Lessons

Module 1 - Introduction to Biology

What is science? What is biology? What do biologists study? These are questions one would ask when beginning a new arena of study. The readings in the following lessons will help you learn about how the scientific method is used to discover information, which later the public reads about in web sites, text books, and other forms of media. You will learn about the importance of biology in the real world, and you will learn about the diversity of life on Earth. Some of the topics that are introduced in this module are concepts and themes that you may notice as you continue with modules 2-5, and into Semester 2 of general biology.

• Lesson 1: The Scientific Method
• Lesson 2: The Nature of Science & Biology
• Lesson 3: The Diversity of Life

Module 1 should take approximately one week to complete.

Module 2 - The Cell Unit

Life on this planet would not exist as we know it without cells. They are the building blocks and fundamental unit of nearly all organisms. Many researchers who seek the origins of life believe genes are everything. However, as David Deamer points out in a 1995 Discover magazine article, "...without a container for those genes, there would be no life."

This unit is designed to provide the student with the basics of Cell Biology. The activities involve visiting many exciting web sites related to cells. Cells alive! and Nanoworld provide galleries of cell images. The Virtual Cell site allows the student an opportunity to interact with cell organelles (cell dictionary) and learn about their structure and function.

• Lesson 1: Limits to Cell Size
• Lesson 2: Cell Structure & Function
• Lesson 3: Creating a Cell Metaphor
• Lesson 4: Origins of the Cell

Module 2 should take three to four weeks to complete.

Module 3 - The Genetics Unit

We live at a time in human history where people around the world are working on one of our greatest projects ever undertaken. The human genome project is an attempt to decode and map every bit of D.N.A. that defines us as a species.

This unit is a forum designed to enhance the student's knowledge about genetics and the human condition. We will visit several genome sites and many other fascinating places devoted to genetics.

It is my hope that students will choose a genetic condition to investigate that is new to them and which generates an enthusiasm that will inspire them to continue to carry out research on genetic conditions throughout their lives. Information obtained during the course of our studies should not be viewed as an endpoint, but rather as a launching pad into further research and enrichment.

• Lesson 1: Mendelian Principles
• Lesson 2: Meiosis & Genetic Traits
• Lesson 3: Searching for Genetic Conditions
• Lesson 4: Researching & Reporting on a Genetic Condition

Module 3 should take four to five weeks to complete.

Module 4 - The Biotechnology Unit

Significant advances have been made in the field of biology. Historical records show that humans have been in the business of controlling DNA from a very, very, long time ago. They would choose which animals or crops should breed to obtain the desired product. This is a "low-tech" form of genetic engineering. Today, we can manipulate DNA on a cellular level. In this unit, you will learn more about DNA, and how DNA is manipulated. You'll even extract DNA from cells at home!

Your participation in the discussion board is very important in this unit. In fact, it is worth more points than the unit exam. Please be very thorough in reading through all of the content, and the instructions in each lesson that instruct you of what you are to post, and what postings you are to respond to. Be patient with your classmates if you are ahead. You may need to begin another lesson, or even unit to allow others to catch up. And if you're the one who hasn't posted, don't keep your peers waiting too long!

• Lesson 1: More about DNA
• Lesson 2: Biotechnology Timeline
• Lesson 3: Recombinant DNA
• Lesson 4: Isolation of DNA
• Lesson 5: What Does This Mean for the Future?

Module 4 should take four to six weeks to complete.

Module 5 - The Evolution Unit

"When the views entertained in this volume ... are generally admitted, we can dimly foresee that there will be a considerable revolution in natural history."
- Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species - 1859

The crux of this unit is to examine evolution as a theory presented by modern science. The theory of evolution is based on the idea that life began on this planet between 3 and 4 billion years ago as prokaryotic organisms. Over the span of geological time some of those early life forms gave rise to bacteria, blue-green algae, and viruses, while others went through many adaptions to give rise to the more complex protists, fungi, plants, and animals that inhabit our biosphere.

Evolution also attempts to account for extinct life forms whose remains show up in the fossil record of our planet. We will explore the evidence for the theory of evolution keeping in mind that modern science does not offer the ultimate explanation for the origin of life, nor its purpose.

In theory, evolutionists argue that the hypothesis of a God creating life is untestable, and as such is outside the domain of modern science.

The purpose of this course is not to test one's personal beliefs but rather to examine the evolutionary evidence of life (both indirect and direct) on this tiny blue dot we call Earth.

• Lesson 1: What Is Evolution?
• Lesson 2: Natural Selection
• Lesson 3: Human Evolution - the Classic View
• Lesson 4: Human Evolution - the Modern View

Module 5 should take three to four weeks to complete.