Sample Lecture Syllabus -- Introductory Biology 152
Course Summary and Philosophy:
Biology 151/152 is a two semester introductory sequence for majors in the biological sciences. Emphasis
will be placed on learning, understanding and being able to use key biological concepts and the scientific
method. The study of modern biology is not only a matter of assimilating factual information. Learning
how to use that information for problem-solving, posing hypotheses and interpreting experimental results
is also critical to understanding biology as a science. The lectures examine key concepts. Discussions
allow you to more fully investigate these. In the laboratory, you will need to use the scientific method
and apply a number of the concepts from lecture to carry out the various exercises. In addition, labs stress
the development of written and oral presentation skills. These are required to successfully communicate
scientific concepts and your research findings to others.
Lecturers:
Course Coordinator:
Teaching Assistants
General TA Office:
TA office hours will be announced in lab and discussion sections
Textbooks & Other Required Materials:
Lecture, Lab and Discussion Sections
This is a five-credit course. Attendance in the lectures and labs and is mandatory. Students must pass
(obtain a minimum letter grade of D) both the lecture and laboratory portions to receive a passing grade
in the course. The reading assignments must be read before lecture.
• The lecture portion of the course will comprise 65% (3 credits) of the final grade, where each lecture
exam counts for 20% of the final grade in the course.
• Lecture assignments/quizzes (the top 2 of 3 assignments/quizzes for each section of the
lecture) will count for 10% of the exam grade for that section.
• The final exam will contain a set of questions on the last 5 weeks of lecture (20% of final
grade) and a set of cumulative short answer questions worth 5% of the total final course
grade. Questions to prepare you for the cumulative portion of the final exam will be handed
out in advance of the exam.
• The lab will comprise 35% of the final grade. Your TA will explain how the labs will be graded.
• Discussions are not mandatory. Previous results have indicated that students who attend discussion do
significantly better in the course than those who do not attend. Your TA will explain how discussion
attendance will be counted toward your grade in the course.
Lecture Exam Schedule
Exam I
Week 6
Exam II
Week 11
Final Exam
Week 16
Exam Make-Up Policy
If you have an academic exam conflict, please notify your course coordinator as soon as possible.
Conflict exams will be scheduled earlier in the day of or the day before the regular exam.
There will be no late make-up exams except for extreme cases such as a death in the family or an
illness. All late make-up exams will be in the oral or modified essay format. See your course coordinator
for scheduling.
No electronic devices will be allowed during exams, including calculators. Any calculations required as
part of an exam will require only basic math skills that you are expected to be competent in at this time.
Notecards will be permitted for use after 45 min. into the exam. Note cards must be handwritten and can
be obtained in lecture the week before each exam.
Grading Scale (for lecture and lab)
90-100% = A
88-89% = AB
80-87% = B
78-79% = BC
70-77% = C
60-69% = D
Honors
The Mentored Research option is the Honors option for Biology 152. If you are doing mentored research
you are eligible for Honors in 152. If you want to take this course for Honors and have not registered for
Honors credit or if you are registered for this course for Honors and are not doing Mentored Research,
you can add or drop the Honors credit via MY UW.
Students with Special Needs
If you need special accommodations due to a special need for any course activities, please see your course
coordinator within the first three weeks of this course. If you would like more information about
services for students with special needs, you can contact McBurney Resource Center at 263-2741 or
www.mcburney.wisc.edu.
You can access the full syllabus, class schedule and other course
information on the Biology/Botany/Zoology 152 Learn@UW site.
INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY 152
WEEK
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
1
2
3
4
5
6
LECTURE TOPIC
Introduction to physiology - What principles limit the form and function of animals?
Digestion - Why and how do organisms eat?
Digestion - How does it occur?
Respiration - Why do we breathe?
Hormone and Nervous Systems - How does one part of the body know what the other parts are doing?
Continue Endocrine system.
How is information transmitted in the nervous system?
How does the nervous system act to produce integrated action of muscular and sensory activities?
In-class graded activities
Circulation - How are heart structure and metabolic rate related?
Kidney - How are blood pressure and removal of metabolic wastes related?
In-class graded activities
Immune System I
Immune System II
Exam Review
T
Exam I
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
Origins and early evolution of plants
Diversity and life history of plants
Seed germination and growth
Photosynthesis
Plant Growth I
Plant Growth II
Plant Reproduction
Plant Reproduction & GMOs
Plant Nutrition
Transport within and between cells
Water Transport - xylem
Sugar Transport - phloem
Plant Hormones
Response to stress
Introduction to Ecology: questions, issues, and applications
7
8
9
10
11
T
Exam II
W
F
M
Global Processes – earth systems & climate change
Global Processes and how they affect the distribution of organisms
Behavioral Ecology – use of models & introduction to optimal foraging
Behavioral Ecology – mating & reproduction
THANKSGIVING BREAK
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
12
13
14
15
Population Ecology – ways of describing and measuring populations
Population Ecology – population growth models I
Population Ecology – population growth models II
Community ecology – community structure
Community ecology – predation, competition and disturbance
Ecological systems – nutrient cycles & energy transfer
Ecological systems – comparison of aquatic & terrestrial systems
Ecological systems – drivers of change, alternative states & resilience
Conservation biology – ecology & policy
F
16
FINAL EXAM
Note: Reading assignments which are ordinarily specified have been left off of this sample
lecture outline.