GENERAL BIOLOGY I - BIOL 1406
Fall 2015, Instructor: Terry Johnson, Office: 441F Science Bldg, Phone: 254-968-9687
Email: tjohnson@tarleton.edu Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 9:30am-11:00am, or by appt.
Course Description: Fundamental principles of living organisms will be studied, including physical and
chemical properties of life, organization, function, evolutionary adaptation, and classification. Concepts
of cytology, reproduction, genetics, and scientific reasoning are included.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1. Describe the characteristics of life.
2. Explain the methods of inquiry used by scientists.
3. Identify the basic requirements of life and the properties of the major molecules needed for life.
4. Compare and contrast the structures, reproduction, and characteristics of viruses, prokaryotic cells,
and eukaryotic cells.
5. Describe the structure of cell membranes and the movement of molecules across a membrane.
6. Identify the substrates, products, and important chemical pathways in metabolism.
7. Identify the principles of inheritance and solve classical genetic problems.
8. Identify the chemical structures, synthesis, and regulation of nucleic acids and proteins.
9. Describe the unity and diversity of life and the evidence for evolution through natural selection.
REQUIRED FOR COURSE:
Internet access: for Blackboard, e-Text, etc. Computer labs with internet access are located on campus.
Blackboard Mobile Learn is a free app for iOS or Android device.
Clicker: by Turning Technologies (Support: 1-866-746-3015):
 You need ONE of the following Models: ResponseCard NXT, P/N RCXR-03 OR QT, P/N
RCQR-01
 Sources for clickers: Campus Bookstore OR online at http://store.turningtechnologies.com/
 School Code-TSU4
 If you order online, I highly recommend choosing 2-day shipping, so that your clicker will arrive
in time for the first class assessment.
 All students must purchase a clicker and bring it to every class. Clickers will be required for
taking assessments, exams, and for participating in other classroom activities. If you show up to
class without your clicker, you are encouraged to remain in class and learn, but you will not be
able to participate in submitting answers through the clicker system, which will negatively affect
your grade.
Clicker Registration: Click on this link in Blackboard to register your “ResponseCard Device ID”; use
the 6-character Device ID on the back of your clicker (example: B12A3D).
 Failure to accurately register your clicker, and/or failure to use the clicker you are registered for
in Blackboard during class, will prevent submission of your answers in class and result in a grade
of Zero for Assessments/Exams.
Principles of Biology e-Text: by Dynamic Books, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-942310-72-3
To purchase, you may order directly online from publisher (use Principles of Biology weblink in
Blackboard), OR purchase an access card from Bookstore, and then register in Blackboard.
Click on the Principles of Biology weblink in Blackboard to register and access. Click on “Student
Registration Instructions” link in BB for more info. (There is NO enrollment key for this class.)
Principles of Biology uses Chrome or Safari Internet browsers; it is not supported on Firefox.
Laboratory Manual: BIOL 1406 (Hayden-McNeil/Tarleton State Univ, 2015)
Financial Assistance: If you need assistance with purchasing a clicker or other materials, you may
contact the Financial Aid office. Short-term loans may be available. No excuses will be accepted,
including financial reasons, for not purchasing required materials.
OPTIONAL MATERIALS: Other supplements may be available from the textbook publisher, but are not
required for this course.
Grades: Posted in Blackboard. Letter grades correspond to your average score as follows:
A = 90 – 100; B = 80 – 89; C = 70 – 79; D = 60 – 69; F = 0 – 59
Your overall final grade in this course is a combination of your grades in lecture and lab, as follows:
* 15% = The Average of all Assessments (lowest 3 Assessment grades dropped)
* 35% = 3 Lecture Exams
* 25% = Lab
* 25% = Comprehensive Final Exam [Required, NO MAKEUP for the Final Exam (no exceptions)!]
Assessments:
Assessments will be given throughout the course, both outside of class and during each class period.
Assessments will consist of timed questions over the topic listed for each date in the schedule. For
Assessments in class, you must submit your Assessment answers in class using your clicker. If you do
not bring your clicker to class, you will receive a Zero for the Assessment. Outside of class, Assessment
answers must be submitted online through the e-Text.
All assessments must be submitted electronically as required. NO LATE Assessments will be accepted.
There are NO MAKEUPS for missed Assessments. NO EXCEPTIONS OR EXCUSES! However, the lowest 3
“in-class” Assessment grades will be dropped.
Homework: Consists of reading the text chapters, reviewing, becoming familiar with all learning material
for each upcoming class PRIOR to class, and submitting all e-Text “outside-of-class assessments”
electronically by the due dates/times. Lecture notes and learning material will be provided for you on
Blackboard in advance. Preparing before class will help you understand the class lecture better and
perform well on the in-class Assessments. You are also encouraged to re-write the lecture notes given in
Blackboard to help you learn.
NOTE: Make sure you allow time to complete and submit all e-Text assessments electronically before the
due dates/times. This may require you to complete e-Text assessments while on campus, to ensure that
working computer hardware and internet access is available.
NO LATE ASSESSMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY REASON!
Disability Accommodations:
It is the policy of Tarleton State University to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other
applicable laws. If you are a student with a disability seeking accommodations for this course, please
contact the Center for Access and Academic Testing, at 254.968.9400 or caat@tarleton.edu. The office is
located in Math 201. More information can be found at www.tarleton.edu/caat, in the University Catalog,
or at www.ada.gov.
Attendance and Classroom Policies:
1) Attendance and punctuality is required. Missing or being late to class may negatively affect your
grade. I will drop your 3 lowest “in-class” Assessment grades, but no more, regardless of excuse for any
absences. So save these 3 “free” absences for real unexpected emergencies!
2) Please remain attentive and quiet unless given permission to speak. Talking during class is both rude
and distractive to the instructor AND to the students around you.
3) All electronic devices should only be used for class purposes, or otherwise turned off and out of sight.
4) You must bring your clicker with batteries installed, two extra spare AAA batteries, paper & pencil,
chapter notes (you are also encouraged to bring additional resources such as a laptop or other
electronic device for web access, etc.) to every class, and participate in all classroom activities as
instructed. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you bring your clicker and plenty of batteries to EVERY class,
including Exam days!
5) If you must leave class early, inform the instructor before class begins.
6) You must take regularly scheduled exams on the same date/time as they are scheduled for your
registered class time.
*Anyone in violation of classroom policies may lose points for lack of participation, have points
deducted from final course average, and/or be dismissed from the course with a grade of "F".
Announcements: Will be made in Blackboard or in class. Check your Blackboard & Email every day!
Lecture Exam Make-ups:
Except for the Final Exam for which there is NO makeup, if you miss a Lecture Exam or arrive late on an
Exam day, you may only make up any Lecture Exam(s) you miss for a University authorized absence or
tardy. All make-up exams must be scheduled with the instructor within 72 hours of missing the exam,
and may be given at a date/time near the end of the session or semester. Pursuant to the University
Catalog, you are responsible for providing evidence to substantiate the reason for any absence or tardy.
Evidence of a University authorized absence or tardy will be required and authenticated prior to my
authorizing a make-up exam. Make-up exams are normally more difficult than regular exams and may
be in essay format, so be prepared to write! It is highly recommended that you avoid missing, or
arriving late, to any regularly scheduled exams.
Academic Honesty:
Tarleton State University expects its students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly
conduct. Students guilty of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty
includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an exam or other academic work, plagiarism (submitting
another person’s materials or ideas as one’s own), collusion (a secret understanding between two or more
persons to gain something illegally), doing work for another person who will receive academic credit, the
use of unauthorized books, notebooks, or other sources in order to secure or give help during an
examination, the unauthorized copying of examinations, assignments, reports, or term papers, and the
abuse of resource materials. The faculty member is responsible for initiating action for each case of
academic dishonesty that occurs in his/her class. Disciplinary action may be taken beyond the academic
discipline administered by the faculty member who teaches the course in which the cheating took place.
Cheating can get you dismissed from the university, and is definitely not worth the chance!
*Any student in class who is caught with more than one clicker in his/her possession will be
removed from the class, receive an “F” for the course, and will be reported to Academic Affairs!
Tentative Lecture/Exam Schedule:
Aug 24 - Class orientation/Syllabus
Unit 1: Introduction
Aug 24 - Module 1: Evolution and Life on Earth
Evolution is the core theme of biology.
Aug 26 - Module 2: Energy and Matter
Organisms interact with their environment, exchanging energy and matter.
Aug 26 - Module 3: Practicing Biology
Biological scientists use a process of inquiry that has developed over centuries and involves the
collaboration of a global community.
Unit 2: Chemistry
Aug 31 - Module 4: Atoms, Elements, and Matter
The properties of elements that form organic matter depend on the properties of atoms.
Aug 31 - Module 5: Structure of Molecules and Compounds
Complex carbon-based molecules form the basis for life on Earth.
Aug 31 - Module 6: Water
Water molecules have life-sustaining properties.
Aug 31 - Module 7: Aqueous Solutions, Acids, and Bases
The chemistry of acids and bases happens in aqueous solutions.
Sep 2 - Module 8: Carbohydrates
The properties and functions of carbohydrates are related to their molecular structures.
Sep 2 - Module 9: Lipids
Lipids are a diverse group of hydrophobic molecules that serve a variety of important biological
functions.
Sep 2 - Module 10: Proteins
Proteins are a diverse group of polymers that play a critical role in nearly all cell functions.
Sep 2 - Module 11: Enzymes
Enzymes catalyze metabolic reactions that are crucial for life.
Sep 2 - Module 12: Nucleic Acids
The structure of nucleic acid molecules allows for the coding and transmission of information.
Unit 3: Cells
Sep 9 - Module 13: Cells (and comparing prokaryotic and eukaryotic)
Cells are the basic unit of life.
Sep 9/14 - Module 14: Eukaryotic Cells
Eukaryotic cells contain membrane-enclosed organelles that play a pivotal role in their structure and
function.
Sep 14 - Module 15: Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton contains proteins that maintain the cell’s shape and help with movement.
Sep 14 - Module 16: Extracellular Structures
Cells in a multicellular organism use extracellular structures for support and communication.
Sep 16 – Exam 1: Modules 1-16
Module 17: Cell Membranes
The plasma membrane surrounds the cell, protects it and helps it respond to the external environment.
Sep 16/21 - Module 18: Membrane Transport
Proteins regulate transport across the membrane.
Sep 21 - Module 19: Exocytosis and Endocytosis
The processes of exocytosis and endocytosis move large substances across the plasma membrane.
Sep 21 - Module 20: Cell Signaling
Cells use signaling molecules and receptors to communicate.
Sep 21 - Module 21: Signal Transduction
A cascade of events within a cell translates signals into cellular responses.
Sep 21 - Module 22: Metabolism
Organisms continually transform energy through metabolic processes.
Sep 21 - Module 23: ATP and Cellular Work
ATP provides the energy that powers cells.
Sep 21 - Module 24: Biological Energy Transfer
Cellular respiration involves the stepwise transfer of energy and electrons.
Sep 23 - Module 25: Cellular Respiration I: Digestion and Glycolysis
Harvesting energy in many cells begins with the breakdown of glucose into pyruvate during glycolysis.
Sep 23/28 - Module 26: Cellular Respiration II: The Citric Acid Cycle and Oxidative Phosphorylation
Pyruvate decarboxylation, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
Sep 28 - Module 27: Fermentation and Anaerobic Respiration
Organisms have methods for obtaining energy from fuel without the use of oxygen.
Sep 30 - Module 28: Photosynthesis Overview
Photosynthesis is one of the most important biological processes on Earth.
Sep 30 - Module 29: Photosynthesis I: Absorbing and Capturing Light Energy
Specialized plant pigments capture light for photosynthesis.
Oct 5 - Module 30: Photosynthesis II: Energy and Sugars
Photosynthesis involves biochemical pathways that use solar energy to build sugars from CO2
molecules.
Oct 5 - Module 31: C3, C4, and CAM Photosynthesis
C4 and CAM photosynthesis are more efficient photosynthetic pathways when water is limited.
Oct 7 - Module 32: Cell Division
Cells have processes for copying and distributing genetic material to daughter cells during division.
Oct 7 - Module 33: Cell Cycle Control
Molecular controls monitor the progression of the cell cycle.
Oct 7 - Module 34: Apoptosis
Programmed cell death is vital to the health and development of multicellular organisms.
Unit 4: Genetics
Oct 12 - Module 35: Inheritance in the Sexual Life Cycle
The sexual life cycle contains phases with a full complement of chromosomes and with half of that
number of chromosomes.
Oct 12 - Module 36: Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction
Meiosis makes sexual reproduction possible because it produces cells with half the number of
chromosomes as the parental cell.
Oct 14 – Exam 2: Modules 17-36
Oct 14/19 - Module 37: Mendel's Principles
Mendel's experimental setup and data analysis laid the groundwork for the modern field of genetics.
Oct 19 - Module 38: Mendelian Inheritance
Inheritance follows the rules of probability.
Oct 19 - Module 39: Non-Mendelian Inheritance
Many patterns of inheritance are more complex than those Gregor Mendel described.
Oct 21 - Module 40: Genetic Inheritance in Humans
Human traits rarely follow strict Mendelian inheritance patterns.
Oct 21 - Module 41: Chromosome Theory
Thomas Hunt Morgan's discoveries helped solidify the chromosomal theory of inheritance.
Oct 21 - Module 42: Linked Genes
Linked genes are inherited in patterns that deviate from typical Mendelian inheritance.
Oct 21 - Module 43: Genetic Disorders
Inheritance of gene mutations or alterations in chromosomes may cause genetic disorders in humans.
Oct 26 - Module 44: DNA
Many scientists and technological advances contributed to the discovery of DNA structure and function.
Oct 26 - Module 45: DNA Replication
During DNA replication, a cell uses a variety of proteins to create a new copy of its genome.
Oct 26 - Module 46: Mutations
Changes in DNA have multiple causes and varied effects.
Oct 26 - Module 47: Chromosomes
Chromosome structure has multiple layers of organization that emerge from interactions between DNA
and proteins.
Oct 26 - Module 48: Gene Expression
More than just transcription and translation, gene expression also involves epigenetic and
environmental factors.
Oct 28 - Module 49: Transcription
Transcription is the process of copying information from DNA to RNA.
Oct 28 - Module 50: Translation
Translation is the process by which a cell assembles proteins from the genetic code.
Nov 2 - Module 51: Prokaryotic Gene Regulation
Prokaryotic gene regulation mechanisms allow bacteria to quickly adapt to their environments.
Nov 2 - Module 52: Eukaryotic Gene Regulation
Gene regulation in eukaryotic cells may occur before or during transcription or translation or after
protein synthesis.
Nov 2 - Module 53: Non-coding RNA
Genomes give rise to non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression.
Nov 2 - Module 54: Cell Differentiation
The many cell types in a multicellular organism emerge from a single cell by the process of
differentiation.
Nov 4 - Module 55: Cancer
Modern scientific research illuminates our understanding of cancer genetics and continually revises our
approach to cancer therapies.
Nov 4 - Module 56: Viruses
Viruses, which are non-cellular entities containing genetic material, rely on cellular hosts to replicate.
OMIT - Module 57: Cloning DNA
Scientists use viruses and bacteria and the enzymes they produce as tools for cloning DNA sequences
from many different species.
OMIT - Module 58: DNA Technology
Researchers use DNA technology to sequence genes and study their expression, function, and
relationship to disease.
OMIT - Module 59: Cloning Organisms
Cloning entire organisms may have applications ranging from stem cell production to conservation.
OMIT - Module 60: Practical Applications of DNA Technology
DNA technology has a variety of applications in many fields, including agriculture, medicine, and
forensics.
OMIT - Module 61: Genomics
Accessing the information locked in an organism's genome has countless applications, from evolutionary
comparisons to individualized medicine.
OMIT - Module 62: Genome Diversity
Genomes come in different sizes with widely varying numbers of genes and gene densities.
Nov 9 – Exam 3: Modules 37-56
Unit 5: Evolution
Nov 11 - Module 63: Introduction to Evolution
Evolution is a cornerstone of biology that is supported by a vast amount of evidence from several fields
of study.
Nov 11 - Module 64: The Darwinian Revolution
Charles Darwin's ideas formed the foundation for the modern theory of evolution.
Nov 11 - Module 65: Forces That Drive Evolution
Evolution results from a combination of selective forces and random events in the genome and the
environment.
Nov 16 - Module 66: Genetic Variation in Populations
The driving forces of evolution affect the genetic makeup of individuals in populations.
Nov 16 - Module 67: Calculating Changes in Allele Frequencies
The Hardy-Weinberg equation serves as a baseline to understand changes in allele frequencies due to
evolutionary processes.
Nov 16 - Module 68: Effects of Natural Selection
Changes in allele frequency can occur in a population over successive generations when variations in
heritable traits cause differences in reproductive success.
Nov 18 - Module 69: Interactions in Evolution
Adaptations arise as a result of interactions between organisms and their environment.
Nov 18 - Module 70: The Biological Species Concept
According to the biological species concept, reproductive isolation drives the evolution of new species.
Nov 23 - Module 71: Geographic Factors in Speciation
Geography plays an important role in the evolution of new species.
Nov 23 - Module 72: Pace of Speciation
The pace of speciation depends on interactions between a population’s genome and its environment.
Nov 30 - Module 73: Origin of Life
Life on Earth likely began as macromolecules that developed into self-replicating protocells.
Nov 30 - Module 74: Early Evolution of Life
Major events in early life include the evolution of prokaryotes, photosynthesis, eukaryotes,
multicellularity, and the colonization of land.
Dec 2 - Module 75: Change in Species over Geologic Time
The assemblage of species inhabiting Earth changes over geologic time.
Dec 4, 3:00pm-5:30pm, Room 102 – Final Exam (Comprehensive-NO
MAKEUPS!!!)
How to succeed in this course:
1. Avoid “cramming” at the last minute; pace yourself, manage your time, and make a regular daily
schedule for study time.
2. Expect to spend a minimum of 2 hours of good solid quality study time for every hour you are in
class. This is the general “rule of thumb” for college.
3. Break the material up into smaller sections, and focus on one section at a time.
4. Take short breaks between 15-20 minute study sessions.
5. Get plenty of sleep (but not during class ) and eat healthy.
6. Find good, productive study partners. Drill each other. Ask each other questions from the notes and
material.
7. Re-copy or rewrite the notes in your own words to help you organize and remember.
8. Use all the resources made available to you, including illustrations, Youtubes, etc., on the web.
9. Get away from and turn off distractions during study sessions, especially electronics, Facebook, etc.
(no place like the library!)
10. Understand that the more you repeat the notes and spend time with the material, the more it is going
to sink in.
11. Don’t miss classes or labs!
12. Be confident in your ability to learn this stuff!
13. More help at:
http://www.tarleton.edu/successweb/ssp/index.html
http://www.tarleton.edu/ssp/programs/studyskills.html
You may also contact the Center for Academic Readiness and Success for any information on additional
tutoring.
Academic Affairs Core Value Statements
Academic Integrity Statement
Tarleton State University's core values are integrity, leadership, tradition, civility, excellence, and service.
Central to these values is integrity, which is maintaining a high standard of personal and scholarly
conduct. Academic integrity represents the choice to uphold ethical responsibility for one’s learning
within the academic community, regardless of audience or situation.
Academic Civility Statement
Students are expected to interact with professors and peers in a respectful manner that enhances the
learning environment. Professors may require a student who deviates from this expectation to leave the
face-to-face (or virtual) classroom learning environment for that particular class session (and potentially
subsequent class sessions) for a specific amount of time. In addition, the professor might consider the
university disciplinary process (for Academic Affairs/Student Life) for egregious or continued disruptive
behavior.
Academic Excellence Statement
Tarleton holds high expectations for students to assume responsibility for their own individual learning.
Students are also expected to achieve academic excellence by:
• honoring Tarleton’s core values.
• upholding high standards of habit and behavior.
• maintaining excellence through class attendance and punctuality.
• preparing for active participation in all learning experiences.
• putting forth their best individual effort.
• continually improving as independent learners.
• engaging in extracurricular opportunities that encourage personal and academic growth.
• reflecting critically upon feedback and applying these lessons to meet future challenges.
Academic Affairs Service statement
Tarleton faculty, staff, and students are expected to model responsible citizenship through service
activities that promote personal and academic growth while enhancing the university, local, regional,
national, and global communities. These activities will foster a culture of academic/public engagement
that contributes to the achievement of the university’s mission and core values.