June 2015
To all AP Biology Students:
Congratulations! The fact that you have elected to study AP Biology is a credit to your motivation and ability. We are looking forward to working with you in September.
AP Biology is a college level course that is taught to advanced high school students. This is an upper level course that is designed to be taken after the completion of a Regents Biology course. However, you will take the AP and regents levels at the same time. This will be a challenging task that will require a considerable time and effort investment on your part.
One of the most difficult aspects of this class is completing the entire curriculum before the AP Exam, traditionally given the second week of May. To help alleviate some of the time limitations, we find it necessary to give you your AP textbook now, along with an AP Biology contract and 3 assignments to be completed over the summer.
The first assignment is a brief introduction to biology, as well as a review of some of the basics you learned in chemistry. A fundamental knowledge of chemistry is vital to understanding many biological concepts. The second assignment is an introduction to some of the math calculations/formulas you must be proficient in for the AP Biology Exam. A large part of the AP Biology course will require clear, well written communication of your ideas based on current research in the scientific field. This is why your third assignment requires you to read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, and organize your knowledge into a well written paper. The book you have been assigned may be available at the public library or you can purchase a copy; amazon.com and barnesandnobles.com are currently selling the book in paperback, hardcopy, and kindle/nook edition. You will need your notebook with the completed assignments and your signed contract on the first day of school (leave your textbook at home). Your notebook should be a loose-leaf binder because you will be given many handouts to supplement your notes. These assignments are being graded and will not be accepted late. Failure to have all completed assignments on the first day of school will result in a grade of zero. The grades will be as follows:
Henrietta Lacks Essay = a test grade
Grid-in problems (math calculations) = a homework grade
Vocabulary Words = a quiz grade
While it must seem very strange to have homework over the summer, you will appreciate the extra time it gives us for review before the exam in May. Homework will be a frequent and important part of this course. It will further your understanding of the subject matter and will be an integral part of your grade.
Enjoy the summer, and we’ll see you in September.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Ellen Montgomery Mr. Richard Plouffe'
ASSIGNMENT #1
READ IN THE TEXT:
CHAPTER 1- CHAPTER 4
DEFINE IN YOUR NOTEBOOK AND UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING TERMS:
PLEASE HANDWRITE THESE DEFINITIONS
1. biology 17. element 33. polar molecule
2. producers 18. compound 34. adhesion
3. consumers 19. trace elements 35. cohesion
4. prokaryotic cell 20. atomic number 36. capillary action
5. eukaryotic cell 21. atomic mass 37. surface tension
6. systems biology 22. radioactive isotopes 38. specific heat
7. positive feedback 23. electron shells 39. solvent
8. negative feedback 24. covalent bond 40. solute
9. inquiry 25. molecule 41. hydration shell
10. inductive reasoning 26. ionic bond 42. hydrophilic
11. hypothesis 27. hydrogen bond 43. hydrophobic
12. scientific method 28. reactants 44. pH
13. controlled experiment 29. products 45. buffers
14. independent variable 30. pH scale
15. dependent variable 31. acid
16. theory 32. Base
ASSIGNMENT # 2
Complete all calculations in the Formula Packet. Don’t forget to show your work! On the AP Exam you will be bubbling in your final answers onto a scantron sheet. Practice this by “gridding-in” your answers.
ASSIGNMENT # 3
Plan ahead, so that if you need to order a book online, you have time to order it, receive it, and read it; completing the assignment by the due date. Failure on your part to plan ahead will not get you an extension of the due date. You will type a 5 page paper (Times New Roman font, 12 font size, and double line spacing) incorporating quotes from the book. This is an independent project, meant to be done independently. Refer to Hauppauge’s Academic Integrity Policy (attached). You must gather your own research, write your own ideas, and correctly credit authors’ ideas according to the APA format for writing. Your essay should include four major sections: the Title Page, Introduction, Main Body, and References. An Abstract is not required. We are including the rubric which we will use to grade your essay in order for you to have a better idea on how to address the required areas/questions. You will find examples of how to cite using APA format at the following website:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
The following areas must be addressed in your paper:
1. Summarize the main points of the book in your own words. Who did what with Henrietta Lack’s tissue cells, when, where and for what purpose? Who benefited, scientifically, medically, and monetarily?
2. What is your impression of Henrietta after reading Chapter 2?
3. Read the Operation Permit (Chapter 3) that Henrietta signed. Do you think it gave the hospital the right to take tissue from Henrietta for research purposes?
4. Why was the development of an “immortal” cell line like HeLa potentially so important to medical research?
5. What is your reaction to the medical decisions regarding blood transfusions and discontinuing cancer treatment for Henrietta Lacks?
6. Did Microbiological Associates have the right to begin growing and selling HeLa cells, even though they played no role in developing them?
7. Why were scientists worried that cell and tissue research was becoming a disaster? What seemed to be going wrong?
8. What did you learn from reading The Immortal Life? What surprised you the most? What disturbed you the most?
Email questions you may have regarding these assignments to your prospective teacher at the following address: or