Microbiology (Bio 39)
Bristol Community College
Spring 2006
Instructor: Larry Frolich
E-mail:
Lecture: MWR 12:00-12:50 p.m.., L119 (MR), L201 (W)
Lab: WR 1:00-2:00 p.m., L201
Course Website: http://faculty.ccri.edu/lmfrolich/
Description
As incredible as the vastness of the cosmos, is the impossibly tiny world in which most of the life on our planet lives. This course, microbiology, focuses on the diversity of life made up of those tiny organisms that can live as individual cells or within the cells of larger organisms. Microbial species are our most important and most common co-evolutionary companions in the complicated environments where we modern humans live. The role and ubiquity of microbes in everything from food preparation to illness to environmental balance is astounding. During this one short semester, we can at best hope to delve in-depth into some microbial case studies, while trying to elucidate general concepts and organizational schemes that will guide a personal pursuit of learning more microbiology. The hope is that a basic framework for a continuing and lifelong, profession-based, exploration of these incredibly important organisms can be established.
For each section of the course, laboratory exercises illustrate real-life applications of the concepts being learned. Most weeks, class-time will be divided between an interactive lecture environment and a self- and group-driven lab environment. The semester is divided into four units, each with a general theme that is developed around a particular case study:
· Unit I: Unity, Diversity and Evolution of Microbial Life (Where do they come from?)
Case study: Bacillus odysseus at the JPL spacecraft laboratories
· Unit II: Physiology, Genetics and Reproduction (How do they work?)
Case study: Antibacterial resistance in Escherichia coli and Clostridium difficile
· Unit III: Environment and Ecology (Where are they?)
Case study: Plasmodium—the protozoan that causes malaria
· Unit IV: Immunity and Domestication (how do we live and relate with them?)
Case study: HIV—the virus that causes AIDS
Text: Bauman, R.W. (2004). Microbiology. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings.
Lab Manual: Beishir, L. (1996). Microbiology in Practice: A Self-Instructional Laboratory Course, Sixth Edition. New York: Addison-Wesley. and Lab Manual.
General Objectives
A. Open our minds to new and different views of the natural world and our relationship with that world. Each section of the course revolves around a case study that helps relate theoretical concepts into a real-world “story” that everyone can understand.
B. Come to an understanding of microbial life based on fundamental principles. We will do on-line surveys. Questionnaires, concept maps and other projects, with peer feedback, that will help assure everyone is seeing the “big picture” view of what we are learning. Each student’s compendium notebook that summarizes the material from each section of the course will be organized around major themes.
C. Think and analyze critically, learning to use resources as a constant reference companion. The text for this course is not treated as a series of assigned readings, but rather a constant reference—specific chapters are sometimes recommended to enhance understanding of a particular topic. At the same time, the course website, with topic links that fan out from the case study home page, will be available to students as a resource even after they finish the course.
D. Relate real-life observations—in the lab and in daily life—to theoretical understanding. Lab exercises are designed with a focus on how microbes are a part of our every-day lives.
E. Work individually and in group while learning to recognize one’s own, as well as one’s colleagues, strengths and weaknesses. Lab projects, compendium notebooks and the “Adopt-a-Microbe” website will all provide chances to work on recognizing our strengths and weaknesses.
Evaluation
Four principle tools will be used to evaluate students. For each section of the course, specific learning objectives along with the particular evaluation tool that will be used to assess each objective are available on the course website. More detailed instructions and exact explanations of how each evaluation tool will be graded, will be posted on the course website.
1. Compendium notebooks: For each section of the course, students will assemble a compendium notebook that contains all of the principle topics that were treated. These notebooks will be done by hand, with an emphasis on integrating text with drawings and graphics.
100 points for each unit of the course (x 4 units) = 400 points total
2. Laboratory notebooks: These will be assembled during the course of the lab exercises. An ideal lab notebook will include all of the detailed information needed to set up and carry out the lab, an exact and complete report on the data or observations that are gathered, and a clear analysis of that data, when appropriate comparing one’s own data to class data. Lab notebooks will also be done by hand, on numbered pages, with no second edit, much in the way that a working investigative laboratory notebook would be done.
100 points for each unit of the course (x 4 units) = 400 points total
3. Group “wiki” activities. Most weeks of the semester will include a chance to contribute to a group “wiki” website through an activity designed to introduce a topic, generate discussion, or check comprehension. Each individual’s contribution to these group websites will be evaluated separately.
100 points total
4. “Adopt-a-Microbe” personal website. Each of you will choose your own “pet” microbe to adopt throughout the semester. You’ll learn how to create your own website, dedicated to this particular species. As the semester proceeds, you’ll investigate how each topic applies to your adopted microbe and present that information on your adopted microbe’s website. During the semester, I, as well as a few peer colleagues, will provide feedback on the content and organization of your website. The last week of the semester will be devoted to class presentations of each of your adopted microbes and their websites.
100 points total
Grading Scheme:
1. Compendium Notebooks (100 points per unit x 4) 400 points
2. Laboratory Notebooks (100 points per unit x 4) 400 points
3. Group “wiki” activities 100 points
4. Adopt-a-microbe project 100 points
TOTAL FOR SEMESTER 1000 POINTS
Guiding Principle
I am guided by the hope and desire that each of my students will become the kind of health, education or science professional in whom I would entrust my own or my children’s care and education. I strongly believe that a well-founded understanding of basic microbiological principles is essential to working safely and effectively in today’s health care environment. While a certain base knowledge must be committed to memory, what is perhaps most important is to work from basic principles, with the certainly of knowing how to look things up and then apply what has been learned. Reading text chapters, and attempting to commit them to short-term memory for recall on an exam, is not enough. Interacting with the material, summarizing in concept charts and compendium notebooks, applying what is learned in lab, and investigating one’s own “adopted” microbe, are a start towards a higher-level understanding of microbiology. In the end, my hope is that students will leave this class with an open mind, a new appreciation for microbial life and its complexity, a willingness to deeply examine how we as humans relate to those microbes in both medical and non-medical settings, and perhaps most of all a strong desire to continue to learn more. May this be a course that serves each of you, not just on exam day, but well into the future.
Dedication, Collegiality and Professionalism
From the outset, I assume that students who have advanced sufficiently in their academic professional goals to be taking this course are self-motivated and want to achieve at the highest level. I view my own role as one of a colleague who serves to orient and guide the student. In both the classroom, and especially in the lab where tight collaboration is a necessity, I strive to create an environment that promotes a strong sense of professional respect and look for students to collaborate in this endeavor. While respecting the norms of academic honesty, we seek a cooperative approach to learning where we all take advantage of each others’ strengths and skills in a collegial way, much as one would hope to find in a well-managed workplace.
Microbiology requires serious and time-intensive dedication. A minimum of ten hours preparation, study and revision outside of class is needed to pass and perhaps more time to really excel. Think of class as a quick orientation to what you need to learn during the rest of the week or over the weekend. I strongly encourage students to study together. Nonetheless, any hint of plagiarism or violation of academic honesty in the preparation of class assignments will result in an instant fail grade for the semester.
Attendance and Deadlines
Any student who misses lecture, class or an on-line activity during the first three weeks of the semester, without written evidence of an urgent or emergency situation may withdrawn from the course by the instructor. Students who miss the first day of class without an urgent or emergency situation will be automatically withdrawn. Notebook and project assignments must be presented on time. If presented late, they will only be considered with written evidence of an emergency or urgent situation.
Website and WebCT
Virtually all material presented during class, as well as any logistical information (such as this syllabus) will be posted on the course website and will be available to you into at any time. This website will be maintained into the foreseeable future so it can even serve you as a reference after leaving this class.
I will post weekly announcements on the course WebCT site to help you keep track on what we are doing each week. Also, the WebCT site serves as a forum for your questions and concerns. Since often concerns are shared among students, I would prefer that you would post them to the WebCT site and I will answer them there, although you can also, if you choose, use e-mail.
Here’s to a great semester!!!!
Week / Class / Chat / Lab / Preparation/ReviewUNIT I: UNITY, DIVERSITY, AND EVOLUTION OF MICROBES (Where do they come from?)
1/23 / ▪Orientation: to course, to colleagues
▪T.P. History of Life / Learn Wiki Website Use / Safety Procedures, Policies
Ubiquity of Micro-Organisms (Mod.6) / Lynn Margulis Reading
Research Pet Microbe
Lab Modules 1-5
1/30 / ▪JPL Spacecraft Case Study
▪Fundamental Char. Of Life / Set up website / Aseptic Transfer (Mod. 7) / Text Chapters 2,3
JPL Case study reading
2/6 / ▪Overview Main Microbe Groups / Choose and post microbe / Streaking for Isolation (Mod. 12) / Text Chaps 11-12,19,25
Update “pet” website
2/13 / Compendium Notebook review / Open Chat / Lab Notebook Review / Notebooks ready
UNIT II: GENETICS AND PHYSIOLOGY (How do they work?)
2/20 (W,R) / ▪E. coli antibiotic resistance case study
▪Metabolic requirements of bacteria / Use Of Microscope (Mod. 4)
Preparing a Smear (Mod. 21)
Simple Stain (Mod. 22) / Text Chapters 5-8
Lab Modules 7-13
“Waves in the Water”
2/27 / ▪Dual role of DNA
▪What do antibiotics do? / Review “pet” microbe Websites / Gram Staining (Mod. 23)
Endospore Stain (Mod. 25)
Other stains (Mods. 24, 26, 27) / Text Chapters 19, 20
3/6 / ▪Phages and Transposons
▪Evolution of antibiotic resistance / Review “pet” microbe Websites / Effects of Ultra-Violet Radiation (Mod. 30) / Work on notebooks
Update “pet” website
3/20 / ▪Genetic Engineering / Finalize Unit I, Unit II info. for website / Effects of Antibiotics (Mod. 32)
3/27 / Compendium Notebook review / (no class W) / Lab Notebook Review / Notebooks ready
UNIT III: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Where are they?)
4/3 / ▪Plasmodium malaria case study / Review “pet” microbe pamphlets / Selective and Differential Media (Mod. 40) / Malaria in U.S. reading
“Jointed Threads: Leidy…”
4/10 / ▪Types of microbial environments / Review “pet microbe pamphlets / Carbohydrate Fermentation
(Mod. 34) / Text chapters 9,11,12, 26
▪Ecological relationships of microbes
▪Pathogens / Review “pet microbe pamphlets / Effects of U-V, Antiseptics and Carbohydrate Fermentation
(Modules 30, 31, 34) / Work on notebooks
Update “pet” website
4/17 / Compendium Notebook review / (no class M) / Lab Notebook Review / Notebooks ready
UNIT IV: IMMUNITY AND DOMESTICATION (How do we live with them?)
4/24 / ▪HIV/AIDS case study / Open Chat to finalize websites / Electrophoresis (handouts) / Text Chapters 14-18
“Polio’s Back, Why Now?”
5/1 / ▪Non-Specific Immune Response
▪Specific Immunity and Vaccines / Open Chat to finalize websites / Final Environmental Isolate Analysis (various techniques) / Finalize website and pamphlet for presentation
5/8 / Presentation of adopted microbe websites and pamphlets (no class R)
Final / Review of Compendium Notebooks and Lab notebooks