Humans and the Environment
BIOLOGY 6
Syllabus for Fall 2012
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Instructor: Mark Cooper Office: 60-2102
Phone: (909) 274-4548 Office Hrs: T: 10:30 - 12:00, 3:00 - 4:00
School e-mail: W: 10:30 - 12:00
Web site address: http://instruction2.mtsac.edu/mcooper
OBJECTIVE: Ecological concepts to aid understanding our environmental crisis and determining courses of action to correct the problem. Emphasis will be placed on specific problems of population, pollution, preservation of wildlife and wilderness, and open space. A historical appraisal of human attitudes toward the land and of the necessity of developing a new land ethic will be explored.
IMPORTANT DATES
Holiday’s Other Dates
Sept. 3 Labor Day Sept. 07 Last Day to add
Nov. 12 Veteran’s Day Sept. 10 Last Day to withdraw without a “W”
Nov. 22-25 Thanksgiving Holiday Nov. 02 Last day to withdraw with a “W”
Test Dates (Subject to change)
Exam 1 Sept. 26th Letter Assignment - Intro Oct. 17th
Exam 2 Oct 31st Letter Assignment - Due Nov. 14th
Exam 3 Nov 28th
Final Exam: December 12th (4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.)
LECTURE SCHEDULE
DATE LECTURE TOPIC READING
08/29 Introduction / Environmental History Supplement 3 (pp. S6 – S9)
09/05 What Problems????? Ch 1, Supplement 6 (pp. S24-S25)
Tapped!!!!!!!!!!!
09/12 Water is the Medium of Life Ch 11 and pp. 50 – 52, pp. 145-148,
Strange Days: Dirty Secrets
09/19 Our Oikos and Hazards???? Ch 14
Homo toxicus
09/26 Exam 1 - - - -
Shall the Meek Inherit the Earth??
10/03 Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5
Evolution: Extinction
10/10 Does Energy Matter??? Ch. 2, Supplement 4 (pp. S10-S17)
Energy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ch 12, Ch 13
War?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
10/17 Hazardous Waste – Throwaway Society Ch 16
Commercials – What are They Selling?
What is Your Human Footprint?
Letter Writing Assignment
10/24 The World’s Exhaust Ch 15, pp. 122-126
The Inconvenient Truth
10/31 Exam 2 - - - -
Too Many People?? ZPG Ch 6, pp 55-58, Supplement 7 (p.S39)
World Population Growth
11/07 The Ultimate Weapon…Food? Ch 10, p 138
Mist of Death – Pesticides
Food Inc.
11/14 Going, Going, Gone Ch 8
Strange Days: Invaders
11/21 Here Today – Here Tomorrow?? Ch 9
Wildlife Sanctuary
11/28 Exam 3 - - - -
The 11th Hour
12/05 What Are You Going To Do? Ch 17
12/12 Final (4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.)
STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ANNOUNCED CHANGES IN THIS SYLLABUS
(INCLUDING EXAM DATES!!!)
Required Textbook: Environmental Science 14th ed. ISBN 13-978-1-111-98893-7
Authors: G. Tyler Miller & Scott E. Spoolman
Required Textbook: A Primer of Ecological Principles (2004 edition – Blue or Green Cover)
Author: Richard J.Vogl
SUPPLIES: 4 Scantrons form # 882 The scantrons must be turned in by September 26th
8 Quiz strips form #815 or you will not be allowed to take any quizzes or tests.
100 Note cards
ATTENDANCE: Since many of the questions on the tests will come from the lecture material, it is critical that students attend all class meetings. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to get the notes from a fellow student. If your number of absences exceeds the number of hours the class meets in two weeks, you will be dropped from the course. Poor attendance in lecture will lower your grade. After November 2nd, you cannot officially be dropped from the course. This is the last day you can receive a "W" (Withdrawal). After this date you must be given a grade in the course. .
POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Cheating and Plagiarism are violations of the college's policy and are considered serious offenses. The Department of Biological Sciences takes all incidences of academic dishonesty seriously and acts accordingly. I reserve the right to give an "F" for the assignment, test and/or class and the matter will be brought up to the Director of Student Affairs as stated in the school's current College Catalog. In other words, "DON'T CHEAT OR PLAGIARIZE"!!!!!!
POLICY ON CELL PHONES: Cell phones and cell phone etiquette has become a problem in the last several years. Ringing cells phones in class have become a major distraction to your fellow students and to me. I am now imposing a policy where if your cell phone goes off, you will be asked to leave the room and not allowed to return until the next class break. If you must leave it on for emergency situations, you need to inform me before class.
TURN OFF YOUR PHONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GRADING: The semester grade will be determined by several factors: Midterm exams, quizzes, homework, papers and a comprehensive final exam. There will be one grade for both lecture and laboratory.
3 Midterm Exams (100 pts each)...... 300 pts
(The final exam % can replace your lowest exam score)
1 Final Exam...... 150 pts
(The final exam must be taken!!)
Letter Writing Assignment………………………………… 100 pts
Lecture Quizzes (20 pts each) ...... 120 pts
Homework ………………………………………………… 80 pts
______
Total Possible Points 750 pts
Final Grades: A = 675 points and above (90-100%)
B = 600 - 674 points (80-89%)
C = 525 - 599 points (70-79%)
D = 450 - 524 points (60-69%)
F = 449 points and below (0-59%)
THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS! Students who miss an exam you will have that exam replaced by the score on the final. Students who fail to take two exams will be dropped from the course.