Exploring Biology BCOR 011 Section G Fall 2015 Syllabus Dr. Laura Hill Plant Biology Department, 302 Jeffords Hall Email: lhill@uvm.edu, Ph: 802-656-1134; Website: www.uvm.edu/~lhill Office hours: Wednesdays 3-4pm and Thursdays 230-330pm or by appointment Laboratory Coordinator: Dr. Pedro Alvarez-Ortiz 107 Jeffords Office Hours: by appt. Phone: 656-9976 E-mail: palvarez@uvm.edu Course Coordinator: Laura Newman 118 Marsh Life Science Bldg Office hours: T/Th 9:00-4:30 Phone: 656-5801 E-mail: Laura.A.Newman@uvm.edu COURSE DESCRIPTION BCOR 11 will cover topics in chemistry of life, cell structure and function, cellular reproduction, energy metabolism, and physiology of plants and animals. All readings referred to here are chapters within the assigned text, which is Principles of Life 2 nd edition by Hillis et al. Other readings may be assigned and will be posted on blackboard (bb.uvm.edu). LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of the semester of BCOR 011, students will be able to articulate how biological processes work using the appropriate terminology. identify new properties that emerge in biological systems from cells to organisms. recognize and utilize the scientific method. convert data into a summary figure, identify pattern, and use pattern to support a conclusion. REQUIRED TEXTS 1. Hillis, D. M., D. Sadava, R. W. Hill and M. V. Price. 2014. Principles of Life, 2nd edition. Sinauer Associates. 2. Online access to LaunchPad.This is included with new textbook purchases. 3. Knisely, K. 2009. A student handbook for writing in biology, 3rd ed. Sinauer Associates. 4. Laboratory Manual for BCOR 11 (available at the UVM Bookstore in early September). REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY Blackboard: There is a Blackboard site for our lecture section, as well as a site for your individual lab section. We will use the Blackboard site to post announcements, powerpoint slides, and review materials, as well as for weekly exam-preparation question sets. Please make sure you can find and access blackboard right away in case you encounter problems: if you do, let your instructor know right away and we ll work on finding a solution. 1
iclickers: We will be using the iclicker system for interactive questions throughout the semester. iclickers can be purchased at the bookstore if you do not already have one. To use your iclicker, you will need to REGISTER your iclicker ID (the number under the barcode on the back) within Blackboard (there is a remote registration link on the left sidebar of the lecture site). You cannot receive points for your participation until you have registered! GRADING Important note: In order to pass this course, you must achieve a passing grade in BOTH the lecture and laboratory portions of the class. Please don t use high performance in one part to justify less effort in the other! There will be three midterm exams and a cumulative final exam in this course. The point breakdown is as follows: BCOR 11 activity Percent of final grade Hourly exams (3 exams @ 100 pts each, lowest exam weighted at 50%) 31% Cumulative Final 25% Launchpad Assignments 13% iclicker questions 3% Pre-lecture questions 3% Laboratory 25% Total 100% The three in-class exams will be on September 30, October 30, and November 20. The third exam is on the Friday before Thanksgiving break, so please plan to be in class that day. We will not give make-up exams just because you want to start your vacation early. The final exam will be cumulative, however approximately one half of the final will be weighted toward material covered the last quarter of the semester. Do not make travel arrangements to leave campus before the date of the final exam! No electronic devices are allowed during exams (including calculators). Dates for the midterm exams and the final can be found on the lecture schedule. Barring extraordinary circumstances, THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS and midterm and final exams will not be rescheduled to accommodate travel plans during the semester. The only legitimate excuse for rescheduling an exam is if you have three exams scheduled on one day, you have a documented medical condition or other emergency, or you are required to be off-campus for a university sponsored event or religious holiday. In such cases you may schedule to take the exam early, but not late. Discuss such exam conflicts with your instructor as soon as possible! 2
LAUNCHPAD HOMEWORK (WEEKLY) Homework assignments will be completed online using Launchpad. It is available through the publisher s website, http://www.macmillanhighered.com/launchpad/hillis2e). The access code comes with the purchase of your new textbook from the UVM Bookstore. If you have purchased a used book, you will need to purchase access to the website separately. In addition to homework, the Launchpad website also has numerous study aids that will help you prepare for exams. The online homework will total 100 points of your grade. Homework will be due each Sunday evening by midnight. PRE-LECTURE ASSIGNMENTS (BIWEEKLY) In order to be an active participant during lecture, it is mandatory that you read the assigned material and respond to the biweekly pre-lecture assignment. Keeping up with the assigned readings, as well as actively reading and reflecting on the material, is paramount to your success in this course. Pre-lecture assignments are 2-3 short answer questions posted on the BCOR 11 course page (bb.uvm.edu) under the Pre-lecture Assignments link. Pre-lecture assignments are due online on Tuesdays and Thursdays by midnight. Your first pre-lecture assignment is due Tuesday, September 1. CONCEPT CHECKS AND PEER INSTRUCTION: Your iclicker remotes will be used for in-class concept tests and peer instruction. Peer instruction is a teaching method by which you will participate in a small group with your peers reach final answers to questions posed during class. For each question, you will receive 1 point for participating in the iclicker question during class, and 1 additional point for getting the correct answer. You must attend class and bring your iclicker, with functional batteries to earn in-class assignment points. If you miss class or forget your iclicker, you will not be able to make-up the in-class assignments. Do not attempt to give your remote to a friend to answer the question in your absence. This behavior violates the Academic Honesty policy, will not be tolerated and can earn you and your friend an XF fail (i.e., failure resulting from academic dishonesty ) in this course. LABORATORY There is a separate lab syllabus and schedule posted on the BCOR 11 course homepage (bb.uvm.edu) under Lab Policies and Syllabus. You must sign into that blackboard page prior to your scheduled lab time, in order to be properly prepared for the first day. The lab manual is available for purchase through the UVM Bookstore. You are required to purchase the manual, and it is only available through the UVM Bookstore. Be prepared to take a short quiz on the lab material at the beginning of lab. STRATEGIES FOR GETTING A HIGH GRADE IN THIS COURSE COME TO CLASS. We often hear students say they don't come to class because "it's all in the book." This is not true! Instructors draw from their own knowledge and expertise when preparing teaching materials, so we often cover topics and examples that you will not find in the book. You also have no way of knowing what material we emphasized or how, without coming to class. Most students cannot skip class regularly and still do well in this course. Plus, you can t get iclicker points without being there to participate. 3
KEEP UP. There is a lot of material covered in this course, so do not expect to learn it the night before the exam! The structure of the course with biweekly pre-lecture assignments and weekly homework assignments help you keep a suitable pace throughout the semester. It is VERY helpful to have read the material before you come to class. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HELP. If you are having difficulty, or simply need clarification of some of the material, see either your laboratory Teaching Fellow or one of the instructors. We all hold office hours and intend for that time to be used helping students. But if you don't seek us out, there's no way for us to know that you're struggling. And remember... Academic honesty is expected of all students. If you are caught cheating on an exam, you will receive a zero for that exam. That score cannot be the one you drop. All laboratory reports MUST be written individually unless specifically assigned as a group report. Free tutoring is also available. Look into the following opportunities: The Learning CO-OP (http://www.uvm.edu/~leanco) offers a variety of academic support including study skills, time management, and test-taking tips. Our Supplemental Instructor (SI) is Keren Shechter. Keren will have office hours and group tutoring sessions at the Learning Coop. Email Keren at kshechte@uvm.edu and take note of review session announcements in class and on Blackboard. ACADEMIC HONESTY Academic honesty is expected of all students. The University of Vermont has a very strict policy concerning academic honesty and plagiarism. Please see the statement on academic honesty http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmppg/ppg/student/acadintegrity.pdf. PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism constitutes a violation of Academic Honesty and warrants failure on an assignment and/or failure in the course. Plagiarism of ANY sort - e.g., copying part or all of a fellow student's report, copying from original references, texts, or websites - will NOT be tolerated. The consequences of plagiarism or cheating range from a score of zero on the assignment or exam, to filing a complaint with the University s Coordinator for Academic Honesty which can result in expulsion from UVM. COURSE CONTENT IS THE PROPERTY OF THE INSTRUCTOR. Consistent with the University s policy on intellectual property rights, all teaching and curricular materials (including but not limited to classroom lectures, class notes, exams, handouts, and presentations) are the property of the instructor. Therefore, electronic recording and/or transmission of classes or class notes is prohibited without the express written permission of the instructor. Such permission is to be considered unique to the needs of an individual student (e.g. ADA compliance), and not a license for permanent retention or electronic dissemination to others. For more information, please see the UVM policy on Intellectual Property, sections 2.1.3 and 2.4.1 CLASSROOM RESPECT It is import to maintain a respectful environment in class, and we expect this from all of you as you should expect this from us. You are here to learn and we are here to help you learn with mutual respect. Please arrive on time and do not leave early without permission. 4
When you come to lecture and lab, please turn off your cell phone. We will not tolerate phone conversations or texting or email during lecture or lab. Come prepared to dedicate your full attention to your instructor and TA during lecture and lab. EMAIL ETIQUETTE: I respond to emails during normal business hours, but not on weekends or in the evenings. If you have a question about the course, please make sure your question is not already addressed in this syllabus before emailing me. If you have a question about course content, please attend my office hours or make an appointment. Also it is important to properly identify yourself and the particular course you are inquiring about. Instructors often have multiple Biology courses and multiple students with the same first name. RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS: Students should submit in writing to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester. Students who miss work for the purpose of religious observance will be allowed to make up this work. 5
Date Topic Reading Lab Aug 31 Principles of Life Core Concepts in Biology Ch 1 No labs this week Sept 2 The Chemical Context of Life Ch 2 Sept 4 Water and Life Ch 2 Sept 7 LABOR DAY no class No labs this week Sept 9 Macromolecules: Carbohydrates and Lipids Ch 2 Sept 11 Macromolecules: Nucleic Acids and Proteins Ch 3 Sept 14 Cells are the Unit of Life: Prokaryotic Cells Ch 4 First lab - How does science work? Sept 16 A Tour of the Eukaryotic Cell: Organelle Ch 4 structure and function Sept 18 DNA and its role in heredity Ch 9 Sept 21 DNA and its role in heredity Ch 9 Lab techniques Sept 23 Gene Expression Overview Ch 10 Sept 25 Gene Expression: Transcription and Ch 10 Translation Sept 28 Cell membrane structure and function Ch 5 Enzyme Function and Analysis I Sept 30 EXAM 1 material through Gene expression: Transcription and Translation Oct 2 Transport Across Cells Membranes Ch 5 Oct 5 Cell Membranes and Signaling Ch 5 Enzyme Function and Analysis II Oct 7 Intro to Metabolism Ch 6.1 Oct 9 Catabolic and Anabolic Pathways Ch 6.4 Oct 12 Cellular Respiration, Part I Ch 6.2-3 Protein Analysis I Oct 14 Cellular Respiration, Part II Ch 6.2-3 Oct 16 Cellular Respiration, Part III Ch 6.2-3 Oct 19 Photochemistry and Photobiology of Light Ch 6.5 Protein Analysis II Oct 21 Photosynthesis Ch 6.5-6 Oct 23 Cell cycle and mitosis Ch 7.1-7.3 + 7.5 Oct 26 Being Multicellular Supplemental chapter pdf on Blackboard Oct 28 Plant structure and function, Part I Ch 24 Oct 30 EXAM 2 material through Cell cycle and mitosis DNA Analysis: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) I Nov 2 Plant structure and function, Part II Ch 24 DNA Analysis: PCR II Nov 4 Plant transport in the xylem Ch 25 Nov 6 Plant transport in the phloem Ch 25 Nov 9 Plants develop in response to the environment Ch 26 Investigations in plant physiology I Nov 11 Plant hormones Ch 26 Nov 13 Nov 16 Fundamentals of Animal Structure and Function, Part I Fundamentals of Animal Structure and Function, Part II Ch 29 Ch 29 Investigations in plant physiology II 6
Nov 18 Neuron structure and function, Part I Ch 34 Nov 20 EXAM 3 material through Animal Structure and Function, Part II Nov 23- THANKSGIVING BREAK NO No labs this week 27 CLASSES Nov 30 Neuron structure and function, Part II Ch 34 Water flea (Daphnia) physiology Dec 2 Sensory Organs and Processes, Part I Ch 34 Dec 4 Sensory Organs and Processes, Part II Ch 34 Dec 7 Control by the endocrine and nervous Ch 35 No labs this week systems Dec 9 Control by the endocrine and nervous systems Ch 35 Dec 14 Final exam: Monday, December 14th 1:30-4:15pm cumulative + new material since exam 3 7