Download AP Biology Summer Work 2016-2017

AP Biology Summer Work 2016-2017
Mrs. Carranza
In your own words, write essays on each of the following subjects (Hand/electronically written are both acceptable):
1) Macromolecules
a. What are the 4 major classes of organic macromolecules
b. What are the differences/similarities between them?
c. How are their functions different?
d. Compare and contrast all 4 (including their molecular structure) for full points.
e. Illustrate (draw or insert pictures) the basic molecular shapes of each class of macromolecule.
2) DNA Replication
a. What exactly is DNA replication?
b. Why and when does it happen?
c. Describe the fundamental basics of how DNA replication takes place.
d. Illustrate (draw or insert pictures) your essay during key points.
3) Protein Synthesis
a. What exactly is Protein synthesis and what’s the importance of it?
b. What is DNA’s role in protein synthesis?
c. Describe the fundamental basics of how protein synthesis takes place, including the names of the major stages.
d. Illustrate (draw or insert pictures) your essay during key points.
4) Natural Selection
a. Discuss natural selection and how it provides a mechanism for evolution to take place.
b. Relate this to taxonomy and phylogeny, describing the method phylogeny utilizes to reach conclusions.
5) Genetics
a. Give a basic introduction to the field of genetics.
b. What are Mendelian genetics?
c. What is a chromosome, a gene, an allele, a genotype, and a phenotype? Provide examples for each.
d. How do all of these terms relate in a monohybrid and dihybrid cross?
e. Illustrate an example of a mono- and di-hybrid cross.
6) Photosynthesis and Respiration
a. Give a basic compare and contrast analysis between photosynthesis and respiration.
b. List all major steps in each, and give a brief synapsis of the whole point of each step in respiration, and in photosynthesis.
c. Be sure to include details about the electron transport chain and how exactly it functions to make ATP (energy).
7) Anatomy
a. What are the major organ systems in the body? List them and their functions.
b. Describe 5 major hormones/functions in the Endocrine system
c. Describe how a nerve impulse is transmitted
d. Describe how the nonspecific and specific immune system differ
e. Describe how the lungs/heart work together
f. Describe how the kidneys/bladder function together
g. Describe how the pancreas/stomach/small intestines work together
h. Describe the difference between positive and negative feedback and give 2 examples for each.
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AP Biology Summer Work 2016-2017
Mrs. Carranza
8) Ecology
a.
b.
c.
d.
Discuss how inheritance/the traits and organism has influences animal behavior,
Discuss how the environment of an organism influences its behavior
Discuss multiple methods of animal communication.
Discuss different models of population growth, and which models different types of animals exhibit.
All summer work will be due on the FIRST DAY OF CLASS (August 10th or 11th) and is worth 1 test grade (100 points). Any work not
turned in on the first day of class will be subject to a 15 point penalty. Late summer work will not be accepted after August 31st. This work
will take you much longer than a few hours – you would be wise to begin work early in the summer and not procrastinate.
If you finish your summer work by July 20th in an electronic format (Word, PPT, etc.) and email it to me at [email protected],
I will reward you with 10 extra bonus points. This is because it shows me you have chosen to get ahead in the class and not procrastinate,
and it also helps me out by letting me get a head start on my grading. 
I realize this summer work is slightly vaguer than you might be used to, but have actually intended for the assignment to not be
cut-and-dry. This AP Biology class you are preparing to take is NOT one of those “find the answer, regurgitate the answer, pass the class”
classes you may be used to. You will have to direct a great deal of your own learning if you are to be successful in this class, and I am
purposefully assigning you to learn and decide what information is most important to include in your essay answers.
You may use your Biology textbook to assist you in the learning of these subjects, but you will probably want to use the internet
and various websites more often than your textbook (simply because of the nature of the text in the textbooks). A technique that works
really well for some of my prior students is looking up the subject in an elementary form (such as a “macromolecules for kids” google
search). After you understand the big picture and the basics, it will be much easier to write an essay on each subject. 
My goal is for you to have the big picture in all eight of these essay topics, instead of getting caught up in minute details. In fact, if
your essays are packed full of details, but you fail to pull all the information together in a coherent and common-sense fashion, you will
have missed the point of the assignment and your grade will reflect that. Keep in mind your sentence structure needs to reflect YOUR
writing style; it is often very obvious when a student simply copies out of a textbook or article on the web, and if I sense your essays
have been constructed in this manner, you may not get credit for your summer work. Anyone can copy information down once they find
it in a textbook; not anyone can then take that information and create a down-to-earth, no-nonsense thesis from it. This is my goal for you
as I help you approach college and beyond.
I am sincerely excited to work with you in class next year, and I can’t wait to get to know you better, help you refine your study
skills, ability to reason and use logic in science, and of course broaden your understanding and appreciation for biology! Good luck, and if
you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at [email protected]. I will be checking my email all summer long, and
would love to assist you in understanding the concepts and achieving success!
Mrs. Carranza
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