AP BIOLOGY Mandatory Summer Assignment Welcome to AP Biology! The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a college- level introductory biology course. The intent of the course is to expose you to higher- level biological principles, concepts, and skills and allow you the opportunity to apply your knowledge to real- life applications. As we work together, you will cultivate your understanding of biology through inquiry- based investigations as you explore the four Big Ideas. The four Big Ideas are: Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life. Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis. Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes. Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties. The biggest challenge we face is lack of time. Our time together in class is limited and I understand that your time dedicated to studying biology outside of the classroom is severely limited as well. I will work very hard to manage our biology time effectively. In doing so, it is in our best interest to hit the ground running come our first day of class in September. The summer assignment has been designed to keep your mind sharp, review basic chemistry and biology topics, evaluate your ability to gather information from a variety of sources and present that information in a coherent manner ensure you are adequately prepared for the pace and depth of AP Biology. You should also view this assignment as an opportunity for you to show me what you already know! As you think back to what you have already learned in your previous science classes, I encourage you to conduct a more thorough investigation as you work to discover and present a deeper understanding. I cannot emphasize enough the importance that reading will have on your success in this course. Begin reading about these topics now and get excited about our journey in AP Biology! PLEASE NOTE that some assignments are due BEFORE the first day of school. Make sure those assignments are submitted correctly and ON TIME. HAVE FUN and I look forward to seeing you in September! Best Wishes, Mrs. Madalon amadalon@somervilleschools.org Follow me on Twitter: @Madalon_Biology 1
Part I: Unifying Concepts (50 points) DUE: Monday, August 22 nd Using a variety of resources, complete one of the following essay questions. Your answer must be typed and should be no more than 2 pages double spaced, size 12 font with 1- inch margins and have at least three citations (MLA Format). See below for a list of Internet resources to help start your research. All assignments for this part must be either emailed as an attachment or shared with me on Google at amadalon@somervilleschools.org. Essay Question: Choose one of the following 1. Water is essential for life on earth. Why? Focus in on the role water plays in living things and the chemical properties of water that allow it to perform as it does. You should demonstrate understanding of the properties of water as you write about polarity, surface tension, and specific heat. 2. DNA is the genetic information molecule. Briefly describe the structure of DNA. Relate changes in DNA to changes in genetic information and evolution. 3. Reproduction can be either asexual or sexual. Using specific examples, describe how organisms can reproduce asexually and sexually. Discuss evolutionary advantages of both modes of reproduction while identifying ways that sexual reproduction increases genetic variability. 4. The element carbon is contained in all organic compounds. Discuss the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in carbon cycling in the biosphere. Your research can include but is not limited to, predicting and explaining the effect on the carbon cycle if decomposers were absent, deforestation occurred, and/or examples of how human activity can increase atmospheric CO 2. 5. We only have one Planet Earth and we are destroying it every day. Describe in detail one major ecological issue of today. Be sure to discuss its mechanisms, causes, impacts and ways to reduce or reverse the damage caused. Part II: Vocabulary Review Quizlet (50 points) DUE: First day of school Use a variety of resources to create a Quizlet set (https://quizlet.com) that explains or illustrates each of the following terms, ideas, or structures. Please be sure your explanation is complete and that you refer to both structure and function. Use diagrams whenever possible. All diagrams must be hand drawn (scanned & uploaded), labeled, and must be fully explained. Once you ve completed your set, join our Quizlet class at: https://quizlet.com/join/spbdwetxs ALL EXPLANATIONS SHOULD BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS. DO NOT COPY AND PASTE FROM A WEBSITE OR STEAL A CREATED QUIZLET SET. 1. Emergent properties 2. Negative feedback 3. Prokaryotic cell 4. Electron shells 5. Valence electron 6. Polar covalent bond 7. Electronegativity 8. Hydrogen bond 9. Cohesion 10. Adhesion 11. Polar molecule 12. Kinetic energy 13. Evaporative cooling 14. Aqueous solution 15. Hydration shell 16. Hydrophilic 17. Hydrophobic 18. Colloid 19. Hydronium ion 20. Hydroxide ion 21. Organic chemistry 22. Hydrocarbons 23. Structural isomers 24. Geometric isomers 25. Enantiomers 26. Functional groups 27. Adenosine triphosphate 28. Condensation reaction 29. Dehydration reaction 30. Enzymes 31. Macromolecules 32. Monosaccharides 33. Disaccharide 34. Glycosidic linkage 35. Polysaccharides 36. Cellulose 37. Fatty acid 38. Triacylglycerol 39. Saturated fatty acid 40. Unsaturated fatty acid 41. Phospholipid 42. Steroids 43. Polypeptides 44. Amino acid 45. Peptide bond 46. Deoxyribonucleic acid 47. Ribonucleic acid 48. Polynucleotides 49. Pyrimidine 50. Purine 2
Part III: Biology Current Event (50 points) DUE: Monday, August 22 nd You must collect TWO articles relating to the living world. A valuable source is Tuesday s NY Times Science section. The articles can be of any length and you must supply a copy of the article when submitting your assignment. A link to an article is sufficient. All assignments for this part must be either emailed as an attachment or shared with me on Google at amadalon@somervilleschools.org. Once you have read and understood the articles you must do the following: (no more than 1 page in length, double spaced, size 12 font) 1. Summarize the article 2. Explain the significance of the article 3. Discuss how it impacts both the living world and your life specifically Part IV: Biology Photo Scavenger Hunt (100 points) DUE: First day of school Create an AP Biology Instagram account. This account will only be used for AP Biology and must not be linked to your personal Instagram account. Follow me at: AP_Bio_Ville so I can view this portion of the assignment. My hope is that you will eventually follow every student taking AP Biology so you can share your experiences in the course (ie: lab setups) throughout the year. Below are the guidelines for this portion of the assignment: 1. GRADING- Each item is worth 4 points. Earn 100 points by collecting 25 items from the list of terms. When I say collect, I mean you should collect that item by locating and taking a digital photograph of that item for one (1) point. Then you must define and fully explain the term you have collected for two (2) points and specify the date and location for one (1) point each. 2. YOU CAN BE CREATIVE- If you choose an item that is internal to a plant or animal, for example, the term phloem, you can submit a photograph of the whole organism or a close up of one part, and then explain what phloem is and specifically where phloem is located in your specimen. 3. ORIGINAL PHOTOS ONLY- You cannot use an image from any publication or the Internet. You must take all photographs yourself. To prove this, you need to select a token to place in all of your photographs (for example: a pen, jewelry, coin, key, etc.). You must use the same token in every picture to identify the photograph as your own work. 4. NATURAL ITEMS ONLY- All items must be from something that you have found in nature. Take a walk around your yard, neighborhood, family vacation spot or town. DO NOT SPEND ANY MONEY! Research what the term means and in what organisms it can be found... and then go out and find an example. ALL PHOTOGRAPHS MUST BE SCHOOL APPROPRIATE. BIOLOGY COLLECTION TERMS: Below are the items you are to collect. An individual organism can only be used once. Humans are acceptable for only one submission. Don t forget to include your token in every photo!! 1. adaptation of an animal 2. adaptation of a plant 3. adaptive radiation 4. adhesion and cohesion 5. altruistic behavior 6. amniotic egg 7. analogous structures 8. animal that has a segmented body 9. anther & filament of stamen 10. aposematic coloring 11. artificial selection 12. asexual reproduction 13. ATP 14. autotroph 15. auxin producing area of a plant 16. basidiomycete 17. Batesian mimicry 18. bilateral symmetry 19. biological magnification 20. bottleneck effect 21. C3 plant 22. C4 plant 23. CAM plant 24. Calvin cycle 25. cambium 26. cellular respiration 27. cellulose 3
28. cephalization 29. chitin 30. coevolution 31. commensalism 32. connective tissue 33. cuticle layer of a plant 34. clade 35. coelomate 36. coleoptiles 37. countercurrent exchange 38. detritovore 39. deuterostome development 40. dominant vs. recessive phenotype 41. ectotherm 42. endosperm 43. endotherm 44. endergonic reaction 45. endosperm 46. epigenic inheritance 47. enzyme 48. epithelial tissue 49. ethylene 50. eubacteria 51. eukaryote 52. exoskeleton 53. fermentation 54. flower ovary 55. frond 56. gametophyte 57. genetic variation within a population 58. genetically modified organism 59. gibberellins 60. glycogen 61. gymnosperm cone male or female 62. gymnosperm leaf 63. histamine 64. hermaphrodite 65. heterotroph 66. homeostasis 67. homologous structures 68. hydrophilic 69. hydrophobic 70. introduced species 71. keystone species 72. Krebs cycle 73. K- strategist 74. lichen 75. lipid used for energy storage 76. littoral zone organism 77. long- day plant 78. mating behavior (be careful!) 79. meristem 80. modified leaf of a plant 81. modified root of a plant 82. modified stem of a plant 83. Mullerian mimicry 84. mutualism 85. mycelium 86. mycorrhizae 87. negative feedback 88. niche 89. parasitism 90. parenchyma cells 91. phloem 92. pollen 93. pollinator 94. population 95. predation 96. prokaryote 97. r- strategist 98. radial symmetry (animal) 99. redox reaction 100. rhizome 101. ruminant 102. sarcomere 103. seed dispersal (animal, wind, water) 104. semelparity 105. sexual dimporphism 106. spore 107. sporophyte 108. stigma & style of carpel 109. succession 110. taxis 111. territorial behavior 112. tropism 113. turgor pressure 114. unicellular organism 115. vestigial structures 116. xylem Suggested References: Helpful Links: http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/biologypages (Enter desired term(s) in box, above right and click "GO") http://www.accessexcellence.org (go to the graphics gallery section) http://www.biology.arizona.edu http://www.bozemanscience.com/ap- biology/ (We will be watching these videos throughout the year!) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=pl3eed4c1d684d3adf (Another excellent video library) http://www.handwrittentutorials.com/videos.php (Biochemistry & Immunology) http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/biology/ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=plwl0myd7dk1f0iqpgrjehze3edpco1evz (Amoeba Sisters provide very simple explanations on basic topics- sometimes all you need is a simple explanation to get started!) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/ http://www2.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobooktoc.html Any College level General Biology textbook or a scientific encyclopedia AP Biology Study Guides: I highly recommend getting one or both of these! Barron s AP Biology 5 th Edition (http://www.amazon.com/barrons- AP- Biology- 5th- Edition/dp/1438005008) AP Biology Study Guide (http://www.amazon.com/biology- 2016- Study- Guide- Placement/dp/1628453478/ref=pd_cp_14_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1M4GE49S3GDKPA8R2SAK) MLA Formatting and Style Guide: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ And if you re looking to read for entertainment- check out, Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin 4
EduBlog I will be working this year to create an AP Biology blog that will contain all of the documents we ll accumulate throughout the year. You can visit the site at: https://madalonapbiology.edublogs.org. Please bookmark this now so you have it for the fall. Again, this is a work in progress but your summer assignment will be posted there if you need another copy. Contact Information: You can always contact me via email at amadalon@somervilleschools.org with any questions or concerns. Remember to use your school account when emailing me. Get pumped science friends!! It s going to be an awesome year! Have a great summer break- see you in September! 5