Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Course Title
Grade Level
Content Area
Length of Course
Author(s)
Advanced Placement Biology
11th and 12th Grades
Science
Semester
Andrew Koch
Course Description:
AP Biology is an introductory college-level biology course. Students cultivate their
understanding of biology through inquiry-based investigations as they explore the
following topics: evolution, cellular processes (energy and communication, genetics,
information transfer) as well as ecology, and interactions.
The course is based on four Big Ideas, which encompass core scientific principles, theories,
and processes that cut across traditional boundaries and provide a broad way of thinking
about living organisms and biological systems. The following are the Big Ideas:
 The process of evolution explains the diversity and unity of life.
 Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to
reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis
 Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life
processes
 Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess
complex properties
Since AP Biology is an integrated curriculum each, standard, lesson, topic, laboratory
investigation, and chapter in the text addresses each of the big ideas to varying degrees.
Course Rationale:
Students who take this curriculum framework will develop advanced inquiry and
reasoning skills, such as designing a plan for collecting data, analyzing data, applying
mathematical routines, and connecting concepts in and across domains. The result will be
readiness for the study of advanced topics in subsequent college courses.
Following the successful completion of AP Biology students will be eligible to sit for the AP
Biology examination. Depending upon the score attained and the institution they will be
attending following graduation the student may receive college credit.
AP Biology
Summer 2014
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AP Biology
Summer 2014
Table of Contents
Curriculum Map
AP Biology Laboratory Investigations
Unit 1 – Biological Systems - Description, Essential Questions and
Enduring Understandings; PA Science Standards; PA Core Literacy
Standards
Learning Objectives
Essential Knowledge; Concept and Content Connections
Resources for this Unit
Unit 2 – Living Systems -Description, Essential Questions and
Enduring Understandings; PA Science Standards; PA Core Literacy
Standards for Science; Learning Objectives
Essential Knowledge, Concept and Content Connections
Resources for this Unit
Unit 3 – Process of Evolution - Description, Essential Questions and
Enduring Understandings ; PA Science Standards and PA Core Literacy
Standards for Science; Learning Objectives
Essential Knowledge; Concept and Content Connections
Resources for this Unit
Unit 4 – Biological Interactions – Description; Essential Questions
and Enduring Understandings; PA Science Standards; PA Core
Literacy Standards for Science; Learning Objectives
Essential Knowledge; Concept and Content Connections
Resources for this Unit
Appendix A – Key Vocabulary by Chapter
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Curriculum Map (Semester Course)
Quarter
Topics covered during this time period
1 or 3
1. The themes of biology, an introduction to biology (1 block)
a. Structural levels of biological organization and emergent
properties
b. Life’s processes
c. Transfer and transformation of matter and energy
d. Interactions within and between structural levels of biological
organization
e. The unifying theory of biology, evolution
f. Classification of the diversity of life
g. The tree of life
h. The scientific method
i. Experimental design
j. Scientific theories and the philosophy of science
k. Science as a communal endeavor
2. Cell communication (2 blocks)
a. Evolution of cell signaling
b. Cell signaling over short and long distances
c. The stages of cell signaling
d. Cell receptors in the plasma membrane
e. Intracellular receptors
f. Signal transduction pathways
g. The role of protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation
h. Small molecules and ions as secondary messengers
i. Nuclear and cytoplasmic responses to signaling pathways
j. Regulation of responses to cell signaling
k. Apoptosis and cell signaling pathways
3. The cell cycle (1 block)
a. Cellular organization of genetic material
b. Distribution of chromosomes during eukaryotic cell division
c. Phases of the cell cycle
d. Binary fission in bacteria
e. The evolution of mitosis
f. Control mechanisms of the cell cycle
4. Meiosis and sexual life cycles (1 Block)
a. Inheritance of genes
b. Comparing asexual and sexual reproduction
c. Sets of chromosomes in human cells and their behavior
d. Stages of meiosis
e. Crossing over and synapsis
f. The origins of genetic variation among offspring
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Summer 2014
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5. Mendelian genetics (1 Block)
a. Analyzing Mendel’s experiments and results
b. The law of segregation
c. The law of independent assortment
d. Mathematical analysis of monohybrid crosses and application
of the laws of probability
e. Inheritance patterns not predicted by Mendelian genetics
f. Application of Mendelian genetic analysis to one and multiple
genes
g. Environmental influence on phenotype
h. Pedigree analysis
i. Recessively inherited disorders
j. Dominantly inherited disorders
k. Multifactorial disorders
6. The chromosomal basis of inheritance (1 Block)
a. Morgan’s experiments with fruit flies
b. Correlating behavior of a gene’s alleles with the behavior of
chromosome pairs
c. The chromosomal basis of sex
d. Inheritance of X-linked genes
e. X inactivation in female mammals
f. Genetic recombination and gene linkage
g. Creating gene linkage maps
h. Alterations of chromosome number and structure
i. Human disorders due to chromosomal alterations
7. The molecular basis of inheritance (1 Block)
a. Key experiments in the discovery of DNA as the molecule of
heredity and its structure
b. Base pairing in DNA and RNA
c. Semiconservative DNA replication
d. Proofreading and repair of altered DNA nucleotides
e. The evolutionary significance of altered DNA nucleotides
f. DNA replication in linear and circular chromosomes
g. DNA packing
8. Gene expression (1 Block)
a. The basic principles of transcription and translation
b. The genetic code
c. The molecular components of transcription
d. Synthesis of an mRNA transcript
e. Post-transcriptional controls in eukaryotic organisms
f. Molecular components of translation
g. Construction of a polypeptide
h. Completing and targeting the functional protein
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Summer 2014
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i. Making multiple polypeptides in bacteria and eukaryotes
j. Types of small-scale mutations
k. New mutations and mutagens
9. Regulation of gene expression (1 Block)
a. Bacterial control of gene expression
b. Types of negative gene regulation in bacteria, inducible and
repressible operons
c. Positive gene regulation of the operon
d. Differential gene expression in eukaryotes
e. Regulation of chromatin structure in eukaryotes
f. Regulation of transcription initiation in eukaryotes
g. Mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes
h. Effects on mRNA’s by microRNA’s and siRNA’s
i. A genetic program for embryonic development
j. Cytoplasmic determinants and inductive signals in cell
differentiation
k. Sequential regulation of gene expression during cellular
differentiation
l. The body plan genes
10. Viruses (1 Block)
a. The discovery of viruses
b. Viral structure
c. General features of viral replication cycles
d. Replication of phages
e. Replication of animal viruses
f. Evolution of viruses
g. Viral diseases of animals
h. Emerging viruses
i. Viral diseases of plants
11. Genomes and their evolution (1 Block)
a. Analyzing genome sequences
b. Identifying protein-coding genes and understanding their
functions
c. Understanding genes and gene expression at the systems level
d. Genome size
e. Number of genes
f. Gene density and noncoding DNA
g. Transposable elements and related sequences in eukaryotes
h. Alterations of chromosome structure
i. Exon duplication and exon shuffling
j. How transposable elements contribute to genome evolution
12. Descent with modification (1 Block)
a. Scala Naturae and classification of species
AP Biology
Summer 2014
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b. Ideas about change over time
c. Lamarck’s hypothesis of descent with modification
d. Darwin’s research
e. The origin of species
f. Direct observations of evolutionary change
g. Homology
h. The fossil record
i. Biogeography
13. The evolution of populations (1 Block)
a. Genetic variation is required for evolution
b. Sources of genetic variation
c. Gene pools and allele frequencies
d. Using the Hardy-Weinberg equation
e. Natural selection
f. Genetic drift
g. Gene flow
h. The key role of natural selection in adaptive evolution
i. Sexual selection
j. Directional selection, balancing selection and stabilizing
selection
k. Limitations of natural selection
14. The origin of species (1 Block)
a. The biological species concept
b. Other species definitions
c. Allopatric and sympatric speciation
d. Patterns within hybrid zones
e. Hybrid zones over time
f. The time course of speciation
g. The genetics of speciation
h. From speciation to macroevolution
15. The history of life on Earth (1 Block)
a. Synthesis of organic compounds on early Earth
b. Abiotic synthesis of macromolecules
c. Protocells
d. Self-replicating RNA
e. The fossil record
f. Fossil dating methods
g. The origin of new groups of organisms
h. The first single-celled organisms
i. The origin of multicellularity
j. The colonization of land
k. Plate techtonics and patterns of fossil distribution
l. Mass extinctions set the stage for rapid evolution and adaptive
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Summer 2014
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radiation
m. The effects of developmental genes in evolution
n. The evolution of development
o. Why evolution is not goal oriented
16. Phylogeny and the tree of life (2 Blocks)
a. Binomial nomenclature
b. Hierarchical classification
c. The connections between classification and phylogeny
d. Applying phylogenies
e. Morphological and molecular homologies
f. The difference between homology and analogy
g. Evaluating molecular homologies
h. Cladistics
i. Phylogenic trees with proportional branch lengths
j. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood
k. Phylogenic trees as hypotheses
l. Documentation of evolutionary history of organisms in their
genomes
m. Gene duplication and gene families
n. Genome evolution
o. Molecular clocks
p. The development of domains from kingdoms
q. The role of horizontal gene transfer
17. The origin and evolution of vertebrates (1 Block)
a. The characteristics of chordates
b. Early chordate evolution
c. The characteristics of vertebrates
d. Early vertebrate evolution
e. The origins of bones and teeth
f. The characteristics of gnathostomes
g. Fossil gnathostomes
h. The chondricthyans
i. Ray-finned fishes and lobe-fins
j. Characteristics of tetrapods
k. The origin of tetrapods
l. Characteristics of a
m. Amphibians
n. Characteristics of amniotes
o. Early amniotes
p. Reptiles
q. Characteristics of mammals
r. Early evolution of mammals
s. Monotremes
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Summer 2014
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2 or 4
AP Biology
Summer 2014
t. Marsupials
u. Eutherians
v. Characteristics of humans
w. The earliest Hominins
x. Australopiths
y. Bipedalism
z. Development of tool use
aa. Early Homo
bb. Neanderthals
cc. Homo sapiens
18. Plant structure, growth and development (1 Block)
a. The three basic plant organs: roots, stems and leaves
b. Dermal, vascular, and ground tissue systems
c. Meristem generation of new cells for primary and secondary
growth
d. Common types of plant cells
e. Primary growth of roots
f. Primary growth of shoots
g. The vascular cambrium and secondary vascular tissue
h. The cork cambrium and production of periderm
i. The evolution of secondary growth
j. Model organisms used to revolutionize the study of plants
k. Plant growth: cell division and cell expansion
l. Gene expression and the control of cell differentiation
m. Shifts in development: phase changes
n. Genetic control of flowering
19. Resource acquisition and transport in vascular plants (1 Block)
a. Shoot architecture and light capture
b. Root architecture and acquisition of water and minerals
c. The apoplast and symplast: transport continuums
d. Short-distance transport of solutes across plasma membranes
e. Short-distance transport of water across plasma membranes
f. Long-distance transport: the role of bulk flow
g. Absorption of water and minerals by root cells
h. Transport of water and minerals into the xylem
i. The role of stomata in regulating water loss
j. Mechanisms of stomata opening and closing
k. Stimuli for stomatal opening and closing
l. Effects of transpiration on wilting and leaf temperature
m. Adaptations that reduce evaporative water loss
n. Movement from sugar sources to sugar sinks
o. Bulk flow by positive pressure: the mechanism of
translocation in angiosperms
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p. Changes in plasmodesmata number and pore size
q. The role of phloem in dissemination of information
r. Electrical signaling in the phloem
20. Angiosperm reproduction and biotechnology (1 Block)
a. Flower structure and function
b. The angiosperm life cycle
c. Methods of pollination
d. From a seed to flowering plant
e. Fruit structure and function
f. Mechanisms of asexual reproduction
g. Advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual
reproduction
h. Mechanisms that prevent self-fertilization
i. Totipotency, vegetative reproduction, and tissue culture
j. Plant breeding
k. Plant biotechnology and genetic engineering
l. The debate over plant biotechnology
21. Plant responses to internal and external signals (1 Block)
a. Reception, transduction, and response in signal transduction
pathways
b. Plant hormone role in coordinating growth, development, and
responses to stimuli
c. Blue-light photoreceptors
d. Phytochrome photoreceptors
e. Biological clocks and Circadian rhythms
f. The effect of light on the biological clock
g. Photoperiodism and responses to seasons
h. Plant response to gravity
i. Plant response to mechanical stimuli
j. Plant responses to environmental stressors
k. Plant defenses against pathogens and herbivores
22. Animal form and function (1 Block)
a. Evolution of animal size and shape
b. Exchange with the environment
c. Hierarchical organization of body plans
d. Coordination and control
e. Feedback regulation of animal internal environments
(homeostasis)
f. Homeostatic processes for thermoregulation
g. Endothermy and ectothermy
h. Variation in body temperature
i. Balancing heat loss and gain
j. Acclimatization in thermoregulation
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Summer 2014
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k. Physiological thermostats and fever
l. Energy allocation and use
m. Quantifying energy use
n. Minimum metabolic rate and thermoregulation
o. Influences on metabolic rate
p. Torpor and energy conservation
23. Circulation and gas exchange (1 Block)
a. Gastrovascular cavities
b. Open and closed circulatory systems
c. Organization of vertebrate circulatory systems
d. Blood composition and function
e. Partial pressure gradients in gas exchange
24. The immune system (2 Blocks)
a. Innate immunity in invertebrates
b. Innate immunity of vertebrates
c. Evasion of innate immunity by pathogens
d. Antigen recognition by B cells and antibodies
e. Antigen recognition by T cells
f. B cell and T cell development
g. Helper T cells: a response to nearly all antigens
h. Cytotoxic T cells: a response to infected cells
i. B cells and antobodies: a response to extracellular pathogens
j. Summary of humoral and cell-mediated immune responses
k. Active and passive immunity
l. Antibodies as tools
m. Immune rejection
n. Exaggerated, self-directed, and diminished immune responses
o. Evolutionary adaptations of pathogens that underlie immune
system avoidance
25. Osmoregulation and excretion (1 Block)
a. Osmosis and osmolarity
b. Osmoregulatory challenges and mechanisms
c. Energetics of osmoregulation
d. Transport epithelia in osmoregulation
e. Forms of nitrogenous waste
f. The influence of evolution and environment on nitrogenous
wastes
g. Excretory processes
h. Survey of excretory systems
i. From blood filtrate to urine
j. Solute gradients and water conservation
k. Adaptations of the vertebrate kidney to diverse environments
l. Homoeostatic regulation of the kidney
AP Biology
Summer 2014
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26. Hormones and the endocrine system (2 Blocks)
a. Intercellular communication
b. Chemical classes of local regulators and hormones
c. Cellular response pathways
d. Multiple effects of hormones
e. Endocrine tissues and organs
f. Simple hormone pathways
g. Feedback regulation
h. Coordination of endocrine and nervous systems
i. Thyroid regulation: a hormone cascade pathway
j. Hormonal regulation of growth
k. Parathyroid hormone and vitamin D: control of blood calcium
l. Adrenal hormones: response to stress
m. Hormones and biological rhythms
n. Evolution of hormone function
27. Neurons, synapses, and signaling (1 Block)
a. Neuron structure and function
b. Introduction to information processing
c. Formation of a resting potential
d. Modeling the resting potential
e. Hyperpolarization and depolarization
f. Graded potentials and action potentials
g. Generation of action potentials
h. Conduction of action potentials
i. Generation of postsynaptic potentials
j. Summation of postsynaptic potentials
k. Modulating signaling at synapses
l. Neurotransmitters
28. Nervous systems (1 Block)
a. Glia
b. Organization of the vertebrate nervous system
c. The peripheral nervous system
d. Arousal and sleep
e. Biological clock regulation
f. Emotions
g. Functional imaging of the brain
h. Information processing
i. Language and speech
j. Lateralization of cortical function
k. Frontal lobe function
l. Evolution of cognition in vertebrates
m. Neuronal plasticity
n. Memory and learning
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Summer 2014
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o. Long-term potential
p. Schizophrenia
q. Depression
r. The brain’s reward system and drug addiction
s. Alzheimer’s disease
t. Parkinson’s disease
29. Sensory and motor mechanisms (1 Block)
a. Sensory reception and transduction
b. Transmission
c. Perception
d. Amplification and adaptation
e. Types of sensory receptors
f. Sensing of gravity and sound in invertebrates
g. Hearing and equilibrium in mammals
h. Hearing and equilibrium in other vertebrates
i. Evolution of visual perception
j. The vertebrate visual system
k. Taste in mammals
l. Smell in mammals
m. Vertebrate skeletal muscle
n. Other types of muscle
o. Types of skeletal systems
p. Types of locomotion
30. Animal behavior (1 Block)
a. Fixed action patterns
b. Migration
c. Behavioral rhythms
d. Animal signals and communication
e. Experience and behavior
f. Learning
g. Evolution of foraging behavior
h. Mating behavior and mate choice
i. Genetic basis of behavior
j. Genetic variation and the evolution of behavior
k. Altruism
l. Inclusive fitness
m. Evolution and human culture
31. An introduction to ecology and the biosphere (1 Block)
a. Global climate patterns
b. Regional and local effects on climate
c. Microclimate
d. Global climate change
e. Climate and terrestrial biomes
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Summer 2014
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f. General features of terrestrial biomes
g. Disturbance and terrestrial biomes
h. Zonation in acquatic biomes
i. Dispersal and distribution of species
j. Behavior and habitat selection
k. Biotic and abiotic factors
32. Population ecology (2 Blocks)
a. Density and dispersion of species
b. Demographics
c. Per capita rate of population increase
d. Exponential growth rate of populations
e. Logistic growth model
f. The logistic model and real populations
g. Evolution and life history diversity
h. Population change and population density
i. Mechanisms of density-dependent population regulation
j. Population dynamics
k. The global human population
l. Global carrying capacity
33. Community ecology (1 Block)
a. Competition
b. Predation
c. Herbivory
d. Symbiosis
e. Facilitation
f. Species diversity
g. Diversity and community stability
h. Trophic structure
i. Species with large impacts
j. Bottom up and top-down controls
k. Characterizing disturbance
l. Ecological succession
m. Human disturbance
n. Latidudinal gradients
o. Area effects
p. Island equilibrium model
q. Pathogens and community structure
r. Community ecology and zoonotic diseases
34. Ecosystems and restoration ecology (1 Block)
a. Law of conservation of energy
b. Law of conservation of mass
c. Energy, mass and trophic levels
d. Ecosystem energy budgets
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Summer 2014
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e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
Big Idea
Evolution
Cellular Processes:
Energy and
Communication
Genetics and
Information
Transfer
Interactions
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Primary production in aquatic ecosystems
Primary production in terrestrial ecosystems
Production efficiency
Trophic efficiency and ecological pyramids
Biogeochemical cycles
Decomposition and nutrient cycling rates
Bioremediation
Biological augmentation
Required Labs for AP Biology
Laboratory Investigation
1. Artificial Selection (5 Blocks)
2. Mathematical Modeling (2 Blocks)
3. Comparing DNA Sequences (2 Blocks)
4. Diffusion and Osmosis (3 Blocks)
5. Photosynthesis (2 Blocks)
6. Cellular Respiration (2 Blocks)
7. Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis (3 Blocks)
8. Biotechnology: Bacterial Transformation (3 Blocks)
9. Biotechnology: Restriction Enzyme Analysis of DNA (2
Blocks)
10. Energy Dynamics (3 Blocks)
11. Transpiration (2 Blocks)
12. Fruit Fly Behavior (2 Blocks)
13. Enzyme Activity (2 Blocks)
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Unit Title
Unit Description
Essential Questions &
Enduring Understandings
Unit 1 – Biological Systems
Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building
blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis
(Big Idea 2)
2.A: Growth, reproduction and maintenance of the organism of the
living systems require free energy and matter.
2.B: Growth, reproduction and dynamic homeostasis require that
cells create and maintain internal environments that are different
from their external environments.
2.C: Organisms use feedback mechanisms to regulate growth and
reproduction, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.
2.D: Growth and dynamic homeostasis of a biological are
influenced by changes in the system’s environment.
2.E: Many biological processes involved in growth, reproduction
and dynamic homeostasis include temporal regulation and
coordination.
PA Science Standards
3.1.B.A1, Describe the common
characteristics of life. Compare and contrast
the cellular structures and degrees of
complexity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic
organisms. Explain that some structures in
eukaryotic cells developed from prokaryotic
cells (e.g., mitochondria, chloroplasts)
3.1.B.A2, Identify the initial reactants, final
products, and general purposes of
photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Explain the important role of ATP in cell
metabolism. Describe the relationship
between photosynthesis and cell respiration
in photosynthetic organisms. Explain why
many biological macromolecules such as
ATP and lipids contain high-energy bonds.
Explain the importance of enzymes as
catalysts in cell reactions. Identify how
factors such as pH and temperature may
AP Biology
Summer 2014
PA Core Literacy Standards for Science
Reading in Science and Technical
Subjects:
CC.3.5.11-12.A, Cite specific textual
evidence to support analysis of science and
technical texts, attending to important
distinctions the author makes and to any
gaps or inconsistencies in the account.
CC.3.5.11-12.B, Determine the central ideas
or conclusions of a text; summarize complex
concepts, processes, or information
presented in a text by paraphrasing them in
simpler but still accurate terms
CC.3.5.11-12.C. Follow precisely a complex
multistep procedure when carrying out
experiments, taking measurements, or
performing technical tasks; analyze the
specific results based on explanations in
texts.
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affect enzyme function.
3.1.B.A3, Explain how all organisms begin
their life cycles as a single cell and that in
multicellular organisms, successive
generations of embryonic cells form by cell
division.
3.1.B.A4, Summarize the stages of the cell
cycle. Examine how interactions among the
different molecules in the cell cause the
distinct stages of the cell cycle which can
also be influenced by other signaling
molecules. Explain the role of mitosis in the
formation of new cells and its importance in
maintaining chromosome number during
asexual reproduction. Compare and
contrast a virus and a cell. Relate the stages
of viral cycles to the cell cycle.
3.1.B.A5, Relate the structure of cell
organelles to their function (energy capture
and release, transport, waste removal,
protein synthesis, movement, etc). Explain
the role of water in cell metabolism. Explain
how the cell membrane functions as a
regulatory structure and protective barrier
for the cell. Describe transport mechanisms
across the plasma membrane.
3.1.B.A6, Explain how cells differentiate in
multicellular organisms.
3.1.B.A7, Analyze the importance of carbon
to the structure of biological
macromolecules. Compare and contrast the
functions and structures of proteins, lipids,
carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Explain
the consequences of extreme changes in pH
and temperature on cell proteins.
3.1.B.A8, Recognize that systems within
cells and multicellular organisms interact to
maintain homeostasis. Demonstrate the
repeating patterns that occur in biological
polymers. Describe how unique properties
of water support life.
3.1.B.A9, Compare and contrast scientific
AP Biology
Summer 2014
CC.3.5.11-12.D, Determine the meaning of
symbols, key terms, and other domainspecific words and phrases as they are used
in a specific scientific or technical context
relevant to grades 11–12 texts and topics.
CC.3.5.11-12.E, Analyze how the text
structures information or ideas into
categories or hierarchies, demonstrating
understanding of the information or ideas.
CC.3.5.11-12.F, Analyze the author’s
purpose in providing an explanation,
describing a procedure, or discussing an
experiment in a text, identifying important
issues that remain unresolved.
CC.3.5.11-12.G, Integrate and evaluate
multiple sources of information presented
in diverse formats and media (e.g.,
quantitative data, video, multimedia) in
order to address a question or solve a
problem.
CC.3.5.11-12.H, Evaluate the hypotheses,
data, analysis, and conclusions in a science
or technical text, verifying the data when
possible and corroborating or challenging
conclusions with other sources of
information.
CC.3.5.11-12.I, Synthesize information from
a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments,
simulations) into a coherent understanding
of a process, phenomenon, or concept,
resolving conflicting information when
possible.
CC.3.5.11-12.J, By the end of grade 12, read
and comprehend science/technical texts in
the grades 11–12 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Writing in Science and Technical
Subjects:
CC.3.6.11-12.A, Write arguments focused
on discipline-specific content.
CC.3.6.11-12.B, Write
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theories. Know that both direct and indirect
observations are used by scientists to study
the natural world and universe. Identify
questions and concepts that guide scientific
investigations. Formulate and revise
explanations and models using logic and
evidence. Recognize and analyze alternative
explanations and models. Explain the
importance of accuracy and precision in
making valid measurements. Examine the
status of existing theories. Evaluate
experimental information for relevance and
adherence to science processes. Judge that
conclusions are consistent and logical with
experimental conditions. Interpret results
of experimental research to predict new
information, propose additional investigable
questions, or advance a solution.
AP Biology
Summer 2014
informative/explanatory texts, including the
narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/experiments, or technical
processes.
CC.3.6.11-12.C, Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
CC.3.6.11-12.D, Develop and strengthen
writing as needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and
audience.
CC.3.6.11-12.E, Use technology, including
the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products in
response to ongoing feedback, including
new arguments or information.
CC.3.6.11-12.F, Conduct short as well as
more sustained research projects to answer
a question (including a self-generated
question) or solve a problem; narrow or
broaden the inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the subject,
demonstrating understanding of the subject
under investigation.
CC.3.6.11-12.G, Gather relevant
information from multiple authoritative
print and digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the strengths
and limitations of each source in terms of
the specific task, purpose, and audience;
integrate information into the text
selectively to maintain the flow of ideas,
avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any
one source and following a standard format
for citation.
CC.3.6.11-12.H, Draw evidence from
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection and research.
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CC.3.6.11-12.I, Write routinely over
extended time frames (time for reflection
and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single sitting or a day or two) for a range of
discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Learning Objectives – The student will…
LO 2.1: The student is able to explain how biological systems use free energy based on empirical
data that all organisms require constant energy input to maintain organization, to grow and to
reproduce.
LO 2.2: The student is able to justify a scientific claim that free energy is required for living
systems to maintain organization, to grow or to reproduce, but that multiple strategies exist in
different living systems
LO 2.3: The student is able to predict how changes in free energy availability affect organisms,
populations and ecosystems.
LO 2.4: the student is able to use representations to pose scientific questions about what
mechanisms and structural features allow organisms to capture, store or use free energy.
LO 2.6: The student is able to use calculated surface area-to-volume ratios to predict which
cell(s) might eliminate wastes or procure nutrients faster by diffusion.
LO 2.7: Students will be able to explain how cell size and shape affect the overall rate of nutrient
intake and rate of waste elimination.
LO 2.8: The student is able to justify the selection of data regarding the types of molecules that
an animal, plant or bacterium will take up as necessary building blocks and excrete as waste
products
LO 2.9: The student is able to represent graphically or model quantitatively the exchange of
molecules between an organism and its environment, and the subsequent use of these molecules
to build new molecules that facilitate dynamic homeostasis, growth and reproduction.
LO 2.10: The student is able to use representations and models to pose scientific questions about
the properties of cell membranes and selective permeability based on molecular structure.
LO 2.11: The student is able to construct models that connect the movement of molecules across
membranes with membrane structure and function.
LO 2.12: The student is able to use representations and models to analyze situations or solve
problems qualitatively and quantitatively to investigate whether dynamic homeostasis is
maintained by the active movement of molecules across membranes.
LO 2.13: The student is able to explain how internal membranes and organelles contribute to cell
functions.
LO 2.14: The student is able to use representations and models to describe differences in
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
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LO 2.15: The student can justify a claim made about the effect(s) on a biological system at the
molecular, physiological or organismal level when given a scenario in which one or more
components within a negative regulatory system is altered.
LO 2.16: The student is able to connect how organisms use negative feedback to maintain their
internal environments.
LO 2.17: The student is able to evaluate data that show the effects(s) of changes in
concentrations of key molecules on negative feedback mechanisms.
LO 2.18: The student can make predictions about how organisms use negative feedback
mechanisms to maintain their internal environments.
LO 2.19: The student is able to make predictions about how positive feedback mechanisms
amplify activities and processes in organisms based on scientific theories and models.
LO 2.20: The student is able to justify that positive feedback mechanisms amplify responses in
organisms.
LO 2.21: The student is able to justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer
scientific questions about the relevant mechanism the organisms use to respond to changes in
their external environment.
LO 2.22: The student is able to refine scientific models and questions about the effect of
complex biotic and abiotic interactions on all biological systems, from cells and organisms to
populations, communities and ecosystems.
LO 2.23: The student is able to design a plan for collecting data to show that all biological
systems (cells, organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems) are affected by complex
biotic and abiotic interactions.
LO 2.24: The student is able to analyze data to identify possible patterns and relationships
between a biotic or abiotic factor and a biological system (cells, organisms, populations,
communities or ecosystems).
LO 2.25: The student can construct explanations based on scientific evidence that homeostatic
mechanisms reflect continuity due to common ancestry and/or divergence due to adaptation in
different environments.
LO 2.26: The student is able to analyze data to identify phylogenic patterns or relationships,
showing that homeostatic mechanisms reflect both continuity due to common ancestry and
change due to evolution is different environments.
LO 2.27: The student is able to connect differences in the environment with evolution of
homeostatic mechanisms.
LO 2.28: The student is able to use representations or models to analyze quantitatively the
effects of disruptions to dynamic homeostasis in biological systems.
LO 2.29: The student can create representations and models to describe immune responses.
LO 2.30: The student can create representations or models to describe nonspecific defenses in
plants and animals.
LO 2.31: The student can connect concepts in and across domains to show that timing and
coordination of specific events are necessary for normal development in an organism and that
these events are regulated by multiple mechanisms.
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LO 2.32: The student is able to use a graph or diagram to analyze situations or solve problems
(quantitatively or qualitatively) that involve timing and coordination of events necessary for
normal development in an organism.
LO 2.33: The student is able to justify scientific claims with scientific evidence to show that
timing and coordination of several events are necessary for normal development in an organism
and that these events are regulated by multiple mechanisms.
LO 2.34: The student is able to describe the role of programmed cell death in development and
differentiation, the reuse of molecules, and the maintenance of dynamic homeostasis.
LO 2.35: The student is able to design a plan for collecting data to support the scientific claim
that the timing and coordination of physiological events involve regulation.
LO 2.36: The student is able to justify scientific claims with evidence to show how timing and
coordination of physiological events involve regulation.
LO 2.37: The student is able to connect concepts that describe mechanisms that regulate the
timing and coordination of physiological events.
LO 2.38: The student is able to analyze data to support the claim that responses to information
and communication of information affect natural selection.
LO 2.39: The student is able to justify scientific claims, using evidence, to describe how timing
and coordination of behavioral events in organisms are regulated by several mechanisms.
LO 2.40: The student is able to connect concepts in and across domain(s) to predict how
environmental factors affect responses to information and change behavior.
Essential Knowledge
Concept and Content Connections
2.A.1: All living systems require
constant input of free energy
2.A.1.a: Life requires a highly ordered system.
2.A.1.b: Living systems do not violate the second law of
thermodynamics, which states that entropy increases over time.
2.A.1.c: Energy related pathways in biological systems are
sequential and may be entered at multiple points in the pathway
(see also 2.A.2)
2.A.1.d: Organisms use free energy to maintain organization,
grow and reproduce
2.A.1.e: Changes in free energy availability can result in changes
in population size
2.A.1.f: Changes in free energy availability can result in
disruptions to an ecosystem.
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2.A.2: Organisms capture and
store free energy for use in
biological processes
2.A.2.a: Autotrophs capture free energy from physical sources in
the environment.
2.A.2.b: Heterotrophs capture free energy present in carbon
compounds produced by other organisms.
2.A.2.c: Different energy-capturing processes use different types
of electron acceptors.
2.A.2.e: Photosynthesis first evolved in prokaryotic organisms;
scientific evidence supports that prokaryotic (bacterial)
photosynthesis was responsible for the production of an
oxygenated atmosphere; prokaryotic photosynthetic pathways
were the foundation of eukaryotic photosynthesis.
2.A.2.f: Cellular respiration in eukaryotes involves a series of
coordinated enzyme-catalyzed reactions that harvest free energy
from simple carbohydrates.
2.A.2.g: The electron transport chain captures free energy from
electrons in a series of coupled reactions that establish an
electrochemical gradient across membranes.
2.A.2.h: Free energy becomes available for metabolism by the
conversion of ATP  ADP, which is coupled to many steps in
metabolic pathways.
2.A.3: Organisms must
exchange matter with the
environment to grow,
reproduce and maintain
organization
AP Biology
Summer 2014
2.A.3.a: Molecules and atoms from the environment are
necessary to build new molecules.
2.A.3.b: Surface area-to-volume ratios affect a biological system’s
ability to obtain necessary resources or eliminate waste
products.
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2.B.1: Cell membranes are
selectively permeable due to
their structure
2.B.1.a: Cell membranes separate the internal environment of
the cell from the external environment.
2.B.1.b: Selective permeability is a direct consequence of
membrane structure, as described by the fluid mosaic model.
(See also 4.A.1)
2.B.1.c: Cell walls provide a structural boundary, as well as a
permeability barrier for some substances to the internal
environments.
2.B: Growth, reproduction and dynamic homeostasis require that
cells create and maintain internal environments that are
different from their external environments
2.B.2: Growth and dynamic
homeostasis are maintained by
the constant movement of
molecules across membranes
2.B.2.a: Passive transport does not require the input of metabolic
energy; the net movement of molecules is from high
concentration to low concentration.
2.B.2.b: Active transport requires free energy to move molecules
from regions of low concentration to regions of high
concentration.
2.B.2.c: The process of endocytosis and exocytosis move large
molecules from the external environment to the internal
environment and vice versa, respectively.
2.B.3: Eukaryotic cells maintain
internal membranes that
partition the cell into
specialized regions
2.B.3.a: Internal membranes facilitate cellular processes by
minimizing competing interactions and by increasing surface
area where reactions can occur.
2.B.3.b: Membranes and membrane-bound organelles in
eukaryotic cells localize (compartmentalize) intracellular
metabolic processes and specific enzymatic reactions. (See also
4.A.2)
2.B.3.c: Archaea and Bacteria generally lack internal membranes
and organelles and have a cell wall.
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Summer 2014
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2.C.1: Organisms use feedback
mechanisms to maintain their
internal environments and
respond to external
environmental changes
2.C.1.a: Negative feedback mechanisms maintain dynamic
homeostasis for a particular condition (variable) by regulating
physiological processes, returning the changing condition back
to its target set point.
2.C.1.b: positive feedback mechanisms amplify responses and
processes in biological organisms. The variable initiating the
response is moved farther away from the initial set point.
Amplification occurs when the stimulus is further activated
which, in turn, initiates an additional response that produces
system change.
2.C.1.c: Alteration in the mechanisms of feedback often results in
deleterious consequences.
2.C.2: Organisms respond to
changes in their external
environments
2.C.2.a: Organisms respond to changes in their environment
through behavioral and physiological mechanisms.
2.D.1: All biological systems
from cells and organisms to
populations, communities and
ecosystems are affected by
complex biotic and abiotic
interactions involving exchange
of matter and free energy
2.D.1.a: Cell activities are affected by interactions with biotic and
abiotic factors.
2.D.2: Homeostatic mechanisms
reflect both common ancestry
and divergence due to
adaptation in different
environments
2.D.2.a: Continuity of homeostatic mechanisms reflects common
ancestry, while changes may occur in response to different
environmental conditions (See also 1.B.1)
2.D.1.b: Organism activities are affected by interactions with
biotic and abiotic factors. (See also 4.A.6)
2.D.1.c: The stability of populations, communities and
ecosystems is affected by interactions with biotic and abiotic
factors. (See also 4.A.5, 4.A.6)
2.D.2.b: Organisms have various mechanisms for obtaining
nutrients and eliminating wastes.
2.D.2.c: Homeostatic control systems in species of microbes,
plants and animals support common ancestry. (See also 1.B.1)
2.D.3: Biological systems are
affected by disruptions to their
dynamic homeostasis
AP Biology
Summer 2014
2.D.3.a: Disruptions at the molecular and cellular levels affect the
health of the organism.
2.D.3.b: Disruptions to ecosystems impact the dynamic
homeostasis or balance of the ecosystem.
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2.D.4: Plants and animals have a
variety of chemical defenses
against infections that affect
dynamic homeostasis
2.D.4.a: Plants, invertebrates and vertebrates have multiple,
nonspecific immune responses.
2.E.1: Timing and coordination
of specific events are necessary
for the normal development of
an organism, and these events
are regulated by a variety of
mechanisms
2.E.1.a: Observable cell differentiation results from the
expression of genes for tissue-specific proteins.
2.E.2: Timing and coordination
of physiological events are
regulated by multiple
mechanisms
2.E.2.a: In plants, physiological events involve interactions
between environmental stimuli and internal molecular signals.
(See also 2.C.3)
2.D.4.b: Mammals use specific immune responses triggered by
natural or artificial agents that disrupt dynamic homeostasis.
2.E.1.b: Induction of transcription factors during development
results in sequential gene expression.
2.E.1.c: Programmed cell death (apoptosis) plays a role in the
normal development and differentiation.
2.E.2.b: In animals, internal and external signals regulate a
variety of physiological response that synchronizes with
environmental cycles and cues.
2.E.2.c: In fungi, protists and bacteria, internal and external
signals regulate a variety of physiological responses that
synchronize with environmental cycles and cues.
2.E.3: Timing and coordination
of behavior are regulated by
various mechanisms and are
important in natural selection
2.E.3.a: Individuals can act on information and communicate it to
others.
2.E.3.b: Responses to information and communication of
information are vital to natural selection. (See also 2.C.3)
Resources for this Unit
 Campbell Biology, 10th Edition (AP Edition)
 AP Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry-Based Approach (Published by College
Board)
 Instructor's Resource CD/DVD-ROM Set For Campbell Biology, 10/E
 Mastering Biology With Mastering Biology Virtual Lab Full Suite-Instant Access-For
Campbell Biology, 10/E
 Answer Key (Download Only) For Inquiry In Action: Interpreting Scientific Papers,
3/E
AP Biology
Summer 2014
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Unit Title
Unit Description
Essential Questions &
Enduring Understandings
Unit 2 – Living Systems
Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information
essential to life processes.(Big Idea 3)
3.A: Heritable information provides for continuity of life.
3.B: Expression of genetic information involves cellular and
molecular mechanisms.
3.C: The processing of genetic information is imperfect and is a
source of genetic variation.
3.D: Cells communicate by generating, transmitting and receiving
chemical signals.
3.E: Transmission of information results in changes within and
between biological systems.
PA Science Standards
3.1.B.A1, 3.1.B.A2, 3.1.B.A3, 3.1.B.A4,
3.1.B.A5, 3.1.B.A6, 3.1.B.A7, 3.1.B.A8,
3.1.B.A9
PA Core Literacy Standards for Science
Reading in Science and Technical
Subjects:
CC.3.5.11-12.A, CC.3.5.11-12.B, CC.3.5.1112.C, CC.3.5.11-12.D, CC.3.5.11-12.E,
CC.3.5.11-12.F, CC.3.5.11-12.G, CC.3.5.1112.H, CC.3.5.11-12.I, CC.3.5.11-12.J
Writing in Science and Technical
Subjects:
CC.3.6.11-12.A, CC.3.6.11-12.B, CC.3.6.1112.C, CC.3.6.11-12.D, CC.3.6.11-12.E,
CC.3.6.11-12.F, CC.3.6.11-12.G, CC.3.6.1112.H, CC.3.6.11-12.I
Learning Objectives – The student will…
LO 3.1: The student is able to construct explanations that use the structures and mechanisms of
DNA and RNA to support the claim that DNA and, in some cases, that RNA are the primary
sources of heritable information
LO 3.2: The student is able to justify the selection of data from historical investigations that
support the claim that DNA is the source of heritable information.
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LO 3.3: The student is able to describe representations and models that illustrate how genetic
information is copied for transmission between generations.
LO 3.4: The student is able to describe representations and models illustrating how genetic
information is translated into polypeptides.
LO 3.5: The student can justify the claim that humans can manipulate heritable information by
identifying at least two commonly used technologies.
LO 3.6: The student can predict how a change in a specific DNA or RNA sequence can result in
changes in gene expression.
LO 3.7: The student can make predictions about natural phenomena occurring during the cell
cycle.
LO 3.8: The student can describe the events that occur in the cell cycle.
LO 3.9: The student is able to construct an explanation, using visual representations or
narratives, as to how DNA in chromosomes is transmitted to the next generation via mitosis, or
meiosis followed by fertilization.
LO 3.10: The student is able to represent the connection between meiosis and increased genetic
diversity necessary for evolution.
LO 3.11: The student is able to evaluate evidence provided by data sets to support the claim that
heritable information is passed from one generation to another generation through mitosis, or
meiosis followed by fertilization.
LO 3.12: The student is able to construct a representation that connects the process of meiosis to
the passage of traits from parent to offspring.
LO 3.13: The student is able to pose questions about ethical, social or medical issues
surrounding human genetic disorders.
LO 3.14: The student is able to apply mathematical routines to determine Mendelian patterns of
inheritance provided by data sets.
LO 3.15: The student is able to explain deviations from Mendel’s model of inheritance of traits.
LO 3.16: The student is able to explain how the inheritance patterns of many traits cannot be
accounted for by Mendelian genetics.
LO 3.17: The student is able to describe representations of an appropriate example of inheritance
patterns that cannot be explained by Mendel’s model of the inheritance of traits.
LO 3.18: The student is able to describe the connection between the regulation of gene
expression and observed differences between individuals in a population.
LO 3.19: The student is able to describe the connection between the regulation of gene
expression and observed differences between individuals in a population.
LO 3.20: The student is able to explain how the regulation of gene expression is essential for the
processes and structures that support efficient cell function.
LO 3.21: The student can use representations to describe how gene regulation influences cell
products and function.
LO 3.22: The student is able to explain how signal pathways mediate gene expression, including
how this process can affect protein production.
LO 3.23: The student can use representations to describe mechanisms of the regulation of gene
expression.
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Summer 2014
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LO 3.24: The student is able to predict how a change in genotype, when expressed as a
phenotype, provides a variation that can be subject to natural selection.
LO 3.25: The student can create a visual representation to illustrate how changes in a DNA
nucleotide sequence can result in a change in the polypeptide produced.
LO 3.26: The student is able to explain the connection between genetic variations in organisms
and phenotypic variations in populations.
LO 3.27: The student is able to compare and contrast processes by which genetic variation is
produced and maintained in organisms from multiple domains.
LO 3.28: The student is able to construct an explanation of the multiple processes that increase
variation within a population.
LO 3.29: The student is able to construct an explanation of how viruses introduce genetic
variation in host organisms
LO 3.30: The student is able to use representations and appropriate models to describe how viral
replication introduces genetic variation in the viral population.
LO 3.31: The student is able to describe basic chemical processes for cell communication shared
across evolutionary lines of descent.
LO 3.32: The student is able to generate scientific questions involving cell communication as it
relates to the process of evolution.
LO 3.33: The student is able to use representation(s) and appropriate models to describe features
of a cell signaling pathway.
LO 3.34: The student is able to construct explanations of cell communication through cell-to-cell
direct contact or through chemical signaling.
LO 3.35: The student is able to create representation(s) that depict how cell-to-cell
communication occurs by direct contact or from a distance through chemical signaling.
LO 3.36: The student is able to describe a model that expresses the key elements of signal
transduction pathways by which a signal is converted to a cellular response.
LO 3.37: The student is able to justify claims based on scientific evidence that changes in signal
transduction pathways can alter cellular response.
LO 3.38: The student is able to describe a model that expresses key elements to show how
change in signal transduction can alter cellular response.
LO 3.39: The student is able to construct an explanation of how certain drugs affect signal
reception and, consequently, signal transduction pathways.
LO 3.40: The student is able to analyze data that indicate how organisms exchange information
in response to internal changes and external cues, and which can change behavior.
LO 3.41: The student is able to create representation that describes how organisms exchange
information in response to internal changes and external cues, and which can result in changes in
behavior.
LO 3.42: The student is able to describe how organisms exchange information in response to
internal changes or environmental cues.
LO 3.43: The student is able to construct an explanation, based on scientific theories and models,
about how nervous systems detect external and internal signals, transmit and integrate
information, and produce responses.
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LO 3.44: The student is able to describe how nervous systems detect external and internal
signals.
LO 3.45: The student is able to describe how nervous systems transmit information.
LO 3.46: The student is able to describe how the vertebrate brain integrates information to
produce a response.
LO 3.47: The student is able to create a visual representation of complex nervous systems and to
describe/explain how these systems detect external and internal signals, transmit and integrate
information, and produce responses.
LO 3.48: The student is able to create a visual representation to describe how nervous systems
detect external and internal signals.
LO 3.49: The student is able to create a visual representation to describe how nervous systems
transmit information.
LO 3.50: The student is able to create a visual representation to describe how the vertebrate brain
integrates information to produce a response.
Essential Knowledge
Concept and Content Connections
3.A.1: DNA, and in some cases
RNA, is the primary source of
heritable information
3.A.1.a: Genetic information is transmitted from one generation to
the next through DNA or RNA
3.A.1.b: DNA and RNA molecules have structural similarities and
differences that define function. (See also 4.A.1)
3.A.1.c: Genetic information flows from a sequence of nucleotides
in a gene to a sequence of amino acids in a protein.
3.A.1.d: Phenotypes are determined through protein activities.
3.A.1.e: Genetic engineering techniques can manipulate the
heritable information of DNA and, in special cases, RNA.
3.A.2: In eukaryotes, heritable
information is passed to the
next generation via processes
that include the cell cycle and
mitosis or meiosis plus
fertilization
3.A.2.a: The cell cycle is a complex set of stages that is highly
regulated with checkpoints, which determine the ultimate fate of
the cell.
3.A.2.b: Mitosis passes a complete genome from the parent cell to
daughter cells.
3.A.2.c: Meiosis, a reduction division, followed by fertilization
ensures genetic diversity in sexually reproducing organisms.
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Summer 2014
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3.A.3: The chromosomal basis
of inheritance provides an
understanding of the pattern of
passage (transmission) of
genes from parents to
offspring
3.A.3.a: Rules of probability can be applied to analyze passage of
single gene traits from parent to offspring.
3.A.3.b: Segregation and independent assortment of
chromosomes result in genetic variation.
3.A.3.c: Certain human genetic disorders can be attributed to the
inheritance of single gene traits or specific chromosomal changes,
such as nondisjunction.
3.A.3.d: Many ethical, social and medical issues surround human
genetic disorders.
3.A.4: The inheritance pattern
of many traits cannot be
explained by simple Mendelian
genetics
3.A.4.a: Many traits are the product of multiple genes and/or
physiological processes.
3.A.4.b: Some traits are determined by genes on sex
chromosomes.
3.A.4.c: Some traits result from nonnuclear inheritance.
3.B.1: Gene regulation results
in differential gene expression,
leading to cell specialization
3.B.1.a: Both DNA regulatory sequences, regulatory genes, and
small regulatory RNA’s are involved in gene expression
3.B.1.b: Both positive and negative control mechanisms regulate
gene expression in bacteria and viruses.
3.B.1.c: In eukaryotes, gene expression is complex and control
involves regulatory genes, regulatory elements and transcription
factors that act in concert.
3.B.1.d: Gene regulation accounts for some of the phenotypic
differences between organisms with similar genes.
3.B.2: A variety of intercellular
and intracellular signal
transmissions mediate gene
expression
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Summer 2014
3.B.2.a: Signal transmission within and between cells mediates
gene expression.
3.B.2.b: Signal transmission within and between cells mediates
cell function.
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3.C.1: Changes in genotype can
result in changes in phenotype
3.C.1.a: Alterations in a DNA sequence can lead to changes in the
type or amount of the protein produced and the consequent
phenotype. (See also 3.A.1)
3.C.1.b: Errors in DNA replication or DNA repair mechanisms, and
external factors, including radiation and reactive chemicals, can
cause random changes, e.g., mutations in the DNA.
3.C.1.c: Errors in mitosis or meiosis can result in changes in
phenotype.
3.C.1.d: Changes in genotype may affect phenotypes that are
subject to natural selection. Genetic changes that enhance
survival and reproduction can be selected by environmental
conditions. (See also 1.A.2, 1.C.3)
3.C.2: Biological systems have
multiple processes that
increase genetic variation
3.C.2.a: The imperfect nature of DNA replication and repair
increases variation.
3.C.2.b: The horizontal acquisitions of genetic information
primarily in prokaryotes via transformation (uptake of naked
DNA), transduction (viral transmission of genetic information),
conjugation (cell-to-cell transfer) and transposition (movement of
DNA segments within and between DNA molecules) increase
variation. (See also 1.B.3)
3.C.2.c: Sexual reproduction in eukaryotes involving gamete
formation, including crossing-over during meiosis and the
random assortment of chromosomes during meiosis, and
fertilization serve to increase variation. Reproduction processes
that increase genetic variation are evolutionarily conserved and
are shared by various organisms. (See also 1.B.1, 3.A.2, 4.C.2,
4.C.3)
3.C.3: Viral replication results
in genetic variation, and viral
infection can introduce genetic
variation into the hosts
3.C.3.a: Viral replication differs from other reproductive
strategies and generates genetic variation via various
mechanisms. (See also 1.B.3)
3.D.1: Cell communication
processes share common
features that reflect a shared
evolutionary history
3.D.1.a: Communication involves transduction of stimulatory or
inhibitory signals from other cells, organisms or the environment.
(See also 1.B.1)
AP Biology
Summer 2014
3.C.3.b: The reproductive cycles of viruses facilitate transfer of
genetic information.
3.D.1.b: Correct and appropriate signal transduction processes
are generally under strong selective pressure.
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3.D.1.c: In single-celled organisms, signal transduction pathways
influence how the cell responds to its environment.
3.D.1.d: In multicellular organisms, signal transduction pathways
coordinate the activities within individual cells that support the
function of the organism as a whole.
3.D.1: Cell communication
processes share common
features that reflect a shared
evolutionary history
3.D.1.a: Communication involves transduction of stimulatory or
inhibitory signals from other cells, organisms or the environment.
(See also 1.B.1)
3.D.1.b: Correct and appropriate signal transduction processes
are generally under strong selective pressure.
3.D.1.c: In single-celled organisms, signal transduction pathways
influence how the cell responds to its environment.
3.D.1.d: In multicellular organisms, signal transduction pathways
coordinate the activities within individual cells that support the
function of the organism as a whole.
3.D.2: Cells communicate with
each other through direct
contact with other cells or
from a distance via chemical
signaling
3.D.2.a: Cells communicate by cell-to-cell contact.
3.D.3: Signal transduction
pathways link signal reception
with cellular response
3.D.3.a: Signaling begins with the recognition of a chemical
messenger, a ligand, by a receptor protein.
3.D.4: Changes in signal
transduction pathways can
alter cellular response
3.D.4.a: Conditions where signal transduction is blocked or
defective can be deleterious, preventative or prophylactic.
3.E.1: Individuals can act on
information and communicate
it to others
3.E.1.a: Organisms exchange information with each other in
response to internal changes and external cues, which can change
behavior.
3.D.2.b: Cells communicate over short distances by using local
regulators that target cells in the vicinity of the emitting cell.
3.D.2.c: Signals released by one cell type can travel long distances
to target cells of another cell type.
3.D.3.b: Signal transduction is the process by which a signal is
converted to a cellular response.
3.E.1.b: Communication occurs through various mechanisms.
3.E.1.c: Responses to information and communication of
information are vital to natural selection and evolution. (See also
1.A.2)
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3.E.2: Animals have nervous
systems that detect external
and internal signals, transmit
and integrate information, and
produce responses
3.E.2.a: The neuron is the basic structure of the nervous system
that reflects function.
3.E.2.b: Action potentials propagate impulses along neurons.
3.E.2.c: Transmission of information between neurons occurs
across synapses.
3.E.2.d: Different regions of the vertebrate brain have different
functions.
Resources for this Unit
 Campbell Biology, 10th Edition (AP Edition)
 AP Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry-Based Approach (Published by College
Board)
 Instructor's Resource CD/DVD-ROM Set For Campbell Biology, 10/E
 Mastering Biology With Mastering Biology Virtual Lab Full Suite-Instant Access-For
Campbell Biology, 10/E
 Answer Key (Download Only) For Inquiry In Action: Interpreting Scientific Papers,
3/E
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Page 32 of 57
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Unit Title
Unit Description
Essential Questions &
Enduring Understandings
Unit 3 – Process of Evolution
The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life (Big
Idea 1)
1.A: Change in the genetic makeup of a population over time is
evolution.
1.B: Organisms are linked by lines of descent from common
ancestry.
1.C: Life continues to evolve within a changing environment.
1.D: The origin of living systems is explained by natural
processes.
PA Science Standards
3.1.B.A1, 3.1.B.A2, 3.1.B.A3, 3.1.B.A4,
3.1.B.A5, 3.1.B.A6, 3.1.B.A7, 3.1.B.A8,
3.1.B.A9
PA Core Literacy Standards for Science
Reading in Science and Technical
Subjects:
CC.3.5.11-12.A, CC.3.5.11-12.B, CC.3.5.1112.C, CC.3.5.11-12.D, CC.3.5.11-12.E,
CC.3.5.11-12.F, CC.3.5.11-12.G, CC.3.5.1112.H, CC.3.5.11-12.I, CC.3.5.11-12.J
Writing in Science and Technical
Subjects:
CC.3.6.11-12.A, CC.3.6.11-12.B, CC.3.6.1112.C, CC.3.6.11-12.D, CC.3.6.11-12.E,
CC.3.6.11-12.F, CC.3.6.11-12.G, CC.3.6.1112.H, CC.3.6.11-12.I
Learning Objectives – The student will…
LO 1.1: The student is able to convert a data set from a table of numbers that reflect a change in
the genetic makeup of a population over time and to apply mathematical methods and conceptual
understandings to investigate the cause(s) and effect(s) of this change.
LO 1.2: The student is able to evaluate evidence provided by data to qualitatively and
quantitatively investigate the role of natural selection in evolution.
LO 1.3: The student is able to apply mathematical methods to data from a real or simulated
population to predict what will happen to the population in the future.
LO 1.4: The student is able to evaluate data-based evidence that describes evolutionary changes
in the makeup of a population over time.
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LO 1.5: The student is able to connect evolutionary changes in a population over time to a
change in the environment.
LO 1.6: The student is able to use data from mathematical models based on the Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium to analyze genetic drift and effects of selection in evolution of specific populations.
LO 1.7: The student is able to justify data from mathematical models based on the HardyWeinberg equilibrium to analyze genetic drift and the effects of selection in the evolution of
specific populations.
LO 1.8: The student is able to make predictions about the effects of genetic drift, migration and
artificial selection on the genetic makeup of a population.
LO 1.9: The student is able to evaluate evidence provided by data from many scientific
disciplines that support biological evolution.
LO 1.10: The student is able to refine evidence based on data from many scientific disciplines
that support biological evolution.
LO 1.11: The student is able to design a plan to answer scientific questions regarding how
organisms have changed over time using information from morphology, biochemistry and
geology.
LO 1.12: The student is able to connect scientific evidence from many scientific disciplines to
support the modern concept of evolution.
LO 1.13: The student is able to construct and/or justify mathematical models, diagrams or
simulations that represent processes of biological evolution.
LO 1.14: The student is able to pose scientific questions that correctly identify essential
properties of shared, core life processes that provide insights into the history of life on Earth.
LO 1.15: The student is able to describe specific examples of conserved core biological
processes and features shared by all domains or within one domain of life, and how these shared,
conserved core processes and features support the concept of common ancestry for all
organisms.
LO 1.16: The student is able to justify the scientific claim that organisms share many conserved
core processes and features that evolved and are widely distributed among organisms today.
LO 1.17: The student is able to pose scientific questions about a group of organisms whose
relatedness is described by a phylogenic tree or cladogram in order to (1) identify shared
characteristics, (2) make inferences about the evolutionary history of the group, and (3) identify
character data that could extend or improve the phylogenic tree.
LO 1.18: The student is able to evaluate evidence provided by a data set in conjunction with a
phylogenic tree or a simple cladogram to determine evolutionary history and speciation.
LO 1.19: The student is able create a phylogenic tree or simple cladogram that correctly
represents evolutionary history and speciation from a provided data set.
LO 1.20: The student is able to analyze data related to questions of speciation and extinction
throughout the Earth’s history.
LO 1.21: The student is able to design a plan for collecting data to investigate the scientific
claim that speciation and extinction have occurred throughout the Earth’s history.
LO 1.22: The student is able to use data from a real or simulated population(s), based on graphs
or models of types of selection, to predict what will happen to the population in the future.
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LO 1.23: The student is able to justify the selection of data that address questions related to
reproductive isolation and speciation.
LO 1.24: The student is able to describe speciation in an isolated population and connect it to
change in gene frequency, change in environment, natural selection and/or genetic drift.
LO 1.25: The student is able to describe a model that represents evolution within a population.
LO 1.26: The student is able to evaluate given data sets that illustrate evolution as an ongoing
process.
LO 1.27: The student is able to describe a scientific hypothesis about the origin of life on Earth.
LO 1.28: The student is able to evaluate scientific questions based on hypotheses about the
origin of life on Earth.
LO 1.29: The student is able to describe the reasons for revisions of scientific hypotheses of the
origin of life on Earth.
LO 1.30: The student is able to evaluate scientific hypotheses about the origin of life on Earth.
LO 1.31: The student is able to evaluate the accuracy and legitimacy of data to answer scientific
questions about the origin of life on Earth.
LO 1.32: The student is able to justify the selection of geological, physical, and chemical data
that reveal early Earth conditions.
Essential Knowledge
Concept and Content Connections
1.A.1: Natural selection is a
major mechanism of
evolution
1.A.1.a: According to Darwin’s theory of natural selection,
competition for limited resources results in differential survival.
Individuals with more favorable phenotypes are more likely to
survive and produce more offspring, thus passing traits to
subsequent generations.
1.A.1.b: Evolutionary fitness is measured by reproductive success.
1.A.1.c: Genetic variation and mutation play roles in natural
selection. A diverse gene pool is important for the survival of a
species in a changing environment.
1.A.1.d: Environments can be more or less stable or fluctuating, and
this affects evolutionary rate and direction; different genetic
variations can be selected in each generation.
1.A.1.e: An adaptation is a genetic variation that is favored by
selection and is manifested as a trait that provides and advantage to
an organism in a particular environment
1.A.1.f: In addition to natural selection, chance and random events
can influence the evolutionary process, especially for small
populations.
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1.A.1.g: Conditions for a population or an allele to be in HardyWeinberg equilibrium are: (1) a large population size, (2) absence
of migration, (3) no net mutations, (4) random mating and (5)
absence of selection. These conditions are seldom met.
1.A.1.h: Mathematical approaches are used to calculate changes in
allele frequency, providing evidence for the occurrence of evolution
in a population.
1.A.2: Natural selection acts
on phenotypic variations in
populations
1.A.2.a: Environments change and act as selective mechanism on
populations.
1.A.2.b: Phenotypic variations are not directed by the environment
but occur through random changes in the DNA and through new
gene combinations
1.A.2.c: Some phenotypic variations significantly increase or
decrease fitness of the organism and the population.
1.A.2.d: Humans impact variation in other species
1.A.3: Evolutionary change is 1.A.3.a: Genetic drift is a nonselective process occurring in small
also driven by random
populations
processes
1.A.3.b: Reduction of genetic variation within a given population can
increase the differences between populations of the same species.
1.A.4: Biological evolution is
supported by scientific
evidence from many
disciplines, including
mathematics
1.A.4.a: Scientific evidence of biological evolution uses information
from geographical, geological, physical, chemical, and mathematical
applications.
1.B.1: Organisms share
many conserved core
processes and features that
evolved and are widely
distributed among
organisms today
1.B.1.a: Structural and functional evidence supports the relatedness
of all domains.
AP Biology
Summer 2014
1.A.4.b: Molecular, morphological and genetic information of
existing and extinct organisms add to our understanding of
evolution.
1.B.1.b: Structural evidence supports the relatedness of all
eukaryotes. (See also 2.B.3, 4.A.2)
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1.B.2: Phylogenic trees and
cladograms are graphical
representations (models) of
evolutionary history that
can be tested
1.B.2.a: Phylogenic trees and cladograms can represent traits that
are either derived or lost due to evolution
1.B.2.b: Phylogenic trees and cladograms illustrate speciation that
has occurred, in that relatedness of any two groups on the tree is
shown by how recently two groups had a common ancestor.
1.B.2.c: Phylogenic trees and cladograms can be constructed from
morphological similarities of living or fossil species, and from DNA
and protein sequence similarities, by employing computer
programs that have sophisticated ways of measuring and
representing relatedness among organisms.
1.B.2.d: Phylogenic trees and cladograms are dynamic (i.e.,
phylogenic trees and cladograms are constantly being revised),
based on biological data used, new mathematical and computational
ideas, and current and emerging knowledge.
1.C.1: Speciation and
extinction have occurred
throughout the Earth’s
history
1.C.1.a: Speciation rates can vary; especially when adaptive
radiation occurs when new habitats become available.
1.C.2: Speciation may occur
when two populations
become reproductively
isolated from each other
1.C.2.a: Speciation results in diversity of life forms. Species can be
physically separated by a geographic barrier such as an ocean or
mountain range, or various pre- and post-zygotic mechanisms can
maintain reproductive isolation and prevent gene flow.
1.C.1.b: Species extinction rates are rapid at times of ecological
stress. (See also 4.C.3)
1.C.2.b: New species arise from reproductive isolation over time,
which can involve scales of hundreds of thousands or even millions
of years, or speciation can occur rapidly through mechanisms such
as polyploidy in plants.
1.C.3: Populations of
organisms continue to
evolve
1.C.3.a: Scientific evidence supports the idea that evolution has
occurred in all species.
1.D.1: There are several
hypotheses about the
natural origin of life on
Earth, each with supporting
scientific evidence
1.D.1.a: Scientific evidence supports the various models.
AP Biology
Summer 2014
1.C.3.b: Scientific evidence supports the idea that evolution
continues to occur.
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1.D.2: Scientific evidence
from many different
disciplines supports models
of the origin of life
1.D.2.a: Geological evidence provides support for models of the
origin of life on Earth.
Resources for this Unit
 Campbell Biology, 10th Edition (AP Edition)
 AP Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry-Based Approach (Published by College
Board)
 Instructor's Resource CD/DVD-ROM Set For Campbell Biology, 10/E
 Mastering Biology With Mastering Biology Virtual Lab Full Suite-Instant Access-For
Campbell Biology, 10/E
 Answer Key (Download Only) For Inquiry In Action: Interpreting Scientific Papers,
3/E
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Page 38 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
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Unit Title
Unit Description
Essential Questions &
Enduring Understandings
Unit 4 – Biological Interactions
Biological systems interact, and these systems and their
interactions posses complex properties. (Big Idea 4)
4.A: Interactions within biological systems lead to complex
properties.
4.B: Competition and cooperation are important aspects of
biological systems.
4.C: Naturally occurring diversity among and between components
within biological systems affects interactions with the
environment.
PA Science Standards
3.1.B.A1, 3.1.B.A2, 3.1.B.A3, 3.1.B.A4,
3.1.B.A5, 3.1.B.A6, 3.1.B.A7, 3.1.B.A8,
3.1.B.A9
PA Core Literacy Standards for Science
Reading in Science and Technical
Subjects:
CC.3.5.11-12.A, CC.3.5.11-12.B, CC.3.5.1112.C, CC.3.5.11-12.D, CC.3.5.11-12.E,
CC.3.5.11-12.F, CC.3.5.11-12.G, CC.3.5.1112.H, CC.3.5.11-12.I, CC.3.5.11-12.J
Writing in Science and Technical
Subjects:
CC.3.6.11-12.A, CC.3.6.11-12.B, CC.3.6.1112.C, CC.3.6.11-12.D, CC.3.6.11-12.E,
CC.3.6.11-12.F, CC.3.6.11-12.G, CC.3.6.1112.H, CC.3.6.11-12.I
Learning Objectives – The student will…
LO 4.1: The student is able to explain the connection between the sequence and subcomponents
of a biological polymer and its properties.
LO 4.2: The student is able to refine representations and models to explain how the
subcomponents of a biological polymer and their sequence determine the properties of that
polymer.
LO 4.3: The student is able to use models to predict and justify that changes in the
subcomponents of a biological polymer affect the functionality of the molecule.
LO 4.4: The student is able to make a prediction about the interactions of subcellular organelles.
LO 4.5: The student is able to construct explanations based on scientific evidence as to how
interactions of subcellular structures provide essential functions.
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LO 4.6: The student is able to use representations and models to analyze situations qualitatively
to describe how interactions of subcellular structures, which possess specialized functions,
provide essential functions.
LO 4.7: The student is able to refine representations to illustrate how interactions between
external stimuli and gene expression result in specialization of cells, tissues and organs.
LO 4.8: The student is able to evaluate scientific questions concerning organisms that exhibit
complex properties due to the interaction of their constituent parts.
LO 4.9: The student is able to predict the effects of a change in a component(s) of a biological
system on the functionality of an organism(s).
LO 4.10: The student is able to refine representations and models to illustrate biocomplexity due
to interactions of the constituent parts.
LO 4.11: The student is able to justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer
scientific questions about the interaction of populations within communities.
LO 4.12: The student is able to apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe
communities composed of populations of organisms that interact in complex ways.
LO 4.13: The student is able to predict the effects of a change in the community’s populations on
the community.
LO 4.14: The student is able to apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe
interactions among living systems and their environment, which result in the movement of
matter and energy.
LO 4.15: The student is able to use visual representations to analyze situations or solve problems
qualitatively to illustrate how interactions among living systems and with their environment
result in the movement of matter and energy.
LO 4.16: The student is able to predict the effects of a change of matter or energy availability on
communities.
LO 4.17: The student is able to analyze data to identify how molecular interactions affect
structure and function.
LO 4.18: The student is able to use representations and models to analyze how cooperative
interactions within organisms promote efficiency in the use of energy and matter.
LO 4.19: The student is able to use data analysis to refine observations and measurements
regarding the effect of population interactions on patterns of species distribution and abundance.
LO 4.20: The student is able to explain how the distribution of ecosystems changes over time by
identifying large-scale events that have resulted in these changes in the past.
LO 4.21: The student is able to predict consequences of human actions on both local and global
ecosystems.
LO 4.22: The student is able to construct explanations based on evidence of how variation in
molecular units provides cells with a wider range of functions.
LO 4.23: The student is able to construct explanations of the influence of environmental factors
on the phenotype of an organism.
LO 4.24: The student is able to predict the effects of a change in an environmental factor on the
genotypic expression of the phenotype.
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LO 4.25: The student is able to use evidence to justify a claim that a variety of phenotypic
responses to a single environmental factor can result from different genotypes within the
population.
LO 4.26: The student is able to use theories and models to make scientific claims and/or
predictions about the effects of variation within populations on survival and fitness.
LO 4.27: The student is able to make scientific claims and predictions about how species
diversity within an ecosystem influences ecosystem stability.
Essential Knowledge
Concept and Content Connections
4.A.1: The subcomponents of
biological molecules and
their sequence determine
the properties of that
molecule
4.A.1.a: Structure and function of polymers are derived from the
way their monomers are assembled.
4.A.2: The structure and
function of subcellular
components, and their
interactions, provide
essential cellular processes
4.A.2.a: Ribosomes are small, universal structures comprised of two
interacting parts: ribosomal RNA and protein. In a sequential
manner, these components interact to become the site of protein
synthesis where the translation of the genetic instructions yields
specific polypeptides. (See also 2.B.3)
4.A.1.b: Directionality influences structure and function of the
polymer.
4.A.2.b: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) occurs in two forms: smooth
and rough. (See also 2.B.3)
4.A.2.c: The Golgi complex is a membrane-bound structure that
consists of a series of flattened membrane sacs (cisternae). (See also
2.B.3)
4.A.2.d: Mitochondria specialize in energy capture and
transformation. (See also 2.A.2, 2.B.3)
4.A.2.e: Lysosomes are membrane-enclosed sacs that contain
hydrolytic enzymes, which are important in intracellular digestion,
the recycling of a cell’s organic materials and programmed cell
death (apoptosis). Lysosomes carry out intracellular digestion in a
variety of ways. (See also 2.A.3, 2.B.3)
4.A.2.f: A vacuole is a membrane-bound sac that plays a role in
intracellular digestion and the release of cellular waste products. In
plants, a large vacuole serves many functions, from storage of
pigments or poisonous substances to a role in cell growth. In
addition, a large central vacuole allows for a large surface area to
volume ratio. (See also 2.A.3, 2.B.3)
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Summer 2014
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4.A.2.g: Chloroplasts are specialized organelles found in algae and
higher plants that capture energy through photosynthesis. (See also
2.A.2, 2.B.3)
4.A.3: Interactions between
external stimuli and
regulated gene expression
result in specialization of
cells, tissues and organs
4.A.3.a: Differentiation in development is due to external and
internal cues that trigger gene regulation by proteins that bind to
DNA. (See also 3.B.1, 3.B.2)
4.A.3.b: Structural and functional divergence of cells in development
is due to expression of genes specific to a particular tissue or organ
type. (See also 3.B.1, 3.B.2)
4.A.3.c: Environmental stimuli can affect gene expression in a
mature cell. (See also 3.B.1, 3.B.2)
4.A.4: Organisms exhibit
complex properties due to
interactions between their
constituent parts
4.A.4.a: Interactions and coordination between organs provide
essential biological activities.
4.A.5: Communities are
composed of populations of
organisms that interact in
complex ways
4.A.5.a: The structure of a community is measured and described in
terms of species composition and species diversity.
4.A.4.b: Interactions and coordination between systems provide
essential biological activities.
4.A.5.b: Mathematical and computer models are used to illustrate
and investigate population interactions within and environmental
impacts on a community. (See also 3.E.1, 3.E.3)
4.A.5.c: Mathematical models and graphical representations are
used to illustrate population growth patterns and interactions.
4.A.6: Interactions among
living systems and with their
environment result in the
movement of matter and
energy
4.A.6.a: Energy flows, but matter is recycled. (See also 2.A.1)
4.A.6.b: Changes in regional and global climates and in atmospheric
composition influence patterns of primary productivity.
4.A.6.c: Organisms within food webs and food chains interact. (See
also 2.D.1)
4.A.6.d: Food webs and food chains are dependent on primary
productivity.
4.A.6.e: Models allow the prediction of the impact of change in biotic
and abiotic factors.
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4.A.6.f: Human activities impact ecosystems on local, regional, and
global scales. (See also 2.D.3)
4.A.6.g: Many adaptations of organisms are related to obtaining and
using energy and matter in a particular environment. (See also
2.A.1, 2.A.2)
4.B.1: Interactions between
molecules affect their
structure and function
4.B.1.a: Change in the structure of a molecular system may result in
a change of the function of the system. (See also 3.D.3)
4.B.1.b: The shape of enzymes, active sites and interaction with
specific molecules are essential for basic functioning of the enzyme.
4.B.1.c: Other molecules and the environment in which the enzyme
acts can enhance or inhibit enzyme activity. Molecules can bind
reversibly or irreversibly to the active or allosteric sites, changing
the activity of the enzyme.
4.B.1.d: The change in function of an enzyme can be interpreted
from data regarding the concentrations of product or substrate as a
function of time. These representations demonstrate the
relationship between an enzyme’s activity, the disappearance of
substrate, and/or presence of a competitive inhibitor.
4.B.3: Interactions between
and within populations
influence patterns of species
distribution and abundance
4.B.3.a: Interactions between populations affect the distributions
and abundance of populations.
4.B.3.b: A population of organisms has properties that are different
from those of the individuals that make up the population. The
cooperation and competition between individuals contributes to
these different properties.
4.B.3.c: Species-specific and environmental catastrophes, geological
events, the sudden influx/depletion of abiotic resources or
increased human activities affect species distribution and
abundance. (See also 1.A.1, 1.A.2)
4.B.4: Distribution of local
and global ecosystems
changes over time
4.B.4.a: Human impact accelerates change at local and global levels.
(See also 1.A.2)
4.C.1: Variation in molecular
units provides cells with a
wider range of functions
4.C.1.a: Variations within molecular classes provide cells and
organisms with a wider range of functions. (See also 2.B.1, 3.A.1,
4.A.1, 4.A.2)
AP Biology
Summer 2014
4.B.4.b: Geological and meteorological events impact ecosystem
distribution.
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4.C.1.b: Multiple copies of alleles or genes (gene duplication) may
provide new phenotypes. (See also 3.A.4, 3.C.1)
4.C.2: Environmental factors
influence the expression of
the genotype in an organism
4.C.2.a: Environmental factors influence many traits both directly
and indirectly. (See also 3.B.2, 3.C.1)
4.C.3: The level of variation
in a population affects
population dynamics
4.C.3.a: Population ability to respond to changes in the environment
is affected by genetic diversity. Species and populations with little
genetic diversity are at risk for extinction. (See also 1.A.1, 1.A.2,
1.C.1)
4.C.2.b: An organism’s adaptation to the local environment reflects a
flexible response of its genome.
4.C.3.b: Genetic diversity allows individuals in a population to
respond differently to the same changes in environmental
conditions.
4.C.3.c: Allelic variation within a population can be modeled by the
Hardy-Weinberg equation(s). (See also 1.A.1)
4.C.4: The diversity of
species within an ecosystem
may influence the stability of
the ecosystem
4.C.4.a: Natural and artificial ecosystems with fewer component
parts and with little diversity among the parts are often less
resilient to changes in the environment. (See also 1.C.1)
4.C.4.b: Keystone species, producers, and essential abiotic and biotic
factors contribute to maintaining the diversity of an ecosystem. The
effects of keystone species on the ecosystem are disproportionate
relative to their abundance in the ecosystem, and when they are
removed from the ecosystem, the ecosystem often collapses.
Resources for this Unit
 Campbell Biology, 10th Edition (AP Edition)
 AP Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry-Based Approach (Published by College
Board)
 Instructor's Resource CD/DVD-ROM Set For Campbell Biology, 10/E
 Mastering Biology With Mastering Biology Virtual Lab Full Suite-Instant Access-For
Campbell Biology, 10/E
 Answer Key (Download Only) For Inquiry In Action: Interpreting Scientific Papers,
3/E
AP Biology
Summer 2014
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Appendix A
Key Vocabulary by Chapter in Campbell Biology 10th Edition
Chapter Name
List of Key Vocabulary
Evolution, the Themes of
Evolution, biology, biosphere, ecosystem, community,
Biology, and Scientific Inquiry population, organism, organ, organ system, tissue,
molecule, cell, organelle, reductionism, emergent
property, systems biology, eukaryote, prokaryote, gene,
DNA, RNA, gene expression, genome, genomics, proteome,
bioimformatics, producer, consumer, feedback regulation,
negative feedback, positive feedback, bacteria, archaea,
eukarya, natural selection, science, data, inductive
reasoning, deductive reasoning, experiment, hypothesis,
theory, variable, controlled experiment, independent
variable, dependent variable, model organism, technology
Carbon and the Molecular
Organic chemistry, hydrocarbon, isomer, structural
Diversity of Life
isomer, cis-trans isomer, enantiomers, functional group,
ATP
The Structure and Function of Macromolecule, polymer, monomer, enzyme, dehydration
Large Biological Molecules
reaction, hydrolysis, carbohydrate, monosaccharide,
disaccharide, glycosidic linkage, polysaccharide, starch,
glycogen, cellulose, chitin, lipid, fat, fatty acid,
triacylglycerol, saturated fatty acid, unsaturated fatty acid,
phospholipid, steroid, cholesterol, catalyst, polypeptide,
protein, amino acid, R group, peptide bond, sickle-cell
disease, denaturation, chaperonins, X-ray crystallography,
gene, nucleic acid, DNA, RNA, gene expression,
polynucleotide, nucleotide, nucleoside, pyrimidine, purine,
deoxyribose, ribose, double helix, antiparallel, genomics,
proteonomics
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Page 45 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
A Tour of the Cell
Membrane Structure and
Function
An Introduction to
Metabolism
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Organelle, electron microscope, scanning electron
microscope, transmission electron microscope, cell
fractionation, cytosol, nucleoid, cytoplasm, plasma
membrane, nucleus, nuclear envelope, nuclear lamina,
chromosome, chromatin, nucleolus, ribosome,
endomembrane system, vesicle, endoplasmic reticulum
(ER), smooth ER, rough ER, glycoprotein, transport vesicle,
golgi apparatus, lysosome, phagocytosis, vacuole, food
vacuole, contractile vacuole, central vacuole,
mitochondrion, chloroplast, endosymbiont theory, cristae,
mitochondrial matrix, thylakoid, granum, stroma, plastid,
peroxisome, cytoskeleton, motor protein, microtubule,
microfilament, intermediate filament, centrosome,
centriole, flagella, cilia, basal body, dynein, actin, myosin,
pseudopod, cytoplasmic streaming, intermediate filament,
cell wall, primary cell wall, middle lamella, secondary cell
wall, extracellular matrix (ECM), collagen, proteoglycan,
fibronectin, integrin, plasmodesmata, tight junction,
desmosome, gap junction
Selective permeability, amphipathic, fluid mosaic model,
integral protein, peripheral protein, glycolipid,
glycoprotein, transport protein, aquaporin, diffusion,
concentration gradient, passive transport, osmosis,
tonicity, isotonic, hypertonic, hypotonic, osmoregulation,
turgid, flaccid, plasmolysis, facilitated diffusion, ion
channel, gated channel, active transport, sodiumpotassium pump, membrane potential, electrochemical
gradient, electrogenic pump, proton pump, cotransport,
exocytosis, ligand, pinocytosis, receptor-mediated
endocytosis
Fermentation, aerobic respiration, cellular respiration,
redox reactions, oxidation, reduction, reducing agent,
oxidizing agent, NAD+/NADH, electron transport chain,
glycolysis, citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), oxidative
phosphorylation, substrate-level phosphorylation, acetyl
CoA, chemiosmosis, proton-motive force, alcoholic
fermentation, lactic acid fermentation, obligate aerobe,
obligate anaerobe, facultative anaerobe, beta oxidation
Page 46 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Photosynthesis
Cell Communication
The Cell Cycle
Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Photosynthesis, autotroph, photoautotroph, heterotroph,
mesophyll, stomata, stroma, thylakoid, chlorophyll, light
reactions, Calvin cycle (light-independent reactions),
NADP+/NADPH, photophosphorylation, carbon fixation,
wavelength, electromagnetic spectrum, visible light,
photon, spectrophotometer, absorption spectrum,
chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, action spectrum, carotenoids,
photosystem, reaction-center, light-harvesting complex,
primary electron acceptor, photosystem II, photosystem I,
linear electron flow, cyclic electron flow, glyceraldehyde 3phosphate (G3P), rubisco, C3 plants, photorespiration, C4
plants, bundle-sheath cells, PEP carboxylase, CAM plants,
Hormone, reception, transduction, response, signal
transduction pathway, ligand, G protein-coupled receptor,
receptor tyrosine kinase, ligand-gated ion chanel,
intracellular receptor, cascade, phosphorylation cascade,
protein kinase, protein phosphatase, second messenger,
cyclic AMP (cAMP), adenylyl cyclase, inositol triphosphate
(IP3), diacylglycerol (DAG), signal amplification,
scaffolding proteins, apoptosis
Cell division, cell cycle, genome, chromosome, chromatin,
somatic cell, gamete, sister chromatid, centromere,
cytokinesis, mitotic (M) phase, interphase, G1 phase, S
phase, G2 phase, prophase, prometaphase, metaphase,
anaphase, telophase, mitotic spindle, centrosome, aster,
kinetochore, metaphase plate, cleavage, cleavage furrow,
cell plate, binary fission, origin of replication, cell cycle
control system, checkpoint, cyclin, cyclin-dependent
kinase (Cdks), maturation promoting factor (MPF), G0
phase, growth factor, density-dependent inhibition,
anchorage dependence, transformation
Heredity, variation, genetics, gene, gamete, somatic cell,
locus, asexual reproduction, clone, sexual reproduction,
karyotype, homologous chromosomes, sex chromosomes,
autosomes, diploid cell, haploid cell, fertilization, zygote,
meiosis, alteration of generations, meiosis I, meiosis II,
synaptonemal complex, synapsis, crossing over,
recombinant chromosome
Page 47 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Mendel and the Gene Idea
The Chromosomal Basis of
Inheritance
The Molecular Basis of
Inheritance
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Character, true-breeding, hybridization, P generation, F1
generation, F2 generation, allele, dominant allele,
recessive allele, law of segregation, punnett square,
homozygous, heterozygous, phenotype, genotype,
testcross, monohybrids, monohybrid cross, dihybrid,
dihybrid cross, law of independent assortment,
multiplication rule, addition rule, complete dominance,
incomplete dominance, codominance, Tay-Sachs disease,
pleiotropy, epistasis, quantitative character, polygenic
inheritance, pedigree, cystic fibrosis, sickle-cell disease,
multifactoral disorder, amniocentesis, chorionic villus
sampling (CVS),
Chromosome theory of inheritance, wild type, sex-linked
gene, X-linked gene, Duchenne muscular dystrophy,
hemophilia, Barr body, linked genes, genetic
recombination, parental type, recombinant type, crossing
over, genetic map, linkage map, map units, nondisjunction,
aneuploidy, momosomatic, trisomatic, polyploidy,
triploidy, tetraploidy, deletion, duplication, inversion,
translocation, Down syndrome, genomic imprinting
DNA replication, transformation, virus, Chargraff’s rule,
double helix, antiparallel, semiconservative model, origin
of replication, replication fork, helicase, single-stranded
binding protein, topoisomerase, primer, primase, DNA
polymerases, antiparallel elongation, leading strand,
lagging strand, Okazaki fragments, DNA ligase, mismatch
repair, nuclease, nucleotide excision repair, telomere,
telomerase, chromatin, histone, nucleosome,
heterochromatin, euchromatin
Page 48 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Gene Expression: From Gene
to Protein
Gene expression, transcription, messenger RNA (mRNA),
translation, ribosome, primary transcript, triplet code,
template strand, codon, reading frame, RNA polymerase,
promoter, terminator, transcription unit, start point,
transcription factors, transcription initiation complex,
TATA box, RNA processing, 5’ cap, poly-A tail, RNA
splicing, introns, exons, spliceosome, ribozymes,
alternative RNA splicing, protein domain, transfer RNA
(tRNA), anticodon, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, tRNA
wobble, ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), P site, A site, E site,
elongation, signal peptide, signal-recognition particle
(SRP), polyribosomes (polysomes), mutation, point
mutation, nucleotide-pair substitution, silent mutation,
missense mutation, nonsense mutation, insertion,
deletion, frameshift mutation, mutagen
Regulation of Gene Expression Operator, operon, repressor, regulatory gene, corepressor,
repressible operon, inducer, inducible operon, activator,
differential gene expression, histone acetylation, DNA
methylation, epigenetic inheritance, control elements,
enhancers, proximal control elements, distal control
elements, mediator proteins, combinatorial control of
gene activation, alternative RNA splicing, microRNAs
(miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), RNA
interference (RNAi), chromatin remodeling, noncoding
RNAs (ncRNAs), differentiation, morphogenesis,
cytoplasmic determinants, induction, pattern formation,
positional information, homeotic genes, embryonic lethals,
maternal effect gene, egg-polarity genes, morphogens,
oncogenes, proto-oncogenes, tumor-supressor genes, p53
gene
Viruses
Virus, capsid, viral envelope, bacteriophage (phage), host
range, lytic cycle, virulent phage, restriction enzymes,
lysogenic cycle, temperate phage, prophage, retrovirus,
reverse transcriptase, HIV (human immunodeficiency
virus), AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome),
provirus, vaccine, epidemic, pandemic, prion
Genomes and Their Evolution Genomics, bioimformatics, whole-genome shotgun
approach, metagenomics, gene annotation, systems
biology, pseudogenes, repetitive DNA, transposable
elements, transposons, retrotransposons, simple sequence
DNA, short tandem repeat (STR), multigene families,
homeobox
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Page 49 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Descent with Modification: A
Darwinian View of Life
Evolution, fossil, strata, paleontology, adaptation, natural
selection, artificial selection, homology, homologous
structures, vestigial structures, evolutionary tree,
convergent evolution, analogous structures, Pangea,
biogeography, endemic
The Evolution of Populations
Microevolution, genetic variation, neutral variation, gene
pool, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, adaptive evolution,
genetic drift, founder effect, bottleneck effect, gene flow,
relative fitness, directional selection, disruptive selection,
stabilizing selection, sexual selection, sexual dimorphism,
intrasexual selection, intersexual selection, balancing
selection, heterozygote advantage, frequency-dependent
selection,
The Origin of Species
Speciation, microevolution, macroevolution, biological
species concept, species, reproductive isolation, hybrid,
prezygotic barrier, postzygotic barrier, habitat isolation,
temporal isolation, behavioral isolation, mechanical
isolation, gametic isolation, reduced hybrid viability,
reduced hybrid fertility, hybrid breakdown, morphological
species concept, ecological species concept, phylogenic
species concept, allopatric speciation, sympatric
speciation, polyploidy, autopolyploid, allopolyploid,
hybrid zone, punctuated equilibrium
The History of Life on Earth
Macroevolution, protocell, hydrothermal vent, alkaline
vent, ribozyme, radiometric dating, half-life, synapsid,
therapsid, cynodont, geologic record, stromatolite,
endosymbiont theory, serial endosymbiosis, Cambrian
explosion, plate tectonics, mass extinction, adaptive
radiation, heterochrony, paedomorphosis, homeotic genes
Phylogeny and the Tree of Life Phylogeny, taxonomy, binomial nomenclature, genus,
family, order, class, phyla, domain, taxon, phylogenic tree,
branch point, sister taxa, rooted, basal taxon, polytomy,
homoplasies, cladistics, clade, monophyletic, paraphyletic,
polyphyletic, shared ancestral character, shared derived
character, outgroup, ingroup, maximum parsimony,
maximum likelihood, orthologous genes, paralogous
genes, molecular clock, horizontal gene transfer
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Page 50 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
The Origin and Evolution of
Vertebrates
Plant Structure, Growth, and
Development
Resource Acquisition and
Transport in Vascular Plants
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Vertebrate, chordate, notochord, pharyngeal cleft,
lancelets, tunicates, hagfishes, lampreys, cyclosomes,
conodonts, gnathostomes, lateral line system, placoderms,
acanthodians, chondrichthyans, oviparous, ovoviviparous,
viviparous, cloaca, osteichthyans, operculum, ray-finned
fishes, lobe-fins, tetrapod, amphibian, amniote, amniotic
egg, reptile, parareptile, diapsid, lepidosaurs, archosaurs,
pterosaurs, dinosaurs, theropods, turtles, crocodilians,
mammals, synapsids, monotremes, marsupials, placenta,
eutherians, primates, opposable thumbs, anthropoids,
paleoanthropology, hominins, Autralopiths, bipedialism,
Homo, Neanderthals
Organ, tissue, root system, shoot system, root, lateral root,
taproot, root hair, stem, node, internode, apical bud,
axillary bud, leaf, blade, petiole, vein, tissue system,
dermal tissue system, epidermis, cuticle, periderm,
vascular tissue system, xylem, phloem, stele, ground tissue
system, pith, cortex, indeterminate growth, meristem,
determinate growth, apical meristem, primary growth,
secondary growth, lateral meristem, vascular cambium,
cork cambium, annual, biennial, perennial, root cap,
endodermis, pericycle, leaf primordial, apical dominance,
stomata, guard cell, mesophyll, lenticels, bark, polarity,
pattern formation, phase changes, meristem identity
genes, organ identity genes, ABC hypothesis
Xylem, phloem, phyllotaxy, mycorrhizae, apoplast,
symplast, water potential, solute potential, pressure
potential, protoplast, turgor pressure, flaccid, plasmolysis,
turgid, wilting, aquaporins, bulk flow, endodermis,
Casparian strip, xylem sap, transpiration, root pressure,
guttation, cohesion-tension hypothesis, circadian rhythms,
abscistic acid (ABA), xerophytes, translocation, phloem
sap, sugar source, sugar sink,
Page 51 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Angiosperm Reproduction
and Biotechnology
Plant Responses to Internal
and External Signals
Basic Principles of Animal
Form and Function
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Carpels, stamens, petals, sepals, receptacle, ovary, style,
stigma, ovules, pistil, anther, complete flowers, incomplete
flowers, inflorescences, megaspores, microspores, pollen
grain, pollination, pollen tube, fertilization, endosperm,
double fertilization, coevolution, dormancy, seed coat,
hypocotyl, radicle, epicotyl, coleptile, coleorhiza,
imbibition, fruit, simple fruit, aggregate fruit, multiple
fruit, accessory fruits, fragmentation, apomixis, vegetative
reproduction, dioecious, self-incompatibility, totipotent,
vegetative propagation, callus, stock, scion, transgenic,
Etiolation, de-etiolation, tropism, phototropism, auxin,
expansins, cytokinins, gibberellin, ethylene, triple
response, senescence, Brassinosteroids, Jasmonates,
Strigolactones, photomorphogenesis, action potential,
blue-light photoreceptors, phytochromes, photoperiodism,
short-day plant, long-day plant, day-neutral plant,
vernalization, florigen, gravitropism, statoliths,
thigmomorphogenesis, thigmotropism, action potential,
heat-shock proteins, pathogen-associated molecular
patterns (PAMPs), effectors, hypersensitive response,
systemic acquired resistance, salicylic acid, herbivory
Anatomy, physiology, interstitial fluid, tissues, organs,
organ system, endocrine system, nervous system,
hormones, regulator, conformer, homeostasis, set point,
stimulus, sensor, response, negative feedback, positive
feedback, acclimatization, thermoregulation, endotherm,
ectotherm, integumentary system, countercurrent
exchange, hypothalamus, bioenergetics, metabolic rate,
basal metabolic rate (BMR), standard metabolic rate
(SMR), torpor, hibernation,
Page 52 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Circulation and Gas Exchange
The Immune System
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Gastrovascular cavity, heart, open circulatory system,
hemolymph, closed circulatory system, blood,
cardiovascular system, arteries, arterioles, capillaries,
capillary beds, venules, veins, atria, ventricles, single
circulation, double circulation, systemic circuit, cardiac
cycle, systole, diastole, cardiac output, heart rate, stroke
volume, atrioventricular (AV) valve, semilunar valve, heart
murmur, sinoatrial (SA) node, atrioventricular (AV) node,
endothelium, systolic pressure, pulse, diastolic pressure,
vasoconstriction, vasodilation, lymphatic system, lymph,
lymph nodes, plasma, platelets, erythrocytes, hemoglobin,
leukocytes, platelets, stem cells, erythropoietin, thrombus,
atherosclerosis, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), highdensity lipoprotein (HDL), heart attack, stroke,
hypertension, gas exchange, partial pressure, ventilation,
countercurrent exchange, tracheal system, larynx, trachea,
bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, surfactant, positive pressure
breathing, negative pressure breathing, diaphragm, tidal
volume, vital capacity, residual volume, respiratory
pigments, Bohr shift, myoglobin,
Pathogen, immune system, innate immunity, adaptive
immunity, lysozyme, hemocytes, phagocytosis, Toll-like
receptors (TLR), neutrophil, macrophage, dendritic cell,
natural killer cell, interferon, complement system,
inflammatory response, histamine, mast cell, lymphocyte,
thymus, T cell, B cell, antigen, antigen receptor, epitope,
antibody, heavy chain, light chain, immunoglobulin, major
histocompatibility complex molecule (MHC), antigen
presentation, immunological memory, effector cells,
plasma cell, memory cell, clonal selection, humoral
immune response, cell-mediated immune response, helper
T cell, antigen presenting cell, cytotoxic T cell,
opsonization, membrane attack complex, IgA, IgE, IgG,
IgM, IgD, active immunity, passive immunity,
immunization, monoclonal antibody, allergy, allergen,
autoimmune disease, immunodeficiency,
Page 53 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Osmoregulation and Excretion Osmoregulation, excretion, osmolarity, osmoconformer,
osmoregulator, stenohaline, euryhaline, anhydrobiosis,
transport epithelia, ammonia, uric acid, urea, filtration,
filtrate, reabsorption, secretion, protonephridia,
metanephridia, Malpighian tubules, kidney, ureter, urinary
bladder, urethra, renal cortex, renal medulla, renal pelvis,
nephron, cortical nephron, juxtamedullary nephron,
glomerulus, Bowman’s capsule, proximal tubule, loop of
Henle, distal tubule, collecting duct, peritubular capillaries,
vasa recta, aquaporin, current multiplier system,
antidiuretic hormone (ADH), vasopressin, renninangiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), juxtaglomerular
apparatus (JGA), angiotensin II, aldosterone, atrial
natriuretic peptide (ANP)
Hormones and the Endocrine Hormone, endocrine system, nervous system, local
System
regulator, paracrine, autocrine, prostaglandins,
neurotransmitter, neurohormone, pheromone, nitric oxide
(NO), signal transduction, epinephrine, endocrine gland,
oxytocin, negative feedback, positive feedback,
hypothalamus, pituitary gland, posterior pituitary,
anterior pituitary, antidiuretic hormone (ADH), prolactin,
tropic hormones, thyroid hormone, thyroid gland,
parathyroid glands, parathyroid hormone (PTH),
calcitonin, adrenal glands, norepinephrine, epinephrine,
catecholamines, glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids,
androgens, testosterone, estrogens, estradiol, progestins,
progesterone, endocrine disrupters, melatonin, pineal
gland, Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Page 54 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Neurons, Synapses, and
Signaling
Nervous Systems
Sensory and Motor
Mechanisms
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Neuron, brain, ganglia, cell body, dendrite, axon, synapse,
neurotransmitter, glial cells (glia), sensory neuron,
interneuron, motor neuron, central nervous system (CNS),
peripheral nervous system (PNS), nerve, membrane
potential, resting potential, sodium-potassium pump, ion
channels, equilibrium potential (Eion), gated ion channel,
hyperpolarization, depolarization, graded potential, action
potential, voltage-gated ion channel, threshold, refractory
period, myelin sheath, oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells,
nodes of Ranvier, saltatory conduction, ligand-gated ion
channel, excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP),
inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP), temporal
summation, spatial summation, acetylcholine, glutamate,
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), biogenic amines,
dopamine, serotonin, neuropeptide, endorphins,
Central nervous system, peripheral nervous system,
ganglia, glial cells, astrocytes, central canal, gray matter,
white matter, reflexes, motor system, autonomic nervous
system, enteric division, sympathetic division,
parasympathetic division, forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain,
biological clock, suprachiasmic nucleus (SCN), limbic
system, amygdala, lateralization, neuronal plasticity,
short-term memory, long-term memory, long-term
potential (LTP), schizophrenia, major depressive disorder,
bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease
Sensory reception, sensory receptor, sensory
transduction, receptor potential, perception, amplification,
sensory adaptation, mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors,
electromagnetic receptors, thermoreceptors, nociceptors
(pain receptors), statocysts, statoliths, hair cells, round
window, utricle, saccule, lateral line system,
photoreceptors, compound eye, ommatidia, single-lens
eye, pupil, iris, fovea, gustation, olfaction, tastants,
odorants, taste buds, thin filaments, thick filaments,
skeletal muscle, myofibrils, sarcomere, sliding-filament
model, tropomyosin, troponin complex, transverse (T)
tubules, sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), motor unit, tetanus,
myoglobin, fast-twitch fibers, slow-twitch fibers, cardiac
muscle, intercalated discs, smooth muscle, hydrostatic
skeleton, peristalsis, exoskeleton, chitin, endoskeleton,
locomotion
Page 55 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Animal Behavior
An Introduction to Ecology
Population Ecology
Community Ecology
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Behavior, behavioral ecology, fixed action pattern, sign
stimulus, migration, signal, communication, pheromones,
innate behavior, cross-fostering study, twin study,
learning, imprinting, sensitive period, spatial learning,
cognitive map, associative learning, cognition, problem
solving, social learning, culture, foraging, optimal foraging
model, monogamous, polygamous, mate-choice copying,
game theory, altruism, coefficient of relatedness,
Hamilton’s rule, kin selection, reciprocal altruism,
sociobiology
Ecology, climate, macroclimate, microclimate, abiotic,
biotic, climograph, ecotone, canopy, disturbance, photic
zone, aphotic zone, pelagic zone, abyssal zone, benthic
zone, benthos, detritus, thermocline, turnover, dispersal,
Population density, dispersion, immigration, emigration,
territoriality, demography, survivorship curve,
reproductive table, zero population growth, exponential
population growth, carrying capacity, logistic population
growth, semelparity, iteroparity, K-selection, r-selection,
density independent, density dependent, population
dynamics, metapopulation, demographic transition, age
structure, ecological footprint
Community, interspecific interactions, interspecific
competition, competitive exclusion, ecological niche,
resource partitioning, character displacement, aposematic
coloration, cryptic coloration, Batesian mimicry, Mullerian
mimicry, herbivory, symbiosis, parasitsm, host,
endoparasite, ectoparasite, mutualism, commensaliam,
facilitation, species diversity, species richness, relative
abundance, Shannon diversity, biomass, invasive species,
trophic structure, food web, energetic hypothesis,
keystone species, ecosystem engineers, bottom-up model,
top-down model, biomanipulation, disturbance,
nonequilibrium model, intermediate disturbance
hypothesis, ecological succession, primary succession,
secondary succession, evapotranspiration, species-area
curve, zoonotic pathogens, vector
Page 56 of 57
Saucon Valley School District
Planned Course of Study
Ecosystems and Restoration
Ecology
AP Biology
Summer 2014
Law of conservation of mass, primary producers, primary
consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers,
detritivores, decomposers, detritus, primary production,
gross primary production (GPP), net primary productivity
(NPP), net ecosystem production (NEP), limiting nutrient,
eutrophication, secondary production, production
efficiency, trophic efficiency, turnover time,
biogeochemical cycle, bioremediation, biological
augmentation
Page 57 of 57