Doing well in this course begins with coming to lab ready to work and using lab time wisely. Be sure to ask questions as needed, but please understand that you should not expect your instructor to give answers to lab activities and assignments. This lab is designed help reinforce lecture content, to train you in how to think as a scientist, design experiments, analyze data, write better, and present information in a clear and concise way. This lab is a foundational lab to other biology courses, so the goal is to develop these skills to aid you as you progress in your scientific training. However, even if you are not currently planning on a career as a scientist, this lab is designed to help you develop skills important to all fields (i.e., critical thinking, teamwork, writing, and presentation skills).
To facilitate learning, please be respectful of your classmates by adhering to the following:
· Read the week’s lab before coming to the lab, and bringing a printed copy or your laptop with you to lab every week in order to complete the lab.
· Do not be late for the lab.
· Stay on task during lab.
· Silence all noise making electronic devices, and do not be distracted by them during lab.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Course grades will be based on the following (600 points total):
| Assignment Type | Total Points | % of Course Grade
| Lab Worksheets (10 @ 20 pts ea.) | 200 | 33.3%
| Pre-Lab Quiz (10 @ 10 pts ea.) | 100 | 16.7%
| Writing Project | 250 (TBD) | 50.0%
| Group Presentation | 50
Grading Scale
The standard Canvas scale, shown below, will be used to assign letter grades to your work this semester:
| 94-100 A | 87-89.9 B+ | 77-79.9 C+ | 67-69.9 D+ |
| 90-93.9 A- | 84-86.9 B | 74-76.9 C | 64-66.9 D | < 61 F
| | 80-83.9 B- | 70-73.9 C- | 61-63.9 D- |
Lab Schedule
| Week | Dates | Lab | Topic
| 1 | Aug 31 – Sept 4 | No Labs | ● No Labs This Week
| 2 | Sept 7 – 11 | Lab Introduction | ● Lab Introduction
| 3 | Sept 14 – 18 | Experimental Design | ● Drunk Goggles
| 4 | Sept 21 – 25 | Macromolecules | ● Macromolecules
| 5 | Sept 28 – Oct 2 | Microscopes & Cells | ● Microscopy Skills
| 6 | Oct 5 – 9 | Osmosis & Diffusion | ● Osmosis & Diffusion
| 7 | Oct 12 – 16 | Enzymes | ● Enzyme Background ● Data Collection Basic ● Design Next Week
| 8 | Oct 19 – 23 | Fall Break | ● No Labs This Week
| 9 | Oct 26 – 30 | Cellular Respiration | ● Background ● Data Collection Basic ● Analyze Data
| 10 | Nov 2 – 6 | Photosynthesis | ● Data Collection Basic ● Analyze Data
| 11 | Nov 9 – 13 | The Cell Cycle | ● The Cell Cycle
| 12 | Nov 16 – 20 | Inheritance | ● Inheritance
| 13 | Nov 23 – 27 | Thanksgiving Break | ● No Labs This Week
| 14 | Nov 30 – Dec 4 | DNA Extraction & Gel Electrophoresis | ● Gel Electrophoresis ● DNA Extraction
| 15 | Dec 7 – 11 | Assessment | ● Presentations or Final