Biology Syllabus

Unit

Topics

Chapters

Days

Introduction
Topics: Safety and navigating AP Bio. Overview of themes:
evolution, relationship of structure to function, continuity
and change, energy transfer, regulation, science as a
process, science, technology and society, and
interdependence in nature linking biological concepts with
science as a process and evolution as the courses
overriding themes.

1

2

Evolution
Topics: origin of life, early evolution of life, evidence for
evolution, mechanisms of evolution, Hardy-Weinberg
theorem.
Themes: evolution; continuity and change; relationship of
structure to function; science as a process.
Sub-Themes: energy transfer; regulation; interdependence
in nature.

22, 23, 24

5

Interdependence in
Nature and Energy
Transfer
Topics: How organisms interact with each other and
their environment; how energy moves through
ecosystems; how matter is recycled; loss of energy
as heat; biomes; human impact on the biosphere;
biodiversity; population ecology.
Themes: energy transfer; regulation;
interdependence in nature; technology and society.
Sub-Themes: evolution; science as a process;
continuity and change; relationship of structure to
function.

50, 51,
52, 53,
54, 55

7
Diversity of
Organisms
Topics: evolutionary patterns, three domains and
phylogenic classification, evolutionary relationships,
overview of diversity of life.
Themes: evolution; science as a process; continuity and
change; relationship of structure to function.
Sub-Themes: energy transfer; regulation; interdependence
in nature.

25, 26,
27,28,31

6.5

Biochemistry
Topics: organic molecules, chemistry of water, functional
groups, bonding, pH.
Themes: energy transfer; science as a process; science,
technology and society; regulation; relationship of structure
to function.
Sub-Themes: evolution; continuity and change.

2, 3, 4, 5

4.5

Cells
Topics: microscopy, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells,
subcellular organization of plant and animal cells,
membranes, transport, cell communication, cell cycle,
mitosis, cytokinesis.
Themes: evolution; relationship of structure to function;
continuity and change; energy transfer; regulation; science
as a process; science, technology and society.
Sub-Themes: interdependence in nature.

7, 8, 11,
12

7

Cellular
Energetics
Topics: enzymes, coenzymes, cofactors, metabolism,
energy coupling, chemiosmosis, glycolysis, fermentation,
cellular respiration, C3 and C4 photosynthesis.
Themes: evolution; relationship of structure to function;
energy transfer; regulation.
Sub-Themes: science as a process.

6, 9, 10

8
Plant Evolution
Structure, and
Function
Topics: adaptation to terrestrial life, reproduction, growth,
development, adaptations, responses to environment.
Themes: evolution; relationship of structure to function;


continuity and change; energy transfer; regulation; science
as a process; science, technology and society;
interdependence in nature.
29, 30,
35, 36,37,
38, 39
7

Animal Evolution,
Structure and
Function
Topics: reproduction, growth, development, adaptations,
responses to environment.
Themes: evolution; relationship of structure to function;
continuity and change; energy transfer; regulation; science
as a process; science, technology and society;
interdependence in nature.

32, 33,
34, 40,41,
42, 43,
44, 45,
46,47, 48,
49

17

Heredity
Topics: meiosis in gametogenesis, inheritance patterns,
Mendels laws, probability, eukaryotic chromosomes,
human genetic defects.
Themes: evolution; continuity and change; regulation;
science as a process; science, technology and society;
interdependence in nature.
Sub-Themes: relationship of structure to function.

13, 14,
15,
19(354-
356)

7

Molecular
Genetics
Topics: DNA and RNA structure, replication, and function,
mRNA editing, gene regulation, mutations, viral structure
and replication, nucleic acid technology and applications.
Themes: evolution; science, technology and society;
science as a process; regulation.
Sub-Themes: relationship of structure to function;
continuity and change; interdependence in nature.

16, 17,
18, 19
(356-368),
20,21

7

AP Biology Lab Schedule
All labs are hands-on unless otherwise noted.

Unit

Labs

Objectives

Days
Evolution 1. Peppered Moth
Simulation

2. Population Genetics and
Evolution
1. Describe the
mechanisms of evolution
evidenced by a simulated
moth population.
(virtual)www.biologycorner.
com/worksheets/peppered
moth.html
2. Calculate the
frequencies of alleles and
genotypes in the gene pool
of a population using the
Hardy-Weinberg formula
and discuss natural
selection and other causes
of microevolution as
deviations from the
conditions required to
maintain Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium.
1


2
Interdependence in Nature
and Energy Transfer
1. Dissolved Oxygen
2. Isopod Behavior

1. Measure dissolved
oxygen and primary
productivity in fresh water
environments.
2

2


3. Brassica Butterflies
mating behavior and fruit
fly mating behavior
2. Design and implement a
protocol calculated to
measure the effects of
environmental variables on
habitat selection in a
controlled experiment.
Describe the concept of
distribution of organisms in
a resource gradient.
3. Design and implement a
protocol calculated to
observe and describe life
cycle variations as well as
variations in insect mating
behavior.
Diversity of Organisms 1. Protist ID lab

2. Fungi ID Lab
1. Demonstrate microscopy
proficiency including wet
mount preparation and
identify a variety of protists.
2. Demonstrate microscopy
proficiency while identifying
fungal reproductive
structures from prepared
slides.
1

1
Biochemistry 1. McMush Lab

2. Molarities Lab
1. Learn procedure for
formal biology lab report.
Determine organic
compounds in a
McDonalds Happy Meal.
2. Demonstrate proficiency
in calculating molarity while
preparing solutions for
Diffusion and Osmosis lab.
1

2
Cells 1. Diffusion, Osmosis ,
Plasmolysis Lab





2. Mitosis Lab
1. Relate osmotic potential
to solute concentration and
water potential and solute
concentration to pressure
potential. Observe the
effects of a selectively
permeable membrane and
concentration gradients on
diffusion and osmosis.
Measure water potential of
a solution, determine
osmotic concentration of
living tissue or an unknown
solution from experimental
data and understand the
effects of water loss and
gain on cells.
2. Recognize the stages of
mitosis and calculate
relative duration of the cell
cycle stages. Demonstrate
proficiency with compound
3







2
light microscope.
Cellular Energetics 1. Enzyme Catalysis






2. Plant Pigments and
Photosynthesis Lab

3. Cellular Respiration Lab
1. Demonstrate proficiency
at titration technique.
Explain initial reaction rates
of enzymes and
demonstrate how presence
of an enzyme speeds up a
reaction. Measure the
effects of changes in
temperature, pH, enzyme
concentration, and
substrate concentration on
reaction rates of enzyme-
catalyzed reactions in a
controlled experiment and
explain how environmental
factors affect the rates of
enzyme catalyzed
reactions.
2. Separate pigments and
calculate Rf values;
compare photosynthetic
rates at different light
wavelengths in a controlled
experiment. Explain why
photosynthetic rates vary
with changes in
environmental conditions.
Demonstrate proficiency
with a Spec 20.
3. Relate gas production to
respiration rate and
calculate rate of cell
respiration from
experimental data.
Compare respiration rate in
germinating and non-
germinating seeds and test
the effect of temperature
on said seeds in a
controlled experiment.
3







2




1
Plant Evolution, Structure,
and Function
1. Whole plant
Transpiration Lab


2. Seed germination and
tropisms lab.
1. Study organization of
plant stem and leaf while
applying knowledge gained
from osmosis/diffusion lab
to measurement of
transpiration under various
lab conditions.
2. Study evidence of
tropisms in germinating
lima beans.
2



6
Animal Structure and
Function
1. Virtual Dissections


1. Virtual dissections of
seastar, squid, frog, fetal
pig, cow eye through
Froguts subscription (
8


2. Dissections


3. Physiology of the
circulatory system.
www.froguts.com )
demonstrating relationship
of structure to function and
evolutionary trends.
2. Full dissection of fetal
pig again demonstrating
relationship of structure to
function and evolutionary
trends.
3. Demonstrate proficiency
in measuring blood
pressure; design and
implement an experiment
measuring pulse rate under
various conditions.

4


2
Heredity 1. Genetics Lab






2. Karyotyping Lab



3. Meiosis Lab
1. Demonstrate proficiency
in basic handling and
culturing techniques for
working with sorting,
sexing, and crossing
organisms through two
generations. Apply
concepts and principles of
Mendelian genetics.
Diagram monohybrid,
dihybrid, and sex-linked
crosses. Analyze data from
genetic crosses using chi-
square analysis
techniques.
2. Construct karyotypes
and from them, identify five
different chromosomal
abnormalities resulting in
aneuploidy. Describe the
syndromes associated with
each. (paper lab)
3. Describe how
independent assortment
and crossing over can
generate genetic variation
among the products of
meiosis. Demonstrate the
activity of chromosomes
during Meiosis I and
Meiosis II using
chromosome models.
Relate chromosome
activity to Mendelian
segregation and
independent assortment.
Demonstrate the role of
meiosis in the formation of
gametes. Compare and
contrast the results of
meiosis and mitosis in
6
(3 wks
with
culture)



1



2

plant and animal cells.
Molecular Genetics 1. pGlo transformation lab

2. Electrophoresis lab
1. Creation of a transgenic
organism through insertion
of genes for antibiotic
resistance and ability to
glow under specific light
wavelengths.
2. Separate and identify
DNA fragments through
electrophoresis.
2


2