Moreno Valley College

Fall 2015

General Biology 1

Instructor: Mrs. Marshall

Office Location: SAS 327Office Phone: 571-6141

Office Hours: M, T, Th 1:00-2:15, W online from 3-5:00pmFonline from 9-11:00am OR by appointment

Email: webpage:

General Information about Biology 1

The main goal of this class is to provide you with a very basic yet fairly broad understanding of the scientific principles and methodologies surrounding Biology. An awareness of the methods of science and a basic understanding of the natural world is of critical importance to us as students and as contributing members of our society. We will be covering a considerable amount of topics at a rather accelerated pace, and the material can become confusing at times. One way of keeping the material understandable is by participating in classroom discussions and not hesitating to ask questions. I encourage you to keep your eyes open for any information in newspapers, magazines, or other media sources that might relate to the topics being discussed, for they will help you apply what you have learned in class. The laboratory portion is meant to deepen your understanding of Biology because you will be conducting experiments and carrying out simulations that will highlight key topics in Biology.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  1. List the steps of the scientific method, and understand the process of science.
  2. Recognize the components and organization of the cell, how cells and multicellular organisms acquire and utilize energy.
  3. Comprehend and describe the steps involved in cellular reproduction.
  4. Compare and contrast individual organisms, and population dynamics which include heritability, adaptation, and evolutionary principles.
  5. Explain the ecosystems and the dynamics of the biosphere.
  6. Relate biological principles to their lives, and interpret their place in the environment.
  7. Use appropriate biological terminology in discussing biological principles and relationships.

Required Text and Materials

Campbell, Reece, Taylor, Simon, Biology: Concepts and Connections w/ Mastering Biology edition: NA, ISBN: 9781269773744. Pearson/ Benjamin Cummings. This is a custom book available at the M.V.C. bookstore. Each student is required to have the Mastering Biology access code for homework assignments.

Biology 1 Laboratory Manual is available online ( Refer to the lab schedule for the required pages and related questions for each lab.

Scantron Sheets, Form No. 882-E. Please be sure to purchase scantron forms before you come to class to take an exam. You will need five scantron forms for this class (one for each exam).

Online Homework and Learning Resources

Homework assignments will be completed online. Please follow the Mastering Biology instructions. You will find a direct link on my webpage that will take you to mastering biology.

Topics Covered and Associated Reading

UnitTopicsChapter

IBiology: Exploring Life1

The Chemical Basis of Life2

The Molecules of Cells3

A Tour of the Cell4

Tentative Date for Exam 1: Monday, 9/28

IIThe Working Cell (Metabolism)5

Photosynthesis: Using Light to Make Food7

How Cells Harvest Chemical Energy6

Tentative Date for Exam 2: Monday, 10/26

IIICellular Basis of Reproduction and Inheritance8

Patterns of Inheritance9

Molecular Biology of the Gene10

Tentative Date for Exam 3: Monday, 11/16

IVHow Genes are Controlled11.1-7, 11.12-18

How Populations Evolve13.1-14, 13.16-18

The Origin of Species14.1-6

Population Ecology19.1-5

Tentative Date for Exam 4: Wednesday, 12/9

Attendance and Tardiness

We are covering a large amount of information in a short period of time and regular attendance is a must! Exams will cover material discussed in lecture and not necessarily in the text. Therefore, missing lecture will have a significantly negative impact on your grade. Tardiness is a distraction to the education process, so please come to class on time. If you are consistently tardy, absent (3 combined total), or leaving early you will be dropped from the course.

Special Needs

If you have a documented physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may impact your ability to carry out assigned course work, I urge you to contact the staff in Disabled Students Services (DSS) at

571-6138 on the Moreno Valley Campus in Library 230. DSS will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.

Grading

You will be given a letter grade that is based on the percentage of points you have earned out of the total points possible. Your points will come from online homework, four unit exams and one final exam. The unit exams are not cumulative and will be made up of multiple choice, true/false and possibly short answer questions. The final exam is cumulative and will have the same question format as the unit exams, but will test you on concepts learned throughout the entire semester. You should use your lecture notes, text book, homework assignments and any other available resource to help prepare for your exams.

Source / Points / Grade / % / Point-Range
Online Homework / 100 / A / 90 / 940-1050
4 Unit Exams / 100 each (400 total) / B / 80 / 835-939
Final Exam
(cumulative) / 150 / C / 70 / 730-834
Lab / 400 / D / 60 / 625-729
Total / 1050
Assumptions

I make a couple of assumptions when I prepare lecture and exams. First, I assume that you have read the text before class and that you are using the text as a study guide for both lecture exams and laboratory exercises. Second I assume that you are genuinely interested in learning Biology or at least willing to give it your best try.

Conduct

You are all adults and will be treated as such. Excess talking is distracting and disrespectful to your fellow students, so please use your better judgment. No cell phone use in class unless it is being used to record the lecture.

Academic Dishonesty

Board Regulation 6080, Section III.C.1 and 2 approved on January 25, 2005 states:

“For instances of academic dishonesty a faculty member may take any one of the following actions:

The faculty member may reduce the score on tests or assignment(s), reduce the grade in the course, fail the student in the course or recommend to the appropriate administrative officer that the student be suspended from the course. If course suspension is recommended, the administrative officer will review the information regarding the instance of academic dishonesty, notify the student, and will prescribe appropriate due process procedures.

The administrative officer will make note of the offense in the student’s educational records. A second instance of academic dishonesty may result in expulsion proceedings. Any tuition and applicable fees will not be refunded as a result of disciplinary action for academic misconduct.”

Important Dates

Holiday: Monday, Sep. 7

Last day to add a full-term class:Friday9/11/15

Last day to drop without a ‘W’: Sunday 9/13/15

Last day to drop with a ‘W’: Friday11/20/15

Final Exam:Wednesday, Dec. 16th at 8:00-10:30 AM in SAS 103

MONDAY’S Lab Schedule
Week / Lab / Lab Assignment Points / Quiz /Test Points
8/31 / The Scientific Method Exercise 1.1
Measurements Exercise 2.1 (A-E)
(pdf pgs. 13-19 + 23, 24) / 15
15
9/14 / Macromolecules Exercise 5.1(A-D)
(pdf pgs. 55-62 + 69, 70) / 20 / 5
9/21 / Microscopy andCell Structure Handout / 20 / 5
9/28 / Diffusion/ Osmosis Exercise 7.1-7.5
(pdf pgs. 89-98 + 101, 102) / 20 / 5
10/5 / Enzymes Exercise 8.2-8.6
(pdf pgs. 103-113 + 115,116) / 20 / 5
10/12 / Photosynthesis Exercise 9.5-9.7
(pdf pgs. 123-126 +129,130) / 15 / 5
10/19 / Respiration Exercise 10.1(A) - 10.2 and 10.4
(pdf pgs. 131-133 + 135-137 + 139, 141, 142) / 15 / 5
10/26 / **LAB MIDTERM** (Exercises 1-10)
Mitosis Exercise 11.2, 11.3 and 11.5
(pdf pgs. 146-151)
Meiosis Exercise 12.1 (A-D)
(pdf pgs. 159-165) / 10 / MT 50
11/2 / Nucleic Acids Exercise 14.2A-D
(pdf pgs. 198-203)
Transformation Handout / 10
25 / 5
11/9 / Observe results from Transformation Lab and run DNA Fingerprinting and obtain results / 25 / 5
11/16 / Open Lab/Review
11/23 / Exercise:Evolutionary AgentsHandout / 20 / 5
11/30 / Exercise: Population EcologyHandout / 20 / 5
12/7 /

**Lab Final** (Covers all labs after the lab midterm)

/

Final 50

Total Points

/

250

/

150

WEDNESDAY’S Lab Schedule
Week / Lab / Lab Assignment Points / Quiz /Test Points
9/2 / The Scientific Method Exercise 1.1 / 15
9/9 / Measurements Exercise 2.1 (A-E)
(pdf pgs. 13-19 + 23, 24) / 15 / 5
9/16 / Macromolecules Exercise 5.1(A-D)
(pdf pgs. 55-62 + 69, 70) / 20 / 5
9/23 / Microscopy andCell Structure Handout / 20 / 5
9/30 / Diffusion/ Osmosis Exercise 7.1-7.5
(pdf pgs. 89-98 + 101, 102) / 20 / 5
10/7 / Enzymes Exercise 8.2-8.6
(pdf pgs. 103-113 + 115,116) / 20 / 5
10/14 / Photosynthesis Exercise 9.5-9.7
(pdf pgs. 123-126 +129,130) / 15 / 5
10/21 / Respiration Exercise 10.1(A) - 10.2 and 10.4
(pdf pgs. 131-133 + 135-137 + 139, 141, 142) / 15 / 5
10/28 / **LAB MIDTERM** (Exercises 1-10)
Mitosis Exercise 11.2, 11.3 and 11.5
(pdf pgs. 146-151)
Meiosis Exercise 12.1 (A-D)
(pdf pgs. 159-165) / 10 / MT50
11/4 / Nucleic acids Exercise 14.2(A-D)
(pdf pgs. 198-203)
Transformation Handout / 10
25 / 5
11/11 / Observe results from Transformation Lab and run DNA Fingerprinting and obtain results / 20 / 5
11/18 / Open Lab/Review
11/25 / Exercise:Evolutionary AgentsHandout / 20 / 5
12/2 / Exercise: Population EcologyHandout / 20 / 5
12/9 /

**Lab Final ** (Covers all labs after the lab midterm)

/

Final50

Total Points

/

245

/

155

Lab Point Distributions / Points
Midterm 1 / 50
Final / 50
Pre-lab Quizzes / 50 or 55
Labs / 245 or 250
Total / 400
Conduct

Your lab experience should be enjoyable. However, since there are many potential hazards in the lab, you should always use special caution and ALWAYS FOLLOW DIRECTIONS! The lab period will often begin with a short (45 min) introduction to the current lab. The laboratory exercise will be carried out in groups of 2-4 students rather than working on your own.

Miscellaneous

Always bring your lecture text to the lab, as it will serve as a reference in many cases.

Realize that the material covered in the lab is there to help you better understand the topics covered in class. Thus, they will help you gain a better grade in the course.

Try to use the terminology and concepts presented in the lectures as you conduct your lab exercises.

Have Fun!!!

*Special Note

I reserve the right to modify this syllabus through the semester. Dates of exams and lectures may be subject to change.

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