BIOL 1050 - Introduction to Life

Credit Hours: 4.00

Objectives: 

1. Define science and biology.
2. Define scientific method, scientific theory, and scientific law.  
3. Describe the steps of the scientific method and how it is used to acquire new knowledge.  
4. Define characteristics of living things.

Outcome 2: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to explain the chemical and cellular basis of life. 

Objectives:   

1. Draw Bohr models of atoms of elements commonly found in living things. 
2. Understand the types of chemical bonds: ionic, covalent, hydrogen. 
3. Explain how positive and negative ions form. 
4. Illustrate the polar nature of water and state its importance to biological systems. 
5. Understand the pH scale and the function of buffers. 
6. List the four categories of biomolecules, state their functions, and give examples of each. 
7. Differentiate between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. 
8. List the typical parts of eukaryotic cells and their functions.    

Outcome 3: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to explain mechanisms by which substances enter and exit cells. 

Objectives: 

1. Distinguish between passive and active transport. 
2. Distinguish diffusion, osmosis, facilitated transport, and active transport. 
3. Distinguish endocytosis and exocytosis.     

Outcome 4: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to describe the basic principles of metabolism as they relate to enzymes and energy. 

Objectives: 

1. Describe the structure and function of enzymes. 
2. Give the overall equations for photosynthesis and cellular respiration. 
3. Explain how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are coupled reactions. 
4. Compare and contrast aerobic and anaerobic respiration. 
5. Describe the structure of DNA and explain the basics of its replication. 
6. Explain the importance of transcription and translation. 
7. Explain the importance of recombinant DNA techniques in genetic engineering and biotechnology. 

Outcome 5: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to explain cell growth and reproduction. 

Objectives:

1. List the stages of the cell cycle and state the major events of each. 
2. Explain the functions and outcomes of mitosis and meiosis. 
3. Distinguish asexual from sexual reproduction including advantages and disadvantages of each. 

Outcome 6: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to describe the basic concepts of Mendelian genetics. 

Objectives:

1. Explain Mendelian inheritance using Punnett Squares of monohybrid crosses with complete dominance. 
2. Recognize examples of incomplete dominance, codominance, multiple alleles, and polygenic inheritance. 
3. Explain the inheritance of autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant disorders. 

Outcome 7: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to describe the principles of ecology. 

Objectives:

1. Illustrate food webs and the types of organisms at each level. 
2. Use an energy pyramid to explain how energy flows from one trophic level to the next and comment on the efficiency of energy transfer. 
3. Explain the biogeochemical cycles for water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen. 
4. Explain how human activities have resulted in environmental problems.  
5. Suggest local and global solutions to environmental problems. 

Outcome 8: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to describe the principles of evolution. 

Objectives:

1. Explain the process of evolution and cite evidence for it. 
2. Outline Darwin’s contribution to evolution. 
3. Describe mutations and their consequences. 
4. Describe how adaptations arise and how they allow organisms to survive in their environment. 

Outcome 9: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to describe some of the basic anatomy and physiology of animals.  

Objectives:

1. Describe each organ system’s role in maintaining homeostasis. 
2. List the organs and their basic functions for the following organ systems: 
   1. Cardiovascular System
   2. Respiratory System 
   3. Digestive System
   4. Excretory System  

• Communication: The graduate can communicate effectively for the intended purpose and audience.
• Critical Thinking: The graduate can make informed decisions after analyzing information or evidence related to the issue.
• Global Literacy: The graduate can analyze human behavior or experiences through cultural, social, political, or economic perspectives.
• Information Literacy: The graduate can responsibly use information gathered from a variety of formats in order to complete a task.
• Quantitative Reasoning: The graduate can apply quantitative methods or evidence to solve problems or make judgments.
• Scientific Literacy: The graduate can produce or interpret scientific information presented in a variety of formats.

1. Scientific process
   1. What is Science? (Define)
   2. What is Biology? (Define)
   3. Science as Process/Product
   4. The Process: Scientific Method
      1. Awareness and Definition of Problem
      2. Data Gathering
      3. Hypothesis Construction
      4. Testing and Experimenting
   5. Define Theory and Law
2. Characteristics of Life
   1. Growth
   2. Metabolism
   3. Reproduction
   4. Irritability
   5. Evolution and Adaptation
   6. Homeostasis
   7. Cellularity
   8. Organization
3. Chemistry of Life
   1. Matter and Energy
   2. Atoms
      1. Protons, Neutrons, Electrons
      2. Atomic Numbers, Masses
      3. Bohr Models
      4. Simple Shells
   3. Molecule Formation
      1. Molecules, Compounds
      2. Ions
      3. Ionic, Covalent, Hydrogen Bonds
      4. Polarity
      5. Characteristics of water
   4. pH: Acid/Base
   5. Molecules of Life
      1. Carbohydrates: Structure, Function
      2. Lipids: Structure, Function
      3. Proteins: Structure, Function
      4. Nucleic Acids: DNA, RNA, ATP: Structure, Function
      5. H2O
      6. Inorganic minerals
4. Cell Structure and Function
   1. Cell Theory: All Organisms Composed of Cells and All Cells from Pre-existing Cells
   2. Organization of Cells: Prokaryote vs. Eukaryote
   3. Components of Eukaryotic Cells and Their Functions
   4. Plant vs. Animal: Compare and Contrast
5. Cell Membranes and Transport Mechanisms
   1. Current Model of Membrane Structure
   2. Principles of Diffusion
   3. Principles of Osmosis: Hypotonic, Hypertonic, Isotonic
   4. Principles of Mediated Transport: Facilitated, Active
   5. Other types of active transport
      1. Endocytosis: Pinocytosis, Phagocytosis
      2. Exocytosis
6. Cellular Functions: Photosynthesis and Respiration
   1. Energy
      1. Definition
      2. Forms
   2. Laws of Energy
   3. Metabolic Pathways
      1. Anabolic
      2. Catabolic
   4. Enzymes/Coenzymes: Definition and Roles
   5. ATP
   6. General Equation for Photosynthesis
   7. Cellular Respiration
      1. General equation for cellular respiration
      2. Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Metabolism
7. Cellular Functions:  DNA
   1. Describe the structure of DNA
   2. Explain the basics of DNA replication
   3. Describe transcription and translation
   4. Describe DNA recombinant techniques in genetic engineering and biotechnology
8. Cellular Functions:  Growth and Reproduction
   1. The Cell Cycle
   2. Mitosis and Cytokinesis
   3. Cell Structures Necessary to Division
   4. Plant vs Animal Mitosis
   5. Meiosis
   6. Sexual Reproduction Contributing Variation in Genes
   7. Gametogenesis
9. Mendelian Genetics
   1. Punnett squares to show mendelian inheritance
      1. Monohybrid and Dihybrid
      2. Incomplete Dominance
      3. Codominance
      4. Multiple Alleles
      5. Sex Linkage
   2. Polygenic inheritance
10. Ecology
    1. Food webs and trophic levels
    2. Energy pyramid
    3. Biogeochemical cycles
       1. Water
       2. Carbon dioxide
       3. Oxygen
       4. Nitrogen
    4. Human activities and environmental problems
    5. Possible solutions to environmental problems
11. Evolution
    1. Explain the process of evolution and cite evidence for it. 
    2. Outline Darwin’s contribution to evolution. 
    3. Describe mutations and their consequences. 
    4. Understand how adaptations arise and how they allow organisms to survive in their environment. 
12. Animal anatomy and physiology
    1. Define homeostasis
    2. List organs, their functions, and their contribution to homeostasis:
       1. Digestive
       2. Cardiovascular
       3. Respiratory
       4. Excretory