Biology 211  Class Announcements

Fall 2013- Instructor: Ken Marr
 

 

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Welcome to Biology 211! 

Below are a few due dates and other useful information.

 

Posted Wednesday December 11, 2013

 

Team Responses to Lab 9 (mtDNA Analysis using PCR and Electrophoresis) are posted for you to check and correct your responses.

 

Posted Friday December 6, 2013

 

If you did not get a picture of a good gel for lab 9 then Click here for Scanned images of successful lab 9 gels from fall 2011.  Print this document and then follow these directions for completing your lab 9 report...

  • Cut and paste onto page 19 of your report the picture of the last gel (i.e. figure 7) and use it to answer questions 1 - 5 on pages 19 -21 of the lab 9 report pages. To identify the DNA standard fragments in lane #1 of the gel in figure 7 use the relative positions of the two PCR fragments of students 1 - 5 and the  DNA fragment sizes in Table 1 on page 19. Recall that you can use fig. 3 on page 2 of lab 9 to estimate the size of each fragment.

 

Posted Friday November 22, 2013on Monday 11/25/13

 

For those planning ahead....

  1. Team responses to ALE's 9 and 10 are posted for you to check and correct your responses.

  2.  Be prepared for a group quiz on Tuesday 11/26/13 that focuses on material and concepts on ALE 10, the lecture on the p53 gene, apoptosis and cancer, and a little bit of  ALE 9.

  3. Exam #3 is approaching faster than a speeding DNA polymerase molecule and will be administered in the GRCC testing center. You have the choice of taking exam #3 on Friday 12/06/13 or Saturday 12/07/13 . Bring photo I.D., a Scantron card, number 2 pencil(s) and a good eraser.

  4. Schedule for the Week of December 2 - 6, 2013:

  5. ALE 11: Genetics of Viruses, Recombinant DNA Technology, Gene Expression in Prokaryotes, will count as extra credit and is due (if you choose to do it) in your portfolio #3 at the start of the Final Exam. Depending on the quality and degree of completeness, you can earn up to 10 points extra credit. Moreover, there will be several extra credit questions on the Final Exam that pertain to ALE 11.

  6. The Final Exam is approaching faster than a Polymerase Chain Reaction: 8-10 a.m. on Friday December 13, 2013 in SC-240

    • There will be a final exam question/review session in SC-240  from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesday 12/10/13 (study day). Bring questions and topics that you would like discussed/reviewed. The questions for exams 1-3 will be available for you to review--bring your Scantrons from these exams to review your responses. Attendance is optional.

    • The final exam is comprehensive, covering all ALE's, Labs and material discussed in class this quarter. For details see the final exam study guide  The exam will be a combination of multiple choice questions and free response. If it helps your grade, your lowest exam score will be replaced with the percentage that you earn on the final exam. 

    • Bring the following to the exam:

      • Scantron card, #2 pencil and a good eraser. 

      • Portfolio #3 is due at the start of the final exam. See the Biol 211 syllabus for the portfolio policy.  Portfolio #3 should contain a Completed Portfolio 3 Contents Sheet and all the assignments listed on the contents sheet.

      • A well rested mind and body!!

  7. Have questions? Need help? Drop by, I'll be happy to assist you!!

Posted Thursday November14, 2013on Monday 11/18/13

  1. Team responses to ALE 8 and Lab 8 (Modeling Mitosis and Meiosis) are posted for you to check and correct your responses.

  2.  Be prepared for a group quiz on Tuesday November 19 that covers material and concepts on cell division (mitosis and meiosis: ALE 7 and Lab 8, Modeling Mitosis and Meiosis), Inheritance/Genetics Problems (ALE's 8 and 8x) and DNA Structure and Replication (ALE 9).

  3. Wednesday 11/20 (section A) or Thursday 11/21 (Section B): Be prepared to work on your lab 6 project in lab . Bring with you all data that has been collected so far. See me if you are "stuck" and need some advice and/or would like feedback about your data.

  4. Friday 11/22/13:  There will be a lecture on the genetics of cancer and apoptosis ("cell suicide" or programmed cell death).

Posted Thursday October 31, 2013 on Friday 11/01/13

  1. Click here for the class data for both sections A and B for Lab 7. Use of DPIP Color Changes to Monitor the Rate of Photosynthesis. The Lab 7 report (pp. 7 - 12) is due on Friday Nov. 1.

  2. Group quiz on Monday 11/04/13:  Be prepared for a group quiz covering Exam 2 material (ALE's  4 - 6 and  Labs 3 -5 and 7).

  3. Now posted are the team Responses to Lab 4 (Diffusion/Osmosis), Lab 5 (Fermentation),  Lab 7 (Photosynthesis) and ALE's  4 - 6. 

  4. Exam #2 is next week! It will be administered in the GRCC testing center. You have the choice of taking exam #2 on Wednesday 11/06 or Thursday 11/07. Bring photo I.D., a Scantron card, number 2 pencil and a good eraser.

    • Testing center hours for Wednesdays and Thursdays: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

    • Click here for an Exam 2 study guide and practice problems

    • Exam 2 Review/Question Session:  11:00 to noon Wednesday November 6 in SC-240. Come with questions and/or topics you would like discussed/reviewed.  You will benefit the most from the review session if you review the Exam 2 study guide and practice problems before coming!

  5. Portfolio #2 is due Friday November 8 at the start of class. Be sure you read the portfolio policy in your syllabus. The first entry in your is the portfolio #2 contents page.  Fill in the contents sheet before placing in your portfolio.

  6. Open Lab Times to work on Lab 6 (Independent Research Project):

    • Monday - Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

    • Friday: 9 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

    • Wednesday Nov 6 (advising day): 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Posted Wednesday October 30, 2013on Thursday 10/31/13

  1. Click here for the class data for both sections A and B for Lab 7. Use of DPIP Color Changes to Monitor the Rate of Photosynthesis. The Lab 7 report (pp. 7 - 12) is due on Friday Nov. 1.

Posted Wednesday October 23, 2013on Tuesday 10/29/13

  1. The class data for Lab 5 (Alcoholic Fermentation) is now posted for both lab sections, A an B.

    • The lab report for Lab 5 is due Friday October 25!

  2. Team Responses to ALE's 4 and 5 and Labs 3, 4 and 5 are now posted  Although most of the responses to the questions are correct, there are a few that are incorrect and/or incomplete! Hence, you must critically analyze the answers when comparing them with your work.

Posted Tuesday October 9, 2013 on Wednesday 10/10/13

  1. Team Responses to ALE 3 and Lab 2 are now posted  Although most of the responses to the questions are correct, there are a few that are incorrect and/or incomplete! Hence, you must critically analyze the answers when comparing them with your work.

  2. Group quiz on Friday October10:  There will be a group quiz on Friday covering the concepts involved with ALE 3 and Lab 2!!

  3. Check out the 2013 Nobel Prize Winners for Medicine or Physiology for their discoveries of the machinery and genes that regulate vesicle traffic, a major transport system in eukaryotic cells : 

  4. The 2013 Nobel Prize Winner(s) in Chemistry were awarded today for the development of computer software used to model complex biochemical systems:

  5. Exam #1 rapidly approaching. The exam will be administered in the GRCC testing center in the Zgolinski Welcome Center, but we will still meet for class as normally scheduled. You have the choice of taking exam #1 on Wednesday 10/16 or Thursday 10/17. Bring photo I.D., a Scantron card, number 2 pencil and a good eraser. The exam consist of a combination of multiple choice questions and essay questions. Although there is not a time limit, you should budget two hours for the exam so you will not be rushed for time.

  6. Portfolio #1 is due Friday October 18 at the start of class. Be sure you read the portfolio policy in the Biol 211 syllabus. The first entry in your portfolio is the portfolio contents page. Fill in the contents sheet before placing in your portfolio.

  7. Tuesday 10/22/13 at 12 noon in IVC-101

    • Premedical Sciences Advising workshop by Ken Marr and Jay Mueller. Please attend if you are interested in a career in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and more.

Posted Thursday October 3, 2013

  1. Click here for the class data for Lab 2. Enzyme Action: Testing Catalase.  The Lab 2 report (pp. 13-24) is due on Tuesday Oct. 8.

  2. Team Responses to ALE 1, 2A, 2B and Lab 1 are now posted  Although most of the responses to the questions are correct, there are a few that are incorrect and/or incomplete! Hence, you must critically analyze the answers when comparing them with your work.

  3. As mentioned in lab this week, be prepared for a group quiz on Friday that covers material on Lab 1 and ALE's 1, 2A and 2B.

  4. Exam #1 rapidly approaching. The exam will be administered in the GRCC testing center in the Zgolinski Welcome Center, but we will still meet for class as normally scheduled. You have the choice of taking exam #1 on Wednesday 10/16 or Thursday 10/17. Bring photo I.D., a Scantron card, number 2 pencil and a good eraser. The exam consist of a combination of multiple choice questions and essay questions. Although there is not a time limit, you should budget two hours for the exam so you will not be rushed for time.

  5. Portfolio #1 is due Friday October 18 at the start of class. Be sure you read the portfolio policy in the Biol 211 syllabus. The first entry in your portfolio is the portfolio contents page. Fill in the contents sheet before placing in your portfolio.

Posted Monday September 30, 2013 on Tuesday 10/01//13

  1. Team Responses to ALE 1, ALE 2A, ALE 2B, and Lab 1.  Although most of the responses to the questions are correct, there are a few that are incorrect and/or incomplete! Hence, you must critically analyze the answers when comparing them with your work.

Posted Wednesday September 25, 2013on Thursday 09/26/13

  1. Click here for the Team Responses from fall 2012 to the two assignments discussed in class on Tuesday 9/25/2012. I will post the team responses from this year when I have the time to look at them!

  2. Below are links to the class data for Lab 1. Heart, Rate, Physical Fitness, and the Scientific Method  

  • Section A Class Results for Fall 2013: 

  • Section B Class Results for Fall 2013:

 Messages for Fall Quarter 2013  (posted on 6/13/2013)

Welcome to Biology 211!  I'm looking forward to an exciting quarter and getting to know you! Please pay careful attention to the announcements below.

  1. Please skim through the Fall 2013 Biol 211 course syllabus to learn about class expectations, policies, due dates, etc. (Do not print the syllabus as it will be handed out on the first day of class.)

  2. Purchase ASAP, but no later than Sunday 9/22/2013 (available at GRCC bookstore)

    • Biology, 9th edition, by Campbell/Reece (If you want to save some money, it's alright to use earlier editions!)

    • Labs and Active Learning Exercises (ALE's):  Print them from the class website (but please print them double sided). It might be simplest and cheaper for you to print on campus since double sided printing is the default setting at GRCC.

  3. Due Tuesday 9/24/2013:  Introduction to the Scientific Method and Nightlight Case Study (will be handed out on the first day of class)

  4. Due Friday September 27, 2013 ALE 1

    • You will get much more out of each class if you read the material in your text before we discuss it in class. Be an active learner and ask questions if something doesn't make sense to you. Moreover, do a few ALE  problems daily to avoid a heavy workload the night before an assignment is due. Stay current! Seek help as soon as possible if you are having difficult time learning the material.

© Kenneth R. Marr 2004