Advanced Placement Biology/CAPP Biology 105 11-12

River Valley School District Curriculum Template
Course name: AP Biology/CAPP Biology 105		Credit(s) or Grade Level: 1 credit 11th-12th
Academic Standards: Collegeboard		Prerequisite(s): Biology, Earth and Space Science, Chemistry
Course Description: AP Biology/CAPP Biology 105 is equivalent to an introductory Biology course and will prepare students to take the AP Exam in May. Students meeting UW-Oshkosh requirements (2.75 GPA or instructor approval), and paying an additional fee may earn four college credits for passing this course. In this class, students cultivate their understanding of Biology through inquiry based investigations as they explore the following topics: Evolution, cellular process, energy and communication, genetics, information transfer, Ecology and interactions. Reading the textbook outside of class will be essential for success within the class. There will be a significant component of hands-on laboratory work, with an emphasis on inquiry based investigations that provide students with opportunities to apply the science practices and will require attending lab outside of school on occasion. A summer assignment is required to prepare for this class.

Units:	Duration:	Essential Learning/Outcomes:
Chemistry of Life	2 weeks	Explain how the properties of water that result from its polarity and hydrogen bonding affect its biological function Describe the composition of macromolecules required by living organisms Describe the properties of the monomers and the type of bonds that connect the monomers in biological macromolecules Describe the properties of the monomers and the type of bonds that connect the monomers in biological macromolecules Explain how a change in the subunits of a polymer may lead to changes in structure or function of the macromolecule Describe the structural similarities and differences between DNA and RNA
Cell Structure and Function	4 weeks	Describe the structure and/or function of subcellular components and organelles Explain how subcellular components and organelles contribute to the function of the cell Describe the structural features of a cell that allow organisms to capture, store, and use energy. Explain the effect of surface area-to-volume ratios on the exchange of materials between cells or organisms and the environment Explain how specialized structures and strategies are used for the efficient exchange of molecules to the environment. Describe the roles of each of the components of the cell membrane in maintaining the internal environment of the cell. Describe the Fluid Mosaic Model of cell membranes. Explain how the structure of biological membranes influences selective permeability. Describe the role of the cell wall in maintaining cell structure and function. Describe the mechanisms that organisms use to maintain solute and water balance. Describe the mechanisms that organisms use to transport large molecules across the plasma membrane. Explain how the structure of a molecule affect its ability to pass through the plasma membrane Explain how concentration gradients affect the movement of molecules across membranes. Explain how osmoregulatory mechanisms contribute to the health and survival of organisms. Describe the processes that allow ions and other molecules to move across membranes. Describe the membrane-bound structures of the eukaryotic cell. Explain how internal membranes and membrane-bound organelles contribute to compartmentalization of eukaryotic cell functions. Describe similarities and/or differences and compartmentalization between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Describe the relationship between the functions of endosymbiotic organelles and their free-living ancestral counterparts.
Cellular Energetics	5 weeks	Describe the properties of enzymes. Explain how enzymes affect the rate of biological reactions. Explain how changes to the structure of an enzyme may affect its function. Explain how the cellular environment affects enzyme activity. Describe the role of energy in living organisms. Describe the photosynthetic processes that allow organisms to capture and store energy. Explain how cells capture energy from light and transfer it to biological molecules for storage and use. Describe the processes that allow organisms to use energy stored and biological macromolecules. Explain how cells obtain energy from biological macromolecules in order to power cellular functions. Explain the connection between variation and the number and the types of molecules within cells to the ability of the organism to survive and/or reproduce in different environments.
Cell Communication and Cell Cycle	3 weeks	Describe the ways that cells can communicate with one another. Explain how cells communicate with one another over short and long distances. Describe the components of a signal transduction pathway. Describe the role of components of a signal transduction pathway in producing a cellular response. Describe the role of the environment in eliciting a cellular response. Describe the different types of cellular responses elicited by a signal transduction pathway. Explain how a change in the structure of any signaling molecule affects the activity of the signaling pathway. Describe positive and/or negative feedback mechanisms. Explain how negative feedback helps maintain homeostasis. Explain how positive feedback affects homeostasis. Describe the events that occur in the cell cycle. Explain how mitosis results in the transmission of chromosomes from one generation to the next. Describe the role of checkpoints in regulating the cell cycle. Describe the effects of disruptions to the cell cycle on the cell or organism.
Heredity	3 weeks	Explain how meiosis results in the transmission of chromosomes from one generation to the next. Describe similarities and/or differences between the phases and outcomes of mitosis and meiosis. Explain how the process of meiosis generates genetic diversity. Explain how shared, conserved, fundamental processes and features support the concept of common ancestry for all organisms. Explain the inheritance of genes and traits as described by Mendel’s laws. Explain deviations from Mendel’s model of the inheritance of traits. Explain how the same genotype can result in multiple phenotypes under different environmental conditions. Explain how chromosomal inheritance generates genetic variation in sexual reproduction.
Gene Expression and Regulation	5 weeks	Describe the structures involved in passing hereditary information from one generation to the next. Describe the characteristics of DNA that allow it to be used at the hereditary material. Describe the mechanisms by which genetic information is copied for transmission between generations. Describe the mechanisms by which genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein. Describe how the phenotype of an organism is determined by its genotype. Describe the types of interactions that regulate gene expression. Explain how the location of regulatory sequences relates to their function. Explain how the binding of transcription factors to promoter regions affects gene expression and/or the phenotype of the organism Explain the connection between the regulation of gene expression and phenotypic differences in cells and organisms. Describe the various mutations. Explain how changes in genotype may result in changes in phenotype. Explain how alterations in DNA sequences contribute to variation that can be subject to natural selection. Explain the use of genetic engineering techniques in analyzing or manipulating DNA.
Natural Selection	6 weeks	Describe the causes of natural selection. Explain how natural selection affects populations. Describe the importance of phenotypic variation in a population. Explain how humans can affect diversity within a population. Explain the relationship between changes in the environment and evolutionary changes in the population. Explain how random occurrences affect the genetic makeup of a population. Describe the role of random processes in the evolution of specific populations. Describe the change in the genetic makeup of a population over time. Describe the conditions under which allele and genotype frequencies will change in populations. Explain the impacts on the population if any of the conditions of Hardy-Weinberg are not met. Describe the types of data that provide evidence for evolution. Explain how morphological, biochemical, and geological data provide evidence that organisms have changed over time. Describe the fundamental molecular and cellular features shared across all domains of life, which provide evidence of common ancestry. Describe structural and functional evidence on cellular and molecular levels that provides evidence for the common ancestry of all eukaryotes. Explain how evolution is an ongoing process in all living organisms. Describe the types of evidence that can be used to infer an evolutionary relationship. Explain how a phylogenetic tree and/or cladogram can be used to infer evolutionary relatedness. Describe the conditions under which new species may arise. Describe the rate of evolution and speciation under different ecological conditions. Explain the processes and mechanisms that drive speciation. Describe factors that lead to the extinction of a population Explain how the risk of extinction is affected by changes in the environment. Explain species diversity in an ecosystem as a function of speciation and extinction rates. Explain how extinction can make new environments available for adaptive radiation. Explain how the genetic diversity of a species or population affects its ability to withstand environmental pressures. Describe the scientific evidence that provides support for models of the origin of life on Earth.
Ecology	5 weeks	Explain how the behavioral and/or physiological response of an organism is related to changes in internal or external environment. Explain how the behavioral responses of organisms affect their overall fitness and may contribute to the success of the population. Describe the strategies organisms use to acquire and use energy. Explain how changes in energy availability affect populations and ecosystems. Explain how the activities of autotrophs and heterotrophs enable the flow of energy within an ecosystem. Describe factors that influence growth dynamics of populations. Explain how the density of a population affects and is determined by resource availability in the environment. Describe the structure of a community according to its species composition and diversity. Explain how interactions within and among populations influence community structure. Explain how community structure is related to energy availability in the environment. Describe the relationship between ecosystem diversity and its resilience to changes in the environment. Explain how the addition or removal of any component of an ecosystem will affect its overall short-term and long-term structure. Explain the interaction between the environment and random or preexisting variations in populations. Explain how invasive species affect ecosystem dynamics. Describe human activities that lead to changes in ecosystem structure and/or dynamics. Explain how geological and meteorological activity leads to changes in ecosystem structure and/or dynamics.