Catalogue Description:

Human interaction with the natural world as seen by biologists. Identification of plants or animals and habitats of northern California . Two hours lecture/discussion, three hours lab or field trip per week. [ A material, services, or facilities fee may be assessed in this course .]

Prerequisite:

Completion of lower division science GE.

Goals:

California Natural History provides an opportunity for a person to develop an appreciation for the diversity of ecosystems in California . The student will learn to recognize local examples of the plant communities in northwestern California . The environmental factors governing the existence of these vegetation types will be considered, and the identities of characteristic plants of the communities will be determined.

Course Content:

The course will emphasize field trips to view local examples of California ecosystems. The ecological zonation of these sites will be analyzed with primary interest in plants and plant communities. Secondarily, the animals, meteorology, geology, soils, and energy cycles of these ecosystems will be noted as contributing factors.

Attendance:

The subject matter of the class meetings is the basis for the examinations. Therefore, students are encouraged to attend and actively participate in all activities of the class. The roll will be called at each class meeting, and the calculation of final grades will be weighted to include a student's record of attendance as 40% of the grade.

Projects:

Assigned classwork may include a variety of readings, worksheets, identification exercises, and collections that will be designed to complement the field experiences. These laboratory projects will account for 20% of the grade.

Testing:

Grading Policy:

A - Total Final Score greater than 90% of highest score in class
B - Total Final Score greater than 80% of highest score in class
C - Total Final Score greater than 70% of highest score in class
D - Total Final Score greater than 60% of highest score in class
F - Total Final Score lower than 60% of highest score in class

Students who intend to be graded on a CREDIT/NO CREDIT basis must choose that grading mode during Web registration. A change of grading mode to CREDIT/NO CREDIT may be made on the Web page during the first two weeks, but must be completed by June 14th . The instructor will assign letter grades to all students. The Office of Enrollment Management will convert those reported letter grades to the appropriate CR or NC grades.

INCOMPLETE grades will only be assigned to students who cannot complete the requirements in this course due to circumstances beyond their own control. The incomplete is a temporary grade that must be changed to a letter grade after the completion of the unfinished work. Failure to complete that work within one year will automatically result in a conversion of the incomplete to a letter grade of F. An incomplete is not a way for a student to avoid a bad grade!

Drop Policy:

Summer Semester students may drop this course via Web registration without the instructor's approval during the first two weeks. After June 14, the instructor must approve of a student's "serious and compelling reasons" for withdrawing from the course. Departmental policy does not recognize a failing performance in a class as "serious and compelling reasons" beyond the control of the student. Withdrawl from the course with "serious and compelling reasons" must be requested in writing before June 25, 2005. Otherwise, an unofficial withdrawal may result in a failing grade.