MAJORS BIOLOGY (Honors)



Biology for Majors Honors Instructor: Dr. Cindy Shannon Biology 4H Mt. San Antonio College Office: 60-2104

Fall 2014 Phone: (909)274-4551

Web: Email: cshannon@mtsac.edu

Office Hours: M & W 10:15-11:15am, M & W 3-4pm

SYLLABUS

Required Textbook: Campbell Biology, 10th edition, 2014 Authors: Reece, Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky, Jackson

Lecture Notes/Handout book available at Day & Nite Copy Center

Course Objective: An exploration of the core principles in biology required for advanced study, including concepts of cellular and molecular biology, bioenergetics, genetics, reproduction, evolution, biodiversity and ecology.

YOU MUST BE ENROLLED IN BOTH THE LECTURE & LAB. This is a 4 unit course. NO BEEPERS (PAGERS) OR CELLULAR PHONES ALLOWED!--Points will be subtracted for violations of this rule!

In order to enhance this course to an honors level course, we will read and discuss scientific journal articles for each unit. In science it is imperative that students learn to read the scientific literature. Therefore as honors students, you will be required to do more learning of the basic text material independently, following a study guide, in order to free up lecture time for discussions. You will also be required to complete an oral/poster presentation of your independent research paper.

ATTENDANCE: Since most lecture test questions will come from lecture material, it is critical that students attend all class meetings. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get the notes from a fellow student. If you have any questions after that, see me. POOR ATTENDANCE WILL REDUCE YOUR GRADE!

If your number of absences exceeds the number of hours the class meets in three weeks, you will be dropped from the course, unless I hear otherwise directly from you.

After the 11th week of classes you cannot officially be dropped from the class (last day is Oct. 31, 2014).

THE LAST DAY TO RECEIVE A "W" (WITHDRAWAL) IS October 31st!!! After that you must be given a grade in the course.

If you are late to class, it your responsibility to report it to the instructor at the end of class, or it will be counted as an absence. Note that three times late to class counts as one absence.

GRADING: Your course grade will be comprised of your lecture and your lab grades. There will be 4 hourly exams given in lecture, and one cumulative final exam. Each hourly exam is worth 100 points, and the lowest of these four exam scores will be dropped. (You may not drop the final exam.) THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS (although any exam may be taken early.)

The exams will consist of multiple choice, matching, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, definition and short essay. Supplies: For lecture you will need 5 scantron form #882 and a No. 2 pencil for all! YOU MUST TURN IN THESE SCANTRON FORMS TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR NO LATER THAN Sept. 11, 2014, in order to keep attending lecture.

POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Anyone cheating may receive a failing grade (F) for the assignment, for the course, or the student may be dropped. Additional disciplinary action may be taken--see section on cheating in Schedule of Classes and

Biological Sciences Department Policy on Student Cheating. A copy of the department cheating policy will be distributed and signed by each student the first week of classes.

BASIS FOR YOUR COURSE GRADE:

Three Hourly Exams.....................................300 pts

Final Exam....................................................120 pts

*Discussion points........................................100 pts

*Poster Presentation of Paper 1....................75 pts

Assignment (Ecology Lab).............................50 pts

Lecture Quizzes/Homework...........................25 pts Laboratory.....................................................230 pts

_______________

Total Points 900 pts

* = unique to honors Bio 4

Final Examination (Final is Cumulative)

Tuesday, December 9th 7:30-10am. You must take the final at the time it is scheduled for your course section or receive a zero!!

FINAL GRADES:

A= (90-100%)

B= (80-89%)

C= (70-79%)

D= (60-69%)

HOLIDAYS !

Sept. 1 (Monday).......................................................................Labor Day

Nov. 11 (Tuesday)...................................................................Veteran's Day

Nov. 27-28 (Thurs./Fri.).........................................................Thanksgiving

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BIOLOGY 4 TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE

The following is the approximate schedule for the semester. The chapters in Campbell corresponding to each topic, should be read before that subject is covered in class.

TOPICS CHAPTERS

(Tuesday dates)

August

26 Introduction/Scientific Method 1

September

2 Chemistry 2,3,4,5

Bioenergetics/Enzymes 8

9 Cell Structure & Function 6

16 Membrane Transport 7

Exam #1

23 Photosynthesis 10

30 Cellular Respiration/Metabolism 9,40,44

October

7 DNA /Protein synthesis 16,17,18

Cell Communication/Mitosis/Meiosis 11,12,13

14 Exam #2

Mendelian Genetics 14,15

21 Gene function & regulation

Biotechnology/Genetic Engineering 20,21

28 Population Genetics 23

Reproduction/Embryology 38,46,47

Exam #3

November

4 Origin of Life 25

Taxonomy & Biodiversity 26,29,30,32,33,34

11 Holiday!

18 Evolution & Speciation 22,24,52

Ecology & Biomes

25 Population, Ecology: Interaction, Communities 53,54

Exam #4

December

2 Extinction & Conservation (Covered on final) 55,56

*Articles for Discussion--(Additions/substitutions may be made!)

Bachtrog, D. 2006. A Dynamic View of Sex Chromosome Evolution. Current Opinion

in Genetics and Development. 16:578-585.

Bolger, D. 2002. Habitat Fragmentation Effects on Birds in Southern California: Contrast to

the “Top-Down” Paradigm. Studies in Avian Biology No. 25:141-157.

Bult, C.J. et. al.1996. Complete Genome Sequence of the Methanogenic Archaeon,

Methanococcus janaschii. Science 273:1058-1072.

Burney, D.A. 1993. Recent Animal Extinctions: Recipes for Disaster. American Scientist 81:530-541.

Cachelin, Adrienne, Russell Norvell and Ann Darling. 2010. Language Fouls in Teaching Ecology: Why Traditional Metaphors Undermine Conservation Literacy. Conservation Biology vol. 24(3):669-674.

Caro, T.M. and Laurenson, M.K. 1994. Ecological and Genetic Factors in Conservation: A Cautionary Tale. Science 263:485-486.

Check, Erica. 2006. Ethicists and Biologists Ponder the Price of Eggs. Nature. 442:606-

608.

Engelman, D.M. 2005. Membranes are more mosaic than fluid. Nature 438:578-580.

Foley, J.A. et al 2011. Solutions for a Cultivated Planet. Nature 478:337-342.

Garnet, M et al. 2012. Systematic identification of genomic markers of drug sensitivity in cancer.

Nature. 482:570-575.

Kroodsma, D. E. and Byers, B.E. 2000. Suggestions for Slides at Scientific Meetings. The

Auk 117(3):831-835.

Maher, B. 2007. His Daughter’s DNA. Nature. 449:773-776.

McDonald, W. and C. Cassidy St Clair. 2004. Elements That Promote Highway

Crossing Structure Use By Small Mammals. Journal of Applied Ecology. 41:82-93.

Minnich, R.A. and Dezzani, R.J. 1998. Historical Decline of Coastal Sage Scrub in the

Riverside-Perris Plain, California. Western Birds 29:366-391.

Schmidt, C. 2013. As Threats to Corals Grow, Hints of Resilience Emerge. Science 339:1517-

1519.

Warren, W. 2008. Genome Analysis of the Platypus Reveals Unique Signatures of

Evolution. Nature. 453:175-183.

Course Student Learning Objectives:

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