AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental,
AP Physics
Why take AP Biology?
◦ You want to enter a health science profession
Doctors, vets, physical therapists, nurses, lab
technicians, biological or chemical engineers
Students need an extensive science background to be
accepted by these schools; very competitive programs
◦ You want to be better prepared for the challenges
of college and for the rigor of science classes in
college
◦ You want to earn college credit in high schooladvance standing benefits, financial savings, more
flexibility in college schedule
AP Biology
◦ Year long, 90 minute course
◦ Usually 3-4 days instruction focused on key
objectives
◦ 1-2 days of lab activity.
◦ Designed to be the equivalent of year long college
general biology (worth 2 courses/2 labs)
Thematic curriculum
◦ Big Idea 1: The process of Evolution drives the
diversity and unity of life
◦ Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize energy and
molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and
maintain a dynamic equilibrium
◦ Big Idea 3: Living things 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.
Honors Biology vs AP Biology
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Much more depth
More lab experience and different experiments
More analysis and less memorization
More time spent on the course by students, their
responsibility to read
Prerequisites
Honors Biology
Honors Chemistry
Recommendations
◦ “B” or above in Honors Biology and Honors
Chemistry
AP Chemistry is a year long, 90 minute
course. A typical week is organized to
provide:
◦ 3-4 days of lecture focused on the key objectives
listed in the syllabus, including teacher
demonstrations
◦ 1-2 days of lab activity. Labs may exceed a 90
minute class, depending on the requirements. In
addition, some sections/objectives are more
conducive to lab activity than others.
The AP Chemistry course is designed to be
the equivalent of year long college general
chemistry (worth 2 courses/2 labs- 8 college
credits)
Therefore, this course enables freshmen
students to undertake second-year work in
chemistry or enroll in classes that require
general chemistry as a pre-requisite.
For other students, the AP Chemistry course
fulfills the laboratory science requirement
and frees time for other coruses.
AP Chemistry should meet the objectives of a
good general chemistry course. Students in
such a course should attain a depth of
understanding of fundamentals and a
reasonable competence in dealing with
chemical problems
The course should contribute to the
development of the student’s abilities to
think clearly and to express their ideas, orally
and in writing, with clarity and logic.
Chemistry 1 vs AP Chemistry
Qualitative Differences:
◦ Largely with respect to the type of laboratory work
done by students and depth of material
Quantitative Differences:
◦ The number of topics treated
◦ The time spent on the course by students (1 to 2
hours at home)
◦ The nature and the variety of experiments done in
the laboratory
Prerequisites
◦ The AP Chemistry course is designed to be taken
only after the successful completion of a first
course in high school chemistry (Chemistry 1)
◦ A student ideally should score an A in Chemistry
Honors to ensure adequate background knowledge
◦ In addition, the recommended mathematics
prerequisites for an AP Chemistry class is the
successful completion of a second year algebra
course and pre-calculus course.
What it covers:
◦ APES is a one semester course on the cause-andeffect relations within natural systems. It looks at
how natural systems function, how man has altered
them, and the science that provides us the basis for
our understanding of the natural world we live in.
Who Should take it:
◦ Juniors and Seniors who have completed both
Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry and have a
passion for learning about the world they live in.
What to Expect:
◦ An intense course with abundant reading, analysis,
and investigation into natural systems.
◦ ±20 pages of reading/day
◦ Abundant self-directed learning
◦ The opportunity to go beyond the hype and media
inaccuracy on environmental issues and become an
informed and knowledgeable citizen.
Facts:
◦ Course enrollment is normally 60-90 students per
year (2 or 3 sections)
◦ ±80% of students earn a 3 or higher on the AP test
◦ The course has been taught at LNHS for 10 years.
◦ APES is taught 2nd semester only.
◦ APES may used to satisfy the NC graduation
requirement for an Earth Science credit.
◦ Acceptance of AP credits varies by college – check.
Explores the phenomena of the physical
world.
Is a double blocked course that meets once
every day for 90 minutes, all year long
Is equivalent to a rigorous introductory
college level physics course with laboratory
activities for high school students.
Designed to be taught with an emphasis on
conceptual development and problem solving
(purely algebra based)
The range of topics is broad and includes:
Classical Mechanics, Fluids, Thermodynamics,
Electricity, Magnetism, Waves, Modern
Physics, and Nuclear Physics
Recommended for
◦ Students choosing higher level programs of study in
college including science, medicine, etc.
◦ Especially recommended for pre-med majors who
will be required to take physics but wish to avoid
the more technical calculus-based course
◦ College credit and/or placement can be earned in
both lecture and lab capacities
Prerequisites
◦ An A or B in Algebra II
◦ AP Physics B is designed as a second course in
physics for high school students. Successful
completion of Honors Physics is recommended,
however some higher level students may be
successful taking AP Physics B as a first course in
Physics