Assumed pre-requisites:
Reading and Writing - ability to read and understand English language as presented in college-level texts and delivered by instructor; ability to write in complete sentences using correct grammar.
Successful completion of this course will be shown by demonstrated competency in a) effective/cooperative teamwork in laboratory investigations and b) performance of a score of 70% or better on course examinations, homework, and laboratory exercises in the following topics:
Show knowledge of the fundamental characteristics of all living things.
Describe the hierarchy of organization in nature from the subatomic level to the biosphere.
Outline the system of the scientific method and its application; including recognition of the variables of an experiment, the control, and structure of a testable hypothesis.
Describe physical and chemical properties of water which contribute to its vital importance to life and living systems.
Demonstrate understanding of the basic chemistry of biology, including recognition of the major elements and their symbols, the structure of a chemical formula and chemical equation, pH and the ability to distinguish between an acid and base, the role of buffers.
Demonstrate ability to convert metric equivalents as well as working problems with values between English and metric units.
Recognize organic compounds, functional groups and major organic compounds of living things (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids) -their basic composition, examples and functions.
Demonstrate the ability to properly use a microscope as a biological tool of observation.
Describe the basic features of a typical plant and animal cell and characteristics and function of major organelles. Highlight the features of the plasma membrane relative to cell structure, communication, recognition.
Describe the energy dynamics of a living cell with regard to metabolism, cell work, ATP, and basic biological energy conversions of dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis and recognize the processes of moving materials into and out of living cells.
Define enzymes and their specificity to biological reactions.
Describe the flow of energy through the biosphere by the biological processes of photosynthesis and respiration, being able to recognize the specific organelles and major molecules involved in those processes, as well as factors which enhance or limit the processes.
Recognize the structures, patterns and major functions and outcomes of the cellular processes of mitosis and meiosis.
Discuss the role of Gregory Mendel, in contributing to our understanding of the mechanisms of genetics.
Determine gamete genotypes from a described parental phenotype, and offspring genotypes/phenotypes by use of the Punnett Square and the associated predictability of this method of studying genetics. Perform this activity to solve typical genetics problems as monohybrid and dihybrid crosses, incomplete dominance, sex-linkage, A-B blood typing.
Demonstrate a basic understanding of how genetic information is encoded in the DNA molecule and how this is transcribed to messenger RNA and translated into an amino acid sequence of a polypeptide, to become a-protein (enzyme, and structural proteins).
Describe some major human genetic disorders, the pattern of inheritance, and how our study of the Human Genome Project is aiding our understanding of inheritance, disease, biological functions.
Discern the scientific method in published reports and be able to interpret and evaluate written material as an extension of the course of study.
Interpret and carry out a set of written experimental instructions, and then convey the experimental results in summative answers or lab report.