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Syllabus

General Biology
BI101

YEAR:

2023-2024

CREDIT HOURS:

4.00

PREREQUISITES:

None

COREQUISITES:

None

COURSE NOTES:

Students must also enroll in BI101L Lab

CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Basic biological principles and their relationship to humans. General education course for non-science majors. Not open to students with credit in any other college biology course except with department recommendation. This course is not recommended for individuals with an interest in majoring in science. Lecture and lab.

HutchCC INSTITUTION-WIDE OUTCOMES:

  1. Demonstrate the ability to think critically and make reasonable judgments by acquiring, analyzing, combining, and evaluating information.
  2. Demonstrate the skills necessary to access and manipulate information through various technological and traditional methods.
  3. Demonstrate effective communication through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
  4. Demonstrate effective interpersonal and collaborative skills.
  5. Demonstrate effective quantitative-reasoning and computational skills.

COURSE OUTCOMES AND COMPETENCIES:

  1. Interpret science as a process.
    1. Define Science and Biology. Describe the scientific method.
    2. Describe hierarchical classification, Terms: Three-domain Classification, Six-Kingdom Classification and Linnaean Hierarchy--kingdom, phylum, class, order, family genus, and species.
  2. Recognize the chemical components of life.
    1. Describe the structure of an atom. Identify the subatomic particles that make up an atom. Identify the charge and relative mass of each subatomic particle. Determine atomic number and atomic mass for biologically important chemical elements.
    2. Distinguish between elements and isotopes. Terms: elements, isotopes.
    3. Describe an ionic bond. State how ions are formed. Describe how ions are arranged in a salt crystal. Terms: electrostatic attraction.
    4. Describe the number of chemical bonds that an atom of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen can make.
    5. Describe a covalent bond. Recognize why water is a polar molecule. Describe a hydrogen bond. Terms: molecule.
    6. List the properties of water. Recognize why water is a good solvent and why some substances dissolve and others do not. Terms: soluble, hydrophobic, hydrophilic.
    7. Describe what happens when water ionizes. Describe the properties of an acid, a base, and a salt. Recognize the pH of an acid, a base, and a neutral solution. Terms: hydrogen ion, hydroxide ion, buffers.
    8. Describe what all organic molecules have in common. List the functional groups. Terms: hydroxyl group, amino group. carboxyl group.
    9. Describe how organic compounds are joined and separated. Terms: monomer, polymer, dehydration synthesis, hydrolysis.
    10. List the characteristics of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and DNA.
    11. Explain why proteins are so diverse in their properties. List the terms used to describe the shapes of proteins. Terms: primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, denatured. Distinguish between inorganic catalysts and enzymes.
    12. Describe how enzymes work. List factors that can affect enzyme activity. Describe the functions of cofactors and coenzymes.
  3. Compare the cellular components of life and recognize the role of DNA.
    1. List the key concepts of the cell theory.
    2. Distinguish between the characteristics of prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells. Explain how viruses fit into this plan.
    3. Know the function of the following cell structures: nucleus, cytoplasm, nucleolus, ribosomes, smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, mitochonria, cell wall, chloroplast.
    4. Describe how materials are transported actively or pasively into or out of a cell. Terms: plasma membrane, diffusion, osmosis, isotonic, hypotonic, hypertonic, active transport, passive transport, endocytosis, exocytosis.
    5. Define ATP and identify how it functions as an energy carrier.
    6. Recognize the overall energy pathway and how energy moves through living things. Terms: photosynthesis, aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, glycolysis, Krebs cycle, electron transport.
    7. Describe the structure of nucleic acids. List and explain the series of experiments that led to the discovery that DNA is the genetic material. Identify how scientific method was involved in these discoveries.
    8. Describe DNA replication. Terms: DNA polymerase, helicase, leading strand, lagging strand.
  4. Identify the processes of somatic cell division.
    1. Recognize what happens when DNA condenses to form chromosomes. Identify the parts of a chromosome. Terms. sister chromatids, centromere.
    2. Describe the cell cycle. Identify what happens during interphase. Terms: G1, S, G2, M and C.
    3. List the stage of mitosis and what happens during each stage. Terms: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, centrioles, spindle fibers.
    4. Define cytokinesis and distinguish the differences in cytokinesis between plant and animal cells. Terms: cleavage furrow, cell plate.
  5. Differentiate between constituents of molecular genetics, mutation and the mechanism of gene expression.
    1. List the steps of gene expression. Describe how genes relate to proteins. Terms: gene.
    2. Identify where and how transcription occurs. Given the nucleotide sequence in DNA, be able to give the complementary sequence in mRNA. Terms: RNA polymerase, messenger RNA.
    3. Identify where and how translation occurs. Explain how codons code for amino acids. Explain how a cell knows where to start and end translation. Terms: codon, anticodon, transfer RNA, initiation, elongation, termination.
    4. Describe mutations and what can cause them. Explain how human cells can protect themselves from mutations. Terms: point mutation, frameshift mutation, mutagen, ionizing radiation, radicals, ultraviolet light, thymine dimers.
  6. Appraise health related aspects of molecular genetics.
    1. Define cancer and list its characteristics. Terms: tumor, metastasis, carcinogen, oncogene, benign, malignant, proto-oncogene.
    2. Describe what a virus is and how it replicates.
    3. Describe the life cycle of HIV and the characteristics of AIDS. Terms: retrovirus, reverse transcriptase, T4 cells.
    4. Describe selected techniques and applications of genetic engineering. Terms: Human Genome Project, genetic engineering, reproductive cloning, therapeutic cloning.
  7. Recognize the animal lifecycle, the process of meiosis and how it compares to mitosis, and how meiosis relates to inheritance.
    1. Describe the typical animal life cycle, identifying which parts are diploid and haploid. Identify chromosome number human diploid & haploid cells. Distinguish sexual and asexual reproduction and advantages of each.
    2. List the stages of meiosis and what happens during each stage. Compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis. Terms: homologous chromosomes, prophase I & II, synapsis, crossing over, metaphase I & II, anaphase I & II and telophase I & II.
    3. Identify where meiosis occurs in humans. Distinguish the differences between meiosis in males and females. Terms: ovary, testis.
  8. Apply the principles of classical genetics to solving problems.
    1. Describe Mendel's experiments and what was learned from them. Terms: dominant, recessive, genes, homozygous, heterozygous, alleles, genotype, phenotype, test cross, monohybrid, dihybrid.
    2. Define Mendel's Principle of Segregation and Principle of Independent Assortment. Explain both in terms of events that occur during meiosis. State why genes only segregate independently if on different pairs of homologous chromosomes.
    3. Genetics is much more complex than Mendel visualized. Identify the more complex patterns of inheritance. Terms: multiple alleles, polygenic inheritance, continuous variation, pleiotropy, incomplete dominance.
    4. Work genetics problems, give predicted probabilities for specific genotypes and phenotypes, and give genotypic and phenotypic ratios. The problems may be for either complete of incomplete dominance.
    5. Describe how human blood type is determined. Identify why it is important to know blood type before doing a blood transfusion. Describe erythroblastosis fetalis and how it could arise.
    6. Describe how gender is inherited in humans. Show how to work genetics problems involving sex-linked genes. Terms: autosomes, X, Y, XX, XY.
    7. Describe nondisjunction and the genetic disorders it can cause. Terms: Down's syndrome, Barr body, XXX, XXY, Klinefelter Snydrome, XO, Turner Syndrome.
    8. Describe selected genetic disorders and how they are inherited. Terms: Sickle cell anemia, phenylketonuria, Huntington's disease, hemophilia.
    9. Identify the techniques that can be used to determine if an unborn child will have a genetic disorder. Terms: amniocentesis, amniotic fluid, chorionic villus sampling, genetic markers.
  9. Examine the evolutionary process and its biological importance.
    1. Describe population genetics and explain the importance of this concept in understanding evolution.
    2. List the sources of variation within a population and factors affecting microevolution. Terms: population, alleles, microevolution, mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, natural selection.
    3. Describe steps involved with natural selection. Recognize evidence for natural selection. Describe how populations can vary under natural selection, stabilizing, directional, and disruptive selection.
    4. Define a species and know the factors regulating speciation. Terms: biological species concept, prezygotic and postzygotic isolation, genetic isolation.
  10. Demonstrate an understanding of ecological concepts and principles and their relationships to environmental issues.
    1. Define ecology and the terms used to describe the different levels of organization found in nature. Terms: ecology, environment, population, habitat, community, ecosystem, biome, biotic factors, abiotic factors.
    2. Describe the flow of energy through an ecosystem. Identify the names given to the different trophic levels, and, on average, what percentage of energy taken in at one trophic level is passed on to the next.
    3. Given a food web, be able to identify the trophic levels of the organisms in the web.
    4. Describe the pyramids of numbers, biomass and energy. Describe how each is calculated and what each pyramid indicates.
    5. Define succession. Identify the stages of succesion. Distinguish between primary and secondary succession. Identify the role of disturbance.
    6. Identify and describe some of the types of relationships and interactions found in a community. Identify some defense mechanisms used by plants and animals to avoid predation. Explain competitive exclusion.
    7. Describe what is meant by cycling of nutrients and why it is important. Describe the carbon and nitrogen cycles. Terms: photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen fixation, atmospheric nitrogen, ammonification, nitrification, denitrification, legumes.
    8. Describe how populations grow. Define carrying capacity and some factors that can cause a population to stabilize.
    9. Describe the growth of the human population. Identify approximately how many humans are alive today. Describe how rapidly the human population is growing and it's doubling time.
    10. State how common starvation is among humans. Identify world food production is sufficient for everyone. List and explain the possible methods for increasing food supply: growing more crops, greater use of the oceans, use of the tropical rain forests.
    11. Interpret an age structure diagram (population pyramid). Identify the rate of population growth in different parts of the world.
    12. Identify various environmental challenges facing humans today. Describe what can be done to help. Terms: greenhouse effect, forest depletion, wetland loss, energy concerns, water quality, ozone depletion, loss of biodiversity, pollution.

HutchCC course outcomes are equivalent to the Kansas core outcomes.

KRSN:

BIO1010

The learning outcomes and competencies detailed in this course outline or syllabus meet or exceed the learning outcomes and competencies specified by the Kansas Core Outcomes Groups project for this course as approved by the Kansas Board of Regents.

COURSE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:

See instructor sheet for specific assessments for this course.

ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT:

Any student who has a documented disability and wishes to access academic accommodations (per the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and Americans with Disability Act) must contact the HCC Coordinator of Disability Services, at 620-665-3554, or the Student Success Center, Parker Student Union. The student must have appropriate documentation on file before accommodations can be provided.

ACADEMIC HONESTY:

Education requires integrity and respect for HutchCC's institutional values. HutchCC students are required to maintain honesty through a "responsible acquisition, discovery, and application of knowledge" in all academic pursuits. Preserving and upholding academic honesty is the responsibility of Hut chCC students, faculty, administrators and staff.

I. Student Responsibilities

All HutchCC students are required to:

  • Submit all work in all courses without cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, dissimulation, forgery, sabotage, or academic dishonesty as defined below.
  • Provide all academic records such as transcripts and test scores that are free of forgery.
  • Refrain from participating in the academic dishonesty of any person.
  • Use only authorized notes and student aids.
  • Use technology appropriately, including refraining from submitting AI (Artificial Intelligence)-generated work without express written consent from your instructor.
  • Protect the security of passwords/login/privacy/electronic files, and maintain sole individual access for any online course information.

II. Definition of Academic Dishonesty

  • Academic dishonesty is any intentional act, or attempted act, of cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, dissimulation, forgery, or sabotage in academic work.
  • Cheating includes using unauthorized materials of any kind, whether hard copies, online, or electronic, such as unapproved study aids in any academic work, copying another student's work, using an unauthorized "cheat sheet" or device, or purchasing or acquiring an essay online or from another student.
  • Fabrica tion is the invention or falsification of any information or citation in any academic work, such as making up a source, providing an incorrect citation, or misquoting a source.
  • Plagiarism is the representation of words, ideas and other works that are not the student's own as being original to the student. A no n-inclusive list of examples includes work completed by someone else, work generated by an external entity (such as AI), omitting a citation for work used from another source, or borrowing the sequence of ideas, arrangement of material, and/or pattern of thought of work not produced by the student, even though it may be expressed in the student's own words.
  • Dissimulation is the obscuring of a student's own actions with the intention of deceiving others in any academic work, such as fabricating excuses for absences or missed assignments, or feigning attendance.
  • Forgery of academic documents is the unauthorized altering, falsification, misrepresentation, or construction of any academic document, such as changing transcripts, changing grades on papers or on exams which have been returned, forging signatures, manipulating a digital file of academic work, or plagiarizing a translation.
  • Sabotage is any obstruction or attempted obstruction of the academic work of another student, such as impersonating another student, stealing or ruining another student's academic work.
  • Aiding and abetting academic dishonesty is considered as knowingly facilitating any act defined above.
  • Academic honesty violations can also include the omission or falsification of any information on an application for any HutchCC academic program.

III. Sanctions for Academic Dishonesty

Students who violate the Academic Honesty Policy may be subject to academic or administrative consequences.

Instructor Sanctions for Violation:

Students suspected of violating the Academic Honesty Policy may be charged in writing by their instructor and any of the following may apply:

  • Assign Avoiding Plagiarism Bridge Module
  • Receiving written warning that could lead to more severe sanction if a second offense occurs
  • Revising the assignment/work in question for partial credit
  • Voiding work in question without opportunity for make-up
  • Reducing the grade for work in question
  • Lowering the final course grade
  • Failing the work in question

Institutional Sanctions for Violation:

Students charged with academic dishonesty, particularly in instances of repeated violations, may further be subjected to an investigation and any of the following may apply:

  • Instructor recommendation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) to dismiss the student from the course in which the dishonesty occurs
  • Instructor recommendation to the VPAA to dismiss student from the course in which the dishonesty occurs with a grade of 'F." Student will not be allowed to take a 'W' for the course
  • Instructor recommendation to the VPAA that the student be suspended and/or dismissed from the program
  • Student barred from course/program for a set period of time or permanently
  • May be recommended by the instructor (after documented repeated offenses) to the VP AA that the student be placed on probation, suspended and/or dismissed from the institution.

IV. Procedure

  • Instructor will communicate in writing via the student's HutchCC email account and/or LearningZone email account to the student suspected of violating the Academic Honesty Policy.  That communication may include sanction(s). Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation Form.
  • For each violation, the instructor will submit a completed Academic Honesty Violation Form to the Department Chair. Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation form.
  • Should the instructor choose to pursue institutional sanctions, the instruct or shall notify the student in writing via the student's HutchCC email account.  Instructor shall also submit a completed Academic Honesty Violation Form and all prior completed forms regarding said student to the Department Chair and the office of the VPAA with recommendation to proceed with specific Institutional Sanctions. Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation Form.
  • The decision of the VPAA on Institutional Sanction is final. The VPAA will notify the student's academic advisor of any institutional sanctions.

V. Due Process Rights

Students charged with violations of academic honesty have the right of appeal and are assured of due process through the Academic Honesty Appeal process.

Academic Honesty Appeal Process

I. Due Process Rights: Students charged with violations of academic honesty have the right of appeal and are assured of due process through the Academic Honesty Appeal process.

  • If an instructor has recommended course or program dismissal, the student may continue in coursework (provi ding there are no threatening or security behavioral issues) until appeal processes are concluded. However, if an issue has been documented at a partnership location (e.g., clinical sites, secondary institutions, correctional or military facilities), then the student is no longer eligible to continue participation in internships, apprenticeships, and/or clinical-based practice. For clinical sites, this sanction is immediate.

II. Process

If the student disagrees with the charge of a violation of academic honesty, the student has the right to due process as described in the Academic Honesty Appeal process below:

  • If the matter is not resolved upon communicating with the instructor about the violation, the student shall, within five business days of the issuance of the written notice of violation, submit a completed Academic Honesty Appeal Form and supporting documentation to the appropriate department chairperson to initiate an Academic Honesty Appeal.
  • Within two business days of receiving the student's completed Academic Honesty Appeal Form, the Department Chair and VPAA will review and the VPAA will render a decision.
  • Within two business days, a response will be sent to the student's HutchCC email address. The VPAA's decision is final.

INCOMPLETE GRADE:

Instructors may give a student a grade of Incomplete (I) under the following conditions:

  1. The student must initiate the request prior to the time final course grades are submitted to Records.
  2. The request must be made because of an emergency, illness or otherwise unavoidable life-event.
  3. The instructor must agree to the request before a grade of Incomplete can be submitted.
  4. A written contract between the instructor and student, signed by both, will document the work required and date needed to complete course work.
  5. If a student does not complete the course requirements within the time frame established by the instructor, a grade of "F" will be recorded on the student's transcript at the end of the next semester.

HLC ACCREDITATION:

Hutchinson Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The Higher Learning Commission is one of six regional institutional accreditors recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Last Revised: 07/01/2019