Syllabus

Bio 110 – Introduction to Biology - Fall 2009

Instructor: Jeffrey D. Newman Room: Heim 107 Phone: 570-321-4386 email: newman@lycoming.edu office hours: M 2:00-3:00 PM F 1:30-2:30 PM

Lecture meets in Heim G-11 MWF 8:00 – 8:50 Lab meets in Heim 111 – Wed. 2 - 4:50 PM or Thurs. 8:45 -11:35 AM or 1 - 3:50 PM Course web sites: http://moodle.lycoming.edu and http://www.lycoming.edu/~newman/courses.html

Catalog Description of Course: An introduction to the study of biology designed for students planning to major in the sciences. Major topics considered include a survey of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics, Development and Evolution. Credit may not be earned for both BIO106 and 110. Three hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.

Text: The Biology Department has ordered a special printing to be used for both Bio 110 during the Fall 2009 semester. This custom-printed book is only available through the Lycoming College Book Store; it contains the first half of Brooker’s General Biology text. (Brooker R.J., Widmaier E.P., Graham L.E., and Stilling P.D. Biology. McGraw-Hill Higher Education Publishers, 2008)

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Learning Goals:

Content Knowledge: Students should understand

• General structure and function of biologically significant molecules and macromolecular assemblies.
• Basic structure and function of intracellular organelles
• Basic cellular processes such as cellular information flow, signaling, protein sorting, metabolic pathways, cell cycle
• Mendelian inheritance of traits/alleles
• Applications of modern biological knowledge
• Fundamental aspects of organismal development
• Basic micro and macro-evolutionary concepts

Skills: Students should be able to:

• Generate questions and devise appropriate experiments to address questions
• Use instruments such as spectrophotometers, microscopes, electrophoresis apparati, centrifuges and pipettors in the conduct of experiments.
• Use computers and mathematics to analyze experimental data.
• Report experimental results in an appropriate scientific format.

Attendance policy: Attendance of lectures is expected and is in your best interest, because a significant percentage of material on exams will be based on classroom discussions and subjects not covered in the text. Four unexcused absences will result in a warning; if a fifth unexcused absence occurs, the Freshman Dean will be notified. It is your responsibility to turn in a prep paper or sign in each day to confirm attendance.

As Biology is a laboratory science, attendance of Lab sections is essential. Quizzes are given during the first 15 minutes of lab, and no make-up quizzes will be given.

Grades will be determined based on the following assessments:

Exams 3 x 100 pts = 300 pts

Final Exam 150 pts

Daily Prep “Papers” 33 x 3 pts + 1 = 100 pts

Lab Quizzes (2 Lowest Dropped) 10 x 10 pts = 100 pts

Phosphatase Data Analysis 40 pts

Mr. Green Genes Data Analysis 40 pts

Problem sets/Homework up to 70 pts

Research Project Lab Report 100 pts

Lab Practical 100 pts

Total possible up to 1000 pts

Grading Scale

	B+ = 86.7 - 89.9%	C+ = 76.7 – 79.9%	D+ = 66.7 - 69.9%
A = 93.3 – 100%	B = 83.3 – 86.6%	C = 73.3 – 76.6%	D = 63.3 – 66.6%	F= below 60%
A- = 90.0 – 93.2%	B- = 80.0 – 83.2%	C- = 70.0 – 73.2%	D- = 60.0 – 63.2%

Exams will include multiple choice, short answer, problem solving and essay questions.

Final exam will include the following 30 pt comprehensive question,

“Discuss hemoglobin as it relates to each topic discussed in this course. Be sure to include a thorough description of its synthesis (beginning at the DNA level), structure, function, regulation, location, allelic variants and the relationship of these alleles to genetic disorders, resistance to infectious disease, and the microevolutionary implications of these variants. How has hemoglobin evolved? What organisms have hemoglobin? What other proteins are related to hemoglobin? What variants are produced at different stages of mammalian development? How is this controlled? What is the significance of these variants?”

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Makeup exams, labs, or presentations:

Makeup exams will only be scheduled if the student has a bona fide medical excuse, religious conflict, family tragedy, or College-sanctioned event that prevents the student from being present on the scheduled day of the exam or presentation. Medical excuses will require the student to provide a written, dated notice from a physician explaining the student’s absence from the scheduled exam on the next class day after the absence.

Policy on cheating and plagiarism:

From the 2009-2010 Lycoming College Academic Catalog: The College assumes that students are committed to the principle of academic honesty. Students who fail to honor this commitment are subject to dismissal. Procedural guidelines and rules for the adjudication of cases of academic dishonesty are printed in The Student Handbook.

Class participation:

There will be multiple opportunities to contribute to the success of the class this semester, such as asking questions, answering questions, brainstorming sessions or problem solving activities. To reward your active participation, final averages may be adjusted by up to 1% at the discretion of the instructor, based on a students’ attitude, engagement, effort and participation in class.

Daily “Prep Papers” are due at the beginning of each class (except for exam or lab days). Any instances of academic dishonesty with prep papers (e.g. turning in the same prep paper on multiple days or two people turning in identical, or obviously copied & edited prep papers) WILL result in a loss of ALL prep paper points for the semester. Prep papers may be submitted for excused absences with proper documentation.

Guidelines:

• Name and submission date should be indicated on top of page
• 1 paragraph summarizing key points from previous class and asking questions.
• 1 paragraph summarizing key points from reading assignment and asking questions.
• 0.5 – 1 page typed, double spaced, Arial or Times Roman 12 pt font
• 2.5 cm (1 inch) margins
• Each paper that meets guidelines earns 3 points (up to 15 pts bonus!)
• If prep paper is not done, a sign-in sheet will be available to confirm attendance

SYLLABUS STATEMENT REGARDING DISABILITY SUPPORT

Lycoming College provides academic support for students who have been diagnosed with learning, physical, and psychological disabilities. If you have a diagnosed disability and seek academic accommodations, please contact Mr. Dan Hartsock, Sophomore Dean and Co-ordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities. Mr. Hartsock will help you arrange for academic accommodations in the classroom. You may contact him as follows: hartsock@lycoming.edu; 570-321-4294; Snowden Library, 3^rd floor, ARC.

Tips for success

• Being a college student is a full time job! You should expect to put in 12-14 hours/week for this class. There are 5.5 scheduled hours, so you should work on Bio110 for 6-8 additional hours each week. Most of this time will be spent reading the text and lab manual, writing prep papers, reviewing/studying notes, using online resources, working on lab data analysis or lab reports.
• Come to class prepared, knowing what we will discuss. The night before class, read text assignment, write prep paper summary. Download and print PowerPoint slides if desired.
• Take thorough, well organized notes. That night, review notes, develop questions, write prep paper summary.
• Bring text, or printed slides (or tablet PC!) to class to write notes on figures.
• Make friends with classmates to study together, encourage and help each other, discuss science, hang out in Heim (I always have coffee prepared! Dr. Morrison usually has candy.)
• Ask questions if you don’t understand something.
• Attend the Study Group sessions regularly from the beginning of the course
• If you feel you are falling behind the class—get help right away.

Tentative Schedule

	Topics (text chapters)	Lab Experiments
Week 1 8/31-9/4	Course introduction, Chemical Basis of Life (1,2,3)	1. Intro to the Scientific Method, Scientific Writing, Biology dept. pre-test
Week 2 9/7-11	Organic Molecules, Membranes, and Cells (3,5,4)	2. Molecular structure and function analysis with Chime/Protein Explorer (computer lab)
Week 3 9/14-18	Systems Biology of Cells (4,6) Exam 1 (9/18)	3. Microscopic Examination of Cell Structure
Week 4 9/21-25	Enzymes, Metabolism and Respiration, Photosynthesis (7,8)	4a. Measurement of Enzyme Activity
Week 5 9/28-10/2	Cell Communication and Cell Cycle (9)	4b. Measurement of Enzyme Activity
Week 6 10/5-9	Multicellularity (10) Exam 2 (10/9)	4c. Kinetic Analysis of Enzyme Activity
Week 7 10/12-16	Introduction to DNA, Gene expression (11,12)	5a. Mr. Green Genes—Overview of experiment, Sequence and structure analysis (computer lab)
Week 8 10/19-23	Gene regulation, bacterial genetics (13,18.1, 20.1)	5b. Mr. Green Genes—DNA Isolation,Transformation
Week 9 10/26-30	Mutation and DNA repair, Chromosomes, Mitosis, and Meiosis (14,15) Long Weekend 10/30	5c. Mr. Green Genes—Transformation Results, Gel Electrophoresis
Week 10 11/2-6	Simple and Complex Inheritance Patterns, (16, 17)	6. Mitosis/Meiosis/Human Karyotyping
Week 11 11/9-13	Biotechnology & Genomics (20, 21) Exam 3 (11/13)	7. Human Genomics, 8. Biological Information Databases, The Scientific Literature (computer lab)Research Experimental Topic (computer lab)
Week 12+ 11/16-23	Developmental genetics, Origin and history of life (19,22, 23)	Lab Practical Research Proposal, Materials List due
Week 13 11/30–12/4	Intro to Evolution, Population genetics, Origin of species (23-25)	9. Team/Individual Investigation
Week 14 12/7-11	Taxonomy, Bacteria and Archaea (26,27)	10. Evolution Team/Individual Investigation Lab Report due