More about Eddie Lunsford’s BIO 169 Class

Mountain Laurel (locally called “ivy”) Kalmia latifolia

Usually, Health Sciences students enroll in this class. However, it is open to anyone who has met the prerequisite. Arts and Sciences students may use it as an elective. I enjoy teaching this class because it is a continuation of BIO 168, Anatomy & Physiology I. That class, or a similar one, is required before taking this one. In this class we learn more detail about various systems of the human body. The class requires an average minimum time commitment of 12 hours per week outside of class. We ordinarily meet about six hours per week. There are five unit tests, a lab practical and a comprehensive final exam. There is an individual project consisting of a short, informal oral presentation. The presentation will be based on a recently published professional paper pertaining to human biology. The choice of the paper topic is left to each student.

Lab activities are done each week. These activities relate to and enhance reading, discussion, lecture, films and other learning activities. Students are given weekly grades on their lab reports and worksheets. In lab we usually study topics like basic lung function and physiology of the heart and blood pressure. There is a heavy emphasis on the study of anatomical models and microscopic tissue samples. Ordinarily we dissect kidneys and hearts from a pig or sheep.

Students are expected to do a great deal of advanced preparation before each class meeting. They are expected to review previous class material, read upcoming textbook material and be familiar with planned lab activities. This is not a class that the average person can be successful in without doing these things. Students are given a study guide for each unit that lists specific objectives which may be tested. There are also skeletal outlines to assist with note taking and illustrating how various topics relate to one another within a unit.