BISHOP MCGUINNESS HIGH SCHOOL
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
AP BIOLOGY
MR. BRIAN SICKELBAUGH
2011-2012
OBJECTIVES:
This course seeks to cover the subject areas in biology determined by the
National College Board as representative of an introductory college biology
course. This means you will be learning the same concepts and principles that
college freshmen learn in their first year biology classes. Successful
completion of this class and a passing score on the AP Exam will be rewarded
with college credits that can be used at a college of your choice. It should
be clear that this course will not involve the simple memorization of facts,
laws, or theories. Rather this course is meant to deepen your understanding of
the unifying principles of biology.
SCOPE
The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester
college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during
their first year. After showing themselves to be qualified on the AP Exam,
some students, in their first year of college, are permitted to take
upper-level courses in biology or register for courses for which biology is a
prerequisite. Other students may have fulfilled a basic requirement for a
laboratory-science course and will be able to undertake other courses to
pursue their majors. AP Biology should include those topics regularly covered
in a college biology course for majors. The college course in biology differs
significantly from the usual first high school course in biology with respect
to the kind of textbook used, the range and depth of topics covered, the type
of laboratory work done by students, and the time and effort required of
students. The textbooks used for AP Biology should be those used by college
biology majors. The kinds of labs done by AP students must be the equivalent
of those done by college students. The AP Biology course is designed to be
taken by students after the successful completion of a first course in high
school biology and one in high school chemistry as well. 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.
AP Biology focuses on three overarching topics and the emphasis of the course
on those topics:
Topic % of course
Molecules & Cells 25%
A. Chemistry of Life 7%
Water
Organic Molecules in Organisms
Free Energy Changes
Enzymes
B. Cells 10%
Prokaryotic & eukaryotic cells
Membranes
Subcellular organization
Cell cycle & its regulation
C. Cellular Energetics 8%
Coupled reactions
Fermentation & cellular respiration
Photosynthesis
Heredity & Evolution 25%
A. Heredity 8%
Meiosis & gametogenesis
Eukaryotic chromosomes
Inheritance patterns
B. Molecular Genetics 9%
RNA & DNA structure & function
Gene regulation
Mutation
Viral structure & replication
Nucleic acid technology & its applications
C. Evolutionary Biology 8%
Early evolution of life
Evidence for evolution
Mechanisms of evolution
Organisms & Populations 50%
A. Diversity of Organisms 8%
Evolutionary patterns
Survey of the diversity of life
Phylogenetic classification
Evolutionary relationships
B. Structure & Function of Plants & Animals 32%
Reproduction, growth & development
Structural, physiological & behavioral adaptations
Response to the environment
C. Ecology 10%
Population dynamics
Communities & ecosystems
Global issues
% of course = indicates the approximate amount of time that will be spent on
each topic. The above is a recommendation of the College Board and closely
follows the material on the AP Biology exam.
The course also has eight underlying themes: Science as a Process, Evolution,
Energy Transfer, Continuity and Change, Relationship of Structure to function,
Regulation, interdependence in Nature, Science, Technology, and Nature
Unit Topics/Concepts Chapter References Laboratory Experiences Approximate
Time (Days) Main Themes of Unit/Topic
1 – Biochemistry Water
Organic Molecules in organisms
Free Energy Changes
Enzymes
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 AP Lab 2: enzyme Catalysis
Organic compound testing
Properties of water lab
10 Science as a Process
Energy Transfer
Relationship of Structure to Function
Science, Technology & Society
2 – Cells and Cellular Energetics Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
Membranes
Subcellular organization
Cell cycle and its regulation
Coupled reactions
Fermentation and cellular respiration
Photosynthesis
6,7,8,9,10,11,12 AP Lab 1: Osmosis and diffusion
Microscope investigations of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
27 Continuity and change
Relationship of structure to function
Regulation
Science, Technology, and society
3 – Heredity and Molecular Genetics Meiosis and gametogenesis
Eukaryotic chromosomes
Inheritance patterns
RNA and DNA structure and function
Gene regulation
Mutation
Viral structure and replication
Nucleic acid technology and applications
13,14,15,16,17,18, 19,20,21 AP Lab 4: Plant Pigments
AP lab 5: Cell respiration
26 Energy Transfer
Regulation
Science, Technology & Society
4 – Evolutionary Biology Early evolution of life
Evidence for evolution
Mechanisms of evolution
21,22,23,24,25 AP Lab 8: Population genetics and evolution
Amino acid sequencing comparisons
Hardy - Weinberg lab 12 Science as a Process
Evolution
Continuity and Change
Relationship of Structure to Function
Regulation
Science, Technology & Society
5 – Diversity of Organisms Evolutionary patterns
Survey of the diversity of life
Phylogenetic classification
Evolutionary relationships 26,27,28,31,32,33, 34 Protest lab
Viral transmission activity
Taxonomic key construction 12 Evolution
Continuity and Change
Relationship of Structure to Function
Regulation
Science, Technology & Society
6 – Structure and Function of Plants Reproduction, growth and development
Structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations
Response to the environment
29,30,35,36,37,38, 39 AP lab 9: Transpiration
Plant and seed dissection 20 Continuity and Change
Relationship of Structure to Function
Regulation
Science, Technology & Society
7 – Structure and Function of Animals Reproduction, growth and development
Structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations
Response to the environment 40,41,42,43,44,45, 46,47,48,49,50,51, Animal survey
AP Lab 10: Circulation
Simulated Blood Typing
Antibody/Antigen Lab
25 Continuity and Change
Relationship of Structure to Function
Regulation
Science, Technology & Society
8 – Interactions & Interdependence Ecosystem Structure & Function
Population Ecology
Community Ecology
Human Impact
52, 53, 54, 55, 56 AP Lab 11: Animal Behavior AP Lab 12: Dissolved Oxygen
and Primary Productivity
Population Dynamics
Virtual Populations
Nutrient Cycles
15 Evolution
Energy Transfer
Continuity and change
Relationship of Structure to Function
Regulation
Interdependence in Nature
Science, Technology & Society
Textbook: AP Edition of Biology (9th edition) by Campbell & Reece © 2011
ISBN: 9780131375048
All students will use MasteringBiology.com with the e-text version of the text
book.
ISBN: 9780321686510
A printed version of the text will be available for reference in the classroom.
Materials:
3-ring notebook Divided into sections for lecture notes, homework, labs,
quizzes, and tests.
Pencils/Pens
Rules:
1. Be Prompt: You must be in your seat ready to work when the bell rings.
2. Be Prepared: You must bring pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, textbook, etc.
to class daily unless told otherwise. These items will not be provided
for you.
3. Be Respectful: Raise your hand and wait to be recognized before speaking.
4. Be Cautious: Follow All safety rules at all times.
5. Absolutely No Food or Drinks allowed in the classroom. This includes candy
and gum. First two infractions to this rule entail warnings. The third
offense will include detention increasing in severity if infractions persist.
6. Be Neat: Put trash in trashcans not inside desks or lab tables. As a
science student you will be expected to act responsibly in terms of
environmental stewardship. In other words, recycle what can be recycled and
throw away properly what cannot.
Expectations:
You will be expected to comply with the following:
1. Your class is a team of learners. Therefore, you will be expected to be
respectful of others in both conversation and property.
2. Complete all assignments by the respective due date. Late work will not be
accepted. TO RECIEVE CREDIT, ALL PAPER ASSIGNMENTS, HOMEWORK, CLASSWORK, AND
WORKSHEETS, ARE TO BE PLACED IN THE APPROPRIATE CLASS TRAY ON THE DUE DATE
WITH THE NAME OF THE STUDENT ON THEM.
3. If you know you are going to miss class due to a school sponsored activity
(sports, clubs, etc.) you must turn in your assignment before you
miss class. This year the science test day will be on Monday. It is your
responsibility to arrange for make-up work. Please make up missed homework,
labs, quizzes, and tests promptly. Time allowances for makeup work due to
excused absences will follow established school policy
4. Study your notes and materials nightly. Quizzes may be given daily.
5. Be prepared to respond to questions in class daily and participate in class
activities.
6. Use restroom, phone and take care of other personal business during breaks.
Grading Policy:
Semester I Semester II
Tests 30 % Tests 30%
Labs, Major Projects 25% Labs, Major Projects 25%
Homework, Class work 30% Homework, Class work 30%
Quizzes, Minor projects 15% Quizzes, Minor projects 15%
Exams are administered at the end of the first and second semesters. The
midterm exam will cover material from the first and second quarters. The final
exam will cover material from the third and fourth quarters. Exams count as
20% of the semester average.