ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGY
AP Biology Resources
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Syllabus
SAFETY FIRST!
This class includes a major laboratory component. You will be required to have a signed Student Safety Contract on file. Improper behavior and/or disregard for safety procedures will result in dismissal from the laboratory and a discipline referral written (safety violation).
Brief Description of Course
The AP Biology course is equivalent to a two semester college general biology course. The course is intended for students who have successfully completed a prior course in chemistry and biology honors and have demonstrated a willingness to commit considerable time to studying and completing assignments outside of class. At least 1-2 hours per day should be devoted to performing out of class work, including doing assignments, reading ahead, studying notes and writing laboratory reports. It is a rigorous course, with a strong laboratory component, that moves at a fast pace. So you must keep up with the assignments and reading. It will benefit you to form study groups that meet regularly.
The program integrates biological principles and theory, problem solving skills, and laboratory work (20% of class time). The course is designed to give students a strong background in fundamental biology and to allow them to excel on the AP Biology exam.
Big Ideas:
1. The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
2. Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.
3. Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes.
4. Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.
Class Rules
Classroom Procedures
Pink Slip: Refusal to work form. This slip is for every homework assignment or class work assignment that the student either forgets or refuses to do.
Yellow Pass: Allow for academic privileges: Late work amnesty (1 extra day per pass).
Earned by academic efforts: Tutoring after school (1 pass/hour) Saturday school (2 passes), NHS tutoring (1 Pass), etc.
Passes can be given to classmates.
Green Pass: Hall Pass. Students will be allowed 2 transferable hall passes every quarter. It is advised that the hall passes be reserved for emergencies. If 2 passes are not enough, there will be opportunities to “earn” more passes. If there is a medical condition requiring that a student have more hall passes, have a parent contact Mrs. Derousie to discuss the available options for the student.
Required student material:
Course Materials Required each day in class
Primary text: Issued to students for the school year:
Sylvia Mader, Biology,11th edition
Grading
The grading scale is as prescribed by the district, i.e. A = 90-100; B=80-89, etc. Your quarter grade will be calculated on total points earned divided by total points possible for that quarter.
The point distribution is as follows:
Homework (5-10 pts per chapter) and Class work (5-10 pts per chapter): (~35%)
Homework is given as a unit packet. This unit packet consists of “concept check” questions from the book, hand drawn figures or diagrams, note-cards, reading assignments, and video assignments. It is to your advantage to perform the assignments daily as they are designed to correspond to the scheduled lecture, discussion and/or class work. Do not fall behind. Homework may be turned in early for pre-grading and corrected up until the deadline
Class work is often given as “Buddy Work”. Students are encouraged and expected to work together in order to complete the assignment Buddy work is not eligible for pre-grading.
All homework and “buddy work” assigned for that unit will be collected for grading after the instructional phase is completed, i.e., right before the Unit Quiz is given, due at the start of class. All solution setups must be shown to receive full credit.
Quizzes (10 pts per chapter) and tests (100pts): (~20%, ~20%)
Quizzes are worth 30-50pts each and consist of 3-5 chapters (1 unit)
Tests are worth 100pts. There is 1 test per quarter, covering all topics included in that quarter
If you are absent on quiz/test day you must makeup the Quiz/Test before the end of the quarter.
Semester exam
-worth 10% of the entire semester grade
-not included in the 50% quiz/test grade
-covers all material from the Semester
Laboratory (most will be 20pts each, but may range from 10-30 pts): (~25%) Labs are typically done with a partner; however, all associated laboratory reports need to be completed and submitted for individual grading. The purpose of working with a partner is to conduct the experiment and collect data only! You are responsible for developing a title, introduction, analyzing data, evaluating that data, and drawing your own conclusions. Each quarter has one laboratory exercise requiring a laboratory report to be turned in within one week after the completion of the laboratory.
Students must keep a laboratory notebook. Note that most colleges will only give laboratory credit if documentation in the form of a lab notebook is available for their inspection, regardless of the student’s AP Exam grades. Also note that the AP exam requires the student to answer one laboratory-based question in the free-response section. Make-ups for missed labs (excused absences) must be taken outside of class hours, typically during after school hours.
LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT A YELLOW PASS. You are given the due dates/deadlines at the start of the semester, and allowed to turn assignments in early. If you “think you will be sick on a due date” you will need to turn the assignment in early or e-mail it before class time on the day it is due.
This class includes a major laboratory component. You will be required to have a signed Student Safety Contract on file. Improper behavior and/or disregard for safety procedures will result in dismissal from the laboratory and a discipline referral written (safety violation).
Brief Description of Course
The AP Biology course is equivalent to a two semester college general biology course. The course is intended for students who have successfully completed a prior course in chemistry and biology honors and have demonstrated a willingness to commit considerable time to studying and completing assignments outside of class. At least 1-2 hours per day should be devoted to performing out of class work, including doing assignments, reading ahead, studying notes and writing laboratory reports. It is a rigorous course, with a strong laboratory component, that moves at a fast pace. So you must keep up with the assignments and reading. It will benefit you to form study groups that meet regularly.
The program integrates biological principles and theory, problem solving skills, and laboratory work (20% of class time). The course is designed to give students a strong background in fundamental biology and to allow them to excel on the AP Biology exam.
Big Ideas:
1. The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
2. Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.
3. Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes.
4. Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.
Class Rules
- All school rules apply.
- Come to Class Prepared: have all reading/assignments completed before entering class. Have all class supplies (Textbooks, notebook, pen/pencil, calculator, etc).
- All assigned work must be read and turned in on time.
- Cheating will not be tolerated.
- Do not work on other subjects during this class.
- Respect your classmates: do not interfere with their education, do your part to maintain a safe learning environment.
Classroom Procedures
Pink Slip: Refusal to work form. This slip is for every homework assignment or class work assignment that the student either forgets or refuses to do.
Yellow Pass: Allow for academic privileges: Late work amnesty (1 extra day per pass).
Earned by academic efforts: Tutoring after school (1 pass/hour) Saturday school (2 passes), NHS tutoring (1 Pass), etc.
Passes can be given to classmates.
Green Pass: Hall Pass. Students will be allowed 2 transferable hall passes every quarter. It is advised that the hall passes be reserved for emergencies. If 2 passes are not enough, there will be opportunities to “earn” more passes. If there is a medical condition requiring that a student have more hall passes, have a parent contact Mrs. Derousie to discuss the available options for the student.
Required student material:
Course Materials Required each day in class
- Textbook
- Optional binder/notebook for organizing class notes
- Notebook paper, Pencil and pens (black/blue and oddball)
- Calculator: "A four-function calculator (with square root) is permitted on both the multiple-choice and free-response sections of the AP Biology Exam since both sections contain questions that require data manipulation. No other types of calculators, including scientific and graphing calculators, are permitted for use on the exam." Therefore, this classroom will only allow the four-function calculator described above.
Primary text: Issued to students for the school year:
Sylvia Mader, Biology,11th edition
Grading
The grading scale is as prescribed by the district, i.e. A = 90-100; B=80-89, etc. Your quarter grade will be calculated on total points earned divided by total points possible for that quarter.
The point distribution is as follows:
Homework (5-10 pts per chapter) and Class work (5-10 pts per chapter): (~35%)
Homework is given as a unit packet. This unit packet consists of “concept check” questions from the book, hand drawn figures or diagrams, note-cards, reading assignments, and video assignments. It is to your advantage to perform the assignments daily as they are designed to correspond to the scheduled lecture, discussion and/or class work. Do not fall behind. Homework may be turned in early for pre-grading and corrected up until the deadline
Class work is often given as “Buddy Work”. Students are encouraged and expected to work together in order to complete the assignment Buddy work is not eligible for pre-grading.
All homework and “buddy work” assigned for that unit will be collected for grading after the instructional phase is completed, i.e., right before the Unit Quiz is given, due at the start of class. All solution setups must be shown to receive full credit.
Quizzes (10 pts per chapter) and tests (100pts): (~20%, ~20%)
Quizzes are worth 30-50pts each and consist of 3-5 chapters (1 unit)
Tests are worth 100pts. There is 1 test per quarter, covering all topics included in that quarter
If you are absent on quiz/test day you must makeup the Quiz/Test before the end of the quarter.
Semester exam
-worth 10% of the entire semester grade
-not included in the 50% quiz/test grade
-covers all material from the Semester
Laboratory (most will be 20pts each, but may range from 10-30 pts): (~25%) Labs are typically done with a partner; however, all associated laboratory reports need to be completed and submitted for individual grading. The purpose of working with a partner is to conduct the experiment and collect data only! You are responsible for developing a title, introduction, analyzing data, evaluating that data, and drawing your own conclusions. Each quarter has one laboratory exercise requiring a laboratory report to be turned in within one week after the completion of the laboratory.
Students must keep a laboratory notebook. Note that most colleges will only give laboratory credit if documentation in the form of a lab notebook is available for their inspection, regardless of the student’s AP Exam grades. Also note that the AP exam requires the student to answer one laboratory-based question in the free-response section. Make-ups for missed labs (excused absences) must be taken outside of class hours, typically during after school hours.
LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT A YELLOW PASS. You are given the due dates/deadlines at the start of the semester, and allowed to turn assignments in early. If you “think you will be sick on a due date” you will need to turn the assignment in early or e-mail it before class time on the day it is due.