Conservation
Biology - Bio 125
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| Syllabus: Course Schedule | Course Goals |
| Rules of Engagement | Course Information |
Bio 125 - Conservation Biology
Fort Lewis College
Fall 2010
Class Meetings: T-Th 9:30-10:50, 130 Chemistry Hall
Instructor: Cynthia Dott, PhD; Assoc. Professor of Biology
office: 2445 Berndt Hall; phone: 247-7322
e-mail: dott_c@fortlewis.edu
Office hours: T 12:20-1:20, W 10:10-1:20
Course Web Page: http://faculty.fortlewis.edu/DOTT%5FC/Bio125-ConsBio/125Index.htm
Moodle Course Management System: http://moodle.fortlewis.edu/
Required Texts:
1. Primack, Richard. 2008. A Primer of Conservation Biology, 4th ed. Sinauer Assoc., Sunderland, MA.
2. Wilson, E.O. 1999. The Diversity of Life. W.W. Norton & Co., New York, NY.
Additional readings may be assigned from various sources, and will be referenced and linked on the course web page.
Supplies:
1. pad of carbonless paper (quad-ruled)
2. 3-ring binder or other notebook (for class notes, hand-outs, or additional readings)
3. small portable stapler
4. pens or markers of at least 3 colors (e.g. black, blue, red, green…)
5. Sticky notes (small) – red or pink, green, yellow
6. manilla folder (provided) with your name on the front – this is where you will turn in and pick up assignments, quizzes, etc. Pick up your folder at the beginning of class each day, return it to the box at the end of each class session.
Evaluation:
Your grade for Conservation Biology will be based on the following assignments, and will use the grade scheme shown below:
Assignment: Points Possible: Grading:
Final Cumulative Exam 150 points
Mini-Exams (2) 100 points A = 90-100%
Moodle Quizzes (4) 80 points B = 80-89%
Homework & class activities ~ 50 points C = 70-79%
In-Class Debate 50 points D = 60-69%
News Item or Attend Talk 50 points F = < 60%
Field Trip or Other Outing 50 points
Participation & Attendance ~ 50 points
In my courses, I follow a standard grading system: A grade of C is average (not below), B is above average, and A is truly outstanding, and as such is not a very common grade. D is well below average for college work. If you have questions about the grading scheme, or about your standing at any time during the semester, please feel free to contact me.
Assignments are due on the date assigned in the syllabus and on the Moodle site. Late assignments are not accepted. Missed assignments receive 0 points. There are no make-up exams or quizzes, unless you have a Dean’s excuse due to extreme health or family emergency. Please make sure to check your course syllabi before scheduling trips home or weekends away!!!
What are the quizzes and exams like?
There will be four on-line quizzes. They will be available on the class’s Moodle website. You can take each quiz twice. The idea is that you can see what questions you missed then study that information and retake the quiz. I hope that this helps you master the material. These online quizzes will be questions that can be machine graded: multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-the-blank, etc. Each of the four quizzes is worth 20 points.
There will also be two, in-class “mini-exams,” meant to complement the online quizzes. They will be short (~20 minutes at the beginning of the class), and will ask 1-2 questions requiring a written response or diagram.
The final cumulative exam will take some questions from the quizzes plus have several longer questions. You may bring in a single 8.5 x 11 sheet of notes to the exam. You may put anything on the sheet that you want. Important Note: You must pass the final exam in order to pass the class!!!
What are the assignments like?
Assignment #1: News Item or Event Attendance (50 points) This assignment asks you to bring a news item in to share with the class, OR attend a talk or other event on any topic related to the class. A one-page typed summary of the news item or lecture is required for credit. To share a news item, sign up for one of the dates I will have available, and bring up an on-line link with pictures that you can narrate (5-7 minutes max), then turn in your 1 page summary. If you attend a talk or event, the one-page write-up must include the name of the speaker, the date and location of the event, a brief summary of the lecture and what was most interesting, or most pertinent to our class.
I will identify events on campus or in the Durango community that would be suitable, or you should ask me whether other events would be appropriate for the assignment. An email would be fine if you don’t ask during class. Your email should have “BIO125 Event Approval” as the subject. The text of the note should include your full name and a brief description of the event (title, date, speaker’s name, etc.).
Assignment #2: Attend a Field Trip or other Outing (50 points) I will be offering conservation biology-related field trips on 2 different occasions this semester, and you are required to attend either one of these 2 trips, or some other community outing/activity that you approve with me. Enrollment on my trips will be limited to 20 people because of transportation issues, but there are usually many opportunities during the fall to get out and see some local biology. When I hear of possible activities I will announce them to the class; possible venues include the FLC Envrionmental Center, BioClub, Durango Nature Studies, San Juan Mountains Association, Trails 2000, etc.
After the trip you will need to write a 1 page summary of what you did, who you went with, what you learned, and how it pertained to the class (see instructions for assignment #1). Written summaries are due 1 week after the event attended. Prior approval of outside events is required, as describe above.
In-Class Debate: (50 points) There will be 1 in-class debate at the end of the semester, requiring you to address different points of view (pro & con) on an issue central to Conservation Biology. You will work on this debate in your cooperative teams, using valid evidence to support your side of the argument, and not just your own opinions. Groups will be assigned to either the pro or the con side of a given argument, and you will be given a little time in class before the debate to discuss a strategy and assign roles within the group, depending on different team members' strengths and interests. Each group needs to have some information-gathering sessions, and will provide thorough documentation of the sources used to bolster their argument, which should include a minimum of 5 sources. Valid sources include the class texts, other books, articles from scientific journals or science-oriented magazines for the lay public (American Scientist, Natural History, Bioscience, etc.). Internet sources must be used with extreme care - many of them are merely opinion pages, or are corporate pages, for companies who stand to make money by convincing people of the validity of their opinions. Thus, when using the Internet, it is a good idea to rely mainly on pages published by educational institutions (.edu), or governmental sources (.gov), or non-profit groups (.org) (though these must be used with caution also!). Other pages may be useful, but use them with care.
The debate will take place during a regular class session, in two parts. First, individual small groups (pro vs. con) will debate with each other on the topic, presenting their arguments and backing them up with sound logic and relevant references. Second, after small groups have heard each other out, we will reconvene the whole class and hear views from all of the pro and con groups, and wrap up with an all-class summary. Groups will receive one grade based on preparedness, presentation, and convincingness of arguments. Each group member will also be asked to evaluate the rest of their team, in order to assess how fully all members participated.
Other Important Course Information:
Plagiarism: As with any course, plagiarism of any written or other assignment will result in a failing (F) grade. If you are unsure whether you understand what plagiarism is (…copying work word-for-word, using web materials verbatim, looking at someone’s work and writing down their answer – also called cheating…), please come and see me and we can discuss appropriate use of citations.
Disabilities: Students with disabilities have equal access and equal opportunity in this course. If you require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements, you must register with Disability Services, 280 Noble Hall, 247-7459. If you qualify for services, bring your letter of accommodation to me as soon as possible.
Classroom behavior: Students are expected to adhere to Fort Lewis College student behavior policies. Tolerance of individual viewpoints and civil behavior toward fellow students and me is required. Classes work best if students arrive on time. I respect the fact that everyone has a life outside of the college, but ask to be informed when your life interferes with your ability to participate in classroom activities, or to fulfill assignments.
This is your contract for the class – hold onto it, and consult it when you have questions.