ESC 3104 - Course Outline

UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA
FACULTY OF EDUCATION & HUMANITIES

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT.
COURSE OUTLINE: ESC 3104: BIOLOGY FOUNDATION.
NO OF CREDITS: 4 CREDITS.
LECTURERS:
SEMESTER 1
COURSE RATIONALE:
Over the years, it has been our experience that the preparation students undergo for
CXC Science leaves much to be desired when they confront the first year courses in
the Faculty of Natural Sciences. This course is intended to close this gap. It attempts
to do this in two ways:
(a) By treating topics which although they are included in the CXC Syllabus are
known to be frequently omitted from the preparation of the candidates.
(b) By treating topics which do not form part of the CXC Syllabus but which
can help the first year students overcome specific difficulties they have been
observed to encounter.
There are further difficulties that arise, at least in part from the foregoing. Given
that teacher-training within this School of Education is all in-service, trainers are
required to teach content in their work situations. They have admitted and the
School has observed that there are deficiencies in their mastery of content that need
to be addressed urgently for reasons that are obvious. This course seeks to meet
those needs as well. The needs are many and varied, but the time is short; therefore
there has to be a compromise where detail and depth of treatment are concerned for
the purposes outlined.
OBJECTIVES.
Based upon the fore-going statement of rationale, one would expect the General
Aims and Objectives, and specific Aims and Objectives of the CXC Biology Syllabus
to be retained. They are. And since CXC has set out its objectives in great detail one
has only to find the relevant topic and the General and Specific Objectives as
outlined in the Syllabus. Because of space, these objectives are NOT listed herein.
In response to the wide-spread practice of Biology from a theoretical point of view,

careful note has been taken of “Practicals” and School-based Assessment regarding
both topics and objectives.
Objectives for topics that are not part of the CXC Syllabus develop quite nicely out
of the CXC objectives and are stated in Course Outlines of the relevant courses
within the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
N.B.
There are several Biology Text Books that carry useful chapters on each topic
treated hereunder. Read them even if you can get the ones recommended.
CONTENT:
Week Topic Assignments
1 (a) Course overview – purpose and approach

of presentation.
(b) Introduction of Cell Theory.
2 (a) Conclusion of Cell Theory.
(b) Review of cell Structure as revealed by

light microscope.
3 (a) Cell structure by electron microscope.
(b) Functions of cell organelles.
4 (a) Structure of Microscope.
(b) Types and Uses of Microscope.
(c) Setting-up of microscope.
(d) Drawings and diagrams.
5 (a) Cell nucleus and Genetic code.
(b) Chromosome replication.
6 (a) Cell division - Mitosis
(b) Cell Growth.
2
7 (a) Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction.
8 TEST
(a) Tissues - cell dominant.

(b) Tissues - matrix dominant
(c) Tissue - special products dominant.
9 Laboratory Sessions
(a) Preparation of specimen

(b) Recording and Reporting.
10 Laboratory sessions
(a) Using microscope to examine simple plant

and animal tissues.
11 (a) Mendelian Genetics.
12 (a) Introduction to Molecular Biology.

(b) Hydrogen bonds
(c) Carbohydrates.
13. (a) Proteins

(b) Enzymes.
(c) Fats
!4 TEST
(a) Laboratory Session- Biochemistry
15 Course Review.
ASSIGNMENTS
(a) Group Assignment-------------- 20%

(b) Practical Test-------------------- 20%
(c) Mid- Semester Test-------------- 20%
(d) Final Exam ----------------------- 40%
3
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: All students are required to:
1. Attend classes regularly

2. Do all assigned readings
3. Complete all required assignments and submit when due.
Late submission attracts subtraction of marks and non-submission
out-right zero.
4 Take all final examinations.
Evaluation: Course work 60% Examination 40%
READINGS:
1. OTTO, James H (2008 ) Modern Biology,
2. BRUCE, Alberts , et al. ( 2015 ) Molecular Biology,
3. DANIEL, D. Chiras (2005) Human Biology, Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett

Publishers.
4. LIN, Shaw (2005) Anatomy and Physiology, Cheltenham: Nelson

Thomes Ltd.
5. RICK, Hallman (2000) The Living Environmental Biology, New York:

Amsco School Publications, Inc.
6. CLEVELAND, P. HICKMAN, Jr. Integrated Principles of Zoology,

LARRY, S Roberts, ALLAN Larson,.
HELEN I’ Anson & DAVID, J
Eisenhour (2006) McGraw-Hill New York:
7. ROBERTS, M.B.V. & KING, T.J. Biology: A Functional Approach- Students’

(1992) Manual, Surrey: Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd.
8. ALBERT, L. Lehninger (1971) Bioenergetics- The Molecular Basis of

Biological Energy Transformations,
California: W.A. Benjamin, Inc.

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UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA

FACULTY OF EDUCATION & HUMANITIES

COURSE OUTLINE: ESC 3104: BIOLOGY FOUNDATION.

In response to the wide-spread practice of Biology from a theoretical point of view,

Week Topic Assignments

1 (a) Course overview – purpose and approach

2 (a) Conclusion of Cell Theory.

(b) Review of cell Structure as revealed by

3 (a) Cell structure by electron microscope.

(b) Functions of cell organelles.

4 (a) Structure of Microscope.

(b) Types and Uses of Microscope.

(c) Setting-up of microscope.

(d) Drawings and diagrams.

5 (a) Cell nucleus and Genetic code.

(b) Chromosome replication.

6 (a) Cell division - Mitosis

(b) Cell Growth.

(a) Tissues - cell dominant.

(a) Preparation of specimen

(a) Using microscope to examine simple plant

11 (a) Mendelian Genetics.

12 (a) Introduction to Molecular Biology.

13. (a) Proteins

(a) Laboratory Session- Biochemistry

(a) Group Assignment-------------- 20%

1. Attend classes regularly

Evaluation: Course work 60% Examination 40%

1. OTTO, James H (2008 ) Modern Biology,

2. BRUCE, Alberts , et al. ( 2015 ) Molecular Biology,

3. DANIEL, D. Chiras (2005) Human Biology, Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett

4. LIN, Shaw (2005) Anatomy and Physiology, Cheltenham: Nelson

5. RICK, Hallman (2000) The Living Environmental Biology, New York:

6. CLEVELAND, P. HICKMAN, Jr. Integrated Principles of Zoology,

7. ROBERTS, M.B.V. & KING, T.J. Biology: A Functional Approach- Students’

8. ALBERT, L. Lehninger (1971) Bioenergetics- The Molecular Basis of

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