Pre AP Biology   

Pre AP Biology.

 

Pre-AP Biology

 

Pre-AP Biology is standard based class designed to prepare students for the challenges offered by the Advanced Placement program at the high school level.  It is not a prescribed set of courses or a prescribed curriculum.  It builds on the science curriculum already used by the district.  Pre-AP classes move at a faster pace with less review and practice of skills in order to have time to incorporate higher level skills.  Students must be willing to work at a level which involves higher thinking skills and a higher level of difficulty in assignments than in the regular Biology classes.

 

1.           Organizational Skills

develop good and efficient note-taking skills

prioritize and sequence tasks related to a project or experiment   

 

2.           Advanced Problem Solving

gain experience in estimating and approximating quantities

carry out frequent computations and numerical calculations

 

3.           Technical Reading/ Writing

present scientific information in oral and written formats

utilize mathematical concepts in their explanations

write lab reports and scientific papers in complete well developed sentences that  describe results from their experimental data

 

4.           Analysis / Synthesis of Scientific Principles

acquire an understanding of the logic of the scientific method and the distinction between proving, disproving, and failing to disprove a scientific model

use hypotheses to explain observations

 

5.           Experimental Design and Scientific Process

design appropriate and testable hypotheses

critique experimental designs

work collaboratively to obtain scientific data

demonstrate skill in controlling variables within an experiment

 

6.           Graphing and Manipulating Data

create appropriate graphical presentations of recorded data

translate graphical or numerical data to verbal or narrative form

 

7.           Research Skills Utilizing Literature and the Internet

use multiple resources and evaluate them for validity and bias

8.           All Students’ are required to take a comprehensive final at the end of the year, no matter when the student is registered in the class.

 

Please sign and return this form with your registration form indicating that you understand that Pre-AP Biology is a rigorous course with high expectations of the students enrolled in the course.  Please contact the counseling department at Preston Junior High with any further questions.

 

                                                                                                                                  _____________________________                     _____________________

              Student Signature                                                               Parent Signature