General Biology

BIOL 1A (Course #20038/20039) – 2025 Spring

Lecture: Rm 422, Mon & Wed 8:00 – 9:15 a.m.
Lab: Rm 522, Mon & Wed 9:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Prerequisites: Chem1A Credit: 5 units Transfer: UC, CSU

Instructor Information
• Office hours (Rm 523): M-Th 1:30-2:30 p.m. or by appointment
• E-mail: Randy Yang - kryang@peralta.edu

Materials – This is a Zero Cost Course, All materials are provided free of charge
• Openstax free online textbook: https://openstax.org/details/books/biology
(Hardcover versions available for purchase in the BCC Bookstore, Rm 517)
• Biology 1A Lab Manual
• iClicker

Course Management System / Online Access / Canvas: web.peralta.edu/portal/

Welcome to Bio1A!
Welcome to General Biology. If you have taken biology courses before, welcome back to your continuing
journey through biology and the sciences. If this is your first time taking a biology course, I hope this first
experience can open your world to the field. I hope I can share some of my interest and excitement with
you and make this an enjoyable experience. There will be a lot of challenging material, but we can get
through it. We all come from varied experiences. I am here to support your needs, so that you can achieve
your educational goals. Let’s have a great semester!

Course Overview
This course focuses on the molecular and cellular basis of life, concentrating on the structures and
functions of cells and the biological molecules from which they are formed, the ways by which cells
acquire, transform, and use chemical energy, and the mechanisms by which genetic information is stored,
safeguarded, transmitted from one generation to the next, and used in reproduction and development. An
introduction is given to animal diversity and physiology.

Learning Outcomes - Major objectives for students:

 Design a simple experiment that applies the scientific method in the biological sciences
 Explain the chemical makeup of biomolecules and their importance in the structure and function of
the cell.
 Accurately explain functions of organelles, cellular processing, including respiration,
photosynthesis, mitosis, meiosis, transcription/translation, and fundamental biological concepts in
classical and molecular genetics, and molecular biology.
 Explain molecular biology with the concepts of genetics and biotechnology, and evaluate ethical
issues involved with the study of genetics, biotechnology and medicine.
 Explain the classification, life cycles, physiology, anatomy and development of animals.
Evaluation
Your grade will be based on the following:
Lec Tests (2 Tests + Final) 55%
Lab Tests 20%
Homework / Quizzes 10%
Labs 10%
Participation (Clickers) 5%
100%
A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F = less than 60%

Course policies
• Student Support & Enrichment – BCC offers many student services programs that you are encouraged to
use. These include the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution
(AANAPISI), Food bank, LGBTQUIA, Puente, Student Accessibility Services (SAS), Scholarship programs,
Undocumented Community Resource Center (UCRC), UMOJA, Veterans affairs, and others. Take part in
community!
• Accommodations - Students with documented learning and/or physical disabilities may receive reasonable
classroom and/or testing accommodations. Please make these arrangements with the instructor during
office hours at the beginning of the semester, or as soon as possible after documentation has been
determined. Last minute requests may not be determined “reasonable.”
• Late work - Assignments turned in late will be subject to a penalty.
• Make-ups - Make-up tests may be given under extenuating circumstances if you discuss this with the
instructor in advance. Documentation will be required. Make-ups may be in a different format, more
difficult and/or worth fewer points than the original test. Since preparing make-up labs places an
unmanageable burden on our lab technician, labs cannot be made up.
• Drop policy - To drop, file the appropriate form with the admissions office by the deadline published in the
schedule of classes. I may drop you, if it appears you have stopped attending.
• Academic integrity - To help ensure a climate of fairness, this course will abide by college policy for
academic dishonesty as stated in the Peralta student code of conduct.
 BIOL 1A – General Biology – Tentative Spring 2025 Course Calendar – R. Yang
Dates Lec Text Ch Topic Lab Topic
1/22 1 1 Introduction - Chemistry Review 1 Data collection and analysis
1/27 2 1 Chemistry Review 2 Accuracy & precision (Pipetting)
1/29 3 3 Biomolecules: Proteins 3 Scientific Method
2/3 4 3 Biomolecules: Lipids, Carbs 4&5 Qualitative tests & Gram Staining
2/5 5 3 Biomolecules: DNA 5 Microscopy 1 & 2
2/10 6 4-5 The Cell & Membranes 6 Diffusion and Osmosis
2/12 7 6 Metabolism Lec Quiz 1
2/17 President's Day - No Classes
2/19 1 7 Cellular Respiration 7 Enzyme Activity
2/24 9 7&8 Cell Respiration & Photosynthesis 9 & 10 Photosynthesis
2/26 10 8 Photosynthesis 14 PCR
3/3 11 10 General Life Cycles, Mitosis 13 & 14 PCR & Quiz 2
3/5 12 11 Meiosis 11 & 12 Mitosis & Meiosis, Transformations
3/10 TEST 1 (Ch. 1-8)
3/12 13 12 Mendelian Genetics 15 & 16 Plasmid Isolation & Digests
3/17 14 13 Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance 16 Digest Analysis
3/19 15 13 Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance Lab Test 1
3/24 16 14 Replication 17 SDS-PAGE & Westerns
3/26 17 15 Transcription & Translation 17 Immunoblot
3/31 Spring Break - No Classes
4/2 Spring Break - No Classes
4/7 18 15 Transcriptional Gene Regulation 18 Bioinformatics
4/9 19 16 non-transcriptional Gene Regulation 19 Animal Diversity I
4/14 20 16 Biotechnology 20 Animal Diversity II
4/16 21 9 & 35 Nervous System 20 Animal Diversity III
4/21 TEST 2 (Ch. 10-21)
4/23 22 9 & 35 Nervous System 21-23 Vertebrate Anatomy I
4/28 23 38.4 Muscular System 21-23 Vertebrate Anatomy II
4/30 24 40 Muscular & Cardiovascular System 21-23 Vertebrate Anatomy III
5/5 25 40 Circulation open hours
5/7 26 39 Respiratory System Lab Test 2
5/12 27 41 Osmoregulation - Urinary System 24 & 25 Muscles, Blood Pressure & Respiration
5/14 28 Q&A open hours
5/19 FINAL EXAM (80% on Unit 3)
Important Dates
2/2 Last Day to Drop with refund & no "W"
4/25 Last Day to Drop with "W" note: please verify these dates for yourself