Microbiology Course Syllabus and Weekly Study Guide

Course Overview: Microbiology (Hybrid Saturday Lab)

Introduction

This syllabus outlines the weekly topics, required readings, video lectures, lab activities, and deadlines for a college-level Microbiology course. The course integrates online resources (Canvas, Openstax, Nester) with in-person Saturday laboratory sessions. Students are expected to complete video lectures, readings, quizzes, and lab assignments as scheduled.

Weekly Topics and Structure

Week 1: Introduction to Microbiology

• Orientation Module: Introduction to course structure and expectations.

• Micro Video: Overview of microbiology as a scientific discipline.

• Readings: Openstax Ch1, 3.1, 3.2 covering basic concepts and background.

• Lab Activities:

  • Lab safety orientation

  • Microscopy introduction

  • Unknown ID overview

• Quizzes: Orientation quiz, Prelab 1, Intro to microbiology review quiz

Week 2: Microscopy

• Video Lectures: Openstax Ch2 (Nester Ch3)

• Lab Activities:

  • Lab 2: Microscopy (finish)

  • Lab 3: Staining & streaking

  • Unknown ID part 1 walkthrough

• Quizzes: Prelab 3, Microscopy review quiz

Week 3: Cells

• Video Lectures: Openstax Ch3.3, 3.4 (Nester Ch4)

• Lab Activities:

  • Lab 3: Streak (finish)

  • Lab 4: Differential staining

  • Streak practical

  • Unknown ID part 2

• Quizzes: Prelab 4, Cells review quiz

Week 4: Growth

• Video Lectures: Openstax Ch9 (Nester Ch6)

• Lab Activities:

  • Lab 5: Pure culture inoculations & growth tests

  • Streak practical window

• Exam 1: SHK226

• Quizzes: Prelab 5, Growth review quiz

Week 5: Metabolism

• Video Lectures: Openstax Ch8 (Nester Ch8)

• Lab Activities:

  • Lab 5: Pure cultures (finish)

  • Metabolic testing

  • Gram practical window

  • Unknown ID: collect home samples

• Quizzes: Prelab 6, Metabolism review quiz

Week 6: Genetics

• Video Lectures: Openstax Ch11 (Nester Ch7)

• Lab Activities:

  • Lab 6: Metabolic tests

  • Lab 7: Transformation

  • Gram practical window

  • Prep Lab 9: home T streaks

• Quizzes: Prelab 7, Genetics review quiz

Week 7: Viruses

• Video Lectures: Openstax Ch6 (Nester Ch13)

• Lab Activities:

  • Lab 7: Transformation (finish)

  • Lab 8: Virtual 16s rRNA ID

  • Prep Lab 9: home broths

  • Unknown ID part 4 walkthrough

• Quizzes: Prelab 8, Viruses review quiz

Week 8: Pathogenesis

• Video Lectures: Openstax Ch15 (Nester Ch16)

• Lab Activities:

  • Exam 2: SHK226

• Quizzes: Prelab 9, Pathogenesis review quiz

Week 9: Epidemiology & Applied Immunology

• Video Lectures: Openstax Ch16 (Nester Ch14)

• Lab Activities:

  • Lab 9: Disk diffusion (finish)

  • Lab 10: ELISA

  • Unknown lab report walkthrough

• Quizzes: Prelab 10, Epidemiology review quiz

Week 10: Innate Immunity

• Lecture: Openstax Ch17 (Nester Ch17)

• Lab: No lab (Thanksgiving week)

• Quizzes: Postlab 10 quiz & dropbox

Week 11: Adaptive Immunity

• Lecture: Openstax Ch18 (Nester Ch15)

• Lab Activities:

  • Exam 3: SHK226

  • Lab cleanup

• Quizzes: Immunology review quiz

Finals Week

• Review: Unit 1, 2, and 3 study guides

• Optional: Final exam, EC informal evaluation

Color Coding and Course Requirements

Explanation of Color Codes

• Canvas Video Lectures (Blue): Mandatory viewing; equivalent to attending lecture in person. Content will be tested.

• Openstax (Purple): Required readings from the free online textbook.

• Nester (Green): Recommended readings from the Nester textbook.

• Other Canvas Pages: Required assignments and readings for credit.

• Lab Manual (Orange): Required reading for lab preparation and deadlines.

• Lab Meetings and Exams (Yellow): Mandatory in-person attendance. Missing more than one lab or exam may result in failure.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Microscopy: The use of microscopes to observe microorganisms. Includes techniques such as staining and streaking.

• Staining: Application of dyes to enhance contrast in microscopic specimens.

• Pure Culture: A laboratory culture containing a single species of organism.

• Metabolic Testing: Laboratory tests to determine the metabolic capabilities of microorganisms.

• Transformation: Genetic alteration of a cell resulting from the direct uptake of foreign DNA.

• ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a test used to detect and quantify substances such as proteins and antibodies.

• Disk Diffusion: A method to test the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents.

• Immunity: The ability of an organism to resist infection, including innate and adaptive mechanisms.

Example Table: Weekly Topic Overview

Week	Main Topic	Lab Focus	Key Assessment
1	Introduction	Lab safety, Microscopy	Orientation quiz
2	Microscopy	Staining, Streaking	Microscopy review quiz
3	Cells	Differential staining	Cells review quiz
4	Growth	Pure culture, Growth tests	Exam 1
5	Metabolism	Metabolic testing	Metabolism review quiz
6	Genetics	Transformation	Genetics review quiz
7	Viruses	16s rRNA ID	Viruses review quiz
8	Pathogenesis	Exam 2	Pathogenesis review quiz
9	Epidemiology & Immunology	Disk diffusion, ELISA	Epidemiology review quiz
10	Innate Immunity	No lab	Postlab 10 quiz
11	Adaptive Immunity	Lab cleanup	Exam 3

Additional info:

• This syllabus provides a comprehensive overview of the course structure, including both theoretical and practical components essential for mastering microbiology at the college level.

• Students should refer to Canvas for updates and detailed instructions for each lab and assignment.