Request for New Course – BIO 508
EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
REQUEST FOR NEW COURSE
DEPARTMENT/SCHOOL: BIOLOGY
COLLEGE: ARTS AND SCIENCES
CONTACT PERSON: CHIRON W. GRAVES
CONTACT PHONE: 487-0796
CONTACT EMAIL: CGRAVES6@EMICH.EDU
REQUESTED START DATE: TERM FALL
YEAR 2011
A. Rationale/Justification for the Course
The American Association for the Advancement of Science in its publication, Science For All Americans, argues all science
literate citizens should have an understanding of “the great episodes in the history of scientific endeavors” so they can develop a
greater understanding of how the scientific enterprise works and the impact significant scientific endeavors have had on our cultural
heritage. The goal of this course is to provide students with a forum to analyze some of the major biological investigations in the
context of their historical and social impact to help foster their developing science literacy. BIO 508 is a required course for the
Master of Arts in Teaching Program with a concentration in Biology. Additionally, BIO 508 serves as an elective course for the
Master of Science Programs in Biology, Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Ecology and Organismal Biology.
B. Course Information
1. Subject Code and Course Number: BIO 508
2. Course Title: Historical Analysis of Biological Investigations
3. Credit Hours: 3 credit hours
4. Repeatable for Credit? Yes_______
No
X
If “Yes”, how many total credits may be earned?
N/A
5. Catalog Description (Limit to approximately 50 words.):
In this lecture/discussion course, we will examine societal thinking prior to and following formation of some of the major biological
theories in four major themes in biology: 1) the interdependence of living systems and the environment, 2) organization of living things, 3)
heredity, and 4) evolution using a NOS framework.
6. Method of Delivery (Check all that apply.)
a. Standard (lecture/lab) X
On Campus
X
Off Campus
b. Fully Online
c. Hybrid/ Web Enhanced
7. Grading Mode:
Normal (A-E) X
Credit/No Credit
8. Prerequisites: Courses that MUST be completed before a student can take this course. (List by Subject Code, Number and Title.)
There are no prerequisites for this course
New Course Form
9. Concurrent Prerequisites:
Code, Number and Title.)
Courses listed in #5 that MAY also be taken at the same time as a student is taking this course. (List by Subject
There are no concurrent prerequisites for the proposed course
10. Corequisites: Courses that MUST be taken at the same time as a student in taking this course.
(List by Subject Code, Number and
Title.)
There are no corequisites for the proposed course
11. Equivalent Courses. A student may not earn credit for both a course and its equivalent. A course will count as a repeat if an equivalent
course has already been taken. (List by Subject Code, Number and Title)
There are no current courses equivalent to the proposed course
12. Course Restrictions:
a. Restriction by College. Is admission to a specific College Required?
College of Business
Yes
No
X
College of Education
Yes
No
X
b. Restriction by Major/Program. Will only students in certain majors/programs be allowed to take this course?
Yes
No
X
If “Yes”, list the majors/programs
c. Restriction by Class Level Check all those who will be allowed to take the course:
Undergraduate
Graduate
All undergraduates_______
All graduate students__X_
Freshperson
Certificate
Sophomore
Masters
Junior
Specialist
Senior
X
Doctoral
Second Bachelor________
UG Degree Pending_____
Post-Bac. Tchr. Cert.__X__
Low GPA Admit_______
Note: If this is a 400-level course to be offered for graduate credit, attach Approval Form for 400-level Course for Graduate
Credit. Only “Approved for Graduate Credit” undergraduate courses may be included on graduate programs of study.
Note: Only 500-level graduate courses can be taken by undergraduate students. Undergraduate students may not register for
600-level courses
d. Restriction by Permission. Will Departmental Permission be required?
Yes
No
(Note: Department permission requires the department to enter authorization for every student registering.)
13. Will the course be offered as part of the General Education Program?
Request for New Course – BIO 508
Yes
No
X
X
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New Course Form
If “Yes”, attach Request for Inclusion of a Course in the General Education Program: Education for Participation in the Global Community
form. Note: All new courses proposed for inclusion in this program will be reviewed by the General Education Advisory Committee. If this
course is NOT approved for inclusion in the General Education program, will it still be offered? Yes
No
C. Relationship to Existing Courses
Within the Department:
14. Will this course will be a requirement or restricted elective in any existing program(s)? Yes X
No
If “Yes”, list the programs and attach a copy of the programs that clearly shows the place the new course will have in the curriculum.
Program
Master of Arts in Teaching – Biology Concentration
Program
15. Will this course replace an existing course? Yes
No
Required
X Restricted Elective
Required
Restricted Elective
X
16. (Complete only if the answer to #15 is “Yes.”)
a. Subject Code, Number and Title of course to be replaced:
b. Will the course to be replaced be deleted?
Yes
No
17. (Complete only if the answer #16b is “Yes.”) If the replaced course is to be deleted, it is not necessary to submit a Request for
Graduate and Undergraduate Course Deletion.
a. When is the last time it will be offered?
Term
Year
b. Is the course to be deleted required by programs in other departments?
Contact the Course and Program Development Office if necessary.
Yes
No
c. If “Yes”, do the affected departments support this change?
Yes
No
If “Yes”, attach letters of support. If “No”, attach letters from the affected department explaining the lack of support, if available.
Outside the Department: The following information must be provided. Contact the Course and Program Development office for
assistance if necessary.
18. Are there similar courses offered in other University Departments?
If “Yes”, list courses by Subject Code, Number and Title
Yes
No
X
19. If similar courses exist, do the departments in which they are offered support the proposed course?
Yes
No
If “Yes”, attach letters of support from the affected departments. If “No”, attach letters from the affected department explaining the lack of
support, if available.
Request for New Course – BIO 508
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New Course Form
D. Course Requirements
20. Attach a detailed Sample Course Syllabus including:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Course goals, objectives and/or student learning outcomes
Outline of the content to be covered
Student assignments including presentations, research papers, exams, etc.
Method of evaluation
Grading scale (if a graduate course, include graduate grading scale)
Special requirements
Bibliography, supplemental reading list
Other pertinent information.
NOTE: COURSES BEING PROPOSED FOR INCLUSION IN THE EDUCATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE GLOBAL
COMMUNITY PROGRAM MUST USE THE SYLLABUS TEMPLATE PROVIDED BY THE GENERAL EDUCATION
ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE TEMPLATE IS ATTACHED TO THE REQUEST FOR INCLUSION OF A COURSE IN THE
GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM: EDUCATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY FORM.
E. Cost Analysis (Complete only if the course will require additional University resources.
Fill in Estimated Resources for the
sponsoring department(s). Attach separate estimates for other affected departments.)
Estimated Resources:
Year One
Year Two
Year Three
Faculty / Staff
$_________
$_________
$_________
SS&M
$_________
$_________
$_________
Equipment
$_________
$_________
$_________
Total
$_________
$_________
$_________
F. Action of the Department/School and College
1. Department/School
Vote of faculty: For ___14_______
Against ___0_____
Abstentions ____1____
(Enter the number of votes cast in each category.)
Department Head/School Director Signature
Date
2. College/Graduate School
A. College
College Dean Signature
Date
B. Graduate School (if Graduate Course)
Graduate Dean Signature
Date
G. Approval
Associate Vice-President for Academic Programming Signature
Request for New Course – BIO 508
Date
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New Course Form
COURSE SYLLABUS FOR
BIO 508: HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS
FALL 2010
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am – 10:30am – 205 Rackham Building
Dr. Chiron W. Graves
Assistant Professor of Biology
CONTACT INFORMATION
My office is located in Rackham room 204. My office hours for Fall 2010 are scheduled on Mondays and
Wednesdays from 10:30 to 12:30. You can also set up an appointment to meet with me. My office phone number is
487-0796 and my email address is cgraves6@emich.edu.
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND RATIONALE
The American Association for the Advancement of Science argues all science literate citizens should have an
understanding of “the great episodes in the history of scientific endeavors” so they can develop a greater understanding
of how the scientific enterprise works and the impact significant scientific endeavors have had on our cultural heritage
(1989). The goal of this course is to provide students with a forum to analyze some of the major biological investigations in
the context of their historical and social impact to help foster their developing science literacy. In this course, we will
examine societal thinking prior to and following formation of some of the major biological theories in four major themes in
biology: 1) the interdependence of living systems and the environment, 2) organization of living things, 3) heredity, and 4)
evolution. We will use a Nature of Science framework to examine the major investigations, the scientists involved, and the
societal and scientific impacts of the investigation. Our analysis will include a combination of original publications,
biographies, and other published materials that provide a historical perspective of the scientific and societal culture of
the eras in which the investigations occurred.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the impact some significant biological
investigations have had on our society through analysis of the scientific publications connected with these investigations
and other historical materials.
ALIGNMENT WITH THE BIOLOGY CURRICULUM
This course is a required course for students seeking a Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Biology.
BIO 508 provides these students with a course that helps them to address standard 2 of the National Science Teacher
Association Standards (Nature of Science) for Science Teacher Preparation, which states that “teachers of science must
demonstrate that they understand the historical and cultural development of science and the evolution of knowledge in
their discipline”. Additionally, BIO 508 serves as an elective course for students in the Master of Science Programs in
Biology, Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Ecology and Organismal Biology. BIO 508 provides these students with an
opportunity to develop a greater understanding of how the scientific enterprise works and the impact significant scientific
endeavors have had on our cultural heritage.
COURSE MATERIALS
Every student is required to purchase the BIO 508 Course Packet. This packet includes all of the readings we will discuss
for this course.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT IN THE COURSE
There are 3 main categories that determine your grade for BIO 508:
1) Final Project (worth 50% of your grade) – All students will produce an individual project toward the end of
the semester. There are two options for the project: 1) a lesson plan designed to help future students
understand the social impact of a collection of related scientific investigations discussed in class, or 2) a
research paper that examines the social impact of a collection of related scientific investigations of interest
to the student but not discussed in class.
2) Analysis Papers (worth 40% of your grade) – The analysis papers are written responses to the readings,
discussions, and activities associated with one of the major themes explored (e.g. Developing our Understanding
the Flow of Matter and Energy). These assignments should be no less than a page and no more than 2 pages.
Due to the nature of these assignments, they will not be accepted after their due date.
Request for New Course – BIO 508
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New Course Form
3) Class Participation (worth 10% of your grade) – All students are expected to actively participate in every
class discussion and/or activity. Failure to do so will result in a loss of class participation points.
Course grades will be assigned according to a straight scale with the upper and lower 3% of each range
receiving + or – grades (however, A+ is not awarded).
A
930 – 1000 pts
A900 – 929.9 pts
B+
870 – 899.9 pts
B
830 – 869.9 pts
B-
800 – 829.9 pts
C+
770 – 799.9 pts
C
730 – 769.9 pts
C-
700 – 729.9 pts
Note: You must earn a grade of C or better to receive credit for taking BIOT 403.
Request for New Course – BIO 508
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New Course Form
MEETING DATE
TOPIC
September 9
September 14
Developing Our
Understanding
of the Flow of
Matter and
Energy
Developing Our
Understanding
of the
Organization of
Living Things
September
September
September
September
16
21
23
28
September 30
October 5
October 7
October 12
October 14
October 19
October 21
October 26
Developing Our
Understanding
of Heredity
Developing Our
Understanding
of Evolution
October 28
November 2
November 4
November 9
November 11
November 18
November
November
November
December
December
December
23
25
30
2
7
9
Request for New Course – BIO 508
Introduction of the course
The Advent of Western Scientific Thought
Developing Our Understanding of the Nature of
Science
• Van Helmont’s Willow Tree Experiments
Photosynthesis: Frederick Blackman’s work
Putting the
Cornelis Bernadrdus Van Niel’s work
pieces
Melvin Calvin’s work
together
Cellular Respiration: How are the products of
photosynthesis used by plants and other organisms?
• Examining the work of Hans Adolf Krebs and his
contemporaries
• ***1st Analysis Paper due 10/7***
• Building Cell Theory: Foundational work for the
1st tenet.
• Building Cell Theory: Foundational work for the
2nd tenet.
• Building Cell Theory: Foundational work for the
3rd tenet.
• Building Cell Theory: Foundational work for the
4th tenet.
• Expansion of Our Understanding: Discovery of
Stem Cells
• The Immune System: A Textbook Example of
Cell Differentiation and Specialization.
• ***2nd Analysis Paper due 10/28***
• Gregor Mendel paves the way.
•
•
•
Watson and Crick discover DNA! (Well, not exactly.)
Cracking the Code: Using the Central Dogma of
Molecular Biology as a Theoretical Framework for
Understanding Genomes
• ***3rd Analysis Paper due 11/23***
• Examining the ideas that preceded Darwin’s
Darwin’s Contribution to Science: Evolutionary Theory
by Natural Selection
•
•
•
The “evolution” of Darwinism
***4th Analysis Paper due 12/10***
***Final Project due 12/13***
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New Course Form
UNIVERSITY RESOURCES
A number of resources are available to EMU students. It is in your best interest to use them.
!" The University Writing Center (115 Halle Library) offers one-to-one writing consulting for both
undergraduate and graduate students. Students can make appointments or drop in between the hours
of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays. One-to-one
consulting is also available in the Student Success Center in the First-Year Complex from 6 p.m. to 8
p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Students should bring a draft of what they’re working on and their
assignment. The UWC also offers small group workshops on various topics related to writing (e.g.,
Strategies for Successful College Reading; Peer Review; Revising and Editing Your Writing).
Descriptions of all UWC workshops will be posted at www.emich.edu/english/writing-center by midSeptember. #
b. The Academic Projects Center (116 Halle Library) offers one-to-one consulting for students on
writing, research, or technology-related issues. No appointment is required – students can just drop in.
The APC is open 11am-5pm Monday-Thursday. Additional information about the APC can be found at
http://www.emich.edu/apc. Students visiting the Academic Projects Center should bring with them a
draft of what they’re working on and their assignment sheet.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
1. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: All forms of academic dishonesty (e.g. cheating, falsification, and/or plagiarism) will not
be tolerated in this course. Penalties for an act of academic dishonesty may range from receiving a failing grade
for a particular assignment to receiving a failing grade for the entire course. In addition, you may be referred to
the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards for discipline that can result in either a suspension or
permanent dismissal. You may access the EMU Student Code of Conduct online at
www.emich.edu/studentconduct/index.html for a detailed list of what is not permissible.
2. CLASSROOM CONDUCT: All students are expected to abide by the Student Conduct Code and assist in creating
an environment that is conducive to learning. Incivility and disruptive behavior of any nature will not be tolerated
and may result in a request for you to leave class as well as the involvement of the Department of Public Safety
and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. Examples of inappropriate classroom conduct are
repeatedly arriving late to class, using a cellular telephone in class, or talking while others are speaking, and
inappropriate use of computers in class (i.e. anything other than taking notes or reviewing notes posed on-line). A
more complete explanation can be found by accessing the EMU Student Code of Conduct online at
www.emich.edu/sjs/conductcode.html.
3. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you wish to be accommodated for your disability, policy #8.3 of the EMU
Board of Regents requires that you must first be registered with the Disabilities Resource Center (DRC) in room
240-K Student Center (telephone 734.487.2470). Accommodations for students with disabilities can only be
granted after the DRC provides me with official notification. No retroactive accommodations are made.
4. COMMUNICATING GRADES: FERPA (the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) does not permit me to discuss
grades with anyone but you and anyone to whom written permission has been granted. The FERPA website is:
http://www.emich.edu/registrar/registration_info/ferpa_facultystaff.php
5. UNIVERSITY APPROVED ABSENCES: Accommodations will be made provided that proper notification and
documentation is given at least two weeks in advance. Visit the following website for more information:
http://www.emich.edu/policies/chapter6/6-2-1.html
6. F and J VISA STUDENTS: The Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) requires F and J students
to report the following to the Office of International Students, 244 Student Center within ten (10) days of the
event:
•
Changes in your name, local address, major field of study, or source of funding;
•
Changes in your degree-completion date;
Request for New Course – BIO 508
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New Course Form
•
Changes in your degree-level (ex. Bachelors to Masters)
•
Intent to transfer to another school
Prior permission from OIS is needed for the following:
•
Dropping all courses as well as carrying or dropping below minimum credit hours;
•
Employment on or off campus
•
Registering for more than one online course per term (F visa only)
•
Endorsing I-20 or DS-2019 for re-entry into the USA
Failure to report may result in the termination of your SEVIS record and even arrest and deportation. If you have
questions or concerns, contact the Office of International Students at 734.487.3116, not the course instructor.
BIBLIOGRAPHY – additional readings will be assigned from this list
Allen, Garland 1975. Life Sciences in the Twentieth Century. New York: Wiley.
Baker, J. R. (1949). The cell-theory; a restatement, history and critique. Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science. 90
(1). 87-108.
Benson, A. and Calvin, M. (1947). The dark reductions of photosynthesis. Science. 105 (2738). 648-649.
Blackman, F. F., Blackman, V. H., Keeble, F. Oliver, F. W. and Tansley, A. G. (1917) The reconstruction of elementary
botanical teaching. New Phytologist. 16 (10). 241-252.
Bowler, P. (1984) Evolution: The History of an Idea. Berkeley: University of California Press
Bowler, Peter 1987. Theories of Human Evolution, 1844-1944. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Bowler, Peter 1989. The Mendelian Revolution: Emergence of Hereditarian Concepts in Modern Science and Society.
London: Athlone.
Bowler, Peter 1989. Evolution: The History of an Idea. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Bowler, Peter 1992. The Eclipse of Darwin: Anti-Darwinian Evolutionary Theories in the Decades around 1900. Baltimore:
Johns Hopkins.
Calvin, M and Benson, A. (2008). The path of carbon in photosynthesis IV. The identification and sequence of the
intermediates in sucrose synthesis. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories.
Carlson, E. A. (2001). The Gene: A Critical History. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Press.
Coleman, William 1971. Biology in the Nineteenth Century. New York: Wiley.
Corsi, Pietro and Paul Weindling, eds. 1983. Information Sources in the History of Science and Medicine. New York:
Garland.
Corsi, Pietro 1988. The Age of Lamarck: Evolutionary Theories in France, 1790-1830. Berkeley: University of California
Press.
Darwin, C. On Natural Selection (Penguin Great Ideas). Penguin, 2005.
Desmond, Adrian 1989. The Politics of Evolution: Morphology, Medicine and Reform in Radical London. Chicago: University
of Chicago Press.
Edwards, R. G. (2001). IVF and the history of stem cells. Nature. 413. 349-351.
Egerton, F.N. and R.P. McIntosh, eds. 1977. History of American Ecology. New York: Arno.
Fara, Partricia, 2009. Science: A Four Thousand Year History. Oxford University Press.
Franke, W. W. (1988). Matthias Jacob Schleiden and the definition of the cell nucleus. European Journal of Cell Biology. 47
(2) 145-156.
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New Course Form
Griffiths, P. E. and Gray, R. D. 1994. “Developmental Systems and Evolutionary Biology.” Journal of Philosophy 91(6):277–
304.
Howe, H. (1965) A root of van Helmont’s tree. Isis. 56 (4). 408-419
Huzisige, H. and Ke, B. (1993). Dynamics of the history of photosynthesis research. Photosynthesis Research. 38. 185-209.
Kluyver, A. J. and van Niel, C. B. (1956). The Microbe’s Contribution to Biology. Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University Press.
Knight, David 1981. Ordering the World: A History of Classifying Man. London: Burnett.
Krebs, H. A. (1935). Metabolism of amino-acids: Deamination of amino-acids. Biochemical Journal. 29 (7). 1620-1644.
Krebs, H. A. and Eggleston, L. V. (1940). The oxidation of pyruvate in pigeon breast muscle. Biochemical Journal. 34 (3).
442-459.
Krebs, H. A. and Johnson, W. A. (1937). Metabolism of ketonic acids in animal tissues. Biochemical Journal. 31 (4). 645-660.
Lamarck, Jean-Baptiste. 1914 [1809]. Zoological Philosophy, trans. and ed. H. Elliot. Macmillan.
Lankester, E. Ray. 1896. “Are Specific Characters Useful? [Letter of July 16, 1896].” Nature 54(1394):245–246.
Leblond, C. P. (2005). The life history of cells in renewing systems. Developmental Dynamics. 160 (2). 113-158.
Lyell, Charles. 1837 [1830]. Principles of Geology, 5th ed. Philadelphia: James Kay.
Malthus, Thomas R. 1890 [1798]. An Essay on the Principle of Population, 9th ed. London:
Ward, Lock, and Co.
Mayr, Ernst 1982. The Growth of Biological Thought. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Mayr, Ernst. 1997 [1959]. “Agassiz, Darwin, and Evolution.” In Evolution and the Diversity of Life: Selected Essays.
Belknap.
Mazzarello, P. (1999). A unifying concept: The history of cell theory. Nature Cell Biology. 1. E13-E15.
Mendel, Gregor [communicated by C.T. Druery and W. Bateson]. 1901 [1865]. “Experiments in Plant Hybridization.” Journal
of the Royal Horticultural Society 26:1–32.
Morton, A.G. 1981. The History of Botanical Science. London: Academic Press.
Nordenskjold, Erik 1928. The History of Biology. New York: Tudor.
Pagel, W. (1982) Joan Baptista van Helmont: Reformer of Science and Medicine. Cambridge, UK. Cambridge University
Press.
Olby, Robert C. 1966 [1985]. Origins of Mendelism. New York: Schlocken.
Olby, Robert C., G.N. Cantor, J.R.R. Christie and M.S.J. Hodge, eds. 1990. Companion to the History of Modern Science.
Routledge.
Rainger, Ronald, Keith Benson and Jane Maienschein, eds. 1988. The American Development of Biology. Philadelphia:
University of Pennsylvania Press.
Schleiden, M. J. (Translated by Edwin Lankester, 1849). Principles of Scientific Botany: or, Botany as an Inductive Science.
London. Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, Paternoster-Row.
Schwann, T. (Translated by Henry Smith, 1847). Microscopical Researches into the Accordance in the Structure and
Growth of Animals and Plants. Biological Laboratories Library. Harvard University.
Tax, Sol. 1960. “Panel Two: The Evolution of Life.” In Evolution After Darwin. Univ. of
Chicago Press.
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New Course Form
Vasil, I. K. (2008). A history of plant biotechnology: From the cell theory of Schleiden and Schwann to biotech crops. Plant
Cell Reports. 27 (9). 1423-1440.
Watson, James D. and Francis H.C. Crick. 1953. “Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids.” Nature 171(4356):737–738.
Weldon, W.F.R. (1893). “On Certain Correlated Variations in Carcinus moenas,” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London
54:318–329.
Whewell, William. 1847 [1840]. The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, vol. 2. London:
John W. Parker.
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