AP Biology Syllabus
Mr. Reid - Room 2212
Adam.Reid@madison.kyschools.us
Textbook: Biology 8th edition by Campbell Published 2008
COURSE OVERVIEW
This class is designed to prepare students for the AP Biology exam. In order to ensure proper motivation and worth
ethic is maintained to succeed in a class with such rigor, students taking this class will be required to take the AP
exam at the end of the year.
Students will be provided topic outlines for each unit that summarizes the information of the chapter. These serve to
organize and simplify material. Even so, these are to be used in addition to the required reading from the textbook.
Each student comes to class having read and taken additional notes on the assigned outline for the day. To begin
class, we will perform daily, graded assignments that cover the material from the appropriate outline to ensure
student coverage before class. As the laboratory component is a vital part of a good Biology program, we will be
devoting about 30% of our allotted class time to performing labs. We will cover the 13 recommended investigative
labs, put forth by College Board, in depth and also cover content related material using our textbook, Campbell
Biology 8th edition.
THE INVESTIGATIVE LABORATORY COMPONENT
The course is also structured around inquiry in the lab and the use of the seven science practices throughout the
course. Students are given the opportunity to engage in student-directed laboratory investigations throughout the
course for about 30% of instructional time. Students will conduct all 13 inquiry-based investigations. Additional
labs will be conducted to deepen students’ conceptual understanding and to reinforce the application of science
practices within a hands-on, discovery based environment. All levels of inquiry will be used and all seven science
practice skills will be used by students on a regular basis in formal labs as well as activities outside of the lab
experience. The course will provide opportunities for students to develop, record, and communicate the results of
their laboratory investigations.
GOALS
1. To familiarize students with the terminology and concepts of Biology.
2. To develop problem-solving skills of students using hands-on-labs, readings, collections, independent
projects, and class discussions.
3. To strengthen students’ communication skills with the use of written assignments, essays, abstracts, open
response, oral presentations, and lab reports.
4. To prepare students for further study in the Biological Sciences.
MATERIALS
 3-ring binder with dividers







Lab notebook
Barron’s AP Biology, 5th Edition Test prep book. This must be purchased by the student. It can be
found online for approximately $15.
Simple ($1) calculator (No graphing calculators will be allowed on the AP Biology exam.)
Standard size, loose leaf notebook paper
Pencils
Access to the internet and word processor
Textbook (provided)
GRADING SCALE
90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, Below 60 F
60%: Assessment (unit tests, concept quizzes, major projects, lab reports)
30%: Homework (daily work, Quest)
10%: Final Exam
Students must maintain a “C” or above, each nine weeks, in order to remain in the course. Students
must take the AP Biology exam in May.
MAKE-UP WORK
 Students will have 2 days to make up work for Excused Absences Only. Any work that is missed during
an unexcused absence will result in a zero for that assignment.
 It is your responsibility to retrieve your make up work from the area designated in class, copy notes
from a classmate, and hand in the work within the 2 day grace period. Electronic copies of most of the
work done in class will also be available for download from my online classroom. Details concerning the
online classroom can be found later in the syllabus.
 Late work will only be accepted if it is returned by the deadline.
 Any test / quiz that is missed must be made up outside of regularly scheduled class time the day that
the student returns to class (this includes excused absences). This can be during SSR or after school. If it
is not possible to make up the test during SSR or after school that day, then the test may be taken before
school the following day.
CONCEPT QUIZZES
AP Biology is a difficult course with copious amounts of required material. I attempt to organize each unit into
subunits using the chapters from the textbook in order to assist students with the pacing of their studying for the
class. At the conclusion of each chapter, we will have a “concept quiz”. The questions will be divided into and
graded by the individual sections of the chapter. Students will be allowed to make up points deducted on these
quizzes any time before the culminating unit exam by completing hand written, 1-page summaries of that particular
section. After the culminating exam, extra credit work for these concept quizzes will not be accepted. These quizzes
will be entered into the “assessment” section of the gradebook and will thus greatly impact student grades. Fulfilling
the extra requirements to recover these lost points will not only improve the students’ grade on the concept
quiz but will also improve their test scores by providing extra study time with material they do not initially
comprehend. It is important for all students and parents to note that because these points are available to up
until the culminating exam, no other form of extra credit work will be given throughout the year.
QUEST – ONLINE HOMEWORK
There will be an online homework component of AP Biology this year. Students will need to go to the following
link to receive an ID for the site: https://idmanager.its.utexas.edu/eid_self_help/. The unique ID course number
required to enroll in this class is 40475. There will be an additional handout given to the students with further
instructions on how to enroll into my AP Biology classroom once they have an UT EID as well information on using
all of the resources on the site. Homework will be assigned from this site every unit. I will announce the date that the
assignment is due, and it will be your responsibility to complete the assignment by the due date on your own time. I
will always set the solutions for the homework to become available on the site after the deadline for completing the
assignment has passed.
Online Classroom:
If you visit the website http://www.madison.kyschools.us/olc/teacher.aspx?s=1740 then it will take you to the
“online classroom” for this course. Alternatively, you can also get to this page by doing the following: 1) Go to the
Madison County School District webpage www.madison.kyschools.us, 2) Click on the book icon for teacher
webpages. 3) Click on my name (Reid, Adam) in this list. 4) Once there, you will find general information about me
as well as a link to the parent portal for infinite campus (This link can be used by parents and students to see
their grades in every classroom).
On the left hand side of this page under the “My Classrooms” section you can click on your respective class (i. e.
Pre-AP Biology) where you will then be able to find class assignments in the appropriate folder for each unit. The
most important function of this website will be that students can download electronic versions of assignments in
class in the case that they miss a day of school or lose the hard copy given in class.
Edmodo:
Please visit the website www.edmodo.com (or you can download the Edmodo app for any smartphone). Once there,
click on the sign up link as “I’m a Student”. You will fill out the required information and use the code: se457n.
This will enroll you in the AP Biology Group. This website is billed as “facebook for school”. Students CANNOT
message one another directly (so there is no chance for any sort of cyber bullying or other problems), but there will
be a wall page where students can post questions that will be seen by every other Pre-AP Biology student that I
teach. I will monitor this wall to make sure all posts are appropriate. This is useful for students whenever they
encounter certain material they have trouble understanding because it allows them to use each other as resources.
Students will not be allowed to simply ask each other answer to problems, but they can freely ask for clarification
from their peers on classroom content, dates that assignments are due, or any other question they may have in class.
The most important function of this website will be that students can message me directly by typing my name into the
“send to” box once they’ve written a message. I will have these messages set up to go directly to my phone. Students
should also choose to have messages through Edmodo sent directly to their email or phone. This can be done by
going to settings, email and text updates, and filling in the appropriate email or phone number. You should then
choose to have alerts, notes, direct messages, and replies sent to this location. This allows messages to be sent to an
area where the student will naturally check daily and remove the need to actually visit the Edmodo website. This
will allow prompt communication and will be the most reliable way for students to get a quick response from me. I
welcome students to send me questions they may have about homework, problems while studying for exams,
questions about due dates, or questions they may have whenever I have a substitute.
Advance KY:
Our school is currently working in association with Advance KY to increase student participation and achievement
in AP classes. Students will have the opportunity to attend 3 Saturday Study Sessions where experienced AP
Biology teachers throughout the state will be leading sessions reviewing content. Also, each student who passes the
AP exam will receive $100 from this program.
•
I have read, and understand the guidelines set forth by Mr. Reid.
__________________________________
Student Signature
____________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
______________________________________________________________
Parent / Guardian Phone # or email (whichever you prefer)