Course Outline

The department course outline for Biology 1101 can be found in PDF format here.

Coordinators for Biology 1101 (Biology I)

Profs. J. Seto & E. Abo-Ali

Textbook

BIOLOGY by OpenStax, ISBN-13: 978-1-947172-51-7

Laboratory Manual

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/bio1101coursehub/lessons/lab/

Course Description

This course focuses on the fundamental principles of biology focus on topics including taxonomy, structure, nutrition, reproduction, heredity, development and evolution. The concepts of molecular biology and DNA fingerprinting using representative plants and animals are introduced. The course also includes the use and care of the microscope.

Materials

In addition to the lecture text and the lab manual, you will need a separate notebook for lecture and lab. For the lab, you will also need pencils, a pen, and a lab coat. These supplies can all be obtained from the bookstore.

Attendance and Lateness

You must attend both lecture and lab. Inability to meet deliverables of participation will result in concordant deductions in your grade.

Grading Policy

Your grade for the course is computed by adding 50% of your lecture average to 50% of your lab average. A student must pass both lab and lecture in order to pass. A failure in either component will result in a final grade of F for the course.

There are four lecture examinations which each cover one quarter of the lecture work as indicated in the outline; these are announced at least one week in advance by your instructor. 60% of your lab grade is derived from your quiz average (at least 5 quizzes). 10% of the lab grade will be derived from at least one full scientific lab report. The remaining 30% of your lab average is based on the quality and completeness of your lab work as indicated in the Attendance policy.

All grades are counted; none are dropped nor are they curved. No make-ups are given except at the discretion of the instructor pending submission of written proof of reason for absence. All medical documentation must be submitted by the student to Student Accessibility Center (SAC) in L237 (on the second floor where the Library & General Buildings meet). SAC will review the documentation and provide a letter for the student to share with the instructor if accommodations are warranted.

Letter Grade	Numerical Range
A	93-100
A-	90-92.9
B+	87-89.9
B	83-86.9
B-	80-82.9
C+	77-79.9
C	70-76.9
D	60-69.9
F	59.9 and below

Workload

Considerable effort must be expended in order to satisfactorily complete the course. It is expected that you will spend at least 3 hours per week in preparation for each credit hour of course work; this is a total of 12 hours. If you are not able to devote the requisite amount of time to your studies then you should seriously reconsider your decision to take the course at this time.

Accessibility

City Tech is committed to supporting the educational goals of enrolled students with disabilities in the areas of enrollment, academic advisement, tutoring, assistive technologies and testing accommodations. If you have or think you may have a disability, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations or academic
adjustments as provided under applicable federal, state and city laws. You may also request services for temporary conditions or medical issues under certain circumstances. If you have questions about your eligibility or would like to seek accommodations or academic adjustments, please contact the Center for Student Accessibility @ 300 Jay Street L-237. 718-260-5143.

Suggestions

• Read the chapters BEFORE class
  • Reading ahead makes you aware of the words so the instructor can clarify
• Take notes ACTIVELY in class
  • Don’t rely on flipping through the slides the night before the exam
  • Your notes will not be organized on first pass so re-write them with the aid of the textbook
• Be AWARE of announcements
  • Ensure you check Brightspace and OpenLab regularly
  • Ensure you utilize your school email for additional announcements
  • Faculty make announcements and can only push to official school email
• KNOW your lecture instructor and lab instructor
  • Your instructors will provide you with email contact information as well as office hours
  • If you encounter any serious difficulties during the semester, it is suggested that you make an appointment with an instructor to discuss them.
• KNOW your classmates
  • Form study groups and ensure you can receive missing work from others
• Be RESPONSIBLE
  • Contact your instructor if you are going to miss class or an exam
• Be PROFESSIONAL
  • You are in an institute of higher learning, so address your instructor as Professor and be respectful
  • Learn to communicate by email in a professional manner.
  • Follow the guidelines for email contact here

You are responsible for all material, announcements, or assignments mentioned in class whether you are present or not. It is therefore advisable to write down the name of your instructor(s), the office, phone extension, and office hours. It is also advised to get the names and phone numbers of several classmates who may be contacted in the event that you are absent. Check Brightspace and/or OpenLab for announcements, links, and schedules from your instructor.

In order to optimize your performance, it is strongly advised that you read your lecture and lab assignments prior to coming to class. At the end of each chapter in the text and in the lab manual review questions are available for you to test yourself. A Student Study Guide may be purchased along with your text book. Tutorial help in the Resource Center is usually available if additional assistance is needed.

Strategies for Learning

Being a successful learner means understanding how knowledge is acquired and utilized.

1. Remember
   • Science is a foreign language. The first thing a student needs to do is learn the basic vocabulary.
   • Create flash cards to learn vocabulary
   • This is the base for all subsequent learning
2. Understand
   • Recalling definitions is meaningless if you can’t use the terms appropriately
   • Use the words in sentences and link related terms together
   • Create concept maps that illustrate how terms work together
     • Use the following tutorial to learn how to do this
3. Apply
   • Can you use the newly acquired knowledge to solve new problems?
   • Can you follow the relationships in your concept maps to use the knowledge?
   • Use the knowledge to identify examples and problems in every day life?
4. Analyze
   • Can you break down information into components to formulate generalizations?
     • Analysis of elements
     • Analysis of relationships
     • Analysis of organization
   • Most analysis in this course comes into play in the laboratory where observations can be discussed in the context of the preceding levels of knowledge.

Course-Based Learning Outcomes and Alignment with General Education Goals

Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Bio 1101	NYCCT Gen Ed Common Core	CUNY Common Core
Comprehend the principles of biology	• Use the arts, sciences and humanities as a forum for the study of values, ethical principles, and the physical world. • Engage in an in-depth, focused, and sustained program of study	Identify and apply the fundamental concepts and methods of a life or physical science
Appreciate the relationship of the other sciences to biology	Understand and appreciate the range of academic disciplines and their relationship to the fields of professional and applied study
Understand the scientific method, its history, and importance to society	Employ scientific reasoning and logical thinking.	Apply the scientific method to explore natural phenomena, including hypothesis development, observation, experimentation, measurement, data analysis, and data presentation
Acquire skills in the use of biological equipment and techniques	Acquire and use the tools needed for communication, inquiry, analysis, and productive work.	Use the tools of a scientific discipline to carry out collaborative laboratory investigations.
Develop expertise in the written and oral expression of biological ideas	• Acquire and use the tools needed for communication, inquiry, analysis, and productive work. • Communicate in diverse settings and groups, using written (both reading and writing), oral (both speaking and listening), and visual means, and more than one language.	Gather, analyze, and interpret data and present it in an effective written laboratory or fieldwork report
Gain skill in the collection of data and in its mathematical treatment and interpretation	• Derive meaning from experience, as well as gather information from observation. • Understand and employ both quantitative and qualitative analysis to describe and solve problems, both independently and cooperatively. • Gather, interpret, evaluate, and apply information discerningly from a variety of sources.	• Gather, analyze, and interpret data and present it in an effective written laboratory or fieldwork report • Identify and apply research ethics and unbiased assessment in gathering and reporting scientific data.
Acquire the knowledge needed for a thorough understanding of the major bioethical issues in society	• Use the arts, sciences and humanities as a forum for the study of values, ethical principles, and the physical world. • Understand and apply values, ethics, and diverse perspectives in personal, professional, civic, and cultural/ global domains

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