Aims

After this course, students should understand the basis of life on Earth and be able to answer the following key questions : what are living organisms, what do they have in common, and what differentiates them. These lectures constitute a framework that will be developed in more detailed courses in the following years, with a special focus on cellular and molecular biology, Mendelian genetics and evolution from bacteria to modern Man. Those aims try to develp qualities of intellectual curiosity, observation, reasoning, synthesis, scientific rigour, oral, written and iconographic expression, and finally of self-learning, stimulating the consultation of books, scientific reviewz, and informatics materials (CD-Rom, websites)

Main themes

In a first of the course, the cell is studied by closely associating morphology and function. The diversity and evolution of the living is first tackled by the study of meiosis, fertilization and Mendelian genetics.
The study of animal evolution from the first animals to modern Man is based on arguments of anatomy and compared embryology illustrating the principle "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny".

Content and teaching methods

Contents :
Introduction : principles of organization of the biosphere
Chapter 1 : The chemistry of life
Chapter 2 : The cell
Chapter 3 : Reproduction and genetics
Chapter 4 : Evolution
Chapter 5 : Biological diversity through evolution
Chapter 6 : Scientific ecology

Methods :
The course includes lectures during which the diagrams will be drawn together with the students. During practical works, the students will see on screen everything they were taught in theoretical courses : slides and films' showings and examination of histological cuts. Additional support (slideshows, exercices, forum) is availble on a iCampus website.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisite : French language knowledge, qualities of observation, of intellectual curiosity, of reasoning, of synthesis.
Assesment : Writtent exam.
Materials : The course materials consist in written notes with which the students will have to add the diagrams drawn during the class. Slideshows are availble online. Different references are recommended to the students for further information.
Supervision : The supervision of practical courses is organized by work managers and assistants. Tests are carried out and corrected each week.

Other credits in programs