Biology Department Homepage Kenyon College Homepage

Fall 2009
WF 2:10 - 3:30pm, Hig Aud
*Warp Dates: till 4:00PM

Study Guide
Equations for Biology
CASIO fx-280 Calculator
Bio Sci Fi Wiki

BIOL 103 QR
Biology in Science Fiction
Syllabus 2009

Update: November 18, 2009

Dr. Joan Slonczewski
Office: Hig 302
Office Hours:
10:00-11:00 MTWRF
3:30-4:00 WF

Math & Science Skills Center
Math Skills Center hours:
TR & Sunday 7-10pm
Tutor: Nick Severyn
**Follow On-line Syllabus.**
In this course, we investigate biology in the context of science fiction literature. We learn to interpret data based on common patterns of biological science, including basic quantitative reasoning. We also explore the human, societal and artistic dimensions of science fiction. This year our course focuses on Mutants. What are Mutants? How does gene mutation involve reproduction and gender? How do Mutants face the challenges of our biosphere today, such as global warming and species extinction?
Date
Subject

Quizzes & Mutants Email Midnight BEFORE Class
Reading due by class.
Biology in SF. PPT1A
X-Men: Mutants in fiction and in biology. OMIM. Norm.
Muscle Baby. Doubled muscle: Dogs; Cattle
Probability of inheritance. CF; Marfan; Sickle/Malaria
 -

Sep 4

Star Trek: Tribbles. Triticale. Population. Calculator  PPT1B
Logarithms
Mutant Challenge 1. Wolverine

Muscle Baby (1st two pages)
Time Machine. Human evolution; Chimp breakup; PPT2A
*Evolution; *Speciation. *Biomorphs.

Quiz 1: Email
Time Machine;
Paul Cook pp 93-96
Sep 11

Divergence or Convergence? X-files: The Host PPT2B
Scolex; Parasites
Life in the Universe: Spectrum; Supernova.

Mutant 1: Email
Key

Galapagos Visitors. Evolution. Islands. The Cruise. PPT3A
Natural Selection:Raft1. Raft2. Boobies; Vampire Finch
Bible: Adam; Eve; Noah's Ark
Mendelian diseases: Huntington's; LDL; LDL2

Galapagos

Sep 18

Mutant Challenge 2. Jean Grey. PPT3B
Galapagos: My Fragile World
Genetic Drift: Drift1; Drift2

Quiz 2: Email

Sep 23

Atomic Cafe Lemmings1; L2; L3; Lemurs; Video; PPT4A
Mutant 2: Email
Key
Sep 25

Classification of Life (Barlowe's Guide) PPT4B
Review for Test 1. Erin; Paulina

TEST 1
Oct 2

 

Dune: Sahara; Desert Rainfall; Water & *Humidity. *Facts. Dewcatcher; Middle East; Iraq Oil; Gadgets
Sandfish (sand-swimming lizard) PPT5B

Dune, Book I
Biomes; Lakes

Oct 7
Dune: Energy and Ecosystem. Desert life. Dune miniseries.
*Water Facts; Desert; Mojave; Sahara; Dewcatcher
Finding Water; Humidity; Perspiration; Stillsuit; Walking
Solar power; Water conservation ; PPT6A
Dune (complete) and Appendix
Oct 9
Power Consumption: Power consumption; PPT6B
Ecosystems: Dune vs. Gambier
Animal & Human Behavior. Altruism; Mole rats; Chimps
Control of Reproduction
Brain drugs; LSD today
Mutant Challenge 3. Northstar
Quiz 3: Email
[ Note revised date]

Oceans; Food web; Coral; Cephalopods; Video; PPT7A
Guide to A Door; People Power
In vitro fertilization
Nonreproductive sex in nature

Door into Ocean, Parts I, II
Oceans; Base Pairs; Sex
Oct 16

Divergence and Convergence. Video; PPT7B
Marsupials; M2
Cooperation:Symbiosis; Cooperation; Ant Acacia
Hemoglobin/CO2 ; Hemoglobin; Hill plot; CO2 buffer

Door into Ocean, Parts III, IV Mutant 3: Email
[ Note revised date]

Oct 21

Acid Pollution. Ocean pH; pH2; pH3; PPT8A
Acid dissociation
Environment: Recovery; Lake Erie; Drugs in water
 Nonviolence: Malcolm X
Primates: 2001; Divergence; Gorillas; Bonobos

Door into Ocean (complete)
Quiz 4 : Email
Oct 23

PPT8B
Lifeshaping. Genome; Molecules; X-Files: The Flask
Mutant Challenge 4. Mystique.

Oct 28

Acid aliens: Devil in the Dark. Sugar + H2SO4; Ferroplasma
Comic Book Periodic Table, H2SO4; PPT9A

Mutant 4 : Email
Oct 30
Flu. Jurassic Park. Cloning Dinosaurs. Wiped! Amber; PCR
Genome; People; Dino bones; Sex selection; PPT9B

Jurassic Park pp. ix-120.

Nov 4

Fossils and Physiology (Grant). Dinos; Hot or Cold?; PPT10A; Review for Test 2

Nov 6

TEST 2. Scores

Molecular Biology (Wu). Genome; Biomolecules; Cancer;
PCR; DNA Quiz; Cloning; Paternity.
PPT11A. Is Oxygen a poison? Aging

 Jurassic Park (complete)
Muscle Baby (Complete)
Nov 13
Computational Biology (Malcolm). **Bring wireless PC.
OMIM. DNA; BLAST;Webcutter; Human Genome
Practice. Mutant Challenge 5. Xavier.

Nov 18

Cloning humans. Mask.
What price immortality? Stem cells; Eye Gene Therapy
What's Lysine? Amino Acids; Ribosome **Wiki Template**
Wiki Help: 3:30-4:00
What price genetic engineering?
(Preface & Chapter 1)
Nov 20
X-files: Postmodern Prometheus Vertebrates
Embryos; Dolly; Drosophila; Hox1; The Fly
Ligers; Chimeras; Zoo
 Wiki Help: 3:30-4:00
Mutant 5: Email
[revised date]
  THANKSGIVING BREAK  
Brain and sensation. Brainbow. Links. Health Care: Sicko
Dopamine; Nicotine, Cocaine, Chocolate1; Hedweb.
X-linked genes. Pedigrees
Brain power: Brainwaves; Brain reading; Brain remote
Brain Plague pp. 1-240
Dec 4

Emerging diseases. Microbe vs. Human; AIDS; TB
DNA Ident; Cloned Dogs; Sleep & Drugs; Drugs & Brain
Brain Plague (complete)
Dec 9
Intelligence. Mouse Party
Machine AI. Robots evolve; Mind Children. MIPS Brain power Measure of a Man.
Wiki Project
Final Check List
Dec 11

 

Wiki projects. Course evaluation.

Practice for Test 3
Dec 19

8:30 AM Test 3

Test 3 -- exam week

Required texts:

The Time Machine, by H. G. Wells. Arc Manor edition, with Paul Cook essay
Galapagos, by Kurt Vonnegut
Dune, by Frank Herbert
Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton
A Door into Ocean, by Joan Slonczewski
Brain Plague, by Joan Slonczewski
On line: Study Guide and linked readings.

CASIO fx-260 Calculator required. Bring to every class. (Purchase with the books at Bookstore).

Tests. The three 80-minute tests are based on the Study Guide, and on the Mutant Challenges. Students need to follow the logic of each point, and be able to apply it to new examples.

Final Web Project. A Wiki Project will address a question about genetics and the environment. May be fictional or scientific.
The project must:
(1) include principles of real biology learned in class
(2) include mathematical reasoning.
Approximately 2,000 words plus figures and full documentation of references.

ATTENDANCE. 100% attendance is expected. Two absences are excused for sports or other reasons, but you are responsible for all material missed.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS. Your grade is based on the following. No pass-fail.

40% Three tests. Each test consists of science questions based on the Study Guide and Mutant Challenges.

20% Mutant Challenges. Each Word-processed assignment must emailed by 12:00 Midnight BEFORE class. Must represent solely your own work.

20% Wiki Project. Due 12:00 Midnight BEFORE December 9.

10% Quizzes on line and in class. On-line quizzes are emailed to instructor by 12:00 midnight BEFORE class. In-class quizzes on reading are unannounced.

10% Attendance and Participation. Participation counts during class or by e-mail. May include a 5-minute presentation on a relevant topic.

The B Guarantee. If you attend 100% of classes; complete 100% of work on time; and average B or better on reading quizzes, your final grade will be at least a B.

Standards for Projects and Tests. The standard College guidelines on individual authorship and plagiarism apply to all work, as stated in the Student Handbook 07-08. Web projects must cite all sources in detail comparable to that of a term paper.

Disabilities. If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may affect your ability to carry out assigned course work, please contact the Office of Disability Services at 5453. The Coordinator of Disability Services, Erin Salva, will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are appropriate. All information and documentation of disability is confidential.

Technology in science fiction: Technovelgy