Ms. DeCandiaAP Biology Summer Assignment
Welcome to AP Biology!
AP Biology is a college level biology course that will be very challenging and rigorous. We will be using a college level textbook and perform in-depth labs. Most of the students in this class have taken honors biology, but this class is very different in the fact that it is extremely self directed and requires time management. You will be expected to do nightly readings from your textbook, watch videos and do pre-lab assignments. The pace is very quick and we cover one or more chapters each week. This class will be a huge commitment on your part, and hopefully you will learn a lot and have fun at the same time.
Come September we have to hit the ground running, hence a summer assignment. I know that no one likes to work during the summer, including me, but you will find this helpful in getting ready for the demands of the class. Perform each assignment and make sure they are submitted by the due date listed. Let's start off the year right!
All the assignments below will be collected on the first day of school and graded. We will have a test on the statistics, graphing and experimental design topics during the second week of school.
Assignment 1: Communication(due by August 1st)
I have opened a twitter account for our class. There may be times when I need to contact you with last minute information. I won't be tweeting regularly, but when I tweet, it will be important. Follow me @APbiodecan
I will give 5 extra credit points on your first test for following me. This must be done by August 1st.
Assignment 2: Getting to Know You (due by August 1st)
I willneed your school email account. Twitter has limitations on content, so if I need to send out information, I may need to email you. Please send your email to me at the following address: .
The subject line of the email should read as follows: your last name/AP Biology. Respond to me using your school email account, not your personal email.
In the email I would like you to introduce yourself. I have already had most of you as students, but it's been a few years and I only know a little bit about you. Include the following information in the body of the email:
- Your full name and nickname, if you have one.
- What you like to do (hobbies, sports, music, other interests, etc.)
- Do you have a job or plan to get a job. What kind? How often do you work?
- What are your strengths in learning new material?
- What causes you to struggle in a course?
- What is the most effective way for you to prepare for a test?
- How do you learn best?
- Was there anything you liked or dislike about your earlier biology class? (be honest)
- What are you looking forward to themost in AP biology?
- What are you most anxious about in AP biology?
- Why are you taking AP biology? What do you hope to accomplish/gain?
- Anything specific I should know about you that was not covered above.
Assignment 3: Statistics (due on the first day of school)
1. Go to pdecandia.com > AP Biology page > Statistics link
- scroll down to Resources section
- observe the following videos:
- Statistics for Science
- Standard Deviation
- Standard Error
3. Read the Error Bars tutorial
3. Go to Notes section and review the Statistics Primer powerpoint
4. Print and complete the following worksheets: 1a, 1b, 2, 3
These will be collected on the first day of school.
AP Summer Assignment 4: Graphing (due first day of school)
Analyzing and creating graphs are an essential skill for AP Biology. Completethedataanalysisand graphing attachedand haveitreadytoturnin on the first day of theschoolyear.Allgraphsmustbecompletedand writtenbyhand for credit.
Graphingisanimportantprocedureusedby scientiststodisplaythedatathatiscollectedduringa
controlledexperiment.Linegraphsmustbeconstructedcorrectlytoaccuratelyportraythedata collected.Manytimesthe wrongconstructionofa graphdetractsfromtheacceptanceofan individual’shypothesis
Agraphcontainsfivemajorparts:
a.Title
b.Theindependentvariable
c.Thedependentvariable
d.Thescalesforeachvariable
e.Alegend
TheTITLE:depictswhatthegraphis about.Byreadingthetitle,thereadershouldgetanideaabout thegraph.It shouldbea concisestatementplacedabovethegraph.
TheINDEPENDENTVARIABLE:isthevariablethatcanbecontrolledbytheexperimenter.It usuallyincludestime(dates,minutes,hours,etc.),depth(feet,meters),andtemperature(Celsius). ThisvariableisplacedontheXaxis(horizontalaxis).
TheDEPENDENTVARIABLE:isthevariablethatisdirectlyaffectedbytheindependentvariable.It istheresultof whathappensbecauseoftheindependentvariable.Example:Howmanyoxygenbubbles areproducedby aplantlocatedfivemetersbelowthesurfaceofthewater?Theoxygenbubblesare dependentonthedepthofthewater.ThisvariableisplacedontheY-axisor verticalaxis.
TheSCALESfor eachVariable:Inconstructingagraphoneneedstoknowwheretoplotthepoints
representingthedata.Inordertodothisascalemustbe employedtoincludeallthedatapoints.This mustalsotakeupaconservativeamountof space.Itisnot suggestedtohavearunonscalemaking
thegraphtoohardtomanage.Thescalesshouldstartwith0 andclimbbasedonintervalssuchas:
multiplesof2,5,10,20,25,50,or 100.Thescaleofnumberswillbedictatedbyyourdatavalues.
TheLEGEND:isashortdescriptivenarrativeconcerningthegraph'sdata.Itshouldbeshortand conciseandplacedunderthegraph.
TheMEANfor agroupofvariables:Todeterminethemeanfor agroupofvariables,dividethesumof thevariablesby thetotalnumberofvariablestogetanaverage.
TheMEDIANfor agroupofvariables:Todeterminemedianor “middle”for anevennumberofvalues,
putthevaluesinascendingorderandtaketheaverageofthetwomiddlevalues.e.g.2,3,4, 5,9,10
Add4+5(2middlevalues)anddivideby2toget4.5
TheMODEfor agroupofvariables:Themodeforagroupofvaluesisthenumberthatoccursmost frequently.e.g. 2,5,8,2,6,11 Thenumber2 isthe modebecauseitoccurredmostoften(twice)
Complete the problems on the worksheet and submit them on the first day of school.
Name ______
Assignment 4: Graphing Practice Worksheet (due first day of school)
Problem1
Usingthefollowingdata,answerthequestionsbelowandthenconstructalinegraph.
Depthinmeters / Numberof Bubbles/ minutePlantA / Numberof Bubbles/ minutePlantB2 / 29 / 21
5 / 36 / 27
10 / 45 / 40
16 / 32 / 50
25 / 20 / 34
30 / 10 / 20
1.Whatisthedependentvariableand why?
2.Whatistheindependentvariableandwhy?
3.Whattitlewouldyougivethegraph?
4.Whatarethemean,median,andmodeof all3 columnsofdata?
a).Depth:Mean_MedianMode_
b).BubblePlantA.:Mean MedianMode _
c).BubblesPlantB:Mean MedianMode _
Title:
Legend:
Problem2
Diabetesisadiseaseaffectingtheinsulinproducingglandsofthepancreas.Ifthereisnotenoughinsulin beingproducedbythesecells,theamountof glucoseinthebloodwillremainhigh.A bloodglucoselevel above140for anextendedperiodoftimeis notconsiderednormal.Thisdisease,ifnotbroughtunder control,canleadtoseverecomplicationsandevendeath.
Answerthefollowingquestionsconcerningthedatabelowandthengraphit.
TimeAfterEatinghours / Glucoseml /LiterofBloodPersonA / Glucoseml /LiterofBloodPersonB0.5 / 170 / 180
1 / 155 / 195
1.5 / 140 / 230
2 / 135 / 245
2.5 / 140 / 235
3 / 135 / 225
4 / 130 / 200
1.Whatisthedependentvariableand why?
2.Whatistheindependentvariableandwhy?
3.Whattitlewouldyougivethegraph?
4.Which,if any,oftheaboveindividuals(Aor B)hasdiabetes?
5.Whatdatadoyouhavetosupportyourhypothesis?
6.Ifthetimeperiodwereextendedto6 hours,what wouldtheexpectedbloodglucoselevelforPerson B?
Title:Legend:
Problem 3
TemperatureswereobtainedinNovemberinafairlyaridareaof Nevada.At twodifferentsites,
temperaturereadingsweretakenata numberofheightsaboveandbelowthesoilsurface.Onesitewas shadedbya juniper(a plant)whereastheotherwasnot.
Table1
Condition / Heightincmfromsoilsurface / Temp.inCo-
BeneathForest
Cover / TempinCo –
UnshadedField
Air / 150 / 18 / 20
Air / 90 / 18 / 21
Air / 60 / 18 / 20
Air / 30 / 18 / 21
Soilsurface / 0 / 16 / 33
Humus / -6 / 12 / 19
Mineral / -15 / 9 / 15
Mineral / -30 / 7 / 12
Constructalinegraphandplotthedata
Title:
Legend:
Problem 4
Aresearcherinterestedinthedisappearanceof fallenleavesinadeciduousforestcarriedoutafield
experimentthatlastednearlyayear.Shecollectedalltheleavesfrom100 plotsscatteredthroughout theforest.Shemeasuredthe amountofleavespresentinNovember,MayandAugust.Thepercentages reflectthenumberofleavesfound,usingthe Novembervaluesas 100percent.
Table2
CollectionDate / Ash / Beech / Elm / Hazel / Oak / Willow
November / 4271g
100% / 3220g
100% / 3481g
100% / 1723g
100% / 5317g
100% / 3430g
100%
May / 2431g
57% / 3190g
91% / 1739g
% / 501g
% / 4401g
83% / 1201g
35%
August / 1376g
32% / 2285g
71% / 35g
% / 62g
% / 1759g
33% / 4g
0.1%
Completethetablebycalculatingthemissingpercentages
Constructalinegraphfortheashand elmleaves
Title:
Legend:
Problem 5
AspeciesofinsecthasbeenaccidentallyintroducedfromAsiaintotheUS.Thesuccessofthisorganism dependsonits abilitytofindasuitablehabitat.Thelarvalstageis verysensitivetochangesin temperature,humidityandlightintensity.Exposetosituationsoutsidethetolerancelimitsresultsina high mortality(death)rate.Studythedatatablebelow.
Temp. (oC) / Mortality(%) / Relative
Humidity(%) / Mortality
(%) / Light
intensity(fc) / Mortality
(%)
15 / 100 / 100 / 80 / 300 / 0
16 / 80 / 90 / 10 / 400 / 0
17 / 30 / 80 / 0 / 600 / 10
18 / 10 / 70 / 0 / 800 / 15
19 / 0 / 60 / 0 / 1000 / 20
20 / 0 / 50 / 50 / 1200 / 20
21 / 0 / 40 / 70 / 1400 / 90
22 / 0 / 30 / 90 / 1600 / 95
23 / 20 / 20 / 100 / 1800 / 100
24 / 80 / 10 / 100 / 2000 / 100
25 / 100 / 0 / 100
On the graphs, plot line graphs for the effects of temperature and humidity of mortality rates.
Legend: Legend:
Assignment 6 Interpreting and Creating Histograms (due first day of class)
- Watch the video on Histograms on pdecandia.com in the Statistics link.
- Complete the following problems and submit on the first day of school.
Name ______
Histogram Interpretation Worksheet
_____ 1.The histogram shows the number of directors and the number of movies they complete in a year. Find
the difference between the directors who made 3 to 4 movies in a year and who made 5 to 6 movies in a
year.
a. 5 b. 10c. 35d. 15
_____ 2.Use the histogram and find the difference between the number of students studying for 6 - 7 and 8 - 9
hours.
a. 2b. 4c. 3d. 1
_____ 3Rita collected the data regarding the distribution of fish and aquatic life in a nearby pond. The data
consists of the number of living creatures found in each 1 meter depth increment in the pond. How
many more living creatures are there in the depth range 5 - 6 meters than 0 - 1 meters?
a. 40b. 10c. 25d. 5
_____ 4.John recorded the number of baseball cards collected by his friends, on a histogram. How many people
were surveyed?
a. 52b. 49c. 44d. 35
_____ 5. Mary recorded the number of stamps collected by her friends on a histogram. What is the difference
between the greatest and least frequency shown in the graph?
a. 2b. 9c. 3d. 7
Answer:(a)
8. Create a frequency table and Histogram using the given information
9.
10. Create a frequency table and Histogram using the given information
Assignment 7 (due first day of class) FINALLY, THE LAST ONE!!!!!
Math and Statistics for AP Biology - Research the answer to the following questions
1. In designing an experiment or other scientific study, why do scientists need to sample from a population
rather than using an entire population?
2. Suppose you are designing an experiment to test the effects of nicotine on the heart rate of rats. What are
the disadvantages of having too small a sample size (i.e., testing on too few rats)? What are the
disadvantages of having too large a sample size (i.e., testing on too many rats)?
3. Explain the difference between discrete variables and continuous variables. Give an example of each.
4. Explain the difference between quantitative and categorical variables. Give an example of each.
5. What is a null hypothesis?
6. Explain the difference between a Type I error and a Type II error.
7. What are some steps that scientists can take in designing an experiment to avoid false negatives?