Biology 101 Course Syllabus for Spring 2012

Course Description

Biology 101 is the first of a two-semester introductory course sequence designed primarily for science majors. It covers some central concepts in biology. Topics include molecules, cells, enzymes, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, cellular reproduction, genetics, and biotechnology. The laboratory includes basic laboratory skills such as safety, microscope use, and measurement, and it reinforces topics discussed in lecture.

This course meets the SUNY General Education course requirements for natural sciences.

Credit Hours: 4; Contact Hours: 5

Instructor

Dr. Michael Gregory

Office: 219T, Phone: 562-4336  

Office Hours: M, W, F 10:00-11:00; T 10:00-12:00

E-mail: 

Course Requirements

Textbook – Textbook – Biology, Campbell and Reece 7th or  8th, edition or Campbell 9th edition

Splash-Proof Goggles

Access to the Internet. 

The Biology Web contains much of the required reading material. To get to this web site, go to the college web page (http://www.clinton.edu/) and select Faculty Websites. It may be convenient to add this site to your bookmark (favorites) list. You should print the chapters in The Biology Web before reading them.

Students will be required to use the Angel online course management system for some of the assignments in this course.

Corequisite: ENG 101 or equivalent is a corequisite.

Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments

Textbook reading assignments are given below. In addition, students are expected to read or review the corresponding chapter in The Biology Web.

Topic  

  Reading
(Textbook) 

Reading
(Biology Web)

Exam

Introduction

Characteristics of Living Organisms

Natural Selection
Scientific Method

1

1-3

Exam 1

Chemistry

2-3

4

Organic and Biochemistry

4-5

5

Cells

6

6

Exam 2

Cell Membranes

7

7

DNA

16

8

Gene Expression

17

9

Energy and Enzymes

8

10

Exam 3

Glycolysis and Cellular Respiration

9

11

Photosynthesis

10

12

Cell Communication11 

Cell Division: Mitosis

12

14

Exam 4

Cell Division: Meiosis

13

16

Genetics: Genes

14

17

Genetics: Chromosomes

15

18

Genetics: Human Genetics

 

19

Control of Gene Expression 18 20

Biotechnology

19

21

Laboratory Topics

Date

Topic

Type of Report

Due Date Submission
1/31

Introduction, Lab Safety
Metric Measurement

Individual

Due on the day of the next lab Online
2/7

A) Descriptive Statistics and Graphing

Group

Due at the beginning of the next lab In class
B) Statistical Analysis   Group    Due at the beginning of the next lab In class
2/14

What is Science? Initial Preparation

Individual

Due at the beginning of the next lab In class
What is Science? Formal Report Individual Due at the beginning of the "Cells" lab In class
2/21

Microscopy

Individual

Due on the last day of semester In class on last day
2/28
3/6

Biochemistry

Individual

Due on the last day of semester In class on last day
3/20

Cells

Individual

Due on the last day of semester In class on last day
3/27

Enzymes

Individual

Due on the last day of semester In class on last day
4/3

Cellular Respiration

Group

TodayIn class
4/10

Photosynthesis  

Group

Today In class
4/17

Mitosis and Meiosis

Individual

Drawings: Due at the beginning of the next lab Drawings:  in class
Questions: Due on the day of the next lab Answers to questions: Online (Angel)
4/24

 Nondisjunction

Individual

Due at the beginning of the next lab Online (Angel)
5/1

 Pedigree Analysis

Individual

Due at the beginning of the next lab Online (Angel)
5/8

Bacterial Transformation

Individual

Lab score for this lab is based on participation  
Finals Week

DNA Fingerprinting

Individual

Today In class

Grading

Grading Scale

A

90 - 100%        

C

70 - 73%

A-

87 - 89%

C-

67 - 69%

B+  

84 - 86%

D+  

64 - 66%

B

80 - 83%

D

60 - 63%

B-

77 - 79%

F

< 60%

C+

74 - 76%

 

 

Final Grade

Item

% of Final Grade

Lecture Exams (4 total)

56

Final Exam (cumulative) 14
Laboratory Quizzes and Class Assignments (approximately 14 quizzes)

17

Group and Online Lab Reports

6

Lab Reports Due at End of Semester 2
Formal Lab Report 5

Exam and Quiz Schedule

Lecture Exam Dates

Exam

Date

Exam 1*2/17
Exam 2*3/21
Exam 3*4/18

Exam 4 and  
Final Exam

Finals Week

*Dates for the first three exams may change. All changes will be announced in class.

Finals Week Schedule

Classes do not meet at their normally scheduled times during finals week (May 14 through 18). BIO 101 will meet two times for 2.5 hours each time. The dates and times for these classes are listed below.

Section 1 - Last lab: Wednesday, May 16, 10:00 - 12:30 Room 223T
               - Exam 4 and Final Exam: Thursday, May 17, 7:20 AM - 9:50 AM Room 223T

Section 3 - Last lab: Tue, May 15, 12:40 - 3:10 Room 223T
               - Exam 4 and Final Exam: Friday, May 18, 10:00 - 12:30, Room 223T

 

Laboratory Quizzes

There will be approximately 14 laboratory quizzes. Laboratory quizzes will be taken at the start of each new laboratory topic. The quiz will cover material from the previous lab topic.

Make-Up Exams

If an exam cannot be taken during the regularly scheduled time, a make-up exam can be taken later. Make-up exams contain mostly essay and short-answer questions.

Laboratory quizzes cannot be made up. Students that miss a laboratory should study the missed material and be prepared for the next quiz the following week.

Assignments

Students are required to keep backup copies of all assignments until the end of the semester.

All assignments should be completed using whole sentences. Abbreviated words are not acceptable.  

All submitted work must be in your own words. If you work with a partner on an assignment that requires individual submission, you must submit your own document using your own words. You may obtain or discuss answers to the exercises from any source that is applicable, but you must use your own words to answer the questions or write the reports. Documents that appear to have been copied from others will not receive a grade (grade = 0).

Late Assignments

All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Assignments that are turned in after class has started on the due date will be considered 1 day late. Assignments submitted online must be submitted before midnight on the due date.

Scores on late assignments will be reduced by 10% of their total possible point value if they are one day late and 20% if they are two days late. They will not be accepted after two days. All assignments must be completed by the end of the last day of classes.

Attendance

The instructor reserves the right to withdraw students that miss more than 8 classes (including labs).

The laboratory class is designed to provide hands-on learning experiences. Students will learn basic laboratory skills while reinforcing concepts learned in lecture. To a large extent, grades in the laboratory will reflect participation and laboratory skills acquired, so it is important that students do not miss laboratory exercises.

Students are required to attend lecture and laboratory classes for the entire period. Students that arrive late or leave early will be marked as absent. Similarly, students that sleep during class or do not participate in class activities will be marked as absent.

Extra Credit

Extra credit is not available in this course. Extra credit assignments often distract students because they take time away from that which should be spent on the regular assignments. They promote increased understanding of related topics at the expense of the most important topics. The topics and assignments listed in the syllabus have been selected as the best way to meet the course objectives.

E-mail Communication

Students are encouraged to maintain frequent communication with their instructor. E-mail is a convenient way to ask questions about any of the material covered in the course. Please ask questions on any material that is not clearly understood.

E-mail from students should contain a minimum level of professional courtesy. For example, it should not contain abbreviations such as "u" instead of "you" and it should not contain incorrect capitalization such as "i" instead of "I." Sentences should begin with a capital letter and end with a period. The instructor will not read or reply to e-mail messages that contain these grammatical errors.

Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is expected of all Clinton Community College students. It is dishonest to misrepresent another person’s work as one’s own, to take credit for someone else’s work or ideas, to accept help on a test, to obtain advanced information on confidential test materials, or to intentionally harm another student’s chances for academic success.

Students with Disabilities

If you have, or suspect that you may have any type of disability or learning problem that may require extra assistance or special accommodations, please speak with me privately after class or during my office hours as soon as possible so that I can help you obtain any assistance you may need to successfully complete this course. You should also contact Laurie Bethka, EXT 252 (room 420M) for further assistance.

Course Continuity Plan

In the case that the college officially closes because of an emergency which causes a short term disruption of this course, we will use e-mail to continue this course in the short term (1-3 weeks). All students need to use their campus e-mail to receive course related information.

Changes

The details of this syllabus, including topics covered, calendar, grading, grading scale, and attendance policy are subject to change. Changes in the grading scale will be limited to those that result in improved (curved) grades. You will be informed in class of any changes. All changes to the syllabus will also be posted on the Internet in The Biology Web.

Technology Statement

A CCC student should expect that any class may require some course activity that uses a computer and the internet.  Activities could include but are not limited to accessing the course syllabus, schedule, or other handouts on a website, completing homework online, taking quizzes or submitting written work, participating in a discussion or sending/receiving email.

Objectives

Course Objectives

As the result of instructional activities, students will be able to: 

1.  Compare and contrast the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

·  Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

·  Compare and contrast plant and animal cell structures and their functions

      ·  Describe cell membrane structure and function in active, passive, and membrane 

   assisted transport

2.  Explain the structure and function of the four major classes of macromolecules.

·  Explain the chemical composition of living systems including carbohydrates, proteins,   

   lipids, and nucleic acids

·  Discuss levels of protein structure

·  Identify environmental conditions that affect enzyme activity

3.  Explain the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration and their relationship to

     each other.

·  Describe how plants modify their environment (photosynthesis)

·  Describe the process of cellular respiration

·  Explain the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration

·  Describe the process of chemiosmotic phosphorylation

4.  Explain how genetic information is stored in DNA and translated into protein.

·  Compare and contrast the molecular structures of DNA and RNA

·  Describe DNA synthesis

·  Describe transcription and translation

·  Describe the structure of chromosomes

5.  Describe the mechanics of mitosis and meiosis and the relationship of these processes to 

     reproduction and  function.

·  Describe the beginning and ending products of mitosis, including the relationship of this

   process to growth, repair, and chromosome number

·  Identify and describe the stages for the cell cycle

·  Describe the beginning and ending products of meiosis, including the relationship of this

   process to reproduction, heredity, variation, and reduction of chromosome number

6.  Apply genetic principles to simple Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance problems and

     concepts.

·  Apply genetic principles to simple inheritance problems/concepts including monohybrid

   and dihybrid crosses

·  Describe non-Mendelian inheritance including incomplete dominance, codominance,

   multiple alleles, pleiotrophy, epistasis, gemomic imprinting, polygenetic inheritance

·  Compare and contrast the relationship between mutations and genetic disorders

·  Use pedigrees/karyotypes to examine the inheritance of genetic disorders

7.  Explain advantages and disadvantages of using genetic engineering techniques today in

     plants, humans and other animals and the ethical issues related to biotechnology.

·  Explain advantages and disadvantages of using genetic engineering techniques today in

   plants, humans and other animals

·  Discuss the bioethical issues related to biotechnology

8.   Interpret and analyze scientific information to develop hypotheses and purpose to experimentation.

9.   Develop hypotheses based on the observation of natural phenomena.

10. Design an experiment based on a testable hypothesis as a result of observation and predictions.

11.  Collect, record and organize data resulting from quantitative measurement using graphs and tables.

12.  Interpret and analyze data and come to conclusions based on the evidence presented.

 

Lab Objectives

 

The laboratory experience will reinforce biological concepts and laboratory skills. Students will:

  • Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.

  • Investigate plant pigments and photosynthetic processes in plants.

  • Compare and contrast cellular respiration and photosynthetic processes using a variety of organisms.

  • Investigate environmental effects on enzyme catalysis.

  • Investigate mitotic and meiotic cellular processes.

  • Explore DNA biotechnology, its real world applications, and the use of electrophoresis and recombinant DNA technology to investigate these applications.

  • Analyze data from genetic crosses to investigate independent assortment of two genes.

  • Investigate genes to determine autosomal or sex-linked inheritance.

  • Demonstrate understanding of operating and using a variety of instrumentation normally expected to be used in a biology laboratory setting including:

Horizontal Gel Electrophoresis

Compound Microscopes

Micropipets

Vernier software or comparable data collection software

Spectrophotometers

  • Demonstrate the proper use of compound and dissecting microscopes.

  • Problem solve using the process of scientific inquiry during laboratory experimentation including:

Developing hypotheses based on the observation of natural phenomena.

Designing an experiment based on a testable hypothesis.

Conducting an experiment using an appropriate experimental design.

Recording and organizing data resulting from quantitative measurement using tables and graphs.

Performing appropriate statistical analyses on the data.

Summarizing the data using graphs, tables, and descriptive statistics.

Communicating through writing the results of a scientific investigation using scientific arguments and explanations.

SUNY General Education Knowledge Area Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate the ability to:

1.          understand the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including:

§         observation

§         hypothesis development

§         measurement and data collection

§         experimentation

§         evaluation of evidence

§         employment of mathematical analysis

2.          apply scientific data, concepts and models in one of the natural sciences