VERY helpful. Great personality. Allows unlimited re-takes on on-line quizzes, and up to 40 extra credit points. Hated science before this class...definitly interested now.

Biology usually makes me snore...but his lectures are really easy to listen to and he has a corny sense of humor....very easy to talk to and is really helpful...I think you should take his class...do it....twice

He's alright. Lectures aren't too boring, he makes things very clear. His tests are very difficult however.

oOo...the World of Plants. I've never seen anyone so enthused about plants. Lecture is straight up note taking. If you know alot about Cells, you'll do fine. Take the lab that he's teaching.

fair, fun, nice, understanding, I LIKED THE CLASS. although sometimes it was boring... COMMON its PLANTS!...overall highly recommend..take j.r's LAB not peters.

Extremely helpful and encouraging. Some tough stuff to study, but JR will help you and answer your questions if you don't understand. I'm much more interested in Bio after having taken this class.

He makes a pretty bland topic really interesting. He is willing to work with you if you miss a test. He has a few midterms, 1 final, 3 extra credit opportunities, and 10 blackboard quizzes (only 7 count). The tests are easy, and if you do the busy work it's an easy passing grade

Omg, who the hell though Botanamy was interesting besides weed and mushrooms. This teacher made it intereting and he is a taxonomist in mushrooms really knows his stuff, and very understanding.

he was a great teacher. a lot of notes directly copied off the board. he gave his breaks between the long lecture. great guy.

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If you need to take a bio class, take him. He writes out all the notes for you, the quizzes are all online and the tests are straight up based on the notes and quizzes. He's kind of a geek about mushrooms but he makes the class tolerable.

Pretty good teacher. Puts notes up on the chalk board as he goes through them. Makes a few jokes so class isnt too boring. If you have to take bio, he is pretty good compared to a lot of other teachers.

If you are not interested in biology and just need to fill your GE take this class. Do as much extra credit as you can and take the prelecture quizes they really help your grade. Lecture are important he bases the midterms on them so make sure you study. Class was ok he makes loser jokes but its better than nothing. Its an ok class

No attendance taken, but go. The tests are pretty hard with ambiguous answers, but they aren't too bad if you go over the Pre-lecture quizzes he assigns online. Study for the final!!

Very well organanised, blackboard info upgrades, extra credit that helps improve your grade.

if you hate biology you should take his class because most of his tests are based on the lecture quizes that you take before the lecture for the day from the blackboard (always review it!!). writes down the notes on the chalk board while explaining it. if you have more questions you can just ask him.

REALLY GOOD PROFESSOR, NICE PERSONALITY ND VERY CO-OPERATIVE AND HELPFUL, HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS TEACHING. tHE BEST TEACHER!

Really nice teacher. :) Lectures are OK but his tests are hard... the poster project at the end is pretty fun though.

well organized.... but too many quizes....three every week!!! dont buy the book you wont need it, just google to get the quiz answers, good lecturer but VERY HARD TESTS!

Fun outgoing teacher, but his tests are EXTREMELY HARD. He refuses to give out study guides and half of the class usually get an F on his tests. But he responds well to email and will offer help if needed.

Awesome class, especially if you just need to get that GE out of the way. Anyone who complains about the class being hard is simply a slacker. His tests are directly out of the notes he puts on the board. So yes, you do have to go to class or get the notes from someone and do some studying, do this and the class is chill. Keep up on the online quiz

He has a complex where he thinks that he's smarter than all of his students, and any question you ask is stupid. Makes me want to slap him. But besides that, attend all the lectures or you'll be ****ED on the tests. I had him for the lab teacher too, my group blazed on the way to all the field trips. Hey, it is world of PLANTS!

I actually really like JR. The lecture wasn't too hard to follow since he outlines everything (I found it helpful to re-write his outlines on the notecards for the tests). The only thing that killed me were the online quizzes...they were so painstaking. He really loves plants, though; his enthusiasm is refreshing. :)

easily one of my toughest classes, expect to work hard take good notes. he uses the clicker system now so my advice is take notes on the quizzes because he pulls A LOT of questions from them. you'll suck on the first test, but its easy to improve after that once you know what his test style is.

Fun, interesting and cute

His lectures are helpful and organized. He writes notes on the board and it helps me follow and understand the material. Although he's not a professor, he still knows the material well, when there's questions, he always tries his best to answer. The midterms are tough and bit tricky, but we review and he offers extra credit! I recommend this class!

i love this class! i hate bio/sci classes, but i managed to get an A+! he's so easy, and so nice, you just want hang out w/ him! he's a harmless gentle nature man, that has dorky little jokes! he grades so easy, and all the work is so easy to do! about 3 meetings in class, and the rest are all fun fieldtrips around the bay. not demanding at all!

Pretty interesting class, but the tests are hard, so study. Allows a lot of extra credit assignments to be done and gives a tone of participation points for clicker exercises. Allows online quizes to be taken as many times as you want until you get a 10/10. Basically do online quizes and go to class and you will pass.

Professor Blair is an overall nice guy. However, his lectures are tedious, and the tests can be difficult if you do not regularly attend class AND read the textbook. He does offer extra credit which is a plus.

Very hard tests, but he allows 3x5 "cheat sheets". Only 3 units but requires over 4 field trip attendances. Lots of opportunity for extra credit - which is the only reason I got an A. Very nice guy though, ALWAYS says hi and remembers my name even outside of class. Actually made me interested in botany even though I had no interest prior.

Took his bio100, human biology course. Simple enough, he grades on attendance(random clicker exercises), online hw quizzes(repeatable and easy), a short 3 page paper, and the rest is 4 midterms/a final. The tests are worth half the grade and the other things the other half. Blair is a great teacher and offers TONS of extra credit, easy to get a goo

I am more interested in Arts & Lit than Science, but JR's love for the subject is infectious. Biology 300, NATURE STUDY, was an unexpectedly wonderful class for me. I loved hiking on the fieldtrips- JR is a great guide. It's so sad that this type of class is often the first to go when BUDGET CUTS happen, but I hope it gets offered again.

he is so helpful. i love biology so this class was totally my favorite. the class is easy, just show up cuz the exams are based from the lectures. weekly quizzes are easy and they help when studying for exams.

Show up for class. You need your notes for the tests. He is a pretty nice guy (he just makes his tests pretty tricky). I went to ever class but barely paid attention- still got an A. Make sure you do all the quizzes on time and show up for ever lab. If you are still worried, he offers tons of extra credit.

I think JR was a great teacher, and a wonderful lecturer. I am not a science person, but I still got an A in his class. He gets very excited about his subject, and some of his excitement spills over into the class. But take good notes, do all the online quizzes, and study! His extra credit is a lifesaver!

The class is pretty easy. Random clicker exercises every week. Tests were the hard part so study the notes and the book. Extra credit helps. Also gives random extra credit points. Kinda funny. Very cool teacher overall. I recommend him!

I love JR!! This class was cool, tons of extra credit. Even though he doesn't really take attendance, you need to go to class for the notes. He is always funny and knows what he's talking about. I like that whenever he is wrong, he admits it, which is pretty rare from a professor

JR is hilarious, especially with his Canadian accent. :] Make sure you study for his midterms, but they're all based on notes from class, so as long as you show up or get the notes from someone, you should be okay. He's such a cute old man, and he really knows what he's talking about. He gives you a break every class, even in the 75-minute TTh one!

His lecture notes are really organized and he explains things thoroughly even though there is a lot of material. He answers questions really well and is interesting to listen to.

Most if not all notes will be copied straight off the board. Textbook is helpful when taking online quizzes but not required since you get unlimited guesses. All exams will be based heavily on the notes so be sure to study them thoroughly. He offers tons of extra credit so be sure not to miss that if you aren't confident in passing his midterms.

This class was extremely easy. As long as you take the notes and turn in all your work you you will get a good grade. There are four midterms so if you bomb one you have more chances to fix your grade. Also, there are many chances for extra credit. I love the class because although it was easy I still learned a lot about biology. Great teacher.

Easy class! He told us at the beginning that he grades on a curve. He's really funny, notes are written right on the board, and he said that we could pretty much fail every mid term and as long as we did well on the online quizzes we would pass... I recommend this class!

Prelecture quizzes, four exams,and a 50-question final. Extra credit oppotunities.

My only problem with this class is that I didn't care about it. It's an annoying grad requirement that is made more annoying with a plethora of little assignments that are meant to constantly be checking your progress. Although, this teacher really does have a passion for the subject and makes it as pleasurable as possible. TA April was great, too!

This class seems easy but the lab quizzes are impossible to do well on and it will bring down your overall grade. Tests are challenging especially if you are not good at biology (like myself). But extra credit is avaliable to bring your grade up, and you will need it.

J.R. as a teacher is pretty average, but if you have him as your lab instructor he's the coolest guy ever. He literally knows everything about plants and he tells really goofy jokes. I think I actually miss him. Anyway, definitely take World of Plants, there's a lot of field trips (if you take the lab) and it's easy to pass

Super easy class to get an A in. Test all multiple choice and not that hard. You should go to the lecture to take the notes as the test is pretty much all about the notes. 80pts of extra credit possible so no need to worry.

This class is pretty easy to pass. Grades are based on points, and you get points for just about everything. Lots of cool field trips (that you get pts for attending). Easy online quizes (points). Extra credit (yep, points!). I am horrible at tests and I passed the class because of the points I got elsewhere. Pretty interesting subject too.

i went in to this class thinking it was going to be boring and hard. i was so wrong. the class is really interesting and if you show up and take all the notes you will do fine on the tests. As for the lab just show up and you get easy point and get to visit col places. overall pretty fun class! totally recommend it you need a lab!

Very interesting class. attend lecture and take EVERYTHING he writes down, go to lab and the field trips and you WILL so good in the class. the papers are not hard to write. Easy and fun class! Totally recommended it :)

JR is amazing! He writes down the notes on the board and gives you a study guide. Just take down the notes, go to your lab, and show up for the tests. He allows a notecard sized cheat sheet. I would print my study guide super small and put it on my notecard and 95% and above on every test. He also has a lot of extra credit! Best teacher

J.R Blair is awesome. very knowledgeable . smart and very helpful. His class is fun. He tries his best to make this boring subject interesting. responds to emails and he makes himself available for his students. I absolutely recommend his class.

J.R. is awesome! I had him for the lab as well, so my class got to know him a little better than everybody else in the lecture. The lectures were interesting and he makes his notes very clear. Lets you put as much info on a notecard for each test. Cool field trips, super easy ilearn quizzes. STUDY for the in class lab quizzes! He's a funny guy too.

JR is a great teacher and his teaching style is very clear. He is super funny without trying. He is the lecture teacher and also teaches one section of lab. If your lucky enough to take his lab you will have the time of your life. there are field trips, weekly quiz and a project that could be worked on in a group if you like. Overall amazing class

He is the best professor you can have and its so had not to get an A in his class, he is very knowledgeable and very helpful, his classes are fun and enjoyable. take him for sure

Great teacher!! His lectures are very clear and if you study the material from the study guides you will do well on the tests. He gives 4 tests total with 25 questions - including the final which is not cumulative. Lets you use a notecard on the tests. The lab portion is fun and easy. And the workload is pretty light. TAKE this class!!

He makes biology interesting! His class is based on online quizzes every chapter, 4 exams, and one paper. GO TO CLASS! his tests are based off his lectures. he's funny and always tries to make class interesting. i'd recommend him for anyone who hates biology but needs to take it.

Loved this class, he added some stories and provided examples making the class fun and interesting

Prof. Blair is honestly amazing. Unlimited tries on the quizzes, and you can get a 10% boost through extra credit. The Exams are tough but you can get a C on every one but as long as you do the Extra Credit, do the quizzes, do the research paper (which is easy), you can still get an A. Doesn't take attendance

TAKE HIM. Do your homework and extra credit and you will pass with at least a B. He is such a nice guy. He wants you to pass. It's not an easy class, but it's not especially hard. Some effort will be needed to study the material at least a little. TAKE HIM.

Blair is such a great professor. He's hilarious and relates science to things most college kids in a GE bio class want to hear about. He wears cool t-shirts every day and is a Giants fan (score!). Definitely not an easy A but if you do the work and all the extra credit, you'll pass with a B. It's too bad he's not the lab instructor for each lab!

Do the extra credit early in the semester and do the max amount you can. Take good notes & study them for the midterms. They will save you. The book is only good for iLearn quizzes, rely on his lecture notes for exams. Read through lab manual before lab quizzes, the answers are in there! Easy to get an A, I just wished I put the effort.

Extremely easy A if you write down everything from lecture. Quick ilearn quizzes taken from the book. just make sure to study for the lab quizzes. but if you struggle, there's tons of extra credit. blair was easy to listen to, very clear when explaining things, and made class pretty fun & worthwhile.

The key to this class is to go to class! JR is incredibly nice, he wants you to pass and explains everything very clearly if you don't understand something. Just go to class, write down his notes and you'll get an easy A.

AMAZING.

Easy class. He gives out TONS of extra credit. He's very helpful and always willing to talk to anyone during office hours. I wasn't interested in plants at all prior to taking this class but now I can spot native and invasive plants in the Bay Area. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who need to take a required science class. JUST DO THE EXTRA CREDIT!

I HATE science so this definitely wasn't my type of class but Blair is a really nice guy. For those interested I'm sure its a perfect class to take, however I was only taking it for GE. Attendance NOT mandatory for lecture, but VERY mandatory for lab. Good luck!

This class was a breeze. Online quizzes super easy, allows 3x5 note card for all tests. Midterm and final are normal tests, not cumulative. Don't waste money on the book, expensive and unless you're really lazy you won't need it for the quizzes. Tests match the lectures almost exactly. Gives lots of extra credit. Nice guy too, kinda like a dad.

Great guy! J.R. is super nice and approachable. The class can be difficult, especially if you're not a science person like me, but J.R. hands out A LOT of extra credit opportunities to bump your grade up.

First time teaching this class and he was AMAZING!! He offers a ton of extra credit points to boost up your grade, and the field trips are quite enjoyable. Love how the class was organized and detailed every step of the way

Friendly and approachable. Exams are 100% based on lecture, so show up. He allows a single notecard as well on the exams. There are multiple extra credit opportunities (emphasis on multiple) that getting an A should be a given if you put in the effort. The amount of work is on the heavy side for a course in the 100s.

J.R. is one of the best teachers I've ever had. I had him for both lecture & lab and even though I hate science, his class was easily my favorite. He gives endless extra credit opportunities and is very approachable. Field trips are fun and dont bother buying the book.

Super clear teaching, and interesting if you love plants like me! Do the pre-lecture quizzes, they are easy and the answers are googlable if you don't know something. Just make sure you get them done before class--ilearn will kick you out once class starts. Exams are kind of hard, so take advantage of the notecard he allows.

Overall good class. J.R. is dedicated to his topic and makes class fun and interesting.

J.R. really knows his animals, plants, and birds (very into it!). After taking this class, I have a new fondness of nature outside of cities. Tests aren't difficult if you attend class and do the online quizzes. He gives plenty of extra credit opportunities, so there's no reason not to get at least a B. On top of that, he's hilarious!

Its not hard to pass. multiple choice test are easy. if your not passing, re-check your study habits. nature walks on campus and extra credits are offered, so very hard fail. 1 mini paper, not super uptight on grammar, but you must follow his instructions. easy upper-division, i too this class because i needed full time. if you dont need it dont ta

He's a super great guy that genuinely cares about his students and doesn't expect non-science majors to understand everything in depth. The lab portion consists mostly of cool feild trips to look at plants around sf. He gives tons of extra credit and makes it almost impossible not to get an a, plus he allows a notecard for all 4 midterms !!

The lectures are fine but the tests are difficult. However, the way he grades makes it easy to pass the class. He drops your lowest grade on various assignments and gives many opportunities for extra credit. But, if you want an easy lab, don't take it with him as he will make things more difficult than needs to be. Other than that, he is good prof

I took this biology class for my general education, and don't regret it at all. I am very very very bad with any kind of science, but still got an A. He's a great professor, and give lots of extra credits opportunities. I would totally recommend him even if you're not good with sciences.

Worst part about the class is dealing with degenerates in lab that act like they're back in their high school Bio lab which they also failed. JR is an excellent, knowledgable professor, and the class is an easy A if you take advantage of the extra credit.

Prof. Blair is Amazing !! I was a little nervous to take this course, not a bio major. Yet, over all it was easy to follow. Lectures were great, make sure to study for quizzes and attend class ( his exams are based on lecture & nature walks). Plenty of extra credit opportunities and he is very approachable for help if needed !! Easy A !!

I had such a positive and memorable experience taking this course. Blair cares about his students. When he tells you, he doesn't want you to fail - he means it. I received an average D on the exams, but he promised I wouldn't fail if I worked hard on the paper and complete ALL of the extra credits. He fulfilled that promise and I received that A!

JR is a super caring professor, he really wants to see all of his students succeed. The tests can be a little hard, but he does give a ton of extra credit throughout the course. Hes super passionate about teaching, as well as what he teaches, and it shows. Long lectures, so make sure to take notes. He also drops the lowest test scores.

Very nice man, makes jokes during lecture that I think are funny. You don't really have to go to class because he records lecture and posts it later. Overall pretty chill class, only one big project, a bunch of mini quizzes from the textbook but he drops five, also drops one or two homework grades. Very nice to have him during distance learning.

Professor Blair is a gem. As long as you keep up with homework assignments and lectures you're guaranteed to pass. He follows syllabus and is always offering extra credit opportunities! Never seen a professor that wanted his students to pass more than him. He's a real sweetheart. Highly recommend during distance learning