Mt. SAC Faculty Directory



BIOLOGY 1: CURRENT EVENT ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS

The goal of the current event assignments is for you to become familiar with how applicable biology is to your daily life. You are required to turn in four current event assignments (15 pts. each), related to a topic we have previously covered since the last current event assignment. The fifth current event summary is optional and will count for 10 points of extra credit.

I. You will complete four current event assignments by finding and reading or listening to a news article or audio segment (no earlier than the year 2011) from a news website (ex. , , , , , , , etc.) that discusses your topic. You must then write (must be typed) about what is listed in part III below. Print out two copies of your write-up. You will turn in one of your write-ups on the due date. Hold on to the other copy because you will be sharing your current event with your lab class.

II. The extra credit current event should be completed in the previously described way. Be sure you label this assignment as your “extra credit” assignment and turn in on due date.

III. Your write-up will include the following. Label each section.

A. If you are writing about a news article, include a copy of your news article along with the source, author, and date of article. If you are writing about an NPR news audio segment include the title, author, date, and first paragraph of the segment. If you do not include a copy of your article with the required information or the previously stated information about your audio segment, your assignment will not be accepted.

B. Summary of article/audio segment: Using your own words summarize the key points (address the five W’s: what, where, when, who and why) of the article/audio segment discussion so that the reader has a clear understanding as to the scope of the article/segment. Do not just copy word for word from your article, this is plagiarism! (7 pts.)

C. What biology topic does this article/audio segment reference? The article/segment that you have chosen should correspond with a topic that we have covered since the last assignment. Clearly state how your article/segment is related to the topic. (2 pts.)

D. How does this article/audio segment affect you personally? All events affect us in some way. Be creative and open your thoughts as to how current events are related to you (e.g. socially, ethically, emotionally, economically, etc.) (3 pts.)

E. How will this current news affect future generations? Make a prediction about how lives will be affected 20 - 30 years from now by this current event. (3 pts.)

Follow the directions! Assignments are due at the beginning of lecture (not lab) on the due date. Due dates are on the syllabus, so you know in advance when assignments need to be turned in. If you are absent on a due date or have printing problems, you may email me the assignment by the lecture start time of that due date. See the table below for my policy on assignments that are turned in after the beginning of the class meeting the assignment is due.

|On Time: Turned in at the beginning of class |100% - missed questions |

|Turned in 5 minutes after class starts |80% - missed questions |

|Turned in the day due but after class ends |70% - missed questions |

|Turned in next class meeting |50% - missed questions |

|Turned in beyond the next class meeting |0% - No credit given |

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Could Tiger Farms Save a Species?

by John Nielsen

November 28, 2006

Conservation experts say the wild tiger may be headed for extinction. Twenty years ago, there were tens of thousands of these big cats in the wild. Today, there may be fewer than 3,000.

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Name

Date

Lab

BIO 1: SAMPLE CURRENT EVENT ASSIGNMENTS

CURRENT EVENT #___ : NEWS ARTICLE

CURRENT EVENT #___: NPR AUDIO SEGMENT

Name

Date

Lab

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