Melrose Public Schools
Science AP Summer Assignments
AP Biology (Students entering grade 9)
Contact: Ms. Scott (kscott@melrose.mec.edu)
Goals:
-to expose students to the reading, research, and analytical skills required for an AP course (all)
-to challenge students with the rigor appropriate for an advanced placement course (all)
-to review introductory material that is typically covered in the first year course (AP Chem and AP Bio)
-to expose students to the college-level text (AP Bio)
- to provide ninth grade students with the foundational knowledge of biology in preparation for taking
AP Biology as a first year course.
***Students enrolling in AP Biology over the summer should obtain a textbook by emailing
jshea@melrose.mec.edu
You will be working on a number of assignments throughout the summer and will need to send me your
notes and completed work. The district e-mail server will be changing in July, but you should still be
able to send any messages to me at kscott@melrose.mec.edu. I will reply to all e-mails you send, so if
you do not hear from me please resend your message or try the new address
kscott@melroseschools.com.
Part 1 – due June 25th 2014
Send me an e-mail including the following information:
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What do you like to do (hobbies, sports, music, interests, etc.)?
Tell me a little bit about your family (Mom? Dad? Guardian? Siblings? Pets?)
What did you like most about your science classes in Middle School?
What was the last book you read for fun?
How many other AP classes are you taking in the 2014-2015 school year?
What are you looking forward to the most in AP Biology?
What are you most anxious about in AP Biology?
Anything else you think I should know?
I will use e-mail to contact you throughout the summer so please make sure the address is one that you
will check periodically.
Part 2 – due August 4, 2014
Read Chapter 2 in the textbook Modern Biology and take 2 column notes. Complete the Section Reviews
attached. E-mail a copy of your notes and completed Section Reviews to me. You can scan the pages,
take a picture of them or just type the answers and send me the document. I will send you the answers
at a later date for you to check your work.
For additional information it is strongly recommended that you watch the following Bozeman Science
Videos and add to your two column notes.
History of the Atom (http://www.bozemanscience.com/history-of-the-atom)
Covalent vs. Ionic Bonds (http://www.bozemanscience.com/chemical-bonds-covalent-vs-ionic)
Acids, Bases & pH (http://www.bozemanscience.com/acids-bases-ph)
Part 3 due August 4, 2014
Watch the video Biological Molecules (http://bit.ly/QEZZg0) on the Bozeman Science YouTube channel
and take 2 column notes. Fill in the attached worksheet. This will cover the basic Biochemistry content
that would typically be covered in Biology I.
This information is also covered in Chapter 3 of the Modern Biology textbook if you would like to add to
your notes.
Part 4 due August 4, 2014
Read Chapter 4 in the textbook Modern Biology and take 2 column notes. Complete the Section Reviews
attached. E-mail a copy of your notes and completed Section Reviews to me. I will send you the answers
at a later date for you to check your work.
For additional information it is strongly recommended that you watch the following Bozeman Science
Videos and add to your two column notes.
A Tour of the Cell (http://www.bozemanscience.com/a-tour-of-the-cell)
Cellular Organelles (http://www.bozemanscience.com/043-cellular-organelles)
Cell Membrane (http://www.bozemanscience.com/015-cell-membrane)
Part 5 due August 4, 2014
Read Chapter 9 in the textbook Modern Biology and take 2 column notes. Complete the Section Reviews
attached. E-mail a copy of your notes and completed Section Reviews to me. I will send you the answers
at a later date for you to check your work.
For additional information it is strongly recommended that you watch the following Bozeman Science
Videos and add to your two column notes.
Genetics (http://www.bozemanscience.com/genetics)
Mendelian Genetics (http://www.bozemanscience.com/029-mendelian-genetics)
Beginner’s Guide to Punnett Squares (http://www.bozemanscience.com/beginners-guide-to-punnettsquares)
Part 6 due August 22, 2014
Read the Introduction and Chromosomes 1 and 2 of the book Genome: The Autobiography of a Species
in 23 Chapters by Matt Ridley. It is available in paperback and you should be able to find it at the library,
Amazon.com, other booksellers, or even from a friend who took my AP Biology class in the last few
years.
Take 2 column notes as you read and then comment on my blog http://scottmhs.blogspot.com. You will
receive an invitation to view the blog over the summer. Make sure you can access it by leaving a short
comment in the post “9th Grade AP Biology”. Please use your first name and last initial as your display
on the blog. Change it under “Edit Profile”.
Put your comments on Genome in the post “9th Grade: Genome Introduction – Chromosome 2”. Your
comments must include, but do not have to be limited to the following:
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What did you think of the information in this section?
What did you learn?
What questions do you still have?
You should also read other students’ questions and thoughts and consider them as you comment. Think
of this as a discussion.
Part 7 due August 26, 2014
Read Chapters 1 & 22 in the textbook Biology (AP Biology textbook) and take 2 column notes. Complete
the Reading Guides attached. E-mail a copy of your notes and completed Reading Guides to me. Be
prepared to take a test on these sections of the Biology book in the first week of school. Chapter 15 of
the Modern Biology text covers this information as well and may be a good first step for supporting your
reading the more advanced textbook.
For additional information you can watch the following Bozeman Science Videos:
Biology (http://www.bozemanscience.com/biology)
Evidence for Evolution (http://www.bozemanscience.com/004-evidence-for-evolution)
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns throughout the summer. I hope you enjoy
your introduction to the material and that you are ready to meet the exciting challenge of AP Biology.
I look forward to a year of Advanced Placement Biology with you!
Ms. Scott