Syllabus - Course Structure
BI 101 is structured to maximize the opportunity for students to master conceptual and skill outcomes. To enable this, a variety of forms of teaching are used to address the broad range of learning styles present in a class of 900+ students.
BI 101 consists of six parts: weekly on-line previews, lectures, laboratories, recitations, assigned on-line readings, and portfolios. These parts are related, but not completely overlapping.
Weekly On-Line Previews
Each week a two-page preview newsletter provides an overview of the week ahead, helpful hints, and practice study questions. These are not turned in or graded. These previews are at the course website and we recommend reading them at the start of each week.
Lectures
Lectures meet twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday morning at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. in Milam Auditorium (room 26) for 50 minutes. Lectures stress concepts, such as biology history and terminology, with occasional course announcements and three extra credit puzzles.
Laboratories
Laboratories meet once a week for one hour and 50 minutes, typically in room 129 Weniger Hall. Laboratories involve detailed exploration of organisms and environmental conditions, with emphasis on students developing both conceptual understandings and skills.
Recitations
Recitations meet once a week for 50 minutes, typically in room 127 Weniger Hall. Recitation is similar to laboratory, but the shorter time is used to study more specific concepts and skills.
Online Readings
Each week website readings are assigned. These readings can be found in the course schedule and also at the end of this printed activity manual syllabus. The readings introduce new material and also provide more detailed coverage of some of the concepts introduced in other parts of the course. It is recommended that these readings be done at the beginning of the week assigned. If the websites are unavailable the weekend before an exam (computer problem, server error, "404 error" etc.), you are still responsible for that material on the exam.
Portfolios
In addition to studying what is learned in lecture, laboratory, recitation, and from the textbook readings, there are homework assignments most weeks to strengthen and build on a key concept or skill introduced in one of the other parts of the course. These projects are introduced in laboratory or recitation, and are described under Portfolios.
