Biology

Taught by Pat Mote

Overview

Over the course of this workshop, new and experienced teachers alike will become familiar with the Course and Exam Description (CED) in AP® Biology (2019). The CED organizes the course into eight commonly taught units:

1. Chemistry of Life
2. Cell Structure and Function
3. Cellular Energetics
4. Cell Cycle
5. Heredity
6. Gene Expression and Regulation
7. Natural Selection
8. Ecology

The major focus of this online APSI will be on the CED and resources available to teachers. The course framework clearly connects each learning objective to specific essential knowledge and includes biology-specific science practices that build skills to help students learn to think and act like biologists. Particularly important will be the time and skillset necessary to support teachers in implementing more inquiry-based investigations.

Participants will be given tools and strategies for modifying traditional experiments into inquiry-based models. Participants will become familiar with both the hands-on and the virtual investigations in the lab manual: AP® Biology Lab Investigations: An Inquiry-Based Approach (2019). They will also explore creative alternatives to these investigations. We will examine the new AP® Biology Exam design, essay writing, and essay grading. There will be time for teachers to begin working on their AP® Biology syllabus specific to their school’s daily schedule and calendar and the AP® Course Audit process.

To learn more about AP® Biology, refer to the College Board’s website.

Online learning requirements

Participants must have a laptop/computer, WiFi/internet, LMS for access to Google Drive and Zoom, and a Google email account as well as a willingness to exchange effective teaching practices with peers in an online platform.

The APSI will run for 6 hours daily (both synchronously and asynchronously) for 5 days. This time frame will meet the College Board’s 30-hour requirement to become a Certified AP® Biology teacher.

The synchronous and asynchronous times are as follows:

• 8:00-10:00 am PDT (synchronous) will be spent viewing presentations about the CED Content and in breakout groups to discuss the CED content
• 10:00 am-1:00 pm PDT (asynchronous) will be spent independently or with other participants working on assignments and activities (includes an hour for lunch)
• 1:00-3:00 pm PDT (synchronous) will be spent on allowing time for the participants to observe guest speakers model laboratory investigations or activities and to give the participants time to discuss the CED and to ask questions about the AP® Biology Course Framework, Lab Investigations, Course Audit, and Course Syllabus for the Year.

Topics for the week

• Course and Exam Description and Course Planning
• Diversity and Inclusion & Equity and Access
• Strategies and Pedagogical Tools
• AP® Classroom & AP® Daily
• Becoming Part of the AP® Community, Assess, and Reflect Information from the week

Goals for the week

• Learn how to use resources most effectively in implementing the Course and Exam Framework
• Discuss teaching strategies for AP® Biology labs from the Investigative Lab Manual
• Share alternative and supplemental class and lab activities
• Prepare a year-long or semester-long Pacing Guide, create a Lesson Plan for a specific Topic from one of the Units from the CED, and complete a Course Audit
• Explore the AP® Central website, AP® Classroom, AP® Daily, the Course Audit Portal, and the AP® Community website
• Learn how the AP® Biology Exam is constructed and scored (MCQs and FRQS)

Schedule

Monday, Day 1

The Course and Exam Description

Morning Session (8:00-10:00 am PDT)

1. Discuss each section of the CED and make connections to the Curricular Requirements
2. Learn how to build conceptual understandings by linking Enduring Understandings (concepts) using testable Learning Objectives (what the students should be able to do) to Essential Knowledge (Content) for each of the Big Ideas (Theme)
3. Use the Science Practices (Skills) and the Essential Knowledges (Content) to apply the content in new, relevant, and unfamiliar contexts.
4. Asynchronous assignment: EXAMINE the CED to become familiar with its content. Use the Mote APSI ppt to help you unpack the CED. Understanding the Big Ideas, Enduring Understandings, Essential Knowledge Learning Objectives, Sciences Practices - Explore the 8 Unit Guides in the CED.

Afternoon Session (1:00-3:00 pm PDT)

1. Information about Textbooks and Study Guides and Other Resources
2. Lab Equipment/Materials – Carolina, Ward’s, Flinn, Bio-RAD, Probeware
3. Lab Manual: AP® Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry-Based Approach
4. Lab Notebooks (Carbonless Life Science Lab Notebooks) and Lab Reports
5. Information about Graphing Data
6. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 11 Transpiration BI 4 - Whole Plant Method: How to create Tables and Graphs
7. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 4 Diffusion, Osmosis, Water Potential BI 2
8. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 12: Animal Behavior BI 4

Asynchronous Assignment: Previewing the Science Practices - Teaching for Transfer. Study the information in the CED and the Mote APSI ppt for the following Science Practices.

• Study the information in the CED and the APSI ppt for the following Science Practices:
  • SP4 Representing and Describing Data
  • SP5 Statistical Tests and Data Analysis
• Construct a table and a graph of the data from Investigation 11 - Transpiration. Email this table and graph to patmote7@gmail.com by the beginning of the Day 2 Morning Session.
• Begin work on creating a semester-long or year-long Pacing Guide that covers the CED: all 8 Units and their Topics. Email this assignment to patmote7@gmail.com by the Friday Morning Session.

Tuesday, Day 2

Expanding AP® Opportunities

Morning (8:00-10:00 am PDT)

1. Discuss curriculum adjustments and instructional strategies that will help to recruit and retain students for the AP® Biology course
2. Identify classroom-level policies and practices that enhance or restrict student opportunities to participate in AP®
3. Study the UDL: Universal Design for Learning
4. Discuss how to develop a One-day Lesson Plan on one topic from one unit of the CED and how to develop a Year-long or Semester Pacing Guide that incorporates all the units, topics, and skills of the course, as referenced in the CED
5. Asynchronous assignment: Study the information in the CED and the APSI ppt to be able to explain Scaffolding and Spiraling of the Science Practices and identify Instructional Approaches for the Science Practices

Afternoon (1:00-3:00 pm PDT)

1. Guest Speaker: Matt Huber: Algae Research Supply 1:00-2:00pm PDT
2. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 5: Photosynthesis BI 2
3. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 6: Cellular Respiration BI 2
4. Alternative Investigation 5: Photosynthesis and Investigation 6 Cellular Respiration

Asynchronous Assignment

• Complete a One-day Instructional Lesson Plan for one topic in one of the Units from the CED. Email the unit plan to patmote7@gmail.com by the Day 3 Morning Session. Use the Lesson Planning Template provided in Google Drive to write your Lesson Plan.

Wednesday, Day 3

Strategies and Pedagogical Tools, AP® Classroom, and AP® Daily

Morning (8:00-10:00 am PDT)

1. Identify and explain various instructional strategies and tools that teachers can incorporate in their lesson plans to teach the content and skills in the Course and Exam Description
2. Explain how teachers need a deep understanding of content and applications
3. Explain how content and task verbs spiral and scaffold through the curriculum.
4. Asynchronous Assignment: Previewing the Science Practices - Teaching for Transfer. Study the Information in the CED and the APSI ppt for the following Science Practices. PREPARE to share one of the your teaching strategies or tools with other participants.
   • SP 2 – Visual Representations
   • SP 3 – Questions & Methods
   • SP 6 – Argumentation

Afternoon (1:00-3:00 pm PDT)

1. Guest Speaker: Marc Bliss: BioBits and the Central Dogma: MiniPCR 1:00-2:00pm PDT
2. Instructional Resources: AP® Classroom (including updates) & AP® Daily
3. Discuss examples of how AP® Classroom can be utilized to develop each science practice (skill) using example student data provided by the College Board and develop lesson plans that reinforce topic and skill connections.
4. Share how AP® Daily can be used as a resource
5. Practicing the Practice:: Investigation 9: Biotechnology BI 3 (Handout in Google Drive)
6. Alternative Investigation 9: Virtual DNA Gel Electrophoresis
7. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 2: Hardy-Weinberg BI 1
8. Practicing the Practices: Chi Square Analysis: Wooly Worm Lab BI 1

Asynchronous Assignment: Previewing the Science Practices - Teaching for Transfer

• Study the information in the CED and the APSI ppt for the following Science Practice SP 1-Concept Explanation. Complete the mid-week survey and email it to patmote7@gmail.com by Thursday morning.

Thursday, Day 4

AP® Course Audit and AP® Community

Morning Session (8:00-10:00 am PDT) (The Cvent Survey from the College Board will be emailed.)

1. Any QUESTIONS about the Course Audit?
2. What is the Instructional Planning Report (IPR)? (Interpreting the data to identify student strengths and weaknesses and reflect on implications for instruction.)
3. Mini-posters and CER - View samples of Lab Mini-posters and CER Mini-posters
4. Time, practice, and feedback – The understanding of content is earned over time.
5. Asynchronous Assignment: READ through the syllabus on the College Board Course Audit Site or a syllabus you have access to. Check to be sure the syllabus has all the required components. You may use the Syllabus Review Activity in Google Drive to check for completeness.

Afternoon Session (1:00-3:00 pm PDT)

1. Guest Speaker: Whitney Haggins – PTC Graphing and Statistics - MiniOne 1:00-2:00 pm PDT (Also available: Let It Glow – A Bacterial Transformation)
2. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 2: Mathematical Modeling Hardy-Weinberg BI 1
3. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 8: Biotechnology BI 3 (Handout in Google Drive)
   • Alternative Investigation 8: Virtual pGLO Bacterial Transformation

Asynchronous Assignment:

• Complete work on creating a semester-long or year-long Pacing Guide that covers the CED: all 8 Units and their Topics. Email this assignment to patmote7@gmail.com by the Friday Morning Session.

Friday, Day 5

Assessments: 2025 AP® Biology Exam

Morning (8:00-10:00 am PDT)

1. Teaching for Understanding and Transfer
2. Formative vs Summative Assessments
3. AP® Biology Exam Structure – Format CED p. 193 – Remember UBD
4. Activity: A close look at the 2025 AP® Biology Exam FRQs (including the FRQs with their Scoring Guidelines and Sample Responses)
5. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 5: Photosynthesis BI 2
6. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 6: Cellular Respiration BI 2
   • Alternative Investigation 5: Photosynthesis and Investigation 6 Cellular Respiration BI 2
7. Asynchronous Assignment: Be able to EXPLAIN the difference between Formative and Summative Assessments. PROVIDE examples of each. Explain how the PPC’s from AP® Classroom can be used as formative assessments. Explain how the Unit Tests and the AP® Biology Exam can be used as summative assessments. Complete the 5 Key Takeaway Survey found in the UGA Online APSI Folder in Google Drive. Email to me this afternoon: patmote7@gmail.com.

Afternoon (1:00-3:00 pm PDT)

1. Discussion of how FRQs are scored with Data from the 2025 AP® Biology Exam
2. Guest Speaker: Matt Huber: Algae Research Supply 1:00-2:00pm PDT
3. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 5: Photosynthesis BI 2
4. Practicing the Practices: Investigation 6: Cellular Respiration BI 2
5. Alternative Investigation 5: Photosynthesis and Investigation 6 Cellular Respiration BI 2
6. Activity: Making Time to Review for the AP® Biology Exam
7. Questions about anything we have discussed during the week?

Don’t forget to complete the APSI Cvent Survey and the 5 Key Take-aways Survey.