© Dr. Miranda Hart and Dr. Scott Reid.

Not to be copied, used, or revised without express written permission from the copyright owner.

Unit 2 –  Biology Course Outline

BIOL 125 Sec 001

BIOLOGY FOR SCIENCE MAJORS II (3 credits)
2014 –Winter Term 2 (Jan. –  Apr. 2015)
FIP 204; Tues and Thurs 0800 –  0930

Instructors:
Dr. Miranda Hart
Office: ASC 372
Phone: 250-807-8398
Email: miranda.hart@ubc.ca
Office Hours: Tuesday 9:30-11. Dr. Hart maintains an Open Door policy for office
hours; if her office door is open, you are welcome to ask if she has time to assist you.
You can also arrange an appointment by e-mail.

Dr. Scott D Reid

Office: SCI 379
Phone: 250-807-87 61
Email: scott.reid@ubc.ca
Office Hours: Tuesday 2-3 pm. Dr. Reid also maintains an Open Door policy for office
hours; if he is in and his office door is open, you are welcome to ask if has time to assist
you. You can also arrange an appointment by e-mail.

Course Description:
Biology 125 (3) Biology for Science Majors II
Second of a pair of courses that introduce students to the biological concepts necessary
to continue into second-year biology. This course covers physiology of reproduction,
gas exchange, inter-organ transport, inter-organ coordination in plants and animals, and
excretion and movement in animals. In addition ecosystem, population, community,
and behavioural ecology are discussed. Credit will not be granted for both BIOL
116/125 and BIOL 117/122. [3-3-0]
Prerequisite: Successful completion of BIOL 116.
Co-requisite: One of CHEM 113, CHEM 123 is recommended.

Course Objectives:
This is the second of a pair of first year Biology courses for Science majors. The
objectives of this pair of courses are:
• To prepare students for upper level biology classes by introducing the basic
concepts and vocabulary used in the fields of ecology, genetics, physiology and cell
function. Evolutionary theory will be a unifying theme.

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• To provide students with a basic knowledge of the physiology, ecology and
taxonomy of plants, animals and micro-organisms.
• To familiarize students, through discussion and experience, with the process of
scientific enquiry, hypothesis testing, and methods for dealing with biological
variability.

Course Format:
The class will meet twice per week for lectures in FIP 204. In addition, students will
attend laboratories once per week in FIP 247 or 249. Students are expected to attend
all lectures and the registered laboratory section, to actively participate in both, and
must pass both parts of the course separately. There will be reading assignments in
both the laboratory and lectures, and students are expected to complete these outside
of class time. Marks will be given for participation in class using a person response
system and for completing online quizzes on the readings.
Laboratory sessions: The laboratory component is an essential part of the course.
Some laboratory exercises will reinforce and elaborate on lecture material. Other
laboratory exercises will present material that is best learned in the lab and will not be
covered in lecture.
Lecture sessions: Students are expected to read the assigned book chapter(s) prior to
class. Students must be prepared to answer an online quiz about the reading material
prior to attending class. Lecture time will be spent primarily on difficult concepts from the
readings or dealing with applications of the terminology and concepts.
Keynote, a presentation software application, will be used during class. PDF versions of
these presentations will be made available to students on the course website
(BLACKBOARD CONNECT) in advance of the lecture; no later than the evening before
the lecture. These presentations are a framework for the material discussed in class.
Students are expected to bring a copy of the presentation to class and to take notes
during class. Despite the use of technology in the classroom, the ability to take notes
during lectures is a skill that must be developed and one that remain critical for student
success. Without attending classes, being engaged in class and/or learning material
from the textbook, students will not be successful in this course.
Dr. Reid also records and produces a video copy of all of his lectures which will be
made available to you typically within 24 hours after a lecture. These are for you to use
as supplemental course material in hopes that it improves your understanding of the
course material that he presents to you. These lecture recordings include the lecture
slides and any whiteboard or document camera work and is synchronized to an audio
recording from the lecture. They will play directly in Blackboard or can be downloaded
to your computer to be viewed on any video-enabled device. In the course of recording
the lectures Dr. Reid may inadvertently capture images of students. Please contact Dr.
Reid immediately and privately if for any reason you do not or cannot have your image

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recorded. Reuse, rebroadcasting of the lecture videos produced by Dr. Reid in whole or
in part, without his written permission is strictly prohibited.
Please note: Access to the course Blackboard site is limited to students registered in
this course. Under no circumstances are students permitted to provide any other
person with means to access this material. Anyone violating these restrictions may be
subjected to legal action. Permission to electronically record audio or video by students
must be granted by the instructor
Mastering Biology:
Mastering Biology is an interactive study site that complements the textbook. It
provides videos, quizzes, tutorials and activities focused on the content provided in the
course textbook. There will be required assignments that you will be informed to
complete and you are encouraged to use Mastering Biology other components of this
site as a tool to assist you in understanding the course content. To access the site use
the information provided to you with the textbook (or go to www.masteringbiology.ca).
You will need the access code and the Course ID. You will get an access code when
you purchase the textbook or one can be purchased separately either from the
Okanagan campus bookstore or online. The Course ID for Dr. Reid’s content is
MBSDREIDBIOL125W2014 with a course name of BIOL125001SDReid. Once you
have gained access to the Mastering Biology site for BIOL 125-001, you should see a
number of activities and tutorials that are there for you to complete. You are given
course credit for the “homework”  that you complete. Take full advantage of this
exceptional learning tool.
Copyright disclaimer: Diagrams and figures included in PowerPoint/Keynote
presentations are cited and any Powerpoint/Keynote presentations and lecture videos
uploaded to BLACKBOARD CONNECT that contain diagrams and figures are used with
permission of the publisher or in accordance with the Copyright Modernization Act (Bill
C-11). Permission to electronically record audio or video must be granted by the
instructor.
Communication
Dr. Hart can be most easily be reached via email at miranda.hart@ubc.ca. The best
way to reach Dr. Reid is via email at scott.reid@ubc.ca or at 250 807-8761. He will
attempt to answer emails within 24 hrs. In addition, please feel free to drop by SCI 379
at any time. It is important that Dr. Reid has other duties and may not always be
available for drop in conversations at all times.
Important announcements will be made at the beginning of class, so it is important to be
in class on time (before 08:00). Any announcements between classes will be posted on
BLACKBOARD CONNECT, so check for announcements regularly.

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Etiquette and considerate behaviour in Biol 125 lecture sessions
1. Laptops and tablets are allowed in class. However, past experience has shown that
they are very distracting to other students so only appropriate course use is advised.
2. Cell phones are to be silenced and not used to accept or place calls or text
messages.
3. Because we are a large class, it is easy for small disruptions to accumulate and
affect the participants (both students and professor). Please try to be as quiet as
possible once the class has started, except when class discussions are going on.
4. It is important to be on time for class. All important announcements will be made at
the beginning of class. Students who arrive late distract other students and the
professor. If, for reasons beyond your control, you do arrive late for class, please
come in quietly and sit at the back.
5. Once you are in class, please do not get up and leave, except if you are ill or have
an urgent call of nature. If you have an unavoidable appointment and must leave
class early, please sit at the back so you can leave as unobtrusively as possible.
6. Please ask questions. If you need some material repeated or have a question about
a topic, please put up your hand. It is better to ask the professor than your
neighbour. By asking your neighbour, you will disturb those around you and will
distract the professor. This, in turn, has a negative effect on the whole class.
7. If you cannot hear the professor, or s/he is speaking too loudly, please put up your
hand and let him/her know so that s/he can adjust the volume of the microphone.
8. If anything is not working for you in class, please let the professor know.

Required Materials:

(i) Textbook: Freeman, Harrington & Sharp. Biological Science. Custom UBC Edition.
Vol 1. (available in bookstore; used for BIOL 116)
(ii) Online access to the Mastering Biology website is required for Dr. Reid’s portion of
the course. Dr. Hart will also utilize material from this website. (It came bundled with
new textbook purchased from the bookstore; instant access available on-line from the
textbook publisher, Pearson)
(iii) An iClicker. Once you have purchased your Clicker at the bookstore, you must
register it on the course website. Once you are on the website, you will see a link on
the left hand panel for Clicker registration. Please follow the steps there. Unless you
register your clicker, your answers in class will not be recorded. Bring your clicker to
all of Dr. Hart’s lectures!

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Course Evaluation:

Midterm I  –Jan  27th (Dr. Hart)   15.5%  

Midterm II  –Feb 24th (Dr. Hart)   15.5%  

Midterm III - March 19th (Dr. Reid)   15.5%  
Midterm IV - April 9th (Dr. Reid)   15.5%  
Mastering Biology –  Dr. Reid   4%  
Quizzes - Dr. Hart   4%  

Laboratory   30%  

The mark for Pre-Lecture quizzes (Dr. Hart) will be an average of all quizzes, but with
the lowest mark dropped. Therefore, if you miss a quiz because of technical difficulties
or because you are sick, this will not affect your mark.

Final grades will be based on the evaluations listed above and the final grade will be
assigned according to the standardized grading system outlined in the UBC Okanagan
Calendar. If either the lab or the lecture component is failed, the maximum
possible grade will be 49%, and students will fail the entire course.

All midterm will be taken during normal lecture time and in the assigned lecture theatre.
There is NO final exam.
Missed Assignments and Exams:
From UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar/Policies and Regulations/Academic
Concession:
“Students who, because of unforeseen events, are absent during the term and are
unable to complete tests or other graded work, should normally discuss with their
instructors how they can make up for missed work, according to written guidelines
given to them at the start of the course*. Instructors are not required to make
allowance for any missed test or incomplete work that is not satisfactorily accounted for.
If ill health is an issue, students are encouraged to seek attention from a health
professional. Campus Health and Counselling will normally provide documentation only
to students who have been seen previously at these offices for treatment or counselling
specific to conditions associated with their academic difficulties. Students who feel that
requests for consideration have not been dealt with fairly by their instructors may take
their concerns to [Dr. Michael Deyholos, Unit Head, Biology]."

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*These are the written guidelines referred to above:
Students may be excused from exams and assignments only with a physician’s
certificate verifying illness or other supporting documents for a compassionate leave. If
a student is unable to complete an exam for a good and verifiable medical or
compassionate reason, the marks may be redistributed. Please contact Dr. Hart or Dr.
Reid as soon as possible if ill or if you will be missing an exam for a compassionate
reason. Note: sleeping in, missed buses, cars that will not start, or previously planned
holidays or appointments are not acceptable reasons for missing exams.

Supplemental Learning
A Supplemental Learning (SL) component is provided for all students who want to
improve their understanding of the material taught in this course.  SL sessions are led
by a student who has mastered the course material, done well in the class, and who is
trained specifically to facilitate group sessions. An SL session provides students a
chance to meet, review and discuss important concepts, develop strategies for solving
problems, and prepare for exams.  Attendance at SL sessions is free and
voluntary.  Students may attend as many times as they choose and studies have
indicated that students who attend five or more SL sessions throughout the term do
better in the class overall. SL is not a replacement for lectures, nor is it a review of the
lectures in class; rather SL gives YOU, the student, a chance to practice, to ask
questions, and to share information with others who attend the class. SL sessions begin
the second or third week of class and continue throughout the semester.  A session
schedule will be announced in class.  For information about the program, session
schedule/updates, and possible study guides, visit the website at
http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/students/arc/sl.html.
People who are available to help
The following are resource people or centres that can help you learn first year biology,
develop study skills that are appropriate for university, or deal with issues that might
interfere with your ability to concentrate on your studies.
1. Your Professors  –  Drs. Hart and Reid  – come to see them if you do not
understand the material covered in their lectures or in the readings
2. Your laboratory section teaching assistant (TA) –  an upper level or graduate
student who will teach your labs and mark your lab assignments
3. Our Supplemental Learning leader – an upper level student who will guide you in
exercises to understand the course material in more depth and to learn more
effectively
4. The Lab Coordinator/Instructor  –  Ms. Tristyn Hay (tristyn.hay@ubc.ca, Sci 155, 250
807-9550)

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5. Your First Year Experience Peer Mentor –  for all kinds of general advice about
surviving and enjoying university life.
6. Math and Science Centre, UNC 201 –  for free, drop-in tutoring.
http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/students/arc/tc/msc.html
7. Health and Wellness Centre, UNC 337 or 250.807.9270  –  for physical or mental
health issues or stress-related advice.

Repeating the course if one portion is failed

The student may opt to repeat the failed portion of the course if, and only if, the
following requirements are met:
• If the student failed the laboratory portion of the course, but achieved a grade of
at least C (60%) in the lecture portion of the course, the student may opt to repeat only
the laboratory portion.
• If the student failed the lecture portion of the course, but achieved a grade of at
least C (60%) in the laboratory portion of the course, the student may opt to repeat
only the lecture portion.
• The course must be taken again within two years of the term in which the student
was originally enrolled in the course (e.g. if the course was originally taken in the Fall
term of 2010, the student has until the Fall of 2012 to repeat the course).
• In situations where the weighting of the lab/lecture component changes from year
to year (e.g. 30% lab, 70% lecture in one year; 40% lab, 60% lecture in another year),
it will be at the discretion of the instructor teaching the course the second time to
decide the weighting in the calculation of the new grade.

The student must complete (including all required signatures) the “Repeat course”  form
and submit it to the Unit Administrative Assistants (Ms. Barb Lucente in Sci 317 or Ms.
Jenny Janok in Sci 283) by the last day of the late registration period.

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Lecture Outline:
Tentative Lecture Schedule (Section 001)
Note that except for the dates of the exams, the topics and readings below are subject to change.

Date Topic Textbook Professor

Readings

Jan. 6 Introduction, Tree of Life Chapters 28 & 29 Dr. Hart

Jan. 8 Tree of Life Continued Chapters 31 & 35 Dr. Hart

Jan. 13 Plant form and function Chapter 36 Dr. Hart

Jan. 15 Water and sugar transport in plants Chapter 37 Dr. Hart

Jan. 20 Plant nutrition Chapter 38 Dr. Hart

Jan. 22 Plant Sensory Chapter 39 Dr. Hart

Jan. 27 Midterm 1 (15.5%) All material including Dr. Hart

CH 39
Jan. 29 Introduction to Ecology Chapter 50 Dr. Hart

Feb. 3 Behavioural Ecology Chapter 51 Dr. Hart

Feb. 5 Population Ecology Chapter 52 Dr. Hart

Feb. 9-13 Family Day/Reading Week No classes

Feb. 17 Community Ecology Chapter 53 Dr. Hart

Feb. 19 Biodiversity and Conservation Chapter 55 Dr. Hart

Feb. 24 Midterm II (15.5%) All material not Dr. Hart

covered on first
midterm

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Feb. 26   Animal Kingdom   Chapters 32, 33 & 34   Dr. Reid  

Mar. 3   Animal Architecture/Homeostasis   Chapter 34   Dr. Reid  

Mar. 5   Gas Exchange in Animals   Chapter 44   Dr. Reid  

Mar. 10   Gas Exchange in Animals   Chapter 44   Dr. Reid  

Mar. 12   Circulation in Animals   Chapter 44   Dr. Reid  

Mar. 17   Circulation in Animals   Chapter 44   Dr. Reid  

Mar. 19   Midterm III (15.5%)   Dr. Reid  

Mar. 24   Defense   Chapter 49   Dr. Reid  

Mar. 26   Chemical Homeostasis Chapter 42   Dr. Reid  

(Osmoregulation)  

Mar. 31   Coordination (Endocrines & Nerves)   Chapters 45 & 47   Dr. Reid  

Apr. 2   Muscle Function   Chapter 46   Dr. Reid  

Apr. 7   (002  misses  lecture  due  to  Easter) No Class  

Apr. 9   Midterm IV (15.5%)   Dr. Reid  

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Academic Integrity:
The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of
this enterprise, all students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of
conduct regarding academic integrity. At the most basic level, this means submitting
only original work done by you and acknowledging all sources of information or ideas
and attributing them to others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy,
or mislead others about what is your work. Violations of academic integrity (i.e.,
misconduct) lead to the break down of the academic enterprise, and therefore serious
consequences arise and harsh sanctions are imposed. For example, incidences of
plagiarism or cheating may result in a mark of zero on the assignment or exam and
more serious consequences may apply if the matter is referred to the President’s
Advisory Committee on Student Discipline. Careful records are kept in order to monitor
and prevent recurrences.

A more detailed description of academic integrity, including the policies and procedures,
may be found at:
http://okanagan.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,0
If you have any questions about how academic integrity applies to this course, please
consult with your professor.

Disability Assistance:  
If you require disability-related accommodations to meet the course objectives, please
contact the Coordinator of Disability Resources located in the Student Development and
Advising area in the University Centre building. For more information about Disability
Resources or academic accommodations, please visit the website at:
http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/students/disres/welcome.html

Equity, Human Rights, Discrimination and Harassment:

UBC Okanagan is a place where every student, staff and faculty member should be
able to study and work in an environment that is free from human rights-based
discrimination and harassment. Under UBC’s Policy 3 on Discrimination and
Harassment, UBC prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of the following
grounds: age, ancestry, colour, family status, marital status, physical or mental
disability, place of origin, political belief, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or
unrelated criminal conviction.

If you require assistance related to an issue of equity, discrimination or harassment,

please contact the Equity Office or your administrative head of unit.
UBC Okanagan Equity Advisor: ph. 250-807-9291; email equity.ubco@ubc.ca
Web: www.ubc.ca/okanagan/equity
Unit Equity Representatives:
http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/equity/programs/equityreps/unitcontacts.html  

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