When designing a course I focus on two critical questions: (1) what do I want my students to know, and; (2) what do I want my students to be able to do?

1. What do I want my students to know after taking BIOL 116? I am interested in my students explaining how cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems function and work together to maintain homeostasis.

2. What do I want my students to be able to do after taking BIOL 116? I would like my students to think critically and develop skills that will help them become independent learners. Much of your learning will happen outside the classroom, so it’s key that we develop these skills.

If you would like to focus on no. 1, I suggest the following. You can use the textbook for the course if you have it, but any introductory biology textbook will work.

Topic	Learning Objectives
Anatomy and Physiology	Explain the difference between anatomy and physiology.
Homeostasis	Define homeostasis. Explain why homeostasis is important for the proper function of cells, organs, organ systems and the organism as a whole.
Feedback loops	Differentiate between negative and positive feedback loop. Explain the components of a negative feedback loop including the stimulus, receptor, control center and effector.
Chemistry	Identify the components of an atom. Discuss how the atomic structure affects its bonding properties. Compare and contrast various chemical bonds (e.g. ionic, covalent, polar and non-polar covalent, hydrogen bonds). Discuss the molecular structure of water and the importance of water in the human body (e.g., cohesion, ability to dissolve certain molecules, etc.)
Biological Macromolecules	Compare and contrast the chemical structure and function of the four macromolecules found in the body including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids.
Cell Membrane and Function	Explain how the cell membrane allows a cell to maintain homeostasis. List the organelles located in the cell and their function

Note: These learning objectives cover approximately the first 3 classes of the term. Reviewing these topics is not a requirement. It is only for those students who wish to review information before the term begins.

 If you would like to focus on no. 2, I suggest the following.

Ask yourself…

1. What is my learning style? For example, am I a visual learner, who assimilates information by reading or looking at pictures? Am I an auditory learner, who assimilates information by listening to someone explain something?  Am I an active learner (e.g., do I like to draw figures, explain a process out loud)? A combination of these?

2. How does success in this course relate to my career goals?

3. What do I want to be able to do by the end of this course?

4. How will I manage my time when considering time spent in classes, clinical (if you are a nursing student), study time, personal time, etc.?

5. If I begin school and feel overwhelmed or have questions, who will I reach out to for help? Do I know what resources are available to me?