Instructor: Michael Courtney
Course Overview
This syllabus and the course it describes conforms to the standards of the College Board for AP biology courses and addresses all of the topics in the AP Biology Course Description. These topics are organized according to the major themes from the AP Biology Curriculum Requirements.
The Advanced Placement Biology curriculum is equivalent to a college course usually taken by biology majors during their first year of college The primary emphasis of the course is on developing an understanding of concepts; a grasp of science as a process rather than as an accumulation of facts; personal experience in scientific inquiry; recognition of unifying themes that integrate the major topics of biology; and the application of biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social concerns.
Topics include chemistry of life, cells and cell energetics, heredity, molecular genetics, evolution, diversity of organisms, structure and function of both plants and animals, and ecology. The course is broken down into three areas of study: 25% molecules and cells, 25% genetics and evolution, and 50% organisms and populations. In addition, students will conduct all twelve of the Collegeboard AP Biology laboratories.
This is a laboratory course in which students will use collected data to solve biological problems.
The objectives of the course are that each student shall:
- To familiarize students with the terminology and concepts of biology using a theme-oriented approach that emphasizes concepts and science as a process over knowledge of facts.
- To enhance problem-solving skills of students by using hands-on labs, readings, collections, independent projects, and class discussions.
- To strengthen students’ communication skills with the use of written assignments, essays, abstracts, and lab reports.
- To prepare students for further study in the biological sciences.
Ideally, each unit takes two weeks to complete (depending on length) and typically is organized like this:
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 |
| Discussion 1 | Activity 1 | Discussion 2 | Activity 2 | Discussion 3 |
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 |
| Activity 3 | Lab | Lab | Unit Review | Unit Test |
The textbook for the course is the seventh edition of Neil A. Campbell and Jane B. Reece’s Biology. Students also use the AP Biology Lab Manual for Students. Additional labs are teacher-generated or come from other sources.
Evolutionary themes unify biology. In order to bring together prevailing themes about evolution to every unit, the course is divided into four frameworks: Physical and Chemical Mechanisms, Historical, Organisms, and Populations. The idea of “change in a population over time” is highlighted through labs, homework assignments, lectures and readings in each framework.
Teaching Strategies
Throughout the year, students and their teacher will prepare and share two-column notes on each section of the textbook. Additionally, we will prepare presentations, posters, etc. to help each other grasp the concepts we address. My lectures cover key concepts from each textbook chapter and include slide shows, videos, simulations, demonstrations, and other techniques to ensure understanding of textbook topics. Students should expect to actively participate in classroom discussions and self-evaluations.
As appropriate, students will read, discuss, and write about the ideas they encounter in articles from peer-reviewed scientific journals. Field trips to local research institutions (U of A) and guest speakers will enhance readings.
Students are required to take the AP Biology Exam to receive enhanced grade credit. The class will include intensive preparation for the AP Biology Exam. Preparations will include:
- Unit tests, which are ¼ scale versions of the AP Biology Exam.
- Multiple-choice questions on the tests will be similar to those on the AP test. Essay questions will be similar to released AP test essay prompts and will be graded with AP-style rubrics.
- Scoring will be similar to the current AP scoring criteria, modified to accommodate scaling.
- Other Test Prep. I provide suggestions on test prep according to my own and published test strategies, and I encourage the use of AP and third-party test preparation aids.
Lab Component
I provide material that describes objectives of labs and possible strategies and methods. Students must produce a pre-lab description of materials and methods before admission to the laboratory. Students work with partners but must minimally rely on the teacher for guidance. The role of the teacher in a lab is supervision and facilitation, not direction. Accomplishing lab objectives is a student responsibility.
Formal lab reports are a requirement of the course. Reports should follow the general format of scientific papers as published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Early in the course, I will provide and discuss example papers. Student papers reporting lab investigations will be evaluated in much the same way as a journal editor would evaluate submissions for publication.
Student Evaluation
Students are evaluated on their performance on the unit exams, free-response questions, labs, and the homework they complete. I assign a certain number of points for each assignment students complete for credit. Final grades are determined as a percentage of the total points earned during the report period.
| Assignment | Percentage of Grade |
|---|---|
| Tests | 60% |
| Daily Work and Participation | 30% |
| Labs | 20% |
| (total) | 100% |
Research Paper
Students will write an essay on a current topic in biology. After selecting a topic, they will analyze the methods and results of scientific investigations in several primary research reports to draw a valid conclusion about their topic. This paper is due by the end of the third quarter and counts as a test grade.
