Warm Up Question

Activity: Syllabus Development

Syllabus Development Calling upon the information you were presented this week, along with the information presented in the Workshop Workbook, start constructing or amend your syllabus. There is an online syllabus tutorial that you can consult if necessary: http://www.collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaud it/courses/biology.html

Syllabus Development Use pages 72-93 to help guide your syllabus construction, paying special attention to the checklist questions on pages 72-75. Once your syllabus is complete, go back and re- read the checklist again to ensure you’ve covered everything. You can also use the information presented on pages 285-301 to make sure you are fulfilling the syllabus requirements. There are some sample syllabi on pages 301-349 that you can use as your own or amend to better fit your needs.

Activity: Becoming a Member of the AP Biology Teacher Community

AP Biology Teacher Community Go here: https://apcommunity.collegeboard.org/ and follow the instructions.

Activity: The Course Audit

The Course Audit In addition to working on your syllabus, you will also learn how to complete the course audit. Go to: http://www.collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaud it/index.html Either set up your account at the right of the page, or enter the information you gave when becoming a member of the Teacher Community. You’ll need to know the appropriate school information to complete the registration process. Submit your syllabus (when finished) and await approval/feedback.

Activity: The Photosynthesis Lab

Photosynthesis Lab Using the lab manual provided with the training materials, complete the photosynthesis lab using the materials provided.

Labs and Other Activities

Lab #1: Artificial Selection I don’t do this one because I don’t have the equipment. I perform other labs to demonstrate evolution and selection. I also discuss artificial selection with the students.

Lab #2: Mathematical Modeling We spend a day or two doing this one. The students make a model following the lab manual’s explanation. It’s a good lab. Full of inquiry. The kids can go as deep as they want with this one.

Activity: Lab #2 Hardy-Weinberg Modeling Find the handout and work through the activity. Report back in 1 hour.

Lab #3: BLAST I use a friend’s version of this lab. It’s quicker, and more user-friendly. The kids like it more (the second year, I did both and took a poll). I also do many other activities with this. I’ve included a couple on the CD. Morphology vs. Molecular DATA

Activity: Lab #3, Cladistics Critter cards and named cards. Use the named cards first. Proceed through the lab packet. Report back in an hour.

Activity: Lab #3, BLAST Take out the BLAST handout and proceed through it. Report back in 1 hour.

Lab #4: Osmosis and Diffusion We do a variety of things with this lab. We use Egeria najas seaweed (replaces Elodea). We use potatoes. We use starch and iodine. We use corn syrup and water.

Lab #5: Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis I use the Carolina kit and lab. When you order the lab you’ll get the procedure; I have found it works very well. We use a spectrophotometer. If you don’t have a spec, you can create a color coded card and have the students quantify their results and compare them to the colors/numbers on the card.

Lab #6: Cell Respiration This is a challenging lab. We use peas, but have technology. The equilibration portion of the lab is important (overnight?) Can soak the peas for one day before using. Finding pans to lay the respirometer down is challenging. Ideally, set up the day before (~2 day lab). Many different types of peas/beans work.

Lab #7: Mitosis and Meiosis We use onion root tip cells--we make them. We also use prepared slides. We purchase the Sordaria lab kit from Carolina. It’s fussy. We also do a paper lab (Reebops) Included in your packet.

Lab #8/9: Molecular Biology Use kits. I do electrophoresis of lambda phage first. I embed these activities into what we do in lecture. We also do a PCR lab looking for GMOs. This is a very good inquiry lab, but it requires you to have a good budget and the appropriate equipment.

Lab #8/9: Molecular Biology These labs frequently show up on the exam. It is a good idea to do your best to cover them if you cannot actually perform them. This is where a lot of my students report back to me to tell me they are very happy they did this prior to college.

Lab #8/9: Molecular Biology pGLO is another one that works great for me. I’ve done it for many years and always get results. Once you get confident in what you are doing, I would recommend the extension if you have the tools to do so. The results are cool and the kids think it’s neat--it makes a connection.

Lab #8/9: Molecular Biology This is a multi-day lab. Electrophoresis takes a long time. I have my kids start them and come back to check them periodically. I let my fellow teachers know what’s going on. I recommend practice gels.

Lab #10: Energy Dynamics I don’t do this lab because I don’t have the equipment. I do a population biology lab. I also do a couple of case studies from the University of Buffalo: http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/ A couple of the case studies are included in your packet.

Lab# 11: Transpiration This is a good lab with a lot of potential for inquiry. Fairly cheap. You need some tubing, some Vaseline, and I have the kids plant the seeds and watch them grow. We then use the plants for the lab. Make sure your sinks have strainers on the drains! Works well, you just have to be patient. The kids need some skill to make it work right.

Lab #12: Animal Behavior We do the pill bug with the choice chambers. I don’t want the fruit flies more than I have to. Some of my students do experiments with fruit flies during the year for genetics.

Lab #13: Enzyme Lab I use catalase from a turnip along with hydrogen peroxide and guaiacol. I have done this one for as long as I’ve taught biology. The kids like it! Can be done according to the new AP lab manual, or it can be done with the lab I gave. Included in your packet.

Activity from HHMI: Rock-Pocket Mouse

Instructions: Using the handout, “The Biochemistry and Cell Signaling Pathway of MC1R,” read through it and answer the questions. When you are finished, discuss your answers with the people at your table. Come to a consensus on what you know (or don’t know) and prepare to share out.

Interested in More Activities Like This? Go here: http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive