BIOL 141/141L Foundations of Biology I: Cells, Energy, and Organisms

This introductory course for life science majors provides a foundation for further studies in biochemistry, biology, environmental science, and related fields. Topics include characteristics of living organisms, chemical principles underlying biological processes, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cellular structure and function, energetics, genetics, inheritance, molecular biology, and physiology. In the laboratory, students will acquire basic skills in instrumentation, data collection, and analysis. Credit will only be granted for one of the following: BIOL 101 or BIOL 141.

Credits

4

Prerequisite

MATH 143 or higher. Pre- or corequisite: ENGL 121

Hours Weekly

3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab

Course Objectives

1. Communicate biological concepts using appropriate symbols, notations, and vocabulary.
2. Apply appropriate scientific processes to solve problems related to general biology concepts and analyze, evaluate, justify, and interpret the reasonableness of the solutions.
3. Identify and describe the distinguishing characteristics of life.
4. Relate basic principles in chemistry and biochemistry in explaining the different structures in a cell.
5. Explain the basic principles of metabolism, specifically in photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
6. Describe the process of the cellular cycle and significance to human genetics.
7. Identify the structure and function of DNA, including the processes of replication, transcription, translation, and mutagenesis.

Course Objectives

1. Communicate biological concepts using appropriate symbols, notations, and vocabulary.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Final Exam Questions

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Scientific Reasoning Rubric
   • Final Exam Answer Key

   Scientific Reasoning

   • SR1
2. Apply appropriate scientific processes to solve problems related to general biology concepts and analyze, evaluate, justify, and interpret the reasonableness of the solutions.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam questions

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Scientific Reasoning Rubric

   Scientific Reasoning

   • SR2
   • SR3
3. Identify and describe the distinguishing characteristics of life.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam Questions

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam answer key
4. Relate basic principles in chemistry and biochemistry in explaining the different structures in a cell.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam questions

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam answer key
5. Explain the basic principles of metabolism, specifically in photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam questions

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam answer key
6. Describe the process of the cellular cycle and significance to human genetics.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam questions

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam answer key
7. Identify the structure and function of DNA, including the processes of replication, transcription, translation, and mutagenesis.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam questions

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam answer key