AP Biology
Mrs. Sprouse
Plato High School
Course Description
AP Biology is designed to be equivalent to a two-semester college biology course
usually taken by biology majors as a freshman. Major topics of study include
biochemistry, cells, cellular energetics, genetics, evolution, classification, organism
structure/ function and ecology. As in a college biology course, the AP Biology
course is designed to have both a lecture and a lab component. Labs conducted by
AP Biology students are the equivalent of those experienced by college biology
students. At the completion of this course, students are expected to take the College
Board’s scheduled AP Biology Exam in May. Some students may earn college credit
if they achieve high enough marks on this exam. To assist students in their
preparation for this test, the format of the assessments used throughout this course
are similar the AP Biology exam’s assessments. This course is fast-paced, intensive,
and requires more at-home study time than the standard college-prep courses
offered at PHS. The College Board determines AP course content and pacing. Please
feel free to visit the College Board website at www.collegeboard.com.
The key concepts and related content that define the AP Biology course and exam
are organized around four underlying principles call “big ideas”, which are as
follows:
 Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity of life.
 Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building
blocks to grow, reproduce, and 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.
These four big ideas will be referred to as evolution, cellular processes: energy and
communication, genetics and information transfer, and interactions.
Required Materials
3 Ring Binder
#2 pencils
Ink pens (blue, black, red)
Access to Internet
Thumb drive
1 package of manila folders
Labs
The laboratory experience will be student-directed experimentation and inquiry.
Students will identify questions they want to answer, design experiements to test
hypotheses, conduct investigations, analyze data and communicate results. The
required amount of labs to be completed will be a minimum of eight total
throughout the year. A total of 25% (or greater) of class time will be directed to
laboratory exercises. Due to the large amount of time required for laboratory setup, it is essential that you are always present for labs. Please be prepared to stay
after school to finish long labs that you are unable to complete in the allotted lab
time. Within one week of completing a lab, students will turn in professional quality
lab reports in the format provided by the instructor.
Abstracts
Students will be responsible for completing two scientific article abstracts per
grading period from scientific journals. The students will locate the scientific,
scholarly articles for this assignment. A hard copy of the article will be attached to
the abstracts submitted. All abstracts will be due one week prior to the end of the
quarter. Abstracts will need to completed according to teacher guidelines.
Course Outline
Unit
Chapters
AP Labs/
Supplementary Labs
Animal Behavior
Structure and Function of
Biomolecules
Unit 1: Introduction to
Biology and Biochemistry
1, 2, 3
Unit 2: Cells and Cellular
Processes
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20.2
Unit 3: Genetic Basis of
Life
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20.1
Unit 4: Evolution
15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Unit 5: Organism Form
and Function
Unit 6: Ecology
26, 31, 33, 37, 38, 40, 42
Enzymes
Photosynthesis
Osmosis/ Diffusion
Respiration
Mitosis/ Meiosis
Biotechnology
Restriction Enzyme
Analysis
PTC Testing
BLAST: Comparing DNA
Sequences
Origin of Life
Transpiration
43, 44, 45, 46, 47
Energy Dynamics
Late Work
Late work will be accepted until the unit being covered is complete. As an AP
student, it is imperative to understand the importance of all assignments being
turned in on time. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class hour, unless
otherwise directed by the teacher.
Assessments
AP Biology tests will resemble the actual AP exam. Students will have multiple –
choice and short answer questions. Tests will cover one unit at a time (multiple
chapters). Quizzes will be used to ensure reading assignments are being completed.
Internet
Our class textbook is available online! We will have multiple assignments from the
resources accompanying the textbook. You will also be using an online testing site
for your exams. Students will be responsible for creating and maintaining a website
used to turn in assignments throughout the year. Students will create accounts for
these sites within the first week of school. (Get your computer/Internet
agreement turned in)