PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY

Course Description 

This course is an introduction to basic concepts of biology, with emphasis on the following topics:

evolution, ecology, cells and metabolism, diversity of organisms, chemistry of life, genetics, biology of cancer, biotechnology.

Course Goals:
             By completion of this course, you should be able to:

1. Gather information on scientific topics, evaluate its validity, and use it to analyze issues in science.

2. Describe key characteristics of all living things.

3. Describe essential biological structures and processes that occur at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels that enable life.

4. Explain gene function and the role of genes in inheritance and evolution.

5. Explain and practice the scientific method of inquiry.

6. Describe ecological interactions that occur within ecosystems, communities, and populations.  

7. Recognize biological processes in your daily life.

8. Effectively organize and present scientific information to a group.

Attendance: You are expected to attend all lectures. If you miss class, you won’t have the notes and interactions with other classmates that are essential to learning. You will also miss the occasional quiz or in-class assignment and the grade points associated with it.

     Better learning occurs when several different brain functions are involved, so include reading, writing, speaking, drawing, listening, and movement in your study plan. Use the sets of questions at the end of each chapter and study questions supplied by me to help you prepare for exams. Use your lecture notes. textbook. and the CD activities to answer these questions. Work in study groups with classmates to improve your ability to discuss problems. When you explain a concept to someone else, you understand it better yourself.

Current Issues Project
This activity gives you the opportunity to investigate in depth both sides of a controversial topic involving biology. Using a variety of sources, compile and analyze research on this topic. Put together a poster that tells us the story of this issue, and your conclusions. Detailed instructions will be given in class.

      For now, keep on the lookout for topics that interest you. You may be inspired by newspaper or magazine articles, your personal experiences, textbooks, or other sources.

      I look forward to a stimulating semester with you. With good effort, we can all be successful in this class.

Think, inquire, pursue your curiosity with zest, and enjoy the journey!

Syllabus - handed out in class