Welcome to Advanced Placement Biology! I hope that your experience in this course will prove to be both positive and rewarding. The class will allow you to put your academic, problem solving, and collaborative skills to the test. AP Biology is intended to be a fast paced and challenging course. It is the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college biology course that would be taken by undergraduate students. As such, you should be prepared for a brisk learning pace. We will cover a large amount of material in class. Likewise, you will need to learn material, review material, and complete assignments outside of class. Learning activities in the course will be a mix of lab investigation, lecture, individual and group tasks, research problems, and occasional presentations. Academically, I hope that you come away from the course with a strong foundation in biological science, a foundation that will allow success in future science courses. More broadly, I hope that you take from AP Biology a renewed sense of your own ability to take on challenges, a skill you can apply in any endeavor you choose to pursue.
It is important for the learning process that expectations be made clear. In an AP class I assume that you probably know what teachers expect of you. This class is similar. To clarify, these are some basic expectations I have for class.
Be prepared - come to class with materials and be ready to engage in the learning process.
Be proactive - take the initiative to engage both your classwork and the learning process. Take steps to ensure that you understand the material or to get help if you do not.
Do the work - you will succeed in this class with thoughtful and thorough attention to all of our work. Track your work and complete it in a timely and quality manner.
Seek out help - if you have questions or need assistance with a topic, it is OK to ask for help. I am available some mornings before school. I also check email regularly.
Use Google Classroom - Classroom will be our primary online class environment. Be sure to check for announcements, assignments, and learning materials.
Respect the following:
Yourself - you have the ability to do well in this class. :-)
Your peers - engage your classmates with respect, listen when they speak, speak with civility.
The learning process - show attentiveness to the work happening in class and to me as I work with you. Show respect by approaching lab and hands-on tasks in a safe manner.
The advanced placement biology exam is optional. Completing the course will prepare you for the exam. The AP Bio Exam for the 2026-2027 school year is scheduled to take place Monday, May 3rd, 2027, at 12 PM. The exam is completed at school. We will cover the procedure for exam registration in class.
Lab work is an essential part of the scientific process. Biologists seek to understand living systems by analysis and interpretation of the best data available. This data in the form of measurements, observations, responses, and so on is information collected during experiments. As such, lab work is an essential part of both scientific work and of the AP Biology course. You should expect the following regarding lab:
Working on lab tasks will occupy approximately 25% to 30% of class time. Many of our labs will take place over several class periods.
Working scientists maintain a lab notebook. You will maintain a lab notebook in class in which you describe experimental procedures, record data, perform calculations, and identify patterns in your data.
Lab results are presented in a specific written format. You will prepare several lab reports based on your lab results. The sections of a lab report will include introduction, methods, data, analysis, and discussion. Lab report formatting will be covered in more detail during class.
There are several requirements for the class. They are as follows:
Assignments must be prepared as directed in class and turned in by the stated due date. Late work may be occasionally accepted for reduced credit or may be accepted late due to extenuating circumstances. Likewise, exceptions for late work as dictated in the Warwick High School student handbook apply.
You will need to have a strategy for keeping up with the work of the class.
You will be expected to organize class materials, including notes and chapter outlines, in a three ring binder.
Following the AP Bio Exam in May 2027, the course will conclude with either a cat dissection or an extended environmental science activity. The goal of a cat dissection is to become familiar with animal anatomy. Please see me with any questions regarding this.
The marking period grade will be composed of weighted categories. The final course grade will be the average of the four marking period grades.
Grading will occur as follows:
| Per marking period, categories and percent | Final course grade, marking period and percent |
| Exams and Presentations - 50% of grade Lab Assignments and Lab Reports - 30% of grade Classwork and Homework - 20% of grade |
Each Marking Period - 25% of course grade |
Exams in the class are meant to be challenging and will often take most of the class period. You can expect exams to have both recall questions and questions in which you apply the six science practices. This will ascertain both if you remember material and if you have developed an understanding of it. It is also reflective of how knowledge is applied in science contexts. You can expect several exams each marking period. Ultimately, the goal of class exams is to help you prepare for the AP exam in May.
Overall, the main objectives of the course are as follows:
Develop a conceptual framework for modern biology;
Develop an understanding that science is a process;
Demonstrate the ability to apply scientific skills and follow scientific processes;
Develop collaborative relationships with other AP Biology students;
Enjoy the challenges, opportunities and successes offered by the course.
Further, a goal of the AP Science program is for students to understand that science is a process by which knowledge about the natural world is gained in a systematic fashion, by way of a defined process. As we dive into the foundations of biological science, it is helpful to know that the AP Bio course is organized around Big Ideas, Science Practices, and 8 units of study. As we work through the 8 units, the big ideas will serve as a foundation for understanding and the science practices the systeming process by which knowledge is gained.
| Big Ideas | Science Practices | Course Units |
| Evolution The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life. Energetics Biological systems use energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis. Information storage and transfer 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. |
Concept Explanation Visual Representation Questions and Methods Representing and Describing Data Statistical Tests and Data Analysis Argumentation |
1. Chemistry of Life 2.Cell Structure and Function 3.Cellular Energetics 4.Cell Communication and Cell Cycle 5.Heredity 6.Gene Expression and Regulation (inc Biotech) 7.Natural Selection 8.Ecology Supplemental Unit: Cat dissection. |
The following are basic class resources that will be used often.
Textbook. Campbell, Neil and Jane Reece, Biology [AP Edition], 9th edition. San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc. 2011.
AP Classroom. We will use this website for AP Bio Exam practice and to register for the AP Bio Exam.
Google Classroom. Think of this as our primary digital environment. Assignments, announcements, and links to other digital resources will be placed here. Likewise, if I am absent classwork will be provided in Google Classroom.
There are several ways to stay informed about and to speak with me about class.
Email: I check email several times a day and will attempt to reply to you in a timely manner. Please note, I generally do not check email between 8 PM and 6 AM. Email is rmount@warwicksd.org
Google Classroom: If you miss class for any reason you should first check Classroom for any new posts.
During Class: The best time for a short conversation is at the very beginning or very end of class or when you are engaged in individual or group work.
In Person: If you need assistance or would like to have a longer conversation you should schedule a time to come to my classroom. Before school I can meet as early as 7:15 AM. After school I am generally available until 3:20 PM and on select days until 3:45 PM. You may also make an appointment in Securly to visit during flex period.
Web Grades: Please keep in mind that grading may occasionally take time as I carefully evaluate student work. However, I do my best to keep web grades updated in a timely way. Likewise, within web grades most items are linked to a copy of the assignment. Please let me know if you have questions.