AP Biology Syllabus
Personal Philosophy
What an amazing world we live in! My personal philosophy for teaching AP Biology is to develop the science knowledge base that will generate curiosity and enthusiasm in our current scientific world. To know and understand that our environment is connected to every organism all the way down to the genes that replicate in our cells and to know that every organism affects our environment all the way up to how we protect our atmospheric envelope and to realize that these connections have existed throughout time as evolution has led life to the extant variegation is the level of knowledge my students will be learning. The fantastic part of all this is that we continue discovering fascinating evidences every day. The study of science should be with the purpose of developing student knowledge that will render our society capable of discerning truth from fallacies. Science is evidence based and the technical skills developed in this laboratory centered class provide a great vehicle for reinforcing this dogma. The amazing boom in technological developments that have surged in the very near past is the best way to explore this scientific world. Biology is one of the most fascinating sciences around. It has gone through such gigantic leaps in technology that the amazing amounts of information being spewed out of our research institutes is too large to consume without proper guidance and developed scientific skills. Being able to understand our current scientific world means to become a responsible citizen that can make informed decisions. Course Overview
AP Biology is divided into 10 topics including: chemistry, cells, energy, heredity, molecular genetics, evolution, diversity of organisms, structure and function of plants and animals, and ecology. Each topic has a number of concepts which will be taught through Powerpoint based lectures, a number of laboratory exercises, and other activities that are designed to enhance the student’s comprehension of the topic. The laboratory portion of the course emphasizes science as a process rather than a static set of facts. There is an eleventh unit at the end of the year in which students apply their laboratory skills and knowledge of the scientific process into a research project and poster presentation centered on their study of a recently rehabilitated local wetlands area. The eight major themes from the AP Biology Course Description are used to reinforce the connectivity of the biological concepts that are covered and are examined in each unit. An example from the unit on cells includes sets of activities with the following goals : 1) Science as a Process – students study the effects of molarity on potato cells in a controlled experiment; 2) Evolution – students consider the endosymbiosis model as an explanation for how eukaryotic cells may have evolved from prokaryotic cells; 3) Energy Transfer – students are asked to describe how cells obtain energy from various sources and to consider long­term and short­term energy storage strategies; 4) Continuity and Change – students compare and contrast the processes of mitosis and meiosis; 5) Relationship of Structure to Function – students describe how the structures of organelles are related to their function (for example, the inner membrane of the mitochondria); 6) Regulation – students describe how the plasma membrane controls the flow of materials in and out of the cell; 7) Interdependence in Nature – students consider the division of labor of cells within an organism and how those cells support and depend upon the cells around them; 8) Science, Technology, and Society – students consider how technological advances have allowed scientists to develop a model for the plasma membrane. Evolution receives a special emphasis throughout the course as the unifying theme of all of the biological disciplines. Applying biological knowledge to social issues is a thread that runs throughout the class. Some subjects are broad enough in interest that the class takes time for more in depth discussions. These topics include cloning, stem cell research, genetic testing and counseling, environmental influences of humans, and global warming. After students have read a current newspaper and journal articles, class discussions are held in a format that encourages positive interaction and respect for the opinions of others. The most common format employed is the Socratic Seminar, however some discussions are based on protocols adapted from the National School Reform Faculty’s “Critical Friends Groups”. The goal for each discussion is for students to use the body of scientific knowledge and research to make informed decisions about moral and ethical issues. Following the group discussions, students write a brief position paper describing the scientific basis of their views on the issue following the class discussion.
Text
Campbell, N A and Reece, J B (2005) Biology 7th Ed. San Francisco: Pearson / Benjamin Cummings.
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AP Biology Course Planner
Dates
Unit
Topics
Chapter Readings
First Quarter
Aug 31– Sept 22
Sept 23 – Oct 9
Oct 12 – 23
1
2
3
Chemistry:
Atoms, Molecules, Bonds
Water
Carbohydrates, Lipids, Nucleic Acids
Proteins and Enzymes
Cells:
Cell Structures and Functions
Membranes and Transport
Communication
Cell Cycle and Mitosis
Energy:
Respiration
Photosynthesis
2, 3, 4, 5
6, 7, 8, 11, 12
9, 10
Second Quarter
Oct 26 – Nov 6
Nov 9 – 20
Dec 1 – 11
4
5
6
Heredity:
Meiosis
Mendelian Genetics
Chromosomes
Molecular Genetics:
DNA Replication
Transcription and Translation
Viruses and Bacteria
Biotechnology
Evolution:
Evidence of Evolution
Natural Selection, Population Genetics
13, 14, 15
16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
22, 23, 24, 25
3
Speciation
Origin of Life
Dec 14 – Jan 8
Jan 11 – Jan 22
7
8
Diversity of Organisms:
Three Domains, Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
Fungi and Protists
Plant and Animal Diversity
Phylogenetic Trees
Plant Structure and Function:
Structures and Transport
Nutrition and Hormones
Reproduction
26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34
35, 36, 37, 38, 39
Third Quarter
Feb 1 – 26
Mar 1 – 26
9A
9B
Animal Structure and Function I:
Digestion, Circulation, Gas Exchange
Immune System, Homeostasis and Excretion
Animal Structure and Function II:
Hormones, Reproduction, Development
Nerves and Senses
Muscles and Bones
40, 41, 42, 43, 44
45, 46, 47, 48, 49
Fourth Quarter
Mar 29 – Apr 27
10
Apr 28 – May 14
May 17 – Jun 15
Ecology:
Biomes, Populations, Communities,
Ecosystems, Behavior
Conservation
50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55
Exam Preparation (School Exam Schedule)
11
Conservation Biology Case Study:
Study topics include ecology, natural history, endangered species, and restoration of a local wetlands area that has undergone a 30 year conservation and restoration effort.
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Lab Schedule
About 25% of class time for this course is dedicated to lab work. Because AP Biology class meets the first period of the day, one day every two weeks the class meets thirty to forty­five minutes before school so that some of the longer labs can be completed during a single class period. Others (like the microscope labs), are done during split class sessions where part of the period is dedicated to lecture or some other activity and the remainder is dedicated to lab time. Students are expected to finish these labs over a time period of several days. In the days preceding some of the lab exercises, students do pre­labs to learn to use specialized equipment or processes that are not listed below. For example, students complete a molarity pre­lab using spectrophotometers before doing the photosynthesis lab and a titration exercise before doing the enzyme catalysis lab.
For most labs, a write up in a reduced format is required. For most of the required AP Biology labs, students write an extended lab report that includes a title, an introduction or background information, procedure, data and results, and a conclusion. Above all, students must clearly show how their data supports their conclusions and explain the limitations of the experiment.
Unit 1 – Chemistry Aug 31 – Sep 22
•
Properties of Water – A set of activities in which students observe the effects of adhesion, cohesion, capillary action, and surface tension. The purpose of the lab is for students to understand how the unique properties of water are related to the structures and functions of living organisms.
•
Acids and Bases – Identification and Properties: Students bring in household items and test them with pH paper to determine if they are acidic, basic, or neutral.
•
Molecular Models – Students use ball and stick models to build amino acids, monosaccharides (both ring and straight chain forms), nucleotides, and fats. Students demonstrate an understanding of dehydration synthesis by combining two amino acids into a dipeptide.
5
•
Tests for Organic Compounds – Students test substances for the presence of sugar (Benedict’s solution), starch (iodine), protein (Biuret’s solution), and lipids (brown paper test).
•
Enzyme Catalysis (AP Required Lab #2)
Unit 2 – Cells
Sep 23 – Oct 9
•
Looking at Live Cells – Students prepare wet mounts of elodea and cheek cells and then draw and label the visible parts. They compare and contrast plant and animal cells using a Venn diagram.
•
Diffusion and Osmosis (AP Required Lab #1)
•
Mitosis (AP Required Lab #3A)
Unit 3 – Energy
Oct 12 – 23
•
Cell Respiration (AP Required Lab 5)
•
Plant Pigment Chromatography (AP Required Lab #4A)
•
Photosynthesis: The Light Reaction (AP Required Lab #4B)
Unit 4 – Genetics
Oct 26 – Nov 6
•
Investigating Human Traits – Students use popsicle sticks to simulate random assortment of genes during meiosis. The lab is based on seven human traits such as curly, wavy or straight hair. •
Meiosis (AP Required Lab #3B) [Students do 3B.2 using “Sordaria cards” that were purchased from Carolina Biological Supply.]
•
Genetics of Fruit Fly (AP Required Lab #7)
6
Unit 5 – Molecular Genetics
Nov 9 – 20
•
DNA Extraction from Fruit – DNA is extracted from bananas using common household items such as shampoo and coffee filters. Students look at banana mixture under the microscope at different times during the process to see the changes in cell structures resulting from different treatments.
•
Transformation (AP Required Lab #6A)
•
Gel Electrophoresis (AP Required Lab #6B)
Unit 6 – Evolution
Dec 1 – 11
•
Natural Selection Simulation – Students simulate the effects of camouflage using colored circles and similarly colored pieces of cloth. The student is the predator and the circles are the prey. Statistics are kept in each generation and trends are identified and explained.
•
Population Genetics (AP Required Lab #8)
Unit 7 – Diversity of Organisms
•
Dec 14 – Jan 8
Diverstiy of Organisms: Monerans, Protists, Fungi – Using prepared slides, students observe members of Monera, Protista, and Fungi, draw and label anatomical structures, and compare and contrast the three groups. Students also make a wet mount of water removed from a wetlands area and observe living plant and animal life.
Unit 8 – Plants
Jan 11 – Jan 22
7
•
Leaf Project – Students collect and mount a variety of leaves. They are identified as being simple or compound, monocot or dicot, and other classifications.
•
Flower Dissection – Using a variety of flowers, students identify and draw flower parts. Students then relate the structure of each part to its function. •
Fruit Lab – Using various common fruits brought from home, students dissect them and identify the major anatomical structures and their origins (from the flower). •
Plant Tissues Lab – Using prepared slides, students draw and label root tip, monocot and dicot root, stem and leaf cross sections. Students then relate the structure of each part to its function. •
Transpiration (AP Required Lab #9)
Unit 9 – Animals Feb 1 – Mar 26
•
Animal Tissues – Using prepared slides, students compare and contrast four types of tissues (epithelial, connective, muscle, and nerve). Students then relate the structures present in each type of tissue to their functions. •
Measuring Blood Pressure (AP Required Lab #10A)
•
Test of Fitness (AP Required Lab #10B)
•
Heart Rate and Temperature ­ Daphnia (AP Required Lab #10C)
•
Reaction Time Lab (Nervous System) – Students investigate how distractions affect reaction time by catching a dropped meter stick under various conditions.
8
Unit 10 – Ecology
Mar 29 – Apr 28
•
Population Survey – Students survey populations of plants and animals found around the school grounds. Descriptions of the organism’s habitat and measurements of the microclimate it is found in are included.
•
Animal Behavior (AP Required Lab #11)
•
Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Primary Productivity (AP Required Lab #12) Students complete this lab at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands on a Saturday field trip. Groups of students collect water samples from different areas (full tidal areas, muted tidal areas, deep or shallow water, near or away from the ocean inlet, in high or low pedestrian areas, cool or warm area…), run their analyses and compare results. Unit 11 – Conservation Biology Case Study
•
May 17 – Jun 15
Individual Projects – Students design and carry out a research project involving some aspect of ecology. The majority of these projects are generally centered on the restoration of a local wetlands area. Students may do population surveys of birds or other animals, surveys of plant life in various areas, observations of animal behavior, water quality studies, etc. Some students choose to do a study in their own neighborhood or in a local park. The projects are written as complete laboratory reports and presented to the class in a poster format.
Teaching Strategies and Assessment
Lectures are Powerpoint based and enhanced by many illustrations, drawings and pictures to help students visualize concepts. Students refine lecture notes into graphic organizers and enter them into a spiral notebook that is used as a review instrument for unit exams and the AP Biology exam. SDAIE strategies are interwoven into all student interactions with reading and lecture material. Some strategies that are commonly employed in this class include quick­writes, guided reading, think­pair share, and graphic organizers. 9
About one­fourth of class time is dedicated to laboratory exercises. Hands­on activities add to the student’s real life experiences in science. There is an emphasis on accuracy and manipulation of data and learning why controls are necessary illustrate experimental points. Students learn the power and importance of collaboration and communication by dividing some of the more complex labs into groups and then incorporating other group’s data into a class set of outcomes. Students practice essay writing using free response questions from previous exams. Most of these essays are evaluated by fellow students using highlighters to credit relevant passages and the rest are evaluated by the teacher. The rubrics used for evaluation may be developed by the class if time permits, or taken from the released standards for the question. The objective is for students to learn to analyze the effectiveness and clarity of their on writing and to understand the process by which the questions on the AP exam are evaluated.
Many field experiences for students are provided. Students tour a molecular biology lab at a local university and run a gel electrophoresis experiment under the supervision of the principal investigator of the lab. Students do the Dissolved Oxygen Lab (AP Required Lab #12) and other water quality tests in the field at a local restored wetlands. Students also chose a survey project to perform at the wetlands. These can be surveys of bird or plant populations or tests of water quality in a various locations around the wetlands area. The information is then presented to their peers and also becomes part of the data base of the conservancy that oversees the wetlands. Students grades are based on multiple assessments. These include multiple choice exams, daily quizzes, lab work and reports, and projects. 10