1.0 Instructor
Mr. Mitchell Smith B.S. Biology, MBA
Kentridge High School (Room 231)
Class telephone: (253) 373-4406
Mitchell.Smith@kent.k12.wa.us
2.0 Course Description
Welcome! AP Biology is a college level laboratory course for able and highly motivated students that broadens and deepens the understanding of biology equivalent to that of first year college biology. The course content follows all of the topics in the current AP Biology Course
Description . The course can be described in several ways.
2.1 Big Ideas
1.
The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
2.
Biological systems utilize energy and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and maintain homeostasis.
3.
Living systems retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes.
4.
Biological systems interact, and these interactions possess complex properties.
2.2 AP Biology Topics (see also Section 3.0)
1) Molecules and Cells: chemistry of life; cells; cellular energetics
2) Heredity and Evolution: heredity; molecular genetics; evolutionary biology
3) Organisms and Populations: diversity of organisms; structure & function (plants & animals); ecology
2.3 Biology Themes
Alternatively, the AP Biology Course Description features these themes :
1.
Science as a process
2.
Evolution
3.
Energy transfer
4.
Continuity and change
5.
Form and function
6.
Regulation
7.
Ecology and population interactions
8.
Science, technology, and society.
These themes are used to integrate and connect the three units and twelve subunits (IA-IIID) in the course outline.
Nevertheless, my goal is to prepare all students for a successful journey in an exciting, rigorous, and highly rewarding field of study. For many of you this will involve taking (and passing) the
Advanced Placement examination scheduled for Monday May 9, 2016 (@8AM…UHGG!).
Others of you may, however, choose not to take the exam, considering the course as strong preparation for college biology and pursuit of careers in the life sciences or health fields. Either way, we will have fun and learn a great deal through unpacking all that biology is about! I can’t wait to begin!!

3.0 Topical Outline & Schedule: 2015-2016
Unit I: Molecules and Cells
Subunit A Chemistry of Life
1.
Water
2.
Organic Molecules
3.
Free Energy Changes
4.
Enzymes
Subunit B Cells
1.
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
2.
Membranes
3.
Sub-cellular Organization
4.
Regulation of the Cell Cycle
Subunit C Cellular Energetics
1.
Coupled Reactions
2.
Fermentation and Cellular Respiration
3.
Photosynthesis
Unit II: Heredity and Evolution
Subunit A Heredity
1.
Meiosis and Gametogenesis
2.
Eukaryotic Chromosomes
3.
Inheritance Patterns
Subunit B Molecular Genetics
1.
RNA/DNA Form and Function
2.
Gene Regulation
3.
Mutation
4.
Viral From and Function
5.
Nucleic Acid Technology and Applications
Subunit C Evolutionary Biology
1.
Early Evolution of Earth
2.
Evidence for Evolution
3.
Mechanisms of Evolution
Unit III: Organisms and Populations
Subunit A Diversity of Life
1.
Evolutionary Patterns
2.
Diversity of Life Survey
3.
Phylogenetic Classification
4.
Evolutionary Relationships
Subunit B Form and Function of Plants
1.
Reproduction, Growth, and Development
2.
Structural, Physiological, and Behavioral Adaptations
3.
Response to Environment
Subunit C: Form and Function Animals
1.
Reproduction, Growth, and Development
2.
Structural, Physiological, and Behavioral Adaptations
3.
Response to Environment
Subunit D Ecology
1.
Population Dynamics
2.
Communities and Ecosystems
3.
Global Issues
Review for AP Exam
After the Exam
Final Exam
Chapters 3-5, 8
AP Lab: Animal Behavior
AP Lab: Enzyme Catalysis
Exam 9/16
Chapters 6, 7, 11, 12, 27
AP Lab: Diffusion/Osmosis
Exam 10/8
Chapters 8-10
AP Lab: Plant Pigments and
Photosynthesis
AP Lab: Cell Respiration
Exam 10/28
Chapters 13-15
AP Lab: Mitosis/Meiosis
Exam 11/17
Chapters 16-21
AP Labs: Bacterial Transformation &
Restriction Enzyme Analysis
Exam 12/10
Chapters 22-26
AP Labs: Hardy-Weinberg &
Artificial Selection
Exam 1/13
Chapters 26-34
Phylogeny Project
Exam 2/1
Chapters 29-30, 35-39
AP Lab: Transpiration
Exam 2/24
Chapters 40-51
AP Lab: Fruit Fly Behavior (tentative)
Exam 3/25
Chapters 52-56
AP Lab: Energy Dynamics
Exam 4/20
AP Exam 5/9
Student Capstone Project
TBD

August 2015 September 2015
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Week Week Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
31# 1 1 1
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October 2014 November 2014
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December 2014 January 2015
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February 2015 March 2015
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Week Week Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
1 2 3 4 5 23 27 1 2 3 4
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27 31
April 2015 May 2015
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Week Week Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
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(4) (5) (6) (7) (8) 32 37 9 10 11 12 13
11 12 13 14 15 33 38 16 17 18 19 20
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June 2015
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Week
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Key: Dates in (parentheses) are non-school days. Bold, underlined dates are unit assessments. Quarters end on days marked with a box. Shaded dates are lab days. Note that these dates are tentative and subject to change. School closure make-up days (if needed) will occur on 6/20 and 6/21 and more if necessary.

4.0 Course Materials (to be checked out to students):
1) Campbell, Neil A. and Reece, Jane B. et al, Biology (AP* Edition), 2011
2) Lab Manual for Students, College Entrance Examination Board, 2001.
Suggested websites used include:
Lab bench: http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/labbench/index.html
Khan Academy: www.khanacademy.org/
Bozeman Biology: http://www.youtube.com/user/bozemanbiology
4.1 Course Materials (provided by student):


Ballpoint pens (red and blue/black) (All lab work, FRQs must be written in blue/black ink)
Pencil(s)

Highlighters of various colors (minimum three)

Student Lab Notebook (Life Sciences) by Hayden-McNeil publishing.
ISBN # 978-1-930882-35-5.

15-cm plastic ruler (optional)

Three-ring notebook with notebook paper (wide-ruled or college-ruled)

Calculator

Required Course Fee: $25.00 (All fees payable and due by September 13, 2015*)
*No lab materials can be purchased unless the AP Bio account is funded!
5.0 Instructional Strategies and Class Expectations
Lectures, assigned readings from the text, and videos/screencasts are used as a means to delve into a lot of the vocabulary and factual content of the course. The relationship between form and function is a very prevalent theme used in both the biology and chemistry courses that most students have taken prior to AP Biology. Form and function is used as the initial method of connecting subunits in this course. When we have reach units on heredity, evolution becomes the major method of integrating the subsequent subunits.
Student laboratory activities are the other primary method of exploring and developing, reinforcing understanding of content in this course. In order to convey that science is a process, students are expected to design and conduct controlled experiments. Student lab data is used as a focal point for class discussions covering lab content. In addition to performing short term labs that can be completed in a few class periods, students will perform lab activities that span over several weeks. This allows them an opportunity to see that some science is based on the accumulation of data over long periods of time and to gain experience maintaining living cultures.
Students will perform no fewer than eight of the official laboratory exercises in AP Biology Lab
Manual for Students as well as others not specified therein. Students should expect to spend at least one-fourth of the school year (class time) conducting laboratory investigations.
6.0 Grading Scale
A
A-
B+
B
B-
=
=
=
=
=
93-100% C
90-92% C-
88-89%
82-87%
80-81%
D+
D
F
=
=
=
=
=
72-77%
70-71%
67-69%
60-66%
0-59%
C+ = 78-79%
*Grades such as 89.5 will be rounded up to the next highest digit. Extra credit may only raise a student’s grade 2% overall.

Grading in this course will be based on student knowledge. Therefore, more weight is placed on summative work (such as tests, labs, and projects) than formative work (homework, etc.). I will do my best to let students know in advance if the work counts towards their summative or formative work.
80/20 Summative/Formative Ratio
Category Description
Summative
Summative
Formative
Percentage of Grade
Unit Exams, Semester Final Exams Pools toward 80% weight
Lab Assignments, Quizlet Pools toward 80% weight
Homework, Class work, Quizzes Pools toward 20% weight
6.1 Homework & Class work
Homework is a valuable tool to help you practice, rehearse, and interact with new concepts.
Reading the textbook and completing the reading assignments are some of the most important things you can do to understand biology. Each unit will feature a homework packet that features key vocabulary terms, and “Testing Your Understanding” review questions, among other tasks.
These packets will be due on the day the unit assessment is given. Please plan accordingly, work gradually, and do your best work!
Extra Credit
Definitions:
Extra Credit is:

Additional academic practice (formative work) that is related to the subject area or subject specific academic content standards.
Extra Credit is Not:

Non-academic work such as bringing in Kleenex boxes, merely attending extracurricular events, charitable donations, and payment of class fees.
Guidelines for Extra Credit:
1.
No more than 2% of the total quarterly grade can come from extra credit.
2.
Extra credit shall encourage learning throughout the grading period, as opposed to a last– minute effort to raise a quarterly grade.
6.2 Labs
Lab reports will be the written product stemming from planning, executing, observing, and drawing conclusions for all labs done in class. All lab work will be written in your (Life Sciences)
Lab Manual . These will be due on test days, unless otherwise stated; keep the original and submit the perforated copy to your instructor. Please read “Keeping A Laboratory Notebook” section on the inside front cover of your lab book as well as read and sign the Laboratory Safety page.
6.3 Quizzes
Chapter quizzes will cover content from selected chapters we study and will be given periodically. Advance notice will typically be given in order to properly prepare.
Student knowledge of scientific prefix/suffix/root words is essential for a solid understanding of biology. Therefore, a multiple-choice quiz will be given every Friday for a predetermined number
(typically 10-15) of them.
6.4 Exams
The AP Biology exam format is as follows:
Time
90 minutes
Section
IA
Length
63 multiple choice questions
IB 6 grid in questions
10 minutes
80 minutes
---------- Mandatory reading period
II 2 long FRQ and 6 short FRQs
Content
Knowledge, science practices
Integration of math and science
(calculations)
N/A
Varied

The AP exam score will be calculated based Sections IA/B (50%) and II (50%). There are no penalties for incorrect responses. Furthermore, there will be only four selections per questions.
With this in mind, each unit exam will follow a similar format, as follows. Questions will be based on past AP Exams and material from the unit. Each exam will feature approximately 35 multiple-choice questions (including vocabulary), one or more grid in questions, with a timed 20minute Free-Response Question (FRQ otherwise known as a “freak”).

Each Semester Final Exam will feature 70-80 MC questions (including vocabulary) with three FRQs (two long and one short).