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Introduction |
The Advanced Placement Biology college course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during their first year of college. AP Biology strives to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology and to prepare the science student to be competitive in the college community. The course is broken down into three areas of study: 25% molecules and cells, 25% genetics and evolution, and 50% organisms and populations. A college textbook and laboratory experiments will be utilized. The AP program is recognized by nearly 2900 U.S. and foreign colleges and universities, which grant credit, appropriate placement, or both to students who have performed satisfactorily on the AP examination. |
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Course Syllabus Semester 1 |
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
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Course Syllabus Semester 2 |
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 |
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Tests and Grades |
Unit tests are multiple choice and essay response mimicking the AP format in style and pacing. Our goal in testing is to let you know what you have learned, what you still need to learn, practice appropriate AP writing skills and simulate AP testing time conditions. Grades will be determined by the class mean, which will correspond to a "B" percentage value. (The instructor reserves the right to change this value based on class effort.) Two standard deviations below your peers is considered failing. Each standard deviation above and below the mean corresponds to one letter grade. Your "6 weeks" grade will be determined as follows: 70% Tests, 20% Labs and 10% Homework. The fall semester grade will be determined from student performance during each of the three 6 weeks. The spring semester grade will also be determined by student performance; however, if a student scores a "4" on the AP exam the student's spring semester grade will be raised by 5% with a high end cap of 89%. If a student scores a "5" on the AP exam the spring semester grade will be raised by 10%. Grades will NOT be lowered based on AP results. |
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Suggested Study Habits |
You have just informed yourself of the most important concepts in the chapter three times. 4. Now....read the chapter. This will assist you in identifying the key concepts among all the detail. |