Warm Up Question
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Activity: Syllabus Development
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Syllabus Development
Calling upon the information you were presented
this week, along with the information presented
in the Workshop Workbook, start constructing or
amend your syllabus.
There is an online syllabus tutorial that you can
consult if necessary:
http://www.collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaud
it/courses/biology.html
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Syllabus Development
Use pages 72-93 to help guide your syllabus
construction, paying special attention to the
checklist questions on pages 72-75.
Once your syllabus is complete, go back and reread the checklist again to ensure you’ve covered
everything.
You can also use the information presented on
pages 285-301 to make sure you are fulfilling the
syllabus requirements.
There are some sample syllabi on pages 301-349
that you can use as your own or amend to better
fit your needs.
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Activity: Becoming a Member of the
AP Biology Teacher Community
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AP Biology Teacher Community
Go here:
https://apcommunity.collegeboard.org/ and
follow the instructions.
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Activity: The Course Audit
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The Course Audit
In addition to working on your syllabus, you will
also learn how to complete the course audit.
Go to:
http://www.collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaud
it/index.html
Either set up your account at the right of the
page, or enter the information you gave when
becoming a member of the Teacher Community.
You’ll need to know the appropriate school
information to complete the registration process.
Submit your syllabus (when finished) and await
approval/feedback.
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Labs and Other Activities
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Lab #1: Artificial Selection
I don’t do this one because I don’t have the
equipment.
I perform other labs to demonstrate evolution and
selection. I also discuss artificial selection with
the students.
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Lab #2: Mathematical Modeling
We spend a day or two doing this one.
The students make a model following the lab
manual’s explanation.
– It’s a good lab.
– Full of inquiry.
The kids can go as deep as they want with this
one.
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Activity: Lab #2 Hardy-Weinberg Modeling
Find the handout and work through the activity.
Report back in 1 hour.
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Lab #3: BLAST
I use a friend’s version of this lab.
It’s quicker, and more user-friendly.
The kids like it more (the second year, I did both
and took a poll).
I also do many other activities with this.
I’ve included a couple on the CD.
– Morphology vs. Molecular DATA
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Activity: Lab #3, Cladistics
Critter cards and named cards.
Use the named cards first.
Proceed through the lab packet.
Report back in an hour.
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Activity: Lab #3, BLAST
Take out the BLAST handout and proceed through
it.
Report back in 1 hour.
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Lab #4: Osmosis and Diffusion
We do a variety of things with this lab.
We use Egeria najas seaweed (replaces Elodea).
We use potatoes.
We use starch and iodine.
We use corn syrup and water.
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Lab #5: Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
I use the Carolina kit and lab. When you order
the lab you’ll get the procedure; I have found it
works very well.
We use a spectrophotometer.
If you don’t have a spec, you can create a color
coded card and have the students quantify their
results and compare them to the colors/numbers
on the card.
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Lab #6: Cell Respiration
This is a challenging lab.
We use peas, but have technology.
The equilibration portion of the lab is important
(overnight?)
Can soak the peas for one day before using.
Finding pans to lay the respirometer down is
challenging.
Ideally, set up the day before (~2 day lab).
Many different types of peas/beans work.
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Lab #7: Mitosis and Meiosis
We use onion root tip cells--we make them.
We also use prepared slides.
We purchase the Sordaria lab kit from Carolina.
– It’s fussy.
We also do a paper lab (Reebops)
Included in your packet.
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Lab #8/9: Molecular Biology
Use kits.
I do electrophoresis of lambda phage first.
I embed these activities into what we do in
lecture.
We also do a PCR lab looking for GMOs.
This is a very good inquiry lab, but it requires you
to have a good budget and the appropriate
equipment.
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Lab #8/9: Molecular Biology
These labs frequently show up on the exam.
It is a good idea to do your best to cover them if
you cannot actually perform them.
This is where a lot of my students report back to
me to tell me they are very happy they did this
prior to college.
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Lab #8/9: Molecular Biology
pGLO is another one that works great for me.
I’ve done it for many years and always get
results.
Once you get confident in what you are doing, I
would recommend the extension if you have the
tools to do so.
– The results are cool and the kids think it’s neat--it makes a
connection.
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Lab #8/9: Molecular Biology
This is a multi-day lab. Electrophoresis takes a
long time. I have my kids start them and come
back to check them periodically. I let my fellow
teachers know what’s going on.
I recommend practice gels.
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Lab #10: Energy Dynamics
I don’t do this lab because I don’t have the
equipment.
I do a population biology lab.
I also do a couple of case studies from the
University of Buffalo:
– http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/
A couple of the case studies are included in your
packet.
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Lab# 11: Transpiration
This is a good lab with a lot of potential for
inquiry.
Fairly cheap.
You need some tubing, some Vaseline, and I have
the kids plant the seeds and watch them grow.
We then use the plants for the lab. Make sure
your sinks have strainers on the drains!
Works well, you just have to be patient. The kids
need some skill to make it work right.
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Lab #12: Animal Behavior
We do the pill bug with the choice chambers.
I don’t want the fruit flies more than I have to.
Some of my students do experiments with fruit
flies during the year for genetics.
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Lab #13: Enzyme Lab
I use catalase from a turnip along with hydrogen
peroxide and guaiacol.
I have done this one for as long as I’ve taught
biology. The kids like it!
Can be done according to the new AP lab manual,
or it can be done with the lab I gave.
Included in your packet.
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Activity from HHMI: Rock-Pocket Mouse
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Instructions:
Using the handout, “The Biochemistry and Cell
Signaling Pathway of MC1R,” read through it and
answer the questions.
When you are finished, discuss your answers with
the people at your table.
Come to a consensus on what you know (or don’t
know) and prepare to share out.
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Interested in More Activities Like This?
Go here: http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive
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