AP Biology

COURSE DESCRIPTION

AP Biology is a rigorous and demanding course, which is the equivalent of an introductory college biology course. Content will be covered in more depth and greater expectations will be placed on interpretation and analysis of information than previous biology courses. In addition, statistical analysis of data and modeling of concepts will be expected. A significant amount of learning must be completed at home to allow time for discussion, labs, and inquiry during scheduled class time. AP Biology will develop students’ analytical and critical thinking skills, technical writing skills, and scientific literacy to prepare them for a college science curriculum and the AP Biology exam. The AP Biology curriculum encompasses 4 "Big Ideas", with essential knowledge and process skills that support each one. These "Big Ideas" include: Big Idea 1: Evolution – the process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life; Big Idea 2: Cellular Processes (Energy and Communication) – Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow; Big Idea 3: Genetics and Information Transfer – living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes; Big Idea 4: Interactions – Biological systems interact and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.

Pre-Requisite: Students should have taken and passed the following courses with the average indicated or higher: advanced biology (85%) or biology (91%). Students should have also taken algebra 1 and chemistry or be taking these classes concurrently with AP biology. Approval of science teacher or science department chairperson is required.