Biology 130 DL 1 and DL 2

Fall 2008 Session

Course Syllabus

Contact Information

Professor Marc LaBella, Coordinator of Science

Hiering Science Building, Toms River Campus, Room 134 

(732) 255-0400 X2331 Cell: 609-548-3307

mlabella@ocean.edu

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive look at the human body’s structure and functions. Topics include how the body maintains homeostasis, the relationship of chemistry to anatomy and physiology, and cell function and division. The skin, skeletal system, muscles, and nervous system are examined. Sensory organs and the endocrine system are also presented. Several diseases and disorders are discussed, and as well as the cause, detection, and treatment of them.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Describe how the body maintains homeostasis.
• Relate chemistry to the field of anatomy and physiology.
• Describe how cells function and divide.
• Compare healthy and diseased tissues.
• Identify the major parts of skin, skeletal joints, muscle, and the nervous system and explain the function of each.
• Describe how muscle, bones, and nerves work together to create movement.
• Describe how sensory organs work.
• Explain the role of the endocrine system.
• Name several diseases and disorders of the body and explain what causes them.
• Explain how diseases and disorders of the body are detected and treated.
• Describe the interactions between each of the organ systems in the body.

Course Prerequisites

High School Biology or BIOL 114 constitutes the prerequisites for this course - High School Chemistry or CHEM 180 is highly recommended for this course.

Course Texts and Supplies

Saladin, K. S. (2007).  Anatomy and Physiology: The Unity of Form and Function (Fourth Edition).  New York: McGraw-Hill Publishing, Distance Learning Edition (Lecture Text with access code to Web CT).

REQUIRED SUPPLIES: Laboratory Kit AP1 – CAT and Microscope

IMPORTANT - This course includes a laboratory component which you must complete by using LabPaq AP1 - CAT.  After you are certain you intend to complete the course, order your LabPaq directly online at www.LabPaq.com.  Financial Aid students should contact their Financial Aid advisor or campus bookstore for ordering instructions.  LabPaqs are shipped within 24 hours. You must also purchase a Supertek Microscope with Oil Immersion Lens and adjustable stage, available from LaPaq as well.

To order, go directly to the LabPaq website (www.labpaq.com) and place and pay for their LabPaq orders (see instructions below). LabPaq will fulfill each student order and ship the lab kits directly to the student within 24 hours and they should arrive at their doorstep 5-7 days later.

.Course Assessment Methodology

Unit Exam 1 (Modules 1 – 4)	15%
Unit Exam 2 (Modules 5- 8)	15%
Unit Exam 3 (Modules 9 – 11)	15%
Laboratory Examination (Based on Lab Reports)	15%
Laboratory Reports (10)	20%
Class Discussions (4)	20%
Embedded Course Assessment (Five Points Added to Your Unit 3 Exam Grade)

Course Evaluation Criteria

At the end of each course, each student is assigned a final grade as follows:

Grade	Quality Points	Point Range	Interpretation
A	4.0	90-100	Excellent
B+	3.5	87-89	Very Good
B	3.0	80-86	Good
C+	2.5	77-79	Above Average
C	2.0	70-76	Average
D	1.0	60-69	Below Average
F	0.0	59 & below	Failure
I	0.0		Incomplete

Course Topics and Objectives

Topics	Topic	Subtopics	Objectives
1	Homeostasis	Homeostasis at a Glance Feedback Mechanisms Positive and Negative Feedback Mechanisms	Define homeostatic variables and set points. Describe homeostatic feedback mechanisms. Differentiate between positive feedback mechanisms and negative feedback mechanisms. Explain why positive feedback can be harmful.
2	Chemistry for Anatomy and Physiology Students	Matter Chemical reactions Water and mixtures Organic chemistry	Identify and define atoms, ions, and molecules. Recognize element, atom, ion, and molecule symbols. Define chemical reactions.   Explain how chemicals and hydrogen bond.     Compare energy with chemical reactions. Summarize the roles of water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide in living organisms. Analyze acids and bases using the pH scale.     Summarize the purposes of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
3	Cells	Cells at a Glance Cell Division Osmosis	Describe the form and function of human cells.     Name and define the major components of a cell.     Describe cell processes and the phases of the cell cycle. Explain how cells divide.     Describe the purpose and major events of mitosis.     Explain how DNA is replicated. Describe how homeostasis is maintained by cells.     Explain how cells lose and gain water.     Describe how cells maintain osmotic pressure.
4	Cellular Metabolism	Metabolic Process Metabolic Reactions Cellular Respiration Nucleic Acids	Distinguish between anabolism and catabolism.     Examine how enzymes control metabolic processes. Describe how molecules release energy from glucose. Compare anaerobic and aerobic reactions. Describe DNA structure and function.     Compare DNA and RNA.
5	Tissues	Epithelial Tissue Connective Tissue Muscle Tissue  Nervous Tissue	Examine epithelial tissue structure and function and differentiate between the different types.     Describe connective tissue and differentiate the different types.     Examine muscle tissue and differentiate between the three types.   Describe nerve tissue structure and function and differentiate between the different types.
6	Support and Movement	Form and Function of Bones and Joints Bone Development.	Recall the major bones and joints in the body.     Classify bones according to shape.   Classify joints by both tissue and movement.     Describe how the form of bones and joints relates to their functions.     Explain how bones grow and heal.     Identify common bone and joint diseases and compare and contrast proper with improper functioning of joints and bones.     Describe the effects of sunlight, nutrition, hormonal secretions, and exercise on bone development.
7	Muscular System	Form and Function of Muscles How Muscles, Bones, and Nerves Create Movement Muscle-Exercise Physiology Disease and Medicine	Differentiate the structures of smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscle fibers.     Provide an example of the unity of form and function as it relates to skeletal muscles.     Describe how muscles, bones, and nerves work together to create movement.     Describe the muscle-exercise physiology.     Explain the role of warming up your muscles in athletic training. Identify and describe the symptoms of common muscular diseases.
8	Excitation, Contraction, and Relaxation	Excitation-Contraction Coupling Disease and Medicine	Explain the events that occur when a muscle is stretched, contracted, and relaxed.     Explain the excitation-contraction coupling process.     Describe the sliding filament model of muscle contraction.     Describe the common muscular disease myasthenia gravis and identify treatment options.
9	Nervous System	How the Nervous System Works Electric Signals and Action Potential How Stress Affects the Body	Explain the general functions of the nervous system.     Describe the major anatomical subdivisions of the nervous system. Describe how action potentials lead to changes in the body. Examine and describe the ways that stress affects the body.     Describe common nervous system diseases.
10	Brain and Spinal Cord Special Senses	Structure and Function of the Brain and Spinal Cord Cranial Nerves Parkinson's Disease Cerebral Palsy Stroke	Describe the structure and function of the brain and the spinal cord. Identify a damaged cranial nerve by symptom. Examine Parkinson’s disease to identify symptoms of the disease.   Identify the root causes of Parkinson’s disease and propose possible treatments.   Examine cerebral palsy and identify symptoms of the disease.   Identify the root causes of cerebral palsy. Recognize the symptoms of a stroke. List lifestyle choices for preventing strokes.

Course Standards

General Course Policy Statements

Examinations: Examination format will include multiple choice and true/false questions, which will your knowledge of material presented in lecture, readings, and research. There are three Unit Examinations, and each will constitute 15% of your final grade.

Laboratory Requirements: The laboratory component of this course has specific requirements, as the laboratory exercises will be performed in your home and in a virtual environment. First, it is important to maintain a clean, safe working environment; therefore the following safety rules must be observed:

1. Hand washing and other hygienic methods must be employed to ensure that there is no contamination to each other or to the specimens.
2. Microscopes must be cleaned before they are put away.
3. All waste must be disposed of in the appropriate receptacles in your home.
4. The laboratory area in your home must be cleaned and all instruments returned to their appropriate storage containers.

The academic requirements of the laboratory are the following::
One Laboratory Examination, which will constitute 15% of final grade), and 10 Laboratory Reports (20% - 2% per lab report) :based upon exercises completed in the laboratory manual. Remember, YOU MUST purchase a lab kit and microscope to complete this course – failure to do so will be considered cheating and you will either be withdrawn from this course, or in the worst case scenario, receive a failing grade.

Threaded Discussions: The discussions required for this class will be based upon current developments in the scientific and medical communities- the core themes of these discussions are related directly to topics that we are covering in this course. Each learner is responsible for posting in response to these topics, as well as be ready to respond to other learners’ comments and answers. Threaded Discussions are designed to create an intellectual dialog between ach learner as well as me, the facilitator. Many times, your interactions and responses must be supported by reasoned and researched facts – opinions are wonderful, but they are just that - opinions. Intellectual dialog (even in an asynchronous mode, must be civil, collegial, and fact-based. Quality in posting comments and responses is more important than number of posts per discussion topic. There will be a total of 4 discussion topics (the Icebreaker Discussion is not graded), each representing 4% of your final grade (for a total of 16%). The discussions will be graded according to a standard rubric, available in the Course Information link.

It is my responsibility as the instructor to create an environment that is conducive to learning.  Please do not conduct personal business during class – (in threaded discussions or in the interactive area of this course; this includes all types of personal conversations).

Attendance:  Attendance is crucial to the success of a course that is taught on line.  Attendance in the context of this course does not simply mean logging on for a certain amount of time each day.  In fact, attendance and participation are so closely related in this course that your interaction with your fellow learners (threaded discussions, webliographies, or any other interactive activity) will be graded in lieu of the time that you actually spend in our learning environment.  Specific rubrics for attendance/participation will be given to you in the introductory module of this course. Anyone who withdraws from this class must acquire the appropriate paperwork from the Registrar’s Office to “officially withdraw”.  Non-attendance does not count as an official withdrawal and will result in a grade of “F” for this course.

Academic Dishonesty: dishonesty includes, but is not limited to plagiarism, cribbing and cheating on examinations, quizzes, class projects or papers.  Any student aiding another student in any form of dishonesty is considered equally guilty” (OCC Student Handbook, pg. 35).  Cheating is not acceptable and will result in a grade of 0 for that examination and will be turned over to the appropriate College source for disciplinary action.  Please review policy #5180 in the student handbook for the penalties associated with plagiarism and cheating.

Campus Resources and Services:   Student Success Seminars are scheduled each week and are posted on the College website under “Campus Resources and Services.”  More information on College Services can be found by using the A-Z index on the College website (for example, under “T” for tutoring, “C” Career Services, etc.).

Statement of Accommodations: If there is any student in this class who has special needs because of learning disabilities or other kinds of disabilities, please feel free to come and discuss this with me or a staff member for Disability Services.

Disclaimer:  Reasonable changes to this course outline may be made exclusive of course requirements, course calendar, and grading procedures.