Advanced Placement Biology

Instructor: Ms. Sherry TurnerSchool phone: 770-228-3222

Email:Conference hours: by appointment

AP Biology Course Description:

(Taken from the College Board AP Course Description which can be accessed at

The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during their first year. After showing themselves to the qualified on the AP Exam, some students, in their freshman year, are permitted to undertake upper-level courses in biology or to register for courses for which biology is a prerequisite. Other students may have fulfilled a basic requirement for a laboratory-science course and will be able to undertake other courses to pursue their majors. The AP Biology course is designed to be taken by students after the successful completion of a first course in high school biology and one in high school chemistry as well. It aims to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology.

AP Biology Exam:

(Taken from the College Board AP Course Description which can be accessed at

The AP Biology, presented in May, is written and scored by the College Board. The exam is three hours long and consists of two sections. Section I has 100 multiple-choice questions covering concepts drawn from across the entire course in which students are provided 80-minutes to answer. Section II begins with a 10 minute reading period in which students have the opportunity to read through the four free-response questions and organize their thoughts. This reading period is followed by a 90-minute period for writing the essays in the exam booklet. Both sections test student’s understanding of those ideas that unite the major content areas with the major themes of AP Biology.

Textbooks:

Biology - Neil A. Campbell and Jane B. Reece – 6th edition

The Nature of Life: Readings in Biology – Great Books Foundation

Each student will be issued a Campbell, Reese Biology, 6th edition textbook. The assigned textbook must be returned to the assigning teacher at the end of the school year. Students are responsible for the textbook issued to them. Books are not to be written in, torn, or abused. Students will be responsible for the cost of replacement for books that are lost or damaged.

Expectations:

AP Biology is both a hard and fun course. This is a college course and you will be held to high expectations and mature responsibilities just like a college freshman taking Intro Biology. This course utilizes laboratory activities recommended by the College Board. Therefore attendance is very important. Likewise, homework is a necessity. It is imperative that students read the textbook regularly. Please review the enclosed Study Guide.

Abstracts:

An abstract is a summary or synopsis of an article in a journal or magazine. During each semester you will abstract up to six articles that apply to topics covered during that semester. You will be given a calendar of due dates.

Tests and Final Exams:

Students will be assessed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, chapter and unit tests, performance assessments, oral assessments, and essays. At the end of each semester, students will be given a cumulative final exam. You will need to plan to stay late on both lab and test days. This will alleviate the need to rush through a laboratory experiment – only to make errors and arrive at erroneous conclusions. As each test consists of 60 multiple –choice questions and 2 essays or free response questions, you will need a maximum of 90 minutes. (Each test is the equivalent, in length, to ½ the full AP Exam. Therefore, I want to give the students exactly ½ the time allowed for the full AP Exam).

Late work:

Late work will be accepted for only five days beyond the assigned due date. Work turned in late will receive a grade no higher than 70. However, the grade will be based on the performance on the given assignment.

Make-up Work:

Students will not be allowed to make up work missed during an unexcused absence and will receive a zero for assignments, labs, quizzes, and tests given during that time. When a student has an excused absence, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain missed assignments, complete them, and turn them in. (2005-2006 Student Handbook p.7) Upon returning to school, the student should check the make up agenda and notebook located at the front of the class for assignments and handouts. Students will have the same number of days absent to complete missed assignments. If the student does not turn the missed assignments within the allocated make-up time, the work will be considered late. Make up assignments should be turned in to the top tray with the dates absent and the date turned in recorded on the top of each page. It is also recommended that each student have a “study buddy” with whom he or she can talk to get help with make up work.

Study Sessions:

Study sessions will be an extension of class time. They will be used for videos, class discussion and review. Study sessions will begin the second Friday of school. They will begin promptly at 7:45 and end at 8:20. DO NOT BE LATE. If the door is closed you will not be allowed in. Study sessions are mandatory and attendance counts as a homework grade. You must have a valid excuse to miss study session and only I can validate that excuse. (I overslept is NOT a valid excuse.)

Academic Honesty:

Coursework submitted by a student must be the student’s own, original work. Students must not cheat on any assignment by giving or receiving unauthorized assistance, including communication of any type during a test or quiz, or committing the act of plagiarism, including copying the work of another student. Students who commit such acts are subject to receiving a grade of zero on the assignment in question as well as disciplinary action. (2005-2006 Student Handbook p. 22)

Grading PoliciesHenryCounty Grading Scale

Semester Exam15%90-100A

Tests40%80-89B

Class Work/Homework20%74-79C

Labs/Quizzes25%70-73D

Below 70 Failing

Topics of Study:

MOLECULES AND CELLS

  1. Chemical and Cellular Basis of Life
  2. Demonstrate proficiency in using basic chemistry terms.
  3. Recognize and explain the structure(s) of important organic substances: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, organic acids, nucleic acids.
  4. Discuss the cellular structures of living things and the organelles that compose them.
  5. Compare and contrast plant cells and animal cells.
  6. Understand the structure and function of various organelles.
  7. Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
  8. Discuss cell transport as it relates to cell membrane structure.
  9. Explain why the unique chemical and physical properties of water make life on Earth possible.
  10. Describe how the laws of thermodynamics relate to the biochemical processes that provide energy to living systems.
  11. Explain how enzymes regulate the rate of chemical reactions.
  12. Explain how the activity of an enzyme is regulated.
  13. Describe how the specificity of an enzyme depends of its structure.
  14. Discuss the cell cycle and its regulation.
  1. Cellular Energetics
  2. Describe the role of ATP in coupling the cell’s anabolic and catabolic processes.
  3. Explain how chemiosmosis functions in bioenergetics.
  4. Describe how catabolic pathways break down organic molecules.
  5. Evaluate the role of oxygen in energy-yielding pathways
  6. Explain how cells generate ATP in the absence of oxygen.
  7. Describe how photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy.
  8. Explain how the chemical products of the light –trapping reactions are coupled to synthesis of carbohydrates.
  9. Describe the types of photosynthesis adaptations that have evolved in response to different environmental conditions.
  10. Describe what interactions exist between photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

HEREDITY AND EVOLUTION

  1. Heredity
  2. Describe the features of meiosis that are important in sexual reproduction.
  3. Explain why meiosis is important in heredity.
  4. Explain how meiosis is related to gametogenesis.
  5. Compare and contrast plant and animal gametogenesis.
  6. Explain how genetic information is organized in the eukaryotic chromosome and how this organization contributes to both the continuity of and variability in the genetic information.
  7. Discuss Mendel’s work as a foundation for modern genetics.
  8. Describe the principal patterns of inheritance.
  9. Molecular Genetics
  10. Describe how the structure of nucleic acids relates to their functions of information storage and protein synthesis.
  11. Compare and contrast the prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes.
  12. Describe mechanisms by which gene expression is regulated in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
  13. Describe how genetic information can be altered and discuss some of the effects of the alteration.
  14. Describe the structure of viruses.
  15. Explain the major steps in viral reproduction.
  16. Describe how viruses transfer genetic material between cells.
  17. Describe current recombinant DNA technologies and discuss practical application of them.
  18. Discuss any legal or ethical problems that might arise from DNA technologies.
  19. Evolutionary Biology
  20. List and describe the current biological models for the origins of biological macromolecules.
  21. List and describe the current models for the origins of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
  22. Describe the types of evidence that support an evolutionary view of life.
  23. Explain the role of natural selection in the process of evolution.
  24. Explain how heredity and natural selection are involved in the process of evolution.
  25. Evaluate the mechanisms that account for speciation and macroevolution.
  26. Describe the different patterns of evolution that have been identified and what mechanisms are responsible for these patterns.

ORGANISMS AND POPULATIONS

  1. Diversity of Organisms
  2. What are the major body plans of plants and animals?
  3. What are the representative organisms from the Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Fungi, and Protista?
  4. How have the Kingdoms changes?
  5. What are the major representative members of the animal phyla and plant divisions?
  6. What are the distinguishing characteristics of each group?
  7. What is some evidence that organisms are related to each other?
  8. How do scientists study evolutionary relationships among organisms?
  9. How is this information used in classification of organisms?
  10. Structure and Function of Plants and Animals
  11. What pattern of reproduction and development are found in plants and animals and how are the regulated?
  12. What is the adaptive significance of alternation of generations in the major groups of plants?
  13. How does the organization of cells, tissues, and organs determine structure and function in plant and animal systems?
  14. How are structure and function related in the various organ systems?
  15. How do the organ systems of animals interact?
  16. What adaptive features have contributed to the success of various plants and animals on land?
  17. What are the responses of plants and animals to environmental cues and how do hormones mediate them?
  18. Principles of Ecology
  19. Compare and contrast energy flows and productivity within ecosystems.
  20. Discuss biogeochemical energy cycles.
  21. Demonstrate a working knowledge of factors affecting various habitats.
  22. State factors affecting population growth and regulation.
  23. Demonstrate a working knowledge community structure and growth.
  24. Discuss the social affects of man on the environment.
  25. Describe how models are useful in describing the growth of a population.
  26. Describe how a population is controlled by abiotic and biotic factors.
  27. Explain how biotic and abiotic factors affect community structure and ecosystem function.

College Board’s Advanced Placement Biology
Course and Laboratory Syllabus
Percentage
Goal / Lab
Topics
I. Molecules and Cells ...... / ...... / 25%
A. Chemistry of Life ...... / 7%
1. Water
2. Organic molecules in organisms / 1. Diffusion and Osmosis
3. Free energy changes
4. Enzymes / 2. Enzyme Catalysis
B. Cells...... / 10%
1. Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells
2. Membranes
3. Sub cellular organization
4. Cell Cycle and its regulation / 3. Mitosis and Meiosis
C. Cellular Energetics ...... / 8%
1. Coupled reactions / 4. Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
2. Fermentation and Cellular Respiration / 5. Cellular Respiration
3. Photosynthesis
II. Heredity and Evolution ...... / ...... / 25%
A. Heredity ...... / 8%
1. Meiosis and Gametogenesis / 6. Molecular Biology
2. Eukaryotic Chromosomes
3. Inheritance Patterns
B. Molecular Genetics...... / 9%
1. RNA and DNA structure and function
2. Gene regulation
3. Mutation
4. Viral structure and replication
5. Nucleic acid technology and applications
C. Evolutionary Biology ...... / 8%
1. Early evolution of life
2. Evidence for evolution / 8. Population Genetics and Evolution
3. Mechanisms of evolution
III. Organisms and Populations ...... / ...... / 50%
A. Diversity of Organisms...... / 8%
1. Evolutionary patterns
2. Survey of the diversity of life / 9. Transpiration
3. Phylogenetic classification
4. Evolutionary relationships
B. Structure and Function of Plants and Animals...... / 32%
1. Reproduction, growth, and development / 10. Physiology of the Circulatory System
2. Structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations
3. Response to the environment / 11. Animal Behavior
C. Ecology...... / 10%
1. Population dynamics
2. Communities and ecosystems / 12. Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Primary Productivity
3. Global issues