ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGY SYLLABUS (2010-2011)
Mr. Mark Stephansky
Room: 202; Office: 205E
E-mail: mark.stephansky@whrsd.org
School Phone: (781) 618-7441
Office Hours: Before school, after school, and during seminar
Course Web Site: http://web.whrsd.org/faculty/Stephansky_Mark/AP_Bio/AP_Bio_Index.html
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course follows the guidelines created by the College Board. It is designed to be
equivalent to a college level introductory course. Successful completion of the AP Biology exam can lead to either
introductory biology credit or elective credit depending on the requirements of the college a student is attending.
COURSE OBJECTIVE: AP biology students will demonstrate the ability to use specific skills and processes, appropriate
scientific terminology, and major biological concepts to explain the uniqueness and interdependence of living organisms,
their interactions with the environment, and the continuation of life on Earth.
TEXTBOOKS: Campbell, N. A. and Reece, J. B., Biology, Edition 7, Benjamin Cummings
Publishers (2005)
RECOMMENDED PURCHASE: Pack, P. E. Biology AP Test Preparation,
Cliff’s Notes, 3rd Edition (2007)
You will each have a textbook checked out to you. Everyone is responsible for your own book’s care. In addition to the
text, supplemental reading materials will be given periodically.
SUPPLIES: 3 ring notebook w/dividers for Question of the Day, Notes, Study Guides, and Labs; scientific calculator
LOGISTICS: This class meets for one period every day for the entire school year. Class periods will be composed of
lecture, labs, quizzes, and exams. A premium will be put on both labs and essay composition. Each exam will have at least
one detailed essay, and many quizzes will be in-class or take-home essays.
This class will move at a very fast pace, and between labs, lectures and reviews, there is really no way to make up a
missed class or most of the labs. It is, therefore, essential you attend every class and lab and be prepared to participate.
I expect all of those who enroll in AP Biology to prepare for and take the exam. This class has a very special dynamic when
we are all working towards the same goal. If you are not looking for an academic challenge at the highest level, you should
consider taking a different course.
1 of 6
(Adapted from Wartski, Sharp & Fazio)
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
20% Homework and
Classwork
Assignments
25% Laboratory
assignments and
reports
20% Quizzes and
Essays
35% Tests
Individual assignments include “Reading Guides” from the Campbell text along with supplemental
readings and essays. Students will be required to turn in “Reading Guides” on a regular basis; this
will insure they are keeping up with required reading. Other reading assignments and essays will be
assigned periodically throughout the year.
Part of the college board requirements for AP Biology is a series of 12 labs; students will complete
these labs along with the worksheets/ lab reports that will be assigned along with them. In addition
to the required 12, other labs and laboratory-based activities will also be assigned.
Quizzes will be given periodically to assess learning.
Exams will follow after every unit and at the semester.
Grading, Grades, Cheating, Exams, Homework....
This year in my class, I will be practicing a form of Mastery Teaching. In Mastery Teaching, students are allowed to master
the content at their own pace. In my class, I use homework, exams, lab reports, and projects as tools for learning.
Students are allowed to hand in lab reports, projects, and other assignments after the due date. However, for each day an
assignment is late, ten percent of the total points will be deducted from the grade earned. After five school days, or one
school week, the late assignment will no longer be accepted and recorded as a zero.
If a student earns a grade on an assignment that s/he feels is unsatisfactory, the student has the option of fixing the
assignment on a separate sheet of paper and stapling the correction to the old assignment, and handing the assignment
in for possible full credit. The student will always receive the higher grade. The deadline for re-doing an assignment is the
deadline for late assignments, or one school week after the original due date. I do make some exceptions, however. If a
student earns a 95%on an assignment, s/he cannot re-do the assignment for a higher grade. I do not allow corrections on
textbook reading assignments, extra credit assignments, and quizzes (other assignments might be added during the year).
If a student earns a 50% or greater on an exam, then that exam can be retaken/corrected. However, exams must be
retaken/corrected before school, during seminar period or after school. The exam must also be retaken/corrected within a
brief window of time (usually for 4 days following the original exam). It will be the responsibility of the student to sign up
for a day and time, report to class at the appropriate time, and take the exam. I will not remind any student of her/his
impending retake. Remember, the student must take responsibility for retakes. This policy is a privilege, not a right.
Up to date grades will be posted at the beginning of every week. Students are responsible for checking his/her grade. I am
not perfect, and I have been known to make mistakes. If a student finds a mistake in her/his grade, s/he is expected to see
me in a civil manner and point out my mistake. I will correct the mistake and the correction will be posted with the new
grades.
With my Mastery Teaching, I am angered and frustrated when students attempt to cheat. If a student cheats, s/he will be
caught. If students copy each other, everyone involved will receive a zero. If I feel that the assignments are copied, all
parties will have to civilly defend themselves. I hope that I will not have to deal with cheaters. However, if cheating seems
to be the norm, I will rescind my Mastery Teaching policy. (I also consider the following cheating: students using notes,
exams, quizzes and laboratories of students who have taken my class in prior years. Do not ask an old student to
‘borrow their old Biology material).
There will be a time when students are allowed to use a ‘'legal cheatsheet.’ When exams are announced, students can write
on both sides of a 3-inch by 5-inch index card. There can be no typing, taping, gluing, stapling, or adhering of anything on
the card. Students are expected to complete his/her own card. Sharing or selling of the Exam Card is not allowed and will
be treated as an attempt to cheat. Students who cheat on an exam will receive a zero on the exam with no chance of retaking
the exam.
Due dates, for assignments, are recorded on the classroom calendar, which is located on the class web site and at the front
of the room. Students need to make sure that their calendar matches my calendar. Nothing is ever written in stone, and
assignments are moved from time to time. I try to keep my website up to date, however, the best source of due dates is the
classroom calendar.
2 of 6
(Adapted from Wartski, Sharp & Fazio)
Homework and other work to be graded must be placed into my “yellow-folder” (3-ring binder). Work to be passed in
should never be placed on the front desk. It is the responsibility of the student to hand in the homework before the tardy
bell sounds.
If a student needs help, I will be available and happy to help before and after school as well as during the seminar period. It
is my dream that every student in all of my classes earn an A. In my class, student motivation is the only limiting factor in
student success. If you have any questions please feel free to call me at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School (781-6187441), email me (mark.stephansky@whrsd.org), or visit me in the science office Rm 205E. For notes, book reading
assignments, and due dates, please visit my website:
http://web.whrsd.org/faculty/Stephansky_Mark/AP_Bio/AP_Bio_Index.html
ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS:
AP Biology provides students with an experience equivalent to a college level biology course. There are extensive reading
assignments that the student must complete in order to be successful. Supplementary readings in the form of journal
articles, and supplementary texts are also required. In addition students are expected to complete assigned laboratory
activities and any other supplementary assignments given throughout the course. At all times students are expected to
follow classroom and school rules, behave in a responsible and mature manner, and conduct themselves with honor and
integrity. Students are expected to do their own work. Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated.
ATTENDANCE AND CLASS PARTICIPATION:
Because class sessions will introduce new material, allow time for questions, and include special instructions, there is really
no way to make up a missed class. It is, therefore, essential that the student make a conscientious effort to attend every class
and be prepared to participate.
PROVISIONS FOR EXTRA HELP AND MAKEUP:
Students who are absent from class are responsible to pick up make-up work or stay after school or during seminar to finish
missed assignments. Students should schedule make-up work immediately upon their return from an absence. It also may
be helpful to form a student study group. Students should find a group of friends in class and exchange phone numbers and
or email. This way on the occasion they miss a class they can contact them and find out what was missed in class that day.
STUDY SUGGESTIONS:
 Focus in class – paying attention in class can save you hours of studying outside of class.
 This is a college level course and the class will be handled as such, you will be graded primarily on tests and labs
and you will be expected to monitor and analyze your own learning.
 Biology is different from other introductory courses in terms of the amount of vocabulary involved to get a basic
understanding of the science. You must study some every day. Waiting to review your notes until just before the
exam is a bad idea. Staying on top of the material will help you develop a deeper understanding and keep the
material from seeming overwhelming and confusing.
 There are Guided Reading and Must Know Sheets (answers will be posted in class), tutorial activities (online and
on your CD) for each topic – these are both highly useful; be sure you make use of them bring any questions you
have to class.
 Make use of ALL online resources, especially the Campbell Biology Ed.7 site/CD
 Come in for help or get help from a classmate as soon as you have trouble with a concept. You need to be an
advocate for your own learning. Consider forming a study group, even if it’s only with one other person.
 Keep an organized lab notebook and organized notes.
 Your syllabus is your best friend in this class – check it frequently and use it to plan your studying – you always
have homework in AP Bio, if nothing else, start reading ahead.
 After a quiz or test take time to figure out why you missed questions – think about whether you misread the
question or needed to study more. If you needed to study more, do it right away – the concepts build on each other
AND you will MORE THAN LIKELY be having comprehensive exams at the end of both semesters. And, of
course, remember you are always working toward your AP exam on Monday, May 9, 2011.
 Make sure you do your labs carefully and completely and that you understand what you’re doing and why you’re
doing it. Labs are an important part of your preparation for the AP exam, especially for the essay questions.
 Make up labs immediately – biology lab materials usually have a short shelf life – you can’t do a lab if the
organisms are no longer fresh, no longer alive, or are no longer in the right stage of their life.
3 of 6
(Adapted from Wartski, Sharp & Fazio)
MAJOR THEMES IN THE COURSE:
The AP Biology Development Committee has identified eight major themes that recur throughout the course:
I. Science as a Process – Science is a way of knowing. It can involve a discovery process using inductive reasoning, or it
can be a process of hypothesis testing.
Example: The theory of evolution was developed based on observation and experimentation.
II. Evolution – Evolution is the biological change of organisms that occurs over time and is driven by the process of
natural selection. Evolution accounts for the diversity of life on Earth.
Example: Widespread use of antibiotics has selected for antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria.
III. Energy Transfer – Energy is the capacity to do work. All living organisms are active (living) because of their
abilities to link energy reactions to the biochemical reactions that take place within their cells.
Example:Tthe energy of sunlight, along with carbon dioxide and water, allows plant cells to make organic materials,
synthesize chemical energy molecules, and ultimately release oxygen to the environment.
IV. Continuity and Change – All species tend to maintain themselves from generation to generation using the same
genetic code. However, there are genetic mechanisms that lead to change over time, or evolution.
Example: Mitosis consistently replicates cells in an organism; meiosis (and hence sexual reproduction: results in
genetic variability.
V. Relationship of Structure to Function – The structural levels from molecules to organisms ensure successful
functioning in all living organisms and living systems.
Example: Aerodynamics of a bird’s wing permits flight.
VI.
Regulation – Everything from cells to organisms to ecosystems is in a state of dynamic balance that must be
controlled by positive or negative feedback mechanisms.
Example: Body temperature is regulated by the brain via feedback mechanisms.
VII. Interdependence in Nature – Living organisms rarely exist alone in nature.
Example: Microscopic organisms can live in a symbiotic relationship in the intestinal tract of another organism; the
host provides shelter and nutrients, and the microorganisms digest the food.
VIII.
Science, Technology, and Society – Scientific research often leads to technological advances that can have
positive and/or negative impacts upon society as a whole.
Example: Biotechnology has allowed the development of genetically modified plants.
4 of 6
(Adapted from Wartski, Sharp & Fazio)
AP Biology Course Schedule 2010-11
Mark Stephansky • Whitman-Hanson Regional High School
Text: Campbell & Reece. Biology (7th Edition)
First Trimester Topics
Chapters
Labs/Activities
1
Approximate
Time
3 Days
Unit 1 – Science as a Process
Animal Behavior, Populations, Communities,
Ecosystems and Conservation
Unit 2 – Ecology
Animal Behavior, Populations, Communities,
Ecosystems and Conservation
50-55
14 Days
Test 1
9/24/10
Unit 3 – Chemistry of Life
Chemistry of Life, Water, Carbon and & Organic
Molecules
2-5
11 Days
AP #11 Animal Behavior
Lab
Predator/Prey
Relationships
Population Estimation
AP #12 Dissolved
Oxygen Lab
Biome Ads
Carbon and Organic
Molecules, Water Lab
AP #1 Diffusion &
Osmosis
Unit 4 – The Cell
Tour of the Cell, Cell Membrane, Osmoregulation
and Excretory System, Nervous System
6, 7,44, 48
18 Days
Test 3
11/05/10
Unit 5 – Enzymes and Metabolism (Cellular
Respiration)
Enzymes, ATP, Cellular Respiration
8, 9
8 Days
Second Trimester Topics
Chapters
Unit 6 – Energy Transformations
Enzymes, Photosynthesis, Animal Nutrition,
Circulation and Gas Exchange
10, 41, 42
Approximate
Time
14 Days
Surface Area Lab
Organelle Oral
Presentations
Animal vs. Plant Cell Lab
AP #2 Enzymes
Paperase Lab
Protein Shape Lab
Gelatin Lab
AP #5 Respiration
Labs/Activities
AP #4 Photosynthesis
AP #10 Physiology of
Circulatory System
Test 5
12/16/10
Unit 7 – Continuity and Change
Heredity, Animal Reproduction and Development
12-15, 4547
22 Days
AP #3 Mitosis & Meiosis
AP #7 Genetics of
Organisms
Test 6
1/28/11
Unit 8 – Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
16-21
13 Days
AP #6 Molecular Biology
Protein Synthesis and
Words
Mutation Sheet
Protein Synthesis,
Mutation and Shape Lab
Test 7
2/18/11
Unit 9 – Evolution
Darwin, Processes, Phylogeny/Systematics and
Plant Diversity/Evolution
22-25
13 Days
Radioactive Dating Lab
Variation Lab
Natural Selection Lab
Evolution with Teddy
AP #8 Population
Genetics
Test 8
5 of 6
Tests*
Seed Germination Lab
Scientific Measurements
Test 2
10/12/10
Test 4
11/18/10
Tests*
(Adapted from Wartski, Sharp & Fazio)
Third Trimester Topics
Chapters
Unit 9 – Evolution – contd.
Darwin, Processes, Phylogeny/Systematics and
Plant Diversity/Evolution
22-25
Approximate
Time
4 Days
Unit 10 – Tree of Life & Biodiversity
Evolutionary History of Biodiversity
Prokaryotes/Viruses, Protists, Fungi & Plants
26-34
10 Days
Unit 11 – Plant Evolution Structure and
Function
Evolutionary History of Plants
10 Days
Review
6 Days
Labs/Activities
Tests*
Radioactive Dating Lab
Variation Lab
Natural Selection Lab
Evolution with Teddy
AP #8 Population
Genetics
Virus Pamphlet
Virus Model Bacteria Lab
Petri dish observation
Gram Stain
Antibiotic disc
Mouthwash Lab
Bread Mold Lab
Fungus Lab
Plant Slide Lab
Twig Identification Lab
Plant Project
Seed Dispersal Activity
Plant Hormone Lab
Graphing
Test 8
3/25/11
Test 9
4/08/11
Test 10
4/29/11
School Days from Start of School until AP Biology Exam: 153
School Days from Start of School until start of AP Biology Exam review: 147
Date of AP Biology Exam: Monday, May 9, 2011
*The Classroom calendar takes precedence.
6 of 6
(Adapted from Wartski, Sharp & Fazio)