The main goals of this course are to 1) Introduce students to the themes and concepts of biology and ecology. 2) Develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the properties of life 3) Develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the levels of organization among living things 4) Introduce students to different sub disciplines in biology and ecology 5) Stimulate students to use critical thinking skills to solve problems 6) Instruct students to be scientifically literate, and be able to effectively communicate scientific ideas

References (selected examples, there will be at least 10-15 recommended reading throughout the course):
1. Choi, J. (2018). Free Biology 2e Textbook Available for Download – OpenStax. url: https://openstax.org/details/books/biology-2e
Students will be provided with either reading or video material that they are expected to view/read prior to class. Examples include:
2. Solomon, E. P., Berg, L. R., & Martin, D. W. (2011). Biology (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
3. Khan Academy (2023). Intro to photosynthesis. url: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/cellular-energetics/photosynthesis/a/intro-to-photosynthesis#:~:text=Photosynthesis%20is%20the%20process%20in,is%20released%20as%20a%20byproduct.
4. Akinsemolu, A.A. (2020). Basic Ecology. In: The Principles of Green and Sustainability Science. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2493-6_2
5. Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S.E. (2009). Essentials of Ecology. https://sangu.ge/images/EssentialsofEcology.pdf