AP BIOLOGY

 

INSTRUCTOR:

Mr. Koelbl     Room 004     Phone: 262-542-7101 ext. 252

 

WEB SITE:

     http://www.geocities.com/apbiowi

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

     AP Biology is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory biology course usually taken by science majors during their first year of college.  The Advanced Placement (AP) Program provides an opportunity for high school students to pursue and receive credit for college-level course work completed at the secondary school level.

 

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Textbook, lab book, downloaded notes, and folder or ring binder.

 

GRADING:

Grades are based on the points you earn on the tests, quizzes, labs, worksheets, text assignments etc.

Quarter

20%      Worksheets, study guides.     

20%     Labs and lab quizzes.

60%   Tests and quizzes

Semester

40% First quarter

40% Second quarter

20% Semester Exam

 

 

 

 

NOTES:

     Notes for AP Biology are to be downloaded from the web.  If you do not have access to the Internet at home, you can either have someone download them for you, or use the computers in the library.

 

COURSE OUTLINE:

     See handout.

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

     Lab write-ups are due the following lab period or on another assigned day and may be handed in one day late with 20% taken off. Labs are usually worth 10 to 30 points.

 

TESTS and QUIZZES:

     There are usually 5 tests per quarter.  They are usually worth 100 points.  Quizzes are usually worth 10 to 30 points.

 

TARDIES:

     See student handbook.

 

ABSENCES:

     A student, who has an excused absence, is responsible to find out what work they have missed the day they get back.  The number of days you missed is the number of days you have to make up the work.

However it is probably a good idea to make it up as soon as possible so that you do not fall behind.  Unexcused absences will result in a zero for any assignments missed.

     If you are absent for a test, please see me the day you return to set a day and time to make up the test.  If you are absent only on the day before the test, expect to take the test on the test day or one day later with a valid reason.  If you are only absent on the test day expect to take the test the day you return unless you have a valid reason. 

 

BEHAVIOR:

It is important to have a comfortable learning environment.  Your behavior should assist in this.  Any actions that do not maintain this learning environment will result in an appropriate consequence such as a detention, a call to parents, a demerit etc.  Detentions given by the teacher need to be served within three days or an additional detention will be given.

 

CHEATING:

     See CMH handbook.  In addition, points will be deducted from the grade for the assignment, lab, test etc.

 

WORK ETHIC

     AP Biology is a college level biology course.  The curriculum is very rigorous and demands a fair amount of effort and time.  We will cover some 5o chapters at a rapid pace. 

 

AP BIOLOGY EXAM

     This course is set up to prepare you to take the AP Exam.  The lecture material and labs are set to follow the suggestions of the AP Committee.  It is expected that you will take the AP Exam in May.

 

STRATEGIES FOR DOING WELL IN AP BIOLOGY

 

1. ASK QUESTIONS!!!!!!!! Either during the lecture or lab, before or after school.

 

2. IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS, SEE ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!!!.  Either during class, before or after class, before or after school.

 

3. KEEP UP WITH THE WORK!!!! The more you fall behind the more difficult it is to catch up. Do not wait to seek help. Make sure all homework, study guides, worksheets are finished on time.

 

4. STUDY a little bit each day.  Do not let it go to the night before the test.

 

5. DEVELOP STUDY SKILLS that will aid you in learning the material.  Use flash cards, study groups, people quizzing you off the study guide etc to prepare for the test.

 

6.  Make sure you UNDERSTAND (not just memorize) the material.

 

7.  LISTEN and add to the downloaded notes.  You need to add information to the notes!

 

8.  READ the textbook as background information to help understand the notes.

 

9. DO YOUR OWN WORK!!!! Copying another student's homework will not help you learn the material. .  Information and techniques learned in lab are on the AP exam.  Thus it is important to do understand what has occurred in lab even thought you may be working in a lab group.

 

10.  It is very important to learn the material well when it is first covered.  The AP Exam is given in May and covers all the material covered in the class.  Preparation and review for this exam will go a lot smoother if you have learned the material the first time it was covered!!!