Advanced Placement Biology
Syllabus
Course Overview: Advanced Placement Biology is designed to be equivalent to a two semester college introductory biology course. The class is conducted at the college level and students are expected to work accordingly. AP Biology differs significantly from a traditional high school biology course due to text content, depth of material covered, lab work, and time and effort required to achieve mastery in subject area. This course is designed to be taken by students after successful completion of high school biology and high school chemistry. It aims to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology. Students will study and conduct investigations in the area of metabolic processes, molecular genetics, homeostasis, evolution, and population dynamics. Students will be encouraged to focus on understanding important relationships, processes, mechanisms, and potential extensions and applications of concepts. Less important is the memorization of specialized terminology and technical details. For example, understanding how protein structure affects enzyme action is more important than memorizing a list of enzyme names. Questions on future Advanced Placement Biology Examinations will test students' abilities to explain, analyze, and interpret biological processes and phenomena more than their ability to recall specific facts.
Goals:
- to relate science to technology, society, and the environment;
- to develop skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry;
- to understand basic concepts of science.
Text: Biology, Campbell & Reese 6th edition, A.P. Biology Laboratory Manual (Textbook and Lab Manual provided)
Materials needed: Colored Pencils, Hi-lighters (at least 2 different colors), 3-ring binder devoted solely to AP Biology, calculator
Labs: You will be required to complete twelve (12) labs
set forth by The College Board Advanced Placement Program. Due to the large amount of time required for
laboratory set-up, it is essential that you are always present on lab
days.
Internet Lab Reviews: Mr. Knight's Lab Help Page Reviewing the 12 AP Bio Labs
Grading Policy: Unit Tests 70%; Daily work, Quizzes 10%; Labs 20%
Topic Outline
The following topic outline indicates the percentage of the
course and exam devoted to each major subset of biology.
I. Molecules and Cells
II. Heredity and Evolution
III. Organisms and Populations
I. Molecules and Cells (25%)
A. Chemistry of Life (7%)
1. Water
2. Organic molecules in organisms
3. Free energy changes
4. Enzymes
B. Cells (10%)
1. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
2. Membranes
3. Subcellular organization
4. Cell cycle and its regulation
C. Cellular Energetics (8%)
1. Coupled reactions
2. Fermentation and cellular respiration
3. Photosynthesis
II. Heredity and Evolution (25%)
A. Heredity (8%)
1. Meiosis and gametogenesis
2. Eukaryotic chromosomes
3. Inheritance patterns
B. Molecular Genetics (9%)
1. RNA and DNA structure and function
2. Gene regulation
3. Mutation
4. Viral structure and replication
5. Nucleic acid technology and applications
C. Evolutionary Biology (8%)
1. Early evolution of life
2. Evidence for evolution
3. Mechanisms of evolution
III. Organisms and Populations (50%)
A. Diversity of Organisms (8%)
1. Evolutionary patterns
2. Survey of the diversity of life
3. Phylogenetic classification
4. Evolutionary relationships
B. Structure and Function of Plants and Animals (32%)
1. Reproduction, growth, and development
2. Structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations
3. Response to the environment
C. Ecology (10%)
1. Population dynamics
2. Communities and ecosystems
3. Global issues
FIRST SEMESTER
*Time frame is an approximation. Revisions may be made due to
time fluctuations.
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Introduction: Themes in
the Study of Life |
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The Chemical Context of
Life
Basic Chemistry Quiz |
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Water and the Fitness of
the Environment Properties of Water Study Guide |
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Carbon and the Molecular
Diversity of Life Functional Groups Worksheet |
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The Structure and Function of
Macromolecules Write Essay:
The Many Functions of Proteins |
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Internet Sites: Chemicool Periodic Table - MIT Chemistry
Tutorial Introduction - The Biology Project, Biochemistry
Problem sets -The Biology Project, |
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UNIT TEST #1: |
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A Tour of the Cell Construct Cell Model-label organelles,
state function |
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Membrane Structure and
Function |
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Laboratory 1: Diffusion
and
Osmosis
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Internet Sites: Studying
Cells Tutorial - The Biology Project, Osmosis
Laboratory Tutorial - |
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UNIT TEST #2: Ch. 7-8 AND Laboratory 1. |
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An Introduction to Metabolism “Pineapple/Jell-O™
Lab” |
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Cellular Respiration: Harvesting
Chemical Energy |
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Photosynthesis Power
Points: Photosynthesis C4 Photosynthesis |
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Laboratory 2:
Enzymes |
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Laboratory 4: Plant
Pigments and Photosynthesis |
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Laboratory 5: Cell
Respiration |
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Internet Sites: Energy,
Enzymes, and Catalysis Problem Set - The Biology Project |
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UNIT TEST #3: |
Ch. 11-15 (3˝ weeks)
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Cell Communication Diseases
of Faulty Cell Communication - Internet Assignment |
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The Reproduction of Cells |
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Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles Marshmallow Meiosis: Breeding Reebops |
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Mendel and the Gene Idea |
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The Chromosomal Basis of
Inheritance Research Paper: Human Chromosomal Disorders |
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Laboratory 3: Mitosis
and Meiosis |
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Internet Sites: The
Cell Cycle & Mitosis Tutorial - The Biology Project, Problem
sets Genetics - The Biology Project, |
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UNIT TEST #4: Ch. 11-15 AND Laboratory 3 |
Ch. 16-21 (3 weeks)
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The Molecular Basis of
Inheritance Work of an English bacteriologist, Fred
Griffith |
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From Gene to Protein |
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Microbial Models: The Genetics
of Viruses and Bacteria |
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Genome Organization and
Expression in Eukaryotes |
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DNA Technology Recombinant DNA technology in the
synthesis of human insulin |
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The Genetic Basis of Development |
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Laboratory 6: Molecular
Biology |
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Internet Sites: Molecular
Biology - The Biology Project |
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UNIT TEST # 5 |
SEMESTER EXAM CH 1- 21 AND ALL LABORATORY EXERCISES
SECOND SEMESTER
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Descent with Modification: A Darwinian
View of Life Natural
Selection / "Teddy Grahams" |
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The Evolution of
Populations Hardy-Weinberg Made Easy Activity |
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The Origin of Species |
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Tracing Phylogeny: Macroevolution,
the Fossil Record, and Systematics |
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Early Earth and the Origin of
Life |
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Prokaryotes and the Origins of
Metabolic Diversity |
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The Origins of Eukaryotic
Diversity (545-554) |
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Fungi (616-619, 629-631) |
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Laboratory 8: Population
Genetics and Evolution |
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Laboratory 7: Genetics
of Organisms |
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Internet Sites: The Museum of
Paleontology (UCMP) - UC Berkeley |
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UNIT TEST #6 |
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Plant Diversity I: The
Colonization of Land |
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Plant Diversity II: The
Evolution of the Seed Plant |
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Plant Structure and Growth |
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Transport in Plants Carnation/Celery Demonstration |
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Plant Nutrition |
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Plant Reproduction and
Development |
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Control Systems in Plants Write Essay: Explain the
control system which allows a plant to cope with each of the
following: a) water deficit b) oxygen
deprivation c) heat stress d) cold stress e) herbivores f)
pathogens |
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Laboratory 9:
Transpiration |
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Internet Sites: Introduction
to the Plantae - |
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UNIT TEST #7: Ch. 29-30, 35-39, Laboratory 9 |
Ch. 32-34, 40-49 (4
weeks)
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Introduction to Animal Evolution |
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Invertebrates |
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Vertebrate Evolution and
Diversity |
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An Introduction to Animal
Structure/Function Write Essay: Homeostasis & feedback circuits |
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Animal Nutrition |
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Circulation and Gas Exchange |
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The Body's Defenses |
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Controlling the Internal
Environment |
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Chemical Signals in Animals Structure/function of endocrine system
related to reprod. system |
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Animal
Reproduction |
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Animal Development |
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Nervous Systems Write Essay: Describe the communication either between a
neuron and another neuron, or between a neuron and a muscle cell |
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Sensory and Motor Mechanisms |
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Laboratory 10:
Physiology of the Circulatory System |
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Internet Sites: Introduction
to the Metazoa (Animals) - UC Berkeley Human Biology
- The Biology Project |
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UNIT TEST #8: Ch. 32-34,
40-49 and Laboratory 10 |
Ch. 50-55 (2 - 3
weeks)
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An Introduction to Ecology and
the Biosphere Case Study: How Do Abiotic Factors Affect Distribution of Organisms? |
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Behavioral Biology Mini Lab: Pillbug Response |
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Population Ecology |
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Community Ecology Internet Assignment:
Symbiotic Relationships |
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Ecosystems |
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Conservation
Biology |
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Laboratory 11: Animal
Behavior |
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Laboratory 12: Dissolved
Oxygen and Primary Productivity |
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REVIEW
SEMESTER EXAM/LAB: UNIT TEST #9: Ch. 50 - 55 and Laboratory 11 & 12 (Turn in lab manual for grade).
AP EXAM: TBA