Pre-AP BIOLOGY SYLLABUS
2013-2014
OCONNOR
TEXTS:
 BIOLOGY- Stephen Nowicki, Holt McDougal, ISBN 13:978-0-547-41439
 FLORIDA END-OF-COURSE ASSESSMENT-BIOLOGY 1, REA, ISBN 13:978-07386-1111-2
 Course content will concentrate on but not be limited to topics reflected
in the state standards listed on this syllabus. Sequence of topics is subject
to change.
 Course work: Late work will be accepted in accordance with the student
handbook when an absence has occurred because of medical or excused
family reasons. Work which is late for other reasons (i.e. just not done) will
be accepted with a 10% reduction the first day and a 20% reduction for the
second day late. Days are defined as consecutive school days not rotation
days. For example, an assignment that was due to be submitted on
Monday will be reduced 10% for a Tuesday submission; 20% for a
Wednesday submission. No work will be accepted beyond the second day.
 Assessments: Student progress will be evaluated using classwork, home
learning assignments, quizzes, tests, lab work, and lab reports. Format of
tests and quizzes may include combinations of multiple choice, short
answer, data analysis, free responses. For project work which involves
teamed work, all members of each team are expected to participate fully in
that project. Failure to do so will result in a reduced grade for that team
member.
 Grade distribution:
40% tests
30% projects/notebook/labs
30% home learning/quizzes
Semester 1
SC.912.L.14.7, SC.912.L.15.6,
SC.912.L.15.6, SC.912.L.14.7,
SC.912.L.15.13, SC.912.L.18.7,
Biology in the 21st Century-Chapter 1
Plant Diversity- Chapters 20-22
 Anaerobic/Aerobic organismsimportance of O2 production
 Plants as Producers
 Origins of Plant
 Plant Classifications
 Vascular/ Non-vascular plants
 Plant cell organelles
structure/function
o Nucleus-eukaryotes vs.
prokaryotes
o Cell wall
o Xylem/Phloemstructure and function
o Chloroplasts
 Alternation of Generationmosses, fern, higher plants
 Monocots/Dicots
 Germination and growth of
seed plants
 Roots/Stems
SC.912.N.3.1, MA.912.S.1.2,
LA.910.4.2.2, MA.912.S.3.2,
LA.910.2.2.3, SC.912.N.1.6,
SC.912.N.1.1, SC.912.L.18.10,
SC.912.L.18.7, SC.912.L.18.8,
SC.912.L.14.3, SC.912.N.1.1,
SC.912.L.14.4, SC.912.L.16.10,
SC.912.L.14.6, SC.912.L.15.6
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Role of Chlorophyll
Introduction of Photosynthesis
Leaf structure/Function
Plant Reproduction
Seed dispersal
Role of fruit
Role of Hormones/Enzymes
Physiological Processes of PlantsChapter 4 Photosynthesis
 Cell Respiration-aerobic and
anaerobic
Viruses, Prokaryotes, Protists, FungiChapter 18
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Viral structure and function
Viral diseases
Domains Bacteria/Archaea
Antibiotics-use/misuse
Protists-morphology and role
in environment
 Fungi- morphology and role in
environment
 Tracking an epidemic
Chemistry of Life-Chapter 2
 Basic principles of Chemistryatoms, ions, molecules
 Properties of water
 Properties of carbon
 Chemical reactions
 Enzymes reviewed
 Bonding
 pH-calculating and effect on
organisms
Labs: dependent on availability of
materials
 Seed dissectionmonocot/dicot
 Flower dissection-basic
elements of drawing
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(Honors)-Gibberellic acid
effect on dwarf Bassica rapa
 Cell respiration lab-peas
 Quarter project-germination
of seed plants and growth
through seed production,
collection/manipulation of
authentic data, generation of
formal lab report due 3rd week
November.
 Introduction of compound
microscope and use of
dissecting microscopes
 Leaf x-section (microscope) –
elements of drawing from
microscope
Semester 2SC.912.L.18.1, SC.912.L.18.12,
SC.912.L.18.1, SC.912.L.18.11,
MA.912.S.3.2, SC.912.L.16.16,
SC.912.L.16.16,
SC.912.L.16.1,SC.912.L.16.2,
SC.912.L.15.15, SC.912.L.16.4,
SC.912.L.16.5, SC.912.L.16.9,
SC.912.N.3.1, SC.912.N.1.3,
SC.912.L.15.13, SC.912.L.15.1,
SC.912.L.15.14, SC.912.L.15.13,
SC.912.L.15.8, SC.912.L.17.5,
SC.912.L.17.9, SC.912.E.17.1,
SC.912.L.17.4, SC.912.L.17.2,
SC.912.L.17.20, SC.912.L. 17.8, SC.
912.N.1.6, LA.910.2.2.3,
SC.912.L.17.3, SC.912.L.15.6
Genetics-Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9
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Mitosis/meiosis
Case for diversity
Mendel and heredity
Traits, genes, alleles (basic)
Traits and probability
Testcrosses
DNA vs RNA-structure
Replication
Transcription
Translation
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Gene regulation
Mutations
DNA fingerprinting
Genetically modified foodswheat, corn, rice-pros/cons
Evolution-Chapters 10-12
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Darwin’s role
Evidence for
Impact of mutations
Natural Selection in
populations
Importance of biodiversity in
populations
Fossil record
Primate evolution
Radioactive dating
Ecology-Chapters 13-16
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Abiotic/Biotic factors
Energy transfer in ecosystems
Food chains and webs
Nutrient cycling
Classification-Chapter 17
 Domains and kingdoms
 Linnaean classification
The Human Organism-Chapters 2832
 Major brain parts and function
 Cardiovascular system
 Immune system basics and
diseases
 Environmental impacts on
human health
Animal overview-Chapters 23-25
 Invertebrate basics-sponges
through arthropods
 Vertebrates
Labs: based on availability of
materials
 Mitosis-root tip (microscope)identification of mitotic
phases, identification of zones
 Meiosis-paper activity
 Analysis of pedigrees-including
linkage, sex linkage, crossing
over
 Probability
 Incomplete
dominance/codominanceobservation in flowers
 Human genetics analysisqualitative analysis of class
members
 HONORS only-Drosophila cross
and generation of formal lab
report
 Regular-analysis of genetic
experiment data and
generation of formal lab
report
 DNA extraction from
strawberries
 DNA Origami
 Genetic Drift
 Peppered Moth experiment
 (Honors only) Hardy-Weinberg
 Gross morphology of
grasshoppers
 Vertebrate dissection