Instructor - Dr. Doug Facey - 302B Cheray; 654-2625; email: dfacey@smcvt.edu

Office Hours: to be announced each semester

Class will Monday and Wednesday (8:30 – 9:20), with 2 lab sections on Friday.

Required for course: (1) textbook – Human Biology: concepts and current issues, 3rd edition by Michael D. Johnson, including CD-ROM; (2) interest in the biological mechanisms involved in exercise; (3) willingness to work hard and spend time studying what we’ve covered in class.

Course Objectives: The main objectives of this course are (1) to expose you to the basic biological principles involved in exercise; and (2) to provide you with opportunities to explore some aspects of the biology of exercise through laboratory observations and experimentation.

Course Format: In this course we will explore some of the basic biological processes involved in exercise. We will begin the course with a discussion of basic chemical and cellular processes necessary to understand how muscles function. We will then also discuss the skeletal system, the details of muscle function, nerves and muscle control, the role of blood and the circulatory system, function of the respiratory system, nutrition, and regulation of water and ion balance. All of these provide critical contributions to the activities that we call exercise. The CD-ROM that accompanies your text includes excellent graphics, animations, and narration on the several human physiological systems, including muscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory. Please be sure to use it when we cover these topics.

Observation and experimentation in the laboratory is an important focus of this course also – so actually doing lab work and understanding and being able to explain the results is very important. Learning facts is certainly an important component of the course as well, but the main point of the facts should be to enhance your understanding of the biological principles and processes that we will explore in lab. We will then execute various studies related to exercise, collect data, and analyze the results to reach conclusions about our initial question.

To help you prepare for class and study for quizzes and exams, you will receive a study guide indicating what information I want you to understand from each chapter. In addition, I will use eCollege to post copies of my Powerpoint lectures.

Course Grading: Your grade will be determined by regular quizzes, lab work, exams (including a comprehensive final), and an oral presentation. Attendance is expected in all classes and labs, your grade may be lowered by unexcused absences.  Only absences for significant medical reasons, religious obligations, or personal emergencies are considered excused absences.

Topics to be covered: subject to modification

The course will begin with coverage of basic chemical and cell biology concepts necessary to understand the function of cells and tissues associated with exercise (such as muscles).  We will then move to increased levels of biological organization with a brief discussion of how cells are organized to tissues and how tissues make up organs.  Next we will study the major components of the human skeleton, including bones and joints.  Next, there will be a detailed study of muscle function, including how muscles operate at the subcellular level.  We will also address how nerves function and control muscle activity.  Other topics to be covered include the characteristics of blood and the circulatory system that are important in maintaining exercise, including oxygen and carbon dioxide transport to and from the muscles, breathing and the respiratory system, how kidneys function to maintain proper water and ion balance, and digestion and nutrition.  The final major component of the course will be student presentations on topics related to the biology of exercise - the topics of these presentations are selected by each student based on their own interests in the course material.

Throughout the course we will engage in several laboratory exercises designed to highlight aspects of the material covered in lecture, but also introduce and reinforce the scientific method of inquiry.  This will include study design, data collection and analysis, careful analysis and interpretation, and expressing and explaining results.

Student responsibility statement: You are responsible for all material covered in all classes. Please keep in mind that this is primarily a lab course, and making up missed work may be difficult, or even impossible. It won't be a case of simply "getting the notes" – you must be present to participate in all class activities. Unexcused absences will result in a reduction in your course grade.

Meeting deadlines is important for future success. All assignments should be turned in on time. Late papers will be penalized 5 points per calendar day that they are late, up to 10 days; after 10 days they will not be accepted and you will receive a grade of zero for that assignment.

Please contact the Associate Academic Dean if illness or personal emergencies prevent you from attending class or turning assignments in on time. In addition, contact me directly (in person, or leave a message on my voice mail, or send a message via email). Only absences for medical reasons, religious obligations, or personal emergencies may be excused. In all cases, you must provide me with a note explaining the absence. All other absences will be considered unexcused, and this will be reflected in your course grade.

Violations of the Saint Michael's College Academic Integrity Policy are serious and will be dealt with accordingly. Please review the Policy and see me if you have any questions.  All students will be required to read, sign, and abide by the Biology Department's Academic Integrity Contract.

For students with learning disabilities: If you have a diagnosed learning disability, or suspect that you might, you should contact the Assistant Academic Dean. She can help you optimize your academic development at Saint Michael's College. In addition, please feel free to speak with me directly about any reasonable accommodations that will enhance your learning experience in this course.