Dr. Suzanne Fenstemaker
Room 40
Email: sfenstemaker@whrhs.org
Voice mail: (908) 647-4800, ext. 2705
Welcome to AP Biology!
My WebPage is found under “Faculty Pages” on the WHRHS home page: - go to AP Bio Page; always
check here BEFORE emailing me to ask about:
Announcements, assignment due dates and weekly plans
Any handouts from class available electronically
Required reading and any supplemental material
- Extra help/Make up work: after school M, T, TH (W if no teacher meeting). Before school by
appointment only. I have lab every day, so lunch time is not a good bet.
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Textbook: Principles of Life, by Hillis, Sadava, Heller and Price. This is an ebook and you will
have access to it companion Bioportal with supporting material. Become one with this book, as it
forms the basis for what we will cover and I will generally NOT be lecturing on the material
assigned.
Course Format:
The College Board has revamped the AP Biology Course to be more inquiry based. The content is
organized around four “Big Ideas” as follow:

Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.

Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to
reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.

Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life
processes.
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Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex
properties.
A number of “enduring understandings” relate these big ideas to the various topics we will cover
and provide the framework for exploring these topics.
How the class will run:
1. You will have reading assignments to complete at home and you will be expected to outline or
take notes on the reading. These outlines or notes must be done on paper. Printed copies of the
ebook do not constitute notes. You will generally be allowed to use your reading notes when
completing assignments in class other than tests and quizzes.
2. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about reading, but don’t expect lectures to teach
everything. Do expect quizzes and group activities in class to reinforce concepts. If you have
not completed the reading and a group activity requiring the material is planned for class, you
will not be allowed to work with a group.
3. Lots of class time will be devoted to labs. You will be designing the labs so you will need to
understand the topics to be investigated and the techniques to be used; class discussion of topics
will help you with this. You will often do a baseline condition experiment so that all groups
have the same starting data, and then go on from there with your own design so that each group
investigates a different question. Expect prelab quizzes on the assigned background material.
4. Most lab assessments will be done in class. Some will be individually completed answers to
questions based on the lab, while other labs will be group posters or “slide talks” as are typically
used when scientists present their work to colleagues. These group presentations will be
critiqued by your classmates. There will be at least one formal lab report.
5. Quizzes will be given periodically to check your understanding, and a test will be given on each
unit.
6. Grading will be based on the following weighted categories:



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Tests - 40%
Prelab/Lab design/analyses (in class) - 30%
Quizzes - 15%
Classwork/reading quizzes - 15%
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. If you are not prepared to contribute, your
grade will suffer.
The AP Test:
-
The AP Biology test is optional for 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.
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Generally students who maintain a C+ or higher average in class score a 4 or 5 on the AP test.
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The new AP Exam 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.
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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. Bring lunch on lab days as you will not be
allowed to leave to buy food.
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.
3. No cell phones, iPods or other audio visual devices are allowed, unless you are using
your own laptop or tablet for legitimate purposes as permitted by me. During
tests/quizzes, no electronic devices will be allowed and it will be assumed you were using
them to cheat.
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 missed labs must be made up by writing a paper on the topic of the
lab and the procedures used.
6. Tests and Quizzes will be based on reading and topics explored in class. If it was
assigned as reading it is fair game. Quizzes cover less material, but in as much depth as a
test.
7. This course will require you to go beyond memorizing the information and move into
analysis and synthesis. On a test or quiz, you may be presented with new situations that
you didn’t read about and you will be 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. 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. Having any electronic device available during a test
or quiz will be considered cheating whether or not it is obvious that it is being used.
I hope that you will find this course interesting and worth the effort. I put a great deal of
effort into it and if you do as well, it should be a rewarding experience.
Dr. Fenstemaker
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