AP BIOLOGY COURSE SYLLABUS
Hanahan High School
2015-2016
August 17th - Oct 16th
I. UNIT 1: BIG IDEA 2 – Biological Systems Utilize Free Energy and Molecular Building
Blocks to Grow, to Reproduce and to Maintain Homeostasis.
A. Chemistry of Life - BIOCHEMISTRY (Aug. 17- Sept. 11)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
Chapters 1-3
 Themes in the Study of Life
 Basic Chemistry
 Properties of Water
 TEST #1 (Chap. 1-3), Target Date  Friday, Aug. 28th
Chapters 4-5
 Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life
 The Structure and Function of large Biological Molecules
 TEST #2 (Chap. 4-5), TD  Friday, Sept. 11th
2. Labs
a. Aug. 18 – Animal Behavior Lab *AP Lab
b. Sep. 1 – Detecting Organic Compounds
c. Sep. 2 – Buffers Lab
c. Sep. 9 - Enzyme Catalysis - *AP Lab
3. Supplemental Reading
Discover – Science Technology & News
B. CELLS (Sept. 14th – Oct.30th)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
Chapter 6+7
 A Tour of the Cell
 Membrane Structure & Function
TEST #3 (Chap. 6 + 7), TD  Friday, Sep. 25th
Chapter 11 + 12
 Cell Communication
 The Cell Cycle
TEST #4 (Chap. 11 + 12), TD  Friday, Oct. 9th
2. Labs
a. Sept. 16 – Light microscopy and Cells (Helms)
b. Sept. 22 - Osmosis and Diffusion* AP Lab
c. Oct. 1 - Mitosis* - AP Lab - prepared slides of plant and animal cells.
C. ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS ( Oct 12th - Oct 30th)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
Chapter 8
 An Introduction to Metabolism
TEST #5 (Chap. 8), TD  Friday, Oct. 16th
Chapter 9-10
 Cellular Respiration: Harvesting Chemical Energy
 Photosynthesis
TEST #6 (Chap. 9-10), TD  Friday, Oct. 30th
2. Labs
a. Oct. 14 - Cellular Respiration: Respiration in Seeds* AP Lab
b. Oct. 21 - Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis* AP Lab
- studying plant pigments using paper chromatography and using the spec
20 to generate an absorption spectrum.
- A study of the factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis using dye
reduction by isolated spinach chloroplasts as measured by a
spectrophotometer.
3. Supplemental Reading
Discover – Science Technology & News
Nov. 2nd– Jan.15th
II. UNIT 2 - BIG IDEA 3 – Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to
information essential to life functions.
A. MENDELIAN GENETICS & HEREDITY – (Nov. 2nd – Nov. 13th)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
a. Chapter 13
b. Chapter 14
c. Chapter 15 [TEST #7 (Chap. 13-15), TD  Nov. 13th]
2. Labs
a. Nov. 3 - Meiosis* AP Lab
b. Nov. 10 - Genetics of Drosophilia* AP Lab - an investigation into the
inheritance of mutations in the fruit fly.
B. MOLECULAR GENETICS & Viruses - (Nov. 16th – Dec 13th)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
a. Chapter 16
b. Chapter 17
c. Chapter 18 [TEST #8 (Chap.16 - 18), TD  Dec. 11th]
2. Labs
a. Nov. 17 – Bacterial Transformation*
b. Dec.8 - Gel electrophoresis of fragmented DNA*
3. Supplemental Reading
Magazine Article – TBA
December 16 – 17, 2015 MIDTERM REVIEW
Dec. 18th- MIDTERM
B. MOLECULAR GENETICS & VIRUSES con’t (Jan. 5- Jan. 15)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
d. Chapter 19.1-19.2
b. Chapter 20.2
c. Chapter 21.5
[TEST # 9 (Chap. 19.1-19.2,20.1-20.2,21.5), TD  Jan. 15]
2. Labs
a. Jan. 12- Paper Operons
b. Jan.13 – Paper Plasmids
Jan. 19th – Feb.19th
III. UNIT 3 - BIG IDEA 1 – The Process of Evolution Drives the Diversity and Unity of
Life.
A. Diversity of Organisms (Jan. 20– Feb. 20)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
a. Chapter 22
b. Chapter 23
c. Chapter 24 [TEST #10 (Chap. 22-24), TD = Feb. 5]
d. Chapter 25
e. Chapter 26
f. Chapter 27.1-27.2
[TEST #11 (Chap. 25-27.2), TD = Feb 19]
2. Labs
a. Jan. 26- Population Genetics
b. Feb. 2 – Natural Selection – Brine Shrimp
3. Required Supplemental Reading
a. Magazine Article - TBA
Feb. 22nd - Mar. 11th
th
– Feb.20
IV. UNIT 4 - BIG IDEA 1 – Biological Systems Interact and These
Systems and Their
Interactions Possess Complex Properties.
A. Diversity of Organisms (Feb. 22rd – Mar. 11th)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
a. Chapter 53
b. Chapter 54
c. Chapter 55
d. Chapter 56
[TEST 12 (Chaps 53-56), TD Mar. 11]
2. Labs
a. Mar. 1- Dissolved Oxygen and Primary Productivity
b. Mar. 8- Habitat Selection
3. Required Supplemental Reading
a. Pollination- Carolina Biology Reader
b. Plant Tissue Culture- Carolina Biology Reader
Mar. 16th - Apr. 25th
th
Feb.20
V. UNIT 5 - BIG IDEA 2 con’t – Biological Systems Utilize Free Energy–and
Molecular
Building Blocks to Grow, to Reproduce and to Maintain Homeostasis.
A. Angiosperm Reproduction and Plant Responses to Stimuli (Mar. 15-Mar. 25)
1. Readings in Biology by Campbell
a. Chapter 38
b. Chapter 39
[TEST 13 (Chaps 38-39), TD Mar. 25]
B. Animal Form & Function, Immune System (Apr.4- Apr. 15)
c. Chapter 40
d. Chapter 43
[TEST 14 (Chaps 40 + 43), TD Apr. 8]
e. Chapter 48
f. Chapter 49.2
[TEST 15 (Chaps 48-49.2), TD Apr. 15]
C. Animal Behavior
g. Chapter 51
[Quiz (Chaps 51), TD Apr. 22]
2. Labs
a. Mar. 16- Plant Anatomy;
b. Mar. 23- Transpiration
c. Apr. 6 – Immune System
d. Apr. 12- Nervous System
VI. EXAM REVIEW (April 25 - May 6)
A. Readings in Biology by Campbell
1. Glossary- assigned pages daily with quizzes
2. Reviewing Key concepts- assigned chapters daily
3. Study Guide- assigned daily
B. Required Supplements
1. Practice AP essays- assigned daily
2. Practice Multiple Choice Questions for AP Biology Exam
3. Review of College Board Labs
2016 AP BIOLOGY EXAM
MONDAY MORNING- 8:00 AM
MAY 9, 2016
* Denotes laboratories that have been developed by the AP Biology Test Development Committee
and are fair game for being tested on the AP Exam