AP Biology Syllabus 2015-2016
Instructor: Brianna Howland
Email: bhowland@alvinisd.net
Phone: 281-245-2232
Room: B206
Text:
Biology, Campbell & Reese, 9th ed. (2011) from Benjamin Cummings
Course description
AP Biology is demanding course, equivalent of an introductory college biology course. This course is meant to
deepen your understanding of the unifying principles of biology using the principles of inquiry to guide you
through. Content will be covered in more depth and greater expectations will be placed on interpretation and
analysis of information than previous biology courses. In addition, A significant amount of studying must be
completed at home to allow time for discussion, labs, and inquiry during class time. AP Biology is a course that
aims to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to
deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology. This course is designed to prepare students for the
Biology College Board Advanced Placement Exam.
There are four “Big Ideas” that the course centers around:
 Big Idea 1: Evolution – the process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life
 Big Idea 2: Cellular Processes (Energy and Communication) – Biological systems utilize free energy
and molecular building blocks to grow.
 Big Idea 3: Genetics and Information Transfer – living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond
to information essential to life processes
 Big Idea 4: Interactions – Biological systems interact and these systems and their interactions possess
complex properties.
Material Requirements:
1. Textbook – Campbell’s AP Biology
2. Lab book – composition book that will be used for all lab notes
3. Spiral notebook – sections for notes, homework, test/quizzes
4. Blue/black pens for labs, pencils, colored pencils
5. Four function BASIC Calculator
Class
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Expectations:
Come to class prepared
Maintain an organized spiral notebook and lab notebook
Attend Class
Study at home
No whining! This is a college level course. It will be challenging!!
Grading:
Grades are calculated on a percentage basis. The value of each individual assignment varies. Students earn a
grade based on the quality and accuracy of the work they complete.
50% - Unit Tests and Lab Test
20% - Quizzes, Homework, Classwork
30% - Labs and Lab Reports
Quizzes
At a minimum, one quiz will be given per unit. Some quizzes will be announced and others will not.
Quizzes will vary in format depending on the topic being covered.
Homework:
Students will have homework daily and be completed every night. It will consist of reading assignments,
viewing lectures (Kahn Academy, Bozeman biology), taking notes, Vocabulary, and to finish labs. If a formal
assignment hasn’t been given the student is expected to study over current material. You need to invest the
time outside of class to be successful in class. Students may occasionally need to come in early or stay after
school to work on their lab, collect data, and monitor apparatus.
Labs:
The new curriculum includes more emphasis on inquiry based labs, which means you will design your own
experimental procedures for a significant number of labs. You will keep a lab notebook to record procedures
and observations during labs. All labs will be done in pen. Formal lab write ups will be completed for major
labs. Lab notebooks will be reviewed for a graded periodically.
The AP Examination: MONDAY, MAY 9th, 2016 @ 8:00 am
The exam is three hours in length and is designed to measure a student's knowledge and understanding of
modern biology. On a 5 point scale, a score of 3 or better is passing. The following format will be used:
Section I: Multiple-Choice
Part A consists of 63 multiple-choice questions that represent the knowledge and science practices that you
should understand and be able to apply. Part B includes 6 grid-in questions that require the integration of
science and mathematical skills.
Section II: Free-Response
You should use the mandatory reading period to read and review the questions and begin planning your
responses. This section contains two types of free-response questions (short and long), and you will have a
total of 80 minutes to complete all of the questions.
Section 1
Question Type
Part A Multiple Choice
Part B Grid In
Number of Questions
63
6
Timing
90 mins
Section II
Question Type
Long Free Response
Short Free Response
Number of Questions
2
6
Timing
80 mins + 10 min reading period
Animals in classroom/lab
There are periodically a variety of animals (reptiles, fish, and rodents) in the classroom, some of them on a
permanent basis and some on a temporary basis. I believe that having animals in the classroom enhances
science education and provides opportunities many students would never experience otherwise. However, there
has to be specific safety precautions taken in order to protect the students and the animals. Anyone caught
mishandling, or being abusive, toward the animals will be subject to disciplinary action.
Information Regarding Lab Notebooks
You will need a “Composition book” for presenting your research findings and recording you assignments
(from hereon called Lab Notebooks). Do the following to the pages in your “Lab Notebooks” before doing
anything else:
Page 1: Create a cover page for each of your notebooks in ink, colored pencils, or glue in a color
printout…anything but pencil (Only pens and/or colored pencils will be used in this book; except when creating
a sketch to be colored in). It should be neat and include the following: Name, School Year ,Teacher Name
(Howland), and Period
Page 2: (front side of next sheet in book) Title this page: “Table of Contents”. It is here you will be listing you
labs/activities and be giving page numbers. So, you will want to neatly add columns like below:
Lab Number
Lab Title
Page Number
Grade
Page 3: (front side of next sheet in book) Leave Blank. This is so if you need more room for table of contents
you will have it.
Page 4: (front side of next sheet in book) Pay attention! Here is where you will start numbering EVERY page
in your book. You will start with 1 on the front side, 2 on the back side, 3 on next page, 4 on backside, and so
on until you reach the very last page. All page numbers are put in the lower right hand corner of the page in
ink!
Composition Book Rules:
1. Black or blue ink only. Everything must be written in ink.
2. Keep your table of contents current! Make sure you skip lines in case you have to add a correction on
one of those left hand pages and need to add it to your table of contents later.
3. Be as neat and organized as possible. Neatness and readability counts!!!
4. Before coming to lab to perform an experiment the following should be completed in your lab notebook
for each lab experiment:
i. Title and date of experiment
ii. Introduction section
iii. Materials and Method section
iv. Results section: Data Table(s) should be prepared and ready to be filled in
5. Make sure you include all components requested in the instructions. Double check when you think you
are done so that you don’t miss anything.
6. Always use third person
7. Answer in full sentences. Re-phase the question and be as complete as possible. Err on the side of too
much information
8. If you make a mistake, cross it out with one line. Do Not use white out. Do Not scribble out. Do Not
tear out pages.
9. Portions of lab instructions may be cut out and included in notebook; however, they must be glued or
taped in neatly in the appropriate place (no staples!).
10. Diagrams, graphs, charts are important. They may be hand drawn in your book, or you can make up in
a program like Excel, print out and paste in your book. You can also print out graph paper for graphs on
computer, or make one with a ruler.
Notes from Videos
You will be asked to view a number of videos online throughout the semester in addition to or in
lieu of lecture in class you will Title the page with the video title, URL for the video, and date viewed. You
will take notes on key concepts presented in the video. You may record your notes however they are most
useful to you (numbered, bulleted, graphically organized (flow chart, Venn diagram…)…). You may want to
record diagrams as presented, or make a concept map. It must be neat! Following your notes, please title a
section “Summary Paragraph”. Write at least one paragraph (including an introduction, and minimum 3
supporting facts) about what you learned in this video segment. Be specific and give examples. For example:
Title: Enzyme Action
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDCxIpiI7&list=PL7A750281106CD067&index=8&feature=plpp_video
Date Viewed: 13 March, 2012
Notes:
 Enzymes are catalysts
 Enzymes speed up chemical reactions; decreasing energy needed for reaction
 Active site on enzyme substrate (reactant) goes into.
 Lock and Key analogy
Summary Paragraph:
Enzymes are proteins that function as catalysts. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions by decreasing the
amount of energy required for a reaction to take place. Enzymes have an active site that the substrate
acts on and forms a product. Enzymes work like a lock and key; if the key fits the door opens: if the
substrate fits the active site then a chemical reaction takes place.
Free Response writing
Essay writing on the AP exam is very different than on English or history exams. You get no points for style,
only for content. The essay portion of the exam is the second part of the test. After 10 min reading period you
will have 80minutes to complete I suggest the following strategy:
During the reading period:
1. You will be allowed to outline, but not write, during the reading period. This is to give you time to
prepare your thoughts and avoid rambling essays
2. Prepare a graphic organizer/outline identifying what the question is asking. This will help you keep your
answer on-topic when you begin to write.
When writing:
1. Do NOT write an introductory paragraph or a concluding paragraph. This is a waste of time.
2. Dissect the question into its component questions. How many separate pieces of information is the
author asking for and what are they?
3. Write logically using your graphic organizer as a reference. If the question asks for one example, choose
your best example and fully explain it. Readers are trained to grade the first example given. Therefore, if
the question asks for one example and your first example only earns one point, it doesn’t matter that
your second would earn two.
4. Avoid contradicting yourself. Although readers look for places to give points, contradictory statements
can negate earned points.
5. Avoid fluff… AP readers don’t care about fancy writing and metaphors; they want to know that you
know the information.