Maldives National University

Faculty of Arts
Introduction to Biology

Subject: Introduction to Biology

Subject code: BIO 0xx
Credit Points: 15
Contact Hours: 2x2 hours (lectures/ tutorials) per week
Pre-requisite: -
Co-requisite: -
Minimum qualification and experience Bachelors degree in biological science or equivalent
required by tutor/ lecturers:
Maximum class size 30
Mode of Delivery: Lectures and tutorials
Prepared by: Mariyam Shabeena Ahmed

Introduction:

The subject is design to introduce student to the academic biology. The topic covered in the subject would
be content from IGCSE O`level and A/ level biology. The subject is intended to bridge the knowledge
acquired for taking up the subject human biology in the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology.

Learning objectives and outcomes:

The main objective of this subject is to equip the students with the knowledge and necessary scientific
information which is required in their course.

Subject structures and organization:

This subject will comprise of four hours of lectures and tutorials over a 14 weeks period. The duration of
each session will be 2 hours. A seminar teaching approach with tutorials will be employed to teach the
subject. The lecture session will be conducted through the help of multimedia facilities. The tutorial
session will discuss the topics covered in lecture session in small groups. Students are encourage to do
further reading on their own.

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Weekly Lecture and Tutorial Schedule:

Week Topic Assessment Due

1 Introduction to principle of biology

2 The chemicals of living cells

3 Enzymes

4 Transport into and out of cells

5 Histology Quiz

6 Nutrition (Autotrophic and Heterotrophic)

7 Continuity of life

8 Variation and genetics

9 Characteristics of living organism

10 Introduction to human physiology Part 1

11 Introduction to human physiology Part 2 Project

12 Organism and their environment

13 Evolution

14 Micro-organism and humans

15 Study break

16 &17 Examination Examination

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Detailed Outline of Lectures:

Week 1: Introduction to principle of biology

Learning Objectives:
Introduction to subject of biology.
Understanding the five kingdom classification of living organisms; Prokaryotes, Protoctista,
Fungi, plantae, animalia
Become aware of cell structures as seen with light microscope
Cell division and cell specialization

Key terms/ Concepts:

Biology, Cell structure, kingdom of classification

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed.).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London: John Murray

Lecture:
Understanding what is the study of biology
The basic cell structures of animal and plant
Cell division and cell specialization
Introduction of to five kingdoms

Tutorial:
Discuss the cell structures
Overview of content, subject requirements, assessment etc.

Week 2: The chemicals of living cells

Learning Objectives:
Introduction to biochemistry
Understand the element found in the living organisms
Acquire and understand proteins, carbohydrates and lipids as macromolecules essential for life
Understanding the structure of the macromolecules and understanding of their functions in living
organisms.

Key terms/ Concepts:

Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acid

Required reading:

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Soper,R.(Ed.).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London: John Murray

Lecture:
Brief overview of properties of important biological molecules
Describe how hydrogen bonding occurs between water molecules, and relate this, and other
properties of water, to the roles of water in living organisms
Explain the chemical nature, general formulae structure and roles and biological significance.
Example: Water, carbohydrates: classification and major properties, monosaccharides,
disaccharides, polysaccharides: starch, glycogen.
Describe, with the aid of diagrams, the formation and breakage of glycosidic bonds in the
synthesis and hydrolysis of a disaccharide (maltose) and a polysaccharide (amylose).
Describe, with the aid of diagrams, the structure of an amino acid;
Describe, with the aid of diagrams, the formation and breakage of peptide bonds in the synthesis
and hydrolysis of dipeptides and polypeptides.
Structure of protein and nucleic acids.
Lipids- phospholipids, Glycolipids.
Structure of DNA and protein

Tutorial:
Discuss the importance of biological molecules
Compare the structure of RNA and DNA
What is a glycosidic bond?
What is a peptide bond?

Week 3: Enzymes

Learning Objectives:
Acquire and understand enzymes as a biological catalyst
Understand the properties of the enzymes
Demonstrate critical understanding of enzyme action
Understand the enzyme cofactors

Key terms/ Concepts:

Enzymes, biological catalyst, enzyme cofactors

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed.).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London: John Murray

Lecture:
Define the term catalyst as a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction.

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 Define enzymes as proteins that function as biological catalysts.
Investigate and describe the effect of changes in temperature and pH on enzyme activity
Explain enzyme action in terms of the lock and key model
Explain the effect of changes in temperature and pH on enzyme activity

Tutorial:
Discuss the role of enzymes in the germination of seeds, and their uses in biological washing
products and in the food industry (including pectinase and fruit juice).
Outline the use of microorganisms and fermenters to manufacture the antibiotic penicillin and
enzymes for use in biological washing powders

Week 4 Transport into and out of cells

Learning Objectives:
Critically understand the process of diffusion, osmosis in animal cell and plan cell
Acquire and understand Active transport
Gain a general understanding Bulk Transport; exocytosis and endocytosis
Understand the effects on plant cell of immersion in solution of different water potential

Key terms/ Concepts:

Diffusion, osmosis, active transport

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Kiong, H.Y.(2003).Longman-A level course in Biology Core syllabus, Volume 1 for AS and A-level.
Singapore: Pearson Education Asia.

Lecture:
The process of diffusion, osmosis in animal cell and plan cell
Understand the process of active transport
Transport across the cell surface membrane
Explain the effects on plant cell of immersion in solution of different water potential

Tutorial:
Discussion of the osmotic pressure.
What is water potential?

Week 5 Histology

Learning Objectives:
Under the study of tissue as Histology

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 Identify the division of plant in 2 groups; one type of cell: parenchyma,collenchyma,
sclerenchyma , More than one type of cell: Xylem, phloem
Identify the animal tissue is divided into four groups; epithelial, connective(: including areolar
tissue, fibrous tissue, adipose tissue, cartilage, bone), Muscle, Nervous tissue

Key terms/ Concepts:

Histology, parenchyma,collenchyma, sclerenchyma, Xylem, phloem, epithelial, connective, Muscle,
Nervous tissue

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press

Lecture:
Understand characteristic features, function and distribution of plant tissues.
Acquire and understand the classification of epithelial tissue.
What are animal connective tissue, Muscle and Nervous tissue.

Tutorial:
Discuss the diagram of sensory neurone, motor neuron and inter neurone.
Discuss the types of connective tissue?

Week 6 Nutrition (Autotrophic and Heterotrophic)

Learning Objectives:
Understand nutrition and why do living things needs energy.
Acquire the knowledge of grouping organism according to their energy and carbon source
Understand autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition
Explore the source and function of main vitamins required in human diet and deficiency caused
by a lack of them

Key terms/ Concepts:

Nutrition, autotrophic, heterotrophic, human diet and deficiency

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Lecture:
What is Photosynthesis?
Structure of the chloroplast, light-independent and light dependent reaction.
Heterotrophic nutrition; holozoic, saprotrophic, mutualistic and parasitic.
Understand ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation and egestion.
Nutrition in humans: nutrition, nutrients, food, diet and balanced diet.

Tutorial:

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 Discuss the alimentary canal in humans?
What is the general layout of organs of human digestive system and their functions?
Discuss the source and function of main vitamins required in human diet and deficiency caused
by a lack of them.

Week 7 Continuity of life

Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate a critical understanding of cell division; mitosis, meiosis
Examine the structure of chromosome
Understand the comparison of mitosis in animal and plant
Appreciate the significance of the meiosis and mitosis
Understand DNA replication and protein synthesis: transcription and translation

Key terms/ Concepts:
Chromosomes, The cell cycle, Mitosis, Meiosis

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Lecture:
Explained the structure of chromosome.
Outline the cell cycle.
What are the stages of mitosis and cell division in animal cell?
What are the stages of meiosis and cell division in animal cell?
Explain briefly DNA replication and protein synthesis.

Tutorial:
Overview of the cell division process.
Discuss the summary of mitosis.
Discuss the summary of meiosis.

Week 8 Variation and genetics

Learning Objectives:
Understand the terms, locus, allele, dominant, recessive, codominant, homozygous,heterozygous,
phenotype and genotype.
Use genetic diagram to solve problems involving monohybrid and dihybrid crosses.
Understand sex determination and sex linkage.
Understand how environment may affect the phenotype.
Use genetic diagram to solve problem involving test crosses.

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Key terms/ Concepts:
Genotype , phenotype Multiple Alleles, sex determination, sex linkage

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Lecture:
Explained the gene and alleles.
Outline the continuous and discontinuous variation.
What are monohybrid inheritance, genotype and phenotype.
Explain the homozygote, heterozygote, dominance, codominance, dihybrid inheritance.
Understand multiple alleles illustration by ABO blood group system.
Explain sex determination and sex linkage.

Tutorial:
Discuss gene interaction between two unlinked gene.
Solve problems on different types of inheritance.

Week 9: Characteristics of living organisms

Learning Objectives:
Critical understanding characteristic of living organism.
Understand living organism can be single cellular and multicellular in plant or animal.
Demonstrate the critical understanding on feed, breathe, respire, and excrete, growth, reproduce,
respond and move.

Key terms/ Concepts:

Feed, breathe, respire, excrete, growth, reproduce, respond and move

Required reading:

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Lecture:
Briefly explain characteristic of living organisms; nutrition, excretion.
Briefly understand the process of excretion and respiration.
Describe reproduction, sensitivity growth and movement.

Tutorial:
Discuss the important characteristic of living organism.
Critically analyses the difference in the characteristics in single cellular and multicellular
organism.

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Week 10 Introduction to human physiology Part 1

Learning Objectives:
Critical understanding the need of food and diet.
Acquire and understand digestion, absorption.
Understand the blood circulatory system.
Brief introduction to the breathing.
Briefly understand the excretion and kidneys.

Key terms/ Concepts:

Digestion, blood circulation, excretion

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Lecture:
Describe the need of food and balance diet?
How is digestion, absorption taking place in human?
How is blood circulation taking place in human?
Explain the process of excretion and role of kidneys in human?

Tutorial:
Critically discuss how gaseous exchange takes place?
Structure of lungs in human?

Week 11 Introduction to human physiology Part 2

Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate the understanding of human skin, temperature control.
Understand reproduction in human.
Explore the skeleton, muscles and movement by human.
Understand the sense organs in human.
Briefly understand how co-ordination is carried out in human.

Key terms/ Concepts:

Reproduction, sense organs, skeleton, muscles and movement

Required reading:
Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Lecture:

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 Briefly explain the structure and function of skin?
Explain how body temperature is maintained?
Briefly explain human reproduction?
Briefly explain structure and function of human skeleton?
Understand how movement and locomotion is brought?
Briefly explain the sense organ in human and their function?

Tutorial:
Overview of how co-ordination is undertaken in human.
Discuss the importance of personal health.

Week 12 Organism and their environment

Learning Objectives:
Understand the ecosystem; biotic and abiotic component.
Understanding what is a food chain and a food web.
Acquire and understand the carbon cycle.
Acquire and understand the Nitrogen cycle.
The process of decay in recycling.

Key terms/ Concepts:

Food chain, food web, carbon and nitrogen cycle

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Lecture:
Understand the term ecology, ecosystem, biotic and abiotic.
Understand the Energy transfer: food chains and trophic levels; producers, consumers and
decomposers.
Demonstrate a critical understanding of carbon and nitrogen cycle.
Acquire and understand decay as a crucial factor of recycling.

Tutorial:
Discuss some of factors of human impact on ecosystems; Cardon dioxide and greenhouse effect,
ozone depletion, acid rain and water pollution?

Week 13: Evolution

Learning Objectives:
Critical understand why variation is important in selection.
Explain, with examples, how environmental factors act as forces of natural selection.

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 Demonstrate how natural selection may bring about evolution.
Describe one example of artificial selection.

Key terms/ Concepts:

Evolution, genetic variation, natural selection,

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Lecture:
Briefly understand the evolution and its theories.
Understand variation; discontinuous and continuous variation.
Explain the process of natural selection.
Briefly explain extinction and conservation of species, habitats.

Tutorial:
Critically analyses the difference way of conservation of species and habitats.
Discuss the need of conservation of species.

Week 14: Micro-organism and humans

Learning Objectives:
Critically understand the term micro-organism.
What are bacteria, viruses and fungi?
Explore the use of micro-organism in biotechnology; yoghurt, wine, cheese and antibiotics.
Understand microorganism as a disease causing agent; bacterial, viral, fungal disease.
Understand disease transmission and methods of prevention of microbial disease.

Key terms/ Concepts:

Micro-organism, bacteria, viruses and fungi, disease causing agent

Required reading:
Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Lecture:
Describe what is a micro-organism?
Explain what are bacteria, viruses and fungi?
Explain briefly how microorganism disease infectious disease through bacterial, viral, fungal
disease.

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 Describe briefly methods of prevention of microbial disease.

Tutorial:
Discuss the uses of micro-organism in biotechnology; yoghurt, wine, cheese and antibiotics.
Discuss some of the diseased caused by micro-organism; food poisoning, gonorrhea, syphilis and
AID.

References:

Essential Reading:

Soper,R.(Ed).(2003). Biological Science.( 3rd Edition). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press

Mackean,D.G.(2002).IGCSE Biology. London:John Murray

Kiong, H.Y.(2003).Longman-A level course in Biology Core syllabus, Volume 1 for AS and A-level
.Singapore: Pearson Education Asia.

Further Reading:

Jones, G. & Jones, M. (2002). Biology International Edition for IGCSE and O Level. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.

Burtin, I. J. (2000). The Cambridge Revision Guide GCE O Level Biology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Jones, M. (2003). O Level Biology. Karachi: Oxford University Press.

Jones,J, Fosbery.R,Gregory,J.,&Taylor,D. (2014) Cambridge International AS and A Level Biology (fourth

edition).Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Useful Journals:
Journal of Biology
International Journal of Biology

Websites:
WHO: http://www.who.int/en/
HPA Maldives: http://hpa.gov.mv/English/

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Assessment Scheme

The following activities will be assessed and marked as indicated:

Assessment Task Percentage Due date

Quiz 20% Week 5
Project 25% Week 11
A 2.5- 3 hour examination from 55% Exam
the topic covered in the course.
Total 100%

Assessment details

Students need to attempt all assignments and to pass the subject an aggregate mark of 50% is required.
The late assessment will be penalized by 5% reduction of the total mark for each late day.

Assessment Task 1: Quiz 1

Due date: week 5
Details of Task: Quiz on lecture covered in week 1-5
% value: 20%
Individual assessment:
Criteria for Making: each correct answer will be mark

Assessment 2: Project
Details of Task: Project topic given by lecturer: students must show knowledge of the topic obtained
through research on the topic from books, journal articles or any other academic source. The assessment
will allows student to demonstrate their understanding on the subject.
% value: 25%
Individual assessment:

Criteria for Making:

Criteria Mark Attained Marks

Initiative in tracking down 5
relevant material
Topic and purpose of the paper 10
and clearly defines in the
introduction
Demonstrated clear 25
understanding of topic
Evidence of critical thinking, 15
analysis and interpretation skills
Content is supported with 15
reference and citations

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appropriate to the essay topics
Logical and orderly developed 10
structure. Orderly arrangement of
content
Rational conclusion 10
Spelling and grammar are 10
correct, numbering of pages.
referencing and citations
Total 100

Examinations:

The exam will be conducted at the end of the semester during the final exam period. The paper will
cover all the topics of the subjects and consist of multiple choice questions and short answer questions.
There will be 20 multiple choice question, 8 short answer question and 1 essay type question.

Examination will be worth 40% of the mark.

Referencing requirements:
APA style referencing is required in the course. The information on referencing will be provided by the
faculty.

Suggested Methodology:
The main form of teaching is through lectures and tutorials. All lectures and tutorials should be interactive
with class participation.

Course Regulations:
This will be provided by the faculty. These regulations will be regarding policies on attendance, late
assignment and plagiarism.

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