Laboratory Section Assessment

Each Laboratory is worth 25 points. There are three sections

Prelab – (3 points) which must be downloaded from the Biology 10 Website. http://instruct.westvalley.edu/schrey/b10prelabs/

Questions on the prelab can be answered by, reading the next Lab or by reading the appropriate modules in the text book. Prelabs are designed to help you prepare for the Labs by reading through the Lab and understanding the concepts and procedures involved in the Lab – before you come to class.  PreLabs are due at 10:55 am and will not be accepted after the quiz starts. They will not be accepted late. It is your responsibility to download the Prelab each week. As you have a week to download the Prelab, do not wait until the morning of the lab.

Quizzes – (15 points). Quizzes are based upon the previous weeks Lab. Questions will be asked on three possible areas: 1) The Lab exercise, 2) the PreLab questions, and, 3) the introduction to the Lab. Questions are not asked on your results from the previous Lab. Quizzes are at the beginning of every lab and take approximately 15 minutes. If you are late to class and miss the quiz, you cannot retake the quiz and therefore lose 15 points. At the end of the semester your lowest quiz will be dropped prior to your final grade calculation.

Lab Exercises – (7 points) As the quizzes are based upon the Labs you need your Labs to study for the next week’s quiz. However, before leaving you must have your Lab checked, otherwise you could be studying the wrong answers. Labs will be graded the following week (after the quiz) hand in your Labs and Prelabs at the same time.  Labs will be accepted one week late. An automatic 2 point deduction will be made for lateness. Labs handed in later than two weeks after the date of the lab will NOT be graded.

Class Time

Bio 10 Labs are 3 hours 10 minutes long. Expect to be there through to the end. Completing the lab in class allows both the student and the instructor time to ask questions and receive feedback. There is a 20 minute break included in the lab, but it can be taken at the student’s discretion.
 
 

Lab Grading Rubric:
7 points- All questions completed correctly, thorough grasp of concepts displayed
  6 points – One or more question incomplete, and, or, some errors
5 points – Lab complete but late, or not late but several errors or incomplete
  4 points – Lab late or on time with one section incomplete
3 points – Lab more than one week late or with more than one section incomplete
  1- 2 points – Lab partially completed; eaten by the family pet
 

Extra Credit – there are three opportunities to gain extra credit: The Homework Exercise on the Metric System in Lab 2, The Homework Exercise in the Inheritance Lab, and by bringing in a (home-made) dish for the Nutrition Lab potluck

There is no final for the Lab and no final Lab grade. Your Lab scores go towards your overall Bio 10 grade.
 

Laboratory Rules and Safety

As this is a Laboratory, and hazardous chemicals are used in the Lab, certain rules must be observed. No food can be eaten in the lab class. Eat lunch before arriving, or use your 20 minute break time to eat outside. I will allow students to drink bottled water during class- but not sodas. Glassware will inevitably be broken during class. Broken glassware must be disposed of in a specific “sharps” container at the back on the Lab, not in the normal trashcans. Fooling around in class can pose a danger to yourself, your lab partners, or other people in the lab. Fooling around will result in your Lab being confiscated and you being asked to leave the Lab.

Clean Up – You are responsible for returning all materials to their original location, cleaning up any spills and pushing chairs in before you leave the Lab. Points may be deducted for failure to clean up.

Missed Labs

If you know in advance that you are going to miss a Lab it is possible to make arrangements to make up the missed lab later the same week. To do so you must follow the procedure to make up a lab:
1. Inform your regular lab instructor (That’s me!)
2. Contact another Lab instructor whose lab you want to join at least 24 hours before lab
3. Fill out a lab Make-up slip (gold piece of paper available from the substitute Lab instructor)

To count as a made up lab you must hand in the correct preLab for that week, take the quiz and attend the lab completing the activities. If you fail to meet these minimum requirements the Lab Instructor may not sign the Make-up Lab slip. If you fail to make up a Lab in the same week you cannot make it up later.

Bio 10 Grade Policies

1. A student may miss only 3 labs and still fulfill the lab requirements for the course – the student will not pass lab if he/she misses 4 or more labs.
2. If a student fails lab, even if attendance is fine, they will fail the course.
3. A student may have a failing grade in lecture- but could still pass the course if their lab grade brings them up to a passing grade.
4. A student may make up only 4 labs.
 
 

How to Fail

A student cannot miss more than three unexcused or un-made up labs. If you miss four labs you effectively drop yourself from Biology 10. You must pass the Laboratory section of Biology 10 in order to pass the class. Failing the Lab section automatically will result in you failing the lecture section irrespective of your Lecture grade.

Instructor and Student Responsibilities
As your instructor I am here to facilitate your learning.  I will try to make the class both interesting and fun, and I will do everything that I can to help you learn the material.  However, I cannot learn for you - that is your responsibility.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Policy on Cheating
Cheating is grounds for an F in the course, and I reserve the right to assign seats during the quizzes.

Copying another students PreLab will result in both PreLabs receiving zero. Likewise copying another students Lab. Cheating in the quizzes, by copying or referring to notes will also result in a zero. Students who are caught copying or cheating risk receiving an immediate F for the course. Plagiarism is a serious offence and a common problem on campus. Plagiarism is the copying of another source, for example the class text. If you copy answers for the Prelabs directly from the text book this is plagiarism. Where possible use your own words. This also shows that you understand the answer you are giving.

Dropping the class is the responsibility of the student. Failure to drop the class may result in you receiving an “F” for the class.

Special Accommodations
If you need a special accommodation (such as for dyslexia, hearing loss, or impaired vision), please talk to me after the first class session so that I can make appropriate adjustments in the class to meet your needs. If you are uncertain as to whether you need such accommodations, I recommend that you visit the Disability and Educational Support Program (DESP) (741-2010) for a consultation.
Support Services
The college has a wide range of support services available for students that need assistance.  These services range from tutoring and special short courses in reading and writing skills to financial aid and special programs for educational transition and disabled students.  If you believe that any of these programs would be of help to you, please check with the counseling office or consult your class schedule for a list of telephone numbers.
Evacuation of the Lab
In the event of an emergency that requires the evacuation of the room, we will exit the DOORS and proceed to the northeast corner of parking lot 2 for a roll call and further instructions.

Important Dates
I sincerely hope that you enjoy the course and stay through to the very end.  If, however, you decide to drop this course, please note the following dates:
 

These dates are set by college policy and cannot be changed by the instructor.  It is your responsibility to drop the class officially and complete the appropriate paperwork.