Biology 100
Instructors:
General Biology I
Course Syllabus
Spring 2008
Dr. Nancy Bachman
Office: 35
Phone: 436-3061
Dr. Thomas Horvath, Coordinator
Office: 30
Phone: 436-3899
Dr. Lynn Evans
Office: 37
Phone: 436-3719
Dr. William Pietraface
Office: 39
Phone: 436-3421
Mr. Jim Vogler
Dr. Fred Zalatan
Office: 34
Office: 36
Phone: 436-3435
Phone: 436-3062
All offices are in Denison Hall (Morris Complex)
Lecture: 3-3:50 p.m. Monday and Wednesday in IRC 1 (Sections 02, 07, 08, 09, 10)
Lecture: 1-1:50 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday in IRC 1 (Sections 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, 11)
Laboratory: Sections meet at different times on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in
PSCI 110
Course Description: Acquaints students with fundamental biological concepts and illustrates the
application of these principles to everyday life. Emphasizes the relationship of human biology to
evolution, the environment, health, and biotechnology. Lecture and laboratory. Offered every
semester. 3 semester hours (LA)
Textbooks: Cain, Damman, Lue, Yoon. (2007) Discover Biology, 3rd Edition. Norton
Publishers. ISBN: 0393168840. Also REQUIRED is the Turning Point Clicker
which you must bring to every class. Note: Dr. Horvath’s lecture class uses the
same text, but a different clicker.
Objectives: The student will be able to
1. demonstrate a knowledge of cell theory and the processes involved with nuclear division.
2. demonstrate a knowledge of basic genetics, inheritance, and biotechnology including the
importance of DNA, techniques of recombinant DNA technology, commercial applications, and
benefits/risks associated with its use.
3. demonstrate a knowledge of the theory of evolution from natural selection through the modern
understanding and human evolution.
SUNY Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate understanding of the methods scientists
use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement
and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical
analysis. Students will demonstrate application of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of
the natural sciences.
Lecture and Laboratory Requirements: Each student is expected to attend all of the regularly
scheduled lectures and laboratories. Regardless of attendance, however, each student will be
held responsible for all work, handouts, and announcements. Students who must miss their
regularly scheduled lab may be able to attend another lab section that week; please check with
one of the instructors about attending another laboratory. Lab exercises completed in a
laboratory section other than the one scheduled for must be signed by that laboratory instructor
prior to turning in. After that week, missed lab exercises will be included among those to be
dropped. The reading assignments should be completed prior to the appropriate class meeting.
This is assumed for clicker questions.
Evaluation: Lecture evaluation is based on three exams plus a comprehensive final. Exams are
multiple choice. Each exam has equal weight. Questions recorded via the clickers also
contribute the equivalent of an exam score. 20 lectures will count toward the clicker points (each
lecture is worth a possible 5 points). You will not know which lectures count, but if you miss a
lecture or your clicker is not functioning or you forget to bring your clicker, 3 non-counting
lectures can be used to replace a missed lecture for clicker points.
Laboratory evaluation will be assessed weekly, using reports, drawings, essays, and/or quizzes.
Each student will be held responsible for all regularly scheduled examinations. Make-up
examinations will be given only in the case of emergency or illness. Illness necessitating missing
an examination should be verified by the Health Center on campus, the Student Development
Office, or a personal physician. If an examination is missed the student should consult with the
coordinator as soon as possible to determine the time and place of any make-up.
Course Grade Determination:
Lecture Exams =400 points (100 points each)
Clicker questions = 45 points
Laboratory Evaluations = 400 points (40 points each: lowest 3 laboratory evaluations will be
dropped)
Grade Levels:
A = 93 - 100% = 785-845 points
A- = 90 - 92% = 760-784 points
B+ = 87 - 89 % = 735-759 points
B = 83 - 86 % = 701-734 points
B- = 80 - 82% = 676-700 points
C+ = 77 - 79 % = 650-675 points
C = 73 - 76 % = 616-649 points
C- = 70 - 72 % = 591-615 points
D+ = 67 - 69% = 566-590 points
D = 63 - 66% = 532-565 points
D- = 60 - 62% = 507-531 points
E = <60 % = <507 points
Advising: The instructors are interested in helping students during laboratory periods, office
hours (posted on office doors), or at other times when they are available.
2
Tentative lecture schedule Dr. Bachman MW 3-3:50 Lecture
Dates
Lecture Topics
Assigned Readings
Jan 16
Syllabus, Scientific Method & Biological organization
Ch 1 pp2-18
Jan 21
Pre-test, Cell Structure
Ch 5 pp97-112
Jan 23
Cell Structure
Ch 5 pp97-112
Jan 28
The nucleus & mitosis
Ch 9 pp171-178
Jan 30
The nucleus & meiosis
Ch 9 pp178-182
Feb 4
Inheritance – segregation & independent assortment
Ch 10 pp187-203
Feb 6
Inheritance – segregation & independent assortment
Ch 10 pp187-203
Feb 11
Human genetics
Ch 11 pp207-210; 213-219
Feb 13
Exam 1 (Scientific method through human genetics)
Feb 18
Spring break 1—NO CLASS
Feb 20
Spring break 1—NO CLASS
Feb 25
DNA- structure & function
Ch 12 pp227-232
Feb 27
DNA- structure & function
Ch 13 pp 232-240
Mar 3
The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
Ch 13 pp245-250
Mar 5
The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
Ch 13 pp250-256
Mar 10
Biotech I (recombinant techniques)
Ch 15 pp279-286
Mar 12
Biotech II (forensics)
Ch 15 pp286-293
Mar 17
Biotech III (genomics & gene therapy)
Interlude C ppC1-C12
Mar 19
Exam 2 (DNA, Central Dogma & biotechnology)
Mar 24
Spring break 2—NO CLASS
Mar 26
Spring break 2—NO CLASS
Mar 31
Evolution - taxonomy & phylogeny
Ch 2 pp24-34
Apr 2
Evolution of populations - H-W & microevolution
Ch 17 pp319-326
Apr 7
Evolution of populations - natural selection
Ch 17 pp326-334
Apr 9
Evolution – melding micro- & macroevolution
Ch 16 pp299-314
Apr 14
Macroevolution - Speciation
Ch 18 pp339-350
Apr 16
Exam 3 (Micro- & macroevolution)
Apr 21
Primate evolution
Interlude D & in-class notes
Apr 23
Human evolution
Interlude D & in-class notes
Apr 28
Human evolution
Interlude D & in-class notes
Apr 30
Human population
May 5
Human impacts
Ch 21 pp 398-409
Ch 25 pp 469-480; Interlude
E
May 7
STUDY DAY
May 14
FINAL EXAM 11 am-1:30 pm IRC#1 (Human evolution through human impacts & cumulative)
3
Tentative Biology 100 Laboratories
Lab quizzes are scheduled throughout the semester and will be announced the week prior.
Dates
Lab Topics
No lab
Jan 16,17
Jan 22,23,24
Lab 1 - Case study
Jan 29,30,31
Lab 2- Microscopes, Cell structure
Feb 5,6,7
Lab 3 – Mitosis, Meiosis, Independent assortment
Feb 12,13,14
Lab 4- Human pedigree, Punnett square
Feb 19,20,21
No lab
Feb 26,27,28
Lab 5-Ames lab
Mar 4,5,6
Finish Ames lab and Lab 6 DNA fingerprinting,
Polymorphisms
Mar 11,12,13
Start Lab 7 transformation
Mar 18,19,20
Finish transformation lab & Lab 8 Natural Selection
Mar 25,26,27
No lab
Apr 1,2,3
Lab 9- Hardy-Weinberg class simulations
Apr 8,9,10
Lab 10- Hardy-Weinberg Populus simulations
Apr 15,16,17
Lab 11- Taxonomy/phylogeny
Apr 22,23,24
Lab 12- Hominid phylogeny
Apr 29,30 May1
Lab 13 - Human population, ecological footprint
May 6,7,8
No lab
4