AP Biology Syllabus
Course Overview (AP Biology Syllabus)
This course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during their first year of college. It aims to provide you with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology. Some of you, as college freshmen, will be permitted to take upper-level courses in biology or to register for courses for which biology is a prerequisite. Others of you may complete a basic requirement for a laboratory science course and will be able to take other courses to pursue your major. Successful scoring on the AP Biology Examination, given by the College Board in May, determines how colleges award credit. You should check with your intended university to determine their credit policies for AP Biology. Usually a score of 3, 4, or 5 on the exam will earn some amount of college credit.
Since AP Biology includes the topics regularly covered in a college biology course for majors, the textbooks used for AP Biology are those used by college biology majors and the kinds of laboratory activities done by AP students are the equivalent of those done by college students.
The AP Biology course is designed to be taken after you successfully complete an introductory course in high school biology and one in high school chemistry. You must possess excellent skills in reading and writing, as well as in the interpretation and analysis of data. The intensity of the coursework demands that you put forth a significant amount of time and effort to succeed. You will be challenged daily so you must put in the time to read, study, prepare for each class, ask questions, complete assignments, and prepare for this exam. Your motivation will strongly dictate your success in this class.
Link to Guided Notes for Campbell Textbook.
Textbooks and Related Materials
Text: Campbell, Neil A., and Jane B. Reece. Biology AP© Edition, 7th ed. NY: Pearson Education/Benjamin Cummings Publishing, 2008.
Website: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/campbell/(access available once you set-up account)
Copies of your labs will be made from the College Board. AP Biology Lab Manual for Students.
Website with Review Quizzes: http://www.hbwbiology.net/quizzes-ap-review-main.htm
Optional but recommended: AP Biology Exam Review Book (of your choice) Ex: Cliff’s AP: Biology, 4nd edition. NY: IDG Books Worldwide, 2013.
Website for flipping the classroom: http://www.bozemanscience.com/ap-biology/
The AP Biology Examination
The AP Biology Development Committee develops the AP Biology Examination so that it is representative of the topics covered in college-level introductory biology courses for biology majors. Accordingly, goals have been set for percentage coverage of three general areas:
I. Molecules and Cells, 25%
II. Heredity and Evolution, 25%
III. Organisms and Populations, 50%
These three areas have been subdivided into major categories with percentage goals for each major category specified. The percentage goals serve as a guide for the design of the AP Biology course and are used to determine the time devoted to each category. The examination is constructed using the percentage goals as guidelines for question distribution.
The AP exam is given in May. It is three hours in length and consists of two timed sections. Section I contain 69 questions (63 multiple choice and 6 grid-in questions and lasts 90 minutes). Section II has 8 free-response (essay) questions and also lasts 90 minutes including a 10 minute reading period. Section I (multiple choice) accounts for 50% of the examination grade and Section II free response accounts for the remaining 50%.
Grading
Grades are determined by the following percentages utilizing a point system:
60% Tests
40% Laboratory Reports and Projects
