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BIOL 121.50 (Honors)
TIME:
MWF
W
The Unity of Life
Fall Term 2010
9:00 – 9:50 a.m. lectures in Chichester 222
12 noon – 2:40 p.m. laboratories in Chichester 222
INSTRUCTOR:
OFFICE:
PHONE:
E-MAIL
OFFICE HOURS:
M
TR
Dr. David W. Buckalew
Room 305A or 220 Chichester Sciences Center
395-2586
buckalewdw@longwood.edu
As posted and/or by appointment
11:00 – 12 noon
3:45 – 5:00 pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is the first semester of a two-semester
introduction to the college-level study of biology for biology and health preprofessional majors. Major topics include the molecular and cellular basis of
life, energy and life, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, classical and
molecular genetics, mechanisms of evolution, and classification schemes.
Biology majors must score a C- grade or better before taking advanced
courses (200 level and above) in the major.
Three lectures and one 2-hour lab period per week.
4 credits.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: Raven et al., 2010. Biology (9th ed.)
WCB/McGraw-Hill. (Lecture)
Vodopich and Moore. 2010. Selected exercises from
Biology Laboratory Manual (8th ed.) (Laboratory)
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Knowledge objectives in brief:
1) Students will learn the major classes of biological molecules, their
metabolic conversions, and major functions.
2) Students will become acquainted with the differences between
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the relationship between cell
structure and function.
3) Students will gain an understanding of the major anabolic and
catabolic reactions of life (e.g., cell respiration and photosynthetic
processes).
3) Students will gain an understanding of the nature, inheritance, and
expression of genetic material.
4) Students will be introduced to the concept of the gene, its expression
into protein, current understanding on how the process is regulated,
and to gain an understanding of the extreme mutability of DNA and
RNA.
5) Students will gain an understanding of micro- and macroevolutionary forces as they have served to shape life forms on Earth
through time.
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Skills objectives (inclusive of laboratory component)
1) Students will be required to assimilate a variety of life science topics
related to the cellular and biochemical makeup of life.
2) Students will be tested on specific components of cellular and
biochemical processes and be asked to use this knowledge to address
key biological issues relative to the natural world including human
societies.
3) Students will become proficient in testing hypotheses via scientific
methods of reasoning and analysis.
4) Students will observe, record, and analyze scientific data of selected
experiments.
5) Students will gain expertise in using modern biological techniques
including: microscopy, micropipetting, electrophoresis,
chromatography, and genetic manipulation.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
At minimum, course grading will be comprised of:
A) three hourly tests given approximately every four (4) weeks (100 pts
each for a total of 300 pts)
B) final examination (comprehensive and worth 200 pts) is scheduled
for Friday, December 10. It will be held between 11:30 am – 2:00
pm in the lecture classroom
C) weekly quizzes (10 pts each; 10 highest quizzes kept for 100 pts)
D) five article reviews assigned approx every 2-3 weeks (50 pts)
E) laboratory component (200 pts)
F) other assignments as DETERMINED BY THE INSTRUCTOR
COURSE EVALUATION:
The final grade will be determined as follows – WITH THE POSSIBILITY
OF ADDITIONAL POINTS:
approx. %
three tests @ 100 pts. each
300 points (35%)
the final examination (Friday, Dec 10)
200 points (24%)
ten quizzes @ 10 pts each
100 points (12%)
five article reviews @ 10 pts each
50 points ( 5%)
the laboratory component
200 points (24%)
-lab midterm and final (100 pts each)
_______________________________________________________
total points possible
850 points (100%)
Grading Scale:
Points/Percentage
Final Grade
765 and above (90% - 100%)
680 – 764
(80% - 89%)
595 – 679
(70% - 79%)
510 – 594
(60% - 69%)
Below 510
A
B
C
D
F
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Class attendance and participation policy:


1) Attendance at all classes is recommended.
You are responsible for all material covered in lectures and laboratories,
including any supplementary information in texts or other assigned readings,
classroom handouts, on-line notes, etc. – even during absences!
Excused absences require a request for approval. This request must be
submitted either prior to the missed day or the day you return to campus. In
all cases, the instructor reserves the right to decide excuse validity – here are
some guidelines:
Excused absences
1. Sick with a practitioner’s note
2. Sporting event with coach’s note
3. Conflict with another class meeting/trip
4. Family emergency
5. Dean’s approval
Unexcused absences
1. Absent due to roommate being sick
2. Tickets to sporting/entertainment
events
3. Paper deadline for other class
4. Roomate’s family emergency
5. Alarm clock mishap
THERE WILL BE NO "MAKE-UPS" FOR EXAMS, TESTS OR QUIZZES.
ALL TESTS WILL BE GIVEN AT THE TIME AND DATE SCHEDULED.

Please do not fail to appear for scheduled examinations. Failure to take an
exam results in a grade of zero for that exam. Makeup exams, if the
instructor allows, are entirely essay in nature (5 essays worth 20 pts each).
Because low grades are dropped on quizzes, quizzes cannot be made up.
2) Class participation is strongly encouraged.
 Class participation is of utmost importance. Participation includes:
 Asking questions about the subject matter and related issues
 Responding to questions posed in class
 Initiating and participating in laboratory discussions
 Actively participating in lab exercises
Tardiness and Absences:
Class attendance and punctuality are strongly emphasized as there is a high correlation
between course performance and attendance in this class. Attendance will be taken at the
beginning of class. Any student not present when roll is taken will be considered absent.
Tardiness is assigned some degree of penalty….2 instances of tardiness = 1 absence.
Honor Code Policy:
“Each student, faculty, and staff member will uphold the honor of the University through standards of integrity
established by the Honor System. Trust and community spirit are essential to the academic mission of the University;
so members of the University community are assumed to be honorable unless their conduct (lying, cheating,
plagiarizing, or stealing) proves otherwise.” Any suspected infractions of the honor code will be turned over to the
Student Honor Board for adjudication and, if the student is found guilty by the Board, the sanctions against the
student will be a zero grade for 1st occurrence; “F” course grade for 2nd.
I strongly support the Longwood University Honor System and expect
you to do likewise. All written work is to be pledged and signed.
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COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE:
Some topics as well as the sequence of those topics are subject to change. Exams may
include more or less material than is listed in the schedule depending on how closely we
adhere to the outline........
Date:
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Topic:
Reading (Ch:pp)
8/23 Course intro and rules of the road
1:1-16
8/25 The science of biology; unifying themes
8/27 Scientific inquiry
8/30 Water and pH
2:25-32
9/1
Monomers, polymers, and macromolecules
3:33-37
9/3
Carbohydrates and proteins
3:37-58
9/6
LABOR DAY - NO CLASSES
9/8
Nucleic acids and lipids
3:37-58
9/10 Introduction to cells
4:59-63
9/13 Cells and organelles, Prokaryote vs. Eukaryote
4:63-68
9/15 The endomembrane system and specific organelles
4:68-87
9/17 TEST ONE**********Friday, September 17 ***************************
9/20 Membrane structure and transport processes
5:88-95
9/22 Transport continued
5:96-104
9/24 Energy and metabolism
6:108-113
9/27 Enzyme structure/function, ATP, and metabolic paths
6:113-121
9/29 Aerobic cell respiration
7:122-138
10/1 Fermentation reactions
7:139-140
10/4 Photosynthesis I, the Light dependent reaction
8:147-160
10/6 Photosynthesis II, the Light-independent reaction
8:160-167
10/8 Introduction to the cell cycle
10:186-193
10/11 FALL BREAK - NO CLASSES
10/13 Chromosomes
10:186-193
10/15 Review for Test 2
10/18 TEST TWO**********Monday, October 18 *******************************
10/20 Mitosis and cytokinesis
10:194-198
10/22 Meiosis and sexual reproduction
11:207-220
10/25 Patterns of inheritance
12:221-231
10/27 Mendelian inheritance vs non Mendelian inheritance
12:232-238
10/29 Sex chromosomes and inheritance
13:239-243
11/1 Introduction to DNA
14:256-263
11/3 DNA replication
14:263-270
11/5 The concept of the gene and the Genetic Code
15:278-284
11/8 Transcription and RNA processing
15:284-293
11/10 Translation and the synthesis of protein
15:293-298
11/12 Test Three***********Friday, November 12 ***************************
11/15 Mutation
15:298-303
11/17 Control of Gene expression
16:304-312
11/19 Microevolution – Gene movement within populations
20:396-405
11/22 Microevolution – Hardy Weinberg principle
11/24-26
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY BREAK - NO CLASSES
11/29 Microevolution
12/1 The evidence for evolution
21:417-430
12/3 Darwin’s critics and the idea of intelligent design
21:432-433
12/10 Final Exam**************Friday, December 10 *************************