... Biology-101, General Biology Fall 2022 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Division, Butler County Community College Course Description: This course examines life on Earth using the principles of biochemistry, cytology, genetics, and evolution. Emphasis is placed on the processes that determine life. A required laboratory component provides activities and experiments that investigate the concepts from the lecture component. Not to be taken for credit by biology majors. This course meets the General Education competency of Scientific Reasoning (SR). Upon completion, this course is worth four (4) credits. Meeting Time: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10:10 am to 11:05 am Room TB 318, LAB Tuesdays 10:35 am to 12:35 am Room TB 314 Instructor: David V Gesicki, PhD STEM Division Faculty Biology Office: 317 Science and Technology Building Email: david.gesicki@bc3.edu Office Hours: TBD Learning Outcomes: Students who successfully complete Biology will be able to... Describe the basic organization of the cell and the function of subcellular components. Explain the biochemistry of cell metabolism. Explain the concept of the cell cycle, how it is controlled, and how it relates to cell division. Apply Mendelian genetics concepts to determine expression of inherited traits. Describe the process and regulation of DNA replication. Describe the process and regulation of protein synthesis. Describe modern methods of biotechnology. Describe the principles underpinning the of Evolution. Understand the distribution and interaction of organisms in an environment. Apply the scientific method. Utilize basic laboratory equipment appropriate to the discipline. Assessment Criteria: Below is a summary of how you will be graded in this course. All grades will be posted on the LMS Blackboard, so please take advantage of the fact that you can always know how you are doing in the course. Contribution to Grade 10% 15% Category Classwork Research Paper Description You will be given a fifteen (15) minute Quiz at the beginning of some class sessions. (During periods of remote instruction these quizzes will appear on Blackboard!). Based on the assigned readings for each chapter, these quizzes will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate that you understood the material. Students are encouraged to meet in study groups prior to class to review the chapter that they had read ahead of time. The questions are all general enough that many different answers are possible! There are no make-up reading quizzes. After the quiz, well be discussing course readings. Ill have questions for you; I will expect you to have questions for me. Come to class having read and thought about assigned readings, ready to actively engage in class discussions. You will also complete assignments in class. Some of these assignments will be done individually, others will require group cooperation. I will be looking over your work on each assignment based on its clarity of thought, level of insight, and contribution to class dialogue. Assignments may be collected for extra credit towards upcoming exams. Your last responsibility will be to carry out a scientific literature search and write an approximately 6 page paper on some topic in biology that interests you. Your scientific literature search should be recent and thorough, and your report should end with a conclusion which summarizes your report and provides future directions in the topic. Your topics must be discussed thoroughly with me before you begin. Example topics might include: Evolution of Sympatric Speciation or the Emerging threat of Zoonotic Diseases. A sample paper is available on Blackboard. (More on this and rubric will be discussed in class) 30% Exams 20% Final 25% Exam Lab There will be three (3) lecture exams including the midterm. Multiple choice and matching style questions constitute about 50% of the exams. The remainder of each exam will consist of fill-in-the-blank and short answer questions that will be similar to the bluebook questions in that several different answers are possible. Study guides that cover the material to be mastered for an entire exam will be provided. The study guides contain the goals, objectives, and key words for each chapter. Examples of questions that could be answered on the basis of class discussions are: one similarity between the processes of glycolysis and the TCA cycle is ________, one difference between the first and second lines of immune defense is ________, and an organism that may cause a zoonotic disease is ________. This course ends with a Final Exam that will be taken in class. Please make sure to bring your BC3 I.D. to class on the day of your Final Exam. The final exam is cumulative although emphasis will be placed on all material covered after the last lecture exam. Laboratory assessment consists of weekly laboratory assignments, and (2) laboratory exams. Under no circumstances will personalized extra-credit work be offered to any student Lateness and Absence: I expect you to arrive to all class sessions on time. Students who arrive more than 15 minutes late will receive a zero for the days quiz. In addition, lateness and absence can adversely affect your participation and assignments grades. Of Assignments: Late assignments will not be accepted. Of Students: How to submit documentation for an excusable absence and/or missed deadlines: There are very few legitimate reasons to miss all or part of a class session or for submitting assignments after the stated deadlines. Valid excuses include family emergencies and personal health issues. The following reasons do not excuse lateness or absence: oversleeping, excessive work load in other classes, or simply forgetting. If you believe that you missed a class for a legitimate reason, please submit documentation that: 1. establishes a clear reason why you could not complete work and/or attend class; and 2. clearly delineates the period of time during which you were incapacitated. Documentation should come from an appropriate source (for example: health care provider, employer, clergy) and include contact information that will allow your instructor to validate your excuse. Your instructor makes the final determination on what is and what is not a legitimate reason for missing class and/or submitting assignments after stated deadlines. Readings and Lab Materials (Additional Lab Materials Below): You will be assigned a series of reading materials from books, popular science periodicals, and the scientific literature. Your main textbook will be: Concepts of Biology from OpenStax, Print ISBN 1938168119, Digital ISBN 1947172034, www.openstax.org/details/concepts-biology Your book is available in web view and PDF for free. You can also choose to purchase hardcopy at low cost on iBooks or get a print version via the campus bookstore or from OpenStax on Amazon.com. This book is required and is freely available online or can be purchased from BC3s online bookstore (http://bookstore.bc3.edu/SelectTermDept.aspx) or via any other retailer. All other readings will be posted on Blackboard. You are encouraged to save paper by viewing these readings electronically (as opposed to printing them out). This work is licensed under CC By license. Honor Code: Unless specifically stated otherwise, all work in this class is to be completed on your own. You may not and should not obtain help from any other person to complete any of your work: this includes all quizzes and individual assignments. You should also not share any of your individual work with other students. Studying together, discussing material outside of class, and any other processing of the course materials prior to completing coursework is allowed and encouraged, but you need to do your own work. Students are expected to take this commitment seriously even when violating the code would likely escape detection. Any violations of this policy will be considered cheating and reported as appropriate (see Classroom Civility and Academic Honesty below). Learning Management System (LMS) Blackboard: During the course of the semester, we will make extensive use of BC3s Learning Management System (LMS) Blackboard. You can access Blackboard via this page: https://www.bc3.edu/mybc3/. I expect you to check Blackboard several times a week for announcements, reading assignments, and updates to your class grade (note that you can also set Blackboard to send you email messages every time our class page is updated?). I will be using Blackboard to send email announcements throughout the semester, so please make sure that you check your email regularly. I forgot to check my BC3 email is an invalid excuse. I try to make the announcements, study guides, lecture materials, readings and other documents I post on Blackboard as universally-readable as possible. The only proprietary program you will need to have loaded onto your computer is Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. I strongly recommend that you use Acrobat Reader, rather than another program, to read all of the PDFs provided in this class. *Important*: If you experience any problems with Blackboard, you should: submit a ticket to Technology services here: https://www.bc3.edu/services/technology/support-ticket/blackboard-help.html. Reduced-Paper-Use Classroom: Whenever possible, we will try to reduce the amount of paper that this course consumes. Please do your best to reduce the amount of printing that you do for the course. Exam Corrections: Not during periods of remote instruction. Because students deserve credit for learning no matter when that learning takes place, if a student is unhappy with their grade on any one of the three (3) lecture exams only (this does not include the final exam), students will be given the opportunity to make corrections on partially correct exam answers or explain from scratch exam questions that were completely incorrect. Students cannot make up points on blank exam questions. Students can earn back up to half the credit missed from that exam. Unfortunately, as new concepts are introduced, it is almost impossible to master them without a good understanding of previous concepts. Thus, it is crucial to keep up with the material. To encourage students to avoid falling behind, if a student wishes to make up points, the exam corrections must be submitted within one week from the date that the graded exams are returned to the class. Also, if any student misses a regularly scheduled exam and takes the makeup exam instead, they will not have the option to make up points on that exam. To prepare for exam corrections, students may consult any source including the instructor. Students will be expected to answer questions in greater depth than can be assessed on the initial exam. Students are also asked to indicate the page number or lecture slides where the correct answers were found. In other words, do not start on the internet. Part of whats being evaluated is the students ability to figure out what his or her mistakes were. Thus, if it is necessary for the instructor to explain which part of the students original answer was incorrect, the student will not receive full credit for their explanation. Classroom Civility and Academic Honesty: I expect you to maintain the civility and integrity of our course in and out of the classroom. In class, this means arriving on time, turning off cell phone ringers and refraining from sending text messages, maintaining focus on class discussion, respecting the right of others to speak, and leaving the classroom and lab space in good condition (among other things). Out of class, this means properly citing all work that is not your own (in other words, not plagiarizing). Plagiarism means presenting, as ones own, the words, the work, information, or the opinions of someone else. It is dishonest, since the plagiarist offers -- as his/her own -- the language, or information, or thought for which he/she deserves no credit. Types of plagiarism include: (1) The use of any material from any source other than yourself in a paper or project without proper attribution. This includes material from the Internet, books, papers or projects by other students, and the media; (2) The extensive use of the ideas of others in your work without proper attribution; and (3) Turning in work done by another person, downloaded from the web, purchased from any agency or supplier, as ones own. Plagiarism occurs when one uses the exact language of someone else without putting the quoted material in quotation marks and giving its source. The method for documenting sources and references is established by a number of standards: I prefer the American Psychological Association or APA format (https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html). Any paper submitted that does not use proper referencing in a consistent format will not be marked. Plagiarized assignments receive no credit, and all cases of plagiarism will be referred to the Registrar. For more information on avoiding plagiarism, please see: https://www.bc3.edu/services/pdf/plagiarism.pdf. Any disruptive, disrespectful, or dishonest behavior will be promptly reported to the appropriate campus authority. Students must adhere to all college-wide policies which include policies on attendance, academic integrity, plagiarism, computer, and network use. Please see http://academic-catalog.bc3.edu/ (click on Student and Employee Conduct) for policies and procedures for handling academic conduct issues. Rights of Students with Disabilities: If you have a physical or learning disability, ADD/ADHD, chronic disease, or physical condition that we should know about, please contact Disability Services at 724-287-8711 x8327 to discuss your needs and how we can best serve you. In order to receive classroom accommodations and other services, you must have documentation of your disability on file in the Disability Services office. Your records will be kept completely confidential. For more information, please see the BC3 webpage for Disability Services (https://www.bc3.edu/services/disability/index.html ). Biology Lab: This lab will be used to apply, enhance, and supply "hands on" experience with the material that is covered in the lecture as well as supply new knowledge. Methods of microscopy, evolution, genetics, biochemistry and cytology will be thoroughly covered. This lab component of the course is essential to the entire course material. The lab time is valuable to understanding and applying biological knowledge. *Important*: No loose clothing may be worn (ex. Scarves, flowing sleeves, shawls), and long hair must be tied back. No open toed shoes. Shorts/skirts must be below the knee, or a lab coat must be worn that covers the knees. You will not be required to purchase a lab coat or glasses. Biology Lab Rules and Instructions: A lab syllabus and schedule will be handed out on the first lab period. Students are not permitted to use cell phones or other personal electronics in the laboratory. Only pens and markers provided are to be used in the lab and must remain there. Students are responsible for disinfecting lab bench tops prior to start of lab and again after the lab is complete. Wearing inappropriate shoes will result in students not being permitted in the laboratory. I expect you to take caution in this lab, and part of being cautious is maintaining a safe dress code. There will be no open toed sandals worn in lab, no dresses, shorts, or skirts above the knee (unless you have a lab coat to cover your legs), and long hair must be kept tied up. Any loose clothing must be tied back. My word on safety is final. The first violation will result in a warning. All subsequent violations will result in you being dismissed from the lab (with associated points lost). Missed lab session will count as an absence. Labs cannot be made up! Much time is spent in getting supplies ready at the appointed time. Please respect this. Safety is of the essence in this lab. Other classes using this space may be working with pathogenic organisms! Please use common sense and safety precautions at all times! Each day in lab may build upon the last. Techniques which you learn at first will be built upon day after day. Pay attention to instructions and clarifications. If you find the instructions unclear, please ask for help. Read your instructions before attempting your work. Important: General instructions for remote periods can be found below. The remote period will begin starting on January 19th through February 5th. This time period may preclude any lecture exams, however given the uncertainty of returning to in-person learning instructions for online exam taking can be found below. Remote Learning Instructions: Students must have regular access to a computer and be able to use computer skills to successfully complete this course. Many problems instructors and students run into when using Blackboard stem from mis-configured browsers, incorrect software versions, pop-up blockers, and other issues. Most of these issues can be prevented by performing the browser tune up before using Blackboard or once a problem arises. Often students find it easier to use Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Safari rather than Internet Explorer. Using LockDown Browser for Online Exams: This course requires the use of LockDown Browser for online exams. Watch this short video, (http://www.respondus.com/products/lockdown-browser/student-movie.shtml to get a basic understanding of LockDown Browser and the optional webcam feature (which may be required for some exams). Then download and install LockDown Browser for your computer from these links: Download for PCs - http://www.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?id=387943543 Download for Macs - http://www.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?ostype=2&id=387943543 To take an online test, start LockDown Browser and navigate to the exam. (You won't be able to access the exam with a standard web browser.) For additional details on using LockDown Browser, review this Student Quick Start Guide (PDF) http://www.respondus.com/downloads/RLDB-QuickStartGuide-Instructure-Student.pdf Finally, when taking an online exam, follow these guidelines: Ensure you're in a location where you won't be interrupted Turn off all mobile devices, phones, etc. Clear your desk of all external materials books, papers, other computers, or devices Remain at your desk or workstation for the duration of the test LockDown Browser will prevent you from accessing other websites or applications; you will be unable to exit the test until all questions are completed and submitted Biology Lecture Sequence (tentative schedule): Introduction to Biology. Themes and Concepts of Biology and the Process of Science. Openstax 1 Chemistry of Life. The Building blocks of Molecules, Water, and Biological Molecules. Openstax 2 Cell Structure and Function. How Cells are Studied, Comparing Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells, Cell Membrane, Passive and Active Transport. Openstax 3 Exam 1 (chapters 1 3) How Cells Obtain Energy. Metabolism, Glycolysis, TCA and Oxidative Phosphorylation, Fermentation, and Connections to Other Pathways. Openstax 4 Photosynthesis. Overview, The Light Dependent Reactions, and the Calvin Cycle. Openstax 5 Reproduction at the Cellular Level. The Genome, the Cell Cycle, Cancer, and Prokaryotic Cell Division. Openstax 6 Exam 2 (chapters 4 6) The Cellular Basis of Inheritance. Sexual Reproduction, Meiosis, Errors in Meiosis. Openstax 7 Patterns of Inheritance. Mendels Experiments, Laws of Inheritance, and Extensions of the Law of Inheritance. Openstax 8 Molecular Biology. Structure of DNA, DNA Replication, Transcription and Translation, and How Genes are Regulated. Openstax 9 Exam 3 (chapters 7 9) Evolution and its Processes. Discovering How Populations Change, Mechanisms of Evolution, Evidence of Evolution, and Speciation. Openstax 11 Diversity of Life. Organizing Life on Earth and Determining Evolutionary Relationships. Openstax 12 Population and Community Ecology. Population Dynamics, Growth and Regulation, Human Population, and Population Ecology. Openstax 19 Ecosystems and the Biosphere. Energy Flow through Ecosystems, Biogeochemical Cycles, Terrestrial Biomes, and Aquatic and Marine Biomes. Openstax 20 Final Exam (cumulative chapters 1 9, 11, 12, 19 and 20) ...