advanced placement biology 2007/2008

Advanced Placement Biology2007/2008

Teaching PhilosophyI believe that Biology is the single most important subject a student can learn. Whether they are planning on going

into a science or health-related field or some other area of study, Biology will provide them with a tremendous understanding of the world around them. Each topic gives a glimpse of something greater that eventually fits together like a puzzle and the final picture is amazing. As a student learns more and more about life and the environment the world begins to make sense in ways they never imagined. Biology teaches them how everything fits together and allows them to see the structure behind the beauty. We are because life is.

I get excited when I can help students obtain insight that allows them to see the world from new perspectives. Biology provides many opportunities for this. To help, I like to have students read excerpts from Bill Bryson’ s A Short History of Nearly Everything. This is a great book to accompany a textbook because it gives the other side to science. Textbooks seek to explain and provide a wealth of prior knowledge while Bryson has the inquisitiveness and awe of having learned something for the first time. I believe it is very important to not forget that science is about learning and going beyond ourselves. Bryson reminds us of this.

TextsBill Bryson. A Short History of Nearly Everything. Broadway, 2004. ISBN-13: 978-0767908184.

Neil A. Campbell, Jane B Reese. Biology AP Edition, 7th Ed. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings, 2005.ISBN: 0-8053-6777-2

Neil A. Campbell, Jane B Reese. Preparing for the Biology AP Exam. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings, 2005.ISBN: 0-8053-7187-7

College Board. Biology Lab Manual for Students. New York: The College Board, 2001ISBN: 8888882790

College Board. Biology Lab Manual for Teachers. New York: The College Board, 2001ISBN: 9990809402

Course OverviewClasses meet everyday for a 90 minute block everyday throughout the school year (173 class days with six of those days being lost to testing and meetings). With 167 days left, I have chosen to allow for two weeks of review which brings the class down to 157 days. I have also built in 5 flex days which brings the course down to 152 days as outlined below.

Units days Class % AP % recommended

Diversity of Organisms 5 days 3% (6%) 8%Ecology 15 days 10% 10%Animal Structure and Function 30 days 20%Plant Structure and Function 12 days 8% 32% combined with animalsBiochemistry 10 days 6% 7%Cells 15 days 10% 10%Cellular Energetics 20 days 13% 8%Heredity 15 days 10% 8%Molecular Genetics 15 days 10% 9%Evolutionary Biology 15 days 10% 8% Total 152 days 100% 100%

Note: the largest discrepancy of time appears to be in the Diversity of Organisms unit; however, time spent in class will be closer to the recommended time because some of topics will be included in the Evolutionary Biology unit. Additionally, 10 days are reserved at the end of the semester for review before the test. Extra time will be given to the following units: Diversity of Organisms, Animal Structure and Function, and Plant Structure and Function.

This allows time for us to complete many labs, activities and still have time for engaging class discussions on the applications and implications of the content. This course was organized around the eight themes from the AP Biology

Curricular requirements as well as the associated essential questions for each of the topics. Students are required to read the chapters assigned on the syllabus completing guided notes during their reading. We discuss the chapter(s) and students are assigned the chapter objective questions. Typically we complete 2-4 of the released essays, 2-3 additional activities and multiple labs per unit (see Detailed Course Description). The course textbook is the seventh edition of Neil A. Campbell and Jane B Reese’ s Biology AP Edition and the associated workbook Preparing for the AP Exam. We also use the AP Biology Lab Manual for Students and the AP Biology Lab Manual for Teachers from the College Board.

I organize my course into 11 units and review the syllabus with students on the first day. The average unit requires 2-3 weeks for completion. Each unit contains connections to the 8 AP themes. After the introductory unit, I begin with the Diversity of Organisms unit. This gives the student something they did not have in Biology I and allows me to touch on the topic of Evolution early. I believe this is important because I believe Evolution underlies everything else we study. I end the year with the Evolutionary Biology unit that will bring us full circle and allow me a transition to begin their review for the AP exam with Diversity of Organisms thereby giving a flow to the topics we study. My lectures feature Socratic questioning in which students must apply the information they have learned through their reading and independent studies to the concepts to gain a greater depth of knowledge.

I believe that textbooks should serve as a foundation and reference but should never be used as a stand-alone source for curriculum. Supplemental materials and integrated technology must be included to provide the depth of comprehension and retention required. Current research and developments in biological fields through newspaper, magazine or journal articles are given to students for reflection followed by a debate/discussion of the implications. Typically I use at one to two articles a week from sources such as Nature¸ Science, Discovery and CNN. I enhance the content using online video clips and animations, UnitedStreaming video clips/articles and some of the online simulations and activities provided through the Campbell Biology textbook.

We perform labs a minimum of 45 of our 155 class blocks which equates to 29% of the course. All of the labs are student conducted with the exception of the Virtual Fly Lab. I provide minimal assistance to the students during lab and each lab is graded individually. All of the labs have analysis questions I have developed which provide a clearer view of their comprehension of the concepts by relating those concepts to other areas we have covered. These analysis questions are focused around the 8 themes.

Once I have completed the activities of the unit, the last assignment before the exam is a pretest to identify areas where students are struggling or have misconceptions. At the conclusion of each unit I give a 50 to 100 question multiple-choice exam with the number of questions depending on the number of concepts covered. I select questions which focus

on the man objectives and relate the concepts to previous units. Each test also has two essays associated with it. These essays are generally based on or are a released essay and are graded according to the associated rubrics so that students become accustomed to the rigorous expectations on the actual AP exam in May. Tests and essays account for 35% of a student’ s grades so that I can use rigorous exams and not be detrimental to their grade point average. Class work and homework accounts for an additional 40% while labs constitute the remaining 25% of their grade.

Preparation for the AP Exam is incorporated into my class on a routine basis. Unit exams are based on the AP Exam format (modified to fit our time limit) and include released questions and essays. All released items on exams and essays are graded based on the scoring guidelines. Students are given copies of released exams to use for study at home in the spring in preparation for the test.

Detailed Course Description

Dates Unit Topics with Essential Questions Readings, Labs and Activities

First Semester

Introduction (5 days)Aug. 13- Aug. 17 1 o Overview of Course Material, Expectations, and

Requirementso Review of Scientific Methodology and the Nature

of Scienceo Major Themes in Biologyo Use the transpiration lab to learn to write lab

reports

Campbell - Chapter 1

Excerpt from Bill Bryson’ s A Short History of Nearly Everything, Chapter 16 Lonely Planet and Chapter 19 The Rise of Life

Introductory Transpiration lab – a scaled down version of AP Lab #9.

Essential Questions

1. What is the nature of science?2. How does the scientific method build upon our

understanding of the world?

Unit Connections to Major Themes:

Science as a Process: Students will understand that science is a way of knowing by using hypotheses to examine transpiration rates.

Diversity of Organisms (5 days)Aug. 20-Aug. 21 2 Evolutionary Patterns and Relationships

o Timeline of history of life and major adaptive changes

o Prokaryoteso Protistso Fungi

Essential Questions:1. What are the major body plans of plants and

animals?2. What is some evidence that organisms are related

to each other?3. How do scientists study evolutionary relationships

among organisms?4. How is this information used in classification of

organisms?

Campbell - Chapters 26, 27, and 28Bryson Chapter 20 – Small World

Aug. 22-Aug. 24 2 Survey of the diversity of Life and Phylogenetic classification

o Evolution of Plantso Avascular Plantso Vascular Plantso Evolution of Animals

Campbell - Chapters 29-34Bryson Chapter 22 – Good-bye to All That

Gram staining lab: Microbe identification lab in which students collect, stain, identify, and classify bacteria from school property.

o Invertebrateso Vertebrates

Essential Questions:1. What are representative organisms from Monera,

Fungi, and Protista?2. What are representative members of the major

animal phyla and plant divisions?3. What are the distinguishing characteristics of each

group (kingdoms and the major phyla and divisions of animals and plants?

Activities: Classification using morphological and genetic evidence, dichotomy key practice, tree species identification on school grounds.

Unit Connections to Major Themes: Evolution: Relate diversity of organisms to the available niches within the environmentRelationship of Structure and Function: Diversity of organisms based on structural differences and how those differences determine the organism’ s interactions within the environment

Ecology (15 days)Aug. 27-31 3 Population Dynamics

o Distribution of Organismso Aquatic biomeso Terrestrial biomeso Factors affecting species distributiono Population Ecologyo Human Population Growth

Essential Questions:1. What models are useful in describing the growth

of a population?2. How is population size regulated by biotic and

abiotic factors?

Campbell - Chapters 50-52Bryson – Chapter 17 Into the Troposphere

Stream Ecology lab – Students analyze a local creek to determine population sizes and food web relationships.

AP Lab #12 Dissolved Oxygen Lab

AP Lab # 11 Animal Behavior

Sept. 3-7 3 Communities and Ecosystems Campbell – Chapters 53, 54

Species interactionsTrophic StructureCommunity successionBiodiversity

Essential Questions:1. How is energy flow through an ecosystem related

to trophic structure?2. How do chemical elements cycle through

ecosystems?3. How do organisms affect the cycling of elements

and water through the biosphere?4. How do biotic and abiotic factors affect community

structure and ecosystem function?

Bryson – Chapter 18 The Bounding Main

Biomass/Energy Pyramid lab – students use sample plots to inventory a local community to predict levels of sustainability. They will use calorimetry techniques to obtain data.

Sept. 10-14 3 Global IssuesHuman ImpactDisruption of nutrient cyclesConservation biologyThreats to biodiversity

Essential Questions:1. In which ways are humans affecting

biogeochemical cycles?

Campbell - Chapter 55An Inconvenient Truth video

Activities: Lesson of the Kaibab – an examination of early attempts at conservation biology. Student essay on a global environmental issue.

Animal Structure and Function (30 days)Sept. 17-21 4a Introduction to Anatomy, Excretory and Digestive

Systemso Homeostasiso Overview of Tissues typeso Bioenergetics of animalso Organ system interdependenceo Nutritiono Excretory System

Campbell - Chapters 40, 41, and 44

Frog Dissection Lab

Kidney Dissection Lab

o Water Balance

Essential Questions:1. How do organisms maintain stable internal

environments?2. What are the energy requirements of animals?3. How do animals obtain energy and nutrients from

their environment?4. How does the excretory system compare with the

digestive system?

Sept. 24 -28 4a Nervous, Motor, and Skeletal Systemo Functions of the Nervous Systemo Membrane Potentialo Brain anatomy, lobes, and regionso Sensory and Motor Pathwayso Animal Skeletonso Muscle Fiber and Contractiono Locomotion

Essential Questions:1. What do nervous systems govern in higher

animals?2. How have nervous systems developed

evolutionarily?3. How do skeletons and muscles combine for

locomotion?

Campbell - Chapters 48, 49

Eye Dissection Lab

Brain Dissection Lab

Oct. 1-5 Fall BreakOct. 8-12 4a Circulatory System and Gas Exchange

o Circulationo Transport Systems (comparative)o Heart Structureo Bloodo Cardiovascular Disease


Heart Dissection Lab

AP Lab #10 Physiology of the Circulatory System

o Lung Structure and Function

Essential Questions:1. How does the circulatory system interact with the

other systems of the body?2. How have hearts evolved to suit the needs of

higher animals?3. How do lungs work?

Oct. 15-19 4b Hormones and Regulationo Endocrine systemo Hormoneso Regulation of Body temperatureo Feedback Loopso Hormones and metabolism

Essential Questions:1. How do hormones regulate body functions?2. How does the endocrine system coordinate with

the nervous system to help maintain homeostasis?

3. What re feedback loops and what do they have to do with organ systems?


Comparative Dissection Lab – students will dissect crayfish, grasshoppers, Sea cucumbers, sharks, and squids in order to establish evolutionary differences in form and function.

Oct. 22-26 4b Immune and Lymphatic Systemo Nonspecific Defenseso Immune Responseo Failures and Diseases of the Immune Systemo Lymphatic Vessels and Structures

Essential Questions:1. How does the immune system respond to threats

to homeostasis?2. What happens when the immune system fails?


Oct. 29-Nov. 3 4b Animal Reproduction and Development and Conclusion

o Asexual vs. Sexual Reproductiono Mechanisms to ensure reproductive successo Stages of development in placental animals

Essential Questions:1. What patterns of reproduction and development

are found in animals and how are they regulated?2. How do the stages of embryological development

compare from one species to the next?

Campbell - Chapters 46 and 47

Mink Dissection Lab Practical – A lab designed to assess students’ cumulative understanding of all organ systems.

Unit Connections to Major Themes: • Continuity and Change: Investigation of how similar structures share similar functions in related species• Relationship of Structure and Function: Study of how similar structures share basic blueprint but different functions based on the

adaptations in the bone structure (i.e. human hand, whale flipper, bat wing, etc)• Evolution: Similarity of animal embryos and differences in developmental stages, implications of vestigial organs/structures

Plant Structure and Function (12 days)Nov. 5-9 5 Reproduction, Growth and Development

o Plant Organso Plant Tissue Typeso Primary vs. secondary Growtho Cell Differentiationo Pollinationo Sexual vs. asexual reproductiono Seeds, Ovaries, and Fruits

Essential Questions:1. How does a plant’ s organs and tissues work

together for survival and Reproduction?

Campbell - Chapters 35 and 38Bryson – Chapter 23 The Richness of Being

Flower Dissection Lab – students will dissect a flower to determine the reproductive anatomy of a plant.

Plant Microscopy Lab – students will observe various plant structures and tissues with a microscope.

2. What patterns of reproduction and development are found in plants and how are they regulated?

3. What is the adaptive significance of alternation of generations in the major groups of plants?

Nov. 12-16 5 Structural, Physiological, and Behavioral Adaptationso Nutritiono Soil Qualityo Nitrogeno Transport of Materialso Xylem and Phloemo Stomata and Transpiration

Essential Questions:1. How does the organization of cells, tissues, and

organs determine structure and function in plant systems?

2. What adaptive features have contributed to the success of various plants on land?


AP Lab #9 Transpiration (complete)

Nov. 19-20 (2 days) 5 Response to the Environmento Signal Transductiono Hormoneso Lighto Environmental Stimulio Herbivores and pathogens

Essential Questions:1. What are the responses of plants to

environmental cues and how are they mediated?


Regulation of Osmosis through stomata: students will determine the effects of various solutions on stomata.

Unit Connections to Major Themes: • Continuity and Change: Investigation of how similar structures share similar functions in related species

• Relationship of Structure and Function: Study of how similar structures share basic blueprint but different functions based on the adaptations in the plant structure.

• Evolution: Explain how evolution has driven the survival of successful adaptations that determine the diversity we have today.

Biochemistry (10 days)Nov. 26-30 6 Water

o Polarityo Water’ s unique properties that make it suited for

lifeo pH

Essential Questions:1. How do the unique chemical and physical

properties of water make life on Earth possible?


Properties of Water lab – a lab that explores the relationships between solvents/solutes, cohesion/adhesion, polarity and pH.

What do buffers do? - Lab taken from CORD Applications in Biology and Chemistry to determine the pH range of a buffer system.

Dec. 3-7 6 Organic Moleculeso Carbon structure and bondingo Investigate the structure and function of the

following: Carbohydrates, Lipids, Nucleic Acids, Proteins.

Essential Questions:1. What is the role of Carbon in the molecular

diversity of life?2. How do the structures of biologically important

molecules account for their functions?3. What is the relationship between monomers and

polymers and why is this important to life?


Identifying Organic Compounds Lab – a lab designed to use indicators to detect organic compounds in foods.

Calorimetry Lab – students use a calorimeter to determine the energy content of various food items.

Activities:

Nutrition Diary – students will track and analyze their nutritional intake for one week.

Polypeptide analysis as evidence for evolution of species.


Energy Transfer – nutritional analysis reveals the materials necessary for an organism to do work.

Relationship of Structure to Function – The molecular structure of organic compounds contributes to the role they play in the maintenance of organisms, particularly proteins.

Cells (15 days)Dec. 10-14 7 Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells/Subcellular

Organizationo Endosymbiotic theoryo Endomembrane Systemo Protein Structureso Cell Surfaces

Essential Questions:1. What are their similarities and differences?2. What are their evolutionary relationships?3. How does compartmentalization organize a cell’ s

function?4. How are the structures of the various sub-cellular

organelles related to their function?5. How do organelles function together in cellular

processes?

Campbell - Chapter 6 and 7Bryson – Chapter 24 Cells

Microscopy Lab – a basic orientation to microscope use.

Plant/Animal Cell Lab – a comparative study of animal and plant cells and their organelles.

Activities:3-D models of cell organelles.

Dec. 17-19 (3 days) 7 Subcellular Organization (cont.)

See dec. 10-14


Second Semester

Jan. 3-4 (2 days) 7 Cell Membraneso Selective Permeabilityo Passive Transport


AP Lab #1 Diffusion and Osmosis

o Osmosis/Diffusiono Facilitated Transporto Active Transport

Essential Questions:1. What is the current model of the molecular

architecture of membranes?2. How do variations on this structure account for the

functional differences among membranes?3. How does the structural organization of

membranes provide for transport and recognition?4. What are the various mechanisms by which

substances cross membranes?

Activities:Hypertonic, Hypotonic, and Isotonic concentration calculations

Jan. 7-11 7 Cell Cycle and its regulationo Cell Cycleso Mitosiso Cytokinesiso Binary Fissiono Regulation of the Cell Cycle

Essential Questions:1. How does the cell cycle assure genetic continuity?2. How does mitosis allow for the even distribution of

genetic information to new cells?3. What are the mechanisms of cytokinesis?4. How is the cell cycle regulated?5. How can aberrations in the cell cycle lead to

tumor formation?

Campbell - Chapter 11 and 12

AP Lab #3 part A: Mitosis

Activites:Mitosis Flipbooks that illustrate the phases of mitosis.

Unit Connections to Major Themes: • Relationship of Structure to Function: Role of pore size in determining permeability of a membrane; Organelle function related to

structure (such as endoplasmic reticulum, ribsomes, etc.); Importance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions of phospholipid bilayer • Regulation: Effect of cell size on diffusion rates, Cell growth regulation/signals

• Evolution: Similarities in cell organelle function with historical implications (i.e. mitochondria)

Cellular Energetics (20 days)Jan. 14-18 8 Energy Change

o Introduction to metabolic pathwayso ATP/ADP

Essential Questions:1. How do the laws of thermodynamics relate to the

biochemical processes that provide energy to living systems?

2. How do enzymes regulate the rate of chemical reactions?


Jan. 21-25 8 Enzymes and Coupled Reactionso Lowering activation energy barrierso Regulation of enzyme activity

Essential Questions:1. How does the specificity of an enzyme depend on

its structure?2. How is the activity of an enzyme regulated?


AP Lab #2 Enzyme Catalysis

Jan. 28-Feb. 1 8 Fermentation and Cellular Respirationo Cellular Respiration pathwayso Products of cellular respirationo Fermentation

Essential Questions:1. How are organic molecules broken down by

catabolic pathways?2. What is the role of oxygen in energy-yielding

pathways?3. How do cells generate ATP in the absence of


AP Lab #5 Cellular Respiration

Fermentation Lab: students use two sizes of test tubes to observe the effects of variables on fermentation of yeast.

Activities:Stick and ball models of transformation of molecules as they go through cellular respiration

oxygen?

Feb. 4-8 8 Photosynthesiso Chloroplast Structureo Photosynthetic pathways (light and dark)o Recycling and reuse of compounds between

photosynthesis and cellular respiration

Essential Questions:1. How does photosynthesis convert light energy into

chemical energy?2. How are the chemical products of the light-

trapping reactions coupled to the synthesis of carbohydrates?

3. What kinds of photosynthetic adaptations have evolved in response to different environmental conditions?

4. What interactions exist between photosynthesis and cellular respiration?


AP Lab # 4 Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis

Activities:Stick and ball models of transformation of molecules as they go through photosynthesis

Unit Connections to Major Themes: • Regulation: Relating the controlling factors of enzyme expression• Relationship of Structure To Function: Induced fit of enzymes, Chemical structure of organic compounds and their function, Effect of

structural changes on enzyme function in denaturing• Scientific Processes: Students must design, implement and evaluate a self-contained ecosphere utilizing the concepts of

photosynthesis and respiration• Energy Transfer: Transfer/storage of energy through photosynthesis and respiration, Difference in energy in pigmentation, Role of

photosystems• Regulation: Role of light on photosynthetic rate, Relationship between Light reactions and Calvin cycle• Interdependence in Nature: Relationship between photosynthesis/chemosynthesis with respiration• Evolution: Changing of leaf structure to accommodate arid environments

Heredity ( 15 days)Feb. 11-15 9 Meiosis and Gametogenesis

o Sexual and asexual reproductiono Steps of Meiosiso Independent Assortmento Crossing Over

Essential Questions:1. What features of Meiosis are important in sexual

reproduction?2. Why is meiosis important in heredity?3. How is meiosis related to gametogenesis?4. What are the similarities and differences in

gametogenesis in plants and animals?

Campbell - Chapter 13Bryson – Chapter 26 The Stuff of Life

AP lab #3 part B: Meiosis

Feb. 18-22 9 Eukaryotic Chromosomeso Chromosome Structureo Mutations

Essential Questions:1. How is genetic information organized in eukaryotic

chromosomes?2. How does this organization contribute to both

continuity of and variability in the genetic information?


AP Lab # 7 Genetics of Organisms (substitute the virtual fruit fly lab from www.sciencecourseware.org)

Feb. 25-29 9 Inheritance Patternso Mendelian Geneticso Monohybrid, Dihybrid, and Trihybrid crosseso Pedigreeso Sex determination and sex-linked traitso Codominance and Incomplete dominanceo Genotype/Phenotype

Essential Questions:


Dragon Genetics lab – a lab taken from Serendip website that explores mendelian genetics by crossing dragons and tracking multiple traits.

Probability lab: M & M chi square: lab taken from biology87.org where students use statistics to determine the accuracy of observed phenotypic

1. How did Mendel’ s work lay the foundation for modern genetics?

2. What are the principle patterns of inheritance?

ratios.

Activities: various practice with mendelian crosses.

Unit Connections to Major Themes: • Continuity and Change: Genetic variability and sustainability of populations based upon the recessive and dominant traits

Molecular Genetics (15 days)Mar. 3-7 10 RNA and DNA Structure and Function

o History of DNA discovery: Griffith, Hershey-Chase, Watson-Crick, Franklin, and Wilkins

o DNA Structureo RNA Structureo Protein Synthesis

Essential Questions:1. How do the structures of nucleic acids relate to

their functions of information storage and protein synthesis?

2. What are the similarities between prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes?


DNA Extraction Lab – Students will extract DNA from cheek cells

Activities: DNA origami, activity taken from iDNA.org where students create a strand of DNA.Classroom chromosome – students use a modified codon wheel to decipher messages and then write their names in DNA and string them together.

Mar. 10-14 10 Gene Regulation and Mutationo Protein Synthesiso Point Mutations and Evolutionary Impact

Essential Questions:1. What are some mechanisms by which gene

expression is regulated in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

2. In what ways can genetic information be altered?3. What are some effects of these alterations?


Activities: Mutation simulation where students determine the effect a mutation would have on protein synthesis

Mar. 17-21 10 Viral Structure and Replication Campbell - Chapters 18 and 19

Eukaryotic Genomeso Viral structureo Viral replicationo Interaction with eukaryotic genomes

Essential Questions:1. What is the structure of viruses?2. What are the major steps in viral reproduction?3. How do viruses transfer genetic material between

cells?

Activities: Disease Detectives problems taken from the Science Olympiad events from the CDC website.

Mar. 24-28 10 Nucleic Acid Technology and Applicationso Cloningo Recombinant DNAo Genomicso Genetic Engineering

Essential Questions:1. What are some current recombinant

technologies?2. What are some practical applications of nucleic

acid technology?3. What legal and ethical problems may arise from

these applications?


AP Lab # 6 Molecular Biology – Transformation and restriction of DNA and gel electrophoresis

Activity: Electrophoresis simulation prior to doing real electrophoresis. Students will use paper and scissors to represent restriction enzyme cutting of DNA segments and order them accordingly.


• Continuity and Change: mechanisms by which genes are maintained within populations and methods by which genetic change occurs • Evolution: Genetic basis for evolution in respect to viable/advantageous mutations• Relationship of Structure to Function: Codons and Amino Acid sequencing, • Science Technology and Society: evolution of genetics in respect to advances in technology, implications of genetic testing on

individuals rights to privacy/parents right to know

Spring BreakEvolutionary Biology(15 days)

Apr. 7-11 11 Early Evolution of Lifeo Outline the steps to early life formationo Timeline of lifeo Extinctions, Eras, and Periodso Review of major phyla and divisions

Essential Questions:1. What are the current biological models for the

origins of biological macromolecules?2. What are the current models for the origins of

prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Campbell - Chapter 22, 26Bryson – Chapter 25 Darwin’ s Singular Notion

Activities: Students will create lifelines with adding machine tape ( 1 mm = 1 million yrs) and will map out the rise of various life forms on earth.

Apr. 14-18 11 Evidence for Evolutiono History of Evolutionary theory

Essential Questions:1. What types of evidence support an evolutionary

view of life?

Campbell - Chapters 23 and 24Bryson – Chapter 21 Life Goes OnIMAX Galapagos video

Apr. 21-25 11 Mechanisms of Evolutiono Charles Darwino Origin of Specieso Natural Selectiono Population Geneticso Microevolutiono Causes of genetic variation in an individual and in

a population

Essential Questions:1. What is the role of natural selection in the process

of evolution?2. How are heredity and natural selection involved in

the process of evolution?

Campbell - Chapter 25Bryson – Chapter 29 The Restless Ape

Natural Selection lab – students will use various instruments to mimic various beak shapes and track survival and evolutionary changes over generations.

Hardy-Weinberg Goldfish Lab: students model the evolutionary process using Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers to determine if evolution occurs with respect to a particular gene locus. This lab is from the biology87.org website.

3. What mechanisms account for speciation and macroevolution?

4. What different patterns of evolution have been identified and what mechanisms are responsible for each of these patterns?

AP Lab #8 Population Genetics and Evolution

Unit Connections to Major Themes:• Evolution: Change in population caused by varying stresses on population• Continuity and Change: Relating evolutionary patterns to diversity of organisms in phylogenetic trees• Interdependence in Nature: Effects of environment on selection of traits

Review of Material (10 days)

Apr. 28 – May 2 First Semester ReviewMay 5-9 Second Semester Review

advanced placement biology 2007/2008

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