ap biology syllabus

AP Biology Syllabus

Course OverviewThe AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester college introductory course. The course is taken after the successful completion of both first-year high school biology and chemistry. The AP Biology class meets every other day for 90 minutes. It is scheduled for the block right after lunch so that they are able to come in during lunch to begin a lab if there is a possibility that it may run longer than the 90 minute time period. The scheduling allows us to do all of the 12 labs in the AP Lab Manual for Students as well as additional labs and activities that supplement the course material. Many formal as well as a few informal lab reports are assigned in addition to questions from the lab manual. Students have assigned readings and are encouraged to self learn concepts using the supplemental CD’s, diagrams, models, and other tools.

The textbook for the course is Neil A. Campbell and Jane B. Reece’s Biology, seventh edition. Students are required to read assigned chapters in the text with a test at the end of each unit. A course syllabus, reading assignments, and lecture outlines are given to students to aid in organization because the course is fast paced to cover all necessary topics. Applications of biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social issues will be addressed all year.The first semester begins with a discussion of the “Eleven Themes that Unify Biology” which are similar to the “eight major themes” found in the official curricular requirements of AP Biology. The units include and are based on these themes.

Other resources used in the course include:

Student Study Guide:Taylor, Martha R. (2005) Student Study Guide for Biology, 7th ed.

Student and teacher lab manual:College Board AP Advanced Placement Program (2001). Biology Lab Manual.

Campbell, N.A. and Reece, J.B. (2005) Preparing for the Biology AP Exam.

The Test Bank and other resources provided to teachers and students are aligned with the text, study guide, and lab manual currently adopted by the district.

Griffin, R. (1986) The Biology Coloring Book.

Alcamo, I. Edward, Ph.D. (1998) Biology Coloring Workbook

Goals and ObjectivesAt the completion of AP Biology, the student will be able to organize, discuss, interpret, and integrate topics related to:

1. the unifying themes of biology2. science as a process rather than an accumulation of facts.3. scientific experiments and experimental results.4. evolution as the foundation of modern biological models and thought.5. fundamental characteristics of living organisms.6. chemical processes underlying life processes.7. the structure and function of cells, cell parts, organs and systems.8. the central role of energy in living systems.9. factors associated with genetic variation in individuals and populations.10. the role of natural selection in evolution and how biodiversity relates to

evolutionary relationships.11. the six-Kingdom and three-Domain classification systems.12.differences and similarities in major groups of microorganisms, fungi,

plants, and animals.13. the applications of biological knowledge and critical thinking to

environmental and social concerns. Taking the College Board AP Biology Exam in the spring is expected of all students. Our state covers the registration fee for each student. A grade of 3 or better (out of a possible 5) will allow the student to be considered for exemption from the introductory college biology course at all in-state colleges and at most out-of-state colleges. Preparation for the AP Exam is on-going. During the second semester, released AP exams and free response question samples are reviewed in class and out-of-class study sessions.

AP Biology Topics, Labs, TestsOutline

I. Molecules and Cells 25% 21 days

A. Chemistry of Life 7% Ch. 1-5, 8 6 days Water 47-56 Organic molecules in organisms 58-89 Free energy changes 145-150 Enzymes 150-157 Lab: Water properties Lab: Modeling macromolecules Lab: Enzyme Catalysis AP Lab Manual #2 Exam: covers the labs and lecture

B. Cells 10% Ch. 6-7, 12 8 days Prokaryotic/Eukaryotic cells 94-101

Membranes 124-138 Subcellular organization 102-121 Cell cycle and its regulation 218-233 Lab: Diffusion and Osmosis AP Lab Manual #1 Lab: Diffusion and Cell Size Exam: covers lab and lecture

C. Cellular Energetics 8% Ch. 9-10 7 days Coupled Reactions Fermentation and cellular respiration 160-178 Photosynthesis 181-198 Lab: Fermentation of Yeast Lab: Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis AP Lab Manual #4 Lab: Cell Respiration AP Lab Manual #5 Exam: covers lab and lecture

II Heredity and Evolution 25% 22 days

A. Heredity 8% Ch. 13-15 7 days Meiosis and gametogenesis 238-249 Eukaryotic organisms 251-290 Inheritance patterns 251-290 Lab: Mitosis and Meiosis AP Lab Manual #3 Lab: Genetics of Organisms AP Lab Manual #7 Exam: covers lab and lecture

B. Molecular Genetics 9% Ch. 16-20 8 days RNA and DNA structure and function p. 293-331 Gene regulation 352-370 Mutation 328-330 Viral structure and replication 334-356 Nucleic technology and applications 384-408 Lab: Simulated DNA extraction- Internet Lab: DNA Extraction- strawberry Lab: DNA fingerprint analysis Lab: Gel Electrophoresis AP Lab Manual #6 Lab: pGLO Exam: covers lab and lecture

C. Evolutionary Biology 8% Ch. 22-24 7 days Early evolution of life Evidence for evolution 448-451 Mechanisms for evolution 438-508 Lab: Population Genetics and Evolution AP Lab Manual #8 Exam: covers lab and lecture

III. Organisms and Populations 50% 44 days

A. Diversity of Organisms 8% Ch. 25-26 7 days Evolutionary patterns 512-528 Survey of the diversity of life Videodisc Phylogenetic classification and evolutionary relationships 491-508 Lab: Classification keys Exam: covers lab and lecture

B. Structure and Function of Plants and Animals 32% Ch.29-49 28 days Reproduction, growth, and development And human reproduction 573-1074 Structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations Response to the environment Lab: Transpiration AP Lab Manual #9 Lab: Physiology of the Circulatory System AP Lab Manual #10 Lab: Animal Behavior AP Lab Manual #11 Lab: Comparison of monocots and dicots Lab: Counting stomata Lab: Mink dissection Exam: Mink Lab Practical- Structure and function Exam: covers lab and lecture

C. Ecology 10% Ch. 50-55 9 days Population dynamics 1136-1156 Communities and ecosystems 1080-1104, 1159-1206 Global issues 1209-1229 Lab: Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Primary Productivity AP Manual #12 Exam: covers lab and lectures

AP Biology Lab Summary

Lab Time (number of 1 ½ hour sessions) Formal Lab Report Y= Yes N=NoAll labs listed are hands-on (no virtual) with students working in pairs.

Laboratories Laboratory Objectives LabTime

Formal Lab

ReportWater properties Review of cohesion, adhesion,pH, solubility, polar,

polar covalent, nonpolar, density, specific heat1 N

Osmosis and Diffusion

Measure the water potential of a solution in a controlled experiment

Determine the osmotic concentration of living tissue or an unknown solution from experimental data

Describe the effects of water gain or loss in animal and plant cells

1 Y

Relate osmotic potential to solute concentration and water potential

Macromolecule Modeling

Build representative models of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids

Demonstrate protein folding Understand the relationship between lipids and

phospholipids

1 N

Enzyme Function Measure the effects of changes in temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, and substrate concentration on rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions in controlled experiments

Explain how environmental factors affect the rate of enzyme-catalyzed reactions

Form a hypothesis and evaluate the validity of that hypothesis based on collected data

1 Y

Diffusion and Cell Size

Investigate the relationship between cell size and total surface area to volume ratio

Investigate the rate of diffusion and its rate to cell size Understand the necessity for microscopic cell sizes

1 N

Bead Simulation of Mitosis, Meiosis, &

Crossing Over

Recognize the stages of mitosis in plant/animal cells Describe how independent assortment and crossing

over generates variation among the products of meiosis

Use chromosome models to demonstrate the activity of chromosomes during Meiosis I and II

Relate chromosome activity to Mendelian segregation and independent assortment

Compare/contrast the results of mitosis/meiosis in plant and animal cells

1 N

Observing Mitosis using Root Tips &/or Whitefish

Blastula

Recognize the stages of mitosis in a plant or animal cell

Calculate the relative duration of the cell cycle stages

1 N

Meiosis and Sordaria

Describe how independent assortment and crossing over can generate genetic variation among the products of meiosis

Calculate the map distance of a specific gene from a chromosome’s centromere or between two genes

1 Y

Plant Pigments & Photosynthesis

Separate pigments and calculate their Rf values Describe a technique to determine photosynthetic

rates Compare photosynthetic rates at varying

temperatures, light intensities, and wavelengths of light in a controlled experiment

Explain why photosynthetic rates change under different environmental conditions

1 Y

Respiration of Germinating Peas

Test the effects of Temperature on the rate of cell respiration in ungerminated vs germinated seeds in a controlled experiment

Use a carbon dioxide sensor to measure carbon dioxide concentration

Calculate the rate of respiration from collected data Relate gas production to respiration rate

1 Y

Strawberry DNA Extraction

To extract DNA from a single ripe strawberry To understand the properties of DNA and its solubility

in solvents

.5 N

Gel Electrophoresis of

Restriction Enzyme Cut DNA

Demonstrate how restriction enzymes are used in genetic engineering

Use electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments Determine unknown DNA fragment sizes when given

fragments of known size

1 Y

pGLO Lab Use plasmids as vectors to transform bacteria with a gene for antibiotic resistance in a controlled experiment

Describe the process of bacterial transformation Calculate transformation efficiency Design a procedure to select positively for antibiotic

resistant transformed cells Be familiar with the use of multiple experimental

controls

1 Y

Genetics Lab Using Wisconsin

Fast Plants or Indian Corn

Investigate the independent assortment of 2 genes and determine the autosomal or sex-linked status using a multigeneration experiment

Analyze the data using the chi-square technique

1.5 Y

Population Genetics

Calculate the frequencies of alleles and genotypes in the gene pool of a population using Hardy-Weinberg formula

Discuss natural selection and other causes of microevolution as deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

.5 Y

Plant Transpiration

Test the effects of environmental variables on rates of transpiration using a controlled experiment

Discuss how diffusion/osmosis/water potential is related to plant transpiration rates

1 Y

Environmental Case Study

Collect data regarding survival rates within a population over several generations using a controlled experiment

Determine biotic/abiotic factors that may impact survival rates

Discuss how adaptations to the environment by both predator and prey can impact population survival/growth

1 N

Be able to explain how the mark/recapture method is used

Comparison of Monocots/Dicots

Compare and contrast flower parts Make thin sections of stem, identify xylem and

phloem cells, and relate the function of these vascular tissues to the structures of their cells

Compare and contrast the structure and function of monocot and dicot stems, roots, and leaves

1 N

Counting Stoma Compare and contrast the location and structure of stomata on a monocot vs. a dicot

Identify the structure and function of the stomata Determine the number of stomata per square mm on

the surface of a leaf Estimate the number of stomata on a leaf

1 N

Physiology of the Circulatory

System

Measure heart rate and blood pressure (using a sphygmomanometer) in human volunteers

Describe the effect of body position on heart rate and blood pressure and discuss orthostatic hypotension

Explain how exercise and temperature change heart rate

Determine a human’s fitness index Analyze pooled cardiovascular data from the class

1 Y

Mink Dissection Identify the structure of the major components of each of the body systems

Relate structure to function

5 N

Animal Behavior Lab Using Pillbugs

Measure the effects of environmental variables on habitat selection in a controlled experiment

Formulate a hypothesis and then evaluate the validity of the hypothesis based on collected data

2 Y

Dissolved Oxygen & Aquatic Primary

Productivity

Measure primary productivity based on changes in dissolved oxygen in a controlled experiment

Investigate the effects of changing light intensity and/or nutrient concentrations on primary productivity in a controlled experiment

1 Y

FORMAL LABORATORY REPORT

TITLE PAGE –5 points Title should summarize the main idea of the paper simply and, with style.

It should identify the actual variables or theoretical issues under investigation and the relationship between them. “Effect of Transformed Letters on Reading Speed”

Author’s Name – First, Middle Initial, and Last Institutional affiliation – HHS AP Biology Period 2A

ABSTRACT – 10 points A brief, comprehensive summary of the contents of the lab. Make each sentence

maximally informative, especially the lead sentence. Begin the abstract with the most important information (do not waste space by repeating the title). Abstracts should not exceed 120 words – single spaced.

Use digits for all numbers, except that begin a sentence. Abbreviate liberally. Use the active voice (but without the personal pronouns I or we). Include the problem or the purpose. Include the participants or subjects, specifying pertinent characteristics, such as number,

type, age, sex, and genus and species. Include in the findings the statistical significance. Include the conclusions(s) and the implications or applications.

Introduction – 20 points Introduce the problem – The body of a paper opens with an introduction that presents the

specific problem under study and describes the research strategy. Develop the background – Discuss the literature. Demonstrate the logical continuity

between previous and present work. Develop the problem with enough breadth and clarity to make it generally understood by a wide professional audience.

State the purpose and rationale – After you have introduced the problem and developed the background material, you are in a position to explain your approach to solving the problem. Make this statement in the closing paragraphs of the introduction. At this point, a definition of the variables and a formal statement of your hypothesis give clarity to the paper. What variables do you plan to manipulate? What results do you expect? Why do you expect these results? Why did I expect these results? Clearly develop the rational for each hypothesis.

Method/Procedure- 10 points The Method section describes in detail how the study was conducted. It summarizes each

step in the execution of the research.Identify the control, experimental group(s), independent variable, dependent variable, and the number of times the experiment was repeated.

This section should tell the reader what you did and how you did it in sufficient detail so that the reader could reasonably replicate your study.

Discussion of Results – 10 points The Results section summarizes the data collected and the statistical or data analytic

treatment used. Report the data in sufficient detail to justify the conclusions(s). Do not include individual scores or raw data.

Tables and Figures – 15 points Figures – graphs, drawings, pictures

Table 3 International Systems Derived Units With Specific Names

Quantity Name Symbol UnitsCapacitance farad F C/VMagnetic flux density tesla T Wb/m2

Volume liter L dm3

Figures – Figure # and caption (title) are placed at the bottom of the figure. Legends – A legend explains the symbols used in the figure. The legend is an integral part

of the figure; therefore, it should have the same kind and proportion of lettering that appear in the rest of the figure.

Statistical Presentation – 10 points Results of hypothesis testing.

Discussion/Conclusion – 10 points Open the Discussion section with a clear statement of the support or nonsupport for your

original hypothesis (reject or fail to reject the original hypothesis). Why did you reject or fail to reject the hypothesis? Justify your conclusion. This concluding section may be brief or extensive, provided that is is tightly reasoned and

self-contained. You may want to make these links in your conclusion:

1. Problem choice: Why is the problem important? What larger issues hinge on the findings?

2. Levels of analysis: How can the findings be linked to phenomena at more complex ;and less complex levels of analysis?

3. Application and synthesis; If the findings are valid and replicable, what real-live psychological phenomena might be explained or modified by the results.

References – 10 points Separate page

The College Board has identified eight major themes that recur throughout the AP Biology course. The table below connects the eight AP themes to the course topics. The topics are in the left column and the themes are listed along the top. Some examples of a theme applied to a topic are provided. There will be a separate table for each unit studied.

Topic Science is a Process

Evolution Energy Transfer Continuity and Change

Relationships of Structure to Function

Regulation Interdependence in Nature

Science,Technology, and Society

MoleculesAnd Cells

Chemistry of Life

Investigate the effects of water’ polarity.

X-ray crystallography helps scientist determine the 3-dimensional structure of proteins.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can be changed from one form to

As carbon compounds changed, life evolved.

Water is a major player in many of the exergonic and endergonic reactions of life.

The breakdown of ATP, which releases energy, and be coupled to reactions that

The water molecule has had a consistent molecular structure that has participated in evolutionary change.

The carbon atom with its four bonds had continued to play the major role in evolution of higher organisms.

All life makes and uses ATP.

Water’s shape allows for an unequal distribution of charge resulting in a polar molecule that can attach to another polar molecule’s oxygen or nitrogen by way of a hydrogen bond.

The arrangement of the elements results in the formation of different monomers that have specific functions.

ATP is needed by the cell to do work.

Water regulates temperature

Biological activities are based on the chemical reactions of atoms and molecules, the building blocks of living things.

Carbon cycles through living and nonliving systems.

Organisms live at the expense of free energy.

Because of polluted sources, new technology is being used to produce clean water for underdeveloped countries.

More energy efficient transportation is being designed.

another, but always with a loss of useable energy

require an input of energy.

Enzymes speed reactions because they have an active site where a specific reaction occurs.

Enzymes lower the energy of activation of a reaction.

All living organisms are made of the same chemicals and macromolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids).

Enzymes are substrate specific.

Environmental factors such as temperature and pH affect the activity of enzymes.

The presence or absence of cofactors and inhibitors also control enzyme activity.

Cells have metabolic pathways in which every reaction has a specific enzyme.






Cells

Changes in technology have led to a better understanding of the structure and function of the cell.

The endosymbiotic hypothesis has led to a better understanding of the evolution of the eukaryotic

Chloroplasts and mitochondria are organelles that process energy.

Cell structure and

function are universal

The structure of cell

part is related to its

function.

Membranes regulate endo and exocytosis

Prokaryotes play essential roles in chemical cycling

Cancer research depends on an understanding of how cells work.

The description of the cell membrane has changed over time.

cell.






Cellular Energetics

The Calvin cycle and its intermediate products have been determined using radioactive isotopes.

All cells use glycolysis

Energy is released as food is broken down.

Lipids are efficient energy storage compounds.

Photosynthesis is the transfer of solar energy to carbohydrates.

All life makes and uses ATP.

Thylakoid membrane captures and transfers the light energy.

The inner membrane of the mitochondria is directly or indirectly responsible for electron transport, chemiosmosis, and oxidative

Rubisco regulates the amount of carbon dioxide that can be fixed.

Photosynthesis recycles carbon, oxygen, and water.

Technology is working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles.

Cellular respiration transfers some of the energy of the bonds of glucose to ATP.

phosphorylation.






Heredity Mendel’s work started the unraveling of genetics

Cell division is basically the same in all organisms.

Genetic material must be transferred from one generation to the next.

Genetic variation, arising from mutation and recombination, is the raw material of evolution.

Endosymbiosis allows all eukaryotic cells to make ATP and those with chloroplast to trap energy in a 3 carbon compound

Chromosomes are rearranged during meiosis.

Sexual reproduction provides sources of genetic variation.

Crossing over occurs during meiosis.

Meiosis and fertilization maintain the chromosome number through generations.

DNA is the basis of genetic information.

Cell division and apoptosis maintain the number of cells in an organism.

Checkpoints regulate the cell cycle.

Meiosis and fertilization maintain the chromosome number through generations.

Environmental pressures cause changes in populations.

DNA technology has opened new avenues for diagnosing and treating diseases.

Inheritance occurs in regular patterns that can be predicted by the rules of probability.

Organisms must reproduce to continue their species






Molecular Genetics

Technology has led to an understanding of DNA

Each experiment associated with DNA has led the way to the next.

The Human Genome Project was one of the most ambitious projects of the 20th

century.

The genetic code and processes of transcription are universal.

Bacteria can produce human proteins.

There is a similar sequence of genes from one organism to the next.

A cell must spend energy to transcribe and translate a gene because entropy decreases as monomers are organized into complex macromolecules.

Genes are units of inherited information.

The chemical makeup of genes tends to be stable.

Chromosomes and genes are made of DNA.

The bases of DNA are universal.

Cell function remains constant over time unless something interrupts the genetic composition.

The sequence of bases in the gene determines the sequence of amino acids in the protein.

The structure of the gene influences the synthesis of the protein and the phenotype of the individual.

Certain genes are expressed in specific kinds of cells at particular times in the cell’s development.

Genes specify proteins via transcription and translation.

Proteins can be manufactured by genetic engineering.

Bioengineering is producing resistant crops.

DNA technology is used in processing crime scene evidence.






EvolutionaryBiology

The history of evolutionary thought from pre-Darwin to Darwin’s natural selection has changed over time.

Organisms change over time.

Evolution occurs in populations

Mutation and sexual recombination produce the variation that makes evolution possible.

All organisms have a common source.

Hardy-Weinberg principle outlines what it would take for there to be no change in the species.

Through natural selection, the variations that were selected for were the ones best suited for the function.

Regulatory mechanisms switch genes on and off in response to environmental cues.

Natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow can alter a population’s genetic composition.

Founder genes help to trace the migration of humans out of Africa






Diversity ofOrganisms

Much of an organism’s evolutionary history is documented in its genome.

Conditions on early Earth made the origin of life possible.

As autotrophic prokaryotes evolved, the sun’s energy was used to split water and release oxygen.

Eukaryotic cells arose from symbioses and genetic exchanges between prokaryotes.

Structural, functional, and genetic adaptations contribute to prokaryotic success.

Prokaryotes play crucial roles in the biosphere.

Prokaryotes have both harmful and beneficial impacts on humans.

New information has revised our understanding of the tree of life.






Structure and Function of Plants

Hydroponics is used to identify essential mineral for specific plant growth.

Land plants evolved from green algae.

Physical forces drive the transport of materials in plants over a range of distances.

Plants use carbon compounds derived from photosynthesis for energy.

The reduced gametophytes of seed plants are protected in ovules and pollen grains.

Land plants possess a set of derived terrestrial adaptations.

Stoma help regulate the rate of transpiration.

Pollination and seed dispersal take many forms.

Genetically engineered seeds are pest resistant.






Structure and Function of Animals

Dialysis can be used to clean the blood.

Evolutionary adaptations of vertebrate digestive systems are

Animals use the chemical energy in food to sustain form and function.

Circulatory systems reflect phylogeny.

Double circulation in mammals depends on the anatomy and pumping cycle of

Many animals regulate their internal environment within relatively

Innate immunity provides broad defenses against infection.

Allosteric ligands are used to change the structural

often associated with diet.

the heart. narrow limits.

Thermoregulation contributes to homeostasis and involves anatomy, physiology, and behavior.

conformation of the receptor protein.

ap biology syllabus

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