AP Biology Syllabus



ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGY

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES

MRS. CLARK

2011-2012

Goals of the Course:

1. Present to you an exciting college-level course in Biology.

2. Further your interest in Biology.

3. Make you aware of the world of Biological Research.

4. Prepare you for success on the AP Exam.

Course Materials:

Text: Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life, 10th edition, Starr & Taggart

(accompanying CD Rom and workbook also used)

Lab Manual: AP Biology Lab Manual for Students (revised 2001), The College Board

You should also have: 3-ring binder with dividers, calculator, and a home set of colored pencils

Other materials you may want – Cliff notes for the AP Biology Exam

Expectations:

1. Expect homework every night. Make a commitment early to meet the demands of this course.

2. Each unit will require reading, student discussions, study guides/worksheets, written work, one or more labs, activities, pop quizzes, and exams.

3. Exams are in AP testing format, with multiple choice questions and essay questions. To insure students have maximum exposure to AP-style questions, the essay question is always taken directly from a previous College Board AP exam.

4. Each marking period you will have several formal writing assignments to prepare you for the AP exam. In addition you will be expected to do journal reviews and write formal lab reports.

5. Expect at least one project per marking period.

6. An up-to-date and organized notebook is mandatory. There will be notebook checks each marking period.

7. Laboratory work is an important part of this course. Every effort should be made to be present and prepared for lab. All labs will have pre-lab work that must be completed before you are allowed to begin a lab.

8. The final exam for this course is cumulative.

Absences:

Getting assignments from home – I encourage you to check my webpage often. Not only can you find assignments you missed, but all notes are posted before we discuss them in class. You may also get missing assignments by calling the Homework Hotline at 717-541-1662 x 1237 or e-mailing me at aclark@.

Laboratory – due to supply constraints, it is often difficult to make up a lab missed. Make every effort to be in class on lab day. If you miss a lab, you may be required to write a paper based on the topic covered instead of making up the lab.

Classwork/homework – All work is due on time. Late work is not accepted, except from those following the school’s policy for handing in late work when absent.

Tests – You are only exempt from a test if you missed a significant amount of classtime for that topic. If you are absent on test day, you are expected to make up the test the first day you return to school. You are not exempt from a test if you missed a review day.

AP Exam:

Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP Exam offered May 14th. All attempts will be made to cover the topics found on the exam. However, due to time constraints, students taking the exam may have to study topics not covered by the May exam date. The AP exam will not affect a student’s GPA. That exam score is not included in your grade. Students may opt to take the AP exam in place of the final exam for the course.

We will begin study sessions and reviews for the AP exam in March.

Contact information:

E-mail – aclark@

Phone – 541-1662 x 237

Homework x 1237

Topic: Chapter(s): Amt. of Time*:

I. Ecology (summer assignment) 10%

1. Population dynamics 45

2. Communities & ecosystems 47, 48, 49

3. Human Impact 50

Lab 12. Dissolved Oxygen and Primary Productivity

Lab 11. Animal Behavior

II. Chemistry of Life 7%

1. Review of Basic Inorganic/Organic

Chemistry 2

2. Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, and

Nucleic Acids – The Macromolecules 3, 6

Lab 2. Enzyme Catalysis

III. Cells – Part 1

A. Cell Structure & Function 5%

1. Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes / Plant vs. Animal 4

2. Basic Structure of Cells 4

3. Organelles, Cytoskeleton, Components of Motility 4

4. Structure & Function of Cell Membranes 5

Lab 1. Diffusion and Osmosis

IV. Diversity of Organisms 8%

1. Evolutionary Patterns 21

2. Principles of Taxonomy & Systematics 21

3. Classification: Eubacteria, Archaebacteria,

Protista, Fungi, Plantae, & Animalia 22 – 27

V. Structure & Function of Plants and Animals

A. Comparing Animals & Plants 28

B. Plants 15%

1. ATP, Energy Transfer, Chemiosmosis 6

2. Photosynthesis (C3 & C4 Pathways) 7

3. Structure/Growth / Development 29, 32

4. Transport in Vascular Plants 30

5. Hormonal Regulation / Nutrition / Reproduction 31, 32

Lab 4. Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis

Lab 9. Transpiration

C. Animals 21%

1. Tissues, Organs, Systems 33

2. Support & Movement 37

3. Neural Controls 34, 35

4. Circulation & Gas Exchange 38

5. Digestion & Nutrition 41

6. Thermoregulation, Osmoregulation, and

Excretion 42

7. Reproduction & Development 43, 44

8. Defense & Immunity 39

9. Hormones & the Endocrine System 36

10. Behavior 46

Lab 10. Physiology of the Circulatory System

VI. Cells – Part 2

A. Cell Structure & Function 5%

1. Cell Cycles (Mitosis & Meiosis) 9, 10

Lab 3. Mitosis and Meiosis

B. Cellular Energetics 4%

1. Cellular Respiration: Glycolysis, Aerobic Resp.,

Anaerobic Respiration 8

Lab 5. Cell Respiration

VII. Heredity & Evolution

A. Molecular Genetics/Biotechnology 9%

1. DNA: Structure & Replication 13

2. RNA: Transcription, mRNA Editing, Translation 14

3. Gene Regulation 15

4. Mutations, Recombinant DNA Technology,

Cloning, Hybridization, Sequencing, PCR 16

Lab 6. Molecular Biology

B. Heredity 8%

1. Meiosis (Revisited), Gametogenesis 10

2. Mendel’s Laws: Inheritance Patterns, Genes,

Eukaryotic Chromosomes, Interactions 11, 12

Lab 7. Genetics of Organisms

C. Evolution 8%

1. Origin of Life 17

2. Hardy-Weinberg Principles (Population Genetics) 17

3. Speciation, Patterns of Evolution 18, 19

Lab 8. Population Genetics and Evolution

* Approximate portion of total class as outlined in The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program.

Please return this page, signed, to Mrs. Clark TOMORROW

The Syllabus is to be kept in the student’s Science notebook.

_________________________________________

Student’s Name PRINTED

________________________________________ , I have read and understood the course syllabus.

Student’s Signature

_________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Name PRINTED

________________________________________ , I have read and understood the course syllabus.

Parent/Guardian Signature

Parents & Guardians, please take the time to write any comments or information regarding your student that you feel I should know. Also, if you would like to contact me via e-mail regarding your student, please do so at aclark@. I look forward to working with you and your student this school year.

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