Pav’s Sophomore AP Biology Class Guidelines
Keep this handout all year.
Welcome to the most interesting subject in the world, biology. And congratulations on challenging yourself with an Advanced
Placement course! The College Board assumes you have completed a year of chemistry and a year of biology before taking this class.
As sophomores, you haven’t, but you will still be successful here as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort. This is a
college level course and has been approved by the College Board for meeting those standards. It moves quickly, so keeping up with
the reading and determining a good method for taking notes on your reading will be essential. Count on about an hour of
homework every night, even if no “activity” is officially assigned. Busy during a weeknight? Book extra time on the weekend! Brain
neurons need repeated firings to maintain dendrite growth, so review a little every day. Don’t procrastinate! Study groups are a great
way to keep studying fun. In addition, we will be doing a lot of lab work. Most colleges have 2-3 hour blocks for lab, and we
sometimes have less than 55 minutes. For some labs you will need to come in during zero hour to start, or after school to set things
up. C’est la vie!
Classroom Rules:
1.) Listen Carefully to Directions. Your safety and the safety of others depends on it.
2.) Be prepared and ready to work, with paper, pen or pencil, notebook, ruler, colored pencils and scientific calculator. We begin
right away and I do follow the school tardy policy.
3.) Respect your and others’ right to learn. This includes following the Safety Agreement.
4.) Students are dismissed by the teacher, not by the bell. As AP students, I COUNT ON YOU TO DO YOUR OWN CLEANUP!!!!!! So sometimes I will not be checking all your areas before you leave. Please don’t let me down. Help each other out when
you see someone needs it! Your other classes are important too, so I generally do not give passes for clean-up. Plan ahead!
5.) Treat all organisms (including yourself) with care and respect. No personal grooming (germs!) NO EATING OR
DRINKING when not approved by teacher! No cell phones, headphones, etc., I DO confiscate! You are responsible for
cleaning your lab and adjacent areas.
Attendance
School attendance policies are followed. You are responsible for getting absent work. See the assignment board, my website, a friend
and/or the teacher at the end of the class, please, so there’s time to talk. Assignments given or due on unexcused absence days will
receive a zero. YOU HAVE 2 DAYS FOR EACH DAY ABSENT TO COMPLETE YOUR WORK.
Grades
Most assignments will be graded according to the College Board Advanced Placement grading scale of 1-5. Specific criteria will be
given for assignments, but the general scheme is:
Demonstrated Competence = 5pts (~A Exemplary response, ample evidence of deep understanding, unique applications/connection)
= 4pts (~B Competent response, evidence of a thorough understanding)
Satisfactory Response
= 3pts (~C Minor flaws but mastery of key idea)
Inadequate Response
= 2pts (~D Serious flaws or developing basic understanding demonstrated)
= 1pt (Attempt made, but little understanding demonstrated)
The grading rubric translates to letter grades as follows:
A
B+
C+
D+
(4.7-5)
(4.2-4.4)
(3.3-3.4)
(2.3-2.4)
A- (4.5-4.6)
B (3.8-4.1)
C (2.8-3.2)
D (1.9-2.2)
B- (3.5-3.7)
C- (2.5-2.7)
D- (1.7-1.8)
Special Note: The computer grading program shows a percentage, as well as my Rubric and letter grade. It can be a little confusing to
see my Rubric Grade of 3 (a C) show up as 60% (3 out of 5), which we usually associate as a D. It does NOT mean a D, nor that 60%
of your answers were correct. It means you have a solid middle C. I have set the grading program to understand the Rubric, but I
cannot set it to not show the percentage.
Grading categories for final grade are:
Homework, Journal Upkeep and Practice Assignments 20%
Labs 35%
Assessments/Tests 45%
In addition, any student receiving a 5 on the AP exam can have either or both semester grades changed to an “A” IF they have
fully participated the entire year (teacher approval).
Text: Biology, Campbell, 9th Edition (you will check out a text and may keep it at home unless notified otherwise)
Important Information:
Contact me: [email protected]
Assignments
1.) Assignments help you practice what you need to know and be able to do. Those who do the work, do the learning. Just copying
results in a 0 (zero) score for both the copier and the person who loans the assignment. When answering questions from a text or
handout, be certain the question accompanies your answer so the assignment is useful for review purposes. (10% of that
assignments grade).
2.) Assignments are generally due at the beginning of the period. Any assignment coming in after the final call will not be on time
(BE ORGANIZED SO YOU CAN FIND IT ON TIME!!). A late assignment can be completed within one week for a maximum
score of 2. After one week, no credit will be granted. But…. Life sometimes hands us surprises, so… each student will be given
two late pass coupons per quarter. They are not valid for tests or major projects are non-transferable and, like cash, if you lose
it, it’s gone. They must be used within one week of the assignment due date unless special permission is granted. Fill it out
completely, staple it to the assignment and place in Late/Absent box for full evaluation! IF no assignments are missing, each pass
you do not have to use is good for ½% “extra credit” at end of quarter.
3.) Absent work must be made up within reasonable time. Usually two (2) days are given per each day of absence. See me if this
is an issue for you.
4.) Because our class time is short, most labs will have a “pre-lab” writing component. Sometimes labs will require you to come
in early to start. But by their very nature, MOST LABS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO BE REPEATED OR MADE UP.
If you are absent, you will be expected to collect data from classmates on your own and still write up the lab, though all points
may not be available to earn if you have not conducted the lab. You will need to include a brief summary of what students report
to you (include the names of students you interviewed) and credit them for their data. Sometimes I will post “ideal data” on my
webpage calendar, but note that you are using it in your report (it is unethical for scientists to use data they did not collect without
crediting the source!). TRY NOT TO BE ABSENT ON LAB DAYS! Labs that CAN be made up must be done before or after
school. Check my weekly “After School Hours”. NO MAKE UP ASSIGNMENTS FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES!
5.) Major assignments and labs are due for everyone on the due date. If you will be absent, arrange for someone to turn in your
project or journal , or turn it in early.
6.) Test and Quizzes A short weekly quiz will be given on Mondays covering the chapters that will be discussed THAT WEEK.
This means you need to read the chapters BEFORE they are lectured/discussed, so check the calendar! For the first quarter, your
lecture/reading notes (only hand written notes, no Xeroxes, no “Homework” assignments) may be used for multiple-choice Unit
Tests and sometimes for Free Response Essay Tests. Absences for tests/quizzes must be made up before or after school and
within the 2 day time period. The test may be an alternative version. Generally, quizzes may be “challenged” (retaken before/after
school by requesting a “CHALLENGE!!!”, said with vigor, appropriate accent and fencer’s stance). Unit exams may not be
“challenged”.
Science Portfolio Notebook and Supplies:
You also need a 5x5 Graph Paper Composition Notebook,
large 3 Ring binder, 10 dividers, pens,
pencils, a metric ruler, package of colored pencils and a
scientific calculator.
Extra Help
I love talking biology! I am happy to help, but please be
timely in your requests… the day a lab is due is NOT
the best time to get questions clarified! And the beginning
of the period an assignment is due is usually too late to
get a complicated question answered.
Learn to NOT PROCRASTINATE!
Carpe diem!!
Advanced Placement Lab Report Format (Characteristics defined by AP Readers)
AT LEAST ONE OF THE AP ESSAY EXAMS WILL BE ABOUT ONE OF THE LABS!
This is the format for your lab journal.
Title: Use both # and name
Partners:
Lab Station #:
Date:
(Nota Bene: the following down to the dashed line constitute the “Pre-Lab”. It is important to do this BEFORE doing the lab and will
be worth 10% of the lab grade for just being finished on time, meaning when you come to class for the lab. It is imperative for lab
time and understanding that you prepare ahead. You may NOT use late passes to makeup this portion of the grade. The pre-lab must
be in the lab composition book. You may work together, but copying another person’s pre-lab is cheating and a grade of zero will be
assigned for the entire lab. You are expected to read through the entire lab and consider information learned in or outside of class.)
Purpose/Objectives/Goals/Problem/Question: This statement shows that you understand why this lab is being done. Think about
how it relates to what you are studying. Most AP Labs have the goals and objectives clearly stated. Use them for this section.
Hypothesis (when applicable): A short statement about what you think will happen and why you think that. A hypothesis should
predict what the outcomes would be. It often takes this form:
If this is the situation (independent variable change with direction), then that will happen (dependent variable change with direction)
because of these logical scientific reasons. An additional statement of what you would see if the hypothesis is incorrect (a null
hypothesis) should be made when possible. (e.g., there would be no difference in (DV) between the control group and the
experimental group…more on this later)
Protocol (procedure): Describe how the experiment will be done. Think about how you would tell a friend briefly, BUT CLEARLY,
the logical steps to set up and conduct this lab. Describe why you are doing the various procedural steps. This is more important than
how many grams of this or milliliters of that you are using. DIAGRAMS OR FLOW CHARTS are not only desirable, but also
necessary.
The AP exam often asks you to design an experiment. For any experiment you design be sure to identify your :
Independent Variable (manipulated variable, changed),
Dependent Variable (responding variable, in the experimental group)
Control Group that will be used for comparison (it does not contain the variable being tested),
Controls (other variables, at least 2, held constant. For instance, each setup may be measured for the same amount of time, or each
setup may have the same amount of solution in each beaker, etc.),
What is being measured (e.g., CO2 or H2O consumption, height, mass, production of a product, etc)
What method and/or Time Frame is used (e.g., take readings of…every 5 minutes for 30 minutes)
What is the rate of calculation and/or statistical application (e.g., average for the number of trials, determine the slope of the curve)
How will the results be verified? (Large sample size? Repetition of experiment?)
How will the experimental results be presented? (Produce line graphs, charts, etc.)
Pre-lab Notes: Write down any changes, directions or safety concerns given by the teacher before you start. Always save some space
for this, even if you prepare some data tables ahead of time.
-------------------------down to here for “pre-lab” and draw data tables when possible--------------------------Data and Results:
Raw Data: Record all of your observations. This means not only the data that you are expecting but also the other things that
you notice. You never know what you will need to explain your results. Try to be organized, but there may be some
unexpected observations.
Results: Here the results are organized and presented using one or more of the following:
Written responses to experiment questions from the lab or handouts, graphs, charts, tables, lists (these last four
must have headings) descriptive paragraphs, sketches, microscope drawings (must be labeled with the name of the organism
and any pertinent information).
Graphs are large (at least ¾ of the page), have descriptive headings, straight lines drawn with ruler, have accurately
and uniformly spaced tick marks, and clear, accurate labels with units on each axis; dependent variable on Y-axis; all data
plotted correctly; easy to use” Key to Symbols”; multiple graphs of the same/ similar topic have identical axes so they are
easy to compare.
Tables have columns and rows arranged in a useful pattern, have data to be compared listed in the same column,
and each row and column has an accurate and appropriate heading with units.
Drawings or photographs have parts clearly labeled and scale clearly displayed (if not already specified in the
caption).
All data are present, sample calculations are demonstrated, and appropriate numbers of significant figures are
used.
Discussion/Analysis: this is where you analyze and determine what the experiment meant as a whole. This is the most important part.
Often I use what you say here as a sort of “test” of your understanding.
A.) The lab’s summary/analysis question: Usually a lab handout or lab manual will have questions. Answer these in a
complete sentence and reflect the question. Or copy the question, type the questions and paste in…
B.) Sources of Error: Describe where and how errors in lab may have occurred. In particular, note what the error was and
what direction/magnitude it has on the collected data. DO NOT SAY “HUMAN ERROR!!!” This is meaningless. If a
leak would cause your findings to look smaller than they should, say so! Explain why!
C.) Personal Meaning: In the absence of other guidelines, as in inquiry labs of your own design, use you knowledge from
your reading, observation, class discussion, data and questions from the lab to explain why things happened as they did
and cite evidence. This section is done in narrative form, using these questions to guide you: What was I trying to do?
How did I go about it? What difficulties did we come across and how did we deal with them? What did I assume? What
did I observe? What were the patterns/trends in the data. What did I infer from that? What can I now claim to know and
what is the evidence for that claim? How does this connect to other things I know/the real world? What questions does
this suggest? Give credit where due. Who owns the idea? Say “I got this idea from…” or “When I saw the results of
Pedro’s group…”
Conclusion: A brief statement that addresses your findings for the hypothesis or problem. State whether or not the hypothesis was
supported, the start and finishing points for your lowest condition, the start and finishing points for your highest condition, and the
overall trends/relationships of the data.
Questions: Based on your observations and findings, what’s the next question that should be answered? What would be interesting to
investigate? What might be a good way to go about it?
Say what you mean! A lab report must be clear to anyone, whether or not they did the lab. The section that means the most and is
worth the most points is the Analysis. Think of it as the body of the letter you might write to a friend who was not there but will be
tested on the material. Let the question shape the narrative but do not restate the question within the report.
Try using some of these thought stems to stimulate your thinking:
What I do not understand is…
This relates to…
This concept reminds me of…
I wonder if…
What really surprised me was…
What puzzles me is…
What if…
Some observations are…
In lab I tried to figure out…
These relate because…
An inference that can be drawn from my reading/lab observations is…
How to Flowchart Procedures in Preparation for AP Labs
What to do:
1. Read the AP Lab completely from the introduction through the analysis.
2. Identify the procedure(s) that you need to flowchart. [Note: Pav helps you to identify these!]
3. For each procedural step: Short, sweet and to the point!
a. summarize the step
b. draw labeled pictures when useful
c. note any questions that you have
Examples:
Or with diagrams…
AP Biology Scope and Sequence
This outline is an approximation of our labs, activities and exams that will be given this year. The schedule may be altered
by things like snowstorms, volcanic eruptions or haboobs, but every effort will be made to meet the testing dates.
Ø Unit 1 Chemistry of Life (Ch 2-5) 3weeks
Ø Molecules of Life
Ø Toober Lab
Ø Functional Groups
Ø pH Buffer Lab
Ø Pill Bugs and Chi Square
Ø Water Observation Lab
Ø Exam 9/26
Ø Unit 2 Cells (Ch 6-7) 3 weeks
Ø Surface Area to Volume Ratio
Ø Cell Membrane Drawing
Ø AP Lab #4 Water Potential/Diffusion/Osmosis
Ø Build an Edible Cell
Ø AP Lab #11 Transpiration
Ø Exam 10/16
Ø Unit 3 Cell Processes: Energy & Communication (Ch 8-12) 5weeks
Ø AP Lab #5 Photosynthesis
Ø AP Lab #6 Cellular Respiration
Ø Tootpickase Lab
Ø AP Lab #13 Enzyme Activity
Ø Gibbs Free Energy Lab
Ø Cell Communication Activity
Ø Exam 11/26 (nota bene: day before Thanksgiving break!)
Ø Unit 4 Genetics (Ch 13-15) 2 weeks
Ø Punnet Squares
Ø Virtual Fly Lab
Ø Jigsaw for Non-Mendelian Genetics
Ø Exam 12/12
Ø Unit 5 Gene to Protein (Ch 16-21) 7 weeks
Ø AP Lab #9
Ø AP Lab #8 Transformation
Ø AP Lab #7 Mitosis
Ø Mitosis Flip Book
Ø DNA Necklaces
Ø DNA Timeline
Ø Operons
Ø DNA for Dummies
Ø AP Lab #3 DNA BLAST
Ø Exam 2/13 (nota bene: day before mid-winter break)
Ø Unit 6 Evolution (Ch 22-25) 4 weeks
Ø AP Lab#2 Hardy Weinberg
Ø Cladogram Activity
Ø Skull Lab
Ø Parade Through the Kingdoms/Animal Survey Lab
Ø Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
Ø Exam 3/20
Ø Unit 7 Anatomy (Ch 43, 45, 48, 49, 50) 3weeks
Ø AP Lab #12Fruit Fly Behavior
Ø Diving Response Lab
Ø Mammalian Cycles
Ø Mnemonic for Endocrine
Ø Antibody Antigen
Ø Operation Antibody
Ø Travel Brochure for 3 Systems
Ø Brain Swim Cap
Ø Model Neuron Action
Ø Immunology Test
Ø Exam4/9
Ø Unit 8 Biodiversity and Ecology (26-38; 40, 51-56) 2weeks
Ø Dissolved Oxygen Lab
Ø Internet Activity, Primary Secondary Field Trip
Ø Population Dynamics Game
Ø Biome Diorama
Ø Exam 4/30
Ø Review for AP Exam 5/4-8
Ø Nail the AP Exam 5/11
Ø Post AP Exam
Ø Dissections
Ø Special Projects
Ø Feeding Teacher
AP Biology Concepts at a Glance: Campbell 9th Edition Chapters
The key concepts and related content that define AP Biology are organized around a few underlying principles
called the big ideas, which encompass the core scientific principles, theories and processes governing living
organisms and biological systems. These Big Ideas are broken down into the most important underlying
concepts, the Enduring Understandings, which are further broken down into the Essential Knowledge you
must understand to master basic biology. These charts reference which chapters and sections our biology text
uses to illuminate these ideas.
Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
Enduring understanding 1.A: Change in the genetic makeup
of a population over time is evolution.
Essential knowledge 1.A.1: Natural selection is a major mechanism of evolution.
Chapters 22.2, 23.2, 51.3, 51.4
Essential knowledge 1.A.2: Natural selection acts on phenotypic variations in
populations.
Chapters 23.1, 23.4, 51.3, 51.4
Essential knowledge 1.A.3: Evolutionary change is also driven by random
processes.
Chapters 23.3, 51.3, 51.4
Essential knowledge 1.A.4: Biological evolution is supported by scientific evidence
from many disciplines, including mathematics.
Chapters 22.3, 25.2, 51.3, 51.4
Enduring understanding 1.B: Organisms are linked by lines
of descent from common ancestry.
Essential knowledge 1.B.1: Organisms share many conserved core processes and
features that evolved and are widely distributed among organisms today.
Chapters 25.1, 25.3
Essential knowledge 1.B.2: Phylogenetic trees and cladograms are graphical
representations (models) of evolutionary history that can be tested.
Chapters 26.1–26.3
Enduring understanding 1.C: Life continues to evolve
within a changing environment.
Essential knowledge 1.C.1: Speciation and extinction have occurred throughout the
Earth’s history.
Chapters24.3, 24.2, 24.4, 25.2, 25.4
Essential knowledge 1.C.2: Speciation may occur when
two populations become reproductively isolated from each other.
Chapter 24.1
Essential knowledge 1.C.3: Populations of organisms continue to evolve.
Chapters22.3, 24.2
Enduring understanding 1.D: The origin of living systems is
explained by natural processes.
Essential knowledge 1.D.1: There are several hypotheses about the natural origin of
life on Earth, each with supporting scientific evidence.
Chapters 4.1, 25.1, 25.3
Essential knowledge 1.D.2: Scientific evidence from many different disciplines
supports models of the origin of life.
Chapters 26.6
Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to
maintain dynamic homeostasis.
Enduring understanding 2.A: Growth, reproduction and
maintenance of the organization of living systems require
free energy and matter.
Essential knowledge 2.A.1: All living systems require constant input of free energy.
Chapters 8.2, 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, 40.4, 55.1
a. Energy pathways, ecosystem effects 51.3, 53.3, 53.4, 55.2, 55.3
b. Laws of thermodynamics/coupled reactions/exergonic, endergonic 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
Essential knowledge 2.A.2: Organisms capture and store free energy for use in
biological processes. Chapters 10.1
a. Light reactions/chemiosmosis/Calvin cycle 10.2, 10.3
b. Glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, Krebs, ETC 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5
Essential knowledge 2.A.3: Organisms must exchange matter with the environment
to grow, reproduce and maintain organization.
a. Role of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in organic compounds 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
b. Properties of water 3.1, 3.2
c. Surface area/volume ratios and exchange 6.2
d. Role of apoptosis 11.5
Essential knowledge 2.B.1: Cell membranes are selectively permeable due to their structure.
Enduring understanding 2.B: Growth, reproduction and
dynamic homeostasis require that cells create and maintain Chapters 7.1, 7.
internal environments that are different from their external
environments.
Essential knowledge 2.B.2: Growth and dynamic homeostasis are maintained by the
constant movement of molecules across membranes.
Chapters 7.3, 7.4, 7.5
Essential knowledge 2.B.3: Eukaryotic cells maintain internal membranes that partition the
cell into specialized regions.
Chapters 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5
Enduring understanding 2.C: Organisms use feedback
mechanisms to regulate growth and reproduction, and to
maintain dynamic homeostasis.
Essential knowledge 2.C.1: Organisms use feedback mechanisms to maintain their
internal environments and respond to external environmental changes.
Chapters 40.2, 45.2
Essential knowledge 2.C.2: Organisms respond to changes in their external environments.
Chapters 40.3
Enduring understanding 2.D: Growth and dynamic
homeostasis of a biological system are influenced by
changes in the system’s environment.
Essential knowledge 2.D.1: All biological systems from cells and organisms to
populations, communities and ecosystems are affected by complex biotic and abiotic
interactions involving exchange of matter and free energy.
Chapters 52.2, 53.1, 53.2, 53.3, 53.4, 53.5, 54.1, 54.2, 54.3, 54.4, 54.5, 55.1, 55.2,
55.3, 55.4
Essential knowledge 2.D.2: Homeostatic mechanisms reflect both common ancestry
and divergence due to adaptation in different environments.
Chapters 40.2, 40.3
Essential knowledge 2.D.3: Biological systems are affected by disruptions to their
dynamic homeostasis.
Chapters 40.2, 40.3, 56.1
Essential knowledge 2.D.4: Plants and animals have a variety of chemical defenses against
infections that affect dynamic homeostasis.
Chapters 39.5, 43.1, 43.2, 43.3, 43.4
Essential knowledge 2.E.1: Timing and coordination of specific events are necessary for the
Enduring understanding 2.E: Many biological processes
involved in growth, reproduction and dynamic homeostasis normal development of an organism, and these events are regulated by a variety of
mechanisms.
include temporal regulation and coordination.
a. Cell differentiation 11.5, 18.2, 18.4, 25.5, 47.3
b. Homeotic genes/induction 18.3, 18.4
c. Gene expression/microRNAs 18.3
Essential knowledge 2.E.2: Timing and coordination of physiological events are regulated
by multiple mechanisms.
a. Plants: photoperiodism/tropisms/germination 38.1, 39.1, 39.2, 39.3
b. Animals 24.1
c. Fungi/protists/bacteria 11.1
Essential knowledge 2.E.3: Timing and coordination of behavior are regulated by various
mechanisms and are important in natural selection.
a. Innate behaviors/learning 51.1, 51.2, 51.4
b. Plant/animal behaviors 39.2, 39.3, 51.1, 51.4
c. Cooperative behaviors 54.1
Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes.
Enduring understanding 3.A: Heritable
information provides for continuity of life.
Essential knowledge 3.A.1: DNA, and in some cases RNA, is the primary source of
heritable information.
a. Structure and function 5.5, 16.1
b. Replication 16.1, 16.2
c. Role of RNA and its processing 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4
d. Prokaryotic/viral differences 19.2, 27.1
e. Manipulation of DNA 20.1, 20.2
Essential knowledge 3.A.2: In eukaryotes, heritable information is passed to the next
generation via processes that include the cell cycle and mitosis or meiosis plus fertilization.
Chapters 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3
Essential knowledge 3.A.3: The chromosomal basis of inheritance provides an understanding
of the pattern of passage (transmission) of genes from parent to offspring.
Chapters 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4
Essential knowledge 3.A.4: The inheritance pattern of many traits cannot be explained by
simple Mendelian genetics.
Chapters 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.5
Enduring understanding 3.B: Expression of genetic
information involves cellular and molecular
mechanisms.
Essential knowledge 3.B.1: Gene regulation results in differential gene expression, leading to
cell specialization.
Chapters 18.1, 18.2, 18.3
Essential knowledge 3.B.2: A variety of intercellular and intracellular signal transmissions
mediate gene expression.
Chapters 11.1, 11.4, 18.4, 45.1, 45.2
Essential knowledge 3.C.1: Changes in genotype can result in changes in phenotype.
Enduring understanding 3.C:The processing of genetic
information is imperfect and is a source of genetic variation. Chapters 15.4, 16.2, 17.5, 21.2, 23.4
Essential knowledge 3.C.2: Biological systems have multiple processes that increase genetic
variation.
Chapters 27.2, 13.4
Essential knowledge 3.C.3: Viral replication results in genetic variation, and viral infection can
introduce genetic variation into the hosts.
Chapters 19.1, 19.2
Enduring understanding 3.D: Cells communicate by
generating, transmitting and receiving chemical signals.
Essential knowledge 3.D.1: Cell communication processes share common features that reflect
a shared evolutionary history.
Chapters 11.1, 45.2
Essential knowledge 3.D.2: Cells communicate with each other through direct contact with
other cells or from a distance via chemical signaling.
Chapters 11.1, 11.2, 45.1, 45.2
Essential knowledge 3.D.3: Signal transduction pathways link signal reception with cellular
response.
Chapters 11.2, 11.3
Enduring understanding 3.E: Transmission of information
results in changes within and between biological systems.
Essential knowledge 3.D.4: Changes in signal transduction pathways can alter cellular
response.
Chapters 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4
Essential knowledge 3.E.1: Individuals can act on information and communicate it to others.
Chapters 51.1
Essential knowledge 3.E.2: Animals have nervous systems that detect external and internal
signals, transmit and integrate information, and produce responses.
Chapters 48.1, 48.2, 48.3, 48.4
a. Neurons/synapses/signaling 48.1, 48.2, 48.3, 48.4
b. Mammalian brain 49.2
Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.
Enduring understanding 4.A: Interactions within
biological systems lead to complex properties.
Essential knowledge 4.A.1: The subcomponents of biological molecules and their
sequence determine the properties of that molecule.
Chapters 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5
Essential knowledge 4.A.2: The structure and function of subcellular components,
and their interactions, provide essential cellular processes.
Chapters 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5
Essential knowledge 4.A.3: Interactions between external stimuli and regulated gene
expression result in specialization of cells, tissues and organs.
Chapters 18.4
Essential knowledge
4.A.4: Organisms exhibit complex properties due to
interactions between their constituent parts.
Chapters 48.4
Essential knowledge 4.A.5: Communities are composed of populations of organisms that
interact in complex ways.
a. Ecological field data 53.1, 53.2, 53.3, 54.1, 54.2, 54.4
b. Growth curves, demographics 53.1, 53.2, 53.3, 53.5, 53.6
Essential knowledge 4.A.6: Interactions among living systems and with their environment
result in the movement of matter and energy.
Chapters 55.1, 55.3
a. Human impact on ecosystems 55.4, 55.5
Enduring understanding 4.B: Competition and cooperation
are important aspects of biological systems.
Essential knowledge 4.B.1: Interactions between molecules affect their structure and
function.
Chapters 5.4, 8.4, 8.5
a. Enzymes and their action 8.4, 8.5
Essential knowledge 4.B.2: Cooperative interactions within organisms promote
efficiency in the use of energy and matter.
Chapters 6.4
a. Compartments, e.g., digestion, excretion, circulation 40.1
Essential knowledge 4.B.3: Interactions between and within populations influence
patterns of species distribution and abundance.
Chapters 54.1
Essential knowledge 4.B.4: Distribution of local and global ecosystems changes over
time.
Chapters 56.1, 56.4, 25.4
Enduring understanding 4.C: Naturally occurring diversity
among and between components within biological
systems affects interactions with the environment.
Essential knowledge 4.C.1: Variation in molecular units provides cells with a wider range of
functions. e.g. chlorophylls, antibodies, allelic variants
Chapters 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 21.5
Essential knowledge 4.C.2: Environmental factors influence the expression of the
genotype in an organism.
Chapters 14.3
Essential knowledge 4.C.3: The level of variation in a population affects
population dynamics.
Chapters 21.5, 23.4, 26.4
Essential knowledge 4.C.4: The diversity of species within an ecosystem may influence
the stability of the ecosystem.
Chapters 14.3, 23.2, 54.2, 56.1
College Board Science Practices for AP Biology
You are expected to act as a scientist throughout the course of this year. In fact, it is such an important feature of the course that much
of the exam will have these seven practices of all scientists embedded in the questions.
Science Practice 1: I can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve
scientific problems.
Which means…
1.1 I can create representations and models of natural or manmade phenomena and systems in the biology.
1.2 I can describe representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the biology.
1.3 I can refine representations and models of natural or manmade phenomena and systems in the biology.
1.4 I can use representations and models to analyze situations or solve problems qualitatively and quantitatively.
1.5 I can reexpress key elements of natural phenomena across multiple representations in the biology.
Science Practice 2: I can use mathematics appropriately.
Which means…
2.1 I can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems.
2.2 I can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.
2.3 I can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.
Science Practice 3: I can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations
within the context of the AP course.
Which means…
3.1 I can pose scientific questions.
3.2 I can refine scientific questions.
3.3 I can evaluate scientific questions.
Science Practice 4: I can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular
scientific question.
Which means…
4.1 I can justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer a particular scientific question.
4.2 I can design a plan for collecting data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.3 I can collect data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.4 I can evaluate sources of data to answer a particular scientific question.
Science Practice 5: I can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.
Which means…
5.1 I can analyze data to identify patterns or relationships.
5.2 I can refine observations and measurements based on data analysis.
5.3 I can evaluate the evidence provided by data sets in relation to a particular scientific question.
Science Practice 6: I can work with scientific explanations and theories.
Which means…
6.1 I can justify claims with evidence.
6.2 I can construct explanations of phenomena based on evidence produced through scientific practices.
6.3 I can articulate the reasons that scientific explanations and theories are refined or replaced.
6.4 I can make claims and predictions about natural phenomena based on scientific theories and models.
6.5 I can evaluate alternative scientific explanations.
Science Practice 7: I am able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts and
representations in and across domains.
Which means…
7.1 I can connect phenomena and models across spatial and temporal scales.
7.2 I can connect concepts in and across domains (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics) to generalize or extrapolate in and/or across
enduring understandings and/or big ideas.
Woodinville High School Science Department
SAFETY AGREEMENT
I UNDERSTAND THAT I MUST FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WHEN PARTICIPATING
IN LABORATORY EXERCISES.
1.
The lab can be a dangerous place. I will always wear any
required safety equipment and not eat or drink in class.
2.
I will stay on task and treat others with respect.
3.
I will not participate in horseplay.
4.
I understand that laboratory equipment can be dangerous
and I will always follow safety procedures.
5.
I understand that laboratory equipment is expensive. I will
replace any equipment that I break due to carelessness.
6.
I will do my best to learn safe laboratory techniques.
7.
I will report any accident, no matter how minor it may seem to me.
8.
I will learn where the safety equipment is kept in the lab.
9.
When I am not sure about the safe way to do a task I will ask my
instructor.
10. I understand that if my behavior is such that I lose lab privileges
I will get no credit for the lab.
11. I will keep and review a copy of the “Flinn Student Safety Contract”
Cut off on dotted line and return to teacher. Keep above rules and Flinn Safety Contract in notebook for your information.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Initial each of the following AFTER you have read the section in the “Flinn Student Safety Contract”:
General Safety Rules ____
Clothing ____
Heating Substances ____
Handling Chemicals Safely ____
Do you wear contacts? Y N
Are you colorblind? Y N
Accidents & Injuries ____
Handling Glassware Safely ____
Do you have allergies? Y N If so, list specific allergies _____________________________________