V – AP Biology S1*

This course is structured as a fast-paced, college level course. Due to the volume and level of the materials, as well as, the prep for the AP Examination, this course is designed to challenge extremely motivated students who have a strong interest in the biological sciences. Students must have the discipline to work independently outside of regular class time. Topics include: 1) Chemistry of Life where students learn about water’s role as a basis of life and the functions of macromolecules like lipids and proteins. 2) Cell Structure and Function where students study the makeup of cells and the fundamentals of evolution. 3) Cellular Energetics where students explore how cells interact with their environment and how fundamental biological processes work at the cellular level. 4) Cell Communication and Cycle where students learn how cells grow and reproduce, as well as how cells communicate. 5) Hereditary where students learn how traits are passed down from one generation to the next. 6) Gene Expression and Regulation to study how hereditary information passed from parent to offspring and how these traits are expressed. 7) Natural selection where students learn about Darwin’s theory and the concept of natural selection, and evolution. 8) Ecology where students explore biological concepts at a broader organism level and analyze how populations interact within ecosystems.