Advanced Placement Biology 2015-2016 Audit
School Environment
The high school where I will be teaching Advanced Placement Biology is a rural high school with a wide variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. With just over 1200 students in grades 9-12, the class sizes vary from 13 to 33 for any given subject and grade level.
Advanced Placement Biology is most often reserved for seniors who have been on the gifted and honors course path for their freshman, sophomore, and junior years. This year I will have 23 seniors in the class.
The AP courses offered are usually changed every 3 or 4 years. Two AP science courses are not often offered together during the same school term due to the fact that many of the senior students participate in dual enrollment preventing more than one AP science course from achieving the minimum number of students. My school has a block hybrid schedule that includes five 55 minute class periods and one 90 minute block. I will be teaching one 55 minute class period with seniors who have already completed gifted and honors biology as well as chemistry.
This will be my first year teaching the course and I have not had the opportunity to utilize summer coursework but plan to incorporate it into my plans for summer 2016. The pacing guide described in the course unit section will be utilized in a yearlong class. Each lesson described is a
55 minute class period.
Classroom Text and Resources
Campbell, Neil and Reece, Jane B. 2008. AP Edition Biology, Eighth Edition, San
Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings. [ CR1]
AP Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry Based Approach , The College Board, 2012
BSCS Biology: A Molecular Approach, Ninth Edition, New York, NY: Glencoe/McGraw Hill
2006
Websites www.arkive.org
www.hhmi.org
www.phschool.com

Advanced Placement Biology Course Overview
The Advanced Placement Biology curriculum focuses on the interconnectedness of every aspect of life throughout four domains. Those domains include: Evolution, Cellular Processes,
Genetics, and Ecological Interactions. As students work through the content of the course, they will become aware of how these four big ideas relate to each other in a variety of ways. The four big ideas of the course that will be incorporated into each unit are described in the following:
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 like processes
Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties. [CR2]
The course utilizes the enduring understandings, essential knowledge (EK) and the learning objectives for each big idea to guide the investigations of the students. [CR2] As students examine examples of evolutionary change due to environmental pressures within a population (EK1.A.1), they will be able to draw conclusions about how gene expression can affect phenotype and adaptive behaviors (EK 2.D.2, 3.C.1). Students will explore through cellular processes understanding that biological systems utilize energy and materials to grow, reproduce, and maintain homeostasis. (EK 2.A-E) Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to examine cellular processes including mitosis and meiosis noting specifically how
DNA is transmitted, replicated, and expressed in a variety of organisms during each process. (EK
3.A.1-3) [CR2]
Course Units and Learning Objectives [CR4]
Introductory Unit (4 lessons)
The introductory unit will include a brief overview of prior knowledge and introduction of the four big ideas: Evolution, Cellular Processes, Genetics, and Ecological Interactions. Students will have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the seven science practices and discuss how they will be utilized during laboratory investigations. [CR6] Students will also be assessed on their processing and logic skills with a variety of strategy based inquiry activities including designing experiments, finding patterns, and developing appropriate hypotheses during lab investigations 1 and 2. (SP 4.1-3) (LO 1.23, 1.32) [CR4]

The main concepts covered, big ideas (BI), learning objectives and enduring understandings
(EU) for each course unit are presented in the table below. Laboratory investigations with corresponding science practices (SP) are also listed in the table. The course will cover all four big ideas throughout the units listed below. Many units include aspects of more than one big idea as a focus allowing for students to understand the interconnectedness of each theme. The concepts covered may be presented in the order shown or rearranged based on progression of the course.
Unit
Ecology
(8/10-9/4)
20 Lessons
Big Idea 4
Cells &
Membranes
(9/8-9/15)
7 Lessons
Big Idea 2
Energy
(9/16-10/16)
20 Lessons
Big Idea 2 and 4
Concepts Covered
-
Movement of matter and energy
Modeling of food webs and energy
-
-
Interactions between organisms and environment flow
Energy pyramids
Adaptations and their relation to using matter and energy
Behavior in response to environmental changes
Terrestrial and aquatic adaptations
Evolutionary advantages
Biogeochemical Cycles
Conservation Biology
Human Impact
Hardy-Weinberg (intro)
Learning
Objectives
2.1 – 2.4
2. 22-24
2.28-2.30
2.35- 2.37
2.38-2.40
2.42
3.40-3.42
4.11 - 4.16
4.19-4.21
4.23-4.27
Review of Cellular Activity
Osmosis and membranes
Enzyme relation to cellular processes
Cell communication and mechanisms
(signaling and response)
Viruses
2.10-2.14
2.16-2.21
2.43
3.29 – 3.32
3.34
3.37 – 3.39
-
-
-
Enzyme substrate complex with examples
Induced fit and fluid motion
Competitive inhibitors
Photosynthesis
Light Dependent and Independent
Cycles
Cellular respiration
ATP and ADP
2.1-2.5
2.41
Enduring
Understandings
3. E. 1
4. A.5
4. A.6
4. B
2. B. 1
2. B. 2
2. B. 3
2. D. 1a
3. C. 3
3. D. 1
3. D. 2
3. D. 3
3. D. 4
4. B. 2
2. A.1
a. 1-3
d. 1, 3-5
e
f
2. A.2
b. 1
2. A. 3
a. 1-3
2. D
2. E. 2
2. E. 3
2. A. 1
2. A. 2
Activities/ Labs
Lab Investigation 3: (SP 3-5)
Organism response to stimuli
Modeling: Energy
Pyramids [CR4d] (SP1)
Lab Investigation 4: (SP 3-5)
Plant Tropisms
Inquiry Readings and
Response [CR4d]
Journal Article-Invasive
Species (LO 4.9)
Lab Investigation 5: (SP1,2,6)
Determining Molarities
Lab Investigation 6: Virus
Webquest/Construction (SP1)
(LO3.29-30)
Lab Investigation 7: (SP 3-5)
Osmosis and Diffusion
Inquiry reading and response [CR4b]
Debate- Stem Cells (LO3.13)
Lab Investigation 8: (SP 3-5)
Floating disk assay
Lab Investigation 9: (SP 3-5)
Transpiration Activity
Lab Investigation 10: (SP 3-6)
Stomata peal
Enzyme Manipulative [CR4b]
Enzyme/Substrate
Webquest [CR4b]
Inquiry reading
&response [CR4b]

Reproduction
(genetics intro)
(10/19-11/20)
25 Lessons
Big Idea 1,2,3
Genetics
(11/30 -12/14)
11 Lessons
Big Idea 1,2,3, 4
Evolution &
History of Life
(1/5- 2/5)
23 Lessons
Big Idea 1 and 3
Cellular
Response
Between
Systems
(Signaling
Revisit)
(2/8-2/26)
14 Lessons
Big Idea1, 2 and
4
Biochemistry &
Cell Processes II
(2/29-3/18)
14 Lessons
Big Idea 2 and 4
Cell Cycle
Mitosis and Meiosis
DNA
RNA
Biodiversity
Review disorders and mutations
(transition to genetics)
3.1 – 3.14
3.27
3.28
3. A.1
3. A.2
3. A. 3
3. C. 2 c
Mendelian monohybrid cross and dihybrid cross
Pedigrees and inheritance
Disorders and mutations
Hardy-Weinberg (review evolution concepts)
Biotechnology and Bioethics
Gene expression
Structure and function
Genetic Variation
Data Analysis
Darwin’s observations and hypotheses
Hardy-Weinberg
Statistical Analysis
History of Life
Phylogeny
Cladograms
Evidence of Change
Allele Frequency
Types of Selection
Selective Pressures (adaptation review)
Geological Time
Theories and Trends
How are signals transmitted between cells, organisms, communities, etc.
Components of nervous, immune and endocrine systems
How do the systems within an organism respond and signal other systems
Individuals act on information and communicate to other organisms
Response to signals are crucial for survival
1.6
1.7
3.12 – 3.26
1.1
1.3
1.6
1.7
1.9
1.10 - 1.20
1.22-1.32
2.25- 2.27
4.23
4.24
2.27 -2.31
2.43
3.40-3.50
3. A. 3
3. B. 1
3. C. 1
a-d
3. C. 2
a, c
4. B. 1
1. C
1. D
2. D. 2
3. E. 1 c
4. C
1. A. 2
3. D. 1
3. D. 2
3. D. 3
3. D. 4
3.E.1 c
3.E.2
Structures and functions of polymer
Organelles and functions
Specialization & differentiation
Coordination between systems
Properties of water
Properties of organic molecules
2.7-2.11
4. 1- 4.10
4.13
4. A. 1
4. A. 2
4. A. 3
4. A. 4
Examining Onion Root Tip
(preserved slides)
Lab Investigation 11: (SP 1,3-
5)
Cell Division: Mitosis and
Meiosis
Journal Article- Cyclins
(LO3.8)
Lab Investigation 12: (SP2, 7)
M & M Chi Square
GATTACA [CR4c] (LO3.13)
Journal Article- Genetic engineering
Debate- Genetic Engineering
Lab Investigation 13: (SP 6,7)
Comparing DNA/BLAST
“Your Inner Fish” [CR4a]
(LO 1.9, 1.16)
Lab Investigation 14: (SP 1-7)
Artificial Selection
Creating Cladograms [CR4a]
(LO1.19)
Journal Article: Speciation
[CR4a]
Debate: Theories on History of
Life (LO 1.29)
Systems connection project
Remediation of cellular processes
Inquiry reading and response [CR4b]
Modeling: Protein construction
(SP 1, 7)

Laboratory Investigations [CR6, CR7, CR8]:
During the course of the year, students will complete a variety of laboratory investigates including inquiry based activities and directed analysis. Class periods are limited to 55 minutes so laboratory activities may be modified to fit time constraints. Laboratory investigations will be a large portion of this course. An investigation will take place every two weeks for two to three class periods at a time. Pacing will allow for at least 10 weeks of laboratory activities out of 36 weeks of class time, almost 28%. Students will begin the semester developing their inquiry skills with example experimental designs. They will analyze the design and discuss how the design could be changed and improved determining each variable for the design and possible outcomes.
The students will also review and discuss the seven science practices before they begin application of those practices in their own investigations. [CR7] All laboratory investigations are designed to provide students with opportunities to perform one or more of the seven science practices listed below:
1.
The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems.
2.
The student can use mathematics appropriately.
3.
The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course.
4.
The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question.
5.
The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.
6.
The student can work with scientific explanations and theories.
7.
The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains.
All laboratory investigations and data will be recorded in their composition notebooks.
[CR8] Notebooks will be collected and assessed at random each Friday following a laboratory investigation. All notebooks will be collected and assessed at the end of a nine week grading period. Students will be required to show all work in their laboratory notebooks and provide supporting evidence for any conclusions drawn. The descriptions below illustrate the connections students will make in 6 of the 14 laboratory investigations between the four big ideas. Students will be able to connect the enduring understandings from each big idea and meet the learning objectives as they work through the inquiry activities.
The ecology unit will include two inquiry based lab investigations, various research and collaborative activities that will be described in the supplemental activities section. In lab investigation 3 students will examine how organisms respond to various changes in their

environment. (EU 2C, BI 2, 4) Students will design an experiment using pill bugs to observe how their behavior (movement) changes when exposed to various stimuli. Students will be allowed to choose which stimuli to use and predict the behavioral changes of the organism.
Students will draw conclusions based on their results about taxis and kinesis in organisms.
Students will also relate these behavioral changes to adaptations that may result due to environmental stimuli. (EU 1A, BI 1) Lab investigation 4 will allow students to investigate tropisms in plants and continue the discussion of environmental influence as they design an experiment to examine responses due to gravity, light, and touch .
( EU 2E , BI 2 , 1A, 1C, BI 1)
[CR3a]
The cells and membranes unit will include three main laboratory investigations. Lab investigation 5 will focus on the movement of molecules based on the concentrations of solutions. Students will review hypertonic, isotonic and hypotonic qualities before the lab.
Students will be presented six solutions with unknown molarities, a sweet potato and white potato. They will determine molarities of the solutions after submerging the potatoes in the solutions and measuring the change in mass. Students will continue their investigation with solutions, diffusion and osmosis with lab investigation 7. Students will choose a solution to place in dialysis tubing. The tubing will then be placed into distilled water. Students will illustration their predictions for the experiment. [CR8] They will also be required to illustrate the procedures for the experiment. Students will analyze their hypotheses and results to develop a conclusion as to how and why the fluids moved. Students should be able to make conclusions about concentrated solutions as well as molarities. Students will apply their conclusions to examples in nature and how osmosis and diffusion are vital cellular processes. (EU 2.B, BI 2 connecting to
EU 4.A, BI 4) [CR3b, d]
The genetics unit includes lab investigation 12 which will allow students to analyze data and apply their observations to further investigate allele frequencies within an example population. The students will examine data they collect using an M&M chi square activity.
Students will use mathematical formulas to calculate the number of a specific color of M&M in a
“population”. Students will be able to use that information to better understand how traits occur at random within a population and under ideal conditions allele frequencies are stable over time.
Lab investigation will revisit big idea 4 from the ecology unit as students discuss population dynamics and heritable traits within a population. Students will then transition to investigate
Hardy-Weinberg further and complete more practice scenarios. (BI 1, 3and 4) [CR3a, c, d]
The evolution and history of life unit includes an investigation of artificial selection. Lab investigation 13 will allow students to design an experiment to examine how environmental pressures can affect growth and development of organisms. Students will design their investigations choosing the variables they would like to test. They will set all the parameters.
They will be able to choose between the amount of light, amount of soil, number of seeds, placement of seeds, etc. Students will complete the procedures and record their data in their journals. They will be able to draw conclusions based on their manipulated variables in

relationship to the health and/or growth of the plants (BI 1, EU 1A). Students will be able to use their data to better understand the concepts of photosynthesis and specialized organelles in plants and pose questions for further investigations (BI 4, EU 4.A 2). [CR 3a, d]
Supplemental Activities [CR4]
“Disease of the week” - Students will participate in biweekly research of a disease. Students will submit the investigations of their “Disease of the week” in an essay, PowerPoint or model.
Students will research a chosen disease and gather information about how the disease affects the organism on a cellular level. The student must include what systems and/or organs are affected specifically focusing on the cellular aspects (mechanisms and processes) of the illness. They may also include medications, alternative therapies for the disease or treatment methods. [CR5]
Debates – One week during each nine week grading period students will be presented with a social issue relating to biology, genetics, biotechnology, genetic engineering etc. Topics will be chosen from current events or major national scientific issues. Students will be asked to research the issue and choose a side to defend before their peers during a debate. During some of the exercises, students will be assigned a “title” and have the opportunity to present the viewpoint of a specific individual. Titles will include researcher, politician, civilian, parent, physician, pharmaceuticals representative and pastor. [CR5]
Journal Articles – Students will read and analyze a series of scientific journal articles for each of the big ideas. They will summarize the procedures and data described in the article. Students will evaluate the methods used in the research and discuss how the study could have been completed differently or investigated further. [CR8, BI 1-4]
Videos- Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to view films related to each big idea. The students will write summaries, answer questions, and lead discussions about the films. “GATTACA” will be used to debate genetic engineering and new innovations in biotechnology. [CR5, BI 3] Students will also view “Your Inner Fish” and discuss the supporting evidence for homologous limbs, evolutionary changes over generations, and common ancestry and DNA similarities in various species. [BI 1 and B3]
Periodically, students will illustrate or model concepts learned and practiced during the lesson.
Students will utilize limited vocabulary and focus mainly on representing ideals with graphics.
Students will use this practice during laboratory evaluations as well. [CR8]