AP Biology
Rm 45 and 40 (Labs)
Welcome to the ALL NEW AP Biology!
(Congratulations on being the Guinea Pigs! )
Basic information:
- Mrs. Hajdu’s Contact info:
lhajdu@whrhs.org
(908) 647-4800, ext. 2425
- Class Website: http://www.whrhs.org/lhajdu always check here BEFORE emailing me!!
Announcements, assignment due dates and weekly plans
Any handouts from class available electronically
Required reading and any supplemental material we have
- Extra help/Make up work: BY APPOINTMENT – before school on days 2 and 3; after school M, T, TH (W if no teacher meeting)
- Textbook: BRAND NEW!! Principles of Life, by Hillis, Sadava, Heller and Price. We will hopefully have access to the online
book and webportal. Become one with this book, you’ll pretty much be reading it cover to cover.
New Course Format:
-
In case you haven’t heard, the College Board has revamped the AP Biology Course to be more inquiry based. As a result
we’ve revamped how this course will run to better suit what the College Board Expects. What does that mean for you?
Class time
Labs
Old course
Mostly lecture, some in class
assignments, supplemental videos and
internet related reinforcement
assignments
New course
Time to clarify student misunderstandings of reading
assignments
Defined protocols and experiments.
Presentation of a question that you design an experiment
to test.
Group “jig saws” to digest material read about for HW.
In class work will be collected at the end of class and
returned if appropriate for completion the next day.
You follow the steps and collect the data
that we tell you to and then summarize
what it means.
Each group will address a different facet of the question.
Planning, set up and execution will be done by you and
take place over at least 2 lab periods
Lab analyses will be done independently in class.
Homework
Grades
Lab analyses, reading to supplement
lectures, occasional project or extension
article, studying for tests and quizzes
covering mostly lectures and some labs
Nightly reading assignments with students preferred
method of analysis (outline, notes, concept map)
Tests 40%
Lab Reports (take home) 30%
Quizzes 20%
HW/Webassigns (take home) 10%
Tests 40%
Lab design/analyses (in class) 30%
Quizzes 15%
Classwork/reading quizzes 15%
-
Lack of preparation for daily quiz/assignment will cost
you the grade for that day
THINGS TO NOTICE:
Little to no graded work will be done outside of the classroom.
-
The daily quizzes/group work will require you keep up.
1
AP Biology
Rm 45 and 40 (Labs)
The AP Test:
-
The AP Biology test is optional to those students who wish to take it. The AP test has NO BEARING on your
class grade. It does not exempt you from anything nor grant you any special privileges.
-
Generally students who maintain a C+ or higher average in class score a 4 or 5 on the AP test.
-
You are the first class to take the new test based on the new course. The new test is formatted as follows:
Section 1 (50%) 63 multiple choice; 6 quantitative fill in questions (yes… math!)
Section 2 (50%) free response – 2 long and 6 short questions
Simple 4 function calculators allowed; formula sheet provided
After the AP test:
- This class does not end after the AP test. You will promptly begin a comprehensive project with tests
and quizzes, culminating in your final exam project. ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING SENIORS,
must complete a final project. THERE ARE NO EXEMPTIONS.
Expectations and Rules of the Classroom
1. Be on time to class. Unless you have spoken to me about a long walk, I expect everyone in the room by
the time the bell rings. On lab days I expect everyone to be in lab by 10:37. Buying lunch is not an
acceptable reason to be late; bring lunch on lab days.
1st late = warning;
2nd Late = detention;
3rd = ROM (for lates without a pass.)
2. No food or drink in the class except water. A clean eating area will be provided on lab days. DO NOT
just walk into lab and start eating. This is a safety hazard.
3. No cell phones, iPods, MP3 players, compact disc players, or other audio visual devices are allowed.
If detected, they will be confiscated. During tests/quizzes it will be assumed you were cheating.
4. Absences from this class should be strictly avoided. There are no “days off.” If you are absent, check in
with a classmate and check the website for assignments. Worksheets will usually be posted there for
download. Email/see me the day you return to make arrangements to make up what you missed.
5. If you are absent for a test, quiz or lab, expect to make it up the next day REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER OR NOT CLASS MEETS. All missed tests/quizzes/labs must be made up within one week
for credit. After 1 week the grade becomes a zero. All labs must be made up.
6. Tests and Quizzes will be based on reading. If it was assigned as reading it is fair game. Quizzes are
on less material, but as much depth as a test.
7. This course will require you to go beyond memorizing the information into analysis and synthesis. You
may be presented with new situations that you didn’t read about on a test and asked to use what you know
to solve the problem. The same skills will be asked of you on the AP test at the end of the year.
8. Cheating: If you are found to be cheating, you and any cheating partner(s) will receive zeros for the
assignment. You will not be allowed to make up the assignment and your parents will be notified for a
conference. Subsequent cheating will be dealt by the administration. In any cheating scenario BOTH
parties are responsible for the incident. Cheating is defined as any attempt to gain an unfair advantage
over other students. Unacceptable practices include, but are not limited to copying (any assignment),
plagiarizing (including cutting and pasting from websites), looking at another student’s quiz or test and
ALLOWING someone to copy your assignment.
2