Heartland Community College
Math/Science Division
Student Syllabus for BIOL 161-02 and BIOL 161-02L
Principle of Biology I
Spring 2012
Meeting times:
 BIOL 161-02: Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:45 pm [ICB 1301]
 BIOL 161-02L1: Mondays, 7:00 – 8:50 pm [ICB 1005]
Catalog Description:
Prerequisite: MATH 096 or MATH 099 with a grade of C or better or assessment. A
first course in biology for those students who are concentrating in the sciences. General
principles of biology with emphasis on molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, biodiversity,
and evolution. The laboratory component will emphasize scientific inquiry and use of knowledge
in problem solving. Students will not receive science credit toward their graduation requirements
for both BIOL 114 and BIOL 161.
Instructor Information:
Hong Fei, Adjunct Faculty
Office: ICB 2402; Phone: 268-8651; Cell 212-0455; Home 662-7980
E-mail:
hong.fei@heartland.edu
Web: http://employee.heartland.edu/hfei
Division Secretary: Karen Bunker 268-8671 ICB 2400
Office hours:
Tuesdays and Thursdays within one hour before class or any time after class
Any other day and time by appointment
Lab Manager:
Angela Kerr
Phone: 268-8521
Required Materials:
Mader, Sylvia S. Biology. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2010.
PLEASE PRINT OUT ALL OF YOUR LAB MANUALS from Professor Joungky’s site:
http://employee.heartland.edu/tjongky/biol161.html#Labs
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer:
BIOL 161 fulfills 4 of the 7 (A.A.) or 8 (A.S.) semester hours of credit in the Life/Physical Sciences
required for the A.A. or A.S. degree. BIOL 161 also satisfies the laboratory requirement for the A.A.
degree. BIOL 161 should transfer as part of the General Education Core Curriculum described in the
Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) to other Illinois colleges and universities participating in the IAI.
However, students should consult an academic advisor for transfer information regarding particular
institutions. Refer to the IAI web page for more information: www.itransfer.org
Basic requirements and make-up policies:
1.
Wireless devices and computer are not to be used in class room during lecture and
discussions.
2.
It is the responsibility of the students to check their “my heartland” email for any
notifications.
3.
It is allowed to make-up for quiz. It will be in the test center (new location!) only in
the period of time between the quiz and the time next class meets.
4.
Home works and class activities are allowed to be finished within the time of the
given unit.
5.
There is NO make-up for labs.
6.
There is NO make-up for the Journal Club.
7.
The student will complete most labs before leaving class. If a lab assignment has to
be finished outside of class, the assignment is due the next class day. Only students
who attend lab can finish the lab assignment.
8.
In extreme cases (such as, documented severe illness, documented accident, or
military duties) when a student must miss class for more than 2 weeks, the student
must contact the instructor as soon as possible to discuss the best course of action.
Incomplete Grade
An Incomplete grade may be justified to a student if the student encounters extreme
circumstances (e.g., serious illness, accident, death or serious illness in the immediate
family) toward the end of the semester and is unable to complete the semester. The
student must be in a position to pass the class if the Incomplete is given. The student
must sign a form requiring him/her to finish the class by next semester.
Required Writing and Reading
Students must read the textbook to prepare for classroom activities. Students will write
about biological news and answer questions on quizzes and labs.
Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is the presenting of others’ ideas as if they were your own. When you write a
paper, create a project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all
the work, except for that which is attributed to another author or creator, is your own.
Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offense and may take the following forms:
Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own.
Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source.
Paraphrasing someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it
were your own.
Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as
if it were your own.
[Adapted from the Modern Language Association’s MLA Handbook for Writers of
Research Papers. New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism. The penalties for
plagiarism may be severe, ranging from failure on the particular piece of work, failure in
the course or expulsion from school in extreme cases.
Academic Support Center Services
http://www.heartland.edu/asc/
1.
Library
The Library, located in the Student Commons Building at the Raab Road campus,
provides Heartland students with a full range of resources including books, online
journal databases, videos, newspapers, periodicals, reserves, and interlibrary loan.
Librarians are available to assist in locating information.
For more information please call the Library (309) 268-8200 or (309) 268-8292.
http://www.heartland.edu/LIBRARY/index.html
2.
Tutoring Services
Heartland Community College offers tutoring in various forms at no cost to Heartland
students at the Tutoring and Testing Center in Normal and at the Pontiac and Lincoln
Centers. Tutors are available at convenient times throughout the week. Study groups
are also available by request. For more information about services available at each
location, please call the Tutoring and Testing Center in Normal at (309) 268-8231,
the Pontiac Center at (815) 842-6777, or the Lincoln Center (217) 735-1731.
http://www.heartland.edu/asc/tutor.html
3.
Testing Services
The Tutoring and Testing Center provides a secure testing environment for students
who are enrolled in online, hybrid, and other distance learning courses; have a
documented disability; or need to take a make-up exam. Testing accommodations for
students having documented disabilities must be arranged by the student through the
Office of Disability Services, and Testing Services will only administer make-up
exams at the request of the instructor. Contact Testing Services at (309) 268-8231 for
more information.
http://www.heartland.edu/asc/testing.html
4.
Open Computing Lab
The Open Computing Lab provides free computing for HCC students at convenient
times throughout the week. The computer lab is staffed by trained Lab Assistants and
offers the use of approximately 70 computers, a scanner, a laser printer, and an
electric typewriter.
http://www.heartland.edu/asc/computerlab.html
Documented disability
If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations,
please contact Anita Moore at 268-8249 or anita.moore@heartland.edu
**Notice of Cancelled Class Sessions**
Cancelled class sessions, for all HCC classes, will be listed under Cancelled Class
Meetings in the A-Z Index and under Academic Information in the Current Students page
on the HCC Web site. Go to http://www.heartland.edu/classCancellations/ to learn what
classes have been cancelled for that day and the upcoming week. Be sure to check the last
column, which might contain a message from the instructor.
Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1.
Connect concepts in a chapter and between chapters using concept maps.
2.
Determine how the scientific method is used to solve everyday problems as well as scientific
research problems.
3.
Describe how the body uses the four major biological organic molecules (i.e., carbohydrates,
proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids).
4.
Identify the structure and function of organelles within eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
5.
Illustrate energy utilization mechanisms, especially cellular respiration and photosynthesis, in
living systems.
6.
Differentiate between the importance of mitosis and meiosis.
7.
Trace the history of DNA discovery and why gene expression is important.
8.
Solve genetic problems.
9.
Describe basic mechanisms of evolution.
10.
Apply information learned to medical, environmental, and bioethical issues.
11.
Provide examples of the relatedness of biology and chemistry.
12.
Apply research skills and data collection techniques to complete laboratory exercises.
13.
Use a computer to access information and to analyze data gathered during lab.
Tentative Schedule:
Week 1
January 18
Unit 1: Molecules and Cells
Scientific Method – Chapter 1
Diversity of Life – Chapter 1 and 18.1
Week 2
January 23, 25
Unit 1: Molecules and Cells
Biological Molecules – chapters 2 and 3
Lab 1: Basic Microscopy
Week 3
January 30, February 1
Unit 1: Molecules and Cells
Cell – Chapter 4
Lab 2: Life Characteristics
Week 4
February 6, 8
Unit 1: Molecules and Cells
Membrane – Chapters 5
Lab 3: Microbes
Week 5
February 13, 15
Unit 1: Molecules and Cells
Lab 4: Chemistry of Life
Unit 1 Test: February 15
Week 6
February 20, 22
Unit 2: Metabolism
Thermodynamics – Chapter 6
Enzyme Dynamics
Lab 5: Homeostasis
Week 7
February 27, 29
Unit 2: Metabolism
Respiration – Chapter 8
Lab 6: Cellular Pathology
Week 8
March 5, 7
Unit 2: Metabolism
Photosynthesis – Chapter 7
Lab 7: Cellular Respiration
Unit 2 Test: March 7
Spring Break: No Class on March 12 and 14
Week 9
March 19, 21
Unit 3: Genetics
Discuss the test
DNA / RNA /Protein Lab
Lab 9: Mitosis/Meiosis
Week 10
March 26, 28
Unit 3: Genetics
Mitosis & Meiosis – Chapters 9 and 10
Lab 10: Blueprint of Life
Week 11
April 2, 4
Unit 3: Genetics
Medelian Genetics – Chapter 11
Journal Club Preparation
Lab 11: Mendelian Genetics
Week 12
April 9, 11
Unit 3: Genetics
Journal Club: April 9
DNA Replication – Chapter 12
Lab 12: Human Genetic Disorders
Week 13
April 16, 18
Unit 3: Genetics
Gene Expression – Chapter 12
Lab 13: DNA Detective
Week 14
April 23, 25
Unit 3: Genetics
Gene Expression Regulation – Chapter 13 and 14
Unit 3 Test: April 25
Lab 8: Photosynthesis
Week 15
April 30, May 2
Unit 4: Evolution
Hardy – Weinberg Equilibrium Activities - Chapter 15 and 16
Week 16
May 7, 9
Unit 4: Evolution
Sexual Selection Activities – Chapter 17
Unit 4 Test: May 9
Week 17: Final exam time and deadline for everything: May 14
Unit 1 - Molecules and Cells: 5 Weeks
Unit 2 – Metabolism: 3 Weeks
Unit 3 – Genetics: 6 Weeks
Unit 4 – Evolution: 2 Weeks
Grading:
Each Unit = 100 Points (Test and Thinking Questions) / Total = 400 Points
Journal Club Presentation = 100 Points
Each Lab = 10 Points / Total = 130 Points
Total Possible = 640
Total grade = Points Earned / Total Possible
E. g. If you had earned 590 out of the 630 possible points, your final grade would be
590 / 630 = 94%. Your final letter grade would be an A.
Safety Rules for Biology Lab
1. Emergency shower and emergency eye wash are located at the side of classroom.
2. Fire extinguisher is located in the classroom. Familiarize yourself with the location.
3. Safety information about chemicals used in labs, including chemical storage, poison
control and treatment, is on file and available in binder in the storage room. These papers
are called Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) that are required by law to be available
for inspection by users.
4. Eye protection, gloves, aprons will be provided when exercise necessities; however,
they are available at all times upon request.
5. Always ware gloves when handling chemicals.
6. Dispose hazardous material in special containers.
7. Dispose sharps (needles, blades) in sharp container.
8. Dispose bacteria culture in biohazard bags.
9. Rinse with copious amount of water when chemicals spilled on skin.
10. Handling vaporous material in fume hood.
11. Clean up work area so next time or next person will not touch chemicals or microbes.
12. Report accident immediately.
The Journal Club
In biology, we encounter a lot of facts, concepts and theories. It makes little sense
to memorize facts without understanding how they were discovered, why the theories are
correct, and how the concepts are useful. It is important that at the college level, students
read and present articles from original, peer reviewed journals and understand them as the
recognized source of information for scientists or scientific community at large.
1. Objectives
Students will re-trace steps in the process of scientific inquiries.
2. Procedure:
At the beginning of unit 3, you will receive a series of scientific journal articles
that are simplified version of significant discoveries. Because they are all discoveries that
revolutionized biotechnology and medicine, they will give you ideas of “how” and “why”
behind theories. Because they are simplified, technical details are avoided.
All students will be given articles and a question sheet to read and answer.
However, each group of students will have an article to present. They will present to the
class the following aspects of the article.
1)
Why the research was done? What problem they hoped to solve? What
background work had been done?
2)
Describe the methods. Why did they choose this particular method? What was the
breakthrough in this methodology?
3)
Explain the results. If there are data, tables, or figures, you are expected to explain
them to the audience. You should show the data as if you were presenting them to
the scientific community, using visual aids.
4)
What were the conclusions? What was the significance of this work? Are there
potential applications in research and medicine?
5)
Critique the research. What is the next step if you were the one who finished the
study?
3. Evaluation
Students are encouraged to discuss with instructor before the presentation.
Total point of 100 can be earned towards the final grade.
Presentation: Concise and accurate
20%
Content: Include the above aspects
40%
Discussion: Answering questions from audience
20%
Worksheet: Answer questions concerning the research
20%