Advanced Placement Biology



Advanced Placement Biology

Course Syllabus and Policies

Instructor: Mr. Irvin: Phone: 624-4618 ext. 2012, irvinm@

Text Book: Biology AP Edition: 10th ed.; Campbell, 2011

Website: irvinscience.

Description: This class is a college level introductory biology course designed specifically to prepare the student to take the College Board Advanced Placement Biology Test in the spring. This class will be heavily comprised of lecture and laboratory exercises at the college level. Because of the academic nature of this course, students will be required to carry out large amounts of independent learning and studying for the A.P. test. This class is intended for the serious academic student who has an interest in the biological or medical fields as a career.

Grading structure: Grading will be carried out using a ten point scale. However, grades will be converted to the Notre Dame Scale at the end of the quarter.

Grades:

A = 100 – 90

B = 89 – 80

C = 79 – 70

D = 69 – 60

F = 59 and below

Ex: At the end of the term if a student has an 80%, it will be converted to an 85%.

All assignments and assessments will be graded on a point scale. The earned points divided by the total possible points determines the grade for that particular assignment.

The total points of each category will be calculated.

(Total points earned/Total points possible) x 100 = Grade per category

Each category will be weighed a specific percentage (see below) and the grade for the category will be multiplied by that percentage to determine the overall weight of that category. The weights of all the categories will be added together to determine the overall grade.

Categories and Weights:

70% Assessments (tests, quizzes, labs)

30% Assignments (class work, homework, reading quizzes)

Example: A student earns a total point value per category

Assessments: (350 earned/400 possible) x 100 = 87.5%

Assignments: (135 earned/150 possible) x 100 = 90.0%

Final Grade: Each category percentage is multiplied by its weight.

(87.5 X 0.7) = 61.25

(90.0 X 0.3) = 27.0

The category scores are added together to determine the final grade.

61.25 + 27.0 = 88.25 % (This would be converted to a 91% on the ND scale.)

Course Objectives: From the College Board AP Biology Course Description Booklet ()

The AP Biology program has undergone a curriculum redesign that changes the focus of biology to an investigative thematic approach. The course focuses on four main areas.

25% Evolution and Change

25% Cellular Processes and Dynamics

25% Genetics

25% Interconnections and Ecology

In each section of the course, students will be expected to independently teach themselves the basic tenants of each subject to allow for more class time to be devoted to deeper thematic understanding, laboratory exercises and experimentation, and activities.

Course Outline:* Subject to change at instructor’s discretion

** Note: There is no separate “ecology” unit in the curriculum, but the topics of ecology, which affect all levels of the biological hierarchy, have been incorporated into their appropriate levels of understanding.

I. Hierarchy and Characteristics of Life

 Cell and tissue types

II. Atoms to Molecules

a. Biological Molecules

b. Nutrient Cycles

III. Cells and Organelles

a. Organelles

b.  Cytoskeleton and Muscle Contraction

c. Cell Transport

d. Transpiration and plant stem, leaf, and root structure

e. Nerve Cell Transmission and the nervous system

f. Excretory System 

IV. Cellular Energetics

a. Enzymes

i. Thermodynamics 

ii. Digestive System

b.  Cellular Respiration

i. Cardiopulmonary System

ii. Q10 Temperature Coefficient

iii. Endotherms vs Ectotherms – methods for thermal homeostasis

c. Photosynthesis

i. Primary and Secondary Productivity

ii. Trophic Levels, food chains, food webs, trophic pyramids

iii. Plant Nutrition – limiting nutrients of terrestrial and aquatic biomes

iv. Soil structure and cation exchange

v. Legumes and mycorrhizae  

V. Cellular Division

a. Mitosis

b. Cell Cycles and Signal Transduction Pathways

c. Embryology

d. Cancer

e. Quorum Sensing Bacteria, fungi, and slime molds

i. Bioluminescent bacteria in squid 

f. Cell Signaling – endocrine system

g. Meiosis

i. Errors in Meiosis – genetic disorders

ii. Modes of speciation – gene amplification  

VI. Genetics  

a. Mendel

b. Morgan

i. Crossing over and recombination frequencies

c.  Molecular Genetic control

d. Protein Synthesis and mutations

e. Genome control

f. Eukaryotic control and epigenetics

g. Prokaryotic genetics

h. Viruses and the sub-life mysteries

i. DNA Technology

VII. Evolution

a. Survival of the Fittest/Natural Selection

b.  Habitat Selection - Niches

c. Biomes

d. Competitive Exclusion Principle

e. Community Ecology

f. Population Structure and Growth – Hardy Weinberg 

g. Behavioral Adaptation

h. Molecular Adaptation – Immune System – importance of diversity

i.  Evidence of Evolution

j. Cladograms

k. Taxonomy

l. Overview of Kingdoms

Make Up Work in the event of a legal absence:

General Work: (i.e. homework, in class work) For each day of absence, the student will be granted 2 days to make up the work upon his/her return.

Laboratories: In accordance to the science department policy, the student will have ONE week to make up a lab upon his/her return.

SPECIAL NOTE: When the class is doing a formal lab or one of the required A.P. biology labs, it is recommended that you be in attendance! These labs are crucial to this course. Be forewarned that the instructor may NOT excuse you for extracurricular activities when they conflict with these labs.

Tests: A student is expected to take the make-up exam within two days of his/her return to school. Exams will NOT be returned to the class until all exams are taken. If the student did not have sufficient time (sufficiency deemed by the instructor) to prepare for the test before the absence, the instructor will grant extra time for preparation. In this event, an all essay make-up will be given.

Projects: If a student is absent on the day a project is due, the project is still due. Since all major projects will be announced ahead of time, they are to be completed on time!

Late Work:

Late work will not be accepted.

Attendance:

Attendance will be carried out in accordance to normal Notre Dame policy. HOWEVER, due to the nature of this course, excessive absence will result in increased difficulty.

Expectations:

1. Preparation for Lecture

2. Preparation for Laboratory

3. Preparation for Assignments

My general expectations are that you do your best. You come prepared for whatever I throw at you. I know that I will be working very hard this year and I expect you to do the same. I will do my part. If you do yours, we will get along just fine. If you don’t, we will have some problems. Basically, I don’t like problems. This class will be hard enough without them.

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