AP Biology

(Grades 11-12)

Course Description:

THE COURSES WILL BE CONDUCTED ONLINE FOR 4 HOURS PER WEEK.

• AP Biology is an introductory college-level biology course which differs significantly from the
usual high school course in biology with respect to the range and depth of topics covered, the
type of laboratory work done, and the time and effort required of you.
• If you are interested in pursuing a science degree or a career in a health-related field, you
should take this course.
• This course is intended to challenge your abilities to understand problems, develop and
implement a plan, manipulate data, draw conclusions, think analytically, and develop
hypotheses within the realm of biological science.
• The emphasis is on developing an understanding of biological concepts rather than an
accumulation of facts.
• In this course, you will cultivate your understanding of biology through inquiry-based
investigations as you explore the following topics: evolution, cellular processes, energy and
communication, genetics, information transfer, ecology, and interactions.
• 25 percent of the instructional time will be spent in hands-on laboratory work, with an emphasis
on inquiry-based investigations that provide you with opportunities to apply the science
practices.
• The course will be delivered in English.

The Big Ideas of the Course:

The following big ideas serve as the foundation of the course, enabling you to create meaningful
connections among concepts and develop deeper conceptual understanding:

• Evolution: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
• Energetics: Biological systems use energy and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and
maintain dynamic homeostasis.
• Information Storage and Transmission: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to
information essential to life processes.
• Systems Interactions: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions
exhibit complex properties.

AP Biology Science Practices:

The following science practices describe what skills you should develop during the course:
 • Concept Explanation: Explaining biological concepts, processes and models presented in written
format.
• Visual Representations: Analyzing visual representations of biological concepts and processes.
• Questions and Methods: Determining scientific questions and methods.
• Representing and Describing Data: Representing and Describing Data
• Statistical Tests and Data Analysis: Performing statistical tests and mathematical calculations to
analyze and interpret data.
• Argumentation: Developing and justifying scientific arguments using evidence.

Other Course Requirements:

• Describing how to collect data, use data to form conclusions, and apply your conclusions to
larger biological concepts.
• Reporting recorded data and quantitative conclusions drawn from the data with appropriate
precision (i.e., significant figures).
• Developing an understanding of how changes in the design of the experiments would impact the
validity and accuracy of their results.

Many questions on the AP exam are written in an experimental context, so these skills will prove
invaluable for both concept comprehension and exam performance.

Specific Skills for Success:

• There are few prerequisites for this course.
• However, in order to be successful on the AP exam, it is recommended that you have
successfully completed high school courses in Biology, Chemistry and English in Grade 9 and 10.
• You must have a strong work ethic to take AP Biology.
• You should be comfortable with writing as scientific writing is a large component of the course.

Admission to AP Biology is determined by your grades, attendance, and attitude as well as teacher
recommendations.

AP Biology Exam:

• The exam is 3 hours long and includes 60 multiple-choice questions and 6 free-response
questions.
• A four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator is allowed on both sections of the exam.