Spring 2015
USC-Aiken
BIOL A121
Biology A121 Syllabus
Section 300
PROFESSOR:
Dr. Jessica Leet
OFFICE:
Room 111-D, Science Building
OFFICE HOURS:
Tuesdays & Thursdays 3:30 – 4:30 pm or by appointment
COURSE CREDIT:
4 Credit Hours
LECTURE/LABS: (108 SCI BLDG) T/R 4:30 to 7:15pm
CONTACT: (803) 641-3349 JessicaL@usca.edu
TEXT: Campbell Biology In Focus w/ Mastering Biology (w/ ebook) ISBN 0321813669
Online versions of the text are also available. If you rent or buy a used text, you will need to purchase
access to Mastering Biology (about $60)
LAB MANUAL: BIOLOGY 121 Lab Manual 6th Edition by Jackson, Yates, and Hancock.
Please read this syllabus carefully and refer to it when you have questions about the course.
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:
This course is for Biology majors and non-majors and incorporates the study of biological principles and
concepts through the cellular level of organization. Upon completion of this course students will be
expected to:
- Define Biology and describe the characteristics that define life.
- Describe the major biological molecules and how they are utilized by cells.
- Describe the structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and how structure facilitates function.
- Describe how things get in and out of cells and how cells signal each other.
- Describe the flow of energy in biological systems.
- Define the importance of enzymes and how they work.
- Understand cellular reproduction (mitosis and meiosis).
- Understand the basics of heredity and pattern of inheritance.
- Describe the structure of DNA and RNA and define the Central Dogma of Life.
- Understand and use the “scientific method.”
- Think critically, be able to analyze data and present it scientifically.
GRADE COMPONENTS:
Mastering Biology assignments
Three midterm exams
Assignments
Final Exam
Lab (prelabs/notes/reports)
100 pts
150 pts each
50 pts
150 pts
250 pts
(10%)
(45% total)
(5%)
(15%)
(25%)
GRADING SCALE:
100-90% = A; 89-85% = B+; 84-80% = B; 79-75% = C+; 74-70% = C; 69-65% = D+; 64-60% = D; 59-0% = F.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
“When students enroll in a particular course, they obligate themselves for all the work which may be
assigned. Punctual and regular attendance is vital to the discharge of this obligation.”
Spring 2015
USC-Aiken
BIOL A121
Attendance will be monitored via participation quizzes during the lecture periods. Participation points
will be used as extra credit on your final grade. You must be present to receive credit for in class
assignments, quizzes, and reports. Due to the nature of lab, make-up labs cannot be given!
There are no make-up exams. Should you miss an exam for a documented excusable reason (i.e.
sickness or required university event); an alternate exam may be arranged. Only one exam will be
treated in this manner; any other missed exams will be counted as a zero.
GRADING:
The exams, in class assignments, and laboratory notebooks will require hand written answers. Answers
will only be accepted if they are clearly legible.
Mastering Biology assignments must be turned in on time. No late assignments will be accepted.
Assignments can be turned in early if needed.
Graded materials will be returned in a reasonable time period (Usually during lab).
CLASSROOM BEHAVOIR AND PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES:
It is the instructor’s right to remove any student who disrupts or disturbs the proceedings of the class.
In extreme cases the professor can request assistance from the University police. If the student who has
been ejected causes similar disturbances in subsequent meetings of the class, he/she may be denied
admittance to the class for the remainder of the semester and assigned a grade of “F”.
The use of any portable electronic devices, including cell phones, pagers, MP3 players, iPods, etc., during
class is not allowed for any reason unless prior approval has been given to a student from the instructor
or unless required for the course. If you are planning to have any of these devices in class, they must be
turned off and stowed away for the duration of the class period. If you use a portable electronic device
during a test, quiz, or other assessment, you are eligible to receive a failing grade on that assignment.
LABORATORY DETAILS:
In general, the first session is a "wet" laboratory exercise. Potentially hazardous materials are used in
this course. For this reason, students who do not follow instructions, use safety equipment, or conduct
themselves in a professional manner will be removed from the lab. The general procedure for each
exercise will be obtained from the laboratory manual and your instructor. During these labs, the student
will complete experiments that require development of a hypothesis, experimental design, hypothesis
testing, and drawing conclusions. The notes and results of these exercises must be maintained and
turned in with the laboratory report.
Each “wet” laboratory exercise will be followed by a second laboratory period that will be used by
student groups to compose a report based on the data collected from the previous “wet” lab. Each
laboratory group will synthesize individual results into a single written report to be turned into the
instructor. The format of this report will be that of a scientific paper (abstract, introduction, results, and
discussion). The first hour of this period will be designated for discussion and calculations as
appropriate.
TEST PROCEDURES:
All exams will include both multiple choice and long answer questions. Students need to bring a
scantron and pencil to each exam. Students will not be allowed to sit in adjacent seats during the
exams. If a student must leave during an exam, they forfeit their right to finish the exam. Calculators
will not be allowed.
Spring 2015
USC-Aiken
BIOL A121
TENTATIVE LECTURE/LAB SCHEDULE Fall 2014
Date
Topic
Jan 13
Class Organization, Introduction
Jan 15
Wet Lab: Introduction
Jan 20
The Chemical Context of Life/ Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life
Jan 22
Wet Lab: Measurement Technique
Jan 27
A Tour of the Cell
Jan 29
Measurement Technique write up (and brief review for Midterm 1)
Feb 3
1st Midterm Exam
Chapter
1
Lab 7
2+3
Lab 1
4
Lab 1
1-4
Feb 5
Feb 10
Feb 12
Feb 17
Feb 19
Feb 24
Feb 26
Mar 3
Wet Lab: Organic Molecules in Cells
Molecular Basis of Inheritance
Organic Molecules in Cells write up
Gene Expression: From Gene to Protein
Wet Lab: Cell and Microscopy
Regulation of Gene Expression/ Development, Stem Cells, and Cancer
Cell and Microscopy write up (and brief review for Midterm 2)
2nd Midterm Exam
Lab 2
13
Lab 2
14
Lab 3
15 + 16
Lab 3
13-16
Mar 5
Mar 10
Mar 12
Mar 17
Mar 19
Mar 24
Mar 26
Mar 31*
April 2
April 7
Wet Lab: Enzymes
Spring Break (No class)
Spring Break (No class)
Membrane Transport and Signaling/Introduction to Metabolism
Enzyme write up
No class (Dr. Leet will be out of town)
Introduction to Metabolism/Cellular Respiration and Fermentation
Photosynthesis (and brief review for Midterm 3)
Wet Lab: Photosynthesis
3rd Midterm Exam
April 9
April 14
April 16
April 21
April 23
The Cell Cycle & Photosynthesis write up
Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycle/Mendel and the Gene Idea
The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance & Wet Lab: Maize Genetics
The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance/Viruses/Genomes and Their Evolution
Brief review for Comprehensive Final Exam & Maize Genetics write up
Comprehensive Final Exam ( Emphasis on chapters 9-12, 17-18)
5PM May 5
Lab 4
5+6
Lab 4
6+7
8
Lab 5
5-8
9 & Lab 5
10 + 11
12 & Lab 8
12, 17, 18
Lab 8
1-18
* 31 March – Last day to Withdraw without an F, It is recommended that students with an overall score
of less than 60% should drop the course.
Spring 2015
USC-Aiken
BIOL A121
TUTORING:
Academic Success Center, Penland 108. Free one-on-one or group peer-tutoring services for Biology 121.
WRITING CENTER:
USCA provides a writing center located on room 201 of the H&SS building. If you need extra assistance
on any writing assignment for this or any other class that you are taking, please try the writing center.
DISABILITY STATEMENT:
If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability that might affect your performance in this
class, please contact the Office of Disability Services, B&E 134, (803) 643-6816, as soon as possible. The
Disability Services Office will determine appropriate accommodations based on medical documentation.
HONOR CODE:
Students are expected to abide by the Academic Code of Conduct as described in the Student
Handbook. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if academic integrity is violated. The following
honor pledge is to be written, signed, and dated by the student on all exams and assignments turned
into the instructor.
“On my honor as a University of South Carolina at Aiken student, I have neither
given nor received any unauthorized aid on this assignment/ examination. To the
best of my knowledge, I am not in violation of academic honesty.”