Wennstrom — Fall 2026

Welcome!

Hello there! I’m glad to have you in my class this quarter. If you’ve got questions about how the course works, you can probably get the answer here. Use the buttons below to quickly find the info you’re looking for.

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About the course

In this section:

• Instructor contact & office hour info
• In-person component
• Online component
• Textbook & prerequisites
• Course schedule & objectives

In-person component

All regular class meetings are in Room 6210 (second floor, 6000 building)

• Mon 12:30 – 4:20 pm (section 14140)
• Wed 12:30 – 4:20 pm (section 14142)

Our in-person sessions will be used for parts of the class that don’t work well online. Most of each face-to-face session will be spent working hands-on with on the lab learning objectives. Activities will include working with microscopes, studying models, performing dissections, etc. We will also spend some time each week on Q&A and group work to help you master the lecture learning objectives. All exams will be held in-person (see the schedule overview for dates).

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Online component

Lecture content will be primarily covered online, though we will devote some in-person time each week to supplement the online instruction. Most assignments will be posted and turned in online. There are online resources to help you with the lab learning objectives. I may hold some exam review sessions online; if so, sessions will be recorded and posted in Panopto Recordings on Canvas.

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Textbook & prerequisites

Anatomy & Physiology: An Integrative Approach, 4th edition by McKinley, O’Loughlin, & Bidle. Connect access is optional, but can be helpful. Other textbooks may also be used; this may require some additional effort on the part of the student. More information available on Canvas.

BIOL& 211, Majors Cellular Biology or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or better

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Grading

In this section:

• How your grade is determined
• Participation points
• Exam retakes
• Late & missed work
• Other exam policies
• Extra credit

The big picture

A big chunk of your grade — almost a third — comes from stuff that’s scored mainly on completion. That gives you a ton of control! If you complete all the work, it will really make a difference in your overall grade. Even better, those activities are not just busy work. I’ve designed them to help you master the material so you’re better prepared for the tests. In addition, I’ve built in several ways to help you with the exam part of the grade — more frequent tests (so each one is worth less), the ability to retake exams, and and optional final exam that can partially replace the midterm exams.

How your grade is determined

Types of graded work

There are five types of graded work in this class

• Lecture exams, worth 40% of the grade
• Lab practical exams, worth 30% of the grade
• Lecture prep assignments, worth 10% of the grade
• Group work, worth 10% of the grade
• Participation points, worth 10% of the grade

Your final grade will be determined by the total weighted percentage of points you earn for the class. You can check your grade at any time during the course. Visit the “Grades” area in Canvas. Your total percentage and your grade point will be displayed in the upper right hand corner of the Grades area. Please see the “Resources” module in Canvas for a table associating grades, percentages, and grade point scores.

Lecture exams

There will be three midterm exams. All the questions on these exams will be based on the lecture learning objectives, also known as “LOs.” The format of the tests will be mostly short answer and “fill in the blank”, with some brief essay-style questions. Sample questions will be provided to you in Canvas at the bottom of each lecture page. There will also be an optional final exam.

Lab practical exams 

There will be three practical exams. These exams will cover the lab learning objectives (LOs), which are posted on Canvas. Lab LOs are related to the lecture LOs, but are not the same. You’ll be tested mostly on structure identification using dissected specimens, models, diagrams, photographs, or microscope slides. There may also be questions relating to the physiology labs you will complete during the quarter.

Lecture prep assignments

These activities will help you work through the content for each lecture topic. Prep assignments will be due on Sunday at 11:59 pm, with a grace period until I begin to review them before our in-person class session each week. Your lowest two prep assignment scores will be dropped.

Group work

These assignments will be completed weekly, with the goal of working with your peers to learn new material. Your lowest two group work scores will be dropped, so there’s no need to worry if you have to miss one. There are two types of group work: 

• Unit Discussions will have both an online and an in-person component; you’ll answer some question prompts online and then we’ll discuss the topics in class. These discussions give you experience with applying the learning objectives to new situations. You’ll see a few questions like these on each exam, so it’s good practice!
• Team Activities will take place in-person and will vary in structure. Usually, I will ask you to work in small groups to review lecture or lab material and then report on what you learn. Occasionally I might have you work on a group quiz.

Participation

You earn Participation points by engaging in the activities listed in the section below — things like visiting me for office hours, completing practice worksheets, or attending study group sessions. You are responsible for earning 30 Participation points over the course of the quarter. All Participation points are due at 4 pm on the last day of instruction (the day before Prep Day — you can consult the Academic Calendar or or check Canvas for the date this quarter). If you make an effort to earn 3 points per week, you will stay on track for the quarter.

Participation points 

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Late & missed work

I understand that sometimes you need to turn work in late, or have to miss an exam. Most assignments allow work to be turned in up to a week late, with a small penalty which is outlined in the assignment rubric. In addition, I am flexible about allowing short extensions when appropriate.

If you encounter a situation that isn’t covered by the guidelines below, please get in touch with me as soon as possible to discuss potential solutions. My general operating principle is to ensure fairness to all and to make sure that your learning and that of others isn’t compromised.

For missed assignments

• You can drop two in-person assignments.
  Your two lowest scores in the group work category will be dropped. That way, if you miss a class when we have an in-person discussion or group quiz, it won’t affect your grade. In-person work cannot be made up.
• Grace period on “homework” assignments.
  All assignments that are turned in online have a grace period until I actually start reviewing them. That means as long as your work is turned in by the time I start to grade, it’s considered “on time” and there will be no late penalty.
• Automatic 24 hour extension available for online work if requested prior to the assignment deadline.
  If something comes up that interferes with your schedule, you can request a 24 hour extension for any assignment that is turned in online. Use the Late Work Request Form to ask for an extension. Requests for extensions must be made prior to the deadline for the assignment, and the earlier the better. These extensions will typically be granted without question; see below for some reasons that requests might be turned down.
• Longer extensions considered on case by case basis.
  In rare cases, I may grant longer extensions than those listed above. You can still use the online request form (see link in previous bullet), but you will need to provide additional information, and I may contact you to discuss your options. These requests have a better chance of being granted if they are made well in advance (days to weeks).
• Requests for extensions should be infrequent.
   I may turn down requests for extensions if they are too frequent. If you find that you need to request extensions more than a few times per quarter, it usually indicates that you would benefit from some additional support. I’ll get in touch so we can talk about your options.
• Most (but not all) extension requests will be granted.
  In general, requests for extensions are granted. However, there are some cases where I will turn down your request. Some reasons I might turn your request down include:
  • your request was made after the deadline
  • you didn’t use the online request form to ask for an assignment extension
  • you have made frequent requests for extensions (more than a few times per quarter)
  • your request would interfere with other students’ opportunities (e.g. make me delay returning feedback, or prevent me from completing other tasks on behalf of the class)
  • your request is not in your own best interests (e.g. it would overload you with work, or make it harder for you to succeed in future tasks)

For missed exams

Examine the course schedule carefully and note the exam dates on your calendar for future reference. Contact me by the end of the first week of class if you have a conflict on one of the exam dates and I will work with you to make alternative arrangements.

If you are ill or have an emergency on an exam day, you have a two options:

• If you contact me before the exam begins, I may be able to reschedule your exam. If so, I’ll send a list of days and times when I can offer the exam to you.
• Otherwise, you can take the missed exam on the corresponding Exam Retake Day (check the schedule). This will count as your retake, so whatever score you earn will be the one that counts.

Make up exams may be in a different format than the original exam (e.g. online, essay format, oral exam, etc.). Changes to format will only be made to facilitate scheduling or to maintain exam integrity; such changes are not intended a barrier or “punishment”.

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Extra credit

The only extra credit that will be awarded in this class will be in the form of occasional one or two point extra credit questions on exams or quizzes and a single extra credit participation point which will be available during the last week of class. I will not agree to requests for extra credit to boost a grade that is lower than the student prefers.

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Exams

Rules in effect during and after the exams

Please read the following carefully so you aren’t surprised by any of the rules below when exam day comes. I know the list may seem kind of tedious, but most of the items are fairly common-sense ways to protect the integrity of the exams. That works to your advantage if you are one of the vast majority of students who are working hard to have a productive learning experience :).

• Once the first student has completed the exam and left the room, no new exams will be handed out; try to arrive as close to on time as you can.
• Seating may be assigned; seating assignments will be posted at the front of the room when you come in for an exam
• No internet-capable electronic devices such as smart watches, cell phones, or calculators are allowed at your desk during the exam.
• Writing in permanent (non-erasable) ink in dark colors (no red or pink) is recommended (see below in the section on regrade requests)
• Do not discuss any exam questions or answers with anyone else until the exams have been returned
• Do not take photos or use any other method of recording exam questions or answers
• Do not post information about the exam in any online or printed forum (e.g. Chegg, Quizlet, Instagram, etc.)

Resources allowed during exams

LECTURE EXAMS

You may have “cheat sheet” of your own making with you during your lecture exams. You can have anything you like written on it so long as it follows the guidelines below:

• must be on a 3″ x 5″ index card (I will be a jerk about this, be warned 😆)
• must be hand-written (no typed/printed material)
• use both sides of the card if you like
• write your name in the upper left corner of the card

I will ask you to turn the card in before the exam begins so I can look it over, then it will be returned once exams are handed out. If you don’t have an index card, let me know and I will give you one.

LAB PRACTICALS

No “cheat sheets” are allowed during lab practical exams, but I will provide you with a word bank with the structures from the lab LOs on it in alphabetical order.

Spelling

Speaking of spelling… for all exams in both lecture and laboratory, correct spelling of anatomic terms is expected. I will allow one- or two-letter errors in most cases, so long as the word, if read aloud, sounds the same as the correct version (e.g. stommach instead of stomach). Spelling errors more significant than than this will result in points being deducted. One-letter spelling errors that change the word into a new word will receive no credit (e.g. ileum instead of ilium).

Regrade requests

If you feel that my grading on a particular question has been unfair or that I have misunderstood your answer, I encourage you to request a regrade. You’ll need to make the request no more than one week after the test was handed back.

Regrade requests must be made in writing — paper, email, or Canvas message are all fine. In your message, explain why you should be given additional credit for the item in question. include the following in your request:

• the question number
• an explanation of the answer you gave, detailing how it applies to the question I asked and why it deserves additional credit
• the original exam answer sheet (or a scan or clear photo of it)
• any supporting documentation such as textbook page numbers, web page URLs, photocopies from other texts, etc. (optional)

Exams written fully or partially in pencil or erasable pen, with white-out on them, or showing signs of erasure will not be regraded.

If I have added your point total incorrectly, just show me the exam and I will make the correction. I will need to see the original paper copy within one week after the exam was handed back. If you are absent when the test is handed back, you must show me any addition errors at the time I return your test (during that class period or office hour visit, for example).

Optional final exam

I offer an optional final exam for those who would like one last chance to try to improve their grade. If you take the final exam, your grade will be computed using the following weights:

• Lecture exams, worth 40% of the grade
  • Midterm exams, worth 15% of the grade
  • Final exam, worth 25% of the grade
• Lab practical exams, worth 30% of the grade
• Lecture prep assignments, worth 10% of the grade
• Group work, worth 10% of the grade
• Participation points, worth 10% of the grade

In a practical sense, this means that for every 10 percentage points higher you score on the Final Exam vs. your midterms, your overall course grade will increase by 2.5% (approximately the difference between a 2.8 and a 3.0 or 3.1).

The Final Exam will be cumulative, covering all the lecture learning objectives. It will be very similar in structure to the regular lecture exams but it will be longer. All exam policies listed above for lecture exams will also apply on the final exam.

Because the Final Exam is worth more than the regular lecture exams, you can improve your grade significantly if you take it and score well.

You will not be eligible to take the final exam unless there is the possibility of improving your grade by doing so. That is, if your grade for the class would be the same even if you score 100% on the final, you won’t be able to take it.

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Other policies

In this section:

• Email policy & online course components
• Use of recording devices
• Academic dishonesty
• Suspended operations
• ADA accommodations
• Accommodations for faith & conscience

Email policy & course web component

I encourage you to use email or Canvas messages to communicate with me outside of class. I’m rarely near my office phone so email is usually faster! I will reply to all messages within 48 hours or on the next business day under normal circumstances. I occasionally check my email messages in the evenings and on weekends, but I can’t guarantee a response until the next business day.

Announcements, assignments, quizzes, etc. will be posted on the Canvas site for the course. Please check Canvas frequently and read my Announcements. I recommend you check at least three times weekly, or every other day except on weekends.

For assignments that require you to upload files, you are responsible for selecting the correct files and for checking your work to make sure you have uploaded the correct items. If you upload the incorrect file and don’t discover it before the due date for the assignment, you are responsible for the consequences (e.g. late penalty, zero for the assignment, etc.).

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Classroom Recording

Lectures may not be recorded in any medium without my prior permission. The content may not be published in any form other than what I provide. That is, you may not record and post the material anywhere else.

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Academic Dishonesty

My expectations

I expect everything you turn in for this class to be written in your own words. One rule of thumb is that if you use more than four words from a source, it requires quotes and a citation. However, it’s very rare for work you turn in for this class to include quotes or citations. Instead, I want you to learn about the topic, digest the information, and put it down on paper in your own words, not someone else’s. Nearly all the information in this class falls into the realm of “common knowledge”, which requires no citation. “Stump the Teacher” questions require you to provide a link to the source you used to answer the question, but you should still use your own words and not quotations.

What is plagiarism, and how do you avoid it? 

Plagiarism is when you use another author’s words and present them as if they were your own. Copying sentences but changing a word here and there is still plagiarism. For example, if your source says: “The surface of the cerebellum is covered with finely spaced parallel grooves, in striking contrast to the broad irregular convolutions of the cerebral cortex” (from this Wikipedia article), then it is not okay for you to write “The surface of the cerebellum has finely spaced channels, in contrast to the large uneven convolutions of the cerebral cortex.” An appropriate rewording might be “While the cerebral cortex has thick gyri, those of the cerebellum are thinner and more numerous.”

I realize that many students struggle in learning to paraphrase what they read without plagiarizing. It is a skill like any other; it can be learned but you must practice it consciously. The best advice I can give you is to take the following steps:

1. Read the material you plan to paraphrase. You may need to read it more than once before you feel like you understand it sufficiently. You may need to consult the textbook glossary or other resources to help you with the vocabulary.
2. Give yourself a few minutes to let the material sink in, and then put the material away or cover it so you can’t see it.
3. Write about the topic in your own words. You might even say it out loud, pretending that you are explaining the ideas to a friend. This will help you to choose your own words.
4. If you need to, check your work against the original material to correct errors.

In an even simpler form, follow this rule: never write anything that you are going to turn in as your own work while you have your book or notes open. If you follow this rule, you will protect yourself from almost every form of plagiarism.

Still have questions? Here is a helpful resource that outlines what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid plagiarizing sources that you might use in your learning. I encourage you to read the web page carefully, paying attention to the examples the author presents.

What is cheating? 

Cheating is unethical behavior that gives you an unfair advantage over others on an assignment or test. When you cheat, you are making a false representation of what you have learned. Here are a few examples of cheating behavior:

• Getting test questions or answers from another student, and using them on your own test
• Getting answers to exam or assignment questions from a homework site such as Chegg, CourseHero, Quizlet, etc.
• Using ChatGPT, Google Bard, or other AI sites to produce work that you turn in as if it were your own
• Having someone else do your homework or exam and then turning it in as if you had done the work

Consequences of academic dishonesty

I won’t tolerate academic dishonesty, whether the point values involved are large or small. Please be aware that you are responsible for understanding what academic dishonesty entails. It would be a very good idea for you to read Shoreline’s policy on the matter; this information is also available in your college catalog in the section titled Policies for Students. Instances of academic dishonesty will be pursued as stringently as allowed by Shoreline policy.

Warning

If you plagiarize and the degree of plagiarism is minimal, I will give you a warning. “Minimal” means that only a small amount of text is involved and there is evidence that you were making some effort at paraphrasing. Copying multiple sentences is NOT minimal.

You will initially receive a zero score for your work. However, you can recover your score by passing a short quiz on plagiarism and resubmitting the plagiarized portion of the work to me by email or Canvas message. This must be done within three business days of my email notifying you of the issue.

I will not give warnings for cheating.

First time

If you plagiarize after you have been given a warning or if the plagiarism is significant (not meriting a warning), you will get an automatic zero on the assignment, quiz, or exam. This penalty will also apply if you cheat (no warnings for cheating). At my discretion, based on the seriousness of the incident, I may file a report with the appropriate college officer.

Second time

You will receive an automatic 0.0 for your grade in the course. You will be reported to the appropriate college officer, who may order additional disciplinary action.

In order to discourage cheating, a number of policies will be in effect during quizzes and exams. Be certain you have read and understand the exam policies before you start the quiz or exam!

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Suspended Operations Policy

Unless the college has suspended operations, we will have continue class as posted in the schedule on Canvas. If the college has suspended operations, you should consult the Canvas site for further instructions. I may still ask you to turn in work, watch lectures, etc. in an online format even if the physical campus is closed. You can check the college homepage, call the college at 206-546-4101, or tune in to local media for information about the college’s status. Details about these information sources can be found at the college’s web page for Suspended Operations.

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ADA Accommodations

Students with learning, health, sensory, physical, psychological or temporary disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodations to ensure access to programs and facilities at Shoreline Community College. To receive reasonable accommodations, students are responsible for requesting accommodations and documenting the nature and extent of their disability in a timely manner.  To request accommodations, contact the office of Student Accessibility Services at 206-546-4545 or by email at sas@shoreline.edu.

I can only offer accommodations that are specifically communicated to me in writing by the Student Accessibility Services office at Shoreline. Please work with that office if you would like to receive formal accommodations. If you plan to use your accommodations on an exam (such as extra time, quiet room, large type, etc.), please let me know at least one week in advance of the exam so that I can make appropriate arrangements.

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Reasonable accommodations for faith & conscience

Students who will be absent from course activities due to reasons of faith or conscience may seek reasonable accommodations so that grades are not impacted. Such requests must be made within the first two weeks of the quarter using the Faith and Conscience Absence Form.

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