Bioscience 140: Biology Professor: Ricky J. Sethi

Bioscience 140

Syllabus

Fall 2005

Catalog Description

This general biology course covers animal and plant cell and organelle structure and function, and also addresses cell growth and division. Additional topics include tissue structure, organ structure and function, and an introduction to genetics and the immune response. Lab exercises are designed to support the topics discussed. In the laboratory, students apply general principles studied during class sessions. Exercises cover a broad range of topics presented in a variety of ways, including group projects, simulations, Internet searches, lab observations, measurements, and analyses of methods used to obtain results.

Pre-requisite	Bios 120
Credit hours	Bioscience 140 is 4 hours.
Meetings	Wednesday 4p.m. - 7p.m., Room 225 Friday 3p.m. - 5p.m., Room 107

Texts and Materials

Required:

• Biology: Concepts & Connections, 4th edition by Campbell, et. al.

Recommended:

• Biology The Easy Way by Edwards has great explanations and solved problems that can really help you get a handle on the material.

Suggested:

• Biology 6th edition by Campbell, et. al.

Attendance Policy

Each student is required to attend every lecture and laboratory in which he or she is enrolled. A swipe-card terminal in each classroom is used to record attendance electronically. Students are responsible for arriving before class begins, sliding their identification card through the wall-mounted reader, and remaining for the duration of the course meeting. Students who are absent for two or more days must contact their assigned Academic Coordinator for advisement. Students who miss more than five (5) consecutive days of school are in violation of the DeVry attendance policy and will be dismissed.

Examination Make-Up Policy

Since responsible behaviour -- including daily class attendance -- is expected of all DeVry students, absence from a scheduled examination is considered to be an extremely serious matter. It is school policy that no faculty member shall be required to schedule a make-up examination unless the student presents a statement from a licensed physician stating that he or she was physically unable to attend school on the day of the exam. The faculty member may schedule a make-up for other equally serious reasons, provided that arrangements are made prior to the date of the exam. An individual faculty member may also schedule a make-up exam if, in his or her opinion, a situation exists that does not fall under the provisions of this policy yet merits special consideration.

Course Grading Standards

A final letter grade is to be awarded to each enrolled student in accordance with the 4.00 grading system shown below.

Academic Integrity Policy

Ideas and learning form the core of the academic community.  In all centers of education, learning is valued and honoured.  No learning community can thrive if its members counterfeit their achievement and seek to establish an unfair advantage over their fellow students. The academic standards at DeVry are based on a pursuit of knowledge and assume a high level of integrity in every one of its members.  When this trust is violated, the academic community suffers injury and must act to ensure that its standards remain meaningful. The vehicle for this action is the Academic Integrity Policy outlined in the Student Handbook.

The Academic Integrity Policy is designed to foster a fair and impartial set of standards upon which academic dishonesty will be judged. All students are required to read, understand, and adhere to these standards, which define and specify the following mandatory sanctions for such dishonest acts as copying, plagiarism, lying, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of records, bribery, and misrepresentation for the purpose of enhancing one's academic standing:

• The first recorded offense will result in the student receiving zero credit for the entire paper, exam, quiz, lab, homework assignment, or other graded activity in which the incident of academic dishonesty occurred. No partial credit may be given.  Where the incident involved a graded assignment normally subject to a "drop" option, the student may not exercise that option.
• The second recorded offense will result in the student receiving a failing grade for the course in which the second offese occurs. The second offense need not be in the same course, program, or term as the first offense to invoke this sanction.
• The third recorded offense will result in the student being permanently expelled from the DeVry system. Again, the third offense need not be in the same course, program, or term as either the first or second offense to invoke the sanction.

Following are the objectives for this course. Individual faculty, based upon their experience and expertise may add to these objectives to meet local campus needs. Any such additions will be communicated to the class. While the instruction remains focused in helping students, accomplishing these objectives is a shared responsibility of students and faculty. The outcomes of this course will depend upon the motivation and capabilities of the students, sufficient time allocation for studying, and the effectiveness of that effort.

DeVry University is committed to the continual improvement of its curriculum and instruction and to meet the needs of students and employers in a rapidly changing global economy. Students, faculty, and the university must all be actively involved to accomplish these objectives, as well as the objectives of this particular course.

1. Given the types of microscopes used to study plant or animal cells, evaluate how scientists use the microscopes and the scientific method to study cell structure and function. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Distinguish between magnification and resolving power. B. Describe the principles, advantages, and limitations of the light microscope, transmission electron microscope, and scanning electron microscope. C. Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. D. Explain why there are both upper and lower limits to cell size. E. Describe the steps in the scientific method and apply these to an experiment in the lab.
2. Given that carbon is a very common element and it has a very high self-bonding capacity, explain how it forms long chains and rings that make up most complex organic molecules. Illustrate how this property is important in the function spider silk and other natural polymers. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Explain how spider silk is produced. Describe the special properties of spider silk that help silk capture prey. B. Define organic compounds, hydrocarbons, a carbon skeleton, and an isomer. C. Describe the properties of and distinguish between the four functional groups of organic molecules. D. List the four classes of macromolecules, explain the relationship between monomers and polymers. E. Describe the structures, functions, properties, and types of carbohydrate molecules. F. Describe the structures, functions, properties, and types of lipid molecules. G. Describe the structures, functions, properties, and types of proteins. H. Compare the structures and functions of DNA and RNA.
3. Given the diverse roles of prokaryotic life, describe the structure and function of prokaryotic cells, and analyze why it is said that prokaryotes are the most successful organisms ever to live. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe the many unique characteristics of prokaryotes. B. Describe the impact of prokaryotes on humans and biological ecosystems. C. Describe the general size, organization, and specialization of prokaryotic organisms. D. Describe the structure, composition, and functions of prokaryotic cell walls. E. Describe three mechanisms that motile bacteria use to move. Explain how prokaryotic flagella work and why they are not considered to be homologous to eukaryotic flagella. F. Explain how the organization of the prokaryotic genome differs from that in eukaryotic cells. G. List the mechanisms that are sources of genetic variation in prokaryotes and indicate which one is the major source. H. Describe the role of prokaryotes in recycling within ecosystems. Distinguish between aerobes and anaerobes. Explain the significance of nitrogen fixation. I. Describe the limitations of antibiotics in combating bacterial diseases. J. Describe how humans exploit the metabolic diversity of prokaryotes for scientific and commercial purposes.
4. Given the structure of eukaryotic cells, compare and contrast animal and plant cells and evaluate how structure relates to function. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe the structure and function of the nucleus and briefly explain how the nucleus controls protein synthesis in the cytoplasm. B. Describe the structure and function of eukaryotic ribosomes, endomembrane system, lysosomes, mitochondria and chloroplasts. C. Describe the functions of the cytoskeleton. Describe the structure and functions of microtubules and microfilaments. D. Describe the development of plant cell walls. E. Describe the structure and list four functions of the extracellular matrix in animal cells. F. Describe the structures of intercellular junctions found in plant and animal cells and relate those structures to their functions.
5. Given that cell division is only one phase of the eukaryotic cell cycle, distinguish between a normal cell cycle and an abnormal cell cycle and differentiate among the life cycle patterns of animals, fungi and plants. Analyze the chromosomal basis of inheritance. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Explain why organisms reproduce only their own kind and why offspring more closely resemble their parents than unrelated individuals of the same species. B. Explain what makes heredity possible. C. Distinguish between asexual and sexual reproduction. D. Diagram the human life cycle and indicate where in the human body that mitosis and meiosis occur; which cells are the result of meiosis and mitosis; and which cells are haploid. E. Explain how cell division functions in reproduction, growth, and repair. F. Describe the major events of cell division. List the phases of mitosis and describe the events characteristic of each phase. G. Describe the process of binary fission in bacteria and how this process may have evolved in eukaryotic mitosis. H. Explain how the abnormal cell division of cancerous cells differs from normal cell division.
6. Given the role of meiosis in sexual reproduction, explain how sex is genetically determined in humans and how sex is determined differently in other organisms. Critically examine the risks posed and the ethical dilemmas associated with the culturing of genetically modified organisms and the safeguards that have been developed. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. List the phases of meiosis I and meiosis II and describe the events characteristic of each phase. B. Recognize the phases of meiosis from diagrams or micrographs. C. Describe the key differences between mitosis and meiosis. Explain how the end result of meiosis differs from that of mitosis. D. Explain how independent assortment, crossing over, and random fertilization contribute to genetic variation in sexually reproducing organisms. E. Explain why inheritable variation was crucial to Darwin's theory of evolution.
7. Given the plant structure, growth and diversity, describe the human impact on plant diversity and evaluate the significance of this loss for humanity. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe the stages of the plant life cycle. B. Describe and compare the three basic organs of plants. Explain how these basic organs are interdependent. C. Describe and compare the structures and functions of fibrous roots, taproots, root hairs, and adventitious roots. D. Describe the basic structure of plant stems. E. Describe and distinguish between the three tissue systems of plant organs and the three basic cell types of plant tissues. F. Distinguish between annual, biennial, and perennial plants. G. Describe the human impact on plant diversity. Explain the significance of this loss for humanity.
8. Given the levels of organization in an animal's body, distinguish between anatomy and physiology and explain how functional anatomy relates to these terms. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe the levels of organization in an animal's body. B. Define a tissue and list the four animal tissue types. Describe the four main tissues noting their structures and their functions. C. Describe the structure of organs. Describe the general structures and functions of the twelve major organ systems in vertebrate animals. D. Describe the systems that help exchange materials between an animal and its environment. E. Explain how physical laws constrain animal form. Explain how the size and shape of an animal's body affect its interactions with the environment. F. Define homeostasis. Describe the three functional components of a homeostatic control system. Explain how thermoregulation is an example of homeostasis G. Distinguish between endothermic and exothermic organisms. Describe the relationship between metabolic rate and body size.
9. Given the variations in feeding habits of carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, suspension feeders, fluid feeders, and bulk feeders, correlate dentition and length of the digestive system of herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Define essential nutrients and describe the four classes of essential nutrients. B. Compare the dietary habits of herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. C. Define and compare the four main stages of food processing. D. Compare intracellular and extracellular digestion. E. Compare the digestive tracts of carnivores and herbivores. Describe the cellulose digesting specializations of the digestive tracts of a koala and cow. F. Describe the common processes and structural components of the mammalian digestive system. G. Describe the different types of digestion that occur in the mouth, stomach and small intestine. Explain how the structure of the small intestine promotes nutrient absorption. H. Compare the digestive processes of the major types of macromolecules. I. Explain how hormones influence the digestive process.
10. Given that lung disease is not only a killer and that most lung disease is chronic, evaluate the impact of smoking bans in public places on the health and safety of the community. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Define gas exchange, describe the general requirements for a respiratory surface and list the variety of respiratory organs that have adapted to meet them. Describe respiratory adaptations of aquatic animals. B. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of water as a respiratory medium. C. Describe countercurrent exchange and explain why it is more efficient than the concurrent flow of water and blood. D. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of air as a respiratory medium and explain how insect tracheal systems are adapted for efficient gas exchange in a terrestrial environment. E. For the human respiratory system, describe the movement of air through air passageways to the alveolus, listing the structures that air must pass through on its journey. F. Describe how carbon dioxide is picked up at the tissues and deposited in the lungs.
11. Given the structure of the heart and circulatory system in humans, define a heart attack and heart disease and explain the causes of these serious health problems. Differentiate between being fit and fat or unfit and slim. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe the need for circulatory and respiratory systems due to increasing animal body size. B. Compare open and closed circulatory systems and gastrovascular cavities. C. Describe the pathway of blood through the mammalian cardiovascular system. D. Relate the structure of blood vessels to their functions. E. Explain how and why blood pressure changes as blood moves away from the heart. F. Explain how blood pressure is measured. Note normal and high blood pressure readings. G. Explain how the structure of a capillary is related to its functions. H. Describe the components of blood and their functions. I. Describe the structure, function, and production of red blood cells. J. Describe the five main types of leukocytes and note their functions. K. Describe the process of blood clotting.
12. Given the mechanism of HIV infection, explain how HIV is transmitted and describe its distribution throughout the world. Develop strategies that can reduce a person's risk of infection. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe the inflammation response, including how it is triggered. Describe the factors that influence phagocytosis during the inflammation response. B. Distinguish between antigens and antibodies. Explain how B cells and T cells recognize specific antigens. C. Explain using diagrams how antibodies interact with antigens. D. For ABO blood groups, list all possible combinations for donor and recipient in blood transfusions, indicate which combinations would cause an immune response in the recipient, and state which blood type is the universal donor. E. Explain how the immune response to Rh factor differs from the response to A and B blood antigens. F. List some known autoimmune disorders and describe possible mechanisms of autoimmunity. G. Explain how general health and mental well being might affect the immune system. H. Describe the infectious agent that causes AIDS and explain how it enters a susceptible cell. I. Describe the early immune system response to HIV infection. Explain how this reaction is used to detect infected individuals. J. Describe the progress of an HIV infection prior to the onset of AIDS. Describe the medical treatment of HIV infection and the likely prognosis for an infected individual.
13. Given that action potentials transmit nerve impulses across a synapse, propose two hypotheses for how various anesthetics might prevent pain. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe the three major functions of the nervous system. B. List and describe the major parts of a neuron and explain the function of each. C. Define a reflex and describe the pathway of a simple reflex arc. D. Explain how an action potential is propagated along an axon. E. Compare an electrical synapse and a chemical synapse. F. Describe the types and properties of the major neurotransmitters. G. Compare and contrast the nervous systems of the following animals and explain how variations in design and complexity relate to their phylogeny, natural history, and habitat: hydra, sea star, planarian, insects, mollusks, and vertebrates. H. Describe the specific functions of the brain regions associated with language, speech, emotions, memory, and learning. I. Describe our current understanding of human consciousness. J. Explain how research on stem cells and neural development may lead to new treatments for injuries and disease.
14. Given the role of the central nervous system in sensory perception, define and compare sensations and perceptions. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe the five general categories of sensory receptors found in animals. Note examples of each. B. Describe and compare the three main types of photoreceptors found in animals. C. Compare the structures, functions, distributions, and densities of rods and cones. D. List in order the structures of the ear involved in hearing. Describe the possible causes of hearing loss. E. Explain how the body position and movement are sensed in the inner ear. F. Explain what causes motion sickness and what can be done to prevent it. G. Explain how odor and taste receptors help contribute to the senses of smell and taste. H. Explain the role of the central nervous system in sensory perception.
15. Given how the skeleton of animals permits diverse activity, describe the diverse methods of locomotion and the forces each must resist. Explain what causes muscles to tire. Distinguish between aerobic and anaerobic exercise and note the advantages of each. Suggested Enabling Objectives A. Describe three main types of skeletons. Note their advantages, their disadvantages, and examples of each. B. Describe how hydrostatic skeletons function and explain why they are not found in large terrestrial organisms. C. Explain how the structure of the arthropod exoskeleton provides both strength and flexibility. Distinguish between an exoskeleton and an endoskeleton. D. Describe the similarities of the skeletons of vertebrates E. Explain how the skeleton combines with an antagonistic muscle arrangement to provide a mechanism for movement. F. Describe the complex structure of a bone noting the major tissues that contribute to bones and their functions.

Strategy

• Laboratory demonstrations will complement the lecture topics. Emphasis will be on the key concepts so that as many topics as consistent with good, basic understanding can be discussed. It is strongly recommended that students scan the experiment procedure prior to the Laboratory class (please refer to the class website for more timely information before each lab).
• Concepts will be covered by problems and demonstrations in class followed with problems and lab follow-ups given as homework. Homework answers are provided on assignment completion. Often, students will present their solutions for class discussion.
• Concepts will be covered by problems and demonstrations in class followed with problems and lab follow-ups given as homework.
• Quizzes will be given with problems almost identical to previous homework assignments.
• There will be a midterm exam in week 8 covering topics discussed through week 7. The final exam in week 15 will cover all topics.
• A term project is required and will consist of a student developed report including references about a real world application of one of the concepts covered in the course. A presentation (5 minute oral) will be required. Use of the Internet and Library for information is recommended. Please see the secton on the Final Project below.
• All projects can be done in collaboration with your team (although individual reports are required).
• Finally, one last tip: physics/chemistry/biology sentences should be read slowly, carefully, & repeatedly.  If it doesn't make sense the first time around, just relax and go back and re-read that section or sentence. If it still doesn't make sense, skip it and finish the chapter and then come back to it later. This course is about learning the major concepts of physics/chemistry/biology and, as such, it is very comprehensive.  I hope you won't let the scope of the course discourage you from sticking with it and gleaning the true beauty of the world you inhabit as revealed through these basic sciences.

Library Research Project

The purpose of the library project/oral presentation is to familiarize the students with resources available in the library, and learn how to use these resources to produce the needed information. Each student is provided with a course related approved topic to research and provide relevant information in regards to the topic, in form of a short report.

1. The result of this research must be typed as an approximately 10-page report and then orally presented in the class.
2. The cover page of each report must include the course number, topic, names, and the date.
3. The report is due during the 12th week of the semester and must be orally presented during the same week.
4. Late reports or late oral presentations are not accepted.
5. This project/oral presentation adds 10% to the total grade.

I usually get quite a few queries from people confused about what topic they should pick or unsure whether they've picked the right one or even if the topic they chose is comprehensive enough for 10 pages. All of these are legitimiate concerns, of course, but just about all of them can be alleviated by asking yourself a simple question (and answering it as honestly as you can):

"What is it that I've always wanted to find out more about?"

My view on the library research project is that it should be something that YOU want to learn about! I'd like for this to serve as an opportunity for everyone to force themselves to learn about something they're genuinely interested in. Don't just make this some requirement that you have to fulfill and so you can just copy some stuff and cobble it together into a 10-page report... instead, use this as a rare opportunity to find out about something that actually interests you. I'm very flexible about the range of topics and as long as we can draw a tangential relationship to the course, I'll probably approve the topic. But it has to truly interest you!

Chapter Reading Memos

Subject matter is covered pretty much in the sequence presented in the required textbook. It is therefore recommended that you scan the chapters prior to the scheduled lectures to become familiar with new terms that will be introduced. In order to facilitate this, every reading assignment, will have a required reading memo due the meeting day following the meeting day it was assigned.

The idea is to have you write down questions and other "instantaneous gut reactions" as you do each reading assignment in the text. It is very important that you create these memos as you read, and on the first pass through the material. They must not be edited or "cleaned up" afterward, and they should not be just outlines or notes. In other words, your reading memos should not simply be a summary/rehashing of the chapter; instead, they should reflect your questions, observations, and insights.

What is the purpose of these reading memos? First, it shows me that you've done the reading. In addition, it encourages active reading (reading scientific tomes is a very different experience from reading a novel or other leisure book where you can passively scan the pages). And, even more importantly, it gives me insight into what you're learning, and, more significantly, what I might need to concentrate on more in lecture. Lastly, they give me a student's perspective on the material and often point out common misconceptions or exceptional insights.

So why should you do them? Well, if all that insight and learning wasn't sufficient motivation, it might help to know that your reading memos will contribute significantly towards your participation grade (see grading policy below). In addition, I'll be using at least one question from your reading memos on the weekly quizzes.

Format of the reading memo: nothing terribly elaborate. Just have a sheet of paper handy as you read the text and jot down your notes. As long as they're legible, I'll be happy. They don't have to be any specific length; I'm just looking for your first impressions and questions you might have. As far as the grading is concerned, I'll basically just be checking off if you're doing them or not. So if you hand one in, you'll get the credit for it. But I'll also be reading them so if you want to impress me, come up with some great memos/questions! Finally, if you're more comfortable jotting them on your computer, feel free to email them to me.

Labs, Homeworks, Quizzes, and Groups, oh my!

There will be weekly homework and labs assigned starting Week 1. However, none of the homework needs to actually be turned in. So why do the homework at all? If learning the material isn't sufficient motivation, then the fact that the weekly quizzes (starting Week 2) will essentially be homework and lab problems might provide some additional impetus to do the homework. In fact, all exams will rely heavily on the homework problems and laboratories.

Starting Week 2, there will be a weekly (open book) quiz in class based almost entirely on the suggested homework, labs, and the reading memos. I'll only keep the 8 or so highest quizzes. You will also have the option of either using the homework or the quiz to determine your weekly quiz grade up to three (3) times during the semester (note: you must hand in the HW before the quiz starts and then only the higher of the two grades will count for that week). Either way, the homework/quiz combo counts for about 1/2 of your grade (please see the Grading Policy below). Keeping up with the reading and doing the labs and homework is probably the best way to learn physics/chemistry/biology.

Keeping up with the reading and doing the homework exercises, projects, and labs is probably the best way to learn science. But the third, and final, ingredient necessary to truly master physics is group learning. Unlike classes in which doing homework together is discouraged, I would actually like to encourage you to collaborate with your colleagues on the suggested homework sets. In fact, we'll be forming groups of about 3 starting in Week 1 and you'll even have the option of doing your projects together as a group (although everyone will have to turn in a separate report and part of your grade will be based on your group's anonymous evaluation of you (and your contribution) to ensure no one person does all the work for the group). All real science is a truly collaborative enterprise and I hope you'll take full advantage of your peers in this regard.

Homework assignments will be primarily problems sets from the chapters. Virtual lab assignments will be given on a weekly basis, and may consist of investigative procedures requiring research and the writing of a brief report. It is advised that lab portions be completed at school during class time. However, students have the option of completing these assignments at home or on-line if appropriate hardware and software is available. Whichever setting is used to complete homework assignments, due dates for each chapter will be on the first meeting day of the following week. Homework will be due at the end of each chapter, and late homework will lose ten percent credit per week.

Comparison of the Scientific Method and the Engineering Design Process

The Scientific Method	The Engineering Process
State your question	Define a need
Do background research	Do background research
Formulate your hypothesis (identify variables)	Establish design criteria
Design the experiment (establish procedure)	Prepare preliminary designs
Test your hypothesis (Experiment!)	Built and test a prototype
Analyze the results (draw conclusions)	Test and redesign (as necessary)
Present the results	Present the results
Reference: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/printable_project_engineering.pdf

<Theoretical Rant Here>
Unlike elephants, people forget. We forget everything from buying the ketchup on our trip to the market to the exact formulation of the time-dependent form of Schroedinger's equation (which, for the curious, as well as the sadistic, is ih/2π ∂ψ/∂t = Hψ = (T + V)ψ = (-h²/8π²m) ∇²ψ + Vψ ). This is, inevitably, your fate as well. Whatever you don't use, you will forget. This is why doctors have a continuing education requirement and programmers have doctors (or at least the M-x doctor within Emacs). Given this enormous attrition rate for knowledge, the purpose of any course, to my mind, is to provide you with a toolset or a way of thinking or approaching a problem which, due to its genericity, will be utilized on an almost daily basis on a variety of topics. Of course, you'll be learning this new mental toolset within the context of this course... so the real purpose of this course isn't to have you memorize a bunch of random facts. No, you'll remember whatever facts you might need in your future endeavours just fine as you'll be using them on a daily basis. What you should learn from this course is a way of thinking and problem-solving... and learn it well enough to apply it to a variety of other scenarios and especially to this particular subject. So if the need ever arises for you to refresh your memory (perhaps for the first time) in this subject again, although all the words will, once again, seem like foreign gibberish, you'll have acquired a mindset that lends itself readily to rapid comprehension of the material and you'll find that the subject, once obtuse and impossible to comprehend, readily bends to your understanding (as long as you put in the requisite time and effort). THIS is the real goal of any learning.
</Theoretical Rant Here>

In this class, we'll emphasize the practical, problem-solving approach instead of just concentrating on the theoretical side (which, being a theoretician, is my natural inclination). The BEST way to learn a subject is to actually DO it (insert your favourite quote to the effect here). And so, the most important part of your learning experience will be all the homework problems you solve every week in your groups or on your own. Doing problems really is the only way to truly learn physics/chemistry/biology and this will be greatly emphasized in this course.

Final Project Notes

The final project for lecture consists of a 5-10 page report that will culminate in an oral presentation (which should be about 15 minutes). The length of the project can vary depending on whether it's more quantitative (e.g., if you solve a physics/chemistry/biology problem or have a lot of equations or do a lab then it can be closer to the 5 page length) or qualitative (i.e., more descriptive; e.g., if you write a biography or do a history or conduct a game, it should be closer to the 10 page length).

The project can be about absolutely any topic that interests you. In fact, I'd like to encourage you to do the project on something that does interest you! It's very open-ended... in the past, groups have conducted game shows for their final project (e.g., Jeoparady, Street Smarts, and even Charades!), done various biographies and histories of famous physicists/chemists, done web animations and presentations, done an experiment or lab in class, etc. Basically, if you can't find something in physics/chemistry/biology that interests you, find a way to relate whatever interests you to physics/chemistry/biology (or, at the very least, to science). If you'd like some ideas on topics or experiments, try sites like http://www.madsci.org/, which have tons of links and resources for just such projects.

Finally, the project will probably be due (at the latest!) by Week 12, followed by the actual presentations in Weeks 13 & 14. There will be a quiz based on the presentations themselves so I'd encourage you to show up for your colleagues' presentations not only as a courtesy to them and to show support for your peers, but also as preparation for the final quiz (which will be based exclusively on the presentations). That quiz (and only that quiz) will also be open notes so feel free to take notes and ask questions when you're listening to the presentations.

Expectations

My general policy in terms of grading is to aim, as in most graduate classes, for an average of about a B. This does not, however, mean that you can earn a high grade simply by doing nothing. What it does mean, though, is that as long as you show up for all the classes, do all the homework/quizzes/exams, and complete your projects on time, you won't ever have to worry about failing the class. So as long as you show up for all the classes and do the basic required work, everyone should at least pass the course.

Also, I do allow for some extra-credit throughout the semester which can be applied towards your midterm or final scores only (i.e., it is not applicable towards the project, hw/quiz, or participation scores). If anything strikes your fancy along the way, feel free to talk to me about doing some extra-credit on it. It'd be nice if you could somehow relate it to physics/chemistry/biology but it can be about anything that interests you. More on my specific expectations about the extra-credit, etc. later...

The reason for the extra-credit is I want to see everyone get the grade they are willing to work for. Some suggestions for extra-credit: research a topic that interests you and write a report on it; do extra exercises in the book; create new/additional Concept Maps, watch science related shows (e.g., Standard Deviants, Bill Nye The Science Guy, Beakman's World, Newton's Apple, NOVA, etc.) and write a brief commentary/report on it, talk about an article in a science magazine like Discover or Scientific American, etc.

The Grading Policy

Grades will be assigned on a 100% scale but given scores will be based on a curve taking into account the overall performance of your class.

HW/Quizzes	50%	Given weekly; only top 8 counted
Project/Weekly Presentations	15%	Due by week 13
Midterm	10%	1 given in week 8 (open book)
Final	15%	1 given in week 15 (comprehensive; open book)
Participation	10%	Reading Memos, Professionalism, Attendance, Involvement, Discussion, Questions, etc.

The Tentative Schedule

This list is intended to act as a planning guide for students. The timing of the Final Exam is definitely in Week 15 and Homework/Quizzes are planned weekly. Timing of all activities will be continuously communicated in classes and/or via email.

Changes to Syllabus: The contents of this syllabus are subject to change with appropriate notice to the students.

Week	Mon	-	Fri	Tasks & Assignments	TCO's
Week 1	Oct 31	-	Nov 04	• Reading Memo: Ch. 1 • No Lab • No HW/Quiz	1
Week 2	Nov 07	-	11	• Reading Memo: Ch. 2 • Lab 1 • HW/Quiz #1	1,2
Week 3	Nov 14	-	18	• Reading Memo: Ch. 3 • Lab 2 • HW/Quiz #2	2,3
Week 4	Nov 21	-	25 (Fri 25 — No Classes)	• Reading Memo: Ch. 4 • Lab 3 • HW/Quiz #3	5
Week 5	Nov 28	-	Dec 02	• Reading Memo: Ch. 5 • Lab 4 • HW/Quiz #4	4,5
Week 6	Dec 05	-	09 (Fri 09 — No Class!)	• Reading Memo: Ch. 6 • Lab 5 • HW/Quiz #5	4,5,6
Week 7	Dec 12	-	16	• Reading Memo: Ch. 7 • Lab 6 • HW/Quiz #6	6,7
Week 8	Jan 02	-	06	Midterm Exam    • Review    • No Lab    • No HW/Quiz	-
Week 9	Jan 09	-	13	• Reading Memo: Ch. 8 • Lab 7 • HW/Quiz #7	11
Week 10	Jan 16	-	20 (Mon 16 — No Classes)	• Reading Memo: Ch. 9 • Lab 8 • HW/Quiz #8	8,10
Week 11	Jan 23	-	27	• Reading Memo: Ch. 10 • Lab 9 • HW/Quiz #9	6,7,8
Week 12	Jan 30	-	Feb 03	• Reading Memo: Ch. 11 • Lab 10 • HW/Quiz #10	9
Week 13	Feb 06	-	10	• Reading Memo: Ch. 12 • Lab 11 • HW/Quiz #11	-
Week 14	Feb 13	-	17	• Reading Memo: Ch. 13 • Lab 12 • Review	8,9,11
Week 15	Feb 20	-	24	Final Exam    TBD -- check the front/home page for more announcements (as needed)	-