Thursday 9/10: There is an adage which applies to this class. You can lead a donkey to water but you can't make it drink. So, I can tell you how to pass this class with an "A" but I can't make you follow my directions. Everyone agreed to study two to three hours every day, even on the days when we have class. Well, judging by your preparation, I don't see the evidence. In lab, too many students are spending the lab period "preparing for lab". Looking at figures in books or using a laptop to identify bones and muscles. This preparation is suppose to be done at home before the lab period and not in lab. In lab, all your time should be used to identify Learning Objectives on models and wall charts. Only a few students are actually working with the models and wall charts. If this does not change soon, then the lab class average will likely be less than 70%.

I am also concerned about the lecture class. When I ask simple questions from a previous lecture, almost always, nobody can give me a correct answer. These are answers to questions on your chapter study guides. These questions are "test questions". I made it clear on day one that you need to learn the information daily as it is presented to you in the lectures. This is the standard you will need to meet if you hope to get into a nursing program or other allied health program. If this does not change soon, then the lecture class average will be in the low 60% range.

Many students did not learn the basic knowledge presented to them in the Unit One Part A Exam (chapters 1 through 4). Yesterday, I asked the class what is the significance of a proton? And nobody could tell me that as the proton concentration increases the pH number becomes more acid. It does not get any more easier than this. So, most students need to go back and learn the foundational information that I will use throughout the rest of the course. Are you watching the videos posted for each chapters?

This is another attempt by me to help you pass this class. You can not guess your way through this class. This is a difficult class by design to test if you are a serious student. There is still time but the clock is ticking. I can help you only if you come to class prepared for the opportunity. So, don't take this the wrong way. Go back and read the day one orientation and ask yourself, am I doing all I need to do to pass this class. Carpe diem!

Tuesday 9/8: Look at the Lecture/Lab Schedule. You have only two lab periods before the Unit One Lab Exam! Make sure you study the lab learning objectives at home so when you enter the lab you only need to identify the OL on the models and charts. Don't use your lab time to prepare for lab. This is done before you enter the lab.

Thursday 9/3: C5 Hot List Questions Posted.

About Wednesday 9/9: Please Note - What you do over the next seven days will more than likely determine if you pass or fail this class. Use your time wisely! An "A" student will complete the homework assignments for September 9th and then also do C6 and C7. Now this student may use the remainder of the time before the lab and lecture exams to review learning objectives.

Lab - know all muscle and be able to identify muscles by name from a textbook. Come to lab so you know the muscles and can spend all of your time to identify muscles on models and charts.

Lecture - (minimum) C11chpapter study guide and C8C9C10 chapter study guide homework assignments.

I will post C5 hot list questions soon! Also, if you did not pass Part A exam with an "A" then go back and watch the videos. I can tell many students are clueless when I use the info from the first four chapters in my current lectures. You can't skate through this class with only half of the necessary knowledge.

Wednesday 9/2: Lab - Finish skeletal system LO and start skeletal muscle LO. I will cover the osteon's structure/function as a 20 minute lab special topic. // Lecture - Finish C5 (10 min.) and start C11 skeletal muscle. C11 homework will not be due until Wednesday 9/9.

About Unit One Part A Results: The class average was 66%. I was hoping for 85%. Part B's exam will be harder than the Part A exam. So, please start to prepare for the exam TODAY! You need to know the info covered in the Part A exam. Use the videos to review the key lecture learning objectives. Study the chapter study guides at home then meet in a study group to quiz each other using the chapter study guide questions. This is how we achieve a class average of 85%!

Friday 8/28: Unit One Part A Exam on Monday during lab session. C5 Histology Homework due on Monday. We will cover C5 in lecture session.

Monday 8/24: C4 Hot List Questions Posted.

Friday 8/21: Hot List Questions (HLQ) posted for C1 and C2. C3 HLQ will be posted Monday and C4 HLQ will be posted Wednesday before class.

Thursday 8/20: Urgent Message About Next Week

> About Lab: You need to learn the bones and the bone's features at HOME before you come to lab. You come to lab to demonstrate your knowledge by quizzing other students using the actual bones. This is how you earn an "A" on the lab exam. If you don't follow these suggestion then you will not pass the lab exam. So, on Monday come to lab ready to identify the Lab Learning Objectives for the upper and lower extremities.

> About Lecture; You need to turn in the chapter study guide answers for C2 Chemistry (second part from #36 to end) and C3 Cell Physiology. (You should try to also work ahead and complete C4 homework but don't turn this in on Monday.)

> In Monday's lecture, I need to complete C2 topics and cover most of C3. Then on Wednesday complete C3 and C4. This is a brutal schedule, I know. This is why I told you in my orientation that you would need to devote two to three hours seven days a week to prepare for this class. Now you can see why you will need to study this much time every day!

> Unfortunately, I may need to use all my lecture time just to cover the slides which will leave little time for me to ask students questions. So, I will post "hot list questions" that will be the key study guide questions likely to be on the lecture exam. I will allow students to ask any questions they may have at the start of the lecture period. Furthermore, I may need to use some of our lab time to catch up on some lecture topics. This should not be a problem because you are actually learning the bones and their features before coming to lab and all the lab models and wall charts are also in the library if you need extra lab time. Carpe diem!

> The last day to drop this class with 100% refund is AUGUST 25!

> Remember, you need to opt in or opt out for the text book.

Wednesday 8/19 * Please Note: I try to arrive at school 30 minutes before the scheduled start of class because of concern about traffic delays. So, on most days I will open lab to students at 7:30am. If you need extra lab time or need time to work with your chapter study guides with other students then you are welcome to enter lab at 7:30am.

Wednesday 8/19 * Whoops! Corrections to C1 SG #6 What uses mathematics to tell use how something happens? // C2 SG #4 What is the atomic number? What is the atomic mass?

Wednesday 8/19 * Lab - Prepare for lab learning objectives through upper extremities // Lecture - Chapter 2 Chemistry // Turn in C1 SG and C2 SG through question 35 // We will use the last 15 minutes of lab and the first 15 minutes of lecture for questions and answers!!!

Please Note: You are not permitted to wear sandals or open toe shoes in lab. This is a Science Department regulation. So, please do not make me have to ask you to leave the lab period because you are wearing bedroom slippers, flip flops, or sandals!

The last day to drop this class with 100% refund is AUGUST 25!

Monday 8/17 * Great first day! We completed C1 and you have C1 Study Guide to turn in at the start of Wednesday's lab period.

Welcome Incoming AP Students - Success is not an accident. Success occurs when you are prepared for an opportunity. This class is your opportunity! So if you need an "A" in this class then you need to start to prepare for success now!

There are over 200 structures to learn for the Unit One Lab Exam. You may want to start to memorize the skeletal bones and skeletal muscles now! These are just two of the subjects on the first anatomy exam! If you start to memorize the bones and muscles now then this will help to lower your stress level as you prepare for the first unit exam.

I recommend that you print Unit One Lab Learning Objectives. These Learning Objectives have been created by MC3's Science Department. This is the information that you need to learn for the lab exam. You will also find other information about my AP class on the First Day Orientation Page.

The Unit One Lecture Exam covers the first eleven chapters in our textbook. So, you may want to start to prepare for the class by reading the text book now Your overall grade in this class is determined by an average of the lab and lecture exams. The Unit One Exam is going to cover a lot of information!

Here is the good news! The first unit lecture exam is now divided into a Part A and Part B. Part A is taken after we complete Chapter Four and Part B is taken with the lab exam after week four.

Throughout the course, I will use this space to post important messages. You will need to check this "Bulletin Board" daily for updates and corrections. So welcome to my class. My objective is to help you learn physiology so you may advance your career goal. I wish all of my students "Good Luck".

"The harder I worked, the luckier I got", Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Car Company.

> Syllabus BIOL 2710 (C1603)
> Lecture Exam Schedule Fall 2026 T/Th (C1603)
> Dr. Eric Mazer PhD Physics at Harvard // How to reinvented the classroom!
> Peer Instruction for "Active Learning" by Dr. Eric Mazer
> About Attendance
> About Last Withdraw Date - In order to properly withdraw from a class, the student must complete and submit the class withdrawal on Self Service Student Planning or in person at the Office of Records & Registration. Non-payment or non-attendance does not constitute a proper withdrawal and students who stop paying and/or attending classes without properly withdrawing will be held financially and academically responsible for the class(es). /// Last Day To Withdraw From Class 1/09/2026

An Affirmation to Read at the Start of Every Day!

It is not the critic who counts; Not the person who points out how the strong person stumbles or where the doer of deed could have done them better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena. Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; Who strives valiantly; Who errs, who comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; But who does actually strive to do the deeds; Who knows great enthusiasms. The great devotion; Who spends themselves in a worthy cause; Who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement. And who at the worst if they fail at least fail while daring greatly. So that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

* Pronoun corrected 1920 speech

Key Idea: Research discovered that it is more beneficial if you study daily. If you skip five two hour daily study times, but then try to make up for lost daily study time by spending one ten hour study time later in the week does not work. The benefit of the daily study time idea is based on how your brain works: synaptic potentiating, memory recall, and memory re-consolidation. We know recalling stored information reinforces "the memory trace". This is a nerve pathway which is established in your brains as you place information (i.e. the factoid) into your memory. Recall and re-consolidation (i.e. retrieving and replacing the memory) reinforces the synaptic connections along the memory trace. This is how the brain works! "Neurons that fire together wire together". So if we hope to benefit from our scientific knowledge, then we should be willing to change our behavior.

Is it wise to ignore scientific facts because the facts are inconvenient?

The purpose of science is to find the truth! Researchers who study classroom learning have discovered how personal digital devices (e.g. cell phones and lap-top computers) affect learning in the lecture class. The experimental results are alarming. When digital devices were allowed in the class room, class test results were one full grade lower! So in the interest of both "science and best practices in the lecture room", I prohibit cell phones and personal computers in my lecture classes. No exceptions!

This scientific evidence is not an isolated finding. There is a growing body of evidence all suggesting the negative impact of digital devices on classroom learning. The negative impact on learning occurs for both the user and those students near the digital user. Even the mere presence of the digital devices, turned off and in the student's backpack, will have negative consequences on the individual. I have provided you with several articles below to support my classroom policy. I realize that for some students this policy may feel unfair or inconvenient. My policy is based on scientific research and is in my student's best interest. Please read the reference articles below to learn how digital devices in the classroom harms classroom learning and lowers test scores.

How Smart-phones Hijack Our Minds - If you are smart then you will read this article. If you are wise then you will leave your phones at home or in your car when you come into school. "Students who didn't bring their phones to the classroom scored a full letter-grade higher on a test of the material presented than those who brought their phones to class."

Laptop Multi-tasking Hinders Classroom Learning for Users and Nearby Peers -- "Seeking Best Practices in Teaching" means a willingness to apply knowledge to ensure the best possible outcome for your students. This article is my justification for prohibiting laptop computers in my lectures. You can use laptop computers in lab. The "How Smart-phones Hijack Our Minds" is the justification for my cell phone policy. Sometimes science is inconvenient and in conflict with your personal wishes; but science seeks the truth. I hope you will read the smart-phone and laptop computer articles.

French school children head back to school without their cell phones, smart phones, and tablets. (link to article)

Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

Why the Brain Prefers Paper.

Digital Addiction: Rising rates of depression and anxiety in wealthy countries like the U.S. may be a result of our brains getting hooked on the neurotransmitter (dopamine) associated with pleasure/reward.  

Medical Dictionary // http:///ampule

"howdahs" -- Hear the words pronounced. There are currently 154,680 entries in the dictionary. (acetabulum)