Final UnEssay Project Overview Due To Biology 1107

Final UnEssay Project overviewdue To The Number Of Biol 1107 Students

Due to the number of BIOL 1107 students I teach each semester, I have to use a lot of standard activities and assessments which include mostly multiple choice questions for homework and testing situations. However, these don’t allow you to show your creativity in interacting with the material. I’ve been trying to find a way that lets you engage with the material using a very important aspect of science: imagination! The models, ideas, and processes we study this semester, first had to be imagined before they could be tested. Creativity and imagination are extremely important aspects of science.

Therefore, in addition to these traditional assessments, there will be a final project for this class. This allows you to engage with the material in whatever way best suits you. Why: Students have a variety of reasons for taking BIOL 1107. “It’s required” and “I enjoy biology” are very common ones, but there are 100’s of other reasons for taking this course. BIOL 1107 is a survey course on cellular and molecular biology. This means that we learn about a lot of topics in these fields of biology to prepare you for a variety of future coursework and careers, but do not have to go in-depth about any particular topic in the course. You may be interested in the genetic basis for breast cancer, the cellular mechanism that allows cacti to survive in very arid environments, how high-performance athletes switch from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism during exercise, how chromosome crossing-over happens at the molecular level, etc.

What: The Final UnEssay Project is your chance to combine your interests, personal reasons for learning cellular and molecular biology, and creativity to go more in-depth about a specific topic. The Final UnEssay Project can be done on any topic in cellular and molecular biology. It can be done using any medium (writing, art, music, pictures, etc.). It can be done individually or as a group project. It’s called an UnEssay because it doesn’t confine you to a research paper with specific conditions and formatting requirements (although you can certainly write a research paper), but instead allows you the creativity to explore a topic of interest in a way that most resonates with you.

How: Choose any topic you want provided you can associate your topic with at least one subject of this course. You can take any presentation approach to the UnEssay. You can use as few or as many sources as you want. Your presentation method should complement the topic chosen. A few presentation ideas: research paper, blog, website, music video, cartoon, PPT presentation, drawing, sculpture, photo-essay, learning activity, game, lesson plan, book review, etc. The only requirement is that your UnEssay is compelling, effective, and accurate.

Timeline: The parts of the project are due the following Sundays by 11:59pm: January 30th Topic and Format; March 13th Substantial Work In Progress; April 17th Final UnEssay Project. (Further details follow below.)

Paper For Above instruction

The final UnEssay Project for BIOL 1107 offers students a distinctive opportunity to merge creativity with scientific understanding, fostering an engaging and personalized exploration of cellular and molecular biology. Traditionally, assessments like multiple-choice questions serve a purpose but lack the flexibility for students to creatively interact with biological concepts. Recognizing that imagination is at the core of scientific discovery—where models, ideas, and processes originate from mental visualization before empirical testing—the UnEssay initiative emphasizes cultivating students’ creative capacities alongside their scientific knowledge.

This project aligns with diverse student motivations—whether fulfilling course requirements, genuine interest in biology, or aspiring careers in health, research, or education. It encourages students to select any biological topic within the scope of the course, emphasizing the importance of personal relevance and curiosity. For example, students might choose to investigate the cellular mechanisms behind cancer, adaptations of organisms to harsh environments, metabolic changes during athletic performance, or genetic phenomena like crossing-over. This flexibility allows students to tailor their exploration in accordance with their interests and future goals.

Moreover, the UnEssay’s broad range of potential formats—writing, visual art, music, videos, interactive activities—invites students to utilize mediums that resonate most with their skills and preferences. Whether creating a research paper, a digital blog, a dynamic website, an illustrative cartoon, a music video, or an art installation, learners are encouraged to produce compelling, accurate, and effective representations of their chosen topics. This approach not only enhances engagement but also promotes deeper understanding by integrating innovative presentation methods.

The project’s timeline is structured to support students through initial planning, ongoing development, and final presentation. The preliminary topic and format proposal are due by January 30, requiring students to articulate their chosen subject, presentation method, timeline, and motivation. The mid-point submission due March 13 enables students to reflect on their progress, outline remaining tasks, and demonstrate initial work. The final submission, due April 17, includes the completed UnEssay along with an explanatory statement detailing the process, purpose, and approach undertaken—facilitating clarity in reflection and assessment.

Grading emphasizes coherence, creativity, correctness, and engagement. An effective UnEssay demonstrates interest and completeness, effectively communicates its message with quality production, and presents accurate scientific information. The flexibility of format aims to empower student originality while maintaining academic integrity and scientific accuracy. Ultimately, this project embodies the fusion of scientific rigor with imaginative exploration, preparing students to think creatively and critically about complex biological phenomena.

References

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