Canyon Crest Academy 5951 Village Center Loop Road San Diego, CA 92130
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Advanced Placement (AP) Biology C203/C205 Haas/Gerstin [email protected] [email protected] 858-350-0253 x 4113 858-350-0253 x 4115 Canyon Crest Academy 5951 Village Center Loop Road San Diego, CA 92130
Strongly Suggested Prerequisites: Successful completion of college prep Biology and Chemistry (or AP Chemistry) with a grade of B or higher.
Course Description: AP Biology is a college level course designed to be the equivalent of a 2 semester college introductory biology class based on the outline provided by the College Board. It is designed to develop a thorough understanding of the major concepts and an appreciation of science as an ongoing investigative process. Primary emphasis is on developing an understanding of concepts rather than on memorizing terms and technical details. Essential to this conceptual understanding are a grasp of science as a process rather than as an accumulation of facts; personal experience in scientific inquiry; and application of biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social concerns. Most important to this course will be the recognition of unifying themes that integrate the major topics of Biology. These include: Science as Process Evolution Energy Transfer Continuity and Change Relationship of structure to function Regulation Interdependence in nature Science, Technology and society
Upon completion of this course students will be well prepared for further more advanced studies in college science courses. Students are expected to take the College Board’s May administration of the AP Biology exam. College credit may be earned if the student’s scores are high enough (colleges may differ in their acceptance and required score for college credit). Students should be aware that AP Biology is a fast paced, rigorous and extremely demanding course. As such, only highly motivated students with an interest in science should enroll. For sample questions and a more detailed description of the course, please see the College Boards website: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/index.html
Canyon Crest Academy runs on the 4x4 schedule, meeting every day for 1.5 hours. AP Biology is taught during the fall semester only. To properly understand science as a process through the major themes, the work load will be intensive. A significant amount of learning will be done on your own time to ensure you are properly prepared for the AP exam in May. You will also be required to attend review sessions in the mornings before school begins 2 weeks before the AP test.
Textbook and Materials:
Biology: 7 th Edition Campbell, Reece: (ISBN: 0-8053-7146-X) o Please cover your text Additional recommended text to purchase: Cliffs AP Biology (can be purchased used on the web) Notebook – 3 ring binder with dividers Suggested Supplies - pencils, pens (blue or black ink only), high-liters, calculator, lined notebook paper, index cards, composition book for labs Course Structure: Most classes will incorporate four different components: Lecture, discussion, problem solving and laboratory. Various resources are used to enhance and supplement the concepts, including visual media, the internet, student discussions and outside texts. Due to the content requirements laid out by the College Board, students enrolling in AP Biology should be capable of concentrating for extended periods of time. The three main topics covered are: Molecules and Cells, 25%, Heredity and Evolution, 25%, and Organisms and Populations, 50%. Within these 3 topics, students will be constantly directed back to the eight major unifying themes of Biology as mentioned above. See the College Board website for a more specific breakdown. Category Weight 100-88% A Midterm/Final 25% 87.9-78% B Exams 35% 77.9-68% C Homework 10% 67.9-58% D Labs 20% 57.9% and below F Projects/Activities 10% Grading: You are each responsible for your own learning and will only gain as much as you put into the class. Please also be aware that + and – grades are not given on final transcripts. Grades are earned, not given!
The grading system is based on weighted percentages. Each assignment will have a point value and be weighed according to the category it falls under.
Teaching Strategies: Because of the limited amount of time we have to cover the material in AP Biology, the class will be organized into eight unifying themes (mentioned above) as laid out by the College Board. Every unit will be taught with the emphasis placed on thematic connections. Of utmost importance is the unifying theme of Evolution: For example, when students are taught about cellular organelles, specifically mitochondria and chloroplasts, they will learn how the evolution of today’s Eukaryotic cells is thought to have originated when one prokaryotic cell engulfed another, thus beginning a symbiotic relationship that would change the complexity of life on earth. They will be presented with evidence for this theory, including the presence of DNA within both chloroplasts and mitochondria, and the occurrence of Glycolysis in both classes of bacteria and Eukaryotic cells.
Because the class can at times be lecture intensive, students are given outlined versions of the class PowerPoint notes ahead of time to write on. These outlines will include headings and diagrams, making students interact directly with the material, yet giving them a preliminary template to work with.
General Rules for Assignments (Keep all your work in the appropriate binder section for review and in case of clerical error) . I do not accept late work! All assignments are due at the beginning of the period and must have your name (first and last), AP Bio, the date (the assignment is due), and period, written neatly in the upper right hand corner. Along with this information, a title must be written clearly at the top of the paper. . Students should expect on average, 1.5-2.0 hours of homework per night. This does not include time spent studying content. . Assignments must completed and legible using full sentences with correct spelling, grammar and citations where necessary. . Unfortunately, assignments that have no name, or are illegible, will receive a 0. . Students are not permitted to use the teacher’s computer for any reason, including printing homework, etc. If you have printer difficulty at home and email the file to yourself, you are responsible for printing the work out in the computer lab prior to entering the class. . Students are encouraged to have internet access at home for convenience. Although not required, most handouts will be posted on the web. Those without home access will be expected to use the resources available at the school. Please check the media center website for information concerning opening/closing times. . All assignments, labs, quizzes and tests are due/occur on the day printed on the website calendar. If you have an excused absence, the assignment is due on the day you return to school unless prior arrangements have been made. o Students with excused medical absences can obtain make-up work through the class website. Make-ups for exams are by appointment and must occur within 1 week of the student’s return to school. There are no make-up labs or quizzes. Oral and Essay evaluation may be arranged for missed labs. Some labs may have online versions that could be used to complete the lab. Unexcused absences receive a “0” for the assignment. o A student with a personal absence (i.e. family vacation, etc.) or field trip will not be allowed to make up any of the work missed, unless that student notifies the instructor at least 5 school days in advance of the absence. The notification must be in writing with the students name, date, period, the days they will be missing, as well as a parent signature. . Students must be in the class once the final bell sounds or they will be given a tardy. Students with an unexcused tardy will not receive credit for any assignment due that day. Students with 3 tardies in 1 quarter will receive a Saturday school. . Problem sets are assigned and randomly checked on the due date for all students that do not have an A average on their test scores. As long as you have an A test average, your homework will not be checked. However, all students are expected to complete problem sets as they are assigned. . All assignments, including problem sets/notes, labs, etc. must be hand written: Typed assignments will not be accepted!
Vocabulary Info: It is strongly recommended that a set of 4x6 inch index cards be created for all vocabulary. Specific vocabulary lists can be found on the class website. These cards should be more in depth than the standard word/definition and should be studied frequently. 4x 6 cards are suggested so that vocabulary may be organized/grouped with associated terms. It is also recommended that diagrams be used when appropriate. An example can be found below: Hydrolysis and Condensation a) H-chem rxn, splits apart molecules and consumes water. C-small molecules are bonded to make larger a) define molecules, water is a product b) importance b) key to most chemical rxns in living org. c) peptide breakdown and formation c) examples
Problem Sets: A) Why should I take the time? AP Biology problem sets are designed to insure that the student has absorbed and digested the basic concepts and facts that are fundamental to each unit of study. B) What thinking processes are involved? On top of reading, taking notes and memorizing info, the student should become actively involved in complex thinking processes while completing these routine assignments. This may include comparison, classification, inquiry, analysis and synthesis of new ideas, among others. For example, when you study energy flow in a cell, you should compare similarities and differences in ATP production of plants and animals. Although these specifics may not appear in the text, they should still be considered, discussed, thought about and written into your problem sets and other assignments. C) How will this help me? By completing the problem sets and actively thought about, students should be able to pass the College Boards administration of the AP Biology exam in May. Every student who enrolls in this course should consider the passing of this exam as their ultimate goal and consider all work leading up to the exam, whether graded or not, as components necessary to pass the exam. However, please note: Some students excel at completing problem sets, but have difficulty translating what they learned to a multiple choice test, especially those questions which require higher level thinking skills. If this is consistently the case, it is likely that the student has not completed the work with part B above in mind.
Laboratory (25% of instructional time) . Laboratories are used to reinforce material discussed in class and to connect that material to the eight unifying themes of biology. The College Board defines 12 labs they consider essential to achieve an adequate level of experience and understanding. Every lab will include a pre-lab, to be completed prior to performing the actual lab. Once a lab has been completed you will turn in a lab report according to the AP Biology Laboratory Report Format given on the class website. Please be sure you are not referencing the regular biology lab guidelines when completing your report. . Reports must be completed in a composition notebook.
Projects . During the first quarter, students will read and abstract a current article from a scientific journal. Articles must be chosen from journals published during the 12 months prior to the abstract due date. The abstract and a copy of the article or journal must be turned into the instructor in the abstract folder and must follow the format provided by the instructor on the class website. Abstracts are due at the end of the quarter on or before the day of the midterm. . During the second quarter, students will contact a research scientist or field biologist in our area and conduct an interview about their current research. Using their interview notes, they will write a newspaper article (Who, what, when, where, and why) about this scientist and their research. This article is due anytime prior to the date of the final.
Expectations 1. Be highly self-motivated and arrive to class on time, prepared to participate and learn. Unexcused tardies will result in an automatic 0 for any assignment due that day. 2. Be respectful to your peers and teacher at all times. 3. Be aware of all classroom procedures and assignment due dates. 4. Participate in class discussions, activities and ask questions.
Classroom Rules and Safety: 1. Students are expected to follow the rules and procedures as laid out by the safety contract. Any action or activity deemed unsafe during class or labs by the instructor will result in immediate removal from the course. Any laboratory missed as a direct result of unsafe practice (eg. wearing open toed shoes to lab) will result in a zero for that lab. 2. No electronics: Cell phones, music players, gaming systems, or other programmable devices are not to be seen or heard at any time during class. Failure to abide by this policy will result in immediate confiscation and not returned until the end of the day for the 1st offense, and given to the assistant principal for any further offense.
Academic Honesty: . Academic honesty is an expectation for all students everyday in the San Dieguito Union High School District. (For a complete description of the district policy: http://www.sduhsd.net/cc/pdfs/discipline.pdf). . All work is expected to be completed only by the student. While collaboration on homework/labs can be beneficial for some students, any work submitted for credit must be clearly different from your lab partner/classmates. Whether students do the copying or provide the source to copy from, both parties will considered academically dishonest and punished according to the same guidelines. This includes students that pass testing information to one another between periods. Never put your friends and classmates in this position by asking to copy their work! o All work submitted must be in your own words. Any text taken from a source other than yourself must be cited using endnotes. o Any plagiarized work, whether from a fellow student or other source will receive an automatic 0 and a referral. A second offense will result in an automatic 0 for the course as per the SDUHSD district policy. Make sure to cite any work that is not your own. Don’t Plagiarize!
Midterm/Final Exam . At the end of each quarter there will be a midterm/final exam which is cumulative over the entire quarter and will be required in order to receive a quarter grade in the class. The midterm and final are each worth 25% of the student’s final grade. If a student is unable to take the final exam on the designated date and time, the student must notify the instructor at least two weeks in advance in writing.
Tips for Writing AP Biology Essays ( 40% of the May College Board exam): 1) Read the question! You will not get points if you answer the wrong question, no matter how much you write. 2) Explain all your answers in complete sentences; do not write in outline form. You may need to make an outline to help you organize your thoughts, but you will receive no credit for this unless your thoughts are explained. 3) Pictures alone receive no points. Illustrations can be used to supplement your answer, but should be appropriately labeled and referenced in your essay. 4) Define and explain all terms used, even if they seem obvious. Pretend you are writing to a 9th grader. 5) Answers to multi-part questions should be clearly labeled. Make it extremely easy for the grader to find information and award points. 6) Write clearly and neatly. If your handwriting is poor, skip lines to make it more legible. Make your essay easy to grade. 7) Use only blue or black ink. 8) Pacing is extremely important! Allot around 20 minutes per essay. 9) There is no penalty for guessing on the essays. Write! 10) In experimental design questions, the following should be included: Hypothesis, control, independent variable, dependant variable, how data will be collected, analyzed and graphed, and how conclusions will be drawn. 11) When including a graph, always clearly label the axes with units.
Office Hours Please see my website for tutoring hours. Because of volleyball (August-November), I rarely will be available to meet after school. There will also be some days where I will be unavailable during the morning, although mornings are generally the best time for me.
Website The website is designed to be a useful tool for students and parents. Throughout the semester you will be asked to access and print different items. It is important to get familiar with the website. If you do not have a computer or internet access at home, the media center is typically open before/after school and at lunch to access the necessary information. Should you have technical difficulties related to the completion of your homework, please have a parent contact me by phone or email before the assignment is due. The student will not be excused from consecutive assignments using this excuse due to the availability of the media center.
Course Outline: 2011-2012 This course is organized around the eight major themes of Biology. Every unit will include at least one exercise (lecture/lab/discussion/hands-on activity) that connects the unit concepts with the eight themes. For example:
Theme 1 – Science as Process – Students perform an experiment to determine whether plants grow better in the dark or light (under UV lamps).
Theme 2 – Evolution – Students discuss the difference between self-pollination and cross-pollination and how this might affect the evolutionary complexity within the species. They also then incorporate phylogenetic trees in their analysis of the evolutionary history of plant development and complexity.
Theme 3 – Energy transfer – Students describe how energy is passed between trophic levels, including the role of the chloroplast and mitochondria in this transfer of energy within the ecosystem.
Theme 4 – Continuity and change – Students observe, discuss and reflect on how various changes to an organism’s environment could affect growth and development.
Theme 5 – Relationship of Structure to Function – Students observe and discuss what evolutionary advantages enable the plant to survive within its habitat, including its reproductive physiology. They will analyze leaf and flower structure and how that structure might have evolved to promote their survival within their given habitat (ie. leaf size and shape, flower colors/brilliance, flower anatomical shape, etc.)
Theme 6 – Regulation – Students learn how an organism’s regulatory mechanisms (like those that control internal body temperature or ionic concentrations) help or hinder its survival in certain environments. Discussion of trophic levels will occur again, although with more of a focus on energy generated through exothermic reactions and thus lost as heat-how this affects basic metabolism. Theme 7 – Interdependence in Nature – how organisms interact with biotic and abiotic factors within their environment, and survival depends largely on effectiveness of these interactions. Discussion during the lab: What biome does the plant live in? What conditions enable the plant species to survive? What adaptations? Symbiotic relationships? Theme 8 – Science, Technology and Society – Students discuss how the population growth of humans affect local ecosystems and the biosphere as a whole. (e.g. C02 levels in the atmosphere, water quality, etc.) Discussion of global warming; affect on Earth’s atmospheric temperature, affect on the pH of bodies of water due to increased methane producing bacterial survival rates at higher water temperatures, consequence to food web, etc.
(Thanks to Mrs. Broemmelsiek, Mrs. Cameron and Mr. Billingsley for their help in the development of this course and syllabus) http://teachers.sduhsd.net/ahaas/APBio.htm
Topics Campbell ChaptersLabs (at least 25% of instructional time) (Campbell online labs done for all AP labs prior to real lab, part of prelab) 1 Chemistry of Life 2-6 AP 2-Enzymes 7% Water -Biochemistry lab Organic molecules in organisms (chemical identification of various macromolecules) Free energy changes -Penny Water Competition Enzymes 2 Cells 7,8,12 AP 1-diffusion/osmosis 10% Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic AP 3-mitosis/meiosis Membranes o Passive/Active transport Subcellular organization (organelles) o Eukaryotic evolution Cell cycle/regulation 3 Cell Energetics 9,10 AP 4-Photosynthesis 8% Coupled reactions AP 5-Respiration Fermentation and cellular respiration o Evolutionary historical context Photosynthesis 4 Heredity 13-15, 19 AP 7-Flies 8% Meiosis and gametogenesis -Karyotyping lab Eukaryotic chromosomes Inheritance patterns 5 Molecular Genetics 16-18, 20 AP 6-Molecular (fingerprinting, Transformation) 9% Nucleic Acid Structure and Function Gene regulation Mutations Viral Structure and replication Nucleic Acid technology and applications. 6 Evolutionary Bio 22-24 AP 8-Pop Genetics 8% Early evolution of life -Tongue Rolling Hardy Weinberg Pop. Evidence for evolution Genetics and Evolution Mechanisms of Evolution 7 Diversity of Organisms (covered25-30, 32-34 -protist/diatom/bacterial microscopy lab, (identification) 8% during late start mornings) Evolutionary patterns Diversity of life Phylogenetic classification Evolutionary relationships 8 Structure and Function of Plants35-39, 40-49 AP 9-Transpiration 32% and Animals AP 10-Circ. Phys. Reproduction, growth and development Embryology Structural, physiological and behavioral adaptations Response to the environment
9 Ecology 50-55 AP 11-Animal Behavior (done week 1) 10% Population dynamics AP 12-Dissolved Oxygen Communities and Ecosystems Global issues
Page 7 of 8 0505fb858622257683bab074aaaf6b17.doc http://teachers.sduhsd.net/ahaas/APBio.htm Laboratory Safety 12. Keep your hands away from potential spark. your eyes, nose and mouth when 25. Acids must be handled with using chemicals. Make sure to Contract extreme care. Always add acid to wash your hands after the lab is PURPOSE water, swirl or stir solution and completed. Science is a hands-on laboratory be careful of the heat produced, class. You will be doing 13. Know what to do if there is a particularly with sulfuric acid. fire drill during the laboratory. laboratories which may require 26. Take great care when Turn off gas and electrical the use of hazardous chemicals. transferring acids and other equipment. Safety is the number one issue in chemicals from one part of the science class. Therefore 14. When using sharp laboratory to another. Hold students must be knowledgeable instrumentation, carry the tips them securely and walk in safety precautions. This pointed down and away from carefully. contract must be signed by the others. Do not attempt to catch a HANDLING GLASSWARE student and parent or guardian in sharp falling object. order for participation in AND EQUIPMENT 15. Students are never permitted laboratory. 27. Do not remove chemicals in the science store room or from the laboratory area. GENERAL RULES preparation room unless 1. Follow the written procedure instructed to do so by the 28. Carry all glass tubing carefully. If you do not instructor. vertically, to minimize the chance of breaking it. understand ask the instructor for 16. Do not leave experiments clarification. unattended at any time. 30. Fill water bottles with distilled water only. 2. Never work alone in a lab. An CLOTHING instructor must be present at all 29. When removing an electrical 17. Goggles must be worn at times. plug from a socket, make sure to all times during laboratory. grasp the plug and not the cord. 3. When you enter a science NO EXCEPTIONS. classroom do not touch any of 30. Inspect all glassware before 18. Dress properly for the materials until the instructor using in laboratory. Look for laboratory. Long hair must be gives the okay. chipped or cracked glassware. If put up, no dangling jewelry, no you find glassware broken, do 4. No food, beverages, or gum in baggy clothes. No open toed not use it, and notify the class at any time. shoes. instructor. 5. Conduct the experiment 19. Contact lens should not be 31. If you do not understand how provided in the procedure. Do worn during laboratory at to use a piece of laboratory not create your own laboratory anytime. experiment. Unauthorized equipment, ask the instructor for experiments are illegal in lab. ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES help. 6. Be prepared for lab days by 20. Report any spills 32. Do not put hot glassware on reading procedures before immediately to the instructor no a cold surface because the glass entering class. matter how trivial it may seem. may shatter. 7. Keep your lab station clean. 21. If a chemical should splash HEATING SUBSTANCES into your eyes or on your skin, Once you have completed your 33. Take extreme caution when make sure to rinse thoroughly lab please leave the laboratory using a gas burner. Make sure with water at least 20 minutes. area cleaner than you found it. hair, jewelry, clothing, and Notify the instructor hands are a safe distance from 8. Keep the aisles clear in the immediately. laboratory area. the flame. HANDLING CHEMICALS 9. Know where and how to use 34. Do not point the open end of the fire extinguisher, eye wash 22. All chemicals should be a test tube at another person and fire blankets. Know where considered dangerous and used when heating. with extreme caution. Do not the first aid kit and phone is in 35. Never look into a container touch taste or smell any case of emergencies. that is being heated. chemicals in laboratory. 10. Be alert and notify the 36. Never leave a lit burner 23. Never return used chemicals instructor immediately if there unattended. Never leave into their original containers. are any unsafe conditions. anything that is being heated or 11. Read the labels of chemicals 24. Handle flammable liquids is visibly reacting unattended. carefully before use. with extreme care. Do not Always turn the burner or hot dispose of them near a flame or plate off when not in use.
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