AP Biology 2009-2010 Jennifer Osmond

Course Outline AP Biology is a university level course and you will be held to high expectations and mature responsibilities just like a university freshman taking Intro Biology. This course prepares students for the AP Biology Exam in addition to the rigors of balancing demands placed on you academically and socially. Topics covered include: biochemistry, cells, photosynthesis, respiration, heredity, molecular genetics, evolutions, diversity of life, plant and animal form and function, and ecology. This course follows the College Board Advanced Placement syllabus and students are strongly encouraged to take the National College Board exam in May.

Course Overview

AP Biology students will meet every second day during an 8 day cycle for 32 weeks. Regular class periods are 60 minutes long. Twice a month, labs will take place outside of school time over a 2 to 3 hour time period. This allows us to do the 12 labs in the AP Lab Manual along with many other labs to support the curriculum.

Textbooks:  Campbell, N. and Reece. J. (2005). Biology. (7th ed.).San Francisco, CA. Pearson Education, Inc. o All students are given a copy of this textbook.  Labs come from the AP Biology Lab Manual for Students, are teacher-generated or come from other sources. o All labs will be supplied by the teacher.  Anestis, M. (2006). 5 Steps to a 5: AP Biology. (2nd ed.). SanFrancisco, CA. McGraw-Hill. o To help support students with preparation for all tests and the final College Board Exam, it is recommended that students purchase this book.

Course Planner

The course is divided into 5 key units. With each unit a variety of teaching strategies and techniques are used to engage my students independently and in group settings.

Eight major themes are incorporated into each unit from the AP Biology Course Description. These themes include:

I. Science as a Process- Science is a way of knowing. It can involve a discovery process using inductive reasoning, or it can be a process of hypothesis testing. II. Evolution- Evolution is the biological change of organisms that occurs over time and is driven by the process of natural selection. Evolution accounts for the diversity of life on Earth. III. Energy Transfer- Energy is the capacity to do work. All living organisms are active (living) because of their abilities to link energy reactions to the biochemical reactions that take place within their cells. IV. Continuity and Change- All species tend to maintain themselves from generation to generation using the same genetic code. However, there are genetic mechanisms that lead to change over time, or evolution. V. Relationship of Structure to Function- The structural levels from molecules to organisms ensure successful functioning in all living organisms and living systems. VI. Regulation- Everything from cells to organisms to ecosystems is in a state of dynamic balance that must be controlled by positive or negative feedback mechanisms. VII. Interdependence in Nature- Living organisms rarely exist alone in nature. VIII. Science, technology, and Society- Scientific research often leads to technology advances that can have positive and/or negative impacts upon society as a whole. Units 1. The Domain of Biomolecules- This unit covers the basic concepts of chemistry which is essential for the study of biology, as it is a multidisciplinary science. 2. The Domain of Cells- Cells are the basic unit of all living organisms. For this reason, we must understand cell structure, how it relates to function and how cells communicate with each other at the multi-cellular level. 3. The Domain of Organisms- Even though all organisms are diverse creatures, they have certain similarities. In this unit we will look at the vast range of form and function of plants and animals along with the physiology and anatomy of the human body. We will also look at the variation found in these systems of other organisms. 4. The Domain of Populations- In this unit we will go beyond the individual organism and look at the how they interact as groups. We will look at every level of biology, from molecules to ecosystems, and how they have transformed over time and continue to transform in modern medicine, agriculture, biotechnology and conservation biology. 5. The Domain of Communities- In this unit we will study the interaction of organisms with their environment. We will focus on the ecology and human impacts on a global scale.

Unit Outline: *All labs/activities without (AP) are teacher generated. The activities have been created to help students have a better understand on concepts covered. *Dates shown are for the class time devoted to each topic, labs will take place outside of class time. Date Unit Topics Chapter Readings Prior to 1 Atoms & Molecules, Water, Carbohydrates, 2, 3, 4, 5 September Proteins, Nucleic Acids, Lipids, Enzymes  Properties of organic molecules 2 days  Elements essential to life  Enzyme properties  Types of bonds  Properties of water Labs/Activities:  Enzyme Catalysis (AP)  Enzyme Lab  Carbohydrate Lab  Sticky Water Lab 8 days 2 Cells, Cell Membranes, Transport, Cell 6, 7, 11 Communication  Review of cell structure  Cell membrane and transport mechanisms  Cell communication  Cell organelles- structure and function  Permeability

Labs/Activities:  Diffusion and Osmosis (AP and online) 10 days 3 Cell Cycle, Mitosis, Meiosis, Genetics, 12, 13, 14, 15 Inheritance, Chromosomal Abnormalities  Chromosome anatomy  Gametogenesis  Mendelian Genetics  Mono/di/trihybrid crosses  Genetic conditions affecting humans  Cancer cells  Karyotype analysis

Labs/Activities:  Mitosis & Meiosis (AP)  Cross over ratio activity  Genetics of Organisms (AP)  Sex-linkage in humans activity  M&M Statistics  Virtual fly lab 10 days 3 DNA Structure and Replication, RNA, Protein 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Synthesis, Gene Regulation, Viruses, Bacterial Genetics, Biotechnology  Structure and function of DNA & RNA  Genetic/DNA technology  Mutations  Emerging Viruses  Bacterial Genome  Operons  Gene regulation

Labs/Activities:  Molecular Biology (AP)  DNA isolation activity 10 days 3 Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration 8, 9, 10  Oxidation and reduction  Photophosphorylation & chemiomosis  Plant adaptations

Labs/Activities:  Cell Respiration (AP)  Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis (AP)  ATP Muscle Lab

8 days 3 Plants: Growth, Structure, Transport, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 Nutrition, Reproduction, Responses  Organs & Tissues  Primary & secondary growth  Biotechnology

Labs/Activities:  Transpiration (AP) 20 days 3 Animals (with a focus on human systems): 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, Nutrition, Circulation, Respiration, Immune 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 Response, Nervous System, Endocrine System, Locomotion, Reproduction, Development  Structure and function  Maintaining homeostasis (in relation of all systems)  Response to stress

Labs/Activities:  Physiology of the Circulatory System (AP)  Fetal Pig Dissection  Blood pressure lab 9 days 4 Evolution, Darwin 22, 23, 24  Evidence of Evolution  Natural Selection  Mutations

Labs/Activities:  Population Genetics & Evolution (AP)  Hardy-Weinberg Activity  Natural Selection Activity 5 days 4 Phylogeny & Systematics, Diversity of Life 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,  Fossil records 30  Classification  Phylogenetic trees  Genome evolution  Tree of life  Synthesis of organic compounds- early Earth

10 days 5 Behavioral Biology, Ecology, Ecosystems 50, 51, 52, 53, 54  Biomes  Environment interactions  Population ecology  Energy flow

Labs/Activities:  Animal Behavior- AP  Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Primary Productivity- AP  Planning trip to Costa Rica to do a comparative study of ecosystems Various practice exams and review leading up to the final AP Exam

Teaching Strategies

Most class time is spent either in lecture, class discussion or doing lab activities. In order to prepare students for the AP examination, they are supported with a wide variety of resources. Students are required to read the textbook chapters prior to each class. In addition to this, research articles are assigned as required readings. Lectures are designed to cover select topics from the textbook and are supplemented with diagrams, explanations, visuals and examples. Occasionally video clips or movies are shown to help support the topics being covered.

All students who take AP Biology will be required to do an independent research project outside of class time. They must design an experiment, test the variables, analyze and discuss their data, and present their findings according to the local science fair criteria. This will be assigned in the beginning of September and due after March break. Projects will be submitted into the local regional science fair.

Course Evaluation:

Coursework (for breakdown see below) 70% and exam 30%

Tests 60% Assignments & Labs 30% Quizzes 10%

 Your mark will be cumulative over the entire course (Sept-May). Assignments/Homework Throughout the school year, students will be given a number of assignments to be handed in on a certain date. In the event of late receipt of work, marks will be deducted at the rate of 20% of total mark available; per day. Work will be passed back to students when it has been marked. Once work has been returned, late assignments will usually receive a mark of zero. Various questions will be assigned for homework to review materials covered in class. These questions are checked, in class, periodically for completion. Students receive full value, if homework is completed, and a zero, if it is not done.

Labs Students work in pairs or groups of three (depending on the lab) outside of school time. Students are given the lab outline two days before the lab and are required to do a pre-lab write-up of the procedure. Students prepare all portions for the lab, gather materials for set-up, prepare stock solutions, and complete the lab. Students prepare and complete all portions of the lab with very little assistance from the teacher. All labs are graded individually and are submitted as formal lab work. For the AP labs, students also answer the questions in the AP Biology Lab Manual.

Quizzes To ensure students complete textbook chapter reviews the online quizzes through the textbook website and forward grades to the teacher once they are satisfied with there mark. Thus, it would be possible to get 100% on all quizzes.

Tests Similar to assignments, students are tested on each section of the unit outline. They are set-up in a similar fashion to the AP examination with a few exceptions. Each test is comprised of 30-50 multiple choice questions, free-response questions taken from the AP Released Exams and short answer questions.

Journals Students should have a journal which they can keep in class. This is used as a tool for me to monitor how the students are doing with the material we are covering in class. Students will be asked various questions to complete in their journal.

Exam Students will write an AP biology exam prior to the College Board Exam worth 30% of their final mark (created by Mrs Osmond). The date of this exam will be set in class during the first month of school. Students will also have an option of writing the College Board exam on May 10th, 2010. The College Board Exam is three hours in length and is designed to measure a student’s knowledge and understanding of modern biology. The exam consists of an 80- minute, 100-item multiple choice section, and a 100-minute free-response section, consisting of four mandatory questions. This exam is not mandatory for students to write however it is highly recommended.