Bio
161 Principles of Biology: Cell Structure and Function Fall
2016
Instructor: Dr. William Patrie
Office FSC 152
Phone x1400
email: wjpatr@ship.edu
Web page http://webspace.ship.edu/wjpatr/
Lecture time: Mon, Wed, Fri 10:00-10:50 FSC 256
Lab times: Wednesday 3:00-5:00;
Thursday 1:30-3:30; 5:00-7:00 FSC 134
Office hours: Monday 1-3, Tuesday 1-2, Wednesday 1-2:30, Friday 11-1, and by appointment. If I’m not in my office, I am generally in FSC 132, 137 or 2.
Required text: Campbell Biology, 10th ed., Reece et al. ISBN: 978-0321775658
Please note this is the current edition; you may be able to find a decent used copy at the University Book Store or online. You will use this book next semester in BIO162 as well. If you happen to have the 9th edition, you should be fine with the content, but be aware there are differences in some chapters.
Required Lab Manual: Principles of Biology 161 Lab Manual, provided on D2L
Required Lab Notebook: An inexpensive composition quad-ruled notebook with a sewn in binding. Staples, Amazon, and sometimes WalMart have these. Do NOT use loose-leaf or wire-bound notebooks as a lab notebook.
Recommended: A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology 3rd Ed., Knisely 978-1429234917; available used, online.
Recommended: Binder(s) for the printed out lab manual and PowerPoints.
The goal of this course is to introduce you to the basic concepts and the scope of modern biology. Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
·
Explain
fundamental concepts and processes in biochemistry, cell
structure and function, genetics, and evolution.
·
Practice
effective learning strategies to become an active learner.
·
Apply
the scientific method to biological questions.
·
Use
common scientific instruments and techniques in order to
accurately collect data.
·
Record
procedures and data in an organized laboratory notebook.
·
Analyze
and interpret scientific data and graphs.
·
Write
a clear, concise lab report in the format of a scientific
paper.
·
Describe
connections among subfields of biology and their own lives.
D2L: I make use of our online class management system, D2L, for this course. In general, I do not provide printed copies of material unless I have made last minute changes. I use PowerPoint slides in lectures, and you will be able to download these before class. I will post them at least the night before class. We are also editing our lab manual, and the labs will likewise be posted on D2L by at least the Monday before lab. I occasionally post additional documents or updates to the syllabus. I will have quizzes for you to take (see below). You can also access your grades. Do this frequently to be certain there are no recording errors and that you have not missed turning in an assignment. Be sure to check your grades after completing the online quizzes. Let me know ASAP if there are any problems or discrepancies - D2L and I occasionally have issues.
If anyone in this
class has a need for note-taking or test-taking accommodations,
please feel free to discuss this with me.
“Shippensburg
University and its faculty are committed to assuring a
safe and productive educational environment for all
students. In order to meet this commitment and to
comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
and guidance from the Office of Civil Rights, the
University requires faculty members to report incidents of
sexual violence shared by students to the University’s
Title IX Coordinator. The only
exceptions to the faculty member’s reporting obligation
are when incidents of sexual violence are communicated by
a student during a classroom discussion, in a writing
assignment for a class, or as part of a
University-approved research project.
Information regarding
the reporting of sexual violence and the resources that
are available to victims of sexual violence is set forth
as http://www.ship.edu/no_more/.”
GRADES
Final grades will be based on the percentage determined by dividing your point total by the total points in the course, approximately 950. A= 90% and above; B=80-89.9%; C=70-79.9%; D=60-69.9%; F= less than 60%. I do not grade on a curve, but I do use +/- in a favorable manner (e.g., an 89 would likely end up as a B+ instead of a B, but a 90 will be an A, not an A-). You will be able access your grades at any time through D2L. Do this regularly to ensure all grades are present. It is your responsibility to do assignments. I do not regularly nag or chase down individuals who skip class or fail to turn in assignments.
Exams (470 points): There will be four one hour exams each worth 80 points. Exams will cover lecture, text and lab material. The final exam will be comprehensive and worth 150 points. Exams typically include multiple choice questions, matching, and short essays or problems. You need prior approval to reschedule an exam.
Attendance, Quizzes and Assignments (total, approximately
280 points):
D2L Chapter quizzes (approx. 90 points): Approximately 18 quizzes worth 5 points each, will be given on-line via D2L. The quizzes on D2L are open book and open note and must be done within the allotted period (minimum 48 hours) that they are open. You will have 2 opportunities to take each quiz during this time period, and the highest grade will be recorded. Your response to each question, and whether it is right or wrong, will be provided as feedback after each attempt. The main purpose of these quizzes is to help you review material in a timely manner. My advice for taking them is to thoroughly study the appropriate material from your notes and textbook and to then take the quiz without use of your notes. How well you perform on this first attempt will reflect how well you have prepared, and will also reflect how well you would do on an in-class exam with similar preparation. Make use of your notes for the second attempt and look up the material you had not mastered. Be sure to check your grades after completing the online quizzes and let me know ASAP if they don't show up.
Attendance (approx. 40 points): Lecture attendance will be monitored by in-class quizzes, the turning in of chapter preview questions in class, and by sign-in sheets. Excused absences require either prior arrangement (religious observance, sports team participation, etc.) or some reasonable, and confirmable issue (oversleeping is not among them!).
In-class mini-quizzes (approx. 40 points): These quizzes will be very short, just 1 or 2 questions, and given at the start of most classes. If you are late, you will miss the quiz. The quizzes will cover information from the previous lecture. Quiz format will be multiple choice and short answer. Makeup quizzes will not be given unless you are missing class due to an excused absence. Be prepared- read over your notes one more time before coming to class!
Chapter preview questions (approx. 40 points): These are questions that are to be turned in at the beginning of the class when we start a new chapter. Skim over the chapter and read the chapter concept summary, taking note of key terms and figures. Based on your preview, you will write out three questions that you expect or would like to see addressed in lecture. Make one question broad (the overall chapter topic) and the other two more specific in nature.
Other Assignments (approx. 70 points): You will have a major genetics problem homework assignment worth 50 points. Any major in-class quizzes will be announced, and I will let you know the format beforehand.
Labs
Laboratories are an essential part of biology. Labs are designed to provide experience with commonly used techniques and to reinforce important concepts. We are continually in the process of revising the lab manual, and the lab instructions will be posted weekly on D2L. It is important for you to prepare for lab and keep your lab notebook current.
Lab Notebooks (50 points): Preparation prior to lab is essential for understanding the experiment and for its successful execution. Detailed recording of procedures, data, and results are essential to the evaluation and interpretation of your lab. To this end, you are expected to keep a detailed lab notebook. A separate detailed handout and checklist will be provided. Briefly, a written lab plan (purpose, hypotheses, brief outline of procedure) and answered prelab questions are required prior to each lab (some labs excepted). You need to record your procedures and your data in your notebook before you leave the lab, and complete your analysis with a brief conclusion as soon as possible, including post-lab questions to be answered before the next lab period. Lab notebooks will be checked periodically at the end of labs for completeness, and will be collected and graded at the end of the semester.
Lab Quizzes (50 points): At the start of most labs you will take a short, timed quiz covering that day's pre-lab and the previous week's post-lab. The questions will be based on specific pre- and post-lab questions in the lab manual. You may use your lab notebooks (not the lab manual) during the quiz. These quizzes will primarily be multiple choice and short answer format.
Lab Reports (60 points): One complete formal lab report (The enzyme lab- 25 points) will be turned in for grading. You will also be assigned minireports for other labs which will include graphs and results. DO NOT plagiarize the lab manual or other students. A grading rubric and a description of what needs to be in the report will be provided for the formal lab report. You will receive an F on the assignment if there is evidence of plagiarism; more than one violation will result in an F in the course and will be reported to the Dean's Office. Consult sections on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism in the college catalog.
Lab Practical (35 points): A lab practical will be given at the end of the semester. This lab practical will cover techniques such as microscopy and spectrophotometry, as well as factual information from the previous labs.
Extra Credit (up to 10 points): There will be 2 extra credit opportunities (5 points each) tied in to biology seminar attendance or student research presentations and subsequent timely (within a week) writeup. Please be courteous during seminars. Seminars typically have a brief question period after the formal presentation; do not get up and leave until after that is over. Students unable to attend due to class or sports team schedule conflicts will be provided an alternative assignment, if you come to me during the week of the presentation. The only opportunities for extra credit/additional assignments will be those assigned by me and available to the entire class. I do not give extra credit points on an individual basis, so don’t ask.
GENERAL
CLASS POLICIES
Attendance: Class attendance is essential. There is a high correlation between class attendance and class performance (i.e., grade). Students who regularly miss class even once a week rarely get better than a D. If you miss class, you are still responsible for lecture content, assignments, and announcements. Make arrangements in advance if you need to miss a class or lab. In many cases labs can not be made up unless we can fit you into another lab section that same week, which for most of you will be before your regular meeting time. Each unexcused absence (up to 2) from a lab will result in a 25 point deduction from your grade.
Classroom etiquette: Please turn off cell phones, ipads, etc. during lecture. Please refrain from talking in class. Ringing cell phones, texting, and talking during class are unnecessary distractions. You may be asked to leave the class for violations. During exams, electronic devices other than a calculator should be off and put away in a bag or backpack. I will assume any texting or cell phone/ipad use during an exam is for the purpose of cheating.
Exceptions: If you use a laptop for taking notes, check with me beforehand and sit near the front (it's easy to get distracted with the internet and games just a click away). Likewise, let me know if personal situations necessitate keeping a cell phone on. We will occasionally use interactive online quizzes using Kahoot, which will make use of smart phone or laptop internet access (connect to ship wireless to avoid data downloads limits). We will also occasionally work in groups. And please, if you have questions in class, raise your hand and ask me!
Lab periods are much less formal and you will obviously need to talk to your lab partners. In addition, many students find that cell phone cameras can be useful for documentation of lab results, and with practice, often take decent photos through a microscope. However, labs do have quizzes and a lecture component, and the rules above will be applicable for those times.
WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO TO SUCCEED IN THIS CLASS:
Put in the time you need to succeed- The rule of thumb is about two hours minimum per hour in class. For this biology class this means about 10 productive hours of work per week, plus in-class and lab time. For a 16 hour load this is 32-40 hours of out-of-class time. Unlike many of your high school classes, out-of-class study time is really when you do most of your learning. College is a full time job - be sure to treat it as one.
Come to class prepared- This involves at least reading the appropriate part of the text book before class and reviewing your notes from the previous class. The in class mini-quizzes and preview questions are an incentive to keep on track.
Take notes in class- The PowerPoint slides are available on D2L. I will post these at least by the night before the lecture. Downloaded and printed out, these can be used to facilitate note-taking in class. They are not a substitute for note-taking.
Work with other students- Many students find that a study partner or two facilitates learning, especially when you take turns teaching each other. Meet at a regular time in a place with minimal distractions. You can also set up group office hours with me, the graduate student assistants, or tutors.
In this class you will be introduced to themes and concepts most of you have not seen before. I do my best to explain concepts such as oxidative phosphorylation, lagging-strand DNA synthesis, and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. These concepts are neither intuitive, nor simply memorized. Taking notes when I explain these concepts will aid you in mastering them. I will often write out diagrams, key definitions and concepts, on the chalkboard; I also give numerous examples and illustrations that are not on the slides. The PowerPoints provide illustrations and organization. Some students find the PowerPoint handouts to be a distraction to note-taking. If so, put them aside, take notes in a regular notebook, and then consolidate your notes with the PowerPoints later on.
Take notes when reading your text- The textbook is very well-written and is an important resource. You will use it in both Principles of Biology courses, and your upper level courses will build upon these courses (don't sell it back!). It is most useful when read at the time we cover the material in lecture. A quick skimming of the chapter before class with a more detailed reading immediately after the topic is covered is a good approach. The figures are especially useful, as these often sum up a concept. Being able to reproduce key figures from memory, with appropriate labels, is a good start at understanding. Explain to someone else what it means. Ask questions as you read. If the section you are reading is about amino acids, read the section with the intent of answering "What is an amino acid? What is the structure of an amino acid? What is the significance of amino acids?" Write down questions as you read. This also helps you anticipate questions that could be on a test.
Compile your notes- Organize your lecture notes and notes you took from the text. I always found that recopying my notes reinforced information and helped me determine what I didn't understand. This can also include a listing of terms/definitions, and writing them out as flashcards. However, do not simply memorize one-line definitions: they tend to be over-simplifications that don't describe the relationships, mechanisms, or structures in adequate detail. Memorizing facts is not the same as understanding concepts.
Get help early- See me during office hours, email me, or see a biology tutor. Biology tutors are available in the LAC in the library, through our graduate student assistants, and through Beta Beta Beta (information usually posted outside FSC 248). The night before the exam is ok for learning the fine details, but too late for figuring out major concepts!
Lecture,
Exam and Lab Schedule.
Major deadlines for lab assignments are indicated. D2L quizzes and other
assignments will be announced in class and on D2L.
Lecture and Lab
Schedule Fall 2016- may be subject to change -updated 10/1/2016
|
Date |
Lectures: Chapter/Topic |
Labs (Wednesday
3:00; Thursday 1:30, 5:00) |
|
M 8/29 |
Chapter 1
Themes in the Study of Life |
|
|
W 8/31 |
Chapter 2
Basic Chemistry
Ch 2 prev questions |
Lecture: An
overview of the scientific method, record keeping,
and reports |
|
F 9/2 |
Chapter 2
Basic Chemistry |
|
|
M
9/5 |
Labor Day
- no class |
|
|
W 9/7 |
Chapter 3
Water Ch 3 prev questions |
Primary
Literature Discussion/Microscope overview |
|
F 9/9 |
Chapter 3
Water |
|
|
M 9/12 |
Chapter 4
Carbon Chemistry Ch 4 prev questions |
|
|
W 9/14 |
Chapter 4 |
Cells and
Organic Molecules – figures drawn to scale,
taxonomy, features, etc., in notebook by
following lab period |
|
F 9/16 |
Exam 1
(Chapters 1-4) |
|
|
M 9/19 |
Chapter 5
Macromolecules
Ch 5 prev questions |
|
|
W 9/21 |
Chapter 5 Macromolecules |
Osmosis –
graphs in D2L dropbox
by Monday 9/26. Mini lab report due by Friday
9/30 in class. Hard copy only. |
|
F 9/23 |
exam
return and review |
|
|
M 9/26 |
metacognition -
how to study effectively |
|
|
W 9/28 |
Chapter 5 Macromolecules |
Enzyme I -
graphs in D2L dropbox
by Monday 10/3 |
|
F 9/30 |
Chapter 8 Metabolism
Chapter 8 preview questions |
|
|
M 10/3 |
Chapter 8 Metabolism |
Osmosis Mini lab report due in lab this week. Hard copy only. |
|
W 10/5 |
Chapter
6 Cell Structure Ch 6 prev questions |
Enzyme II
- Full Lab report
due in class Friday 10/21. Hard copy
only. |
|
F 10/7 |
Chapter 6 Cell Structure |
|
|
M 10/10 |
Chapter 6 Cell Structure |
|
|
W 10/12 |
Chapter 7 Membranes Structure and Function Ch 7 prev questions |
Photosynthesis
& Respiration - Mini lab report for
Photosynthesis Lab due Monday 10/24 in class. Hard
copy only. |
|
F
10/14 |
Exam 2
chapters 5,6,8
|
|
|
M 10/17 |
FALL BREAK |
|
|
W 10/19 |
Chapter 9
Metabolism Ch 9 prev questions |
Cell
Reproduction (Chapter 12 Cell Cycle) |
|
F 10/21 |
Chapter 9 Metabolism |
|
|
M 10/24 |
Chapter 9 Metabolism Chapter 10
Photosynthesis Ch 10 prev questions |
|
|
W 10/26 |
Chapter
10 Photosynthesis |
Human
Genetics |
|
F 10/28 |
Chapter
12 Cell Cycle Ch 12 prev questions |
|
|
M 10/31 |
Chapter
12 Cell Cycle |
|
|
W 11/2 |
Chapter
13 Meiosis Ch 13 prev questions |
Mendel’s
Peas - Mendel's Peas Mini Lab report due Friday
11/11 in class.
Hard copy only. |
|
F 11/4 |
Exam
3 Chapters 7, 9,10,12 |
|
|
M 11/7 |
Chapter
14 Mendelian Genetics Ch 14 prev questions |
|
|
W 11/9 |
Chapter 14 Mendelian Genetics |
PV92
I/DNA Tech. lecture (Ch 20) |
|
F 11/11 |
Chapter
15 Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance Ch 15 prev questions |
|
|
M 11/14 |
Chapter
15 Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance |
|
|
W 11/16 |
Chapter
16 Molecular Basis of Inheritance Ch 16 prev questions |
PV92 II /DNA Tech lecture (Ch 20) |
|
F 11/18 |
Chapter 16 Molecular Basis of Inheritance |
|
|
M 11/21 |
Chapter 17 Gene to Protein Ch 17 prev questions |
|
|
11/23-11/27 |
THANKSGIVING
BREAK |
No lab |
|
M 11/28 |
Chapter
17 Gene to Protein |
|
|
W 11/30 |
Chapter
22 Descent with Modification Ch 22 prev questions |
PV92
III/Pop. Genetics – complete writeup in lab
notebook; see lab manual, lab notebook checklist for
details. |
|
F 12/2 |
Exam 4 Chapters
13-17 |
|
|
M 12/5 |
Chapter
23 Evolution of Populations Ch 23 prev questions |
|
|
W 12/7 |
Chapter 23
Evolution of Populations |
Lab Practical |
|
F 12/9 |
Final
Review |
Lab
notebooks due in class |