BISC 1005: Biology of Nutrition and Health Fall 2013

Monday/Wednesday 3:55PM - 4:45PM CRN 54841

Dr. Tara Scully; Lisner Hall Rm 344; Office Hours Tuesday 4-5pm

202-994-7195;

Course Description

Explore the microscopic world behind what makes you tick. This course examines the essential substances of life including the macromolecules of food. This discussion will continue with an investigation of nutrition and the digestive system of humans. Why do humans have to eat food? This question will be examined while comparing and contrasting the different successful strategies of producers and consumers. The transfer of energy between these organisms will be explored and what cellular processes allow organisms to survive and function. Next, the life cycle of organisms will be surveyed with a focus on the genetics of gamete production, fertilization and Mendelian genetics. Lastly, with the advent of many different types of biotechnology the course will study how deficiency, disease and disorders can occur and possibly be cured by examining and manipulating the world of reproduction and genetics. The objectives and outcomes of this course will be accomplished through interactive lectures and laboratory activities.

Course Objectives

Learning objectives for this course are:1. Students will evaluate the molecular composition of food, how food is created and utilized by organisms; and 2. Students will summarize the increasing complex cellular structures of organisms, understanding how these structures have a direct impact on their daily lives; and 3. Students will understand the function of molecules and their role in storing information, processing energy and influencing who we are.

Grading and Policies

Lab = 200 pts.

Lecture = 300 pts.

Exams

Exam 1-3 (total = 105 pts./exam)

14laboratory questions and 28 lecture questions = 35 lab points/70 lecture points

  • All exams are multiple choice questions.
  • No makeups are given unless there is contact prior to the day and time of the scheduled exam unless prohibited by the situation. In the case of a makeup, a note confirming the situation such as a doctor’s note is required.

Additional points for lecture

In-class questions(total = 45 lecture pts.) =15pts./exam

  • Clicker questions will be given during lecture to assess in-class points. You must answer all questions during the lecture period to get credit for attending. You must attend 50% of lectures to receive full attendance credit. 2 pts.per lecture attended will be given if there is not 50% attendance. No excused absences will be allowed.You must register your clicker prior to the first exam to get full credit – a deduction of 50% will be taken if it is not.

Connections(total = 30 lecture pts.) =30pts.

  • The connections assignment is a writingassignment. The templateand grading requirements are posted on Blackboard. The objective of this assignment is to understand the purpose of learning the topics of this semester. In this assignment you will describe 1. How one topic relates to your life, 2. One problem humans have with that topic and 3. One potential way to solve that topic. This assignment is posted on Blackboard and will be submitted in Blackboard.

Lecture assignments (total = 15 lecture pts.)= 5pts./exam

  • Group activitieswill be given during lecture for each of the exams. The activities will vary – some may be case studies, short answer questions, or outlines. These will be activities where hand written notes may be used but no electronic devices. If a group is caught with any electronic device the entire group will receive zero points for the assignment. These assignments may involve topics related to assigned readings or information covered in lecture.

Additional points for laboratory

Laboratory evaluation (total = 80 lab pts.) =10pts./lab with the lowest lab evaluation dropped

Blackboard pre-quiz =5pts./lab

  • Each pre-quiz covers any information within the chapter introduction or within the lab activities assigned that week. The quizzes are posted 24 hours prior to the start of your lab period and close at the start of your lab period. No excuses will be accepted for not completing these quizzes. Please do not rely on wireless connections because if they fail then it will stop the quiz and an error will occur. If there is an error with the prequiz then a student may have one quiz/semester reset due to a connection problem but you must email your instructor prior to lab in order to have this done.

In Class Evaluation=5pts./lab

  • The in-class evaluation will include on-time attendance of lab, attending the correct lab section, possession of the lab manual for that day’s activities, participation during lab activities, and completion of the manual questions for each assigned activity. Grading of lab activity questions includes grammar, spelling, the accuracy of answers and the use of one’s own wording. DO NOT copy answers from another student. If answers are exactly the same for these questions, both students will receive a zero for that assignment and be turned into the Academic Integrity Council.

Laboratory pop quiz (total = 15 lab pts.) =5pts.(1 quiz per exam period)

Each lab instructor will give their own pop quiz in any format they choose to test each student’s knowledge of material covered in lab. The pop quiz will be given at the beginning of the lab period and no more than 10 minutes will be allowed. These are designed to keep you up-to-date on lab material in preparation for the exams.

Attendance policy for both lecture and lab and makeup labs

Students must notify your instructor/professor during the first week of each semester of planned absences for religious observances. If you don’t do so then accommodations will not be made to reschedule an exam or lab.

You are required to attend 50% of lectures to receive full attendance credit. No excuses will be accepted for missing more than this amount.

You are required to attend lab. No makeup is allowed unless a student has a documented excused absence, this includes a doctor’s note, a death notice or some other written confirmation of absence. In this case, you can only make up a lab during the same week. If a student with a written excuse cannot attend another lab section within the same week, then this lab will be there dropped lab for the semester. No student will be allowed to attend another lab section unless they have contacted their instructor prior to missing lab and then the instructor listed for the lab section you will attend. You are responsible for rescheduling a lab you have missed. The schedule of other lab sections is on Blackboard. If there is a legitimate excused absence because an emergency then the student is responsible for getting their instructor a written confirmation of absence within one week of the absence. If it is not received within that week then the lab will not be dropped.

Grading Policy

It is your responsibility to monitor your grades throughout the semester. Once the grades are posted you have 1 week to contact your instructor with any concerns. If you don’t the grades will be submitted as is and no adjustments will be made.

Required Material

Lecture Textbook: Discover Biology,5th Edition, Singh-Cundy and Cain

iclicker(either iclicker 1 or 2 or mobile iclicker)

Lab book: Discovering Biology in the Laboratory: second edition, Scully, Norton Publishing

Only the labs covered during this semester. Please review the lab chapter names to ensure you are purchasing the correct lab manual.

Lecture Topic / Textbook Chapter / Laboratory Topic / Date
Introduction to Course / Lab Orientation / Aug. 26th/Aug. 26th-30th
Nutrients and Digestion / Chapters 5 and 27 / Aug. 28th, Sept. 4thand 9th
Lab Week 1:
Chemical Building Blocks and Nutrition
Activities 1, 2, and 4 / Sept. 9th – 13th
Cell Structure / Chapter 6 / Sept. 11thand 16th
Lab Week 2:
Exploring Life under a Microscope Activities 3, 4, 5 and 7 / Sept. 16th – 20th
Membranes and Transport / Chapter 7 / Sept. 18thand 23rd
Lab Week 3:
Molecular Movement across Membranes
Activities 2, 3 and 5 / Sept. 23rd – 25th
Homeostasis / Chapter 26 / Sept.25th and 30th
Exam 1 / Chapters 5-7, 26 and 27 / Covers Labs 1-3 / Oct. 2nd
Energy and Enzymes / Chapter 8 / Oct. 7thand 9th
Lab Week 4:
Energy and Enzymes
Activities 2 and 6 / Oct. 7th – 11th
Photosynthesis / Chapter 9 / Oct. 14th
Lab Week 5:
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Activities 1 and 2 / Oct. 14th-18th
Cellular Respiration / Chapter 9 / Oct. 16thand 21st
Lab Week 6:
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Activities 4, 5 and 6 / Oct. 21st-25th
Cell Cycle / Chapters 10-11 / Oct. 23rdand 28th
Exam 2 / Chapters 8-11 / Covers Labs 4-6 / Oct. 30th
Inheritance and Genetics / Chapter 12 and 13 / Nov. 4thand 6th
Lab Week 7:
Human Genetics
Activities 1 and 5 / Nov. 4th – 8th
Gene Expression / Chapter 14 / Nov. 11thand 13th
Lab Week 8:
DNA and DNA Technology
Activities 1, 2 and 3 / Nov. 11th – 15th
From DNA to Proteins / Chapters 15 / Nov. 18thand 20th
Lab Week 9:
Forensic Science
Activities 1 and 2 / Nov. 18th-22nd
Biotechnology / Chapter 16 / Nov. 25th, Dec. 2nd and 4th
Final Exam / Covers 12-16 / Covers labs 7-9 / Date of the final exam

Keep updated with any changes to the syllabus on Blackboard, changes will be posted on the announcements page. I won’t send out an email every time there is a change as you receive enough emails.

Revised: 10/21/2018 7:11 PMPage 1