AP Biology Syllabus 2016-2017 Course Overview: AP Biology is equivalent to an introductory college level biology program in order to develop student led inquiry into science. The class is designed to go in depth the topics discussed in both biology and chemistry and to find connections between the enduring understandings within the 4 Big Ideas established by the AP Biology Curriculum Framework (CR2). Big Idea 1: Does the process of evolution drive the diversity and unit of life? Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and maintain homeostasis. Big Idea 3: Living systems retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes. Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact and these interactions possess complex properties. Students will understand these big ideas and apply connections between the ideas as well as current scientific findings (current affairs) via inquiry based laboratory work and other research based on the seven science practices (CR5, CR6, CR8). Textbooks Campbell, Neil and Reece, Jane; Biology 8 th Edition, 2005, Pearson Education Inc. (CR1) AP Biology Investigative Labs: an Inquiry Based Approach Kaskel, Albert et al; Investigating Living Systems Laboratory Manual, Glencose/McGraw-Hill Laboratory and Reports: Students will spend 25% of the class time performing student directed laboratory investigations (CR7). Labs will be taken primarily from AP Biology Investigative Labs: an Inquiry Based Approach which includes at least 2 laboratory investigations in each of the 4 Big Ideas (minimum of 8) following the seven science practices (CR6) Additional labs will build on the discussed topics and skills learned. Each student is required to complete formal reports for the AP inquiry labs as well as oral, written, or graphical representations for data and results collected (CR8). Students will be given two copies of the Student Safety Contract to sign and one to keep. Science Practices (SP) 1. The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems. 2. The student can use mathematics appropriately. 3. The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course. 4. The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question. 5. The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence. 6. The student can work with scientific explanations and theories. 7. The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains.
Student Expectations: This is an AP class. Students are expected to put in more work than a standard biology class. Keep track of assignments, readings, assignment/project due dates, as well as quizzes/tests dates. Grades will be given in percentages. Students will earn grades based on quality and accuracy of the work completed. Overall grades will be based as in the Student Handbook according: Exams/Projects/Research Paper 60% Quizzes/Lab Reports 25% Homework/Readings/Outlines 15% Final Research Paper: Students will complete a research paper on an approved topic of choice which connects at least 2 of the big ideas. Criteria includes 8 10 pages typed, font 12, double spaced 3 5 supporting research to validate connections 3 examples of connection evident in nature or through research Paper must be properly cited References Presentation Useful websites: http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/index.html https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/home http://www.bozemanscience.com/ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=pl3eed4c1d684d3adf
Course Schedule: Introduction and review Length of Time Dates * Big Ideas Chapters 1 class 9/12 1, 2, 3, 4 6 Cell structure and functions Lab cell size Project Choose an organelle/cell structure and create a visual representation of how it interacts and communicates with its external environment (CR3c, CR3d) Quiz and exam Unit 1: Biochemistry of life 1.5 weeks 9/13 9/23 2, 3 3-5 Emergent properties of water and how it affects the viability living organisms Effects of changes in ph Carbon compounds Macromolecules of life carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids Lab - Emergent properties of water Lab/Activity - ph and Acid Rain (CR4c, CR4d) Lab Carbohydrates & Proteins: Chemistry and Identification Activity Create models of macromolecules (CR4c) Project: TBA Macromolecule models *Tentative dates
Unit 2: Cellular Structure and Communication Length of Time Date* Big Ideas Chapters 1.5 week 9/26-10/4 1, 2, 3, 4 7, 11 Membrane structure and function Signaling, reception, and response Correlation of membrane structure and application to communication to a cell s environment AP Lab #1 Diffusion and Osmosis Lab Normal and plasmolyzed cells Activity Build a cell membrane model using subunits (CR4b, CR4c, CR4d) Activity Analogy of cellular communication (CR4c) Project: TBA Research project and presentation Unit 3: Cellular Energy 3-4 weeks 10/5 11/3 2, 3, 4 8-10 Laws of energy ATP and enzymes Glycolysis and the citric cycle Aerobic and anaerobic respiration Photosynthesis AP Lab #5 Cell respiration AP Lab #4 Plant pigments and photosynthesis Lab Influencing the rate of photosynthesis Lab Factors influencing the rate of yeast respiration AP Lab #13 Enzyme Activity Project create a visual model of one method of energy production (CR4b) Model project and presentation
Unit 4: Cell Cycle and Genetics 3 weeks 11/7 12/2 1, 2, 4 12 (review), 13-15 Mitosis overview Meiosis and genetic variations Mendelian Laws of inheritance Chromosomal Behavior Linked genes and chromosomal number AP Lab #3 Cell Division : Mitosis & Meiosis Lab Sex linked or not sex linked Activity Karyotyping Project Research a genetic disorder and explain the significance of chromosomal number and the affects the number has on cellular function to a single cell as well as to the person affected (CR3b. CR3d) Karyotyping Unit 5: Molecular Genetics 3 weeks 12/5 1/6 1, 2, 3, 4 16-20 DNA replication, proofreading, and repair Transcription and translation Regulating gene expressions Virus and host relationship Biotechnology Genome and genome evolution Genetic change and mutation - cancer Activity - DNA and RNA models (CR4b) Activity - trna and protein building model (CR4b) AP Lab #6 Molecular Biology Transformation Activity transcription and translation poster Project - Research and present an example of biotechnology and how it has improved our scientific understanding and allowed for connections between our four big ideas Example: Restriction enzyme use for recombinant DNA as a possible explanation for the cellular and viral evolution (CR4b).
Unit 6: Evolution 3 weeks 1/9-1/27 1, 3, 4 22-25, 26 Darwin and the Origin of Species Genetic variation in a population Hardy-Weinberg equation Natural selection History of Life Phylogeny and the tree of life Lab - Human variation with possible adaptive value AP Lab #2 - Hardy-Weinberg Equation AP Lab # 3 - Comparing DNA sequences to understand evolutionary relationships with BLAST Unit 7: Ecology 3 weeks 1/30 2/17 1, 3, 4 51-56 Behavioral adaptations to the environment Factors that affect distribution of organisms and population growth Logistic growth model Community influences on diversity Energy flow in an ecosystem Conservation needs as a result of population fluctuation Lab Yeast Population Study
AP Lab # 11 Animal Behavior AP Lab # 12 Dissolved Oxygen Project = Create a biosphere diorama showing the interactions of organisms (CR4d) Unit 8: Biodiversity and Classification 1 weeks 2/21 2/24 1, 3, 4 26-34 Bacteria and Protists Adaptation and genetic diversity of bacteria and Protist (CR3a, CR3c) Overview of simple plant and animal classifications Activity - Slides of example bacteria and protists Activity - Endosymbiotic Theory discussion (CR4a) Project - Create a phylogenic tree of an approved characteristics of organisms (CR4a) Unit 9: Plant Physiology Length of Time Dates Big Ideas Chapters 3 weeks 2/27-3/17 3, 4 35-39 select sections Hierarchy and organization of plants Morphogenesis and differentiation Adaptations of plants as a relation to changes in its environment Plant/animal relationships and interactions Lab - Plant anatomy Lab - Flower anatomy AP Lab # 9 - Transpiration Project - Choose a plant and research its anatomical uniqueness as a result of its environment (CR4a, CR4d)
Unit 10: Animal Physiology Length of Time Dates Big Ideas Chapters 2 weeks 3/20-3/24 3, 4 40-50 select sections Animal physiological adaptations to the environment as a relation to energy needs Innate and acquired immunity due to external stimuli Diversity of organ systems due to evolutionary adaptions Response of an animal to changes in homeostasis Function of the nervous system to communication and response to environmental changes Lab Fetal pig dissection AP Lab # 10 Physiology of the circulatory system