Welcome to AP Bio
Parents Night
For access to my class website, scan the QR code to
the right or take a picture of the website address
with your phone
http://staff.camas.wednet.edu/blogs/cmarshall08/
Email: cory.marshall@camas.wednet.edu
The AP Class
• The AP Biology exam is Monday, May
9th in the morning (always the 2nd
Monday of May)
• 152 days of classroom study before
the exam
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1 semester final
5 review days for AP exam
13 unit exams
41 lectures
92 days of labs and activities
The AP Biology Class
• 13 Units
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Ch 43-47: Ecology
Ch 1-3: Atoms and Biomolecules
Ch 4-5: Cell structure, function, communication
Ch 6-8: Energy
Ch 9-10: Cell Reproduction
Ch 11-12: Genetics, DNA and Heredity
Ch 13-14: Genetic Technology
Ch 15-17: Darwinian and Modern Evolution
Ch 18-19: Earth history and Classification
Ch 31-40: Three Human A&P Units
Ch 23-27: Plant Anatomy & Physiology Units
• Total: 39 Chapters
The AP Biology Class
• Category 1: Homework (15%)
– One homework assignment due for each
chapter the day before the unit exam
– Throughout the year, we will also do
small, ½ day-1 day labs
– HOW PARENTS CAN HELP: 1 hour of
studying/night, 5 nights a week.
• Category 2: Book Presentation (5%)
– Read one of 12 books during 1st semester
– Two checkpoints and a book report due
throughout year
– HOW PARENTS CAN HELP: Taking any
long plane rides or road trips? Weekends
with nothing to do? Check out a book
from Marshall!
The AP Biology Class
• Category 3: AP Labs (25%)
– 12 Required labs written and recommended
by College Board
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Lab 12: Animal Behavior
Lab 4: Diffusion and Osmosis
Lab 13: Enzyme Catalysis
Lab 5: Photosynthesis
Lab 6: Cellular Respiration
Lab 7: Mitosis and Meiosis
Lab 1: Genetics of Fruit Flies
Lab 8-9: pGLO and DNA Fingerprinting
Lab 2: Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
Lab 3: Cladogram Evolution
Lab 11: Transpiration
– Each lab requires a full lab write-up
– HOW PARENTS CAN HELP: Check calendar
and rubric online. Make sure students do
prepared parts ahead of time.
The AP Biology Class
• Category 4: QUIA Quizzes (5%)
– QUIA is a website that we use to build
quizzes, surveys, etc.
– Every week students have textbook
reading assignments.
– Every Monday at 11:59 PM a quiz is due
based on this reading
• Quiz is available on Thursday
– Students may take the quiz as many times
as they like
– 2 of the 17 quizzes will be dropped at the
end of the semester.
– The reading schedule is available on the
class website.
– HOW PARENTS CAN HELP: Every Friday,
“Did you take the quiz for next week?”
The AP Biology Class
• Category 5: Unit Exams (30%)
– Each exam is 50 MC/Math Q’s and either
have 1 long or 2 short essay questions
– All questions are taken directly off of
previous AP Exams. We don’t write them.
– Retakes
• MC exams: Students may retake each of
these ONCE per semester
• Essay exams: Students may not retake
these.
– Gives students both the sense of
importance that the real exam will have
while giving them additional chances to
practice/improve grades.
• HOW PARENTS CAN HELP: Ask them
if/when they plan to retake each test, ask
to see their test tracking page to see their
progress.
The AP Biology Class
• Extra Credit Opportunities
– Retaking MC and vocab exams
– Textbook website quizzes for extra points
on the MC exams
– Each unit has a challenge question for
extra points on essay exams
– Extra credit handout sheet; larger
projects for end-of-semester grade
bumps
– CHS grade bump for students who pass
the AP exam
• 3+5% on one semester.
• 4+5% both semesters, or 10% one sem.
• 5+10% both semesters.
– HOW PARENTS CAN HELP: Once a
month, have them review EC
opportunities
The AP Biology Class
• Other grades
– Participation grade and final exam will
also be counted at the end of the
semester.
• Study skills
– If your student struggles with how to
study, this is a specialty of mine—not just
for science!
• Science fees
– Don’t forget to pay down at the ASB office
if you haven’t already