The AP Biology Summer Assignment
& Study Guide
By _______________________
This summer you will delve into the world of biology like you never thought you would in
those hot months! We will explore many topics to whet your appetite for the coming year
of hard work.
This summer assignment has been designed for five purposes:
 to get you to think during those summer months and to keep your mind sharp, because
I will expect a lot out of it come August!
 to expand your vocabulary by familiarizing you with terms that we will be using in class.
 to introduce you to major concepts from AP Biology through non-classroom methods of
learning.
 to have you earn strong grades to help you begin the first quarter with confidence.
 to decrease the amount of new material that you will have to learn during the school
year.
Assignment
#1 Letter of Introduction
#2 Book Shopping/Reading
Due Date
Before June 14th, 2012 if you
are a current ASD student!
ASAP if you are new to ASD.
Blog Post Due date:
2nd day of class
# 3 Review Reading, Guided
Notes, & Flashcards
1st day of class
#4 AP Course Contract
1st day of class
1st Test Date
To be announced, but about 1
week after school starts
If you have any concerns about the summer project, please see
me as soon as possible! We can try to figure out a solution.
jpuckett@asd.edu.qa
ASSIGNMENT #1
LETTER OF INTRODUCTION and FACEBOOK Group Member Invitation
Welcome to AP Biology!
We are going to spend a lot of time together next year, so it’s best if I get a head start on
learning a bit about you (even if I have had you in class already)! Also we will use the
Internet and the Web a lot next year for this course, so let’s get you used to
communicating with me via e-mail, NVS, and the AP Biology Facebook group.
Your first digital assignment is to successfully send me an e-mail.
Due date: June 14, 2012
1. Draft an e-mail to me following these rules:
a. Use clearly written, full sentences. Do not abbreviate words like you are on AIM with
a friend. Use spell check! This is a professional communication like you would have
with a college professor, so let’s practice for your rapidly nearing future!
b. Address it to me at: jpuckett@asd.edu.qa
c. Make the Subject: “AP Bio: Introduction to <Insert Your Name Here>”
(Do not include the quote marks or the brackets, just the words)
d. Begin the e-mail with a formal salutation, like “Mrs. Puckett,” or “Dear Mrs. Puckett,”
e. Now introduce yourself (your name) and tell me a little bit about yourself, like:
 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 do
your parents do for a living?
 Was there anything that you liked about your earlier biology class? What was the
topic(s) that you found easiest? Most difficult?
 What was the last book you read for fun?
 What are you looking forward to the most in AP Biology?
 What are you most anxious about in AP Biology?
f. End the e-mail with a formal closing: “Cordially”, “Sincerely”, “Warm regards”, etc.
and add your name as if you signed a letter.
2. You will be requested to join the ASD AP Biology Facebook group.
ASSIGNMENT #2
BOOK SHOPPING & SUMMER READING
Part I: Book Shopping
You need to buy some books. Plan ahead and do your best to get these books. If you
are having any trouble contact me early so that I can help.
1. 5 Steps To A Five –An AP Biology Exam Review Book or any other review book
you would like to use.
2. Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin
3. Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams
The review book will be used throughout the year and will be VERY helpful to have. You
will need it on the first day of class. There are other books and resources available. Feel
free to collect others that you think you will use and find useful.
Part II: SUMMER READING… Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams
This is not a textbook reading! Your summer reading is Last Chance to See by Douglas
Adams. It’s a “popular science” writing to introduce you to another way of looking at
science.
Yes, there are people who love science so much that they spend their
time researching and writing books about it and there are people who
love science even more that they spend their time reading these
science books. You too may become one of these people!
We will be discussing this book throughout the year so be prepared to
talk about it!
When you are finished reading the book you need to post a comment
on the NVS blog. The comment should include:
 Favorite part of the book
 Something you learned that you didn’t know before
 A response to someone else’s post
Due date: 2nd day of class
NOTE: Bring 5 Steps to a Five to your first AP Bio class!
ASSIGNMENT #3
Read Chapters 5 – 11 in Five Steps to A Five
For this part of your summer assignment, you will be familiarizing / reviewing material
covered in Honors Biology. There may be some new information for you in these
chapters. Make notes of these topics for review later.
You need to spend some time organizing your previous biology class notes. Put them in
a 3 ring binder. Use tab separators to organize them by topic. This will be an excellent
resource as you work on your summer assignment and review topics in AP Biology.
Putting them into OneNote is also a great idea if possible. That will be our main method
of taking and organizing notes in AP Bio.
Complete the Guided Notes & QUADS for these chapters. These have been created by
another biology teacher, Ms. Kim Foglia and are linked to the textbook we use in AP
Biology. You will not have access to this book, but can use 5 Steps and the internet to
help you find the answers. These will be posted on NVS or you can take a hard copy to
complete over the summer. There will be a test given on this material after about 1 week
of school.
Chapter 2 & 3: Chemical Context of Life & Water
Chapter 4: Carbon & The Molecular Diversity of Life
Chapter 5A & 5B: Macromolecules
Chapter 6: Metabolism & Enzymes
Chapter 7: The Cell & Cell Organelles
Chapter 8: Membranes
Chapter 9: Cellular Respiration
Chapter 10: Photosynthesis
Chapter 12: Cell Cycle
Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
Chapter 14: Mendel & The Gene Idea
FLASHCARDS: I have also given you a set of flashcards to use. My advice is to get
these done and start studying them even if you don’t know these words yet. Learning
them now will make your life easier! There are empty squares for you to use to fill in
words you think would be good for you to study some more too!
Guided Notes Due date: 1st day of class
Test Date: To be announced

ASSIGNMENT #4
Read the AP Biology Syllabus found on NVS in the Course Information and Syllabus
Folder. Discuss it with your parents, sign the contract below, and bring it with to the first
class.
AP Biology Course Contract
Instructor – Mrs. Julie Puckett
Classroom- 1409
E-mail address – jpuckett@asd.edu.qa
Office - 1406
Office Phone - 499-1409
Facebook user name—Apbiology Julie Puckett
Please read the syllabus thoroughly. If you have any questions, please contact me as soon
as possible. Once you have read through the syllabus (posted on NESA in Course
Documents Folder) and discussed it with your parents, please sign the contract below and
return the bottom portion to me for your first homework assignment.
I have read the AP Biology course syllabus, discussed it with
my parents, and agree to follow the course guidelines. If I have
any questions I will contact Mrs. Puckett and advocate my needs.
Student Name
Student Signature
Date
Parent Signature