This biology core class is a three-credit, theme-based, lecture and discussion course that covers unifying concepts in the biological sciences. Several sections of this course will be offered, with each section covering topics within a specific discipline of biology. Major themes will be consistent in each section offering, including historical aspects, principles of evolution, understanding science as "a way of knowing" and others, but most important is the connection made among man, his environment, society, and the scientific process used to discover what we know. Each section will incorporate supplemental resources in lieu of standard textbooks to make the course a unique liberal arts experience and to establish connections with other areas of the core curriculum. Some sections may also have laboratory components, demonstrations, or field trips to complement what is being taught in the lecture.