Course Overview

This AP Biology syllabus provides a structured outline for an introductory college-level biology course, closely aligned with the College Board AP Biology framework. The course emphasizes foundational biological concepts, inquiry-based learning, data analysis, and scientific reasoning. It is designed to prepare students for both the AP Biology exam and further studies in biological sciences.

Key Skills and Practices

• Concept Explanation: Ability to clearly explain biological concepts, processes, and relationships.

• Visual Representations: Analyze and construct models, diagrams, and other visual tools to represent biological phenomena.

• Questions and Methods: Identify testable questions, variables, controls, and appropriate experimental procedures.

• Representing and Describing Data: Organize and describe both quantitative and qualitative biological data.

• Statistical Tests and Data Analysis: Interpret patterns, variation, and evidence in biological data.

• Argumentation: Make and justify biological claims using evidence and logical reasoning.

Unit Sequence and Major Topics

The course is divided into eight major units, each with specific topics and associated skills. Below is a summary of each unit and its main subtopics:

Unit 1: Chemistry of Life (8-11%)

• Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding: Understanding water's polarity, hydrogen bonds, and their biological significance.

• Elements of Life: Essential elements (C, H, O, N, P, S) and their roles in biological molecules.

• Biological Macromolecules: Structure, properties, and functions of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

• Nucleic Acids: Structure and function of DNA and RNA.

Skill Emphasis: Explain molecular structure-function relationships; analyze models and representations.

Unit 2: Cell Structure and Function (10-13%)

• Cell Structure: Subcellular components and their functions.

• Cell Size: Surface-area-to-volume ratio and its impact on cell function.

• Plasma Membranes: Structure, permeability, and transport mechanisms (diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion, active transport).

• Cell Compartmentalization: Origins and advantages of compartmentalization in eukaryotic cells.

Skill Emphasis: Interpret cell models; predict effects of changes to membranes and organelles.

Unit 3: Cellular Energetics (12-16%)

• Enzyme Structure and Catalysis: Enzyme function, specificity, and factors affecting activity.

• Cellular Energy: ATP production and energy transformations.

• Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration: Pathways, regulation, and their roles in cellular metabolism.

• Fitness: Relationship between cellular energetics and organismal fitness.

Skill Emphasis: Analyze experimental data on enzymes, photosynthesis, and respiration.

Unit 4: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle (10-15%)

• Cell Communication: Mechanisms of signaling and signal transduction pathways.

• Feedback: Positive and negative feedback in biological systems.

• Cell Cycle and Regulation: Phases of the cell cycle and regulatory mechanisms.

Skill Emphasis: Trace signaling pathways; explain feedback and cell-cycle regulation.

Unit 5: Heredity (8-11%)

• Meiosis and Genetic Diversity: Processes generating genetic variation.

• Mendelian and Non-Mendelian Genetics: Patterns of inheritance, probability, and exceptions to Mendel's laws.

• Chromosomal Inheritance: Chromosome behavior and its effects on phenotype.

Skill Emphasis: Use probability and models to explain inheritance; analyze pedigrees and sources of variation.

Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation (12-16%)

• DNA and RNA Structure: Molecular structure and function.

• Replication, Transcription, and Translation: Steps and regulation of gene expression.

• Gene Expression and Cell Specialization: How gene regulation leads to cell differentiation.

• Mutations and Biotechnology: Types of mutations and applications of biotechnology.

Skill Emphasis: Model information flow; analyze mutations and biotechnology data.

Unit 7: Natural Selection (13-20%)

• Natural and Artificial Selection: Mechanisms and evidence for evolution.

• Population Genetics and Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium: Allele frequencies and evolutionary forces.

• Phylogeny and Speciation: Evolutionary relationships and the formation of new species.

• Origin of Life: Hypotheses and evidence for the origin of life on Earth.

Skill Emphasis: Apply evidence and quantitative reasoning to evolutionary processes.

Unit 8: Ecology (10-15%)

• Responses to the Environment: How organisms interact with and adapt to their environment.

• Energy Flow and Population Ecology: Trophic levels, energy transfer, and population dynamics.

• Community Ecology and Biodiversity: Interactions among species and the importance of biodiversity.

• Disruptions to Ecosystems: Human impacts and ecological disturbances.

Skill Emphasis: Analyze ecological models; explain energy flow and ecosystem change.

Study and Assessment Plan

• Before Each Unit: Preview topics and create a one-page summary of key concepts and vocabulary.

• During Each Unit: Engage in mixed practice emphasizing explanation, interpretation, and application.

• End of Each Unit: Complete a timed unit check, review errors, and revisit weak topics.

• January Onward: Begin cumulative weekly review to reinforce earlier units.

• March Onward: Practice with AP-style timed sets and free-response questions.

• April to Exam Day: Use full-length practice exams and error logs to target weak areas.

Assessment and Resources

• The AP Biology exam assesses both content knowledge and science practices, including data-rich multiple-choice and free-response questions.

• Use the official College Board AP Biology Course and Exam Description and AP Classroom for up-to-date requirements and practice materials.

Primary Alignment Sources

• College Board AP Biology Course and Exam Description (AP Central)

• College Board AP Biology Exam page and released free-response/scoring resources

Additional info: This syllabus is intended for personalized study planning and does not replace the official school syllabus or AP Classroom resources.