Agenda – Biology
AP Biology Summer Institute Course Description:
Participants in this in-depth training will increase their knowledge of and comfort level with the AP Biology
Curriculum, including an in-depth review of the AP Biology Course and Exam Description (CED), and they will
learn how to plan their course around the CED. We will perform some of the labs from the new lab manual,
conduct some effective and inexpensive labs, perform ShoeBox Investigations (Take-Home Labs), and discuss
how to tweak labs you currently use to make them student-driven and inquiry-based. Various teaching and
learning strategies will be introduced in order for participants to fully integrate the science practices into their
daily classroom. In addition, time will be spent familiarizing ourselves with the format, sample questions, and
grading of the AP Biology exam. We will also look at the scope and sequence of the course with time being
dedicated to your own course syllabus and lesson planning.
Items Needed:
Laptop Computer and School Calendar
AP Biology Summer Institute Agenda:
DAY 1: Understanding AP Biology |
- Understanding the Updated AP Biology Curriculum
- Course Framework, Unit Guides, Topic Pages
- Scaffolding and Spiraling Concepts in AP Biology: Teaching For Understanding and Transfer of Content
- AP Classroom: AP Course Audit and Curricular Requirements
- Knowing the Target: The AP Exam
- Investigations in AP Biology: What are the Requirements?
- Question Biology: Science Practice 3
- Investigation: Mung Beans and Soil Salinity
- Know Biology: Science Practice 1
- Investigation: Cellular Respiration vs. Photosynthesis
- Curriculum Mapping: How are you going to do all of it?
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DAY 2: Teaching AP Biology |
- AP Teacher Community and Resources
- Argue Biology: Science Practice 6
- Reimagine the CER – The QECR
- Where Content and Skills Merge: The Free Response Questions
- Assessments: Formative vs Summative
- A Day in AP Biology: Active Learning in AP Biology
- The BILL: Biology Interactive Learning Log
- Using Content to Teach the Science Practices: Instructional Approaches in AP Biology
- Calculate Biology: The Formula Sheet
- Power of Simulations: The Mating Game
- Curriculum Mapping: How is learning going to be structured?
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DAY 3: Integrating the Science Practices |
- AI in AP Biology: What is its role?
- Visualizing Biology: Science Practice 2
- Ambitious Modeling in AP Biology
- Investigation: BLAST
- Investigation: Using Biotechnology to Create Visual Representations
- Knowing the Misconceptions in AP Biology: Chief Reader Reports
- Broadening Access for AP: AP for All
- Empowering your Students – Pointless and Ungrading Practices
- How to Use the Data: Science Practice 5
- Investigation: Simpson’s Diversity Index
- Curriculum Mapping: How is learning going to be Assessed?
- Importance of Water
- Investigation: Why Cells Must be so Small
- Investigation: Determining the Osmolarity of Plant Tissue
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DAY 4: Assessing Progress and Understandings |
- Putting it All Together: Using the IPR to Influence Planning
- Curriculum Mapping – Scope and Sequence
- Cell Communication: What is the Most Challenging Concept to Teach
- Connecting the Science Practices in an Investigation
- Why are Yeast Spheres so Cool?
- Investigation: Enzymes with Yeast
- Putting it in Reverse: Roadmapping AP Exam Review
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Download the AP Biology Summer Institute Agenda (PDF)