CLASS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: 

The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester college introductory biology course. Students may obtain college credit and/or placement at college depending on their scores from the AP exam in May. Due to the nature of the course, it is expected that students will maintain a high work ethic throughout the school year and be prepared for essay writing, article analysis, critical thinking problems,  and intensive inquiry-based labs. There is a tremendous amount of material to cover in a very short timeframe, but your consistency, motivation, good habits, and the ability to organize yourself will make this class rewarding and provide you with the skills to be successful at the next level in your academic career. All students will have the opportunity and be expected to take responsibility for his/her own learning, bring all necessary materials to class, actively participate in class discussions and activities, and get help when needed to develop a sense of self-achievement. Let’s have a great year!  

The course is organized around the four Big Ideas per the College Board:

• Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.

• Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.

• Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes.

• Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.

The course is divided up into the following units of study:

• Chemistry of Life

• Cell Structure and Function

• Cellular Energetics 

• Cell Communication & Cell Cycle

• Heredity

• Gene Expression & Regulation

• Natural Selection

• Ecology

MATERIALS REQUIRED: 

• Binder with 5 dividers labeled as the following: References, Notes, FRQ's, Labs, Classwork

• School issued chromebook

• Biology, Ninth Edition (*AP). Campbell, Reece, Mitchell – no need to bring to class everyday!

SUGGESTED MATERIALS: (We have class materials if needed.)

• Colored pencils, highlighters, pens (blue and/or black for labs and tests), pencils, glue stick 

• Scientific Calculator 

Please see AP Biology Syllabus for more info!