INTRODUCTION TO AP BIOLOGY

What is AP Biology  AP Biology is designed to be the equivalent of a University Introductory Biology Course  It is recommended that students spend hours on homework per class  This year’s date: Monday, May 12, 2014

The Big Ideas  Big Idea 1:  The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life Evolution Genetics Cells Taxonomy

The Big Ideas  Big Idea 2:  Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis Biochemistry Metabolic Processes Ecology - Cycles Cells Homeostasis

The Big Ideas  Big Idea 3:  Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes Genetics Cell Communication Population Dynamics (Ecology) Homeostasis

The Big Ideas  Big Idea 4:  Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties Biochemistry Ecology

Science Practices  Designed to ensure that AP Biology students engage in the practice of science  Enable students to develop questions and hypotheses, and then design experiments that provide evidence and explanations

Science Practices  #1 – The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems (ex. graphs, diagrams, pictures, etc…)  #2 The student can use mathematics appropriately

Science Practices  #3 – The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course  #4 – The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question

Scientific Practices  #5 – The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence  #6 – The student can work with scientific explanations and theories  #7 – The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts and representations in and across domains (big ideas)

Scoring  The exam is rated on a 1-5 scale with 4 or 5 usually needed for University credit  The exam has two parts:  Multiple Choice (50%)  Essay (50%)  minutes are allowed for each part

Multiple Choice  69 Questions:  63 multiple choice  6 grid-in questions  90 minutes  50% of exam

Short Answer  8 Free Response Questions (50%)  10 min (reading) + 80 min (writing)  2 multi-part questions 1 connects to a lab 25%  6 single-part questions 25%

Science is based on:  Observations  Experiments  Deductive Reasoning

Scientific Method  Outlines a series of steps for answering questions  Obtains “evidence” through the use of experiments

Scientific Methods Steps  1. Identify the problem.  2. What is already known?  3. Formulate a hypothesis.  4. Conduct an experiment.  5. Collect data  6. Compare data to hypothesis  7. Conclusions and new hypothesis

Laboratory  Inquiry-Based Labs  12 labs are suggested  Recommended to do at least 8  2 per big idea  Many error analysis questions  How can the graph/data set be improved?  How can the experimental design be improved?

Summary  We will see the “big ideas” at various times throughout the course.  AP Biology students must be able to design an experiment to test a hypothesis

Why Take AP Biology?  To gain university credit  For the academic challenge  For advance preparation of what to expect in a university course  For university admission reasons

Suggested Prerequisites  Willing to spend the time for success  Self-motivated worker  1-2 years of high school Biology  Chemistry  Good communication skills