AP Biology Course Summary
AP Biology 2013-2014
Mr. Niglio – Room A217
dniglio@audubonschools.org
856.547.7695 x1217
Web site: https://sites.google.com/a/audubonschools.org/niglio/
I am usually available before or after school, but I ask that you provide me with some
advance notice. Before school I will most likely be in Room A217.
Course Objective/Description
The objective of this course is to provide students with a fundamental understanding of
Biological Science, so they can make educated decisions in the future. AP Biology is one
of the courses offered through the College Board for advanced college standing. As
described in their course selection booklet, “The AP Biology is designed to be the
equivalent of a college introductory Biological Science course usually taken by Biology
majors during their first year.”
The curriculum of this course is designed to prepare students for the AP exam, which will
be administered in May. It is my expectation that ALL students will take the AP Biology
exam when it is administered. A fast pace will be maintained in order to cover all of the
topics by the test date.
This course outline was prepared so that students and parents have some insight on the
course, expectations, grading, and class procedures. It is required that students keep this
outline as part of their notebook, and refer to it throughout the year.
It is expected that students will study on their own time outside of class.
You will be expected to understand key concepts from Biology and chemistry, use this
site to help with reviewing these concepts is:
http://library.thinkquest.org/28751/review/biochem/index.html
If you click on the drop down menu on the left titled review main you can go to key
concepts. This website will be helpful when studying for test as well.
The web site below has animated tutorials on key concepts. This will be helpful to you all
year. http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp00/00020.html
I will also frequently assign videos for HW and or use them during instruction or review
in class. You should subscribe to the following on YouTube: Bozeman biology, Crash
course biology and Sci Show.
http://www.youtube.com/user/bozemanbiology
http://www.youtube.com/course?list=EC3EED4C1D684D3ADF
http://www.youtube.com/user/scishow
Required Materials
Students will need a 2 inch three-ring binder with dividers for each topic (10 dividers
would be a good start), as well as a black and white composition (graph) paper notebook
or a student lab notebook as you may have used in chemistry last year for notes and data
on labs. You will need to have this before school starts and bring it with you every day to
class.
Assignments
Students will be responsible for reading each chapter carefully and reviewing the
PowerPoint slides on the topics. The primary assignment is to keep up with the reading
and prepare for topics to be covered in the class lectures and discussions. Additionally
articles will be assigned, sometimes requiring a written summary or an answer to a given
question. Homework will be assigned as needed, and will reinforce the lessons. You can
expect homework nearly every night. Please note that you may have assignments over
holiday breaks that will be due immediately upon your return. All work will be geared
toward the expectation that all students will take the AP exam.
AP Biology is a lab class, and the labs will be aligned with the standards of the College
Board. Students will be required to hand in lab write-ups, and discuss their results with
the class. Some lab periods may be used as test review sessions for upcoming exams or to
do research for upcoming presentations.
Periodically there will be a research topic involving a poster presentation and an oral
presentation to the class. The presentation will involve some aspect of Biology. Small
groups may also present articles and relevant topics to the class for discussion.
Exams will constitute a large portion of the students’ grade, and they will be modeled
after the AP test that students are expected to take in May. Tests will have multiplechoice portions as well as free response essay questions.
Attendance
Attendance is extremely important. The pace of AP Biology is fast. It is the student’s
responsibility to find out what work was missed and to make it up. If notes were missed, I
suggest the student copy notes from more than one source within the class. It is especially
important to be present on lab days, since some of the materials have a limited storage
life. Alternate make-up assignments may be necessary if materials become unavailable.
Make-Up Work
It is imperative that students make up all missed work in a timely manner.
Students are expected to make up all missed work due to excused absences. This is the
student’s responsibility. Work missed during an unexcused absence cannot be made up,
and will receive a grade of zero. I will not approach students about missing work; it is the
student’s responsibility to seek missing work, and to return it in a timely manner. I will
follow district policy regarding the time a student has to make up missed work. Work that
has been kept past the time limit will not be accepted.
Students will be able to make up work BEFORE or AFTER SCHOOL as determined by
me, unless arrangements have been made with me to come on another day. Assignments
cannot be made up during my plan period, or during another scheduled class.
Unexcused late work will not be accepted.
Grading
Students will be graded on a total point system. A total point grade will be given for each
assignment. Assignments that take more time or are more complex will be given a higher
point value.
There will also be a Mid-Tem and Final Examination. The Mid-Term will cover the first
two marking periods, and the Final Exam will cover the second two marking periods.
Tests will be returned to students for their review. Students are expected to keep old tests
and quizzes as review material for the AP test.
The District Grading Policy will be used.
Academic Honesty
It is expected in my class that students will adhere to the highest levels of academic
honesty. Any occurrence of dishonesty will result in an immediate zero for the
assignment or test, and a call home.
Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:
 Plagiarism, or the copying of another persons work with out due credit.
o copying someone’s homework or class work
o copying someone’s writing assignment
o copying work from the internet, and claiming it as your own.
o improper citation of references, to claim work as your own
 Cheating on tests or quizzes
o looking at another students paper for answers
o having answers written on anything (including desks) before a test or quiz.
o trading test forms with other students prior to taking a test.
Units To Be Covered
Topics may not necessarily be covered in the order presented here. If a topic presents
itself in the news, etc., I may pursue that topic as an added lesson.
1) The Chemistry of Life
2) The Cell
3) Genetics
4) Mechanisms of Evolution
5) The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity
6) Plant Form and Function
7) Animal Form and Function
8) Ecology
Summer Assignment
You are required to do the following before school starts:
1. Establish a twitter profile; if you already have one, create a new one to use just for
this course. I will communicate with the class and tweet
assignments/communicate with the class.
2. Go to the following web site:
http://wps.aw.com/wps/media/access/Pearson_Default/4929/5047666/login.html
3. Follow the directions below:
a. Click on the “Register” button as shown below
4. Your code is below. Follow the simple instructions to register for the text. If you
have problems with this, you need to contact me immediately. This should not be
hard for an AP student.
SSNAST-QUAIL-YOGIC-NEMAN-RIGOT-NOISE
5. Using the online text, read all of Chapter 1 and 2. Complete the activity links for
each section of the 1st 2 chapters.
6. Complete the self quiz questions for each chapter and visit my website,
https://sites.google.com/a/audubonschools.org/niglio/ click on presentations then
AP biology to view the slides for each CH. Then click on assignments then AP
Biology. You need to complete the Ch 1 and Ch 2 Study guides.
7. Research and describe 1 example of negative and positive feedback in the human
body. Should be at least1 paragraph for each. And include what theme in biology
feedback mechanisms are part of.
8. Go to the following links and complete the virtual labs. They are not required to
be in your lab notebook, but you should record results and answer questions on
separate paper with the title of the virtual lab.
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/scientific_method_ecb.html
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/scientific_method_plant_exp.html
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/crickets_chirp.html
9. Visit my web site, go to assignments then AP biology and complete the following
assignments: Ch 1 and 2 Study guides, Organic Molecules Web Quest, analyzing
data, Scientific method in action and Martian and the car.
10. All assignments are due on the 1st day of school.