UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS COLLEGE OF SCIENCES SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES BIOL 189 Section 003 FUNDAMENTALS OF LIFE SCIENCE Fall 2006 Instructor: Susan L. Meacham, Ph.D., R.D. Phone: 702-895-1169 Office: WHI 104 Juanita Greer White Hall Email: susan.meacham@unlv.edu Class credits, times and location: 4 credits, 10:00-11:15 am Tues/Thur, Section 003, Call # 47897 Class held in CBC A106 (Carol C. Harter Class Room Building Complex Frank Koch Auditorium) Office Hours: Tues/Thur from 11:15-12:00 noon, Wed from 1:00-3:00 and by appointment Course description: Fundamentals of Life Science is an intensive course intended primarily for biological and health science majors. It covers basic principles in biochemistry, cell structure and function, genetics, physiology, evolution and ecology and helps create the necessary intellectual foundation for upper division courses. The course is comprised of two lectures and one laboratory per week providing 4 semester course credits. BIO 189 satisfies the General Education Core requirement for a laboratory science course. Textbook Required: Starr 2006. Biology, Concepts and Applications, Sixth Edition Custom bundle for UNLV includes laboratory manual (free, with bundle). Available at the UNLV bookstore. Course Web Site: The class syllabus, study questions and important announcements will be provided as.pdf files at www.unlv.edu/staff/goldstein/bio189/. You must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open.pdf files. The reader is free and may be downloaded at www.adobe.com. Specific Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students should have a general understanding of: Scientific inquiry and the defining properties of life Properties of the major classes of biologically-important molecules Basic organization, structure, properties and functions of cells, cell organelles and membranes Enzyme properties and basic thermodynamics as they apply to cellular activities. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration Cell communication Cell division for somatic growth and sexual reproduction Genes, alleles and patterns of genetic inheritance Chromosome structure and the physical/chemical properties of DNA and RNA Molecular genetic processes: replication, repair, transcription, translation and mutation Viruses and bacteria as basic models for understanding molecular genetic processes DNA technologies Early earth conditions and the origin of cells Principles of evolution: evidence, mechanisms, phylogenies, and diversity Relationships of form and function among diverse cell and body plans Basic principles of ecology Susan Meacham Page 1 6/14/2007
ATTENDANCE The importance of class attendance cannot be overemphasized; frequent cuts are hazardous to one s grade point. It is essential that you be adequately prepared for this class. It is strongly recommended that you complete the relevant text readings prior to attending class. When preparing for lectures/exams and allocating study time, consider the following: A full-time course-load is a full-time job - it requires 40 or more hours per week. BIO 189 is about 1/3 of a full course load, and requires about 15 hours per week to attend lectures, read the text, meet with study groups, transcribe class notes, etc. Communication in and out of class is an important factor in student motivation and success. Ask questions in class and during office hours - you will learn more! READING + LISTENING + WRITING + TALKING - We don t learn by only listening during lecture. Effective learning strategy also involves: reading the material (before and after class), writing brief notes during lecture and expanding them after lecture talking to the instructor and classmates about topics from the lecture and the text and relating those topics to everyday life. This class will emphasize a conceptual understanding of basic biological phenomena. Success in this course requires the ability to think logically and to apply basic scientific principles to the understanding of how cells, organisms and populations function. Attending Lecture: Not required, but STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. Why? 1. Material will be presented in lecture that is supplemental to that in your textbook. You will be tested on such material and are responsible for learning it. 2. Important announcements, such as changes in the syllabus or examination schedule will be provided during lecture. Should you miss an announcement, you remain responsible for its content. 3. Questions will be asked during lecture (up to 4 per lecture). At random times your answers may be collected and graded. These scores may be added to lecture examination scores. Should you miss a random answer collection, it will reduce your examination score. Lecture examinations: REQUIRED - an absence will result in a score of zero unless the absence has been excused by the instructor. Only two types of absences may be excused: 1. Scheduled Absences a. Due to observance of religious holidays: Students who miss lecture examinations or laboratory sessions/practicum because of observance of religious holidays will be allowed to make up missed laboratory sessions and/or received excused examination absences. Students are responsible for notifying their instructor by September 8, 2006. This policy shall not apply in the event that the make-up work at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship on the instructor or the university which could not reasonably have been avoided. b. Due to official extracurricular activity: Students who represent UNLV at any extracurricular activity shall have the opportunity to make up missed laboratory sessions and/or received excused Susan Meacham Page 2 6/14/2007
examination absences, but the student must provide official written notification to the instructor no less than one week prior to the missed class(es) 2. Unscheduled Absences due to extraordinary personal, medical or legal reasons. For these types of absences the student must: a. provide the instructor with reasonable justification for your absence one week prior to the examination, or b. within one week after the missed examination, provide documentation that your absence was unavoidable due to significant personal, medical or legal reasons. Such documentation must be on official letterhead and signed by a physician or legal authority. With acceptable documentation/justification, a missed examination may be considered excused and, except in the case of the final examination, will be assigned a score that is equal to the average of the other three lecture examinations. THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP LECTURE EXAMINATIONS. In the case of the FINAL EXAMINATION, students with unexcused absences will receive a failing grade. Students with excused absences will receive an Incomplete. Regardless of circumstances, missing more than one exam during the term will result a failing grade for the course, unless the student has opted to drop the course. Attending Laboratory Sessions: Attendance is required at all laboratories and will be taken during every lab session by the lab instructor at a random time (i.e. not necessarily at the beginning of the lab). Students with unexcused absences in three or more labs will receive a failing grade for the entire course. Excused absences are granted only for medical/legal reasons that are validated in writing by a physician/legal authority on official letterhead and approved by the lab instructor. The laboratory instructors will provide additional laboratory policies. GRADING Assessment of course learning objectives will be based on lecture examinations, laboratory practicum, quizzes, assignments, worksheets, etc. Lecture examinations: Four lecture examinations and one final examination will be given. THE FINAL EXAMINATION WILL BE COMPREHENSIVE. Examinations will consist of multiple-choice questions based upon lecture material and the text. Sample study questions will be provided to aid in preparation. For lecture examinations, you will be required to bring a #2 pencil and a good eraser. A Pentel or a similar mechanical pencil is recommended. Scannable answer sheets will be provided to you. For an examination to be graded, both the answer sheet and the examination must be turned in. Final grades: Final grades are based on combined numerical scores from the laboratory and lecture. Grade weighting: 4 lecture exams (13% each) = 52% 1 comprehensive final exam = 23% Laboratory exercises and quizzes = 25% 100% Letter grades will not be assigned to individual examinations, lab quizzes, etc. To evaluate your performance as the semester progresses, use the following grade cutoffs: 90% for A, 80% for B, 70% for C, 60% for D, 59% or below for F Susan Meacham Page 3 6/14/2007
Final letter grade assignments: (subject to student vote on the first day of class) A > 93% A- 90-92% B+ 87-89% B 83-86% B- 80-82% A >90% C+ 77-79% B 80-89% C 73-76% C 70-79% C- 70-72% D 60-69% D+ 67-69% F <59% D 63-66% D- 60-62% F < 59% NOTE: GRADE CUTOFFS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR. OTHER POLICIES: Academic Dishonesty/Cheating: UNLV ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY Academic dishonesty is a serious offense and evidence of academic dishonesty on any graded assessment in the class will result in expulsion from the course, a failing grade for the course and possible additional disciplinary action as outlined in the University and Community College System of Nevada document, Rules and Disciplinary Procedures for Members of the University Community. For additional information regarding UNLV s policies on academic dishonesty, see the following web page: http://www.nscee.edu/unlv/pubs/catalogs/ugrad_catalog/pdf/main/policies.pdf Please see read, sign and return the Academic Integrity Statement to be provided. University Classroom Etiquette: The University requires that every student behave in a manner that reflects consideration for and respect of fellow students. Cell phone/pager usage (including audible ringing) Talking during lecture Newspaper reading Food or beverages in the classroom (whether being consumed or not) Late and/or disruptive arrival Early and/or disruptive departure Any other action that compromises the classroom learning environment Computer Accounts: Online access is required for the BIO 189 website. Computer accounts may be acquired for free upon request at any of the computer labs on campus. Basic computer training is available in the Lied Library computer labs. Computer lab locations are: Beam Hall, rooms 114-116 CBC Building, Room B133 Lied Library, First Floor Carlson Education Building, Room 309 Susan Meacham Page 4 6/14/2007
vmentor your personal tutor. vmentor is your own private tutor and is provided free for students in BIO 189 in a special agreement between the textbook publisher and UNLV. vmentor access instructions are provided in your textbook. Disability Assistance: The UNLV Disability Resource Center (DRC) houses resources for students with disabilities. If you have a documented disability that requires accommodation, you must contact DRC for coordination of services. DRC is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC), Room 137 (702-895-0866 or TDD 702-895-0652). You may also visit their web site at http://www.unlv.edu/studentlife/drc. Copyright Policy: The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves with and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. YOU ARE INDIVIDUALLY AND SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VIOLATIONS OF COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE LAWS. THE UNIVERSITY WILL NEITHER PROTECT NOR DEFEND YOU, NOR ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYEE OR STUDENT VIOLATIONS OF FAIR USE LAWS. Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liability as well as disciplinary action under University policies. The University encourages you to visit its copyright website at: http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright. Susan Meacham Page 5 6/14/2007
Fall Semester 2006 TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE BIOL 189 Section 004- Fundamentals of Biology DATE TOPIC TEXT CHAPTERS 8/29 Course Introduction/Syllabus Review 8/31 Invitation to Biology 1 9/5 Life s Chemical Basis 2 9/7 Molecules of Life 3 9/12 Basic Cell Structure 4 9/14 Cellular Metabolism I- Energy, Enzymes, Transport 5 9/19 EXAMINATION 1 (CHAPTERS 1-5) 9/21 Cellular Metabolism I Photosynthesis 6 9/26 Cellular Reproduction Respiration, Fermentation 7 9/28 Cellular Reproduction - Mitosis and Meiosis 8, 9 10/3 Genetics I Mendel and Inherited Traits 10 10/5 Genetics II Chromosomes 11 10/10 EXAMINATION 2 (CHAPTERS 6-11) 10/12 Genetics III DNA, Structure and Replication 12 10/17 Genetics IV Genes to Protein, Transcription and Translation 13 10/19 Genetics V Regulation and DNA Technology 14, 15 10/24 Evolution I Theories and Processes 16 10/26 Evolution II Evidence, Speciation, Classification 17 10/31 EXAMINATION 3 (Chapters 12-17) 11/2 Evolution III Origin of Life, Prokaryotes, Viruses 18, 19 11/7 Evolution IV Protists, Fungi, Plants 20, 21 11/9 Evolution V Invertebrates, Vertebrates 22, 23 11/14 Form and Function I Plant Tissues, Nutrition and Transport 25, 26 11/16 Form and Function II Animal Tissues and Organ Systems 28, 37 11/21 EXAMINATION 4 (Chapters 18-23, 25, 26, 28, 37) 11/23 Thanksgiving Break - No classes 11/28 Form and Function III Animal Reproduction and Development 38 11/30 Ecology I Populations, Communities, Biodiversity 39, 40 12/5 Ecology II Ecosystems and the Biosphere 41, 42 12/7 Ecology III Behavioral Ecology 43 12/12 FINAL EXAMINATION (COMPREHENSIVE) Tuesday, 10:10 AM THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN SCHEDULE OR POLICY WILL BE ANNOUNCED DURING LECTURE. THIS SYLLABUS WAS CREATED IN COOPERATION WITH OTHER INSTRUCTORS IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY AMONG BIOL 189 SECTIONS TAUGHT BY THE SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES. Susan Meacham Page 6 6/14/2007
****************************************************************************** I have read the information provided above. I fully understand the meaning of academic dishonesty and that there are serious consequences (ranging from the failing of an examination or assignment to expulsion from the university) for engaging in such activity. Name ; Date Signature Susan Meacham Page 7 6/14/2007