Download AP Biology

AP Biology
Course Guidelines and Syllabus
Spring 2012
Teacher:
E-mail
School:
Course: AP Biology
Extra assistance: By appointment - I
usually arrive at school by 7:45 AM and
stay until 4:30
Blog:
Phone:
Study/ review sessions will be conducted on an as
needed basis by prior arrangement by the student with
the teacher. Study groups, peer tutoring and instructor
debriefs will be scheduled throughout the semester
before and after school.
General AP Biology Information: Advanced Placement, or AP, Biology is designed to prepare
students for the AP Biology examination given each Spring by the College Board. The AP Biology
exam is given in May to over 160,000 students. Students are assigned a grade of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5,
with a 3 or higher considered “passing.” About 70% of the students who take the exam earn a 3 or
better. Most of the exam is based on the course content, but higher-order thinking skills are required
to successfully complete a majority of the test. About 25% of the exam involves laboratory-based
questions which may include the demonstration of an understanding of experimental design,
graphing and analyzing data, prediction, etc. We will work on developing these skills throughout the
semester.
Class Overview: The course is designed to be equivalent to a two-semester college level course.
Because of the depth of the curriculum in AP Biology, students are expected to take responsibility for
their own learning under the guidance of the instructor.
Students enrolled in AP Biology must be prepared to do the following:
 Attend class regularly. (See make-up policy below.)
 Study and read outside of class. This will include weekends and holidays.
 Complete all assignments. Reading and personalizing material is critical for your success in this
course. The textbook is only a resource. Course of study is not chapter driven but largely
based on concepts. Study guides, test review questions will not be provided. You must take
notes and follow the College Board objectives for each unit.
 Bring all required materials to class. (See below).
 Ask questions and be communicative about areas of need.
This course is a survey of current biology theories and ideas. The eight major themes from the AP
Biology Course Description (science as a process; evolution; energy transfer; continuity and change;
relationship of structure to function; regulation; interdependence in nature; and science, technology
and society) are stressed throughout the course. In particular, evidence of evolution is employed as a
unifying theme across topics.
AP Biology is a college course taught in high school. Therefore, it is a very demanding course
because a college will expect you to have had a course equivalent to their introductory level biology
course. If you do not intend to major in a science, you may find that the college of your choice will
accept a 3 on the exam for credit. Most will accept only a 4 or 5 for credit for a science major.
The most difficult challenge of any AP course is the requirement that students remain consistent
throughout the year. In a regular course, a bright student may let his or her effort slide from time to
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time but make up for it with a big push just before the test. Other students may take good notes and
pay attention in class, but never open their textbook to read the assigned chapters. These behaviors
threaten even the brightest student’s chances of passing the very difficult AP exam.
AP Biology at XXXXX: The AP Biology exam covers all of the material typically included in TWO
semesters of college biology. Because we are on the block schedule, here at XXXXX, we must cover
this same amount of information in one semester. Additionally, the college classes are accompanied
by separate lab components; labs are not taken out of class time but attended separately – usually
one three-hour lab each week. What does this mean? It means that in one year of college biology,
students receive 168 hours of instructional time. Our situation is not quite ideal; if we have a full 90
minute class period available to us every single day of the semester (which we all know does not
happen), then we only have 135 total hours in which to cover the content of AP Biology. Additionally,
the AP exam is only offered in May. Students taking the course in the fall must continue to review the
material for months after completing the course in order to be successful on the exam. Students
taking the course in the spring actually lose a week of instructional time, since the exam is given a
couple of weeks before the end of the semester. Neither of the situations is optimal. All of these
circumstances combine to make our AP Biology class particularly challenging.
Twenty-five percent of instructional time is dedicated to student-directed, inquiry-based lab
investigations and activities, which are conducted to deepen conceptual understandings and provide
opportunities for students to practice science.
Your Personal AP Biology Experience: The challenges described in the last paragraph do NOT
mean that you will have a miserable experience this semester. This class is for those students who
are both bright and motivated, with a love for biology, and were selected to be a member of this
class, but success will not be easy. This success will require you to commit to each of the following
guidelines:
1. Read the assigned chapters from your textbook, the 8th edition of Campbell’s Biology. Time
will not permit me to cover all of the material in the book, but you are responsible for all of
this content on the AP exam. I understand that many of you have enjoyed academic success
during your high school career without reading your textbooks, simply taking very good notes
and paying attention in class. This will not be enough for you to succeed in this class. The
average AP course requires 7 hours per week of preparation time; our circumstances will
require you to spend approximately 10 hours per week (outside of class) reading and
studying.
2. Attend class. Attendance is extremely important in AP Biology. Material is covered very quickly
and in much more detail than in your lower-level biology courses. Excessive absences for
whatever reason – illness, athletic competitions, doctor’s appointments, etc. – will jeopardize
your chances of success in the course. If absences have been a problem for you in the past
and you expect them to continue to be a problem, you need to reconsider taking an AP
course. It is especially important to be present for the labs, since you may be asked about
any of them on the AP exam. If you miss a lab, you will be required to obtain the data from a
group member and then analyze, interpret, and reach your own conclusions from that data.
Additionally, you will be required to read and write a summary of a scientific article related to
that lab as a make up assignment for the lab experiment that you missed.
3. “Study Groups.” Because of time constraints, there may be some material that we do not
cover. There will also be no class time allocated for review. In order for you to maximize your
success in this class, you can make an appointment with me for help. Since the AP exam is
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offered in the spring, these review sessions will likely become more frequent in January to
May. Attending these sessions will definitely better prepare you for your AP exam.
4. Don’t procrastinate. Because this class is intended to be very much like a college class, we will
only have seven tests during the semester. This means that each test will cover an extremely
large amount of material – too much material for you to learn and understand the night
before the test. I am available before and after school for you to ask me questions as they
arise. I will not, however, be available to help you 15 minutes before the test. If every
student shows up on the morning of the test, I cannot possibly help all of you. Study the
material as we cover it so that your questions/ confusions can be answered and cleared up
effectively.
5. Have an open mind and a positive attitude. While this will not be an easy class, it can
certainly be a fun one. What you get out of this class is directly proportional to what you put
into it. Make it worthwhile!
Materials: Students will need the following items:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Composition Book (Lab Journal)
3-ring binder with pockets (for notes and other materials)
Scientific calculator
No. 2 pencils, black ball-point pens, set of 6 color pencils
Current textbook (Campbell, N. Reece, J. Biology, 8th Edition)
Access to the Internet, either at home or at school, and a current email address
Assignments/ Make-ups: All assignments are due on the given due date. No credit will be
given for late assignments without prior arrangements. If a student is absent, any work
is due on the day the student returns to school. For these reasons, each student should
be able to contact (via email or phone) at least one other student in the class for work
assigned.
Grading scale: Each student’s grade will be based on the following allocation of points:
Graded Items
1. Major Tests/ Quizzes
2. Laboratory Reports
3. Homework/ Class work/ Participation
4. Final Exam
Percentage
55%
20%
10%
15%
The AP Exam scores are not received until early July. These scores are therefore not used as a part
of a student’s average in the course.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at school, ########, ext.
### or by way of school e-mail XXXXXXXXXXX
E-mail is the preferred mode of communication.
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Week
(Approx.)
Topic
Lesson Plan for AP Biology
Tentative Course Guide
Reading
Instructional Activity
1 and 2
Biochemistry
Chapter 3, pages 46-57
Chapter 4, pages 58-63
Chapter 5, pages 68-89
3 and 4
Cells
Chapter 6, pages 98-111
Chapter 7, pages 125-138
5 and 6
7 and 8
Enzymes and
Metabolism
Heredity
Chapter 8, pages 142-161
Chapter 9, pages 162-179
Chapter 10, pages 185-199
Chapter 11, pages 206-227
Chapter 12, pages 228-245
Chapter 13, pages 248-261
Labs
Assessment
In this hands-on, studentdirected, teacher-facilitated
activity, class members
construct macromolecules
out of smaller subunits,
plastic kits. Students build
and manipulate
macromolecules in four
activities (carbohydrate,
lipid, protein, and DNA).
Students use various
websites to complete a
webquest about osmosis.
This activity is used as
preparation for the
Diffusion and Osmosis
Inquiry Lab.
Students model how the
arrangements of the
pigments in the
photosystems work to relay
photons of light to the
reaction center chlorophyll.
This can be done with
tennis balls as the photons
Students model mitosis
and meiosis with pop
beads.
Enrichment Lab
Test #1
AP Lab 4
Test #2
AP Lab 5
AP Lab 6
AP Lab 13
Test #3
AP Lab 7
Test #4
Students complete a
webquest about timeline of
DNA. From discovery to
recent developments.
AP Lab 8
AP Lab 9
Test #5
Students complete the
Bean Hunter Activity. The
students have to hunt for
beans in the grass.
Different “tools” are used
to represent bird beaks.
Different beans are used to
represent different food
sources. When the activity
is complete Hardy
Weinberg is introduced.
Students create a visual
representation of a neuron,
using simple household
items. The model should
demonstrate the flow of
information through a
neuron and should include
components that represent
dendrites, cell body, and
AP Lab 1
AP Lab 2
AP Lab 3
Test #6
AP Lab 12
Test #7
Chapter 14, pages 262-285
9 and 10
Molecular
Genetics
Chapter 15, pages 286-304
Chapter 16, pages 305-319
Chapter 17, pages 325-345
Chapter 18, pages 351-373
Chapter 19, pages 381-390
Chapter 20, pages 396-411
11 and 12
Evolutionary
Biology
Chapter 27, pages 556-564
Chapter 21, pages 429-432
438-442
Chapter 22, pages 455-467
Chapter 23, pages 468-486
Chapter 24, pages 487-506
Chapter 25, pages 507-529
Chapter 26, pages 536-548
551-553
13, 14 and
15
Structure and
Function of Plants
and Animals
Chapter 38, pages 801-811
Chapter 39, pages 821-841
845-847
Chapter 40, pages 850-874
Chapter 43, pages 930-951
Chapter 45, pages 975-984
Chapter 48, pages 1047-1063
Chapter 49, pages 1070-1074
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16 - 17
Ecology
Chapter 51, pages 1120-1145
Chapter 52, pages 1151-1159
Chapter 53, pages 1174-1197
Chapter 54, pages 1198-1221
Chapter 55, pages 1222-1244
Chapter 56, pages 1245-1250
1260-1264
Semester
Long
Reading
Assignment
The Immortal
Life of Henrietta
Lacks
18
Final Exam
Review, reteach, etc.
axon. Students create a
poster that shows a labeled
version of the neuron
model and describes the
model and explain how it
functions.
Students create a concept
map based on prior
knowledge of biotic and
abiotic interactions of
different biological
systems. In groups of
three, students work with
20 vocabulary terms and
concepts. Students write
the terms and concepts on
sticky notes and arrange
them to create a concept
map of their current
understanding of ecology.
While creating the concept
maps, students pose
scientific questions about
the different interactions,
and refine their maps
based on their
understandings.
Students read the book
and respond to writing
prompts throughout the
semester.
AP Lab 10
AP Lab 11
AP Lab 12
Test #9
Cumulative
Non-fiction
assignment
Journal
Reflection
Note:
 Concept quizzes will be announced. Vocabulary / reading quizzes will not be announced.
 AP = Advanced Placement
 Variety of teaching/ facilitating strategies will be implemented but not limited to discussions,
media presentations, modeling, simulations, demonstrations, lectures and labs.
 Plan and pacing of content is subject to change. Students will be notified.
 Exact due day/ date for chapter reading, pre-lab readings, classroom instruction, labs will be
(announced in class) communicated to the students.
 Blackboard is a one-stop shop for resources, updates and reviews for this course. Students
must login to the account and check for any updates.
 Read important attachments thoroughly A, B, C, D & E.
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Attachment A (Guidelines for Instructor Lesson Presentations)
Big Idea #1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
Big Idea #2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to
reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.
Big Idea #3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life
processes.
Big Idea #4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex
properties.
Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific
phenomena and solve scientific problems.
Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately.
Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide
investigations within the context of the AP course.
Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a
particular scientific question.
Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.
Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories.
Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales,
concepts and representations in and across domains.
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Attachment B:
AP Topic Outline and Syllabus
In order to bring together prevailing themes, each unit of study incorporates the eight themes of
Biology as an ongoing process. We stress that modern biology is a process rather than a set of facts
to memorize.
I. Biochemistry
 Water
 Organic molecules in organisms
 Structure and function of functional groups
II. Cells
 Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
 Membrane structure and function
 Subcellular organization
 AP Lab: Diffusion and Osmosis
III. Enzymes and Metabolism
 Coupled reactions
 Free-energy changes
 Enzyme functioning
 Fermentation and cellular respiration
 Photosynthesis
 AP Labs: Enzyme Activity, Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration
VI. Heredity
 Meiosis and gametogenesis
 Eukaryotic chromosomes
 Inheritance patterns
 AP Labs: Cell Division Mitosis and Meiosis
V. Molecular Genetics
 RNA and DNA structure and function
 Gene Regulation
 Mutations
 Viral structure and replication
 Nucleic acid technology and applications
 AP Labs: Biotechnology: Bacterial Transformation and Restriction Enzyme Analysis of DNA
VI. Evolution
 Early evolution of life
 Evidence for evolution
 Mechanisms of evolution
 AP Lab: Artificial Selection, Mathematical Modeling: Hardy-Weinberg, Comparing DNA Sequences to Understand
Evolutionary Relationships with BLAST
VII. Structure and Function of Plants and Animals
 Reproduction, growth and development
 Structural, physiological and behavioral adaptations
 Response to the environment
VIII. Ecology
 Population and community ecology
 Ecosystem and biome ecology
 Ecological succession
 Biodiversity and the effects of human populations
 AP Lab: Energy Dynamics, Transpiration, Fruit Fly Behavior
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Attachment C:
AP Biology Reading Assignments Emphasis:
Chapter Center Word
Terms to Include
3
Water
4
Carbon
5
Macromolecule
6
Cell
7
Cell Membrane
8
Metabolism
9
Cell Respiration
10
Photosynthesis
11
Cell
Communication
12
Cell Cycle
13
Reproduction
14
Genetics
Polar molecule, cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, kinetic energy, heat,
temperature, specific heat, heat of vaporization, evaporative cooling, solution,
solvent, solute, aqueous solution, hydration shell, hydrophilic, colloid,
hydrophobic, molecular mass, acid, base, buffers, acid precipitation
Organic chemistry, hydrocarbons, isomer, functional groups, sulfhydryl group,
amino group, phosphate group, carbonyl group, alcohol, aldehyde, ketone,
carboxyl
Polymer, monomer, condensation reaction, dehydration reaction, hydrolysis,
carbohydrate, monosaccharide, nucleotide, polysaccharide, gene, nucleic acid,
pyrimidine, lipids, fat, fatty acid, saturated fat, unsaturated fatty acid,
phospholipids, denaturation, purine, protein, polypeptide, amino acid, peptide
bond, cellulose, cholesterol
Cytoskeleton, organelle, extracellular matrix, cell fractionation, prokaryotic cell,
eukaryotic cell, chromosome, cytoplasm, flagella, plasma membrane, tonoplast,
chromatin, cell wall, central vacuole, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum,
plastic, Golgi apparatus, lysosome, nucleolus, nucleus, ribosome, smooth ER,
rough ER, peroxisome, cilia, flagella
Selectively permeable, fluid mosaic model, diffusion, concentration gradient,
passive transport, hypertonic, hypotonic, isotonic, osmosis, turgid, flaccid,
facilitated diffusion, gated channel, active transport, ligand, proton pump,
exocytosis, endocytosis, phagocytosis, pinocytosis, cholesterol, amphipatic,
integral protein, peripheral protein, receptor-mediated endocytosis
Catabolic process, anabolic process, catalyst, enzyme, metabolism, potential
energy, activation energy, exergonic reaction, endergonic reaction, active site,
substrate, induced fit, cofactor, coenzyme, allosteric site
Alcoholic fermentation, oxidation, reduction, electron transport chain, glycolysis,
krebs cycle, mitochondria, matrix, inner membrane, ATP synthase, oxidative
phosphorylation, chemiosmosis, aerobic, anaerobic, lactic acid fermentation,
facultative anaerobes, NADH, FADH2, proton pump, cytoplasm
Autotroph, heterotroph, chlorophyll, stomata, Calvin cycle, NADPH, chlorophyll a,
chlorophyll b, photon, carbon fixation, photophosphorylation, C3 plant, C4 plant,
CAM plant, photosystems I and II, electron transport chain, ATP, chloroplast,
stroma, thylakoid, light, cell wall, eukaryote, central vacuole.
Signal transduction pathway, local regulators, reception, transduction, response,
ligand, protein kinase, protein phosphatases, second messengers, cyclic AMP,
adenylyl cyclase
Interphase, mitosis, G1, S, G2, G0, prophase, prometaphase, anaphase, telophase,
metaphase, kinetochore, sister chromatid, centromere, somatic cell, gamete,
tumor, cytokinesis, cleavage furrow, cell plate, binary fission, spindle fibers,
metaphase plate, daughter chromosome, cyclin, metastasis
Gene, locus, asexual reproduction, sexual reproduction, somatic cell, karyotype,
autosome, meiosis I, meiosis II, crossing over, homologous chromosomes,
tetrad, chiasmata, synapsis, zygote, gamete, fertilization, sex chromosome,
autosome, somatic cell
Trait, allele, hybridization, true-breeding, Mendel, homozygous, heterozygous,
phenotype, genotype, incomplete dominance, complete dominance,
codominance, pleiotropy, epistasis, pedigree, carrier, recessive allele, dominant
allele, law of segregation, law of independent assortment, punnett square,
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Inheritance
16
Molecular
Genetics
17
Central Dogma
18
Gene
Expression
19
Microbes
20
Biotechnology
21
Evolution of
Genes
22
Darwin
23
Evolution
24
Species
26
Phylogeny
27
Prokaryote
genotype, phenotype
Wild type, mutant phenotype, linked gene, sex-linked gene, genetic
recombination, parental types, recombinants, genetic map, linkage map, Barr
body, nondisjunction, trisomic, aneulploidy, duplication, inversion, translocation,
polyploidy
Transformation, bacteriophage, double helix, semiconservative model, replication
fork, DNA polymerase, leading strand, lagging strand, DNA ligase, primer,
primase, helicase, nuclease, telomere, telomerase, okazaki fragment, nucleotide,
DNA, adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, Chargaff’s rule, Watson, Crick,
Franklin
Auxotroph, one-gene-one-protein, transcription, translocation, mRNA, DNA,
template, codon, anticodon, tRNA, rRNA, ribosome, amino acid, promoter, TATA
box, transcription factors, spliceosome, intron, exon, RNA splicing, terminator,
elongation, substitution, mutagen, frameshift mutation, insertion, deletion,
nonsense mutation
Operator, repressor, operon, regulatory gene, corepressor, inducer, activator,
differential gene expression, histone acetylation, genomic imprinting, epigenetic
inheritance, control elements, enhancers, alternative RNA splicing, proteasomes,
microRNAs, RNA interference, cell differentiation, morphogenesis, cytoplasmic
determinants, induction, determination, pattern formation, positional information,
homeotic genes, embryonic lethals, maternal effect gene, egg-polarity genes,
morphogens, oncogenes, proto-oncogenes, tumor-suppressor genes, ras gene,
p53 gene
Virus, bacteria, bacteriophage, host, capsid, lytic cycle, virulent virus, lysogenic
cycle, prophage, retrovirus, reverse transcriptase, provirus, nucleoid region,
plasmid, transformation, transduction, transposon, insertion sequences, operon,
regulatory protein, inducer, operator, conjugation
Recombinant DNA, genetic engineering, gene cloning, restriction enzyme,
restriction site, cloning vector, restriction fragment, denaturation, expression
vector, DNA ligase, PCR, gel electrophoresis, DNA library, human genome project,
RFLP, transgenic organism, STR, plasmid
Genomics, bioinformatics, Human Genome Project, linkage map, physical map,
proteomics, pseudogenes, repetitive DNA, transposable elements,
retrotransposons, simple sequence DNA, short tandem repeat, multigene families,
evo-devo, homeobox
Evolution, natural selection, taxonomy, paleontology, uniformitarianism,
catastrophism, artificial selection, vestigial organs, homology, homologous
structures, ontogeny, phylogeny, Lamarck, descent with modification,
biogeography, fossil, comparative anatomy, comparative embryology, molecular
biology
Population genetics, population, species, gene pool, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium,
bottleneck effect, founder effect, genetic drift, microevolution, relative fitness,
heterozygote advantage, polymorphism, stabilizing selection, directional
selection, diversifying/ disruptive selection, nonrandom mating
Macroevolution, anagenesis, cladogenesis, speciation, allopatric speciation,
sympatric speciation, adaptive radiation, hybrid zone, allometric growth,
paedomorphosis, habitat isolation, behavioral isolation, temporal isolation,
gametic isolation, mechanical isolation, allopolyploidy
Systematics, geological time scale, radiometric dating, pangea, adaptive zone,
phylogenetic tree, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain,
homology, clade
Archaea, bacteria, gram positive, gram negative, binary fission, peptidoglycan,
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Plant
Reproduction
39
Plant Control
40
Form and
Function
43
Immune
System
45
Endocrine
System
48
Nervous System
49
Brain
51
Animal Behavior
52
53
Ecology
Population
Ecology
transformation, transduction, conjugation, nucleoid region, nitrogen fixation,
photoautotroph, chemoautotroph, photoheterotroph, chemoheterotroph,
cyanobacteria, methanogen, halophile, thermophile
Alternation of generations, gametophyte, sporophyte, sepal, petal, stamen,
carpel, flower, ovule, endosperm, monoecious, diecious, self-pollination,
pollination, double fertilization, seed coat, imbibition, vegetative reproduction,
fragmentation, morphogenesis, radical, seed
Hormones, phototropism, thigmotropism, gravitropism, senescence, gibberellin,
auxin, cytokinins, ethylene, abscisic acid, photoperiodism, long-day plant, shortday plant, phytochrome, heat-shock protein, tropism, circadian rhythm
Anatomy, physiology, interstitial fluid, tissues, organs, organ system, epithelial
tissue, connective tissue, fibroblasts, macrophages, nervous tissue, neurons, glial
cells, hormones, regulator, conformer, homeostasis, set point, stimulus, sensor,
response, negative feedback, normal range, positive feedback, acclimatization,
thermoregulation, endothermic, ectothermic, integumentary system,
countercurrent exchange, hypothalamus, bioenergetics, metabolic rate, basal
metabolic rate, standard metabolic rate, torpor, hibernation
Phagocytosis, lysozyme, neutrophil, white blood cell, monocyte, macrophage,
histamine, mast cell, prostaglandins, interferon, antigen, antibody, plasma cell,
MHC, cytokines, agglutination, vaccination, AIDS, fever, inflammatory response,
natural killer cell, B cell, T cell, humoral immunity, cell mediated immunity,
perforin, immunization, antibiotic, HIV, autoimmune disease
Hormone, endocrine gland, growth factors, tropic hormone, endorphin, target
cell, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, adrenal glands, gonads, pineal gland, thymus,
parathyroid glands, thyroid gland, releasing gland, prolactin, growth hormone,
ACTH, melatonin, PTH, glucagons, insulin, epinephrine, norepinephrine,
androgens, estrogen, testosterone
Central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, neuron, axon, dendrite,
nerve, effector cell, synapse, interneuron, motor neuron, sensory neuron, reflex
arc, membrane potential, action potential, depolarization, neurotransmitter,
cerebrospinal fluid, limbic system
Forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain, cerebrum, cerebral cortex, brainstem, pons,
medulla oblongata, medulla, reticular formation, cerebellum, thalamus,
hypothalamus, biological clock, suprachiasmatic nucleus, cerebral hemispheres,
corpus callosum,
Behavior, ethology, proximate causation, ultimate causation, behavioral ecology,
fixed action pattern, sign stimulus, kinesis, taxis, migration, signal,
communication, pheromones, innate behavior, learning, habituation, imprinting,
sensitive period, spatial learning, landmarks, cognitive map, associative learning,
classical conditioning, operant conditioning, cognition, problem solving, crossfostering study, twin study, foraging, optimal foraging model, promiscuous,
monogamous, polygamous, polygyny, polyandry, agonistic behavior, game
theory, altruism, inclusive fitness, coefficient of relatedness, Hamilton’s rule, kin
selection, social learning, culture, mate-choice copying, sociobiology
Biotic, abiotic, dispersal, climate, macroclimate, microclimate
Population ecology, density, dispersion, mark-recapture method, immigration,
emigration, demography, life tables, cohort, survivorship curve, reproductive
table, life history, big bang reproduction, semelparity, iteroparity, repeated
reproduction, zero population growth, exponential population growth, carrying
capacity, logisitic population growth, K-selection, r-selection, density
independent, density dependent, population dynamics, metapopulation,
demographic transition, age structure, ecological footprint,
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Community
Ecology
55
Ecosystems
56
Conservation
and Restoration
Community, interspecific interactions, interspecific competition, competitive
exclusion, ecological niche, resource partitioning, character displacement,
predation, cryptic coloration, aposematic coloration, Batesian mimicry, Mullerian
mimicry, herbivory, symbiosis, parasitism, parasite, host, endoparasites,
ectoparasites, mutualism, commensalism, species diversity, species richness,
relative abundance, Shannon diversity, trophic structure, food chain, food web,
energetic hypothesis, biomass, dynamic stability hypothesis, dominant species,
invasive species, keystone species, facilitators, bottom up model, top down
model, biomanipulation, disturbance, nonequilibrium model, intermediate
disturbance hypothesis, ecological succession, primary succession, secondary
succession, evapotranspiration, species area curve, pathogens
Ecosystem, law of conservation of mass, primary producers, primary consumers,
secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, detritivores, decomposers, detritus,
primary production, gross primary production, net primary production, limit
nutrient, eutrophication, secondary production, production efficiency, trophic
efficiency, turnover time, green world hypothesis, biological magnification
Conservation biology, restoration ecology, endangered species, threatened
species, ecosystem services, introduced species, bioremediation, biological
augmentation
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Attachment D:
Twenty-five percent of instructional time is dedicated to student-directed, inquiry-based lab
investigations and activities, which are conducted to deepen conceptual understandings and provide
opportunities for students to practice science.
AP Biology Laboratory Objectives
The following sets of instructional objectives for thirteen laboratories have been published by the AP
Committee for Biology so that there will be some degree of consistency throughout the country and
provide some standards which can be tested on the AP exam in May. We will do many labs this year,
but you will be held responsible for only these thirteen on the AP exam. At least one of the four essay
questions on the exam will cover one of these labs. The learning objectives for each lab come from
the College Board’s AP Course Description booklet. You will be provided with a paper copy of each lab
from the AP lab manual which you will be allowed to write on and keep after it has been graded.
1: Artificial Selection

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LO 1.1 The student is able to convert a data set from a table of numbers that reflect a change in the
genetic makeup of a population over time, and to apply mathematical methods and conceptual
understandings to investigate the cause(s) and effect(s) of this change.
LO 1.2 The student is able to evaluate evidence provided by data to qualitatively and quantitatively
investigate the role of natural selection in evolution.
LO 1.3 The student is able to apply mathematical methods to data from a real or simulated population
to predict what will happen to the population in the future.
LO 1.4 The student is able to evaluate data-based evidence that describes evolutionary changes in the
genetic makeup of a population over time.
LO 1.5 The student is able to connect evolutionary changes in a population over time to a change in
the environment.
2: Mathematical Modeling: Hardy-Weinberg
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LO 1.1 The student is able to convert a data set from a table of numbers that reflect a change in the
genetic makeup of a population over time, and to apply mathematical methods and conceptual
understandings to investigate the cause(s) and effect(s) of this change.
LO 1.2 The student is able to evaluate evidence provided by data to qualitatively and quantitatively
investigate the role of natural selection in evolution.
LO 1.4 The student is able to evaluate data-based evidence that describes evolutionary changes in the
genetic makeup of a population over time.
LO 1.6 The student is able to use data from mathematical models based on the Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium to analyze genetic drift and effects of selection in the evolution of specific populations.
LO 1.7 The student is able to justify data from mathematical models based on the Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium to analyze genetic drift and the effects of selection in the evolution of specific populations.
LO 1.25 The student is able to describe a model that represents evolution within a population.
LO 1.26 The student is able to evaluate given data sets that illustrate evolution as an ongoing
process.
3: Comparing DNA Sequences to Understand Evolutionary Relationships with BLAST
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LO 1.4 The student is able to evaluate data-based evidence that describes evolutionary changes in the
genetic makeup of a population over time.
LO 1.9 The student is able to evaluate evidence provided by data from many scientific disciplines that
support biological evolution.
LO 1.13 The student is able to construct and/or justify mathematical models, diagrams, or simulations
that represent processes of biological evolution.
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LO 1.19 The student is able create a phylogenetic tree or simple cladogram that correctly represents
evolutionary history and speciation from a provided data set.
LO 3.1 The student is able to construct scientific explanations that use the structures and mechanisms
of DNA and RNA to support the claim that DNA and, in some cases, RNA are the primary sources of
heritable information.
4: Diffusion and Osmosis
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LO 2.6 The student is able to use calculated surface area-to-volume ratios to predict which cell(s)
might eliminate wastes or procure nutrients faster by diffusion.
LO 2.7 Students will be able to explain how cell size and shape affect the overall rate of nutrient
intake, and the rate of waste elimination.
LO 2.10 The student is able to use representations and models to pose scientific questions about the
properties of cell membranes and selective permeability based on molecular structure.
LO 2.11 The student is able to construct models that connect the movement of molecules across
membranes with membrane structure and function.
LO 2.12 The student is able to use representations and models to analyze situations or solve problems
qualitatively and quantitatively to investigate whether dynamic homeostasis is maintained by the active
movement of molecules across membranes.
5: Photosynthesis
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LO 1.15 The student is able to describe specific examples of conserved, core biological processes and
features shared by all domains, or within one domain of life, and how these shared, conserved core
processes and features support the concept of common ancestry for all organisms.
LO 1.16 The student is able to justify the scientific claim that organisms share many conserved core
processes and features that evolved and are widely distributed among organisms today.
LO 2.2 The student is able to justify a scientific claim that free energy is required for living systems to
maintain organization, to grow, or to reproduce, but that multiple strategies exist in different living
systems.
LO 2.4 The student is able to use representations to pose scientific questions about what mechanisms
and structural features allow organisms to capture, store, and use free energy.
LO 2.14 The student is able to use representations and models to describe differences in prokaryotic
and eukaryotic cells.
LO 4.5 The student is able to construct explanations based on scientific evidence as to how
interactions of subcellular structures provide essential functions.
LO 4.12 The student is able to apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe communities
composed of populations of organisms that interact in complex ways.
6: Cellular Respiration
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LO 1.15 The student is able to describe specific examples of conserved, core biological processes and
features shared by all domains, or within one domain of life, and how these shared, conserved core
processes and features support the concept of common ancestry for all organisms.
LO 1.16 The student is able to justify the scientific claim that organisms share many conserved core
processes and features that evolved and are widely distributed among organisms today.
LO 2.2 The student is able to justify a scientific claim that free energy is required for living systems to
maintain organization, to grow, or to reproduce, but that multiple strategies exist in different living
systems.
LO 2.4 The student is able to use representations to pose scientific questions about what mechanisms
and structural features allow organisms to capture, store, and use free energy.
LO 2.14 The student is able to use representations and models to describe differences in prokaryotic
and eukaryotic cells.
LO 4.5 The student is able to construct explanations based on scientific evidence as to how
interactions of subcellular structures provide essential functions.
LO 4.12 The student is able to apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe communities
composed of populations of organisms that interact in complex ways.
7: Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis
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LO 3.7 The student can make predictions about natural phenomena occurring during the cell cycle.
LO 3.8 The student can describe the events that occur in the cell cycle.
LO 3.9 The student is able to construct an explanation, using visual representations or narratives, as
to how DNA in chromosomes is transmitted to the next generation via mitosis, or meiosis followed by
fertilization.
LO 3.10 The student is able to represent the connection between meiosis and increased genetic
diversity necessary for evolution.
LO 3.11 The student is able to evaluate evidence provided by data sets to support the claim that
heritable information is passed from one generation to another generation through mitosis, or meiosis
followed by fertilization.
LO 3.12 The student is able to construct a representation that connects the process of meiosis to the
passage of traits from parent to offspring.
LO 3.28 The student is able to construct an explanation of the multiple processes that increase
variation within a population.
8: Biotechnology: Bacterial Transformation
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LO 1.5 The student is able to connect evolutionary changes in a population over time to a change in
the environment.
LO 3.5 The student can justify the claim that humans can manipulate heritable information by
identifying at least two commonly used technologies.
LO 3.6 The student can predict how a change in a specific DNA or RNA sequence can result in changes
in gene expression.
LO 3.13 The student is able to pose questions about ethical, social, or medical issues surrounding
human genetic disorders.
LO 3.21 The student can use representations to describe how gene regulation influences cell products
and function.
9: Biotechnology: Restriction Enzyme Analysis of DNA
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LO 3.5 The student can justify the claim that humans can manipulate heritable information by
identifying at least two commonly used technologies.
LO 3.13 The student is able to pose questions about ethical, social, or medical issues surrounding
human genetic disorders.
10: Energy Dynamics
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LO 2.1 The student is able to explain how biological systems use free energy based on empirical data
that all organisms require constant energy input to maintain organization, to grow, and to reproduce.
LO 2.2 The student is able to justify a scientific claim that free energy is required for living systems to
maintain organization, to grow, or to reproduce, but that multiple strategies exist in different living
systems.
LO 2.3 The student is able to predict how changes in free energy availability affect organisms,
populations, and ecosystems.
LO 2.22 The student is able to refine scientific models and questions about the effect of complex biotic
and abiotic interactions on all biological systems, from cells and organisms to populations,
communities, and ecosystems.
LO 2.23 The student is able to design a plan for collecting data to show that all biological systems
(cells, organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems) are affected by complex biotic and
abiotic interactions.
LO 2.24 The student is able to analyze data to identify possible patterns and relationships between a
biotic or abiotic factor and a biological system (cells, organisms, populations, communities, or
ecosystems).
LO 4.14 The student is able to apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe interactions
among living systems and their environment, which result in the movement of matter and energy.
LO 4.16 The student is able to predict the effects of a change of matter or energy availability on
communities.
11: Transpiration
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LO 1.5 The student is able to connect evolutionary changes in a population over time to a change in
the environment.
LO 2.6 The student is able to use calculated surface area-to-volume ratios to predict which cell(s)
might eliminate wastes or procure nutrients faster by diffusion.
LO 2.8 The student is able to justify the selection of data regarding the types of molecules that an
animal, plant, or bacterium will take up as necessary building blocks and excrete as waste products.
LO 2.9 The student is able to represent graphically or model quantitatively the exchange of molecules
between an organism and its environment, and the subsequent use of these molecules to build new
molecules that facilitate dynamic homeostasis, growth, and reproduction.
LO 4.9 The student is able to predict the effects of a change in a component(s) of a biological system
on the functionality of an organism(s).
LO 4.14 The student is able to apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe interactions
among living systems and their environment, which result in the movement of matter and energy.
LO 4.15 The student is able to use visual representations to analyze situations or solve problems
qualitatively to illustrate how interactions among living systems and with their environment result in the
movement of matter and energy.
12: Fruit Fly Behavior
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LO 2.22 The student is able to refine scientific models and questions about the effect of complex biotic
and abiotic interactions on all biological systems, from cells and organisms to populations,
communities, and ecosystems.
LO 2.23 The student is able to design a plan for collecting data to show that all biological systems
(cells, organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems) are affected by complex biotic and
abiotic interactions.
LO 2.24 The student is able to analyze data to identify possible patterns and relationships between a
biotic or abiotic factor and a biological system (cells, organisms, populations, communities, or
ecosystems).
LO 2.38 The student is able to analyze data to support the claim that responses to information and
communication of information affect natural selection.
LO 2.39 The student is able to justify scientific claims, using evidence, to describe how timing and
coordination of behavioral events in organisms are regulated by several mechanisms.
LO 2.40 The student is able to connect concepts in and across domain(s) to predict how
environmental factors affect responses to information and change behavior.
LO 4.14 The student is able to apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe interactions
among living systems and their environment, which result in the movement of matter and energy.
LO 4.15 The student is able to use visual representations to analyze situations or solve problems
qualitatively to illustrate how interactions among living systems and with their environment result in the
movement of matter and energy.
LO 4.16 The student is able to predict the effects of a change of matter or energy availability on
communities.
LO 4.19 The student is able to use data analysis to refine observations and measurements regarding
the effect of population interactions on patterns of species distribution and abundance.
13: Enzyme Activity
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LO 2.23 The student is able to design a plan for collecting data to show that all biological systems
(cells, organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems) are affected by complex biotic and
abiotic interactions.
LO 4.3 The student is able to use models to predict and justify that changes in the subcomponents of
a biological polymer affect the functionality of the molecule.
LO 4.17 The student is able to analyze data to identify how molecular interactions affect structure and
function.
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Write-up Instructions
Lab Reports:
Our AP Biology lab activities are designed to provide a wide variety of experiences. In college, lab
report requirements will vary greatly. Some are quite rigorous and require the addition of pertinent
scientific literature in the introductions. Since we are greatly limited by time in this course, our writeups will be brief and somewhat less rigorous than ones that you may have to perform in college.
Written lab reports are not required for the AP labs as they are quite lengthy. Written lab reports will
be required for our “supplemental” labs that we will be performing throughout the course of the
school year.
AP Biology Lab Report Rubric
Institution: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Instructor: XXXXXXXX
Level: 10th – 12th
Formatting Comments:
All labs are written in APA format. Information about this format is available in the Media Center or
available online at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/.
Don’t forget the header in the upper right corner with the title and the page number. Margins should
be 1 inch for the text of the report and the font should be 12 pt. Times New Roman. The report
should be double spaced. Avoid contractions and colloquial phrases. Write in third person. Each
section must be on a separate page. Print double sided.
1. Title Page (5 points)
This information must be centered on a cover sheet:
Lab Number: Name of the Experiment
Name:
Partners’ Names:
Course:
School:
Date Report Completed:
2. Abstract (10 points)
This is a brief summary of your report. In journals it is often limited to 1000 characters. If it
exceeds one page, it is probably too long. It includes a brief statement of the experiment’s
objectives, a description of the experiment including the hypothesis and the rationale behind it, the
methods (not the complete procedure), and the concluding results.
3. Hypothesis and Underlying Theory or Principles (10 points)
The hypothesis should be stated and should be the focal point of the experiment. The
hypothesis should include, or be followed by the underlying principles that support the predicted
outcome. If there is more than one experiment or hypothesis, start this section with the underlying
theory or principles and then list all of the hypotheses you will test. Cite explanations that are very
close to the wording in another reference.
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4. Materials and Apparatus (5 points)
Briefly list the materials used in the experiment and cite the lab manual for detailed
explanations. This should be in a list format with one list per experiment. Reference or sketch for
example enzyme substrate.
5. Procedure (5 points)
Briefly describe how the experiment was performed. Assume the reader is a biologist so simple
procedures do not have to be explained. Hand sketches or cited quotes from the lab manual may be
used.
6. Data/Results (15 points)
Type all data tables and include one sample calculation for each type of complex calculation.
Exceptions include calculations such as means, standard deviations, slopes, etc. Graphs are included
here with appropriate titles and labeled axes.
No conclusions or interpretation of the data should be included here. Sources of error shoud
be included in the Discussion. Note data omissions, if any, with a factual explanation. Organize the
tables and graphs in the order presented in the Student Lab Manual.
7. Discussion (30 points)
This is a section of great importance that should reflect your ability to analyze your data,
(including the identifications of outliers and justifications or the omission of the outliers), and tie the
underlying principles to the experimental processes. Summarize the important procedures and results
without including all of the detail of their respective sections.
Explain significant sources of error and how they may have affected the results. Explicitly state
if the sources of error will increase or decrease the numerical results. Explain any deviations from
expected results. Compare your results to the class average. Explain uncertainties in observations/
measurements.
Include comments on how the procedures or experimental design could be improved or
discuss how additional studies could clarify the results of your experiment.
8. Conclusion (10 points)
This is a short paragraph that restates information you have presented previously. Begin this
section by stating how the results of the experiment did/ did not support the hypothesis that
“______________”. This should be the “short” version for people who want to read the main point of
the experiment.
9. Works Cited (5 points)
Center the words “Works Cited” on a new page. Write them in alphabetical order but do not
number them. Double space each line and indent the second line of each reference 20 spaces.
Use APA format to cite references. There are three sites to use to help format citations:
http://citationmachine.net or http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/. The third is not
free; easybib.com.
10. Formatting/ Grammar/ Spelling (5 points)
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Attachment E:
Essay Questions aka Free Response Questions (FRQ):
A-T-P (Attack the Prompt)
During the AP Biology exam, you are NOT required to produce a thesis statement for your FRQs. You
simply have to answer what you are asked. The AP readers are looking for themes, key concepts,
vocabulary and logic. Essays are NOT an option. They comprise 40% of your total score. If you have
trouble answering a multiple part essay question, then try this new technique…Attack the Prompt!
1. Read the essay question. Underline all of the “to do” and action words (verbs). These action
words tell you what’s required.
2. Set up a sort of T-table: To do words/ Task
3. Target possible answers and briefly list the info in the t-table. Include key vocabulary terms.
4. Now, you have everything addressed. Pick the order of your response. Basically, outline how
you are going to write out your essay.
5. Write out your essay… be sure to use all of your key terms.
6. Go back and make sure you addressed all key action words in your final response.
That’s it!
Example:
Answer the following questions:
a. Propose a hypothesis regarding the effects of light on the cycle of activity of
organisms.
b. Describe a controlled experiment that could be performed to test this hypothesis,
and the results you would expect.
Action
Task
Words
Propose
If sunlight is completely removed from an ecosystem, the overall food chain will be
disrupted because sunlight is the original sources of energy for life on Earth.
Describe Need: variables, methods, proposed results, graph, include the terms consumer,
producer, photosynthesis, energy pyramid, 10% energy passed on, balance of
ecosystem dependent upon decomposer and producers, cellular respiration, etc.
Now… you can write out the answer.
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Another option for answering FRQs:
Organize the information in the question into what is given and what is asked.
Given vs. Asked
For example:
Answer the following questions:
Homeostatic maintenance of optimal blood glucose levels has been intensively studied in vertebrate
organisms.
a. Pancreatic hormones regulate blood glucose levels. Identify TWO pancreatic
hormones and describe the effect of each hormone on blood glucose levels.
(4 points maximum)
b. For ONE of the hormones you identified in (a), identify ONE target cell and
discuss the mechanism by which the hormone can alter activity in that
target cell. Include in your discussion a description of reception, cellular
transduction, and response. (4 points maximum)
c. Compare the cell-signaling mechanisms of steroid hormones and protein
hormones. (4 points maxium)
Given
Blood glucose levels
Vertebrate organisms
Pancreatic hormones
Asked
a. 2 pancreatic hormones
Describe
b. Target cell
reception
response
c. Steroid hormones to protein hormones
(compare)
Now you can answer the question!
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Plagiarism Notice
The signatures below indicate that I understand that plagiarism is the un-credited use of another
author’s words or ideas. It is a form of stealing that should not be tolerated. Any assignment
containing any plagiarized work will receive ZERO points. Plagiarized work includes any work copied
from a published document, an internet site or any other individual. Not only will I receive a zero on
the entire assignment that contains plagiarized work, I will also receive a discipline referral on my
record.
(Student’s signature)
(Parent’s/ Guardian’s signature)
Parents,
Sign below indicating that you have discussed all of this information with your student and
understand the procedures of this class. I will communicate often via email, so please include an
email address you check regularly.
Parent/Guardian Signature__________________________________________
Date__________
Parent e-mail address: _______________________________________________________________
Student’s name (Print): ______________________________________________
Student’s Signature _________________________________________________ Date__________
Student’s e-mail address______________________________________________________________
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