Topics+Overview


 * Biology I Final Exam Review**
 * __Topic 1 – Biodiversity__**
 * 1) Describe the characteristics of living things and how they’re different from non-living things.
 * 2) Compare the relative numbers of species that exist, have been named, and have ever existed on earth.
 * 3) Understand how biodiversity is organized by taxonomic classification and cladistics using organism’s morphology, molecular comparisons, and fossils.
 * __Topic 2 - Evolution__**
 * Evolution**
 * 1) Outline what the fossil record is. Include how and where fossils form and the overall patterns in the history of life on earth that emerge from studying the fossil record. Include reference to the major eras of geologic time and periodic mass extinctions.
 * 2) Make and interpret cladograms to show molecular and morphological evidence about species relationships.
 * 3) Describe modern phylogenetics. What does a phylogenetic tree illustrate?
 * 4) Outline Darwin’s contributions to the theory of evolution.
 * 5) Explain what ‘survival of the fittest’ means using a specific example.
 * 6) Explain what ‘descent with modification’ means in evolutionary terms.
 * 7) Outline the many areas of evidence in addition to the fossil record that help illustrate the process of evolution, including homologous structures, vestigial structures, embryology, molecular biology, cellular biology, and biogeography.
 * Populations**
 * 1) Explain the connection between a gene pool and such factors as mutations, gene flow, genetic drift.
 * 2) Outline the importance of natural selection as a factor in evolutionary change.
 * 3) Describe the difference between disruptive, stabilizing, and directional selection.
 * 4) Explain how sexual dimorphism tends to arise in sexually reproducing species.
 * 5) Explain two ways that populations can be isolated and how that can lead to speciation.
 * Human Evolution**
 * 1) Outline the traits of primates including humans.
 * 2) What are hominids? Summarize the overall pattern in their evolution.
 * 3) Describe the locations of, relative dates for and unique traits of //Australopithecines//, //Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis// and //Homo sapiens.//
 * 4) Describe the results of mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome DNA in mapping the migration patterns and dates of modern human //(Homo sapiens)// populations.
 * 5) Outline the major trends and overall pattern of human evolution and migration during the past 5 million years.

1. Define the following terms: //chromososme, homologous//, //allele, gene, dominant allele, recessive allele, genotype, phenotype, P1 generation, F1 generation, F2 generation, homozygous and heterozygous, pure breeding// 2. Select and/or recognize suitable allele symbols for single-gene crosses, based on the characteristics of the alleles.
 * __Topic 3 – Heredity__**
 * Basic Inheritance**
 * 1) Construct and analyze //Punnett squares// to illustrate probable outcomes of single-gene crosses showing //simple dominant/recessive alleles//.
 * 2) Explain the use of a //test cross// to find the genotype of an individual with a dominant phenotype.
 * Sources of Variation: Meiosis and Independent Assortment**
 * 1) Outline the role of //meiosis// in the production of //haploid [n] gametes// from //diploid [2//n] parent cells.
 * 2) State the number of //daughter cells// made as a result of meiosis.
 * 3) Compare the total chromosome number in the parent and in the daughter cells.
 * 4) Draw and label and/or interpret simple diagrams of the stages of meiosis.
 * 5) Explain the need for haploid gametes in sexual reproduction.
 * 6) Describe the laws of segregation, independent assortment, and random fertilization, and explain their role in creating new phenotype possibilities each generation.

1//.// Construct and analyze //Punnett squares// to illustrate probable outcomes of single-gene crosses showing //multiple alleles, codominant alleles.// 1. Explain what cancer is and describe the progression of mutations that typically leads to cancer. Include proto-oncogenes, oncogenes, tumor-supressor genes. 2. Describe the inheritance, symptoms, and potential treatments for a genetic disorder. 3. Explain how factors beyond the order of the DNA bases can influence the expression of traits using an example. 4. Describe the nature/nurture debate as it relates to observations of epigenetic effects. **__Topic 4 – DNA Unit__**
 * Complex Patterns in Inheritance**
 * 1) Construct and analyse //Punnett squares// to illustrate probable outcomes of single-gene crosses. These include simple dominant/recessive alleles, incomplete dominance, multiple alleles [blood groups], co-dominance and sex-linked alleles.
 * 2) Calculate genotype and phenotype ratios from such crosses.
 * 3) Explain the difference in how single-gene traits and polygenic traits are displayed in a frequency distribution graph.
 * Cancer, Genetic Disorders, and Epigenetics**
 * Nucleic Acids**
 * 1) Describe and draw a simple labeled diagram of a DNA nucleotide.
 * 2) Describe and draw a simple labeled diagram of a short section of a DNA molecule.
 * 3) Identify three and five prime ends of each half of a DNA strand
 * 4) Define the difference between purines and pyrimidines and identify which ones of each form complementary base pairs.
 * 5) List the three main types of RNA and their functions.
 * 6) Compare and contrast the structure and function of DNA and RNA, including number of //polynucleotide// chains, sugar type, bases used and overall length.
 * 7) Compare the structure and function of the tRNA and mRNA.
 * DNA replication**
 * 1) Describe how and where DNA replication takes place, including the role of DNA helicase, DNA polymerase and free DNA nucleotides and complementary base pairing.
 * 2) Make and/or interpret simple labeled diagrams to explain DNA replication
 * 3) Define what is meant by //semi-conservative replication.//
 * 4) State that the outcome of DNA replication is the rapid and accurate formation of two identical daughter DNA molecules, which are needed prior to cell division.
 * 5) Explain the importance of proofreading by polymerase enzymes in DNA replication as a means to preserve the genetic information in the DNA molecule.
 * Protein synthesis**
 * 1) Define the terms //codon, anticodon, start codon, stop codons, transcription, translation, amino acid, polypeptide, protein.//
 * 2) Describe the role of the enzyme RNA polymerase in transcription.
 * 3) State the locations, within the cell, of the processes of transcription and translation.
 * 4) Describe the roles of mRNA, tRNA and ribosomes in translation.
 * 5) Describe how the information in the template DNA strand codes for a specific polypeptide.
 * 6) Use a translation table to show how information on mRNA determines a specific order of amino acids to make a polypeptide molecule.
 * Gene mutations**
 * 1) Define, and give examples of, the term //gene [point] mutation//. This should include //deletion, insertion and substitution//.
 * 2) Predict the effects of “frameshift” gene mutations on protein synthesis.
 * 3) Outline the cause and effect[s] of gene mutation.


 * __Topic 5 – Human Impact on Biodiversity__**
 * 1) Explain why preservation of biodiversity is important.
 * 2) Describe the 5 ways human activities are impacting biodiversity.