ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGY
Coalinga High School
Instructor
Joshua Sexton
mrsexton@sbcglobal.net
www.mrsexton.net
Coalinga High School
(559) 935-7520
Course Description
This course is designed to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and
analytical skills used to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology. AP Biology includes those
topics regularly covered in a college level introductory biology course for majors. The approximate coverage of
topics is as follows: Molecules and Cells, 25%; Heredity and Evolution, 25%; Organisms and Populations, 50%.
The primary emphasis of the course is to help students understand concepts in biology beyond the memorization
of terms and technical details. Rather than an accumulation of facts, students should understand science as a
process and apply it to solve problems, as well as analyze environmental and social concerns.
A.P. Biology is a class designed for students who have completed Lab Biology I and Chemistry. It is
strongly recommended that students have earned grades of “B” or better in these prerequisites. AP Biology is for
(but not limited to) students who are considering a science major in college. Students have the potential to earn
college credit for the class by passing the AP exam given in May. All students should take the AP exam.
The class will be conducted at the college level and students are expected to work accordingly. Students
should attend class regularly. Tests will hold students responsible for detailed information that may have been
covered during only part of one class period! The overall success of the program depends greatly on each
student meeting their individual responsibilities. A significant part of the content of this course will be
covered independently by each student. The ability to think about what you need to know, and then ask
questions, is a key! Allowances should be made for substantial study time.
Text
Campbell, Neil, 1999. Biology, Fifth Edition, Benjamin/Cummings Pubs. Co. Inc. Redwood City, CA.
Register for access to the companion website by going to www.phschool.com/access. You will need to
enter this code: SSNAST-GUESS-RAJAH-BOSON-MERCY-POPES
Laboratory
In order for college credit to be given for this course, a substantial amount of time must be spent in the
lab. Labs will frequently require additional time outside of regularly scheduled class time. Students should
anticipate the labs and make arrangements for the time requirements. I realize this is a substantial burden, and I
will be as flexible as possible in making accommodations to help you make this endeavor work. This will occur
approximately once or twice each month.
Materials
 Paper, pen and pencil
 Notebook –Notes, handouts, and assignments should be kept in a 3-ringed binder organized by topic.
 Laboratory Quadbook – this is a standard 10in. X 77/8in. composition book with quad ruling (graph
paper) inside. These are sold in class for $3.00 to support ASB and CSF, but they may be found
cheaper if you search.
 Calculators – graphing calculators are extremely useful and encouraged for use in labs. However
calculators are not allowed during tests.

Grading: Students’ final score is a weighted average percent of the following three categories:
*Tests = 45%, Labs = 30%, Assignments = 25%
*Tests will be scored according to the AP Biology exam format (60% objective, 40% Essay)
Coalinga High School
AP Biology – Assignment 1
Mr. Sexton
For all assigned chapters (excluding ch.1) use all of the following resources:
Text book – Get an overview by scanning the headings and subheadings of the chapter. Review the study
objectives. Begin reading the chapter with the first few objectives in mind. If you are not able to answer
the objective questions, make note of a question to ask during the lecture. Notice that students are
expected to have started reading material before it is covered in the lecture. Don’t forget to use the
chapter summaries, self-quizzes, and challenge questions at the end of each chapter for review.
Study Guide Book – Complete: Interactive Questions, Structure Your Knowledge, and Test Your Knowledge
The Study Guide assignments all have answers at the end of the book. Practice and think before you
look up the answers!!!
Online resources – The syllabus contains a web address and access code to register for the companion
website to the textbook. It has chapter reviews, activities practice quizzes, and lab simulations. You can
also find links to other online resources and download handouts at www.mrsexton.net.
Your Lecture Notes – Keep them organized and review them.
Read Chapter 1
Objectives -- After reading this chapter and attending lecture you should be able to:
1. Briefly describe unifying themes that pervade the science of biology.
2. Diagram the hierarchy of structural levels in biology.
3. Explain how the properties of life emerge from complex organization.
4. Describe seven emergent properties associated with life (see fig. 1.3 ).
5. Distinguish between holism and reductionism.
6. Explain how technological breakthroughs contributed to our current understanding of the cell.
7. Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
8. Use your own words to explain the meaning of “form fits function.
9. List and distinguish between the five kingdoms of life.
10. Briefly describe how Charles Darwin’s idea contributed to the conceptual framework of biology.
11. Outline the scientific method.
12. Distinguish between inductive and deductive reasoning.
13. Explain how science and technology are interdependent.
Be prepared to design an experiment to test a variable that I will assign (this will be your first test
essay).
The following will help you practice:
Define the following terms: hypothesis, control, *independent variable, *dependent variable.
*not in the text – research elsewhere
Practice with simple questions like “What is the best concentration of chlorine for a swimming
pool?”, “What is the best water temperature for growing algae?”, “What is the best detergent for
washing clothes?”
Coalinga High School
AP Biology – Assignment 1
Mr. Sexton
Read Chapter 2
Answer the Science, Technology, and Society questions 1&2 (text).
Objectives -- After reading this chapter and attending lecture you should be able to:
1. Define element and compound.
2. State four elements essential to life that make up 96% of living matter.
3. Describe the structure of an atom.
4. Define and distinguish between atomic number, mass number, atomic weight, and valence.
5. Given the atomic number and mass of an atom, determine the number of neutrons.
6. Explain why radioisotopes are important to biologists.
7. Explain how electron configuration influences the chemical behavior of an atom.
8. Explain the octet rule and predict how many bonds an atom might form.
9. Explain why noble gases are so unreactive.
10. Define electronegativity and explain how it influences the nature of chemical bonds.
11. Distinguish between nonpolar and polar covalent bonds.
12. Describe the formation of a hydrogen bond and explain how it differs from a covalent or ionic bond.
13. Explain why weak bonds are so important to living organisms
14. Describe how the relative concentrations of reactants and products affect a chemical reaction.
Read Chapter 3
Answer Challenge Question 1.
Objectives -- After reading this chapter and attending lecture you should be able to:
1. Describe how water contributes to the fitness of the environment to support life.
2. Describe the structure and geometry of a water molecule, and explain what properties emerge as a result.
3. Explain the relationship between the polar nature of water and it’s ability to form hydrogen bonds.
4. List five characteristics of water that are emergent properties resulting from hydrogen bonding.
5. Describe the biological significance of the cohesiveness of water.
6. Distinguish between heat and temperature.
7. Explain how water’s high specific heat, high heat of vaporization, and expansion upon freezing affect
both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
8. Explain how the polarity makes it a versatile solvent.
9. Define molarity and list some advantages to measuring substances in moles.
10. Write the equation for the dissociation of water, and explain what is actually transferred from one
molecule to another.
11. Explain the basis for the pH scale.
12. Explain how acids and bases directly or indirectly affect the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution.
13. Using the bicarbonate buffer system explain how buffers work.
14. Describe the causes of acid precipitation and explain how it adversely affects the fitness of the
environment.
Read Chapter 4
Answer Challenge Questions 1, 2, 3.
Objectives -- After reading this chapter and attending lecture you should be able to:
1. Summarize the philosophies of vitalism and mechanism, and explain how they influenced the
development of organic chemistry.
2. Explain how carbon’s electron configuration determines the kinds and number of bonds carbon will form.
3. Describe how carbon skeletons vary, and explain how this variation contributes to the diversity and
complexity of organic molecules.
4. Distinguish between the three types of isomers.
5. Recognize the major functional groups, and describe the chemical properties of organic molecules in
which they occur.
Coalinga High School
AP Biology – Assignment 1
Mr. Sexton
Major themes of Biology: Each of these themes underlies every topic in biology.
1. Life is organized on many structural levels: Atoms - Complex Biological molecules - Cellular organelles
- Cells - Tissues - Organs - Organ systems - Complex Organisms - Population - Community - Ecosystem
- Biomes - Biosphere - ?
2. Each level of biological organization has emergent properties.
Properties of life emerge at the cellular level that were not present at a molecular level (reproduction,
growth & development, energy use, response to the environment, homeostasis, evolutionary, adaptation)
Holism vs Reductionism in understanding life…
3. Cells are an organism's basic unit of structure and function.
Hooke - described cells
Leeuwenhok - observed microscopic organisms
Schleiden and Schwann - Developed cell theory
Prokaryotic Cell - no membrane bound organelles
Eukaryotic Cell - membrane bound organelles
4. The continuity of life is based on heritable information in the form of DNA passed from parent to offspring
5. Structure and function are correlated at all levels of biological organization. Structure gives clues about
what it does and how it works, function gives insight into structure.
6. Organisms are open systems that interact with their environments
Both organism and environment are interdependent (nutrient cycling, energy flow).
7. Diversity and unity are the dual faces of life on Earth.
Enormous biological diversity made more comprehensible by classification:
Domain - Kingdom - Phylum - Class - Order - Family - Genus - Species
Unity in universal genetic code, similar metabolic pathways, similar cell structures
8. Evolution is the core theme of biology.
Species change over time. Similar species share a recent common ancestor. Less closely related species
share a more ancient common ancestor. Mechanism of change is natural selection.
9. Science is a process of inquiry.
Scientific method = a series of steps used to answer questions
Hypothesis - Control group - Variable - Experimental group
Theory ≠ hypothesis
10. Science and technology are functions of society.
Science and technology are interdependent.
Technology has improved our standard of living.
Technology creates new problems.