AP Biology

General Information to Start the Course

Summer 2019: Please go to the "Announcements" sub-page for some new information.
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*Here Is the Remind for my AP Bio classes for 2019-2020.  Join ASAP!

This is important, so please read below:
I have the Remind account set so that you can also send me messages. Most teachers (at least the ones I know) do not allow this. However, I never had a problem with allowing it until this past year. Unfortunately, a few students were sending me multiple messages, and some almost on a daily basis. Over 3000 'questions' were sent to me this past school year (meaning after school hours...and some were very late at night), whereas in previous years less than 1000 per year were sent (which I consider 'reasonable'). The purpose of allowing students to occasionally message me is for a question/problem that I consider needs immediate attention and cannot wait until the next school day. If I think the question can wait until the next day (or the question was in reference to something that I covered in class earlier...or was on the Daily PPt that the student is responsible for reading and writing the information down), I likely will not reply. Please understand that I do have other responsibilities when the school day is over.  While I want to be accessible to my students, there are limits. Hopefully, last year was an exception, so we'll try it again and see how it goes.

For the time being, here are the Rules regarding sending me Remind messages:

1) School days (M-F): Not before 7:45 AM and not after 9:30 PM
2) Weekends: Between 2 PM and 9:30 PM ONLY
3) Summer (all days): Between 2 PM and 10 PM. *If I'm on vacation, likely in a little cabin high on a mountain somewhere (I really enjoy nature & hiking), you will not get a reply until sometime after I return...plus it's very likely I don't have service!
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Please understand that sending me a message after school hours does not mean you will get an immediate reply. I appreciate you being considerate of my time.
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I really am looking forward to getting to know my new kids! 🙂

Starting the Course:
*Summer 2019: Please go to the Announcements sub-page for some new info

AP Biology Syllabus - Fall 2019. Final curriculum revisions from College Board are being sent to teachers on 8/1/19 (1st day of school). This may require a few revisions
  • ​Be sure & sign up for a Remind account asap! The link above has the code for joining 2019-20 
  • If I receive Student Access Codes from Pearson over the summer, I will post info on the Announcements sub-page. 
  • We received new textbooks in 2018-19 (actually only 1 class set, but you will have access electronically once you receive the code). It is the newest (11th) edition of the Campbell Biology (AP edition) text. We previously used the 8th edition and I still have 20+ older editions in my room available for checking out. While both editions are very similar in subject content, the 11th edition will have some new resources that better prepare you for the AP Exam. That being said, if you decide to purchase a hard copy of the text, you'll save a lot of money by purchasing an edition that's a few years 'older'. You can always get to the new info electronically (once the county sends me the Pearson access codes).
  • THERE WILL BE A QUIZ ON CHAPTERS 1-4, ALONG WITH GRAPHING AND BASIC STATISTICS, DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE SEMESTER (likely Monday, 8/5/19). Chapter 5 ('Large Biological Molecules') will not be on the 1st quiz, but will be on the 1st test. If you have access, I would recommend you read and take thorough notes before school starts (*Cornell-style is recommended, although you are welcome to modify the format to a style that suits you best). If you do NOT have access before school starts (meaning, I haven't received the access codes & can't forward them to you), there is another good option for those who want to prepare early. Check out this great free online book.  There are also some great videos on all chapters from the book on www.youtube.com. A few links will be provided on the 'Unit 1' page (use the drop-down menu for access). ​
  •  Projected date for 1st Major Test: Friday, 8/9/19 . Topics: Intro to Stat; Ch 1-5 (Campbell text) which is Ch 1-3 (I think) in OpenStax (free online book from Rice University).

 Pearson Website- more info   *recently updated for 2019-2020: 

  1. ​An account should be created by each student prior to school starting. I will notify students via Remind during the summer when the access codes are available (*join Remind ASAP!) 
  2. The 1st (short) assignment on the site should be completed prior to the first day of Fall Semester (the class code is on the same document as the one with the access code). 
  3. On the first day of fall semester, I will post Unit 1 HW (homework) and due dates on the Pearson website. However, when you log on to www.masteringbiology.com, you will need to do a few 'new' things:
  • Join the Phillips AP Bio 2019-2020 course on the 1st day of Fall Semester (*this is a different course from the one used for the short assignment over the summer).
  • MAKE SURE YOU ENTER THE CORRECT CLASS CODE, depending on if you're in 1st, 3rd or 4th block. (*I will import grades this way and if you're not in the right class, you will NOT receive credit!) 
    • ​PHILLIPSFALL2019-1st
    • PHILLIPSFALL2019-3rd
    • ​PHILLIPSFALL2019-4th
    4. Complete assignments for all units by the        due dates given on the website.
*Note- some of Pearson's defaults cannot be changed. You will not be penalized for a missed question on a HW assignment as long as you retry all missed questions & complete them on time (time expires @11:59 PM on each due date)
  • Take advantage of the 'AP Study Area' . There are some awesome resources with the new edition.
    • Example: 'Study by Chapter' feature: Go through the walk-throughs, animations, pre-tests, quizzes & practice tests offered with every chapter ​​

Summer Assignment:
​*Summer 2019: Please go to the Announcements sub-page for some new info

  • ​Summer Assignment: Fall 2019 
    • ​*Must download it first or hyperlinks won't work. Due the FIRST DAY of class.*If the hyperlink to the required 'Intro to Statistics' questions still doesn't work after downloading, click here to access it. Links to the videos are also posted in Unit 1 (see AP Biology drop-down menu at the top of this page to locate all units of study). ​  ​
  • ​While the following assignments are not required over the summer, many students like to get started in advance:  
    • Chapters 1-4 Questions- Due the 3rd day of class (Campbell e-text).  If you do NOT yet have access to the Pearson website and want to get started early, click on this resource (or copy & paste in your browser): https://openstax.org/details/books/biology-ap-courses.  For more information as to what will be required, see 'Unit 1' from the drop-down menu ​​
    • ​AP Biology Book Project: For more information, see 'Projects' from the drop-down menu. *THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE CHANGED FOR FALL 2019
      •  *Important Update-Summer 2019: I'm waiting on College Board to notify me with new AP Bio curriculum changes they have made and will begin Fall 2019. I would advise not starting this project until I can determine whether or not a different Semester Project is needed 

FYI: additional information  

COLLEGE BOARD: 
  • NEW for Fall 2019: College Board's AP Classroom. *FYI: Teachers were not given access to the site until the first day of school (8/1 2019). Here's what I know, as of 8/8/19:
    • ​If a student has not previously made an account on www.collegeboard.org, do that first!
    • Class Codes for all 3 blocks were given to students in each of my classes, via 'hard copy', on 8/6/19 (*I cannot post that info)
    • Registration for ALL May 2020 AP exams will be exclusively through AP Classroom ONLY
    •  DEADLINE TO REGISTER FOR EXAM IS 11/12/19
    • "Personal Progress Checks" (administered by College Board) will be assigned shortly before each of our (8) Unit Tests.  Here is the link to the Student Guide.  
    MORE CB INFO:​​
  • NEW THIS YEAR: AP Biology Course and Exam Descriptors (2019-2020). *FYI: Teachers will not receive final updates from CB until 8/1/2019
  •  Here's the link to the AP Bio Formulas and Equations Sheet​ for 2018-2019 (they have made a few changes for 2019-2020 and the new formula sheet is now available on the collegeboard.org website) 
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​​Data from the previous 4 AP Bio Exams: 
(5 = highest; 1 = lowest. 3 = 'passing') ​

2018/19 Score Results: (*released 7/6/19)
Score:     Global %:          Wheeler %:
5              7                       31.7  (*ALL-TIME HIGH!)
4              22                     40
3              35                     25
2              27                     3.3
1              9                       0
Wheeler Avg Score: 4.0 (60 students. *Scores released 7/6/2019)

2017/18 Score Results:
Score:     Global %:          Wheeler %:
5              7.1                    27.5  (*FORMER HIGH)
4              21.5                  37.3
3              32.9                  25.5
2              21.5                  9.7
1              10                     0
Wheeler Avg Score: 3.824  (51 students. *Highest scores in the county) 

2016/17 Score Results:
Score:    Global %:        Wheeler %:
5             6.2                   20.7 
4             20.9                 41.4
3             36.7                 34.5
2             27.8                 3.4
1             8.4                   0
Wheeler Avg Score: 3.793  (58 students. *Highest scores in the county)

2015/16 Score Results:   
Score:    Global %:              Wheeler %:
5             6.3                         11.5
4             20.8                       44.3
3             33.6                       32.7
2             29.2                       11.5
1             10.3                         0
Wheeler average score: 3.558 (53 students)

These scores are incredible and I am soooo proud of these kids! These accomplishments certainly didn't occur by accident. It takes a lot of  very hard work.  The key is to stay focused and determined (even on days you may not want to)...you absolutely CAN do it! 

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