AP Biology Course Syllabus
Samantha Collett Caudill
Leslie County High School
2011-2012
Introduction
AP Biology is a challenging but fun course. It’s core is centered upon two
main goals: (1) to help students develop a conceptual framework for modern
biology and (2) an appreciation of science as a process. Throughout the year
we will be focusing on the “big ideas” of biology and the connections between
each. Specific facts are of less importance if students cannot grasp the big
picture. The foundation of understanding the big picture begins with a
central understanding of evolution, as evolution is the background for all
modern biological thought. This course also encourage students to
investigate, analyze, and develop solutions to environmental and social
concerns in the world today. AP Biology is taught at the level and
equivalency of a two-semester college introductory biology course. Students
will be held to the same high expectations as a first year college student taking
Intro to Biology.
Goals of the Course/Themes, Topics, and Concepts
The AP Biology Exam places great emphasis on the understanding of the “big
ideas” in biology. These “big ideas” are divided into 8 major themes that are
overarching and interconnected. These themes are also intertwined within
three main topics. The AP Biology Exam is representative of three main
topics with the percentage coverage of each topic represented below.
 Molecules and Cells
 Heredity and Evolution
 Organisms and Populations
25%
25%
50%
The 8 major themes as identified by the College Board are listed below:
1) Science as a Process
5) Relationship of Structure to Function
2) Evolution
6) Regulation
3) Energy Transfer
7) Interdependence in Nature
4) Continuity and Change
8) Science, Technology, and Society
The AP Biology course at Leslie County High School is designed and taught
with careful and direct emphasis on the 8 themes and their
interconnectedness.
Listed below are the major concepts with the corresponding percentage focus
on the AP Biology Exam. During this course we will take an in depth look at
each of these although not in the exact order listed below. However, the
percentage focus will be very closely related.
Topic Outline
I. Molecules and Cells
A. Chemistry of Life
Water
Organic molecules in organisms
Free energy changes
Enzymes
B. Cells
Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells
Membranes
Sub-cellular organization
Cell cycle and its regulation
C. Cellular Energetics
Coupled reactions
Fermentation and Cellular Respiration
Photosynthesis
7%
25%
10%
8%
II. Heredity and Evolution
A. Heredity
8%
Meiosis and gametogenesis
Eukaryotic chromosomes
Inheritance Patterns
B. Molecular Genetics
9%
RNA and DNA structure and function
Gene Regulation
Mutation
Viral structure and replication
Nucleic acid technology and application
C. Evolutionary Biology
8%
Early evolution of life
25%
Evidence for evolution
Mechanisms of evolution
III. Organisms and Populations
50%
A. Diversity of Organisms
8%
Evolutionary Patterns
Survey of the diversity of life
Phylogenetic classification
Evolutionary relationships
B. Structure & Function of Plants and Animals 32%
Reproduction, growth, and development
Structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations
Response to the environment
C. Ecology
10%
Population dynamics
Communities and ecosystems
Global issues
Course Outline
The table (beginning below) will be your guide to the course including units of
study, labs, and assigned readings to be completed during the year. The first
column lists the units of studies with corresponding chapters and concepts,
and the number of days we will spend studying each. The second column
lists the AP Biology labs we will be completing and the amount of days we will
spend on each (including pre- and post- lab activities). The third column lists
the assigned chapter readings that must be completed.
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
Introduction (3 days)
Chapter 1: Biology and the Tree of
Life
 What does it mean to say that
something is alive?
 Cell Theory
 The theory of evolution by
natural selection
 The tree of life
Nature of Science
Chapter 1
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
Unit 1: Ecology (15 days)
Chapter 50: An Introduction to
Ecology
 Areas of ecological study
 Types of aquatic ecosystems
 Types of terrestrial ecosystems
 Role of climate and the
consequences of climate change
 Why are organisms found where
they are?
Chapter 51: Behavioral Ecology
 Introduction to Behavioral
Ecology
 What should I eat?
 Who should I mate with?
 Where should I live?
 How should I communicate?
 When should I cooperate
Chapter 52: Population Ecology
 Demography
 Population growth
 Population dynamics
 How can population ecology help
endangered species?
Chapter 53: Community Ecology
 Species interactions
 Community structure
 Community dynamics
 Species richness in ecological
communities
Chapter 54: Ecosystems
 Energy flow in ecosystems
 Nutrient cycling
 Global warming
Chapter 55: Biodiversity and
Conservation Biology
 What is biodiversity?
 Where is biodiversity highest?
 Threats to Biodiversity
 Importance of Biodiversity
Preserving Biodiversity
Lab 11: Animal Behavior
(2 days)
Chapter 50-55
Lab 12: Dissolved
Oxygen and Primary
Productivity (5 days)
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
Unit 2: Evolution (14 days)
Chapter 24: Evolution by Natural
Selection
 Evolution of evolutionary thought
 Pattern of evolution
 Process of evolution- how does
natural selection work?
 Evolution in action- recent
research
 Natural selection and adaptation
Chapter 25: Evolutionary Processes
 Change in allele frequencies: The
Hardy-Weinberg principle
 Types of natural selection
 Genetic drift
 Gene flow
 Mutation
 Nonrandom mating
Chapter 26: Speciation
 Species defined and identified
 Allopatry
 Sympatry
 What happens when isolated
populations come in contact?
Chapter 27: Phylogenies and the
History of Life
 Phylogenetic trees
 The fossil record
 Adaptive radiation
Mass extinction
Lab 8: Population
Genetics and Evolution
(2 days)
Chapter 24-27
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Unit 3: Chemistry of Life (5 days)
Chapter 2: Water and Carbon-The
Chemical Basis of Life
 Atoms, Ions, and MoleculesBuilding blocks of chemical
evolution
 Properties of water
 Chemical reactions, chemical
evolution, and chemical energy
 Importance of carbon

Unit 4: Biochemistry (13 days)
Chapter 3: Protein Structure and
Function
 Early origin of life experiments
 Amino acids and polymerization
 Proteins are the most versatile
large molecules in cells
 Protein structure
 Enzymes
Chapter 4: Nucleic Acids
 What is a nucleic acid
 DNA structure and function
 RNA structure and function
 The first life forms
Chapter 5: Introduction to
Carbohydrates
 Sugars and monomers
 Structure of polysaccharides
 Function of carbohydrates
Chapter 6: Lipids, Membranes, and
the First Cells
 Lipids
 Phospholipid Bilayers
 Diffusion and Osmosis
Membrane Proteins
Assigned Readings
Chapter 2
Lab 1: Osmosis and
Diffusion (4 days)
Lab 2: Enzyme Catalysis
and Toothpickase (5
days)
Chapter 3-6
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Unit 5: Cell Structure and Function
(10 days)
Chapter 7: Inside the Cell
 Bacterial and Archaeal cell
structures and their functions
 Eukaryotic cell structures and their
functions
 Putting the parts into a whole
 Nuclear Transport
 Manufacturing and Shipment of
Proteins
 Cytoskeleton
Chapter 8: Cell-Cell Interactions
 Cell Surface
 How do adjacent cells connect
and communicate?
 How do distant cells
communicate?
Chapter 11: The Cell Cycle
 Mitosis and the cell cycle
 How does mitosis take place
 Control of the cell cycle
Cancer
Unit 6: Cell Respiration and
Fermentation (7 days)
Chapter 9: Cellular Respiration and
Fermentation
 Nature of chemical energy and
redox reactions
 Overview of cellular respiration
 Glycolosis
 Pyruvate to acetyl CoA
 Citric Acid Cycle
 Electron transport chain and
chemiosmosis
 Fermentation
Cellular Respiration and other
metabolic pathways
Assigned Readings
Chapter 7-8, 11
Lab 5 Cell Respiration
(4 days)
Chapter 9
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
Unit 7: Photosynthesis (7 days)
Chapter 10: Photosynthesis
 Photosynthesis Harnesses Sunlight
to make carbohydrates
 How does chlorophyll capture
light energy?
 Photosystems I and II
How is carbon dioxide reduced to
produce glucose? The Calvin Cycle
Lab 4: Plant Pigments
and Photosynthesis (4
days)
Chapter 10
Unit 8: Meiosis/Genetics/ Heredity
(15 days)
Chapter 12: Meiosis
 How does meiosis occur?
 Consequences of Meiosis
 Why does meiosis exist?
 Mistakes in meiosis
Chapter 13: Mendel and the Gene
 Mendel’s experimental system
 Mendel’s experiments with a
single trait
 Mendel’s experiments with two
traits
 Chromosome theory of
inheritance
 Extending Mendel’s rules
Applying Mendel’s rules to humans
Lab 3: Mitosis and
Meiosis (4 days)
Chapter 12-13
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
Unit 9: Molecular Genetics and
Biotechnology (15 days)
Chapter 14: DNA and the Gene
 What are genes made of?
 Early hypotheses about DNA
synthesis
 Model for DNA synthesis
 Replicating the ends of linear
chromosomes
Repairing mistakes and damage
Lab 6a: Transformation
of E. coli. (3 days)
Chapter 14-21
Lab 7: Genetics and
Drosophila (4 days)
Lab 6b: DNA
Fingerprinting (3 days)
Unit 9 continued…
Chapter 15: Hoe Genes Work
 What do genes do?
 Central Dogma
 The genetic code
 Molecular basis of mutations
Chapter 16: Transcription, RNA
processing, and Translation
 Overview of transcription
 RNA processing in Eukaryotes
 Introduction to Translation
 Structure and function of Transfer
RNA
 Structure and function of
ribosomes
Chapter 17: Control of Gene
Expression in Bacteria
 Gene regulation and information
flow
 Identifying genes under regulatory
control
 Mechanisms of negative control
 Mechanisms of positive control
Chapter 18: Control of Gene
Expression in Eukaryotes
 Mechanisms of gene regulation in
Eukaryotes
 Chromatin remodeling
 Initiating transcription
 Post-transcriptional control
 How does gene expression in
bacteria compare with that in
eukaryotes?
 Linking cancer with defects in gene
regulation

Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
Unit 9 continued…
Chapter 19: Analyzing and
Engineering Genes
6 Case Studies
Chapter 20: Genomics
 Whole genome sequencing
 Bacterial and Archaeal genomes
 Eukaryotic genomes
 Functional genomics and
proteomics
Chapter 21: Genetic Principles of
Development
 Shared developmental processes
 The role of different gene
expressions in development
 Cell-cell signals trigger differential
gene expression
Changes in developmental pathways
underlie evolutionary change
Unit of Study
Unit 10 Diversity of Life (9 days)
Chapter 28: Bacteria and Archaea
 Why and How do biologists study
Bacteria and Archaea?
 Themes in the diversification of
Bacteria and Archaea
 Key Lineages
Chapter 29: Protists
 Why and How?
 Themes
 Key Lineages
Chapter 30: Green Algae and Land
Plants
 Why and How do biologists study
green algae and land plants?
 Themes
Key Lineages
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Unit 10 continued…
Chapter 31: Fungi
 Why and How?
 Themes
 Key Lineages
Chapter 32: An Introduction to
Animals
 Why and How?
 Themes
 Key Lineages
Chapter 33: Protostome Animals
 An Overview of Protostome
Evolution
 Themes in the diversification of
Protostome
Chapter 34: Deuterostome Animals
 What is an Echinoderm?
 What is a Chordate?
 What is a Vertebrate?
 Primates and Hominins
Chapter 35: Viruses
 Why and How do biologists study
viruses?
 Themes
Key Lineages
Unit 11: How Plants Work (15 days)
Chapter 23: An Introduction to Plant
Development
 Gametogenesis, Pollination, and
Fertilization
 Embryogenesis
 Vegetative development
 Reproductive development
Chapter 36: Plant Form and Function
 Plant Form
 Primary growth
 Cells and tissues of the primary
plant body
Secondary growth
Assigned Readings
Chapter 28-35
Lab 9: Transpiration (4
days)
Chapter 23, 36-40
Unit 11 continued…
Chapter 37: Water and Sugar
Transport in Plants
 Water potential and water
movement
 Water movement from roots to
shoots
 Water absorption and water loss
 Translocation
Chapter 38: Plant Nutrition
 Nutritional requirements
 Soil
 Nutrient uptake
 Nitrogen fixation
 Nutritional adaptations of plants
Chapter 39: Plants Sensory Systems,
Signals, and Responses
 Information processing
 Blue light: phototrophic response
 Red and far light: germination and
stem elongation
 Gravity
 Response to wind and touch
 Youth, maturity, and aging
 Pathogens and herbivores:
Defense response
Chapter 40: Plant Reproduction
 Into to plant reproduction
 Reproductive structures
 Pollination and fertilization
The seed
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Unit 12: How Animals Work Part 1
(10 days)
Chapter 41: Animal Form and
Function
 Form, Function, and Adaptation
 Tissues, Organs, and Systems:
How does structure correlate with
function?
 How does body size affect animal
physiology?
 Homeostasis
 Body temperature regulation
Chapter 42: Water and Electrolyte
Balance in Animals
 Osmoregulation and osmotic
stress
 Water and electrolyte balance in
aquatic environments
 Water and electrolyte balance in
terrestrial insects
 Water and electrolyte balance in
terrestrial vertebrates
Chapter 43: Animal Nutrition
 Nutritional requirements
 Capturing food: structure and
function of mouthparts
 Digestion and absorption
Nutritional homeostasis
Assigned Readings
Chapter 41-43
Unit of Study
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
Unit 13: How Animals Work Part 2:
(10 days)
Chapter 44: Gas Exchange and
Circulation
 Respiratory and circulatory
systems
 Air and water as respiratory media
 Organs of gas exchange
 How are oxygen and carbon
dioxide transported in blood
The circulatory system
Lab 10: Blood
Physiology and the
Circulatory System (2
days)
Chapter 44-46
Unit 13 continued…
Chapter 45: Electrical Signals in
Animals
 Principles of electrical signaling
 Dissecting the action potential
 The synapse
 The vertebrate nervous system
Chapter 46: Animal Sensory Systems
and Movement
 Information to the brain
 Hearing
 Vision
 Taste and smell
Movement
Unit of Study
Unit 14: How Animals Work Part 3
(12 days)
Chapter 47: Chemical Signals in
Animals
 Cell-to-Cell Signaling
 What do hormones do?
 How is the production of
hormones regulated?
 How do hormones act on target
cells?
Chapter 22: Introduction to Animal
Development
 Gamete structure and function
 Fertilization
 Cleavage
 Gastrulation
Organogenesis
Chapter 48: Animal Reproduction
 Asexual and sexual reproduction
 Fertilization and egg development
 Male/female reproductive systems
 Sex hormones
Pregnancy and birth in mammals
AP Biology Labs
Assigned Readings
Chapter 22, 47-49
Unit 14 continued…
Chapter 49: The Immune System
 Innate immunity
 Adaptive immune response:
recognition
 Adaptive immune response:
activation
 Adaptive immune response:
culmination
What happens when the immune
system doesn’t work correctly?
Total Days: 160
Lab Days: 46 minimum
29% lab work
(25% requirement)
Textbook
Freeman, Scott. Biological Science. 4th edition. Pearson, 2011. (Provided by
Leslie County High School.)
Required Materials
 Bound Composition Notebook
 Lab Notebook ( graph format, not lined)
 Three ring binder to organize notes, handouts, etc.
 Pen and Pencil
 Colored Pencils (for individual use)
 Scientific Calculator
The Laboratory
Laboratory experience is mandatory for any AP biology class. Labs reinforce
the importance of biology as a scientific process. As emphasized by the
College Board, lab experience develops important skills such as, detailed
observation, accurate recording, experimental design, manual manipulation,
data interpretation, statistical analysis, and operation of technical equipment.
This type of work fosters higher order thinking skills that are critical in the
understanding of the “big picture” of biology and the world in general.
AP Biology recommends 12 labs that will cover approximately 29% of class
time. We will be completing additional labs, other than the core 12,
throughout the year during each unit. Lab reports must be completed
according to the format attached to this syllabus. All lab reports are due no
later than 1 week after the lab is completed.
The 12 AP Biology labs that we will be completing are the labs covered on the
AP Biology Examination. These labs are listed on the course outline and
below:
1) Diffusion and Osmosis
2) Enzyme Catalysis
3) Mitosis and Meiosis
4) Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
5) Cell Respiration
6) Molecular Biology
7) Genetics of Organisms
8) Population Genetics and Evolution
9) Transpiration
10) Physiology of the Circulatory System
11) Animal Behavior
12) Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Primary Productivity
Class Schedule
AP Biology will be held during 4th period block both first and second semester.
4th period last for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This time frame will provide
extended lab time as compared to the other 50 minute periods during the day.
Grading Scale and Weighting
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
59 and below (Failing)
Exams and Quizzes
60%
Labs and Lab Reports
25%
Daily Work, Homework, Projects, Readings
15%
(Students will complete an end of the year project after the AP Exam.)
Exams will be designed like the AP Biology exam and consist in part of
multiple choice questions and free response questions pulled from old released
exams. The grading on the exams will also be like AP Exam and consist of
60% multiple choice and 40% free response. After the first exam,
consecutive exams will cover both old and new material at an approximate
50/50 ratio. Quizzes will be given during every unit and mainly cover unit
vocabulary.
During each lab you will complete a pre-lab before and a post lab analysis
following completion of the lab. You will be required to read the lab
instructions prior to each investigation as this will prepare you to complete the
lab correctly and efficiently. Lab reports must be completed in the format
given to at the beginning of the year. Any other form will be unacceptable
unless otherwise instructed by the teacher. Labs will also begin and end with
a pre and post discussions to relate the labs to the major themes and concepts.
It is important that you understand how and why you did a lab and connect it
to the “big picture”. Throughout the year there will be several lab test so that
I can assess whether or not you know what you did and why you did it.
Homework, daily work, and projects will take many different forms.
However, all assignments will be a reinforcement to the major themes we are
studying. Assigned readings (separate from the required textbook readings)
will focus mainly on environmental and social issues related to whatever topic
we are covering at that present time. Some type of critical analysis will be
required for each reading.
Expectations
It is important that you understand I will not lecture over everything in the
chapters. This is why it is imperative that you keep up with the assigned
chapter readings and make connections yourself. Most lectures will focus on
the connections to the 8 major themes and the interrelatedness to the 3 main
topics listed earlier in the syllabus. Self assess yourself with end of chapter
quizzes and assessments. During chapter readings it is important that you
take notes over the major objectives, vocabulary, important topics, etc. This
will prepare you for the exams along with the lectures, handouts, notes, etc.
that I give you.
Practice Exams During the Year
There will be three practice exams given during the year. These will be old
released exams. One will be given the first full week of school as a take home
test. This will be graded to establish a baseline benchmark and to identify
specific strengths and weaknesses so that I can better teach you. Near the end
of the 1st semester you will take the same exam again. It will be scored so that
we can see our progress from the first exam. The third practice exam will be
given right before the AP Biology Exam in May. This experience along with
the structure of the unit exams throughout the year should provide ample
experience for students to be prepared for the AP Biology Exam.
The AP Biology Exam
The AP Biology Exam will be given in May. It is three hours in length divided
as follows: An 80 minute, 100 questions multiple choice section, a 10 minutes
reading period, and a 90 minutes free response section that contains four
mandatory questions. A score of 3 or higher can save students time and
money in college by possibly allowing them to skip introductory level biology
and take upper level courses or courses that require introductory biology as a
prerequisite.
AP Grading
5-Extremely Qualified
4-Well-qualified
3-Qualified
2-Possibly qualified
1-No Recommendation
This will be a challenging but fun and exciting year. I look forward to having
each of you in class this year and have the highest expectations for your success
in AP Biology.