AP Biology 

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a two‐semester introductory biology course usually taken in the first year of college. It will be a rewarding experience but will also be very challenging. The two main goals of AP Biology are to help you develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and to gain a deeper appreciation of science as a process (as opposed to an accumulation of facts). Because of the rapid pace of discovery in the life sciences, our primary emphasis is on developing an understanding of unifying concepts that connect the major topics of biology.

The AP Biology Curriculum centers around the four Big Ideas and you will need to not only know these but also understand how they all relate to each other and the course as a whole: 

• Big Idea 1: Evolution (EVO)

  • The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life. 

• Big Idea 2: Energetics (ENE) 

  • Biological systems use energy and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and maintain dynamic homeostasis.

• Big Idea 3: Information Storage and Transmission (IST)  

  • Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes. 

• Big Idea 4: Systems Interactions (SYI) 

  • Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.

Remember to always think through the lens of the Big Ideas as you complete this summer assignment and the rest of the year. 

Your Summer Assignment will consist of the following Parts: 

1. Familiarizing Yourself with AP Biology and the Big 4 Ideas 

2. Scientific Inquiry 

The complete summer assignment will count as your first summative assessment grade.  Make sure to contact your teacher or AP of CCMR at your campus if you have any questions throughout the summer.  Due dates can be found here.