Course Number: SC120
Course Title: Biology
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
General
1. To have some
knowledge and understanding of structural components and chemical
processes common to all living things.
2. To understand the basic
principles of inheritance that provide for the continuity of life.
3. To be aware of the
breadth of diversity among living things and some of the processes contributing
to that diversity.
4. To be aware of the
interrelationships and interdependencies between organisms and their environment
via an understanding of some of the basic principles of ecology.
5. To become biologically
literate to the extent that current issues in biology reported in popular
literature (newspapers and magazines) can be easily read and
understood.
Specific
Students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of
steps or procedures used in the scientific method.
2. Demonstrate a working
knowledge of the most common units of measurement in the metric system.
3. Construct bar or line
graphs using data from scientific experiments.
4. Demonstrate an
understanding of the basic principles of chemistry as related to living systems,
including an ability to explain or define terms such as atom, molecule,
isotope,
compound, solvent, solute, ionic bond, covalent bond, pH, acid, base, and
buffer.
5. Compare and contrast the
major macromolecules comprising living things, including carbohydrates, lipids
(fats), proteins, and nucleic acids.
6. List and outline the
functions of at least 10 cell organelles.
7. Relate cell structure and
organization to the classification of living things within the 5-kingdom system
of classification
8. Demonstrate a general
understanding of how cells harvest energy by identifying the major compounds
entering and exiting the processes of photosynthesis, glycolysis,
fermentation,
the Krebs cycle, and the respiratory chain.
9. List and/or recognize the major stages of
mitosis (cell division), identifying the main features of each stage, and be
able to compare and contrast this process with
that
of meiosis (reduction division).
10. Diagram the basic
structure of DNA and RNA and be able to describe or otherwise indicate how the
genetic code imbedded in DNA functions in protein synthesis.
11. Solve problems in Mendelian genetics involving monohybrid crosses, dihybrid crosses, sex linkage,
multiple alleles (using ABO blood groups as examples), and incomplete
dominance.
12. List and give examples
of the major animal tissue types.
13. List and give
distinguishing characteristics and examples of the 10 organ systems.
14. Distinguish between
sexual and asexual reproductive systems and give examples of different
strategies in each, including fission, parthenogenesisis, hermaphroditism,
self-fertilization and cross-fertilization.
15. Identify and give
functions of the major organs of the human male and female reproductive organs.
16. Discuss the advantages
and disadvantages and efficacy of several different methods of contraception.
17. List and define stages
of vertebrate embryonic development and outline functions of the extra embryonic
membranes in humans and in animals producing shelled eggs.
18. Demonstrate knowledge of
the effects of hormones in controlling reproductive functions.
19. List in proper sequence
the basic taxonomic categories in the Linnaean system of classification and
nomenclature and demonstrate how to properly write a scientific
name.
20. List distinguishing
characteristics and examples off: bacteria, protozoa, algae, fungi, the major
groups of plants (e.g., nonvascular and vascular plants, seed plants,
flowering
plants), and the major animal phyla.
21. Distinguish between
bacteria and viruses and list beneficial and harmful examples of each.
22. Define species and
explain a model for speciation.
23. Demonstrate an
understanding of some of the basic terms and concepts of ecology, including
community organization and trophic levels, food chains, food webs,
ecological
pyramids, biological magnification, and prey/predator relationships.