Biology 111B: Unity of Life
Fall 2015 Syllabus
Instructor:
Office:
Office Phone:
Email:
Leslie Saucedo
TH257F
879-2788
lsaucedo@pugetsound.edu
Office Hours: Monday noon-1pm
Tuesday 11:00-noon
--or by appointment
Texts:
How Life Works, 1st ed., 2013, Morris et al. with Launchpad subscription: course
URL: http://www.macmillanhighered.com/launchpad/morris1e/1850272
A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology, 4th ed., 2013, Knisely
Course Description
Biology 111 is an introductory level course that examines living organisms primarily at the
molecular and cellular levels. Biology 111 is designed for students intending to major in
biology or a related science and also fulfills the natural sciences core.
Course Objectives
I. To understand and apply five core concepts of biology:
1. Evolution: The diversity of life evolved over time via genetic alterations and
selection of resultant phenotypes (from the protein to organismal level).
2. Structure and function: Structure reflects function (from molecules to organisms).
3. Information flow, exchange, and storage: Organisms interact with their environment
through the context-dependent expression of the genetic information that they
inherit (from cells to organisms).
4. Pathways and transformations of energy and matter: Biological systems grow and
change by processes based upon chemical transformation pathways and are governed
by thermodynamics.
5. Systems: a quantitative understanding of complex biological processes at multiple
functional scales.
II. To gain experience with scientific methodology.
III. To communicate science in a clear and concise manner.
IV. To develop analytical reasoning skills.
V. To recognize the interplay between scientific advances and the broader community
(individuals, government, corporations)
Class Sessions
Lecture section B meets M, W and F at 10am in TH395. Lecture topics and readings that
complement each lecture are provided in the attached schedule. A brief read though the
corresponding readings prior to lecture is HIGHLY recommended. Pay particular attention to
the figures as they often present a concise, visual summary. You will find “Pre-Class
Assignment” questions on Launchpad; they are “assigned” to help you know which material I
will emphasize during lecture, though they will not count towards your class grade. A more
careful reading following lecture will then allow you to focus on material that is more
challenging for you. Again, on Launchpad you will find “Homework” questions assigned (but
not graded) as an opportunity to self-assess your understanding. Lectures will include student
participation in the form of questions posed to the students, group exercises and class
discussions. Additionally, students are wholly encouraged to ask the instructor to clarify points
that are unclear during the lecture.
Labs
The laboratory component of Biology 111 (held in HA251) is designed to accompany and
extend subjects introduced in the lecture. Each student must be registered for a lab section of the
course and attendance is mandatory. In EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES ONLY, you may
be able to attend a different lab section than for which you are registered, provided that you first
seek approval of the instructor(s). Labs cannot be made up after the last lab section of the week
has met (at which time the equipment/reagents are removed and the following week’s lab is set
up). To improve the quality of your lab experience, come to lab prepared. Carefully read the lab
exercise (and any associated readings) BEFORE coming to lab. Most of the lab exercises
contain pre-lab questions that MUST BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE LAB SESSION. Late pre-lab questions will not be accepted. Preparing
for labs in this manner is essential for establishing confidence and competence while
performing lab activities. All lab exercises will include some form of written assignment
designed to strengthen comprehension of lab topics and develop scientific writing skills.
Quizzes and Exams
There will be six short quizzes given over the course of the semester (see schedule). QUIZZES
WILL BE GIVEN DURING THE FIRST TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES OF LECTURE. NO
ADDITIONAL TIME FOR ARRIVING LATE WILL BE GIVEN. However, you will be able
to drop your lowest quiz score (only 5 quizzes will contribute to your final grade). These short
quizzes are designed to help the student identify any areas of weak comprehension before taking
exams.
Three “mid-term” exams (see schedule) will each be 50 minutes in length. Exams will consist of
some objective (multiple choice, matching and completion) but primarily short answer
questions (explanations, inference and application). The topics covered by each exam are
indicated in the schedule and will include material from lectures, laboratory and readings.
THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP OF EXAMS OR QUIZZES. Absence for a bona fide
medical reason will require written evidence and MAY (OR MAY NOT) be considered in
assigning the final grade.
The final exam is scheduled for Friday, December 18th from 8:00-10am. This exam will
include a section on material following the third “mid-term,” material from topics covered
earlier in the course, and will require you to integrate the important concepts covered
throughout the semester. THE FINAL EXAM MUST BE TAKEN AT THE SCHEDULED
TIME.
Readings
How Life Works (1st ed., 2013, Morris et al.) is a comprehensive text designed for a year-long
introductory biology course. It covers many more topics than Biology 111 and also occasionally
goes into greater depth on some subjects that are discussed in lecture. This text and
accompanying online study tools found on Launchpad at:
http://www.macmillanhighered.com/launchpad/morris1e/1850272
should greatly assist in understanding information presented in lecture and lab as well as serve a
valuable resource as you continue your studies in the biological sciences.
Readings continued
A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology (4th ed., 2013, Knisely) has been adopted by the
biology department as a guide for writing papers in all biology courses. This handbook provides
guidance for scientific writing and presentation (including construction of figures, tables, graphs
and posters) required of this course and future biology courses.
Academic honesty
All assignments must be written individually. CHEATING, PLAGIARISM, AND OTHER
FORMS OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY WILL BE REPORTED AND RESULT IN
ACADEMIC PENALTIES. You are responsible for understanding what constitutes academic
honesty. Definitions and examples of academic dishonesty and the resultant penalties can be
found in The Logger, the University’s academic handbook:
http://www.pugetsound.edu/student-life/personal-safety/student-handbook/
Grading
Final letter grades will be based on your total accumulated points at the end of the semester
based on the following approximate percentages:
5 quizzes (2% each):
3 “mid-term” exams (15% each):
final exam:
laboratory:
TOTAL:
10%
45%
20%
25%
100%
Office of Student Accessibility and Accommodation
If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your
course work, please contact Peggy Perno, Director of the Office of Accessibility and
Accommodation, 105 Howarth, 253-879-3395. She will determine with you what
accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is
confidential.
Classroom Emergency Response Guidance
!Please review university emergency preparedness and response procedures posted at
www.pugetsound.edu/emergency/. There is a link on the university home page. Familiarize
yourself with hall exit doors and the designated gathering area for your class and laboratory
buildings. If building evacuation becomes necessary (e.g. earthquake), meet your instructor at
the designated gathering area so she/he can account for your presence. Then wait for further
instructions. Do not return to the building or classroom until advised by a university emergency
response representative.
If confronted by an act of violence, be prepared to make quick decisions to protect your safety.
Flee the area by running away from the source of danger if you can safely do so. If this is not
possible, shelter in place by securing classroom or lab doors and windows, closing blinds, and
turning off room lights. Lie on the floor out of sight and away from windows and doors. Place
cell phones or pagers on vibrate so that you can receive messages quietly. Wait for further
instructions.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN BIOLOGY 111
Attend class. Attending class is the easiest way to know what material you will be responsible for
on quizzes and exams. In addition, it presents timely opportunities to identify and voice any
questions that you may have about the material being covered. If you fail to make a class, I
recommend borrowing notes from more than one peer. After looking them over carefully, meet
with me during office hours for any needed clarification. As stated in the course syllabus, there is
no “make up” for missing class on the day of a quiz or exam.
Commit a substantial amount of time. Plan to devote 5-8 hours a week outside of class time to
the course. Approximately half of this time should be dedicated to preparing for upcoming
lectures/labs/quizzes/exams and half the time should be dedicated to reviewing past lectures/
labs/quizzes/exams. The week prior to an exam, you will probably need to devote an additional 5-8
hours to studying. It can help to set aside regular time slots in their schedule to stay on top of class.
Get the most from assigned readings.
Lecture: when reading the indicated material prior to lecture, pay attention to the “big picture” and
any unfamiliar terminology. The Pre-Class Assignment tool on Launchpad is useful for gauging
your level of reading comprehension. There is no need to invest a lot of time in studying the text
prior to class—we may not cover all the material in lecture. More importantly, this first reading
will help set up an intellectual foundation that should enable you to follow the lecture with relative
ease. After class, go back over the reading; this time focusing more deeply on the material that was
covered in lecture. The In-Class Assignment and LearningCurve Activities on Launchpad are
valuable is assessing your understanding of the material as well and include some simple
application problems. The Quick Check questions embedded in the text are especially useful in
prompting you to use apply material to a new situation, using your own words (similar to what
most quiz/test questions).
Laboratory: read the exercise carefully prior to lab. Highlight anything that is unclear and be sure
to consult your lab partner, instructor or IA before forging ahead in the lab exercise. Being wellprepared for lab is the best way to ensure that you achieve experimental success and finish the
exercise in a timely manner.
Take notes. You should actively be taking notes during lecture and the first few minutes of lab.
Also, when taking lecture notes, leave a fair amount of space to one side (~1/3rd of the page). Look
over your notes soon after lecture and highlight any areas that seem unclear. When you reread the
text assigned to the lecture, add relevant information from the text to that extra space. Merging
lecture notes with reading notes creates a great resource for studying for quizzes and exams.
Work with a study group. Meeting with classmates on a regular basis to discuss course material
is a great way to work through challenging topics. In addition, it is an excellent way to identify
what material is most difficult for you to communicate. Most graded work in this class involves
short answer responses. While achieving a strong comprehension of your notes and the text is a
great foundation, you also need to be able to accurately convey your knowledge with words. Not
feeling comfortable with the language of biology can be a big obstacle. Study groups are the
perfect setting to get practice at “speaking biology.” Find a group of peers who are willing to
carefully listen to one another and provide helpful feedback as course material is discussed.
Additional resources. If you’re struggling, bring your questions and/or concerns to office hours
(or make an appointment if your schedule conflicts). Attend the study session held before each
exam. Meet with biology tutors at the Center for Writing, Learning and Teaching or through Phi
Sigma (hours to be announced).
Biology 111B: Unity of Life
Fall 2015 Schedule
Instructor: Leslie Saucedo
Office: TH257F
Phone: 879-2788
Email: lsaucedo@ups.edu
Texts:
How Life Works, 1st ed., 2013, Morris et al. with Launchpad subscription
A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology, 4th ed., 2013, Knisely
Date
Lecture Topic
Text (Morris)
Lab
Mon. 8-31
Introduction to Biology
Ch. 1
Wed. 9-2
The Molecules of Life I
pp. C1-1 to C1-3, 2-1 to 2-8
Cells and Tissues
Fri. 9-4
The Molecules of Life II
pp. 2-9 to 2-19
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 9-7
No Class (Labor Day)
Wed. 9-9
Nucleic Acids/DNA structure
pp. 3-1 to 3-10
No labs
Fri. 9-11
Transcription
pp. 3-10 to 3-18
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 9-14
Quiz I (material from 8-31 to 9-11), Protein Structure
pp. 4-1 to 4-8
Wed. 9-16
Translation I
pp. 4-8 to 4-15
Biofilms I
Fri. 9-18
Translation II/Protein Evolution
pp. 4-15 to 4-19
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 9-21
Lipids, Membranes and Cell Walls
pp. 5-1 to 5-12
Wed. 9-23
Quiz II (material from 9-14 to 9-21),
pp. 5-12 to 5-23
Membranes
Cell Compartments
Fri. 9-25
Writing Workshop I: Abstracts and hypotheses
Knisely pp. 2-3, 9-27, 79-80
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date
Lecture Topic
Text (Morris)
Lab
Mon. 9-28 Exam I (material from 8-31 to 9-23)
Wed. 9-30 Capturing and Using Energy I
pp. 6-1 to 6-10
Biofilms II
Fri. 10-2 Capturing and Using Energy II
pp. 6-10 to 6-15
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 10-5
Cellular Respiration I
pp. 7-1 to 7-10
Wed. 10-7
Cellular Respiration II
pp. 7-10 to 7-20
Cell Respiration
Fri. 10-9 Quiz III (material from 9-30 to 10-7), Photosynthesis I
pp. 8-1 to 8-8
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 10-12 Photosynthesis II
p. 8-9 to 8-20
Wed. 10-14 Cellular Communication I
pp. C2-2 to 2-4, pp. 9-1 to 9-8
Photosynthesis
Fri. 10-16 Cellular Communication II
pp. 9-8 to 9-16
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 10-19 No Class (fall break)
Wed. 10-21 Cell Form and Function
Ch. 10
No labs
Fri. 10-23 Quiz IV (material from 10-14 to 10-21), Mitosis
pp. 11-1 to11-7
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 10-26 Cell Cycle Regulation
pp. 11-14 to 11-21
Mitosis
Wed. 10-28 Exam II (material from 9-30 to 10-26)
&
Fri. 10-30 Writing Workshop II: Results & Discussion
Knisely 55-59, 76-78
Human Genetics I
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 11-2
Meiosis
pp. 11-7 to 11-14
Meiosis
Wed. 11-4
DNA Replication
pp. C3-2 to 3-4, 12-1 to 12-10
&
Fri. 11-6 Genomes
Ch. 13
Human Genetics II
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date
Lecture Topic
Text (Morris)
Lab
Mon. 11-9
DNA Mutation and Repair
Ch. 14
Genotype
Wed. 11-11 Quiz V (material from 11-2 to 11-9), Genetic Variation
Ch. 15
to
Fri. 11-13 Mendelian Inheritance I
pp. 16-1 to 16-10
Phenotype I
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 11-16 Mendelian Inheritance II
pp 16-11 to 16-18
Genotype
Wed. 11-18 Beyond Mendel
Ch. 17
to
Fri. 11-20 In class genetics problems
Phenotype II
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 11-23 Exam III (material from 10-30 through 11-20)
Wed. 11-25 No Class (travel day)
No Labs
Fri. 11-27 No Class (Thanksgiving holiday)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 11-30 Complex Genetics
Ch. 18
Bioethics
Wed. 12-2
Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation I
pp. 19-1 to 19-10
&
Fri. 12-4 Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation II
pp. 19-10 to 19-22
Lab Practical
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mon. 12-7
Quiz VI (material from 11-30 to 12-4), Development
pp. 20-1 to 20-5, 20-11 to 20-13
No Labs
Wed. 12-9
Course Summary
Friday, December 18th
FINAL EXAM (comprehensive)
8:00-10:00 AM