AP Biology Course and Exam Description - College Board

AP BIOLOGY

?

Course and Exam Description

Revised edition

Effective Fall 2015

AP BIOLOGY

?

Course and Exam Description

Revised Edition

Effective Fall 2015

The College Board

New York, NY

About the College Board

The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that

connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900,

the College Board was created to expand access to higher education.

Today, the membership association is made up of more than 5,900 of the

world¡¯s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting

excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board helps

more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to

college through programs and services in college readiness and college

success ¡ª including the SAT? and the Advanced Placement Program?.

The organization also serves the education community through research

and advocacy on behalf of students, educators, and schools.

For further information, visit .

AP? Equity and Access Policy

The College Board strongly encourages educators to make equitable

access a guiding principle for their AP programs by giving all willing and

academically prepared students the opportunity to participate in AP. We

encourage the elimination of barriers that restrict access to AP for students

from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally

underserved. Schools should make every effort to ensure their AP classes

reflect the diversity of their student population. The College Board also

believes that all students should have access to academically challenging

course work before they enroll in AP classes, which can prepare them for

AP success. It is only through a commitment to equitable preparation and

access that true equity and excellence can be achieved.

This edition includes changes to the Curriculum Framework. See ¡°About

This Edition¡± on page v for a comprehensive list of changes.

Second Reprint

? 2015 The College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, AP, AP

Central, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. All other

products and services may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College

Board on the Web: .

ii

Contents

About This Edition

v

About AP?

1

Offering AP Courses and Enrolling Students

2

How AP Courses and Exams Are Developed

2

How AP Exams Are Scored

3

Using and Interpreting AP Scores

4

Additional Resources

4

AP Biology Curriculum Framework

Introduction

The Emphasis on Science Practices

Overview of the Concept Outline

The Concept Outline

Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity

and unity of life.

5

5

5

6

8

8

Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and

molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to

maintain dynamic homeostasis.

21

Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and

respond to information essential to life processes.

46

Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems

and their interactions possess complex properties.

78

Science Practices for AP Biology

97

References

103

Appendix to the Curriculum Framework:

AP Biology Concepts at a Glance

104

Index to the AP Biology Curriculum Framework

117

The Laboratory Investigations

121

Participating in the AP Course Audit

122

Curricular Requirements

122

Resource Requirements

123

Exam Information

124

How the Curriculum Framework Is Assessed

127

Demonstrating Understanding on the AP Biology Exam

127

Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

129

164

Answers to Multiple-Choice Questions

Sample Free-Response Questions

Scoring Guidelines

165

170

iii

iv

Appendix A: Preparing Students for

Success in AP Biology

174

Appendix B: AP Biology Equations and Formulas

187

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download