AP Biology
Syllabus
Miyashiro
2010 - 2011
Course Overview
This course is designed to accomplish four things: 1) give the students a solid
foundation in biological concepts; 2) have the students learn about the scientific process
by drawing conclusions from laboratory exercises; 3) have the students learn about the
scientific process by reading and discussing both historical and current scientific
research, and; 4) allow the students to apply their biological knowledge to understand
topics of social concern (e.g. biotechnology, ecology, etc.).
We meet with our students five days each week for one year in approximately 2, 45minute periods.
Prerequisites
General, Pre-AP Chemistry, or AP Chemistry
It is suggested (but not required) that students take general or Pre-AP Biology,
beforehand
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Texts
Campbell, Neil A. and J. Reece. Biology, 7th edition (2005): Pearson, BenjaminCummings.
The College Board Advanced Placement Program, Biology Lab Manual for Students
(2001) – Students may choose to purchase this lab manual ($20) or photocopy
pertinent pages for the lab throughout the year.
Teaching Strategies
This course is composed of five main teaching components: lecture, hands-on activities,
formal labs, reading/discussion of current research, and independent study.
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Because we are covering 1 year of college-level classroom instruction and
laboratory instruction, each student is expected to read a significant amount of the
text outside of class. I have developed textbook study guides for each of the units
covered in this course. Students are expected to spend about one hour per night
reading the text and working on the study guides. They organize the new
vocabulary, outline major concepts, and highlight biological examples.
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The lecture component of the class is used to explain some of the more conceptually
difficult material and to help students understand the material within the larger
biological themes: 1) science as a process; 2) evolution; 3) energy transfer; 4)
continuity and change; 5) relationship of structure and function; 6) regulation; 7)
interdependence in nature, and; 8) science, technology, and society.
AP Biology Syllabus
page 1
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Evolution provides the overarching framework for understanding biology. Therefore,
its relevance within each of the units is discussed (e.g. the universality of the genetic
code, endosymbiont theory and eukaryotic cells, reproductive strategies, extinction,
etc.).
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Each unit provides an opportunity for a discussion of the applications of biological
knowledge to environmental and social concerns (e.g. cloning, stem cell research,
extinction, ecological disturbance, genetic testing, etc.). At another level, the
biological knowledge that the students accumulate in this course enables them to
better critically think about these issues and their impacts on society.
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The formal labs are the 12 required labs in the AP Biology lab manual and account
for at least 25% of the instructional time. These require that the students collect and
analyze data, and draw conclusions about the processes under investigation.
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The additional labs and activities are designed to help the student understand the
material through application. In some cases they are meant to help the student
better understand the formal lab investigations. These activities utilize hands-on
manipulatives and/or computer software. Students will document these activities into
a lab composition notebook.
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Students are encouraged to do an independent research project on any biology topic
that is of interest to them and present them at the RRPS senior research EXPO.
Students who decide to pursue entry into the RRPS Sr. Research EXPO will earn
the following extra credit:
o 5% to 2nd quarter grade for getting project approved by teacher and the
SRC
o 5% to 3rd quarter grade for presenting project at the RRPS Sr. Research
EXPO (student must be present for all judging).
o 3% to 4th quarter grade for presenting project at the Central New Mexico
Regional Science Fair (student must be present for all judging).
o 3% to 4th quarter grade for qualifying and presenting project at the New
Mexico State Science Fair (student must be present for all judging).
AP Biology Syllabus
page 2
Course Planner
Molecules and Cells
Unit 1: The Chemistry of Life
Chemistry
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Review of basic chemistry
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Emergent properties of water
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Activity: Exploring the emergent properties of water
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Organic chemistry
Unit 2: The Cell
Cells
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Eukaryotic cell structures and functions
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Plasma membrane structure and function
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AP Lab 1: Diffusion and osmosis
Cellular Energetics
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Metabolism and energy transfer
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AP Lab 2: Enzyme Catalysis
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Cellular Respiration and Fermentation
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AP Lab 5: Cell Respiration
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Photosynthesis
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AP Lab 4: Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
Heredity and Evolution
Unit 3: Genetics
Cell Division
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The cell cycle and mitosis
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Meiosis
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AP Lab 3: Mitosis and Meiosis
Inheritance
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Chromosome structure
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Mendelian Genetics
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Pedigrees and inheritance patterns
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Chi-square analysis
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AP Lab 7: Genetics of Organisms
o Monohybrid cross
o Dihybrid cross
o Chi-square analysis
Note: Due to time constraints, instead of breeding fruit flies, we use
the online computer simulation Biology Labs Online: Flylab.
(http://biologylab.awlonline.com; username: miyashiro1; password:
rrhs)
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AP Lab 3(B.2): Crossing Over
AP Biology Syllabus
page 3
o Recombination Frequency
o Linkage mapping
Note: Due to time constraints and potential allergens, instead of
growing Sordaria, we use the online computer simulation Biology
Labs Online: Flylab. (http://biologylab.awlonline.com; username:
miyashiro1; password: rrhs).
Molecular Genetics
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Protein synthesis
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Gene regulation
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DNA technology
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Lab: Gene cloning simulation
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Lab: Gel electrophoresis and DNA fingerprints simulation
o Students watch online tutorial of electrophoresis (MyDNAi:
http://www.dnai.org/members)
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o Students do a paper DNA fingerprint exercise
Lab: PCR simulation
AP Lab 6: Molecular Biology
Unit 4: Evolution
Evolutionary Biology
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Puzzles evolution solves
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Mechanisms of evolution
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Population genetics
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AP Lab 8: Population Genetics and Evolution
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Speciation
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Evolutionary Relationships and Phylogenies
Organisms and Populations
Unit 5: Biodiversity and Evolution
Evolution of Cells
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Origin of life
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Endosymbiosis
Survey of the Diversity of Life
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Cambrian Explosion
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Plants
o Evolutionary history and movement onto land
o Evolutionary history of seed development
o Lab: Observing plant structures
 Flower structure (monocot and dicot)
 Leaf structure (monocot and dicot)
 Seed structure
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AP Biology Syllabus
Animals
o Evolution of major invertebrate body plans
o Vertebrate adaptations for life on land
o Lab: Making a cladogram of representative vertebrates
page 4
Structure and Function of Plants and Animals
Unit 6: Plant Form and Function
o Development and growth
o Transport in vascular plants
o AP Lab 9: Transpiration
o Angiosperm reproduction
o Plant nutrition
Unit 7: Animal Form and Function
o Development and growth
o Nutrition
o Circulation and gas exchange
o AP Lab 10: Physiology of the Circulatory System (Note: fish
or tadpole respiration rates will be observed as a function of
temperature for 10C).
o Immune system
o Osmoregulation and excretion
o Endocrine system
o Reproduction
o Nervous system
Ecology
Unit 8: Ecology
Population dynamics
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Population growth and carrying capacity
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Animal behavior
o AP Lab 11: Animal Behavior
Communities and Ecosystems
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Community ecology
o Symbiotic relationships
o Trophic structure
o Ecological Succession
o Biodiversity
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Ecosystems
o Chemical cycling
o Primary production
o AP Lab 12: Dissolved O2
o Human impacts
AP Biology Syllabus
page 5
Lab Component
The 12 AP lab exercises are a central component to this course, comprising at least
25% of instructional time. The requirements of the lab exercises vary with type. The 12
laboratory exercises in the AP Lab Manual for Students require collecting, graphing, and
analyzing data that was collected in class. The virtual labs require that the students
pose a hypothesis, run the simulation, and analyze the data using a Chi-square test.
These labs underscore the importance in understanding that science is a process and
not simply an accumulation of facts. Other activities vary from simple observation and/or
simulation to hypothesis testing.
Students will maintain a lab notebook which will include:
 Summaries of the exercises from the lab manual
 Main elements of additional lab activities (e.g. problem statement,
hypothesis, procedures, observations/data, graphs/data analysis,
conclusions)
The lab notebooks are to be bound, graph composition/lab books.
Student Evaluation
I have developed study guides for each of the relevant sections in the textbook.
Students are expected to work on these every night. I collect them on the day of the unit
exams.
The requirements for the lab write-ups vary with the type of activity, but generally
involve an analysis of data.
Throughout the course students will be given short (2 – 5 questions) quizzes to check
for understanding.
At the end of each unit, the students take an exam that is similar in structure to the AP
Biology exam (but half as long). A midterm exam replaces the unit 4 exam and is
cumulative.
Students enrolled in AP Biology must also be enrolled in the AP Biology Lab
Course.
AP Biology Syllabus
page 6
The grades are calculated, as follows:
AP Biology: (this carries a 1.0 weighting to the GPA calculation)
Quarter Grades
25% Labwork
20% Daily Quizzes and projects
20% Study guides and handouts
35% Unit Tests
Final Grades
40% 1st Quarter
40% 2nd Quarter
20% Midterm and Final Exam
AP Biology Lab: (this carries a 0.5 weighting to the GPA calculation)
Quarter Grades
30% Lab Notebook
60% Lab Manual
10% Lab Participation
Final Grades
40% 1st Quarter
40% 2nd Quarter
20% Midterm and Final Exam (same exams as AP Biology)
AP Biology Syllabus
page 7