Course+Syllabus

AP Biology Syllabus: 2014-2015 __Purpose__ The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a college-level introductory biology course. The intent of the course is to expose students to higher-level biological principles, concepts, and skills and allow them to apply their knowledge to real-life applications. Rather than learning from a micro level outward, students learn from a macro level inward. Students are also expected to learn, not by memorization of facts, but through content and concept application via the AP Biology science practices. Core concepts called “enduring understandings” and their application via the science practices are the basis of the AP Biology curriculum. These concepts are organized around biological principles called “Big Ideas” that unify the entire course and focus on the following topics: • evolution • biological systems using energy to maintain homeostasis for survival • passing heritable information to provide continuity of life • the interaction of biological systems with biotic and abiotic factors In the revised AP Biology course, the teacher scaffolds conceptual understandings, mostly through open inquiry labs, which helps the students think and learn more independently. In class, students are given opportunities to learn and apply their knowledge through the process of inquiry rather than learning from lectures and/or prescribed lab protocols. Lab work in this course will allow the student to see “science working as a process”, as this theme unifies all of the sciences. This is an integral part of the curriculum and is important to allow the student to gain critical thinking skills, a measure of an educated soul. The lab component includes the performance of the recommended AP Biology labs as described in the new lab manual. __Requirements__ Students are expected to understand that AP Biology is an extremely rigorous course, on the level of an introductory college biology course. They will be held to high standards of study, lab performance and assessment. They must have completed high school biology and chemistry classes, and their summer homework as a prerequisite to taking the class. __Time Structure__ 120 minute classes, 2-3 times/week 1-2, 90 minute labs/week—may be more at the teacher’s discretion __Student Resources__ Text: Campbell, Reece Biology Concepts and Connections, Edition 6 th e., Pearson Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA, 2009 Lab Manual: AP Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry-Based Approach, College Board, 2012 Study Guide: Liebaert, Richard, Biology Concepts and Connections, Edition 6 th, Pearson Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA, 2009 __Summer Homework__ To get a jump on the reading and to deal with the especially busy pace during the fall semester of this class, students will be asked to read the first 4 chapters of the text and complete the questions and vocabulary for each chapter. The assignments are due upon the return of school. They will be reviewed when topics are gone over during the fall. __Assessments__ Assessments will include unit quizzes, homework, practice free responses (either announced or not announced), tests, pop quizzes and cumulative “big idea tests”. Sample free-response questions will be given with every unit for practice. Finally, Mock AP exams will be given twice during the year—once as the mid-term exam (MC section only) and again in its entirety about a week before the exam. Grades will be calculated on a straight point system from the following: Unit Tests Homework assignments: Homework assignments will not be accepted late. They must be handed in at the beginning of the class period when they are due. Quizzes (announced and unannounced) Lab homework Sample Free Response questions (announced and unannounced) AP-based mid-term exam (MC and essay)—10% of final grade All students will need a marble composition book that will act as their lab notebook.
 * Weeks || Unit topics || Readings || Labs/ activities ||
 * 1. 8/25 to 8/28 || Intro/Review || Chapters 1-4 || POGIL: Biochemistry Basics/ Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes/ Organelles ||
 * 2. 9/2 to 9/5 || How populations evolve || Chapter 13 || Lab #2 Mathematical Modeling (2 periods)/ Hardy Weinberg practice problems ||
 * 3. 9/8 to 9/12 || How populations evolve || Chapter 13 || Phylogenetic/ cladogram analysis/ POGIL: Phylogenetic Tree ||
 * 4. 9/15 to 9/19 || The Origin of Species || Complete 14 || Lab #1: Artificial Selection (7 weeks)/ POGIL: Selection and Speciation ||
 * 5. 9/22 to 9/26 || Evolutionary History || Chapter 15 || Lab #3 Comparing DNA sequences to determine evolution (2 periods)/ POGIL: Mass Extinctions ||
 * 6. 9/29 to 10/3 || Prokaryotes || 16-1 to 16-10 || Microscope work with prokaryotes ||
 * 7. 10/6 to 10/10 || Catch up work for Big Idea #1 ||  ||   ||
 * 8. 10/13 to 10/17 || The Working Cell || Chapter 5 || Lab #4 Diffusion and osmosis (2.5 periods)/ POGIL: Membrane Structure/ Membrane Functions ||
 * 9. 10/20 to 10/24 ||  || Complete chapter 5 || Lab #13: enzymes (2 periods)/ POGIL: Enzymes and Cellular Regulations ||
 * 10. 10/27 to 10/31 || Cell respiration || Chapter 6 || POGIL: ATP-the Free Energy Carrier/ Cellular Respiration an Overview/ Glycolysis and Kreb’s Cycle ||
 * 11. 11/3 to 11/8 ||  || Complete labs || Lab #6: cell respiration (2 periods)/ POGIL: Oxidative Phosphorylation ||
 * 12. 11/10 to 11/14 || Photosynthesis || Chapter 7 || Lab #5: photosynthesis (2 periods)/ POGIL: Photosynthesis/ Light Dependent Reactions/ The Light Independent reactions ||
 * 13. 11/17 to 11/21 || Thanksgiving break || Thanksgiving break || Thanksgiving break ||
 * 14. 11/24 to 11/28 || Animal structure/ immune system || Chapters 20/24 || POGILS: feedback mechanism/ Immunity/ Circulatory Inquiry ||
 * 15. 12/1 to 12/5 || Nervous system/ endocrine system/ reproduction || Chapters 26, 27, 28 || POGIL: Control of Blood Sugar Levels/ Plant Hormones ||
 * 16. 12/8 to 12/12 ||  || Complete chapters 26, 27, 28 || POGIL: Neuron Structure/ Neuron Function ||
 * 17. 12/15 to 12/23 || Winter Break || Winter Break || Winter Break ||
 * 18. 12/24 to 1/2 || Mitosis and Meiosis || Chapter 8 || Lab #7: Mitosis and Meiosis (3 periods) ||
 * 19. 1/5 to 1/9 || Mitosis and Meiosis ||  || POGILS: Cell Cycle Regulation/ Cellular Communication ||
 * 20. 1/12 to 1/16 || Midterms || Midterms || Midterms ||
 * 21. 1/19 to 1/23 || Inheritance || Chapter 9 || Genetics problems/ POGIL: The Statistics of Inheritance/ Chi-Square ||
 * 22. 1/26 to 1/30 || Molecular basis || chapter 10 || POGIL: Genetic Mutations/ Control of Gene Expression in Pros ||
 * 23. 2/2 to 2/6 || How genes are controlled || Chapter 11 || Lab #8: Biotechnology: bacterial transformation (2.5 periods)/ POGIL: Signal Transduction Pathways ||
 * 24. 2/9 to 2/13 || DNA technology and genomics || Chapter 12 || Lab #9: Biotechnology: restriction enzyme and DNA analysis (2 periods)/ POGIL: Cellular Communication ||
 * 25. 2/16 to 2/20 ||  || Complete chapter 12 ||   ||
 * 26. 2/23 to 2/27 || Catch up Big Idea #3 ||  || Test Big Idea #3 ||
 * 27. 3/2 to 3/6 || The biosphere || Chapter 34 || POGIL: Eutrophication ||
 * 28. 3/9 to 3/13 ||  || Complete chapter 34 ||   ||
 * 29. 3/16 to 3/20 || Ecology || Chapter 37/38 ||  ||
 * 30. 3/23 to 3/27 ||  ||   || Lab #12: fruit fly behavior (2 periods) ||
 * 31. 3/30 to 4/3 || Behavior || Chapter 35 ||  ||
 * 32. 4/6 to 4/10 || Spring Break || Spring Break || Spring Break ||
 * 33. 4/13 to 4/17 || Population Ecology || Chapter 36 || Lab #11: Transpiration ||
 * 34. 4/20 to 4/24 || Complete labs ||  || Review/ Practice Test/ Hardy Weinberg POGIL ||
 * 35. 4/27 to 5/1 || Complete labs ||  ||   ||
 * 36. 5/4 to 5/8 || Review ||  ||   ||
 * 37. 5/11 || AP Biology test ||  ||   ||