AP/ Honors Biology

Fall & Spring 2006-07

Syllabus

 

Instructor

Betty Jo Barton

E-mail

bbarton@cruhsd.org

Phone

928-788-3146

Office/Hours

2nd Hour and after 2:40-3:30 by appointment.

Dates, days and times of the class

Monday through Friday

1:50-2:40 P.M. (6th Hour)

Location

T-122

Modality of Course

Labs, lecture, discussion, computer simulations, projects

 

Course materials required:

 

Text:  Biology- Raven, Johnson, Losos and Singer 7e

Three-ring notebook

Journal  (graph type paper)

Calculator

Student Handbook

 

Textbook website:  Biology Information Center:

 

 

 

 

 

Course Description:

 

AP Biology (Advanced Placement Program Biology) is an Introductory College
Level Course given in Mohave High School. By taking AP Biology, you will be taking a similar or even an identical course to College Students taking their First College Level Biology Course (General or Introduction to Biology). In this course, we will explore several sub-fields in biology, and complete twelve (12) labs to develop your understanding of biology.  Successful scoring on the AP Exam determines how colleges award credit.  Students should check with their intended university to determine their credit policy for AP Biology.  For example, ASU will award credit for a full year of Biology for majors (187,188) (8 credits) if a student scores a 4 or 5 on the AP test. If they score a  3 on the test, they will receive credit for BIO 100 for non-majors.  This class is also a DE class with MCC.  You will earn credit for BIO 181 (4 credits) with successful completion.

 

Course Goals:

 The two main goals of AP Biology are to help students develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and an appreciation of science as a process.  AP Biology is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during their freshman year.   At  MHS, AP Biology is an elective science course for students who are highly motivated and have a strong interest in science.   Major topics of study include biochemistry, cells, cellular energetics, genetics, evolution, classification, organism structure/function, and ecology.   As in college biology, the AP Biology course is designed to have both a lecture and a lab component.   Labs conducted by AP Biology students are the equivalent of those experienced by college biology students.  At the completion of this course, students are expected to take the College Board’s AP Biology exam.  Some students may earn college credit if they earn high enough marks on this exam.   In class, the format of each chapter test is similar to the AP Biology exam.  Students are expected to demonstrate critical thinking skills through their answers to both multiple choice questions, free response questions and lab analysis questions.  Students will do an independent project which will consist of designing, conducting, collecting data, analyzing the data and communicating the results.

 

Major Themes

 

Science as a process

Evolution

Energy Transfer

Continuity and Change

Relationship of Structure to Function

Regulation

Interdependence in Nature

Science, Technology and Society

 

Suggested Prerequisites

The AP Biology course is designed to be taken by 11th or 12th grade students after their suc­cessful completion (grades of A’s or B’s) of general high school biology and chemistry. 

 

Coursework

This is an extremely fast paced course; students will be assigned written homework and reading for every class period.  Note taking is required in class as well as from the text in conjunction with the homework assignments.  Students should demonstrate appropriate higher writing skills in their assessments.  Assignments should contain correct spelling and grammar, legible writing and complete thoughts.  Problem solving and analytical thought are essential components as well.  On average, students should spend at least 6-10 hours each week studying AP Biology outside of class. All students will be required to do an Independent Project.  Daily attendance is required and late assignments will lose 10% each day the assignment is late. Due to the time involved in setting up the labs, you must be present on lab day.  AP is sixth hour and on lab days students may be required to stay after school to finish the lab.  This will be announced in advance.

                                               

Grading Criteria:

Grading will be based on participation, effort, and academic performance.  Progress reports will be sent out every six weeks. Grading will be continuous throughout the semester.  

 

Unit multiple choice tests- 40%

Free Response questions,Lab Reports and Journals- 40%

Projects- 20%

 

Grading Scale:

95-100%        "A"

90- 94 %        "A-"

87- 89 %        "B+"

83- 86 %        "B"

80- 82 %        "B-"

 

 77-79  %        "C+"

73-76  %        "C"

70-72  %        "C-"

67-69 %         "D+"

60-66  %        "D"

Grades under 60% will result in no credit.

 

General Information:

 

All assignments, with the exception of in-class exercises and homework, will be typewritten or word-processed. Accuracy in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and syntax is expected of students in this class.

 

Disruption of the classroom learning environment, including but not limited to unauthorized classroom entry, making loud or distracting noises, persisting in speaking without being recognized, or resorting to physical threats, constitutes grounds for the student being dismissed from class.

 

It is the student's responsibility to have read and be familiar with the policies and procedures outlined in the Student Handbook of MHS.

 

 

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the use of others’ words or ideas without indicating they are not your own.  Each student is responsible for the academic integrity of all work completed for a given course.  All reports, papers, projects, and examinations must represent the student’s own work.  References and other sources of information must be properly cited.  Any student who violates these regulations will fail the specific assignment or examination and may be dropped from class. 

 

Examples of a breach of academic integrity may include:

·              Representation of the work of others as one’s own.

·              Use of unauthorized assistance in any academic work.

·              Failure to cite sources used.

·              Obtaining and/or using a test unless distributed by the faculty member.

·              Copying the work of another on any test.

·              Offering unauthorized assistance to another student.

·              Modification, without the faculty member’s approval, of any examination, paper, record, report or project

              for the purpose of obtaining additional credit or improved grade.

·               Failure to meet other conditions of academic integrity as required by the faculty member.


Learning Resource Center at MHS is open from 3:00P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Tutoring and Computers with Internet connection are available.

 AP Biology (Tentative) Schedule

APCentral-College Board 

AP Laboratory Objectives   

 

Approximate

Time

Reading Assignments/ Lectures/ Labs

Due Dates for Assignments and Test Dates

Internet Resources

Semester One

1 week

Introduction

Chapter 1

Lecture 1-The Science of  Biology

 

Independent Project Assigned (IP)

Independent Project  

2 weeks

 

Chemistry of Life  (7%)

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Lecture 2- Basic Chemistry

Lecture 3- Organic Molecules

Lecture 4- Water

Lab- Modeling Macromolecules

Macromolecule Posters

Lab: Identifying Macromolecules in food

 

Aug.  24 & 25-Test on Chapters 1,2,3

(Multiple Choice & Free Response)

 

Macromolecule Posters-Presentations 8/21

 

 

Chemistry Tutorial

Chemicool Periodic Table

Biochemistry Problem sets

 

3 weeks

 

Cells (10%)

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Lecture 5- Prokaryotic vs. Eurkaryotic cells

Lecture 6- Cell Structure

Lecture 7- Cell Membrane and transport of molecules

AP Lab 1 - Osmosis and Diffusion

Sept. 1-Topics due for IP

Test  on Chapter 5, 6 & 7

(Multiple Choice & Free Response)

The evolution of organelles

Cell Structure- Interactive animations

Cell Tutorial- Cells Alive

Cell Biology Chapter

Cell Membrane

Cell Membranes Tutorial

4  weeks

Cell Energetics

(8%)

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Lecture 8- Energy & Metabolism

Lecture 9- Cellular Respiration

Lecture 10- Photosynthesis

Lecture 11- Cell Division: Mitosis & Meiosis

AP Lab 2 - Enzyme Catalysis

AP Lab 4 - Plant Pigments & Photosynthesis

AP Lab  5- Cellular Respiration

AP Lab 3 - Mitosis & Meiosis

Oct. 1- (IP) Design of Project Due

Oct. 5-Test on Cell Energetics

(Multiple Choice & Free Response)


Enzyme Laboratory Tutorial
Energy, Enzymes, and Catalysis Problem Set
Learning About Photosynthesis  
Photosynthesis Problem Set 1
Photosynthesis Problem Set 2
Metabolism Problem Sets
Light Dependent Reactions  
Light Independent Reactions

3 weeks

Heredity (9%)

 

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Lecture 12- Patterns of Inheritance

Lecture 13- DNA- The genetic material

Lecture 14- Genes and How they Work

Lecture 15- Gene Technology

Activity:  From a gene to a protein- simulation

Lab- What's in a face?

AP Lab 7 - Genetics of Organisms

 

Nov. 2- Test on Chap. 13-15

(Multiple Choice & Free Response)


 MendelWeb Homepage 97.1

Mendel's Peas
Problem sets Genetics -
  Problem sets Human Biology Genetics  
On-line Activity Web Karyotyping
 Blazing a Genetic Trail

4 weeks

Molecular Genetics (9%)

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20           

 AP Lab 6 - Molecular Biology

Lab- Transformation Lab- firefly gene in bacteria.

Nov. 21- Test on Molecular Genetics  (Multiple Choice & Free Response)


Molecular Biology
 HHMI's BioInteractive - Virtual Labs

Molecular Genetics Webtext

2 weeks

Evolutionary Biology (8%)

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

 AP Lab  8- Population Genetics & Evolution

Dec. 20- Final Test

(Multiple Choice & Free Response)

 

Lab Report Due Dec. 18

The Museum of Paleontology (UCMP)
The Tree of Life
 The Talk. Origins Archive

 

Semester Two

3 weeks

 

Diversity of Organisms (8%)

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Lab- Classification (Cladogram)

IP=Copies of Raw Data due Jan.. 21

 

Jan. 31- Test on Diversity of Organisms  (Multiple Choice & Free Response)

Protist Image Data
Introduction to Protists

Virtual Mic table of contents

11 weeks

 

Structure & Function  of  Plants & Animals (32%)

Plants

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

 AP Lab 9  - Transpiration

Animals

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Video:  Miracle of  Life

AP Lab 10  – Physiology of the Circulatory System

IP Feb. 28- Organizers and Rough Draft of Written Report due

 

March 16-IP Lab Reports Due

 

March 26-  IP Presentations

 

 

April 13- Test on Structure & Function of Plants & Animals  (Multiple Choice & Free Response)

Introduction to the Metazoa
Animal Diversity Lab Tutorial
 Animal Diversity Web
Museum of Zoology
 Entomology Image Gallery -
 Amphibian Embryology Tutorial
Frog Anatomy and Physiology Tutorials
Whole Frog Project

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________

Human Biology
Human Anatomy Online
The Visible Human Project  
Immunology
  Human Developmental Biology
Human Reproduction

3 weeks

 

Ecology (10%)

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

 AP Lab 11= Animal Behavior

AP Lab 12 - Dissolved Oxygen & Aquatic Primary Productivity

 

May 11-Test on Ecology

Population Biology Simulations

VirtualLabs: explore evolutionary game theory

1 week

Review for AP Exam

May 14- AP EXAM

May 17- Final  for Seniors not taking AP Exam

May 22- Final for Juniors not taking AP EXam