Professor: Dr. Kathleen A. Marrs
Fall 2005
Lecture: M,W, F, 9:30-10:20 AM
 E-mail: kmarrs@iupui.edu

Lecture: LE 101; Lab: SL 341
Office: SL 330
Office hours by appointment
Weekly Course Schedule

Sept 2, 2005: Note from Dr. Marrs: Please help Hurricane Katrina victims - donate to the American Red Cross
Here is a hopeful article in the 2 Sept 2005 NY Times: In a Multitude of Forms, the Offers of Help Pour In

K101 Concepts of Biology I: Listen to lectures on I-stream

I. Textbooks Required:

II. Course Objectives: The major objective of this course is for you to gain an understanding of the key concepts and major themes of biology, the study of life, with an emphasis on the biology of all Domains of life, including the study of  bacteria, fungi, protists, and plants.  There are three main components of the course that will help you to develop your understanding of biology: lecture, laboratory, and recitation.  A strong emphasis is placed on learning biology by inquiry, which is facilitated by the use of laboratory exercises, web-based Warm Up assignments, in-class cooperative learning exercises, and problem solving.  Discussions of the major concepts of biology (cell structure, genetics, and gene expression and plant biology) are interwoven with analysis of contemporary issues (biotechnology, stem cells) in biology.

III. Course Conponents:

  1. Lecture/Discussions:  Three classes are held each week (LE 101, 9:30 - 10:20), and attendance in the classroom is required.  With the exception of the first day of class, I will come to class expecting that you have read the assigned chapters and are ready to answer questions.  Each Friday, PowerPoint documents for the coming week will be posted on Oncourse with figures, notes, and lecture objectives.  Please print these out before class use them to prepare for lectures.  See Schedule Tab for a listing of K101 lab and lecture topics.
  1. Warm Up Assignments (90 points): Warm Up assignments are short pre-lecture assignments that are submitted to me via the web (Oncourse) before class begins.  Warm Up assignments (6 questions each; 15 total) are worth 6 points each if submitted on time. Three of the questions are designed to get you thinking about the topic to be discussed that day, and require you to write a 2-3-sentence answer for each question.  Often, there is no one ÔrightÕ answer for these questions, and the answer will not come directly from the book.  Warm Up assignments will be posted on Oncourse each Friday, and must be submitted by 8 am before each Wednesday  lecture.  Because they are pre-lecture assignments, they will not be accepted  late.
  1. Cooperative Learning (45 points): Each week of class, one 3-point Cooperative Learning assignment will be turned in for credit (or checked for completion), for a maximum of 45 points.  These short assignments will not be announced in advance.
  1. Exams (400 points): A total of 4 lecture exams (multiple choice) will be given, for a total of 400 points.  Exam 1 is worth 60 points, Exams 2 and 3 are worth 100 points each, and Exam 4 (final exam) will be worth 140 points.  The final exam (Exam 4) is not cumulative.  Please bring a calculator and a #2 pencil to each exam.
  1. Laboratory (345 points): There is one 3-hour lab each week; attendance and participation is required.  It is very important to read the lab manual and answer the pre-lab question before coming to lab and to follow all safety procedures in lab.  Labs are worth 10 points each (5 point quiz + 5 point activity); the best 10 scores achieved on these 10-point lab quizzes and exercises will account for up to 100 points your K101 score.  There is one formal lab report due, on Enzymes, for a total of 25 points.  There are 3 lab exams; Exam 1 (80 points) will be taken in recitation, Exam 2 (80  points) is a lab practical, and Exam 3  (60 points) will be given in class on the day of the final.  Please do not attend any lab or recitation other than your own unless prior arrangements have been made.
  1. Recitation (120 points): There is a 90-minute recitation each week; attendance and participation is required.  The recitation leaders are IUPUI science majors who have recently completed and succeeded in K101.  A variety of activities (quizzes, writing, concept mapping, problem solving, Biomath) will be offered, with 10 points given for each recitation exercise.  The best 10 scores achieved in Recitation will be worth up to 100 points of your K101 score.  In addition, two Microessays will be assigned (10 points each), worth a total of up to 20 points.
  1. Summary of Course points: Your grade will be based on a total of 1,000 points:

Lecture Exam 1
Lecture Exam 2
Lecture Exam 3
Lecture Exam 4 (Final)

60 points
100 points
100 points
140 points

 


= 400 points

Warm-Up Exercises 1-15

6 points each x 15

= 90 points

Cooperative Learning 1-15

3 points each x 15

= 45 points

Lab Exam 1
Lab Exam 2 (Lab Practical)
Lab Exam 3 (Final)

80 points
80 points
60 points

 

= 220 points

Lab Report 

25 points

= 25 points

Lab Quiz/Exercises

10 points each; best 10

= 100 points

Recitation Exercises  and Biomath

10 points each; best 10

= 100 points

Microessays

10 points each x 2

= 20 points

TOTAL

= 1000 points

Personal Responsibility and Expectations for all K101 students:

1. Be prepared to work hard - Print out the PowerPoints and do the readings before class. Plan to spend at least 10 hours per week on this class outside of lecture, lab, and recitation (reading, reviewing notes, using CD, doing Warm Up assignments).
2. Be honest - Academic Misconduct  (cheating, plagiarism, etc)  is a serious  offense, and I will follow university procedures for handling academic dishonesty in K101, which may include failing the class, expulsion from the university, or both.
3. Be on time - Arrive before lecture, lab and recitation begin.  Do not miss class except for an emergency.  Submit Warm Ups early to allow for breathing room.
4. Be considerate - Turn cell phones off or to 'vibrate'. Do not talk on your cell phone in class! Do not talk with others in class while lecture is going on.  It is hard for others to concentrate with lots of background noise.  If needed, I will ask you to leave class - and forfeit 10 points in the process.
5. Be smart with your investment -Q: How much is this course costing you? (Nothing? - Thanks, mom and dad!)  Answer:  At least $920 per person!  You are investing hard-earned money into college, and if you get the most out of every class, lab, and recitation session you will likely get an excellent ROI - Return on Investment.  Note also that you are investing your TIME along with your money to take K101, and time is a non-renewable resource! ....Can you afford to delay your plans for Graduation, Med School, etc., to re-take this course?  (...ok, mom, we get the picture!...)
©2005 Kathy Marrs / IUPUI, all rights reserved.

Note: Revised Version - posted August 23, 2005
Course Schedule: [Back to Syllabus]

 

K101 Lecture and Recitation
(Subject to Change)

K101 Lab

Wk 1 W
F

Aug 24
Aug 26

1.            Ch 1: Themes; Ch 2 Atoms
2.            Ch 2: Chem Bonds; Ch 3 Water

NO LABS OR RECITATION

Wk 2 M
W
F

Aug 29
Aug 31
Sept 1

3.            Ch 4: Functional Groups
4.            Ch 5:  Macromolecules I
5.            Ch 5:  Macromolecules II

1.  Lab Ex 5: Macromolecules, pH

Wk 3 M
W
F

Sept 5
Sept 7
Sept 9

           NO CLASS OR RECITATION
6.            Ch 6:  A Tour of the Cell
7.            Ch 6:  A Tour of the Cell

NO LABS THIS WEEK,
Recitations will be held T, W and Th

Wk 4 M
W
F

Sept 12
Sept 14
Sept 16

8.            Ch 7:  Membrane Structure and Function
9.            EX 1:  60 points; thru Ch 6
10.          Ch 8:   An Introduction to Metabolism

2.   Lab Ex 7:  Diffusion and Osmosis, Measurement

Wk 5 M
W
F

Sept 19
Sept 21
Sept 23

11.          Ch 9:   Cellular Respiration
12.          Ch 9:   Cellular Respiration
13.          Ch 10: Photosynthesis

3.   Lab Ex 10:  Respiration

Wk 6 M
W
F

Sept 26
Sept 28
Sept 30

14.          Ch 10: Photosynthesis
15.          Ch 11: Cell communication
16.          Ch 16: DNA Replication

4.   Lab Ex 9:  Photosynthesis

Wk 7 M
W
F

Oct 3
Oct 5
Oct 7

17.          Ch 12: Mitosis; Cell cycle, Cancer
18.          Ch 12: Mitosis; Cell cycle, Cancer
19.          Ch 13: Meiosis; Non-disjunction

5.   Lab 8:  Enzymes (Lab Report due Week of Oct 24-28)

Wk 8 M
W
F

Oct 10
Oct 12
Oct 14

20.          Ch 14: Mendelian Genetics
21.          EX 2: 100 pts Ch 7-12 (plus Ch 16)
22.          Ch 14: Mendelian Genetics

6.   Lab Ex 11-12: Mitosis/Meiosis

Wk 9 M
W
F

Oct 17
Oct 19
Oct 21

23.          Ch 15: Non-Mendelian Genetics
24.          Ch 15: Non-Mendelian Genetics
25.          LAB EX  1: 80 pt; thru 10/14 -Labs  1-7

7.   Ex 13: Genetics, FastPlants

Wk 10 M
W
F

Oct 24
Oct 26
Oct 28

26.          Ch 17: DNA: Central Dogma
27.          Ch 17: DNA: Central Dogma
28.          Ch 19: Eukaryotic Gene Expression

8.   pGLO, Biotechnology
Lab Report due at the beginning of your lab period

Wk 11 M
W
F

Oct 31
Nov 2
Nov 4

29.          Ch 19: Eukaryotic Gene Expression
30.          Ch 20: Biotechnology and Genomics
31.          Ch 20: Biotechnology and Genomics

9. DNA Restriction Enzymes and DNA Gel Electrophoresis

Wk 12 M
W
F

Nov 7
Nov 9
Nov 11

32.          Ch 27: Prokaryotes and Viruses
33.          Ch 28: Kingdom Protista
34.          EX 3: 100 pts thru 11/4 (Ch 20)

10. Lab Ex 3: Microscopy:
Lab Ex 19A:  Eubacteria
Lab Ex 19B and 20:  Protista

Wk 13 M
W
F

Nov 14
Nov 16
Nov 18

35.          Ch 28: Kingdom Protista
36.          Ch 31: Kingdom Fungi
37.          Ch 29: Seedless Plants

11. Lab Ex  21: Kingdom Fungi
Lab Ex 22-23: Seedless Plants
Lab Ex 24-25: Seed Plants

Wk 14 M
W
F

Nov 21
Nov 23
Nov 25

38.          Ch 30: Seed Plants
             NO CLASS OR RECITATION
            NO CLASS OR RECITATION

NO LABS All week

Wk 15 M
W
F

Nov 28
Nov 30
Dec 2

39.          Ch 35: Plant Anatomy
40.          Ch 35: Plant Anatomy
41.          Ch 36: Transport in Plants

12. Lab Ex: Plant Anatomy,
Lab Ex: Plant Hormones

Wk 16 M
W
F

Dec 5
Dec 7
Dec 9

42.          Ch 39: Plant Phys
43.          Ch 39: Plant Phys
44.          Lab Practical (80 points) Labs 11-14

13. Lab Ex: Plant Anatomy,
Lab Ex: Plant Hormones

Wk 17 M
W
F

Dec 12
---
Dec 16

45.          REVIEW
           No class
FINAL EX 4 (140 pts) + Lab Final - Labs 8-14 (60 pts)

NO LABS All week