AP Biology Summer Refresher Course 2014-2015
Welcome! & Congratulations on deciding to take on the challenge of Advanced Placement Biology!
AP Biology is a vigorous, yet manageable and rewarding class. In order to meet the demands of
the curriculum it is necessary for you to complete some work before you come back in July.
Your summer refresher course will be based around the vocabulary, current events and
macromolecules. You will also do an independent reading assignment so you can see how
what we study is seen in everyday life.
This assignment as a whole comprises 10% of your first quarter grade. This will be a
weighted category, so total point value on these assignments is for evaluation purposes
only.
What are you required to do?
Part #1 (Introduction Letter) due by July 31st
Part #2 (Independent Reading Assignment) – Reflections due Sept 3/4! Essay on First exam
Part #3 (Current Events Assignment) – due Sept 3/4!
Part #4 Biology Collection ☺- due Sept 13/14.
Part #5 Biochemistry Review and Webquest – due Sept 3/4, Quiz on information within first 2 weeks
Part #6….Last One (School Materials)
Part #1 (Introduction Letter) due by July 31st
First, We would like to know a little about who you are so your first assignment is to send us an
email. Yup….that’s it! Your first AP Biology grade will be sending us an email…if only all of the
grades were this easy! I will reply so you have electronic record that your assignment was
received. Here is what I would like you to email us at erin.crumbliss@gmail.com and
Ray.Bowman@lcps.org before the end of July:
Subject Line: AP Biology 13-14
Body: Your full name (& nickname that you go by if you have one) & stuff about you!
• Who was your last science teacher? What class?
• What other science classes have you taken? Are planning to take next year?
• What are your future plans? College Ideas? Career Ideas?
• What do you like to do (hobbies, sports, music, interests, etc.)?
• Do you have a job or plan on getting a job next year? What kind?
• Was there anything that you liked or disliked about your earlier biology class?
• What lab experience do you have? What labs do you remember doing and
what equipment are you most familiar with?
• What are you looking forward to the most in AP Biology?
• What are you most anxious about in AP Biology?
• Why are you taking AP Biology? What do you hope to accomplish/gain?
-
Attach to your message a “voucher picture” that will be used to verify
the originality of the pictures in the rest of this assignment and during
the course. This could be a small figure, a picture of yourself, or just
about anything that you will us uniquely to mark your pictures
Don’t worry! There is no right or wrong answer….be honest so that we can figure out the best
way to help you next year! ☺
A word of advice: We are your future teachers (not your fb friends or Twitter followers) so please
remember to use proper salutations, closing, phrasing, etc.
Part #2 (Independent Reading Assignment) – Adapted
from Ms. Lyon
We would like you to read an independent non-fiction book over the summer and keep a
reflection journal as you go. Please use a spiral notebook dedicated as your independent
reading reflection journal and follow the reflection guide below in a spiral notebook.
You can choose from the following list or email Mrs. Crumbliss (erin.crumbliss@gmail.com) or
Mr. Bowman (ray.bowman@lcps.org) for approval on a book of your choice:


Title: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal Authors: Mary Roach ISBN: 9780393081572
Title: How We Live & Why We Die: The Secret Lives of Cells Author: Lewis Wolpert
ISBN-10: 0393072215

Title: Survival of the Sickest Author: Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince
ISBN-10: 0060889667



Title: Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body
Author:Neil Shubin ISBN-10: 0307277453
Title: Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters Author:Matt Ridley ISBN-10:
0060894083
Title: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Author:Elizabeth Kolbert ISBN-10:
0805092994
You do not need to purchase these books unless you want to. You can borrow from the library or friend.
But don’t wait till the last minute!! Please contact Mrs. Crumbliss or Mr. Bowman if you are having
trouble!
Reflections should be made in a one subject spiral notebook. Below is an example of what we would like
for you to record. Before you begin your entries, please create a title page for the independent reading
book that includes the Book Title & Author.
Your entries will follow your self-created title page. The minimum number of entries for the book is 20
total. The maximum number of entries per chapter is 3. Please put one entry per page. You may use
both the left & right sides of the notebook to record your entries. Even though some of the reflections are
personal/opinion based & there isn’t technically a right or wrong answer you will only get out of the reading
what you put in, so please take this assignment seriously & do your best with every entry.
Here is what I would expect to be able to see in your responses:
Entry #_________
Chapter/Pages Read for Entry:__________________________
Passage Selected: At the top of the entry should be a passage or multiple parts of a passage that you
copied from this section of the novel/work. Please be sure to include the page #’s that you found the
passage you selected so I can reference it if needed.
Why you selected the passage: It must be because of Option A, B or C shown below. (It can be a
combination of the letters too.) Please try to mix it up amongst your entries so you learn to find all three
types of connections. Think to yourself, “With this passage, I can make a _______”:
A. Text to Text Connection
B. Text to World Connection
C. Text to Self Connection
Explanation of the text connection: Be thorough here. Remember as I read these I need to be able to “get
inside your head” so don’t make any assumptions. Write as though the person reading it is new to the
material as well & “teach” them what you have learned so far. A text to text connection should include
direct examples of overlap from the novel & material from the textbook/notes. A text to world connection is
applying a concept in the notes/book & “extending” the material beyond the examples provided in either
book. A text to self connection refers to a personal connection between what is in the notes/text/novel &
something that has happened in your life.
Reflection: Here’s what the connection helps me understand AND/OR wonder about the
text/novel/world/etc.
Grading: This assignment will be graded by completion and a selected reading of a minimum of 5
Explanation and Reflection entries.
Part #3 Biology Collection ☺
For this part of your summer refresher course, you will be familiarizing yourself with biology terms that we
will be using at different points throughout the year.
The Task
Earn 50 points by “collecting” 25 items from the list of terms that follows. When we say “collect,” we mean
you should collect that item by finding it and taking a photograph (digital) of that item. Place this photograph
on a powerpoint slide along with the explanation of how it represents one of the terms. This explanation
need not be more than a couple of sentences, enough to prove to us that you understand the term.
1. Each item is worth 2 points. You must earn 50 points by the Sept 14. You are required to turn in
the following:
✴ A PowerPoint presentation of your collection on a CD or flash drive.
✴ A printed copy (4 slides per page) of your presentation.
2. YOU CAN BE CREATIVE:
If you choose an item that is internal to a plant or animal, like the term “phloem,” you could show a
photograph of the whole organism or a close up of one part, and then explain what phloem is and
specifically where phloem is in your specimen.
3. ORIGINAL PHOTOS ONLY!!!!!!:
You cannot use an image from any publication or the Web. You must have taken the photograph yourself.
The best way to prove that is for you to be in the photo.
4. NATURAL ITEMS ONLY:
All items must be from something that you have found in nature. Take a walk around your yard,
neighborhood, and town. DON’T SPEND ANY MONEY! Research what the term means and in what
organisms it can be found... and then go out and find an example.
5. TEAM WORK:
You may work with other students in the class to complete this project, but each student must turn in his
or her own project with a unique set of terms chosen. So working with other students means
brainstorming, discussing, going on collecting trips together. It doesn’t mean using the same items!
There are 100 choices... probability says there is a very slim chance that any two students will have the
same items chosen for their 50 points…and we believe in the statistics! If you share the item list, you will
split the grade.
BIOLOGY COLLECTION TERMS
Below are the items you are to “collect.” An individual organism can only be used once. Humans are
acceptable for one category only. You must take all photos yourself; NO Internet photos!
INDIVIDUAL ITEMS
Each specimen is worth 2 points. You may have up to 2 examples of each item; submitting more than 2 will
not add any additional points.
1. acid
2. adaptation of an animal
3. adaptation of a plant
4. altruistic behavior
5. alkaline (base)
6. amino acids
7. amniotic egg
8. analagous structures
9. angiosperm
10. animal that has a
segmented body
11. asexual reproduction
12. autotroph
13. Basidiomycete
14. Batesian mimicry
15. bilateral symmetry
16. biological magnification
17. buffer
18. carnivorous plant
19. cartilage
20. Calvin cycle
21. cambium
22. cellular respiration
23. cellulose
24. chitin
25. coenzyme
26. coevolution
27. commensalism
28. connective tissue
29. cuticle layer of a plant
30. detritovore
31. disaccharide
32. dominant vs. recessive
phenotype
33. ectotherm
34. endosperm
35. endotherm
36. enzyme
37. epithelial tissue
38. ethylene
39. eukaryote
40. exoskeleton
41. fermentation
42. flower ovary
43. fungi
44. genetic variation within a
population
45. genetically modified
organism
46. glycogen
47. gymnosperm cone – male
or female
48. gymnosperm leaf
49. habitat
50. hermaphrodite
51. heterotroph
52. homeostasis
53. homologous structures
54. hybrid
55. hydrophilic
56. hydrophobic
57. introduced species
58. keystone species
59. Krebs cycle
60. lateral line system
61. lichen
62. lipid used for energy
storage
63. littoral zone organism
64. mating behavior (be
careful!)
65. methane
66. modified leaf of a plant
67. modified root of a plant
68. modified stem of a plant
69. monosaccharide
70. Müllerian mimicry
71. mutation
72. mutualism
73. mycelium
74. mycorrhizae
75. niche
76. parasitism
77. phloem
78. pollen
79. pollinator
80. polysaccharide
81. population
82. predation
83. prokaryote
84. purebred
85. plasma membrane
86. radial symmetry (animal)
87. redox reaction
88. rhizome
89. seed dispersal (animal,
wind, water)
90. selective permeability
91. spore
92. succession
93. taxis
94. territorial behavior
95. tropism
96. unicellular organism
97. water adhesion
98. water cohesion
99. vestigial structures
100. xylem
Part #4 Biochemistry Review and Webquest
adapted from Mr. Boyer
Section 1: Macromolecules Tutorial
Here you will click through a series of four tutorials about the four major types of macromolecules. Use the
website listed below to answer the following questions.
A. Open the website
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp03/0302002.html
B. Start by reading the introduction.
1. What are the four main types of macromolecules?
__________________ _____________________
2. What is a polymer?
__________________ ___________________
3. List the monomers that are linked together to form each of the following macromolecules:
Proteins __________________
Carbohydrates __________________
Nucleic acids __________________
C. Click on the tab at the top of the page called Animations.
 Click the box labeled “step‐through”
 Click on “CARBOHYDRATES” first.
 There are 6 separate pages for the carbohydrate module. After you read each page, click
“continue”, and then “play” to watch the animation.
1. __________________ is a hexose, a sugar composed of __________________ carbon atoms,
usually in __________________ form.
2. How many glucose monomers are there in a single starch molecule?__________________________
3. Glucose molecules can be added to starch by a __________________________ reaction, where two
molecules__________________________ bond together and release a__________________________
molecule.
4. Which is more highly branched, Amylose (plant starch) or Glycogen (in animal livers and fat)?
5. __________________________ are hydrolyzed (broken apart) to form glucose, and glucose is then
further broken down to release __________________________.
D. Click on “Options”
 Click on “LIPIDS”.
 There are 7 separate pages for the lipid module. After you read each page, click “continue”,
and then “play” to watch the animation.
1. What is a triglyceride composed of?
2. Why is Palmitic acid called a saturated fatty acid?
3. What makes oleic acid a monounsaturated fatty acid?
4. How many double bonds are there in a polyunsaturated fatty acid? ________________________
5. Why are polyunsaturated fatty acids often liquid at room temperature?
6. Compare the shape of the carbon chain in a saturated fatty acid, amonounsaturated fatty acid, and
a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Draw a rough sketchof the three chains below.
Saturated
Monounsaturated
Polyunsaturated
E. Click on “Options” at the bottom of the page.
 Click on “Proteins”
 There are 6 separate pages for the proteins module. After you read each page, click
“continue”, and then “play” to watch the animation.
1. Proteins are chains of _______________________ linked by _______________________.
2. The 20 different amino acids used to make all proteins differ only in their _______________________.
3. A protein’s amino acid sequence determines its _______________________ and
_______________________.
4. What is collagen?
F. Click on “Options” at the bottom of the page.
 Click on “Nucleic Acids”
 There are 6 separate pages for the nucleic acids module. After you readeach page, click
“continue”, and then “play” to watch the animation.
1. What are the two types of nucleic acids?____________________ and ____________________
2. What do nucleic acids have the ability to do within the cell?
3. When two strands of DNA pair by hydrogen bonding, the base ______________________always
pairs with ____________________, and ____________________ always pairs
with____________________.
4. Draw a rough sketch of the three parts of a nucleotide below.
1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________
4. In DNA, base pairing occurs only between a ____________________ and a
____________________ .
5. Fill in the table below with the appropriate names of the nitrogen bases:
DNA complimentary base pairs
Purine
Pyrimidine
G. Click on the tab at the top of the page called Conclusion.
 Read the conclusion.
1. A macromolecule’s structure is intimately connected to its _______________________.
2. List one function of each macromolecule below:
Nucleic Acid __________________________________________________________
Carbohydrate __________________________________________________________
Protein __________________________________________________________
Section 2: Macromolecules in 3D
Here you will browse through several 3D images of different macromolecules. Study
the images to find features that you learned about in the previous tutorial.
A. Visit the website http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/library/life/
B. Click on the link called Sugar Molecules
 Browse through the different 3D images of carbohydrate molecules.
 In order to view an image, always click on the small link Gif above the picture. DO NOT click
VRML or PBD.
C. Click on the link called Lipids at the bottom of the screen.
 Browse through the different 3D images of lipid molecules.
 In order to view an image, always click on the small link Gif above thepicture AND the small
link Info above the picture to learn more about the molecule.
1. Categorize the different lipid molecules as saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.
2. How could you tell from viewing the 3D images?
D. Click on the link called Amino Acids at the bottom of the screen. These are the small building
blocks of proteins!
 Browse through the different 3D images of amino acids.
 In order to view an image, always click on the small link Gif above the picture AND the small
link Info above the picture to learn more about the molecule.
E. Click on the link called Nucletides at the bottom of the screen.
 Browse through the different 3D images of Nucleotides and Nucleic acids. BE SURE TO
CLICK ON THE DNA MOLECULE!
 In order to view an image, always click on the small link Gif above the picture AND the small
link Info above the picture to learn more about the molecule.
Section 3: Protein Data Bank!
A. Visit the website http://www.pdb.org
B. Click on the link Molecule of the month on the left side menu
C. Choose any 2 molecules and write a paragraph summary linking the structure to its function.
Congratulations, you survived Macromolecules 101!
Part #5….Last One (School Materials) ☺
Please get all of the materials you will need for next year ready for the first day of school, as we
will be starting right away. Here is what will be needed to be successful in our AP Biology class:
(Please let me know as soon as possible via email or in private if you need assistance obtaining
any of these or any of the course supplies throughout the year.)
 One 2–3” binders just for AP Bio
 Subject Dividers: Reference, Notes, Homework/Practice, 22 min Writings, Review
 Spiral Notebook: Reflection Reading Journal – Started with Summer refresher course
 Carbon copy lab book (will be on sale by the science department at beginning of school or
can be gotten on Amazon – plan for $15-20)
 Blue and Black pens
 Post-it notes of various sizes and shapes
 Loose leaf paper
 Highlighters (at least 2 colors)
Recommended:



4 function calculator (graphing calculator not allowed on the AP Exam)
AP Biology Review Book
Student Planner or Calendar
Facts about the class & Exam:
The A.P. Biology Exam is 50% multiple choice and 50% free response. You will be given
ninety minutes to complete 60 multiple choice questions and another 90 minutes to complete
the free response answers. Your exam score will be rated as a 1(poor) – 5 (best).
You can receive recognition by more than 90 percent of colleges in the United States & colleges
in more than 60 other countries, which grant credit, advanced placement or both on the basis of
AP Exam grades. Check out your potential schools policies online at
http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp We hold several review sessions
after school during April for preparation. It is the student’s responsibility to pay for exam fees
through guidance.
AP Biology Big Ideas:
• 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.
Science Practices for AP Biology:
A practice is a way to coordinate knowledge and skills in order to accomplish a goal or task. The science
practices enable students to establish lines of evidence and use them to develop and refine testable
explanations and predictions of natural phenomena. These science practices capture important aspects
of the work that scientists engage in, at the level of competence expected of AP Biology students.
• Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific
phenomena and solve scientific problems.
• Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately.
• Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide
investigations within the context of the AP course.
• Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate
to a particular scientific question.
• Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.
• Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories.
• Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales,
concepts, and representations in and across domains.
A Final Note:
Don’t be intimidated! If you want to succeed you will. Don’t get us wrong, it will take some
work, but if you trust us, we will provide you with all of the tools necessary to be successful &
this time next year you will be leaving AP Biology & have a whole new perspective on the world
around you & even yourself. It is important to remember, though, that we can’t do the work for
you!
The first day of school we will be diving right into our lab work doing two labs simultaneously
and focusing on the idea of Biology as a system!
So, that being said - schedule some time just for AP Bio, but the rest of the summer relax,
unwind & get ready for a great school year! We can’t wait to work with you & we will see you
soon! Please feel free to email us over the summer if you have questions ☺ (We do go on
vacation, but will check it periodically.)
Mrs Crumbliss and Mr Bowman
Room: 404 and 506
Email: erin.crumbliss@gmail.com and ray.bowman@lcps.org