ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE

 

APPROVED COURSE OUTLINE

 

 

BSC     1005                                    BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE                                      ___3__

Prefix   Number                                          Course Title                                                   Cr.Hrs.

 

 

A.     Course Description:

 

Prerequisites: (ENC 0020, REA 0002 and MAT 0024) or EAP 1695 and MAT 0024. This is a survey course for students who choose a major other than science.  Topics included are the scientific method, basic chemistry of life, plant and animal kingdoms, the cell, selected human systems including human reproduction and embryological development, genetics, evolution, and selected contemporary issues in biology. (This course may not be taken for credit subsequent to receiving a grade of "C" or better in BSC 2010, BSC 2011.) 47 contact hours.

 

B.      Major Learning Outcomes:

 

         1.   The student will be familiar with the basic chemistry of life.

 

         2.   The student will be able to describe the structure of the cell and understand current theories pertaining to its functioning, including cell division.

 

         3.   The student will understand how plants and animals obtain, transfer and use energy on the community, organismic and molecular levels.

 

         4.   The student will be familiar with several body systems: structure, function, current applications and homeostatic integration.

 

         5.   The student will understand the concepts of genetics and use them to explain basic inheritance patterns.

 

         6.   The student will be familiar with an overview of major life groupings; be able to recognize relationships in terms of evolutionary theory and understand the basic principles that link all life.

 

         7.   The student will be able to apply the scientific method in defining, analyzing and solving problems throughout the course and in life situations.

 

 

C.     Course Objectives Stated in Performance Terms:

 

         1.   The student will be familiar with the basic chemistry of life by:

 

               a.   illustrating and explaining atoms, bonding, pH and buffers.

 

               b.   naming the four basic groups of organic compounds (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids), their components, their procurement, and their location and use in the organism.

 

         2.   The student will be able to describe the structure of the cell and understand current theories pertaining to its functioning, including cell division by:

 

               a.   illustrating the model for cell membrane structure and explaining how the processes of diffusion, osmosis and active transport are carried on.

 

               b.   identifying the constituents of the cytoplasm, elaborating on its ‘sol-gel’ consistency, and naming its organelles and their functions.

 

                     These include:

 

                     (1)   microtubules, microfilaments,cytoskeleton                 (5)        lysosomes

                           

                     (2)   endoplasmic reticulum                                               (6)        golgi apparatus

 

                     (3)   ribosomes                                                                (7)        mitochondria

 

                     (4)   vacuoles                                                                   (8)        chloroplasts

 

               c.   describing the nucleus, its parts and its unique functions in all phases of mitosis and meiosis.

 

         3.   The student will understand how plants and animals obtain, transfer and use energy on the community, organismic and molecular levels by:

 

               a.   explaining the flow of energy through ecosystems, the laws of thermodynamics governing that flow and the significance of different amounts of energy available at successive trophic levels.

 

               b.   defining photosynthesis in a chemical equation and correlating the steps of the process with the structure of the plant taking into consideration the source of all the reactants and the fate of all the products.

 

               c.   explaining cellular respiration in three major steps, its significance, and its adaptations to produce ATP with changes in kinds and amounts of reactants.

 

               d.   understanding biotic and abiotic contributions to ecosystems.

 

         4.   The student will be familiar with several body systems: structure, function, current applications and homeostatic integration by:

 

               a.   identifying parts of and overall functions of some (or all) of these systems:

 

                     (1)   digestive                                (5)   skeletal                (9)     integumentary

 

                     (2)   cardiovascular                        (6)   nervous               (10)   endocrine

 

                     (3)   respiratory                             (7)   urinary

 

                     (4)   muscular                                (8)   reproductive including embryonic development

 

               b.   defining homeostasis and applying it to the optimal functioning of a whole organism.

 

         5.   The student will understand the concepts of genetics and use them to explain basic inheritance patterns by:

 

               a.   stating Mendel’s laws and relating these to the process of meiosis.

 

               b.   solving genetics problems involving complete dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked traits, multiple alleles, multiple genes and simple pedigrees.

 

               c.   understanding genetic engineering and explain its effects and uses.

 

         6.   The student will be familiar with an overview of major life groupings; be able to recognize relationships in terms of evolutionary theory and understand the basic principles that link all life by:

 

               a.   being able to classify major life groupings, listing similarities and differences among them.

 

               b.   being able to summarize the underlying principles that unite living things:

 

                     (1)   basic energy production, storage and use

 

                     (2)   adaptations of structure and function to use for the individual and for the species.

 

               c.   applying the principles of evolutionary theory to the understanding of changes in abundance and kinds of life with time.

 

         7.   The student will be able to apply the scientific method in defining, analyzing and solving problems throughout the course and in life situations by:

 

               a.   understanding the terms (including dependent and independent variables) and premises involved in solving problems scientifically.

 

               b.   being able to define and present solutions regarding contemporary issues and problems using scientific methodology.  These issues can include but are not limited to: genetics, fertility and the environment, conservation, medical technology and ethics.

 

 

D.     Criteria Performance Standard:

 

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy,

         demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

 

 

 

7/27/83

Reviewed C&I 2/5/91

SCN Change 6/24/92

Effective Session 19931

DBT 5/16/95

Effective Session 19951

Effective Session 19981 online

State change effective yr tr 20011.

C&I 11/13/01, BT 12/18/01,

Effective yrtr 20012.

C&I 10/22/02, BOT 12/17/02,

Effective 20022.

Effective 20032 (BSC number changes from level 1 to 2).