BIOL-1610 study plan · UVU Fall 2026

Macromolecules, then Test 1

Read the Overview, click Next for the material and videos, then the CYU. Test 1 is Saturday night and covers weeks 1–3 (orientation, scientific method, chem, macromolecules) plus a few older questions.

Also due Saturday: Goals assignment and How to study. Recent CYUs have been perfect. The test is the thing to protect.

Each block is one sitting. Phone in another room. If a video is long, stop at the time cap and pick it up tomorrow.

Sun 30 · tonight · 55 min 15 min: read the Week 3 Overview. Write three questions you think the module will answer. 40 min: start the macromolecules videos. Pause and jot. Do not finish if the timer hits.

Mon 31 · 55 min 30 min: finish leftover videos. 25 min: 03-CYU Macromolecules, same night. For anything you miss, write one sentence on why.

Tue 1 · 50 min 25 min: How to study. Pick one trick and use it on Thursday's redraw. 25 min: Goals assignment. Do not let these two eat Test 1 time.

Wed 2 · 50 min · scientific method Say out loud, no notes: hypothesis vs prediction, independent vs dependent vs control, why you change one variable, replication, sample size. Then sketch one experiment (question, variables, control, how you would know you were wrong).

Thu 3 · 55 min · chem + macromolecules 25 min: atoms, ionic vs covalent vs hydrogen bonds, why water is weird, pH and buffers. 30 min: a four-row table from memory: carbs, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids. Monomer, polymer, job in a cell, one example. Close the notes and redraw it.

Fri 4 · 45 min · mix Cover the Test 1 list below. Redo any missed CYU item. In bed on time. Honorlock plus no sleep is how people bomb a 100-point test.

Sat 5 · Test 1 Eat. Water. Honorlock. 11:59pm is the wall, not the start. Aim afternoon. If Canvas feels weird, screenshot the error and message the instructor before you panic-refresh.

The loop

Read the Overview first. Do not skip it.

Click Next. Read the material and watch the videos.

Do the CYU the same day you watch, not the night it is due.

If there is a discussion or a draw-it assignment, draft it right after the CYU while it is still in your head.

The weekend before a test: one pass on those three weeks, then a short pass on old modules (pH, macromolecules, and anything the test note names).

Tests

This Saturday · say it out loud

Test 1 · Sept 5

Weeks 1–3 plus a few older questions. If she can teach these without the slide, she is ready. This is standard intro bio, not a substitute for the Canvas videos.

Hypothesis, prediction, theory. What a control is for.
Independent vs dependent variable. Why you change one thing.
Replication and sample size. What “the experiment worked once” is worth.
Atoms, electrons, ionic vs covalent vs hydrogen bonds.
Water: polarity, hydrogen bonds, why ice floats, why it is a good solvent.
pH, acids, bases, buffers. Why blood cannot swing wildly.
Carbs: monosaccharide vs polysaccharide. Energy vs structure.
Lipids: hydrophobic. Phospholipids in membranes. Fats vs oils vs steroids at a glance.
Proteins: amino acids, peptide bonds. Shape is function. Denature.
Nucleic acids: nucleotide, DNA vs RNA in one sentence each.
Dehydration synthesis vs hydrolysis. Building vs breaking polymers.

Test 2 · after week 6

Weeks 4–6: plasma membrane, cell structure, metabolism. Plus proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and pH.

Test 3 · after week 9

Weeks 7–9: cellular respiration, photosynthesis, DNA. Plus a few older questions.

Test 4 · after week 13

Weeks 11–13: mitosis, meiosis, Mendelian genetics. Plus a few older questions.

Test 5 · week 16

Modules 14 and 15, plus older questions. Non-Mendelian CYU lives here too. Thanksgiving week has no new biology content.

Final · week 17 · Dec 6–11

Full course. Start a running one-page sheet after Test 2 so the final is not a surprise.

All weeks

Each card is one week. Do the Overview, then Next, then the work in the list.

Week 1 · Aug 19–22

Orientation

Syllabus and Orientation quiz
Introduce yourself (MS Teams)
Pre-assessment
Update profile and notifications

Week 2 · Aug 23–29

Scientific method · Biological chemistry

02-CYU Introduction
02-CYU Experimental design
02-CYU chemistry

Week 3 · Aug 30 – Sept 5 · this week

Macromolecules

03-CYU Macromolecules
Goals assignment
How to study
Test 1 (weeks 1–3)

Week 4 · Sept 6–12

The plasma membrane

04-CYU Lipids
04-CYU membranes
04-Death by water discussion

Week 5 · Sept 13–19

Cell structure and function

05-CYU Cell structure

Week 6 · Sept 20–26

Metabolism

06-Metabolism
Then Test 2 (weeks 4–6, plus proteins, nucleic acids, carbs, pH)

Week 7 · Sept 27 – Oct 3

Cellular respiration

07-Sir I am not drunk discussion
07-CYU cellular respiration

Week 8 · Oct 4–10

Photosynthesis

08-CYU Photosynthesis
08 extra credit: Amazing plants and fungi

Week 9 · Oct 11–17

DNA structure and function

09-CYU DNA structure and function
Then Test 3 (weeks 7–9)

Week 10 · Oct 18–24

Gene expression

10-Are you what your mother ate? discussion
10-CYU gene expression

Week 11 · Oct 25–31

Cell division · mitosis

12-CYU mitosis
12-Draw mitosis

Week 12 · Nov 1–7

Meiosis and sexual reproduction

12-Which sex? meiosis discussion
12-Draw meiosis
12-CYU meiosis

Week 13 · Nov 8–14

Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics

13-CYU Mendelian Genetics
Then Test 4 (weeks 11–13)

Week 14 · Nov 15–21

Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics, continued

14-CYU Mendelian Genetics

Week 15 · Nov 22–28

Thanksgiving week

No new biology module. Optional: CV, letters of recommendation, interview questions.
Light review for Test 5. Do not cram through the holiday if you can start Thursday-after.

Week 16 · Nov 29 – Dec 5

Test 5 · Non-Mendelian

16-CYU Non-Mendelian Genetics
Test 5: modules 14–15 and a few older questions

Week 17 · Dec 6–11

Final exam

Whole course. Use the one-page sheets from each test.