AP Biology
Interest Packet
The Advanced Placement Biology Course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory
biology course for biology majors during their first year. The course’s two main goals are to help
students develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and to help students gain an
appreciation of science as a process. Areas of study fall under the broad categories of Molecules and
Cells, Heredity and Evolution, and Organisms and Populations.
Outcome: By the end of this term you will appreciate the importance of chemistry in understanding
structure and function of cellular components and building blocks at the molecular level.
Term introduction
This course is structured around the four big ideas and the enduring understandings identified in the
Curriculum Framework (College Board, 2012). All essential knowledge will be taught and all learning
objectives will be addressed through this curriculum. The course will focus on inquiry-based
laboratory work and the use of the seven science practices in both lab and non-lab activities.
The four Big ideas are:
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.
Term 1 Topic overview
o
What is science? What is research?
o
Lab experimentation
o
Matter
o
Chemistry
o
Important macromolecules in biology
o
Water, it’s properties and importance
o
Membranes
o
Organelles
o
Structure related to function
Skills list
Cell Biology
1. The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of chemical reactions
that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know cells are enclosed within semipermeable membranes that regulate their
interaction with their surroundings.
b. Students know enzymes are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions without
altering the reaction equilibrium and the activities of enzymes depend on the
temperature, ionic conditions, and the pH of the surroundings.
c. Students know how prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells (including those from plants
and animals), and viruses differ in complexity and general structure.
d. Students know the central dogma of molecular biology outlines the flow of information
from transcription of ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the nucleus to translation of proteins on
ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
e. Students know the role of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi
apparatus in the secretion of proteins.
f. Students know usable energy is captured from sunlight by
chloroplasts and is stored through the synthesis of sugar from
carbon dioxide.
g. Students know the role of the mitochondria in making stored chemical-bond
energy available to cells by completing the breakdown of glucose to carbon dioxide.
h. Students know most macromolecules (polysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins, lipids) in
cells and organisms are synthesized from a small collection of simple precursors.
i.* Students know how chemiosmotic gradients in the mitochondria and chloroplast store
energy for ATP production.
j* Students know how eukaryotic cells are given shape and internal organization by a
cytoskeleton or cell wall or both.
Investigation and Experimentation
2. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations.
As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other four strands,
students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will:
a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer-linked probes,
spreadsheets, and graphing calculators) to perform tests, collect data, analyze
relationships, and display data.
b. Identify and communicate sources of unavoidable experimental error.
c. Identify possible reasons for inconsistent results, such as sources of error or
uncontrolled conditions.
d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence.
e. Solve scientific problems by using quadratic equations and simple trigonometric,
exponential, and logarithmic functions.
f. Distinguish between hypothesis and theory as scientific terms.
g. Recognize the usefulness and limitations of models and theories as scientific
representations of reality.
h. Read and interpret topographic and geologic maps.
i. Analyze the locations, sequences, or time intervals that are characteristic of natural
phenomena
j. Recognize the issues of statistical variability and the need for controlled tests.
k. Recognize the cumulative nature of scientific evidence.
l. Analyze situations and solve problems that require combining and applying concepts
from more than one area of science.
m. Investigate a science-based societal issue by researching the literature, analyzing data,
and communicating the findings.
n. Know that when an observation does not agree with an accepted scientific theory, the
observation is sometimes mistaken or fraudulent
Essential questions
What is science? What is research?
What are the requirements to meet to perform a legitimate experiment? What are the requirements
of a lab report?
What is matter? How can we relate chemistry with life properties?
What are the important macromolecules in a cell?
What are organelles? What are their tasks?
Reference Materials
Campbell Biology In Focus AP Edition, 1st Edition. Pearson, 2014. (Urry, et al., 2010)
Reece, Jane et al., Campbell Biology, 9th Edition. Benjamin Cummings, 2011.
AP Biology Investigative Lab Manual: An inquiry-based approach. College Board (2012).
Day-by-Day (18 days)
What is science and research?
Day 1: Introduction.
Goal: Introductions: Student and Teacher Introductions, Course Introduction and Rules
Activity: Introduction of class rules, Introduction to lab safety and rules, Review of class
schedule
Standards: ESLR
Essential Question: How can we be safe in the laboratory?
Day 2: Scientific Experiment.
Activity: Practice how to write a Pre-lab/Workbook Activity
Goal: Learn how to conduct and write a pre-lab, understand what science.
Standards: Investigation and Experimentation (2. a-n)
Essential Question: How do we conduct a scientific experiment?
Day 3: Research in Science
Goal: Explore current research topics in biology/medicine hypothesis, science concepts,
experimentation, data collection, conclusion and presentation of results
Develop student’s ability to ask meaningful questions
Activity: Worksheet and Small Group Discussion
Standards: Investigation and Experimentation (2. a-n)
Essential Question: What is the scientific method?
Day 4: The Nature of Matter
Goal: Explore the concepts of matter and the properties of matter. Properties of chemical
elements, Chemical bonds
Activity: Discovery of the periodic table (lab activity)
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. b, g, i)
Essential Question: How was the periodic table established?
Day 5: The Nature of Matter (continued.)
Goal: Explore the concepts of matter and the properties of matter. Understanding how
elements interacts
Activity: How much do you worth? (worksheet)
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. h)
Essential Question: What are the properties of matter?
Day 6: Quiz#1
Day 7: Properties of Water
Goal: Understanding the importance of water for life, discovering the properties of water
Activity: End of section questions for “The Properties of Water”
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on variety
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. a, b)
Essential Question: What is the scientific method?
Day 8: Macromolecules of Life
Goal: Macromolecules (polysaccharides and lipids)
Activity: Students complete an in class worksheet on macromolecules.
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. b, g, i)
Essential Question: What are the macromolecules that are important to sustain life?
Day 9: Macromolecules of Life Proteins and Nucleic Acids
Goal: Macromolecules (nucleic acids, proteins)
Activity: Students complete an in class worksheet on macromolecules.
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. b, g, i)
Essential Question: What are the macromolecules that are important to sustain life?
Day 10: Cell’s environment
Goal: Properties of the cell’s membrane, understanding the properties of internal and
external environment of the cell, solution concentrations
Activity: Cell Lab
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. a, c, d, h)
Investigation and Experimentation (2. a-n)
Essential Question: What are the differences between plant and animal cells?
Day 11: Quiz #2
Day 12: Cell’s environment
.
Goal: Gaining the ability to make solutions, visualization of membrane’s permeability
Activity: Membrane Structure: Phospholipids
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. a, c, d, h)
Essential Question: What are the components of a cell membrane?
Day 13: Cellular workers: Enzymes
Goal: Explore enzyme properties and importance
Activity: Lecture and video
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of .
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. a, c)
Essential Question: What are enzymes and how do they work?
Day 14: Cellular workers: Enzymes –Part 2
Goal: Conduct a Lab on Enzyme Activity
Activity: Enzyme lab
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. b,c),
investigation and Experimentation (2. a-n)
Essential Question: What are enzymes and how do they work?
Day 15: Quiz #3
Day 16: Cellular Organelle
Goal: Exploring organelles’ specific detailed functions, eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
Activity: Students will be invited to compare organelles functions in the cell with other
organization chart that they already know.
Standards: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of
chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells (1. a-j)
Essential Question: How is the cellular organelle structure related to its function?
Day 17 Project/ Review
Day 18: Final exam
Grading breakdown:
Quizzes:
20%
Lab:
30% (10% pre-lab and 20% Lab report/activity)
Homework
10%
Project
10%
Final Exam
20%
Participation
10%
Project Rubric
Area of Assessment
Introduction presentation
Proposal and hypothesis
Points
10
10
Weekly research progress
documentation (number of times per
week and the nature of the documented
events)
30
Practices of the Scientific Method
10
Identification and analytical explanation
of the scientific method used and how it
was used.
20
Final write-up
20
Rubric for Presentation
2
4
3
Introduction fully
introduces reader
to topic
researched.
Paper contains an
introductory
paragraph with a
clearly stated
hypothesis
A summary of
current research
clearly and
accurately
Introduction
mentions but does
not describe topic
researched.
Paper contains an
introductory
paragraph with an
unclearly stated
hypothesis.
A summary of
current research is
clearly or
accurately
1
Weight
Introduction does
not mention
research topic.
No
introduction
1
Paper contains an
introductory
paragraph with no
hypothesis.
Paper
contains no
introductory
paragraph.
2
A summary of
current research is
neither clearly nor
accurately
No summary 2
of current
research
Score
Earned
presented
presented.
presented.
The information
presented is of
sufficient depth
that it introduces
an uninitiated
observer to a
much higher level
of understanding
The presenter
gives exceptional
personal insight
on the current
topic based on
research.
Conclusion
restates thesis
and demonstrates
support for thesis
The information
presented is of
sufficient depth
that it introduces
an uninitiated
observer to a basic
level of
understanding.
The presenter
gives meaningful
personal insight
on the current
topic based on
research.
Conclusion does
not restate thesis
or does not
demonstrate
support for thesis
Presentation
contains 3-6
grammatical or
spelling errors.
The information
presented is not of
sufficient depth as
to improve an
uninitiated
observer’s level of
understanding.
The
information
provided is
misleading
or incorrect.
2
The presenter
attempts to provide
meaningful insight,
but does not
succeed.
No attempt
is made to
provide
meaningful
insight.
2
Conclusion neither
restates thesis nor
demonstrates
support for thesis
No
conclusion
2
Presentation
contains 6-9
grammatical or
spelling errors.
More than 9
grammatical
or spelling
errors.
2
Presentation
contains
improperly
formatted in-body
citations
Reference sheet
with 1 missing
reference
attached
Presentation missing
more than three inbody citations
No in-body
citations
1
Reference sheet
with more than 1
missing reference
attached
No
reference
sheet
attached.
1
Presentation
contains 2 or less
grammatical or
spelling errors.
Presentation
contains properly
formatted inbody citations.
Reference sheet
with all
references
attached
Lab Report Outline and Rubric
Name
Class/Section
Date
Partner’s Name
Title of Lab Report
Introduction:
- Background information from note book, class notes, text, etc. – Try to tie it
together
- Key concepts, terms
- Purpose of lab activity (20 points)
Materials:
- List of key materials that you used during the activityl (5 points)
Methods:
- A brief, numbered list of steps as to what you completed in the lab
- No results should be placed here (5 points)
Results:
- Should be presented in a neat, concise and orderly fashion
- Data tables in lab manual should be recreated and placed here. Each table
should be numbered and have an appropriate label and title
- Include appropriate units
- No interpretations should be placed here
- Percent Error and mathematical calculations should appear here when
necessary(10 points)
Discussion:
- What did the lab results show? What were some of your thoughts/hypotheses
when this activity started? Were they validated? Explain using examples. Did
this have a tie in with what was being discussed in class? Was the purpose
accomplished? Reasons for error? (20 points)
Works Cited
Cite all the sources you used in your report. (10 points)
Questions Answered Correctly (30 points)