A New Integrated Introductory Biology and Chemistry Course

Craig T. WoodardMount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA 01075

I. Introduction

The interfaces of disciplines are becoming increasingly important. Educating students to tackle problems at these interfaces includes helping them combine ideas from multiple areas. Being creative in combining knowledge is the mark of a true thinker. In the past, we have been disappointed by the extent to which our students make connections between their introductory biology and chemistry courses. We are trying to overcoming this problem by changing the presentation of the first year curriculum to be different enough from what students have seen that they really learn the art of observation, model making, experimental design, and model revising. With funding from our HHMI Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education Program grant, we have developed a new integrated introductory biology/chemistry course, entitled Biological Sciences 160/Chemistry 160. We are teaching the course for the first time this fall (2006).

III. Course Units

The course is divided into three units:Unit #1 (9/8-10/6): Diversity in the biological and chemical worlds

Unit #2 (10/11-11/20): Oxygen: A case study in the relationship between molecular structure and biological function

Unit #3 (11/27-12/13): Temperature and energy in biological and chemical systems

II. The New Course

The course consists of biology and chemistry classes that meet back-to-back in the same room, and share common themes. In addition, there is one discussion session per week, and a lab that meets one afternoon per week. The course introduces students to some of the core concepts, languages, and frameworks of both biology and chemistry, preparing them for further study in biology and/or chemistry. By treating both subjects together, we emphasize the ways in which chemistry informs biology, and biology exemplifies fundamental chemical principles. In the process, this course also helps students develop and hone their quantitative problem solving skills, as well as their ability to analyze and describe experimental data. All of these objectives are met through lecture, discussion, readings, problem sets, and hands-on work in the laboratory.

The next week in lab, the students did a chemical analysis of the pond water.

Students in the lab component of the course collected water samples from a pond on campus. They then did a microscopic survey of the organisms in the water.

Syllabus for Unit 2: Oxygen: A case study in the relationship between molecular structure and biological function

V. Course Details

A. Staffing1 faculty from Biology and 1 from Chemistry,

plus 1 full-time lab instructor/preparator

B. Student RegistrationStudents register for the course as two separate

courses, and receive academic credit for two full courses (1 Biology, 1 Chemistry). Students receive two separate grades - one for the Biology course and one for the Chemistry course.

C. Class SizeThere are currently 45 students enrolled in

Biological Sciences 160/Chemistry 160

VII. Acknowledgments

The integrated Biology/Chemistry course, Biological Sciences 160/Chemistry 160, is currently being taught (Fall 2006) by Sean Decatur and Gary Gillis. Amy Springer is teaching the labs.

The course was developed by Sarah Bacon, Sue Barry, Wei Chen, Donnie Cotter, Sean Decatur, Amy Frary, Gary Gillis, Maria Gomez, Megan Nunez, Sharon Stranford, and Craig Woodard. Thanks to Leszek Bledzki and Maria Bledzka for all their help.

This project is supported by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education Program Grant #52005134.

VI. Assessment of the Course

The students in Biological Sciences 160/Chemistry 160 will be given an assessment exam, and an assessment survey upon completion of the course. In addition, the academic performance of each student will be tracked after her completion of the course. The control group will be the group of students concurrently enrolled in the traditional introductory biology and chemistry courses.

IV. Labs

Lab 1: Diversity of life in the water: Sept 11-13

Lab 2: Pond water chemistry Sept 18-20

Lab 3: Microbial metabolic diversity I Sept 25-27

Lab 4: Microbial metabolic diversity II Oct 2-4

Lab 5: Visualizing atoms and atomic spectroscopy Oct 16-18

Lab 6: Modeling and molecular spectroscopy: Chlorophyll Oct 23-25

Lab 7:Molecular orbitals and molecular structures Oct 30-Nov 1

Lab 8: Consumption of oxygen I: endotherms and ectotherms Nov 6-8

Lab 9: Consumption of oxygen II: human metabolic rate Nov 13-15

Lab 10: Consumption of oxygen III: independent project Nov 27-29

Lab 11: Analysis of data Dec 4-6