BOTANY SYLLABUS (BOT 1010C)
1. Introduction: This course is a survey of the plant kingdom, and you will study a wide variety of plants, from mosses to conifers to crops. The course will also deal with the close relatives and ancestors of plants, and look at plant evolution and adaptations. The commercial and medical uses of plants will be emphasized.Typically in this class you have 3 hours of lecture a week, and 3 hours of lab. In this hybrid course, the lecture part is done online, but you must attend the labs at South Campus (room D 210) on Fridays from 9a.m. to 11:50a.m.
Note: All E-mail sent out from Blackboard will go to your FCCJ E-mail account, so make sure you check your FCCJ E-mail account at least twice a week.
2. Attendance : Regular lab attendance is strongly recommended. If you are absent for more than 15% of the classes you will be withdrawn from the class (FN grade: Fail due to non-attendance). Please note that attendance is recorded from the first day of class, so if you register late, or miss the first day that class meets, you will have one absence. It is also your responsibility to make up any work you have missed.
INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. David Byres 
PHONE : 646 - 2038
OFFICE : D-119
( South campus )
TEXT: Introductory Plant Biology, 11th Edition, Stern.
E-mail : dbyres@fscj.edu
HOME PAGE (website) : http://web.fccj.org/~dbyres
3. Tests: You will take 5 lecture tests during the semester. To study for the lecture tests, you should print out and learn the essential notes. The lecture tests are based on the material in the essential notes. Tests will include a variety of questions: multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching, write a sentence etc. Each lecture test is 50 questions. To see which chapters are covered by a particular test, look at the schedule.
The lecture tests will normally be taken at South Campus during normal class time on Fridays.
Laboratory tests will be worth 50 points. Half of the questions in the lab tests will be answered in groups ( usually pairs ), and the other half will be answered individually. If you are absent for two or more labs per half-semester you will do the lab test individually; your lab partner will work with another group.
4. Group work: You will be randomly assigned to a lab partner in
each half of the semester. During lab periods you and your partner will work together and answer written questions.
5. Field trips: At least two local field trips are planned during regular lab hours, where you
will look at plants in their natural surroundings. At the end of each trip you will write a short report about what you learned.
6. Individual projects: You will be given two projects during the semester, where you will collect information on a particular species. You will produce a report of 600 - 800 words as a WORD document on the species that you choose.
7. Worksheets: Internet exercises using an online worksheet will
be used to supplement the lecture notes. This is individual work, so make sure you do this on your own. If two students hand in answers that are exactly the same, they will both get 0 points for the exercise.
8. Discussion Board: There will a Discussion Board set up every week during the semester, where you will comment on recent news reports relating to Biology. Your grade will be based on the thoroughness, accuracy and insightfulness of your answers.
9. Points : Grade scale: Percent Points
5 lecture tests 250 points A 90 - 100 % 450 - 500
2 lab tests 100 points B 80 - 89.9 % 400 - 449
Group lab work 38 points C 70 - 79.9 % 350 - 399
Field trips 8 points D 60 - 69.9 % 300 - 349
Individual projects 12 points F 0 - 59.9 % 0 - 299
Worksheets 44 points
Discussion Boards 48 points
__________
Total 500 points
10. Incomplete grade : Students who are currently getting a passing grade and have completed 75% of the course, but are unable to complete the course may request an incomplete ( I ) grade. The request for the I grade must be in writing, and handed in two weeks before the end of the semester.
11. Assistance : In case of absence, or if you are having difficulty
with the course, you are encouraged to meet with me for additional help. If you must miss a class due to sickness, unexpected work demands or other unforeseen emergency, phone 646-2038, or E-mail dbyres@fscj.edu, before the start of class to get an excused absence. Textbooks can be ordered online.
Note: If there is a storm or hurricane warning for the area, check http://alert.fccj.edu/ to see if classes have been cancelled.