Doral Academy Preparatory School
Advanced Placement Biology
Mrs. Y. Echezabal
2012-2013
E-Mail:yunex_echezabal@dadeschools.net
Welcome to Advanced Placement Biology! This course is designed to provide advanced
students, like you, with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed at a Tier One University level
Biology class (a.k.a. Harvard’s level). This AP Biology course is also designed to be the equivalent
of a two-semester college introductory biology course usually taken by biology or science majors
during their first year. The AP Biology course is to be taken by students after the successful
completion of a first course in high school biology and one in high school chemistry as well. It
aims to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills
necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology.
In this course not only will you be force to read and understand massive amounts of information;
you will also have to be able to apply newly developed concepts and information to already
learned material and make connections amongst them. The Advanced Placement Biology Exam
is scheduled for Monday, May 13, 2013 at 8:00 am. You are required by the district to take this
exam which will not be easy unless you have prepared for it ahead of time.
Students will have some type of assignment for this course everyday, including weekends and non
school days. These assignments range from reading textbooks, articles or books, to taking notes,
to reviewing for an upcoming test or finishing a lab report or it may be a more formal assignment.
As a general rule of thumb, University level courses demand two to three hours of work outside
class for each hour spend in the classroom. You should expect that your work is going to take 1-3
hours each day or 7-21 hours on the weekend. Home learning assignments will be announced in
class and will also be posted online at the doralacademyprep.org teacher website. This class is
not for those who procrastinate. Expect to work hard and to be challenged.
Study-Time Sessions: These sessions are available to help you revisit areas where you need help
understanding certain topics. They are not sessions in which I re-teach topics covered in class.
Study Time Sessions are open to anyone who wishes to study. Study times are held on MondayThursday from 7:00 am -7:20 am. Study Time Sessions are for students to study either individually, in
partners or in groups. Usually it helps if you are studying with a friend. If you are in the Performing
Arts program or an Athletics program, morning study sessions are EXTREMELY helpful. Students may
attend as many study sessions as they wish.
Required Texts: We will be working from 2 different college board approved textbooks in this
class.
 Evers C, Starr C, Starr L, Taggart R (2010). Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life, Twelfth
Edition. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning
 Campbell N, Reece J (2005). Biology (AP Edition) Seventh Edition, Pearson/Benjamin
Cummings
*** The second book will be used in class only, while the first book will be for you to keep at
home.***
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AP Exam Required Study Guide: Of your choosing, make sure that it is a new edition since the AP
exam has a brand new format/content this year.
Required Materials:
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3 composition notebooks
 One notebook will be for vocabulary. ( In biology knowing what the word
means is half the battle)
 One notebook will be for writing your lab observations, data etc…
 One notebook will be for timed essay writing, this is a critical part of your AP
Exam that must be practice in order to achieve a high score. (this notebook
will be kept in class)
***You may not combined two of these notebooks into one. All notebooks must be black and
white composition notebooks. NO EXCEPTIONS ***
 A 2 inch, 3 ring binders for notes, worksheets etc….
 Blue or black pen. (No pencils allowed except on Exam Day)
 Two different colored high lighters
 Loose leaf paper for notes.
 Access AT HOME to Excel, Word and Power Point programs.
 USB Drive
 Two packs of Disinfecting Wipes. We will be working with live organisms and it is imperative
that we keep a sterile environment as to not affect expected lab results.
 $20.00 lab fee which must be paid by November 1st. Students who have not paid their lab
fee will not be allowed to participate in the lab but will still be responsible for the lab grade.
Teaching Methods and Guidelines:
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Plan your studying accordingly. Make sure to write down the Daily Assignments List and the
respective due dates in your Weekly Academic planner. If you need help, come to me at
the beginning of the quarter. Do not procrastinate; it will bite you in the end.
All assignments are to be typed using APA style unless otherwise specified. I do not accept
assignments via email or on a USB drive. It is your responsibility to have the assignment
printed before class. NO EXCEPTIONS
Read the assigned chapters before class. You are responsible for your own learning.
Reading quizzes will be given at the beginning of almost every class. Come prepared to
actively participate, discuss and learn. You will be responsible for all reading assigned.
Reading quizzes will consist of 5 questions in which you have three minutes to answer.
Take your own notes while you read. While we will have power points presentations in class
there will NOT be enough time to stay at a slide long enough for you to write everything
down.
Exams will be given at the end of every unit. Anticipate no more than TWO exams per 9
week; therefore it is IMPERATIVE that you do well on these exams to successfully pass the
class.
Make-up: It is your responsibility to make-up any Unit exams you’ve missed. Reading
Quizzes and Timed Writings are not made up; you were either in class or you weren’t. Also,
you have the assignments ahead of time; you are still responsible for them when you come
back to school. I do not provide make up exams during class time. You will need to see me
before or after school.
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Late work will not be accepted. If you were absent (and it was excused), your work is due
the following day you get back in school, whether you have me that day or not. You know
of the assignments in advance, you are still responsible for them. No exceptions.
Homework will be on my desk before the late bell rings, otherwise, it is late and I will not
accept it.
Do not even think about cheating! Any activity deemed by the teacher to be cheating will
result in a zero for that assignment and a conduct grade of F for the nine weeks. Cheating
includes but is not limited to: copying in any form, plagiarism, cheat sheets, looking over
another student’s paper, or talking during an exam.
You will be required to take notes on my lectures. If it is not in the book, it is in the lecture.
You will be tested on both.
You will have a final exam, made by me at the end of the year.
Classroom Rules:
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Respect others (that includes the teacher) and their property (that includes my stuff!).
Disruptive, disrespectful, or uncooperative behavior, bad attitudes, and smart mouths will
not be tolerated. Students who display these undesirable behaviors will be removed from
the classroom which will make it extremely difficult to pass this class.
Do not complain. It is unbecoming, and it makes you sound old.
Regular class attendance is required. If you are absent, you are only allowed to make-up
Unit Exams. You will not be allowed to make up Bell-work, Timed Writings and Reading
Quizzes. You were either here or you weren’t.
Food and drinks need to be consumed elsewhere. Water bottles are ok.
Please put all of your trash in the appropriate garbage cans. My classroom is not a locker. If
it is left in my room, it will be trash
Raise your hand and wait for permission to speak.
Restroom breaks are for EMERGENCIES ONLY. You have 7 minutes between classes, use
your time wisely. If you have a medical reason why you need to use the restroom let me
know ahead of time with proper documentation. If you are having an EMERGENCY, do
not interrupt the lecture; wait until your class mate or I is done speaking and then raise your
hand.
Name-calling, profanity, and teasing will NOT be tolerated. Be respectful of others. Treat
others as you like to be treated.
Be proactive in improving your skills, work hard, come to class prepared, and seek help
early.
Do all assignments completely and according to the directions.
Participate. Ask reasonable questions. We will be moving at a Tier One University level
pace, and I need your complete cooperation.
No electronic devices of any kind are allowed in class. (ipods, cell phones, gameboys,
laptops etc….)
All phones will be collected at the beginning of every exam and placed in a basket. The
phones will be returned once ALL students have finished with their assessment. Any student
found with an electronic device while taking a test will receive an F for that assessment
and an F for the nine week conduct grade. NO EXCEPTIONS
Students are to remain in their seats at all times. The only time you are allowed in the lab
area is during lab time.
Do not play around with lab equipment or specimens in class.
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LAB TIME:
Laboratory time is an essential component of the AP Biology program. There are a total of 13
MANDATED (by college board) labs that we must perform throughout the school year. Aside from
these 13 labs we will be doing a couple of more labs that will help you solidify learnt concepts.
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You are responsible for reading and understanding all material related to the lab before
coming to class.
I will not spend time explaining something that you should have known before hand.
We may have to come in once every quarter on a Saturday to perform some of the more
lengthy labs. You will be notified ahead of time in order to make arrangements.
** Please do not hesitate to ask for help. It is your responsibility to seek out assistance if you run
into roadblocks or would like additional feedback from me.
The Science Department Grading Policy is:
40 % Exams
30% Projects and Labs
20% Quizzes
10% Classwork/ Homework
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Parents:
Please note that any textbook supplied to your child by the teacher belongs to the school unless
otherwise indicated. If the textbook is lost, stolen or damaged, the student and the parent are
financially responsible for the FULL cost of the book.
There are three ways to contact me:
1. E-MAIL
It is faster to contact me through e-mail at yunex_echezabal@dadeschools.net. Please make sure
to: include your child's name, class subject and Period on the subject line (example: John Doe-AP
Biology-Period 6), make sure to address your inquiry, and include your direct phone number in the
e-mail.
2.PHONE
If you do not have e-mail access, please call (305) 597-9950 and leave a message with one of
the school's receptionists.
3. PARENT CONFERENCES:
If you wish to have a Parent Conference, please note that I am only available on MondayThursday mornings from 7:00am to 7:20am. To schedule a Parent Conference, please call the
counselor's office and speak to your child's counselor to schedule an appointment.
STUDENTS AND PARENTS: After reading the above syllabus. Please sign both copies of the
statements below.
My signature below indicates that I have read and understood the Advanced Placement Biology
Syllabus given to me by Mrs. Echezabal
I acknowledge that Mrs. Echezabal has the right to adjust the terms of this syllabus as needed. I
understand, agree, and will comply with the classroom methods & guidelines, rules, and
expectations of Mrs. Echezabal and the course stated herein.
I also understand, that any textbook supplied to me [my child] by the teacher belongs to the
school unless otherwise indicated and if the textbook is lost, stolen or damaged upon return to the
school, I agree that I am responsible for the FULL cost of the textbook.
I understand that this course is a Tier One University Level course (Harvard’s level) and it is my
[child’s] responsibility to:
- read the designated chapters before coming to class;
- do all the work assigned;
- attend study time sessions;
- get help early if the material is not understood;
- not procrastinate; and
- try my [their] best in this class.
I also understand that if I cheat in any way as stated in the syllabus, I will not only receive a zero
for that specific assignment but also a conduct grade of F for the nine weeks.
Student Name (please print) __________________________________________
Student Signature___________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name (please print)___________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature____________________________________________
Dated_________________________
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Advanced Placement Biology Course Information:
(Taken from the AP Biology Teacher’s Guide)
The goal of the AP Biology program is to give students an understanding of biology as a process
that than to make the course and learning process nothing more than an accumulation of
discrete and unrelated facts to be memorized. To facilitate this goal, eight major themes have
been identified. These themes can assist you in organizing concepts and topics into a coherent
conceptual framework.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Science as a process
Evolution
Energy Transfer
Continuity and Change
Relationships of Structure and Function
Regulation
Interdependence in Nature
Science, Technology, and Society.
The Exam:
Consists of an 90-minute, 63-item multiple choice section, which examines the student’s
understanding of representative content and concepts drawn from across the entire course
followed by 6 grid-in questions that require the integration of science and mathematical skills; a 10
minutes reading period; and a 80-minutes free-response section, consisting of eight mandatory
questions that encompass broader topics, six of these questions are short free response and two
are long response.
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ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGY COURSE OUTLINE AND TEXTBOOK CORRELATION.
*** This is a tentative schedule, while we will follow the sequence, the order in which I teach the
topics is left up to my disgression***
Week Of
8/20
8/28
9/3
9/10
Unit Exam
9/17
9/24
10/1
Unit Exam
10/8
10/8
10/15
10/22
Unit Exam
10/29
11/5
11/12
Unit Exam
11/19
11/26
Topic
Water
Molecules of
Life
Cell Structure
and Function
Membranes
Unit Exam
Coupled
Reactions
Photosynthesis
Cellular
Respiration
Unit Exam
How Cells
Reproduce
Meiosis and
gametogenesis
Inheritance
Patterns
Chromosomes
and Human
Inheritance
Unit Exam
DNA Structure
and Function
Gene
Regulation
Nucleic Acid
Technology
and
applications
Unit Exam
Evidence of
Evolution
Mechanisms of
7
Starr, Taggart Book
2.5
Chapter 3
4.2, 4.4-4.13
Chapter 5
Unit Exam
6.1-6.4
7.1-7.7
8.1-8.6
Unit Exam
9.3-9.5
10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5
11.1-11.6
12.1, 12.3, 12.6, 12.7-12.8
Unit Exam
13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 14.1, 14.2,
14.4, 14.5
Chapter 15
16.1-16.8
Unit Exam
17.1, 17.3, 17.5, 17.8, 17.9
Chapter 18
12/3
12/10
Unit Exam
12/17
12/24
12/31
1/7
Unit Exam
1/14
1/14
1/21
1/28
1/28
Unit Exam
2/4
2/4
2/11
2/18
Unit Exam
2/25
Evolution
Organizing
Information
about species
Life’s Origin
and Early
Evolution
Unit Exam
Viruses and
Prokaryotes
Protists-Simplest
Eukaryotes
The Land Plants
Fungi
Unit Exam
Animal
Evolution-The
invertebrates
Animal
Evolution-The
Chordates
Plants and
AnimalsCommon
Challenges
Plant Nutrition
and Transport
Plant
Reproduction
&
Development
Unit Exam
Animal Tissues
and Organ
Systems
Neural Control
Sensory
Reception
Endocrine
Control
Unit Exam
Structural
Support and
Movement
8
19.1-19.5
20.1-20.5
Unit Exam
21.1, 21.2, 21.4, 21.5, 21.9
22.2-22.5
23.1, 23.8, 23.9
24.1, 24.3, 24.6
Unit Exam
25.3, 25.5, 25.6, 25.16, 25.17
26.3, 26.4, 26.8, 26.10, 26.13
27.2, 27.3, 27.4, 27.5, 27.6
29.2, 29.3, 29.4
30.2, 31.2, 31.3 (gibberellin),
31.4, 31.5, 31.6
Unit Exam
32.1, 32.2, 32.6
Chapter 33: except 33.7,
33.13
34.1, 34.3-34.5, 34.7
35.1-35.6, 35.8, 35.10, 35.12,
35.13
Unit Exam
36.2, 36.7, 36.8
2/25
3/4
Circulation
Immunity
Unit Exam
3/11
Unit Exam
Respiration
3/18
Digestion and
Human
Nutrition
Maintaining
the Internal
Environment
Animal
Reproductive
Systems
Animal
Development
Unit Exam
Animal
Behavior
Population
Ecology
Community
Structure and
Biodiversity
Ecosystems,
Biosphere and
the Human
Impact
3/24
4/1
4/1
Unit Exam
4/8
4/15
4/22
4/29
9
37.1, 37.3-37.6, 37.8, 37.9
38.1, 38.2, 38.4, 38.5, 38.6,
38.7, 38.8, 38.11, 38.12
Unit Exam
39.1, 39.3, 39.4, 39.5, 39.6,
39.7
41.1, 41.2, 41.4, 41.5, 41.6,
41.10
41.1, 41.3, 41.4, 41.5, 41.6,
41.9, 41.10
42.1, 42.3, 42.6, 42.7, 42.8,
42.9
43.1, 43.3, 43.4
Unit Exam
44.2, 44.4, 44.5, 44.6, 44.7
45.1, 45.3, 45.4, 45.5, 45.6,
45.7
Chapter 46: except 46.7,
46.8, 46.11
Chapter 47: Except 47.7
48.1-48.4, 49.1, 49.2