AP Biology
INTRODUCTION
The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a college-level
introductory biology course. The intent of the course is to expose students to
higher-level biological principles, concepts, and skills and allow them the
opportunity to apply their knowledge to real-life applications. Students are expected
to learn not by memorization of facts, but through content and concept application
by the way of the AP Biology science practices.
AP Biology Website
This course is organized around the enduring understandings within the four big ideas as described in
the AP Biology Curriculum. The four big ideas in AP Biology are:
 Big Idea 1: Evolution
 Big Idea 2: Biological systems using energy to maintain homeostasis for survival
 Big Idea 3: Passing heritable information to provide continuity of life
 Big Idea 4: The interaction of biological systems with biotic and abiotic factors
In AP Biology, the teacher serves as the facilitator while the students develop as independent thinkers
and learners, especially through inquiry-based laboratory investigations. Many concepts that are
considered prerequisite knowledge for the course can be reviewed as home study through the use of
resources such as assigned websites, web quests, and journal articles. In class, students are given
opportunities to learn and apply their knowledge through the process of inquiry.
Students who take AP Biology develop advanced inquiry and reasoning skills, such as designing a plan for
collecting data, analyzing data, applying mathematical routines, and connecting concepts in and across
content areas. The result will be readiness for the study of advanced topics in subsequent college courses
— a goal of every AP course.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
 This is a project- and laboratory-based course where students will be allowed to generate
knowledge about biology peers and prepare to take the demanding Advanced Placement
Biology Exam
 Information will be from the textbook, charts, diagrams, videos, and many Internet sources. It
is essential that students READ the assigned chapters in the text and all additional readings.
 Always remember, as a student, you are the learner and you must actively acquire knowledge
as you prepare for the AP Exam
COURSE STRUCTURE:
 This course will reflect a flipped method of instruction, where the student will be an active learner
using materials provided by the instructor, who will act as a facilitator.
 Instructional methods will include projects, field trips, readings, podcasts, Internet tutorials, web
quests, content cards, group study sessions and class discussions.
 Labs will include a variety of hands-on activities, inquiry-based labs and web-based labs.
 It is expected that students will participate in class and group discussions.
 Students are encouraged to make comments and/or ask questions at any time.
 Exams, labs, and field trips will not be able to be made up without pre-arranged permission from
the instructor.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT
Students are evaluated in various ways, depending on the nature of the concept, activity and necessary skills
required at the time of assessment. Some skills that I specifically evaluate are:
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Research technique
Laboratory management and technique
Thoughtful preparation of inquiry-based labs
Scientific evaluation of data
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Descriptive discussion of concepts
Synthesis of meaningful conclusions
Development of accurate and descriptive
models
TYPES OF STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND GRADING
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Late work is not acceptable in this course. Students are expected to turn in all work on time.
Summative Assessments
Each semester exam will evaluate performance on concepts and skills from that semester period and will be
cumulative, as the year progresses. Questions will be multiple choice; many of these will be taken from old AP
Biology Exams.
Comprehensive Unit Exams will be cumulative in nature. Questions will be multiple-choice, short-response
and one lab-based free response question; many of these will be taken from old AP Biology Exams. After the
first exam, each following exam will consist of 50% new material and 50% review of material previously
tested. Sixty percent of the grade on the exam will come from the multiple-choice questions and forty percent
will come from the free response question.
Quizzes
Quizzes will allow for quick evaluation of knowledge, as well as an incentive for students to keep up on their
reading and vocabulary. Quizzes will focus on assigned readings, vocabulary terms, and important, but more
difficult, concepts.
Labs and Lab Work
Lab work will assess procedural skills, lab preparation, graphing skills, critical thinking and analysis of data.
Students will be expected to complete pre-lab activities, make graphs to help them understand their data, and
answer questions that require critical thinking and explanation. Students will also participate in discussions
about each lab.
Homework – may or may not be formally assessed, but completion is expected.
Homework will consist of preparation of student notes and concept cards, take-home free-response questions,
reading assignments, and other work that helps to reinforce concepts presented in the AP Biology class, as
well as to review concepts learned in Pre-AP Biology.
Projects
Many of the concepts in the course will be learned through collaborative group projects and some individual
projects. These projects serve to introduce concepts, deepen understanding of those concepts and, ultimately
assess the student’s knowledge of, and ability to explain, the concepts and their importance to biology. These
projects are an essential part of this course and will be assigned with an advanced rubric that students will be
given at the start of the project.
SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
In addition to obtaining an AP Biology Study Guide, there is a required summer assignment. Students will read one
Fiction or Non-fiction book (of your choice, from a provided list) & Essay about the reading. A discussion of each
book will follow when school starts.
MORE INFORMATION
You can access the entire AP Biology Syllabus for 2015-2016 and the Summer Assignment information at Mrs.
Williams’ website: https://sites.google.com/a/yukonps.com/misty-williams/. You can also scan the QR code on the
first page. The Syllabus is on the bottom of the main AP Biology page. The Summer Assignment has it’s own page.