FUNDAMENTALS OF
BIOLOGY
I LECTURE SYLLABUS
FALL 2012
DR. SUSAN PETRO
OFFICE : G239
EXTENSION
: 7038 E-MAIL :
spetro@ramapo.edu
I read and answer my email during regular business hours - M-F
8:30-4:30
WEB ADDRESS : http://phobos.ramapo.edu/~spetro
OFFICE HRS : MONDAY 2:30-3:30, TUESDAY 2:30-3:30 and THURSDAY 10:30-11:30
AND BY APPOINTMENT
This
syllabus
is not set in stone, I may need to add or delete material
as necessary. Keep the syllabus bookmarked on your computer so
you
have the most current information always available.
COURSE
GOALS / TEXT / SCHEDULE
/ GRADING / QUIZZES
/ EXAMINATIONS / DISABILITY
ACCOMMODATIONS / HELP / ACADEMIC INTEGRITY /
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
Fundamentals of Biology I (Biol 110) is an
introduction to the
principles
of biology. It lays the foundation for all the biology courses that
follow
it. This first semester of a two semester sequence will cover three
major
topics - 1) the chemical composition, structure and function of the
cell,
2) genetics and evolution, and 3) the diversity of living organisms.
TEXT: Three ring binder edition of
BIOLOGY
by
Campbell and Reese et al, 9th edition printed especially
for Ramapo College
ISBN 13: 978-1-256-32002-9
Available at the Campus Bookstore and
much less expensive than the hard bound edition as you provide your own
binder.
This text will
also be used for Fundamentals of Biology II.
If you would prefer to order a
hardcover edition online the ISBN
number is 13: 978-321-55823-7.
WEBSITE: Purchase
of the textbook allows
you access to the publisher's
website. See the
page prior to the
title page in your textbook
for
your Activation ID and Password.
Click
here for directions to set up your account .
All the recommended
activities are in Study Area. Choose the chapter you
want and
then
click
on the link to the recommended activity. See links under
the Chapters heading below
for a
brief review of the activities for that chapter. A
red star 
means
there
is a highly
recommended activity. The website also has
a self
quiz, activities quiz and practice exam
at the bottom of the activity page for each chapter in
addition to those under the Sample Quiz
heading below.
MOODLE: This course has a
Moodle
site. Go to the Ramapo Campus Communications site and click
on the Moodle link under Important Links. Click on the Lecture
Handouts icon for
the
handouts for each lecture. Prior
to each lecture print out
that
day's lecture handouts and
bring
them to class with you.
Your lecture grades will be posted
on Moodle
as well.
NOTEBOOK:
I recommend a three ring binder with looseleaf
paper for taking class notes. I will explain why at the first
class.
GRADES
Your lecture grade will be based on the following: Weekly quizzes
- 20% and the three examinations and
the final exam - 80%.
Your quiz and test grades for lecture may be accessed on your
Moodle account for this class.
Your lecture grade accounts for 50% of your final course grade. Your
laboratory grade accounts for the other 50%.
You must get a
passing grade in both the lecture and the lab portions of the course in
order to receive a passing grade for the course no matter what the
combined average is. For example if you get a 40 in lab and an 80
in
lecture you will fail the course even though your overall average
is
60. This is a policy of the Biology Convening Group.
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A
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A-
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B+
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B
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B-
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C+
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C
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C-
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D+
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D
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F
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94-100
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90-93
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87-89
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83-86
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80-82
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75-79
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70-74
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66-69
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61-65
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55-60
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<55
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QUIZZES - There will be a
ten minute
quiz
at the beginning of each Monday lecture. The quizzes will cover the
material
given in the two previous lectures and the reading materials assigned.
They are designed to: 1) reassure you that you understand the material
2) see that you are rewarded for keeping up-to-date and 3) uncover any
problem areas. There will be no make-ups on quizzes, but the
two
lowest quiz scores will be dropped. Dropping the two lowest
quizzes will accommodate for absences due to illness, funerals,
religious observances, car breakdowns, etc. Quizzes are the first
10 minutes of the class. If you arrive five minutes late to class
you will have only five minutes to do the quiz, if you arrive eight
minutes late you will have only two minutes to do the quiz, etc. so
arrive on time.
EXAMS
- There will be four cumulative
examinations
including
the final exam. These four exams are equally weighted. There are
samples of past examinations on my web site. There will be a
cumulative, primarily
fill-in-the-blank make-up exam for anyone who has had to miss any
lecture
examination for whatever reason
(illness,
funeral, religious observance, car breakdown, etc.) the week
of December 3rd.
The
make-up exam may also be
taken by
anyone
who has not missed an exam, but who has earned a poor grade on a
previous
exam and wishes to exchange the make-up exam grade (if it is
higher). No special time accommodations will be made for students
taking the exam for the purpose of getting a higher grade. The
make-up will cover all material through the
first
three exams.
STUDYING FOR THIS COURSE
You should spend a minimum of two hours out of class for one
hour in class. That means six hours minimum a week outside of class
studying
for the lecture.
DISABILITY
ACCOMMODATIONS - If you need course adaptations or
accommodations because of a documented disability, please make an
appointment with me as soon as possible in the semester to discuss your
needs.
ACADEMIC
INTEGRITY (CHEATING POLICY)
- Students are expected to read and understand Ramapo College’s
academic integrity policy, which can be found online in the College
Catalog (http://www.ramapo.edu/catalog). Members of the Ramapo
College community are expected to be
honest and forthright in their academic endeavors. Students who violate
this policy will be required to meet with the faculty member and/or
will be referred to the Office of the Provost.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
- In
accordance with Ramapo College policy, I will use your Ramapo College
email
address (@ramapo.edu) to communicate with you about all course-related
matters so check your email regularly.
Suppose things in this course are not
going as
well as you would like:
- Come see me as soon as a problem emerges. I would be happy to
help
clarify any material you do not understand or to review your notes if
you
think that is the problem.
- Send me e-mail: spetro@ramapo.edu. I read and answer my
email during regular business hours - Monday -Friday 8:30-4:30
- Visit me in my office G239. My office hours are Monday from
2:30-3:30, Tuesday 2:30-3:30 and Thursday from 10:30-11:30
and
other
times by
appointment.
Please
call or email me if you are unable to keep your appointment.
- Call me at my office. Extension 7038. Leave a message on voice
mail if I’m out.
"He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but
he
who does not ask remains a fool forever" - Chinese proverb
Class Policies: Cell
phones must be turned off in class and kept in a pocket,
backpack or purse,
not on your lap - this means
no texting during class.
Earphones are to be removed from ears and put away until after class.
Laptop
computers may be used to take notes
in class, but you must send me a copy
of your class notes by email
immediately after each class if you use one.
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CHAPTERS
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SAMPLE QUIZ
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WEB LINKS
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September 6
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Chapter 1 - Introduction1
(p.1-5 and 18-23 up to Theories in Science )
Textbook
website activity review
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Please fill out the class survey,
print it and
hand it in at the first class.
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September 10
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Chapter 2 - The
Chemical Context
of Life
Textbook
website activity review
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September 13
Quiz today |
Chapter 3 -
Water and the Fitness of the
Environment
(Omit material on buffers and acid precipitation
(p.54-56)
Textbook
website activity review
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September 17
No quiz - Rosh Hashanah
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Chapter
4 - Carbon and
the Molecular Diversity of Life
Textbook
website activity review
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September 20
Quiz today |
Chapter
5 - The Structure and
Function of Large Biological Molecules
Textbook
website activity review
On reserve at the
circulation
desk of the library is a good review CD: Basic
Chemistry
for Biology Students
Call Number - PETRO AV-01
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September 24
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Chapter
8 - Introduction to
Metabolism
Omit formulas on p.146
Pages 149-151 will be covered
with
chapter 9.
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| September 27 |
Chapter
6 - A Tour of the Cell
Material on
p.118-122 will be covered in the next lecture
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| October 1 |
Examination
1
Chapters 1 - 6 and 8 (excluding
pages 149-151)
Exam policy - once
you begin the exam you will not be permitted to leave the room so use
the bathroom before the exam begins. If you cannot comply with
this because of a medical problem I must have a doctor's note
ahead of time.
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Study
Hint:
You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to
your
grandmother.
- Albert Einstein |
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| October 4 |
Chapter 7 - Membrane Structure
and
Function
Textbook
website activity review
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| October 8 |
Chapter
8 - An
Introduction to Metabolism
Pages
149-151
Chapter
9 -
Cellular Respiration
(Omit p.177-179 the material on
fermentation will be covered in
lab.)
You do not need to know the
individual steps of glycolysis on p.168-169.
Textbook
website activity review |
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CDs on reserve in
library on
Krebs Cycle and Oxidative Phosphorylation
Call number is:
QH 633 C39 1992 |
October 15
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Chapter 14
- Mendel and the Gene Idea
Omit p. 269-270.and pl 280-281
CD/textbook
website activity review
CD on Mendelian genetics explaining simple dominance using
monohybrid and
dihybrid crosses is on reserve in the library at the circulation desk -
call # QH31 M45 G81
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| October 18 |
Chapter 15
- The Chromosomal Basis
of Inheritance
Omit p.292-302
CD/textbook
website activity review
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| October 22 |
Chapter
22 -
Descent with
Modification
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See quiz below
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| October 25 |
Chapter 23 - Evolution of
Populations
Textbook
website activity review |
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October 29
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Examination
2
Chapters 7, 8 (pages 149-151),
9, 12-15,
22-23 plus questions from exam
1
Membrane Structure and Function
Introduction to Metabolism, Cellular
Respiration, Mitosis/Meiosis, Genetics, Evolution and
material
from
previous exam. |
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October 31
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Last day to withdraw |
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November 1
Firefly
flash
patterns
(Example of
behavioral
isolation)
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Chapter 24 - The Origin of
Species
Omit p.498-501
Textbook
website activity review |
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| November 5 |
5
Chapter
26 -
Phylogeny and
the Tree of Life
Omit Concepts 26.4 and 26.5
Textbook
website activity review
Chapter 27 - Bacteria
and Archaea Omit p.561-563 and p. 570-573
Textbook
website activity review |
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November 8
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Chapter 25 - The History of Life on
Earth read The
First Eukaryotes section on pages 516-517
Chapter
28 - Protists - only pages 575-576
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November 12
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Chapter
29 -
Plant
Diversity I:
How Plants Colonized Land
Omit column 2 of p.612 beginning with Evolution of Leaves
Textbook
website activity review |
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November 19
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Chapter 30 -
Plant Diversity II:
The
Evolution of Seed Plants
Textbook
website activity review
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| November 22 |
Thanksgiving break |
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November 26
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Chapter 31 - Fungi
Textbook
website activity review
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November 29
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Chapter 33 -
Invertebrates:
Pages 670-680
Omit Rotifers, Lophophorates on
p.
676-677
Textbook
website activity review
Chapter 33 -
Invertebrates:
Pages 680-692
(Omit Nematodes on
p. 683-656 and Insect Diversity on p. 690-691)
Textbook
website activity review
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| December 3 |
Examination III
Chapters 24-33, omitting
any pages as per above, plus questions from exam 1 and 2
The Origin of Species through fungi and any animal material covered in lecture |
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December 6
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| Week of Dec 10 time(s)
to be
announced |
Makeup Examination
Material covered by the first
three exams |
Use review sheets from first
three exams |
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December 10
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Chapter 16 - The
Molecular Basis of Inheritance
Entire chapter
Textbook
website activity review
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December 13
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Chapter 17 - From Gene to Protein
Entire chapter
Textbook
website activity review |
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December 13
We will omit this chapter
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Chapter 18 -
Regulation of Gene Expression
Omit pages
352-355 (Concept 18.1) and pages 366 column 2 - 377 (Concepts 18.4 and
18.5)
Textbook
website activity review
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December 15
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Reading Day |
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Thursday, Dec 20
6:30-9:30 PM
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FINAL EXAM
Cumulative
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Review.sheet
for chapters 32-34 and 16- 18
For the rest of the material use review sheets for examinations
1-3
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