Introduction
to the Biological Sciences I (Biology 210A)
Instructor: Anar Brahmbhatt, Ph.D. Voicemail:
(619) 388-2273
Lecture Hours: MW
Lab Hours: CRN 81359 M 9:45 am-12:50
pm Room I-3412
CRN
51078 W
Office Hours: MW
appointment
in Room F-216B to respond to e-mail)
WebCT Link: http://www.sdccdonline.net/
Website Link: http://homework.sdmesa.edu/abrahmbhatt/
Required Texts: Biology, 7th edition, Campbell and Reece, ©2005,
Benjamin Cummings
Symbiosis, A. Brahmbhatt and D. Phiri,
©2006, Benjamin Cummings (1st lab packet)
W.H. Freeman Custom
Publishing for Bio 210A, Helms, ©2006, W. H. Freeman (2nd lab packet)
*(Reserve copies are
available in the LRC; reserve copies of CD-ROM available to be used in the CIL
on the 4th floor of the LRC)
Required materials:
Scantron
sheets (#882-E) No. 2
pencil for exams
Recommended: Student Study Guide (to
accompany
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will emphasize
biological chemistry, cellular structure, cellular metabolism, classical and
molecular genetics, and evolutionary biology.
This is the first semester of a two-semester sequence designed for
biological science majors and students planning to transfer. (FT) Transfer
credit: CSU and/or private college/university; UC Biology (BIOL) 210A & B
combined with 215 and 250: maximum credit, one series.
PREREQUISITES: Chem 151 or Chem 152 and Chem 152L, with a grade of
“C” or better. Completion of English 051 with a grade of “C” or better, or
Assessment Skill level W5 and English 056, with grade of “C” or better, or
Assessment Skill level R5. Concurrent enrollment in Chem 200 & Chem 200L;
Majors in the Biological Sciences should take Chem 200 & Chem 200L
concurrently with Biol 210A.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this
course, students will have mastered and learned to apply the following themes and
concepts:
- Eleven themes in the
study of life:
Exploring Life on its many levels; evolution, unity and diversity; the
process of science
- The Chemical Context
of Life:
chemical elements and compounds, atoms and molecules, water and the
fitness of the environment: the effects of water’s polarity; the
dissociation of water molecules
- Carbon and Molecular
Diversity of Life: the importance of carbon, functional groups
- The Structure and
Function of Macromolecules: polymer principles; Carbohydrates—fuel and building material; Lipids—diverse hydrophobic molecules; Proteins—many structures and functions; Nucleic acids—informational polymers
- Metabolism: Energy and Life: Enzymes and the control of
metabolism
- The Cell: how we study cells,
panoramic view of the cell: organelles, cytoskeleton, cell surfaces and
junctions
- Membrane Structure and
Function:
membrane structure, traffic across the membrane
- Cellular Respiration: principles of energy
harvest, cellular respiration, and related metabolic processes
- Photosynthesis: Photosynthesis in
nature, pathways of photosynthesis
- Cell Communication: an overview of cell
signaling; signal reception and the initiation of transduction;
signal-transduction pathways; cellular response signals (hormone and
endocrine systems); nervous system
- The Cell Cycle: Mitosis; regulation
of the cell cycle; an introduction to heredity; origins of genetic
variation; extending Mendelian genetics; Mendelian inheritance in humans
- The Chromosomal Basis
of Inheritance:
relating Mendelism to chromosomes; sex chromosomes; errors and exceptions
in chromosomal inheritance
- Molecular Basis of
Inheritance:
DNA as genetic material; DNA replication and repair; the connection
between gene and proteins; synthesis and processing of RNA; synthesis of
proteins
- The Genetics of
Viruses and Bacteria: Processes by which genetic information is shared,
transferred and manipulated
- The Organization and
Control of Eukaryotic Genomes: eukaryotic chromatin structure; genome
organization; control of gene expression; the molecular biology of cancer
- DNA Technology and
Genomics:
DNA cloning; DNA analysis and genomics; practical applications of DNA
technology
- The Immune System: Innate versus
acquired immunity; humoral and cell-mediated immunity; diseases related to
immune system
- Evolution:
ATTENDANCE: Attendance in lecture and lab is mandatory. If you do not attend the first day of class,
you may be dropped. I will record
attendance and drop students with excessive absences. It is the student’s responsibility to drop this course before the final drop deadline if you
cannot stay in the class. Failure to do
so will result in an F in the course.
A portion of the material covered in
class will NOT be found in the text but will appear on the exams. Not
surprisingly, poor attendance is highly correlated to low exam scores. Should
you miss a lecture or lab, please contact a classmate and obtain the
information and materials you missed.
ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITY: A student with a verifiable disability may be
entitled to appropriate academic accommodations. Please consult with me
immediately if you have or suspect you may have a disability so that
appropriate arrangements can be made with the DSPS office.
IMPORTANT DATES TO
REMEMBER:
Sept 4 Labor Day
Sept 15 Deadline to drop classes with no “W”
recorded
Sept 18 Last day to drop and be
eligible for refund of enrollment fees and/or non-resident tuition
Oct
5 Last
day to file a petition for Credit/No Credit grade option
Nov
10 Veteran’s
Day (
Nov
13 Withdrawal
deadline—no drops accepted after this date
Nov
23-24 Thanksgiving Holiday
EVALUATION: Students will be evaluated based on the
following criteria:
I. Lecture:
§
5
lecture exams total (100 points each).
The first and fourth exams will be take-home exams (consisting of
multiple-choice questions) and Exams 2, 3, and 5 will be given in-class
(consisting of multiple-choice, short answer questions and essay questions
covering lecture material and chapter readings). Please bring a scantron (#882-E)
and No. 2 pencil to all lecture exams.
§
In
addition, supplementary assignments to aid you in your comprehension of
course material will be distributed and graded throughout the course. All
assignments will be due at the beginning of class on the assigned dates, no exceptions.
II.
Laboratory:
Laboratory exercises will be graded on a 10-point scale for each of the
assigned reports to be announced in the lab session. In order to submit and receive credit for a
lab report, you must attend the entire lab section for that particular
experiment. All lab reports are due at the beginning of the lab period the
following week, no exceptions. Late
or incomplete reports will receive a zero grade. Lab reports must be complete in order to
receive a grade: name, neatly organized
and stapled. Please follow the Laboratory
Guide for Biology 210A handout for guidelines.
III. Term
paper: A
term paper will be assigned early on in the course. You will be submitting this
paper through Turnitin.com and will receive further guidelines regarding
this assignment at that time.
IV. Attendance: You will also earn points
for attendance. Remember, attendance is
mandatory and that excessive absences will lead to being dropped from the
course
Grades: No make-up exams will
be given for lecture exams or lab sessions and reports. No lecture exam, homework assignment, or lab
report scores will be dropped. The following is the grading scale for this
class:
|
Tentative
breakdown of scoring: 3 Lecture exams 100 points each 2 Take-Home exams 100 points each Lecture assignments
(2-5) 10-60 points
each Lab reports (10-13) 10 points each Term paper 100 points Attendance
100 points |
A= 90-100% B= 80-89% C= 70-79% D= 60-69% F= less than 60% |
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:
The primary method of instruction will be a lecture-discussion presentation.
Numerous articles and stories regarding science and technology that headline
the news or have done so in the recent past may form a foundational basis for
discussion within the classroom. Please
be prepared to read any assigned articles and take part in these discussions.
BEHAVIOR: I will make every attempt
to teach the class with patience and respect and expect the same from each
student in this course. While academic inquiry is always welcome, disruptive
behavior is not. Please observe the following in the interest of maintaining a
pleasant class environment for everyone:
- Please address all
questions and comments to me, private discussions are disruptive
- Please turn off all
communication devices during lecture and/or lab
- Please do not disrupt
class by arriving late or leaving early. DO NOT submit late work to the instructor while lecture is taking
place.
- Eating, drinking,
chewing gum and smoking are not permitted in the lecture or lab
- Policy 3100 outlines
the rights and responsibilities of students; please consult this policy
for further information
- This class will be
conducted in accordance with the college student code of conduct and basic
standards of academic honesty.
Cheating, plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty are not
acceptable and will be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.
Plagiarism: The act of incorporating ideas, words, or
specific substance of another, whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise
obtained, and submitting the same as one's own work to fulfill academic
requirements without giving credit to the appropriate source. Examples of
plagiarism include but are not limited to the following:
- Submitting work, either in part or in whole, completed by another;
- Omitting footnotes for ideas, statements, facts or conclusions which
belong to another;
- Omitting quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether
it be a paragraph, sentence, or part thereof;
- Close and lengthy paraphrasing of the writing or work of another, with
or without acknowledgment;
- And submitting papers purchased from research companies (or downloaded
from electronic source) as one's own work.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BIOLOGY
210A: