Syllabus

Timeline

Required Readings

Topics and Activities

Labs / Activities

1 week

Chapters 1-5, 8

Chemistry of Life

·      Elements and Compounds

·      Water

·      Macromolecules

·      Metabolism/Enzymes

AP Lab #2 Enzyme Catalysis

3 weeks

Chapters 22-25

Evolution

·      Darwin

·      Microevolution

·      Macroevolution

·      Phylogeny

Natural Selection Lab

2 weeks

Chapters 26-33 (skimming)

Biological Diversity

·      Origins

·      Prokaryotes

·      Protists

·      Intro to Plants

·      Fungi

·      Intro to Animals

Constructing a Phylogenetic Tree

2 weeks

Chapters 6,7

The Cell

·      Cellular structures

·      Membranes

·      Cellular Communication

AP Lab #1 Diffusion and Osmosis

Cell Analogies

2 weeks

Chapters 9,10

Cellular Energetics

·      ATP

·      Photosynthesis

·      Respiration

AP Lab #4 Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis

AP Lab #5 Cellular Respiration

5 weeks

Chapters 29, 30, 35-39

Plants

·      Life Cycles

·      Structure/Growth

·      Transport

·      Nurition/Soil

·      Angiosperms

·      Responses

AP Lab #9 Transpiration

Plant Growth Lab

8 weeks

Chapters 40-49

Animals

·      Structure

·      Nutrition

·      Digestive System

·      Respiratory and Circulatory System

·      Reproduction and Development

·      Immune System

·      Nervous System

AP Lab #10 Physiology of the Circulatory System

AP Lab #11 Animal Behavior

3 weeks

Chapters 50-55

Ecology

·      Behavior

·      Populations and Ecosystems

·      Conservation Issues

AP Lab #12 Dissolved Oxygen and Primary Productivity

2 weeks

Chapters 12-15

Genetics

·      Meiosis/Mitosis

·      Mendelian Genetics

·      Mendel to Chromosomes

AP Lab #3 Mitosis and Meiosis

AP Lab #7 Genetics of Organisms

2 weeks

Chapters 16-21

Molecular Basis of Genetics

·      DNA and RNA

·      Transcription/Translation

·      Viruses/Bacteria

·      Gene Regulation

·      DNA Technology

AP Lab #6 Molecular Biology

Construction of DNA Helix

2 weeks (hopefully!)

Intensive Review for AP Exam

·      Practice Exams

·      Review 

Practice Exams