AP BIOLOGY SYLLABUS
2013-2014
Mr. Norman
Email: joey.norman@warren.kyschools.us
Website: http://alturl.com/yutj9
School phone: 270.781.2401 ext. 3369
Planning Period: 4th period
WCHS Room 219
I. Course Description
Welcome to AP Biology! This course is designed to be the equivalent to an introductory
college level biology course. A student has the opportunity to obtain college credit by taking and
performing well on the AP exam. This course will be taught as a college level course and
students will be expected to work and perform accordingly.
II. Materials
A) Textbook: Biology, AP Edition, Campbell, Neil, & Reece, 8th edition (2008)
B) Suggested Review Guide: Biology (Cliffs AP) – can be purchased at a bookstore or online
C) Pen, Pencil, and Notebook paper
D) Scientific Calculator
E) Composition Book – used as lab notebook, preferably graph format (not lined)
F) Gloves for lab activities
G) Three ring binder – 2 inches, 7 dividers labeled as follows: Course Info, AP Prep, Labs,
Homework, Tests, Notes, Resources
H) Membership in the WCHS Biology Club (dues of $5)
III. Course Objectives
Biology is “the study of life”. The primary purpose of the class will be to explore life in
all its levels of intricacy, from the tiniest subatomic particles to the complex interactions of
organisms on a global scale. As an AP course, we will undertake our purpose under the
guidelines of the following objectives:
A) Study a college-level biology curriculum
B) Learn the factual information and laboratory skills in a college-level
introductory biology course
C) Develop study skills to increase success in this class and future
college courses
D) Prepare for the AP exam in May 2013
IV. The Big Ideas
There are 4 Big Ideas connected to the course as outlined by the AP Biology Curriculum
Framework. These Big Ideas are used to help organize our learning into a cohesive conceptual
framework for deeper understanding and application.
I.
Evolution - The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
II.
Cellular Processes: Energy & Communication - Biological Systems utilize energy
and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and maintain homeostasis.
III. Genetics & Information Transfer - Living systems retrieve, transmit, and respond
to information essential to life processes.
IV. Interactions - Biological systems interact and these interactions possess complex
properties.
V. Rules and Regulations
A. Class Rules
1) RESPECT Everyone and Everything
2) Be Prompt and Prepared
3) Follow ALL School Rules
Failure to comply with the rules will result in disciplinary action in the form of detentions,
office referrals, administration conferences, and/or parent/guardian conferences
B. Cheating:
Cheating in any way or form is strictly prohibited. Any student caught cheating will
automatically receive a ZERO for that assignment and/or test. The guilty student will also be
subject to the punishment set forth by the school. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited as well.
C. Attendance/Tardies:
-Attendance is required for success in my class. The class utilizes notes and other in-class
assignments that will play a large role for test materials and ultimately your grade. To be
successful on exams, one must be present as much as possible. Attendance will be monitored and
will be dealt with accordingly.
- Tardies will be monitored by the administration per the Student Handbook.
D. Make-up Work:
Make-up work will be allowed under certain circumstances. It is the STUDENT’S
RESPONSIBILITY to ask me about receiving make-up work. If make-up work is given, it
MUST be returned the day after the assignment was given, and will not be made-up during
instruction time. Make-up EXAMS will be completed before school or after school.
E. Late Work:
Assignments are due on the due dates set forth by the instructor. Late assignments will not
receive full credit unless the student missed the due date as a result of an excused absence.
F. Cell Phones/MP3 players:
The cell phone policy will be enforced as dictated by the WCHS student handbook.
MAKE SURE YOUR CELLPHONE IS OFF WHEN ENTERING CLASS!!!!! The same rules
apply for any electronic device. Any defiance will result in discipline.
G. Hall Passes
You MUST sign out and in when using your pass or you will void your hall pass privilege.
You must always use the hall pass, so no more than one person out at one time. If hall passes
become abused, I do have the discretion to void all hall passes for the class. To avoid distractions
we will have a procedure for asking for a pass – you will raise your hand and hold 3 fingers up –
DO NOT disrupt class to ask for a pass.
VI. Grading
Your scores on exams, projects, labs, quizzes, and homework will determine your grade.
You will have access to your grades on infinite campus (the link is on my website or download
the app). I urge you to check your grades regularly and if you have any concerns please feel free
to discuss them with me at an appropriate time.
Form of Assessment
Exams
Projects
Labs
Quizzes
Homework
# given per 9 weeks
2-3
1-2
3-4
5-10
10-15
Points possible for each
100
50-100
50-100
10
10
The grading scale will be as follows:
90-100% =A
80-89% = B
70-79%=C
60-69%=D
less than 60% = F
VII. Labs
Lab activities emphasize development and testing of the hypothesis, collection, analysis,
and presentation of data through in-class discussions. The labs will support inquisitive learning,
problem solving, and consume a minimum of 25% of the course time. Each lab will be
performed in a minimum group of two (designated by the teacher) and will require analysis and
discussion of your results via a lab report or mini-poster. Many of the labs may require afterschool work, in which you will be notified in time to accommodate. The labs will meet the 7
Science Practices outlined by the AP Biology Curriculum Framework:
1) The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena &
solve scientific problems
2) The student can use mathematics appropriately
3) The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations
within the context of the AP course
4) The student can plan & implement data collections strategies appropriate to a particular
scientific question
5) The student can perform data analysis & evaluation of evidence
6) The student can work with scientific explanations & theories
7) The student is able to connect & relate knowledge across various scales, concepts and
representations in and across domains
Laboratory Safety
I reserve the right to remove you from laboratory activities when your behavior
endangers yourself, other students, or classroom facilities. I will notify administration
and your parents/guardians of the reason for your removal from lab and arrange a
conference to determine the course of action necessary to reinstate your participation in
lab. During the time you are not participating, I will provide an alternate assignment.
Quarter 1
Unit 1: Opening Day, Introduction, and Review of Summer Assignment
Duration: 1 Week
Big Ideas: 1, 2, 4
Chapters:
2. The Chemical Context of Life
6. A Tour of the Cell
Activities/Assessments:
1) Summer Assignment
2) Unit Assessment (chapters 2 & 6)
Unit 2: Biochemistry and Introduction to the Cell
Duration: 4 weeks
Big Ideas: 1, 2, 3, 4
Chapters:
3. Water & the Fitness of the Environment
4. Carbon & the Molecular Diversity of Life
5. The Structure & Function of Large Biological Molecules
7. Membrane Structure & Function
Activities/Assessments:
1) AP Lab: Enzyme Catalysis
2) Diffusion/Osmosis Pre-Lab (BI2 & BI3)
3) AP Lab: Diffusion/Osmosis (SP3 & SP4)
4) Macromolecule model kits (BI1 & SP2)
5) Protein folding website (BI2)
6) Acid/Base/Buffer lab activity (SP2)
7) Enzyme Investigative Lab (SP2 & SP5)
8) Lab Report/Mini-Poster
9) Quiz: Chapters 3 & 4
10) Exam: Chapters 5 & 7
Unit 3: Cellular Energetics
Duration: 4 Weeks
Big Ideas: 1, 2, 4
Chapters:
8. An Introduction to Metabolism
9. Cellular Respiration
10. Photosynthesis
Activities/Assessments:
1) AP Lab: Plant Pigments & Photosynthesis
2) AP Lab: Cellular Respiration
3) Leaf Disk Assay (BI4, SP3 & SP5)
4) Respiration Online Lab (BI2, SP2 & SP5)
5) Photosynthesis Online Lab (BI2 & SP2)
6) Chromatography Lab (SP4 & SP7)
7) Nanotechnology Lab/Discussion with Issues
8) Lab Report/Mini-Poster
9) Quiz: Chapters 9 & 10
10) Exam: Chapter 8
Quarter 2
Unit 4: Cell Communication and the Cell Cycle
Duration: 3 weeks
Big Ideas: 1, 2, 3
Chapters:
11. Cell Communication
12. The Cell Cycle
43. The Immune System
49/50. The Nervous System
Activities:
1) Cell Cycle Model (SP2)
2) Cow Eye Dissection (SP4 & SP7)
3) Immunoassay Lab (SP5)
4) Quiz: Chapter 12
5) Exam: Chapters 11, 43, 49, & 50
Unit 5: The Genetic Basis of Life
Duration: 6 weeks
Big Ideas: 1, 3, 4
Chapters:
13. Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
38.1 Angiosperm Reproduction (flowers, double fertilization, & fruits)
14. Mendel and the Gene Idea
15. The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance
Activities:
1) AP Lab: Mitosis & Meiosis
2) AP Lab: Genetics of Organisms
3) AP Lab: Corn/Chi Square Lab
4) Crossing Over Lab
5) Karyotyping Exercise
6) DNA Extraction Lab (SP6)
7) Lab Report/Mini-Poster
8) Quiz: Chapter 13 & 38.1
9) Exam: Chapters 14 & 15
Quarter 3
Unit 6: Gene Activity and Biotechnology
Duration: 4 weeks
Big Ideas: 1, 2, 3, 4
Chapters:
16. The Molecular Basis of Inheritance
17. From Gene to Protein
18. Regulation of Gene Expression
19. Viruses
20. Biotechnology
Activities:
1) AP Lab: Molecular Biology/ Transformation
2) Comparing DNA & Protein Sequences Online (SP7)
3) Lab Report/Mini-Poster
4) Quiz: Chapters 18, 19, & 20
5) Exam: Chapters 16 & 17
Unit 7: Evolution and Phylogeny
Duration: 5 Weeks
Big Ideas: 1, 3, 4
Chapters:
22. Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life
23. The Evolution of Populations
24. The Origin of Species
25. The History of Life on Earth
26. Phylogeny and the Tree of Life
27. Bacteria and Archaea
Activities:
1) AP Lab: Population Genetics (Hardy Weinberg) (SP2, SP4, SP5, SP7)
2) Fossil Analysis (Hands-on) (BI1)
3) Genetic Recombination Presentation (Research outside of class)
4) Lab Report/Mini-Poster
5) Quiz: Chapters 22, 26, & 27
6) Exam: Chapters 23, 24, & 25
Quarter 4
Unit 8: Diversity – Organism Form and Function
Duration: 5 weeks
Big Ideas: 1, 2, 3, 4
Chapters:
40. Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function
43. The Immune System
48. Neurons, Synapses, and Signaling
39.2/3 Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals (hormones)
49.2 Nervous System (the vertebrate brain is regionally specialized)
Activities:
1) Constructing and Analyzing Cladograms
2) AP Lab: Transpiration
3) Frog Dissection (SP 7)
3) Lab Report/Mini-Poster
4) Quiz: Chapters 43, 39.2/3, & 49.2
5) Exam: Chapters 40 & 48
Unit 9: Ecology
Duration: 4 weeks
Big Ideas: 1, 2, 3, 4
Chapters:
51. Animal Behavior
52.4 The Structure and Distribution of Terrestrial Biomes
53. Population Ecology
54. Community Ecology
55. Ecosystems
56. Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology
Activities:
1) AP Lab: Animal Behavior (SP3, SP4, & SP6)
2) AP Lab: Dissolved Oxygen (SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6, & SP7)
3) My Footprint Activity
4) Lab Report/Mini-Poster
5) Quiz: Chapters 51, 52.4, 56
6) Exam: Chapters 53, 54, 55