AP Biology Midterm
Assignment: Create a mind map/graphic organizer that demonstrates your depth of understanding in relation to the 4 big
ideas of AP biology using the concepts covered up to this point. You need to COLOR COAT your organizer in regard to the big
ideas. You will not have a cheat sheet and it will be completed during the 2 ½ hour time block of midterms.
Points: 120 (Each Big Idea score you receive will be multiplied by 5 and the last 20 points will be based on the diversity of
information you use)
Rubric
5
4
3
2
1-0
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.
What a 5 looks like:
 Big idea contains information from 7-8 chapters
 All information is accurate
 Connections are completely clear between details, topics and big ideas
 Contains at least 5 visuals (diagram, chart, scientific drawing)
 Very neat and organized (clear hand writing, easy to understand your thinking)
What a 4 looks like:
 Big idea contains information from 5-6 chapters
 Most information is accurate
 Connections are mostly clear between details, topics and big ideas
 Contains at least 4 visuals (diagram, chart, scientific drawing)
 Mostly neat and organized (clear hand writing, easy to understand your thinking)
What a 3 looks like:
 Big idea contains information from 3-4 chapters
 About half of the information is accurate
 Connections are only sometimes clear between details, topics and big ideas
 Contains at least 3 visuals (diagram, chart, scientific drawing)
 Not very neat and organized (unclear hand writing, hard to understand your thinking)
What a 2 looks like:
 Big idea contains information from 1-2 chapters
 The majority of the information is inaccurate
 Connections are mostly unclear between details, topics and big ideas
 Contains at least 2 visuals (diagram, chart, scientific drawing)
 Very messy and disorganized (unclear hand writing, hard to follow your thinking)
What a 0-1 looks like:
 Big idea contains information from 0 chapters
 There is almost no accurate information
 Connections are missing between details, topics and big ideas
 Contains at least 1 visual (diagram, chart, scientific drawing)
 Illegible
Diversity of information: The number of chapters correctly utilized will be your score out of 20 (there are 20 chapters on the
test)