HAZELWOOD EAST HIGH SCHOOL
AP Biology
Course Syllabus
2012-2013
Ms. Tirsha LeNoir
Rm. 405
tlenoir@hazelwoodschools.org
Class Expectations:
In AP Biology, an emphasis is on students making connections between the big ideas within the AP
Biology Curriculum Framework. I teach the equivalent of an introductory college-‐level biology
course, and it is designed to prepare students for the AP Biology Exam. Lab techniques are learned
through researching journal papers, hands-on labs which make up at least 25% of instructional time.
Labs emphasize development and testing of the hypothesis, collection, analysis and presentation of
data, as well as discussion of results to discover unanswered questions about the particular topics
addressed. A minimum of two labs in each big idea will be conducted. Students are required to report
on all laboratory investigations.
Text/ Resources
“Biology.”Campbell, Neil et al., AP* Edition Biology, 8th Edition. Jane B. Reece, 2008.
www.campbellbiology.com
.
Teaching Strategies
The four Big Ideas are:
Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to
reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.
Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life
processes.
Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these system and their interactions possess complex
properties.
Students begin each unit with a list of enduring understandings and big ideas to guide them throughout
the main points of the unit and to frame students’ class notes. Students are encouraged to add to these
notes during class discussions, listing all of their questions that arise as the class discusses each topic.
Class discussions may be based on animations from various sources (textbook, CDs, Internet, etc.) to
help the students visualize what they have read. Quizzes are interspersed throughout the unit and
inform how instruction may need to be adjusted to improve student learning.
To help students apply biological, scientific knowledge and critical thinking skills to major issues of
social concern, they will read and report on (both orally and written) one novel that includes biology
content in the story-line. For the novel, students must explain the science and science processes in the
book, as well as describe the accuracy of their use and presentation in the book. In addition, students
will need to be prepared to engage in monthly current event discussions informed by readings from
recent scientific journals. Through these activities, students are given the opportunity to see that
biology is in their everyday lives and is not just a chapter in a textbook.
Lab Program
Big idea 1: Evolution
 BLAST Activity: Students use NCBI to compare DNA and protein sequences for organisms to
test student-generated hypotheses on their relatedness.
 Hardy-Weinberg: Spreadsheet development to investigate factors affecting Hardy-Weinberg
Equilibrium.
 Artificial Selection: Students will grow organisms such as Fast Plants and select for specific
traits over several generations.
Big idea 2: Cellular Processes; Energy and Matter
 Cellular Respiration: Students investigate some aspect of cellular respiration in organisms.
 Photosynthesis: Students investigate photosynthetic rate under a variety of student selected
conditions.
 Diffusion/Osmosis: Students investigate diffusion and osmosis in model systems and in plant
tissue.
Big idea 3: Genetics and Information Transfer
 Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis. Students compare mitotic rate after exposure to lectin or
other substances presumed to affect mitotic rate.
 Restriction Enzyme Analysis: Students investigate restriction enzyme analysis.
Big idea 4: Interactions
 Energy Dynamics: Students develop and analyze model systems that describe energy flow.
 Fruit Fly Behavior: Students investigate chemotaxis in fruit flies.
 Transpiration: Students investigate the movement of water through plants in a model system.
 Enzyme Investigation: In an open inquiry lab, students will investigate and quantify factors that
affect enzyme action.
The big ideas are interrelated, and they will not be taught in isolation.
Course Goals:
As a result of this course, students will
 have a solid understanding of the concepts taught in Biology
 be able to extend biological concepts beyond the classroom in real life situations
 be able to use problem solving and inquiry by participating in labs
 be able to explain various biological terms by giving examples and definitions
Grading Scale:
Students are graded on a point system using the following scale:
A= 100-90 B= 89-80 C= 79-70 D= 69-60 F=59 and below
Topics to Cover:
 General Test Taking Strategies (ongoing)
The course will connect the enduring understandings from one big idea with those of the others wherever
practical. Students will maintain a curricular map of the big ideas and enduring understanding showing
connections as they are made by the students themselves.
Examples illustrating the types of connections to be made throughout the course:
Big idea 1 and 3:
EU 1.B: Organisms are linked by lines of descent from common ancestry.
EU 3.A: Heritable information provides for continuity of life.
DNA and RNA are carriers of genetic information through transcription, translation and replication.
(LO 1.15) Students will model information flow in a kinesthetic activity and discuss the similarities in the
process among different domains. DNA replication ensures continuity of hereditary information. (LO 3.3)
(This is an example of a student activity that will connect enduring understandings between different big
ideas and is an example of what students will do throughout the course).
3B: Big idea 1, 2 and 4:
EU 1.B: Organisms are linked by lines of descent from common ancestry.
EU 2.B: Growth, reproduction, and dynamic homeostasis require that cells create and maintain internal
environments that are different from their external environments.
EU 4.1: Interaction within biological systems lead to complex properties.
Electron Transport Chain (ETC) and chemiosmosis kinesthetic activity. Students build an inner
mitochondrial membrane out of a variety of materials and identify the membrane as a feature allowing
separation within the cell. Students explain and justify how this separation is achieved in
prokaryotes to generate a proton gradient, and they will present the evolutionary connections across
domains through a BLAST search for proteins in the ETC.
3C: Big idea 1 and 3:
EU 1.A: Change in the genetic makeup of a population over time is evolution.
EU 3.A: Heritable information provides for continuity of life.
Students will participate in a Hardy-Weinberg activity where they calculate allelic frequency change. These
alleles will be connected to DNA and related back to the evolutionary history of the organisms being
studied. In a second part of this activity, students will investigate the role of environmental change in the
changing genetic make-up of a population.
Big idea 1 and 4:
EU 4.B: Competition and cooperation are important aspects of biological systems.
EU 1.C: Life continues to evolve within a changing environment. Students will track the changing
flowering phenology of particular species of flowering plants across a wide territory (such as North
America or Europe) or the changing flight patterns of migratory insects or birds in relation to global climate
change.
Students are provided with opportunities to meet the learning objectives within each of the big
ideas. These opportunities must occur outside of the laboratory investigations.
The science practices and the learning objectives are used throughout the course. All activities and
class work will be connected to at least one learning objective that will be clearly communicated to students
so they can see the science practices and learning objectives as the framework around which the learning of
the course takes place. The science practices and learning objectives will also be addressed in classroom
activities and projects external to the formal lab investigations. Representative examples of activities are
below:
4A: Students will participate in a Hardy-Weinberg simulation as a class activity.
Within this activity, students will make predictions and test them using mathematical models to study
population genetics.
Students will chose several organisms to investigate some aspect of their evolutionary relatedness.
Students will narrow down an appropriate, under-explored question about the organism of their choice
through research, and develop testable hypotheses. Students will share research results.
Students will examine evidence regarding speciation of major groups of plants and major
extinctions on Earth. Students will plan, design, and carry out data collection plans to evaluate these
scientific claims.
4B: Students will compare cells in different domains with regard to internal membranes and their function.
Students will extend this analysis to an examination and application of scientific explanations in
endosymbiont theory.
Students will make short movies showing the relationship between molecular events and global
cycles such as between photosynthesis/respiration and global carbon cycles.
4C: Students will work with models demonstrating the immune system, digestive system, action potential,
action at the nephron, working of the sarcomere, and cellular communication, which allow students to
problem solve as they change conditions within the model. Students will model the effect of change (for
example disease or drugs) and communicate the results predicted due to the change.
Students will select and read an article in a scientific journal on a medical procedure, device, drug
trial, or similar event. Students will statistically analyze and evaluate the data and report on the findings.
4D: Students will identify, explain and justify how intracellular structures interact with each other, such as
rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus, or mitochondria and chloroplasts in plants, or the
DNA inside the nucleus and the ribosomes outside the nucleus.
Course Outline
Unit 1: The Chemistry of Life (approx. 2 weeks)
 Subatomic Particles & Chemical Bonding
 Properties of Water
 ph & Buffers
 Carbon & Molecular Diversity of Life
 Macromolecules
 Enzymes
Chapters
2, 3, 4, 5
Big Idea 4 (Interactions): Enzyme Investigation
Suggested Homework: Self Quiz Pg. 45 # 1-12, Pg. 57 # 1-13, Pg. 67# 1-10Pg. 91 # 1-12,
Weekly Free Response Questions, Practice Test @ www.campbellbiology.com
Unit 2: The Cell (approx. 2-3 weeks)
 A Tour of the Cell
 Membrane Structure & Function
 Cell Communication
 The Cell Cycle: Key Roles of Cell Division
Chapters
6, 7, 11, 12
Big Idea 2 (Cellular Processes): Diffusion & Osmosis Lab
Suggested Homework: Self Quiz Pg. 124 # 1-11, Pg. 141 #1-9, Pg. 227 # 10-12, Weekly Free
Response Questions, & Practice Test @ www.campbellbiology.com
Unit 3: Metabolism (Energy) approx. 3 weeks
 Introduction to Metabolism
 Cellular Respiration
 Photosynthesis
Chapters
8, 9, 10
Big Idea 2 (Cellular Processes; Energy & Matter):
Cellular Respiration & Photosynthesis Lab
Suggested homework: Self Quiz Pg. 161 # 1-10, Pg. 183-184 # 1-13, Pg. 205 # 1-10, Weekly
Free Response Questions, Practice Test @ www.campbellbiology.com
Unit 4: Celll Division (approx. 3 weeks)
 Mitosis & Meiosis
 Mendelian Genetics
 Chromosomal & Molecular Inheritance
Chapters
13, 14, 15, 16
Big Idea 3 (Genetics & Information Transfer): Cell Division: Mitosis & Meiosis Lab
Suggested Homework: Self Quiz Pg. 261 #1-12, Pg. 284-285 # 1-16 & 21, Review Pg. 283 “
Tips for Genetics Problems”, Pgs. 303-304 # 1-17, Weekly Free Response Questions, &
Practice Test @ www. masteringbio.com
Unit 5: Molecular Genetics (approx. 3 weeks)
 DNA Replication
 Protein Synthesis
 Gene Expression
 Biotechnology
Chapters
17, 18, 20
Big Idea 3(Genetics & Information Transfer): Restriction Enzyme Analysis Lab
Suggested Homework: Self Quiz Pg.350 # 1-10, Pg. 380 # 1-10, Pg.424-425 # 1-14, Weekly
Free Response Questions, Practice Tests @ www.campbellbiology.com
Unit 6: Evolution (approx. 3 weeks)
 Darwinism & Natural Selection
 Evidence for Evolution
 Microevolution vs. macroevolution
Chapters
22, 23, 24
Big Idea 1(Evolution): Hardy- Weinberg & Artificial Selection Lab
Suggested Homework: Self Quiz Pg. 467 # 1-8, Pg. 486 #1-8, Pg. 505-506 # 1-9, Weekly Free
Response Questions, Practice Tests @ www.campbellbiology.com
Unit 7: History of Biodiversity on Earth (approx. 3 weeks)
 Phylogeny
 Classification of Organisms
Chapters
Unit 8: Plant Form & Function (approx. 3 weeks)
 Characteristics of plants
 Structure & Function of plants
 Role of plants on Earth
Chapters
35, 36, 38, 39
)
Big Idea 4 (Interactions): Transpiration
Unit 9: Animal Form & Function (approx. 3 weeks)
 Characteristics of animals
 Structure & Function of animals
 Role of animals on Earth
Chapters
40- 51
Big Idea 4 (Interactions): Fruit Fly Behavior Lab
Unit 10: Ecology (approx. 3 weeks)
 Introduction to Ecology & the Biosphere
 Behavior Biology
 Population Ecology
 Community Ecology
 Ecosystems
Chapters
52- 56
Big Idea 4 (Interactions): Energy Dynamics Lab
Suggested Homework: Self Quiz Pg. 1172-73 # 1-12, Pg. 1196-97 # 1-14, Pg. 1220-21 # 1-13,
Pg. 1244 # 1-10, Pg. 1267 # 1- 10, Weekly Free Response Questions, Practice Tests @
www.campbellbiology.com
Student Evaluation
Student grades will be determined by the following:
70%- exams, formal lab reports, & quizzes
30%- class work, and free response questions
I endeavor to ensure lasting success by holding ALL students accountable to meet high expectations
by following 8 simple non-negotiable rules and regulations in which all students are expected to adhere
to; which are listed below:
Students are expected to…
1) Follow classroom procedures at all times. Enter the classroom quickly, place belongings
in the cubed spaces, acquire the “DO NOW”, take your assigned seat, and exhibit respect
for your teacher and others at all times.
2) Arrive to class on time. (Both feet must be inside the door at the end sounding of the bell.)
3) Abide by the dress code. Inappropriate clothing, hats or head coverings are not to be
worn in the building.
4) Be prepared to work daily.
5) Electronic devices are to be turned off and put away during the school day (headphones,
cell phones, MP3 players, games, etc.)
6) Display ID around your neck at all times.
7) Avoid physical and verbal violence. Learn to disagree without being disagreeable. If you
have a potential problem see a principal, teacher, or counselor immediately.
8) Respect the building. Do not deface any part of the building and take care of school
property.
I agree to being held accountable for my actions regarding the non-negotiable rules and
regulations listed above.
_______________________________________
Student’s Signature
__________________________
Date
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Parent’s Signature
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Date
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Parent’s Contact Number
Your student will be rewarded with 10 bonus points when he/she returns the form with your
signature. No forms will be awarded bonus points after August 20, 2012.
Thank you for your cooperation,