Should circumstances arise that cause you to struggle in the course, please communicate with me as early as possible, so we can determine the best course of action together. If you need support of another kind, I encourage you to reach out and I will help connect you with campus resources.

 

TEXTBOOK

All of the reading materials for this class are available for free online! For a textbook, we will use Biology 2e from OpenStax (ISBN: 978-1-947172-51-7). 

You have two options to obtain this book:

You can use whichever formats you want. Web view is recommended— the responsive design works seamlessly on any device.  Additional or alternative reading material and media resources will be provided via web links in Canvas to supplement the textbook. 

 

REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY
You are not required to purchase anything for BIO131. However, you do need the following:

  • Reliable access to the internet and our BIO131 Canvas page.
  • Reliable access to a computer with a webcam and speaker, and access to Zoom videoconferencing.
    • Note: During 3 different weeks of the semester, you will need to have access to a device for completing SimBio simulation assignments. Most devices except Chromebooks are compatible. If you do use a Chromebook, a reliable alternative is to use an SSU library computer which is compatible with the SimBio software.
  • Ability to download and complete Word documents and save as PDF.

 

CANVAS

You are automatically enrolled in Canvas for this lecture section. You can log in from the Salem State homepage (see ‘Sign-in’ in upper right corner). This syllabus, lecture slides, reading and media links, assignments and any other course materials will be accessed in Canvas.  Please check Canvas and your SSU email often for general course information, deadlines and for materials required for course assignments synchronous activities. Any changes to the schedule will also be posted  on the course site.

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Attendance is important and expected. Attendance will be taken at every synchronous Zoom session and counts toward the participation portion of your grade. Synchronous activities will be an important component of the course. Your weekly attendance is critical for learning and contributing to graded group work. You must be present in the Zoom session to receive credit for these activities.  Students who skip or arrive late to many class meetings generally do not perform well in this course. You are responsible for completing all course requirements whether you are present or not.

 

GRADING

Final grades are based on both the lecture and laboratory portions of the course. Any changes to the assignments will be announced and posted on Canvas.

Your grade will be calculated as follows:                                           

Participation & Synchronous Classwork (via Zoom)                                                      15%
Weekly Assignments: Includes Quizzes and SimUText Tutorials                                  20%
Semester Exams (3): Includes Final Exam                                                                       30%
Laboratory:                                                                                                                         35%
Total                                                                                                                                      = 100%

Note: The lowest grade in the Weekly Assignments category will be dropped. Grades are based on a standard grading scale: A – 90-100%, B – 80-89.9%, C – 70-79.9% etc.

 

SUCCESS IN LECTURE INVOLVES:

  • On-time Arrival: Attendance will be taken once at the beginning of synchronous Zoom lab meetings. Arriving late and/or leaving before your work is completed is considered an absence.
  • Participation & Synchronous Classwork: Virtual “in-class” activities and assignments will be an important component of the course. You must be present in the Zoom meeting (see above) and participating in the activity to earn credit for these sessions. 
  • Weekly Assignments: Assignments completed asynchronously each week may include any of the following:
    • Mini-lectures, video and/or other media presented that week
    • “Check for understanding” quizzes administered in Canvas
    • Short written assignments relevant to the assigned reading/media
    • SimBio tutorials
    • Participation in the Darwin Festival (information about this event will be provided separately)

 

LABORATORY

The BIO 131 laboratory is fully online for the Spring 2021 semester. A passing laboratory score is mandatory for passing the BIO131 course (you will receive a single grade on your transcript). The score for the laboratory accounts for 35% of the total score for this course.  The schedule of labs and information about grading is provided in your lab Canvas site.  BIO 131 labs will begin the second week of classes.

 

EXAMS

All exams will be administered online. Except in rare circumstances agreed upon by the instructor in advance, no makeup exams will be given. Exams given on days other than the regularly scheduled dates may be administered in a different format (e.g. essay vs. multiple choice).  Students with special requirements for exams through the Office for Students with Disabilities must notify the instructor early on so that they can be accommodated well ahead of time. The final exam will be cumulative of all material from the semester. Please be prepared to take the final exam (online) on the day and time that it is scheduled: Wednesday, May 12th at 8:00am.

 

CULTURE

In order to create a comfortable and encouraging learning environment, students must commit to active and respectful participation and effort in building our learning community. The classroom must be respected as a safe space where learning can take place for all students. The members of this learning community have a diversity of identities, backgrounds, goals, and interests. You will be regularly collaborating with your classmates and I encourage you to get to know each other as individuals to avoid relying on biased judgments and stereotypes that can impede relationships and sense of belonging in the classroom community. Please treat all members of this course with respect. This includes being respectful of the views of others even when they are different from your own.

 

COMMUNICATION

I value an interactive and personal learning environment and I want to make sure you know that you're not alone in the course. Please contact me with questions, concerns or just to dig deeper into that week's material. I set aside 4 hours each week to be available to you if you need me. Please see the information on virtual course support sessions at the top of this syllabus for specific days and times. If I need to get a hold of you this semester, I'll contact you through Canvas mail.  You can access this feature by clicking "Inbox"  in the left-hand global navigation bar. I will respond to messages in 48 hours or less.

 

ASSISTANCE

Salem State University has excellent facilities to help students be successful. These include: The Reading Laboratory (4th floor of library, 542-6717), the Writing Center (223 Meier Hall, 542-6491) and the Mathematics Laboratory (Sullivan 306, 542-6217).

If you are having trouble understanding material, ask for help from your instructor, fellow students, or the resources mentioned above.  The longer you wait the more difficult it is to get help.

Students with disabilities may contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for assistance (Library 436, 542-6217). Students with documented disabilities should schedule a meeting with me as soon as possible after the start of classes to discuss accommodations.

 

UNIVERSITY POLICIES:

 

EQUAL ACCESS POLICY

Salem State University is committed to providing equal access to the educational experience for all students in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and The Americans with Disabilities Act and to providing all reasonable academic accommodations, aids and adjustments. Any student who has a documented disability requiring an accommodation, aid or adjustment should speak with the instructor immediately. Students with Disabilities who have not previously done so should provide documentation to and schedule an appointment with the Office for Students with Disabilities and obtain appropriate services

 

COVID-19 PANDEMIC STATEMENT

Students must comply with the Covid-19 Health and Safety Protocols for the 2020-2021 Academic Year. This includes wearing masks in class and on campus in public spaces, practicing physical distancing where possible, including in class, engaging in a daily symptom check, notifying Counseling and Health Services at 978-542-6413 if they have any symptoms associated with COVID-19, and not coming to campus or to an in-person class if they have any of the symptoms related to COVID-19, until cleared by the Student Life Wellness Area. Students who have documented disabilities that may prevent them from complying with these policies are required to contact the Disability Services office

 

DECLARED CRITICAL EMERGENCY

In the event of a university declared critical emergency, Salem State University reserves the right to alter this course plan. Students should refer to salemstate.edu for further information and updates. The course attendance policy stays in effect until there is a university declared critical emergency. In the event of such an emergency, you will receive information about alternative plans from the instructor via your SSU email.

 

CHANGES TO SYLLABUS & COURSE SCHEDULE & ACTIVITIES

If in the professional judgment of the instructor it is necessary to modify course requirements during the semester, students will be given a written and dated copy of the modifications. Such modifications will be consistent with the nature and purpose of the course. A student who believes that the Course Information Policy has not been followed should bring the matter first to the instructor; second, if necessary, to the Department Chairperson; third, to the School Dean; thereafter, to the Vice President, Academic Affairs; and, ultimately, to the President.

 

PLAGIARISM & ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Academic dishonesty is not tolerated.  A student’s name on any written work, quiz or exam shall be regarded as assurance that the work is the result of the student’s own independent thought and study. Work should be stated in the student’s own words, properly attributed to its source. Students have an obligation to know how to quote, paraphrase, summarize, cite and reference the work of others with integrity. Taking information from a source without referencing it, indirectly quoting another work by making a few wording changes, or copy-and-pasting from on-line sources are all examples of plagiarism. Copying someone else's lab work is cheating and is also considered a form of academic dishonesty.  Using unauthorized written material during an exam is considered cheating. Any student caught cheating or plagiarizing will not receive credit for that exam or assignment and may receive a failing grade for the course. The student may also be reported in accordance with the Salem State University Academic Dishonesty policy.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due