Bio 335 Lab: Genetics
Fall 2009

Mark Sherman
ms1220@uncw.edu
240-277-1291
aim: mrksherman
yahoo messenger: mrksherman

Purpose:  This class will focus on the principles of genetics.  During this lab we will be exploring the properties and techniques used in genetics research.

What to expect: This class will combine the art of writing lab reports and your performance on quizzes. This will give you a better understanding of what we will be doing in each day's lab, why we are spending time doing it, and give you experience in writing laboratory reports. You will then become more prepared for class and have a better understanding of the material when test time comes around.

Class Schedule

Week of:

Lab Exercise

Due

Aug 24

Mitosis and Meiosis

 

Sept 1

Library Workshop, Probability and Statistics

Mitosis and Meiosis notes + worksheets

Sept 7

NO LABS- Labor Day

 

Sept 14

Writing a Scientific Paper

Probability worksheet and
Quiz 1 (writing paper and prob.)

Sept 21

Virtual Fly Lab: Sex Linkage Cross

Quiz 2 (Ch 9 and sex link)

Sept 28

Meet with Editor, Mid semester quiz (Quiz 3)

Draft of sex linkage lab report

Oct 5

NO LABS- Fall Break

 

Oct 12

Plasmid Transformation

Sex linkage lab report

Oct 19

DNA Technology Simulations I; Restriction Enzymes and Gel Electrophoresis

Transformation worksheet and
Quiz 4 (Transformation, restriction enzymes, electrophoresis)

Oct 29

DNA lab

 

Nov 2

Gel Electrophoresis

Restriction Enzyme worksheet

Nov 9

Technology Simulations II; Recombinant DNA and DNA Sequencing

Electrophoresis lab report draft

Nov 16

Human Genetics and Final Practical

Electrophoresis lab report & Sequencing worksheet

Nov 23

No Labs- Thanksgiving

 

Attendance: Although attendance in my lab is not mandatory, you must be present at each lab to achieve the points associated with that lab.  If you do not attend the lab, you will miss valuable information that will be on the test and you will miss assignments that affect your overall grade in the course.  If you have extenuating circumstances feel free to contact me, however, assignments in this class are different than in other classes and you will be responsible for all assignments from our lab.

 

Grading: The assignments and their point values are as follows:

Assignment

Points available

mitosis + meiosis notes

10

mitosis + meiosis worksheet

5

probability worksheet

10

Quiz 1 (Scientific papers and probability)

10

Quiz 2 (Chapter 9 and Sex Linkage)

10

Mid semester quiz (Quiz 3- cumulative)

35

Sex Linkage lab report

30

Transformation worksheet

15

Quiz 4 (Transformation, Restriction Enzymes, Electrophoresis)

10

Restriction Enzyme Worksheet

5

Sequencing

5

Electrophoresis report

40

Final

50

Oral presentation

15

Total

250

A= 224-250
B= 199-223
C= 174-198
D= 149-173

Assignment Details:
Mitosis and Meiosis Notes:  Outline format notes of the paper “Chromosomes, Mitosis, and Meiosis: A simulation” located on seaport and on the class webpage.

Chapter 9: This is a chapter in Pechenik’s A Short Guide to Writing about Biology, although “short” is a relative term (it’s like 45 pages- so make sure you have time)

Oral Presentations: A power point presentation will be prepared by each student in the class.  In order to complete this task, a current event in genetics will be investigated and the peer reviewed scientific paper will be summarized in front of the class.  The presentation will be 5 – 7 minutes and the material MUST be approved by me the Sunday before the reports are given.  This is to ensure that the topic is appropriate for the genetics class and to ensure that there are no duplicate topics.

Academic Honesty: If it has been discovered that a student has broken the UNCW academic honor code, the student will receive a 0 for that assignment.  If it happens a second time, the student will be turned over to the UNCW review board.

Texts + Resources:
Desharnais & Bell. Lab Manual for Biology Labs On-Line
Dodd, D. 2004. Genetics Laboratory Manual
Pechenik, J.A. 2007.  A Short Guide to Writing about Biology, sixth ed. Pearson Education, Inc., CA
FlyLab website: http://biologylab.awlonline.com/index.html
Quizlet.com:  A site that enables you to take online quizzes
DNAi.org: A site consisting a boat load of genetics resources