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I have compiled a list of questions that I am often asked regarding each of the biology classes that I teach. To find the FAQs for your class, click the appropriate tab below.
Is this class hard? It is if you do not study and keep up with the work. AP Biology is designed as a freshman college biology course that first year biology majors would typically take.How does this class differ from IB Biology? Here are the differences between the two courses:AP Biology
IB Biology
Do we have a lot of homework? You will find that the reading load in AP Biology is heavy. The course moves very quickly, and you are required to do a great deal of reading outside of class. You will also have lab assignments that will need to be completed in a timely manner on a weekly basis. You will also be responsible for keeping up with an interactive learning log that will be graded before each test you take. The work load is not impossible but does require a great deal of self-discipline and skill with time management.How much work outside of class should I expect to do? For every hour you spend in class, you should spend at least an hour outside of class preparing. So if you are in class 4 and a half hours one week, then you should be doing at minimum an equivalent amount of work preparing. During weeks in which you have a test, more time studying may be required in order to adequately prepare for the test. Some units of study require more preparation than others, so use this as a suggestion, not an absolute rule of thumb when studying. What textbook do we use?  We use Biology, 6th edition by Neil Campbell and Jane Reece. Newer editions of this textbook are used at many colleges and universities all over the world, including the University of Texas, Baylor, Southwestern University and Texas A&M.
The textbook will be issued to you during the first week of class. You are expected to keep up with the reading on your own, as you will not be reminded each class period to do so. Check your syllabus to see what chapters you should be reading and taking book notes over.
Do we do a lot of labs? YES! Most definitely! The best way to learn science is to DO science, and we will complete a multitude of labs and activities during the year in order to help you learn and understand many of the concepts in biology with greater ease. Because we do so many labs, it is important that your attendance is near perfect so that you do not miss the activities. In addition to the 12 required labs per the AP curriculum, we will do additional labs and activities that will reinforce concepts we will learn.Is taking the AP Exam required? As an AP student, you are expected to sit for the exam in May. I realize that many colleges and universities are becoming more stingy with the amount of credit they are granting for certain scores on these exams. I also realize that studying for an AP exam requires a great deal of time and effort during a time of year when a lot of activities are going on that might take time away from studying. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of taking the exam. Even if you are currently planning on being a biology major, taking the AP exam for this course is an excellent idea. The AP exam is a good assessment of the knowledge you have gained during the past year, and is an excellent predictor of your future success in college-level work, especially in undergraduate level science courses. Not only is the exam a good predictor of your future success in college, it may save you from having to take science courses, if you are not planning on being a science major in college. Many universities' degree plans (regardless of major) include a year of science, typically divided between a semester of life science and a semester of physical science. So if you know for certain that you will NOT major in a science, taking the exam is even more important because it may free up time in your college schedule to take courses toward your major. Finally, look at AP exams as an investment in your future. Would you rather spend the $55 that it costs Texas students to take the exam, or would you rather spend thousands in tuition to take the class? To put it in perspective, here are some links to tuition rates of some of the colleges my students typically attend. Bear in mind that a typical university level biology course is a 4 credit hour course.
And if eyeing all those dollar signs doesn't put it in perspective for you, here is what one of my former students had to say about taking the exam: I took AP biology my senior year and really enjoyed it. Sure, it was hard and I had to put in a good deal of work, but it was definitely easier than college biology. I found nothing in AP bio to discourage me from my aspiration to be an OB/GYN, so I went to college and majored in genetics, hoping to go to med school. I soon realized that I couldn't hack it in chemistry, biochemistry, calculus, or physics. Those subjects combined would have made up more of my total credit hours than actual genetics classes, so I decided to switch my major from genetics to English. As a final benefit, students who take the AP exam in the spring are exempt from taking a spring semester exam. Students who elect not to take the AP exam will take a cumulative exam equivalent in scope to the actual AP exam. When will we review for the AP Exam? Because I only see my students every other day, the block schedule leaves us little time for entire periods of review. We spend every class period that we are not testing learning new material, so reviews for the AP Exam are held after school during the month of April. Weekend review sessions are also held. Students are not required to attend review sessions, but are strongly encouraged to attend, as no review takes place during class time. We do take a mock exam during class, however. I don't understand some of the lab questions for that lab that's due next period. Can I come in for tutoring? Yes. Mrs. Ferguson will establish her tutoring schedule after the first week of class. Tutoring times will be posted here on the calendar section found on each course's page. Review sessions for tests will also be posted on this site. Please note, tutoring for a test will not be held the day of the test. Tutorials are mandatory for students whose six weeks grade is 75 or below, or who have failed a test during the six weeks grading period. A minimum of two tutorial sessions will be required. See Mrs. Ferguson for a tutorial track record if this applies to you. Are there opportunities for extra credit? No. If you are participating actively and completing work in a timely manner, you will not need extra credit. Because this is an AP course, you are expected to put forth full effort to earn your grade. I do not give grades, you must earn them through hard work. This is a college-level course. There's no extra credit in college. If I have a question about my child's grade, how can I contact Mrs. Ferguson? Email is the fastest and best way to get a hold of me, as I check it throughout the day and am quick to reply. You can click this link to send me an email, if your default email program can access your current browser. Otherwise, my email address is: Lee_Ferguson@allenisd.org. Please put your student's name in the subject line.Should you need to contact me via phone, my number is (972)-727-0400, ext. 1303. Also, please be aware that AISD offers parents the opportunity to track their child's progress via Skyward Family Access. Information regarding Skyward Family Access can be found by clicking this link as well as the Skyward Family Access link found under the "For Parents" tab on this site's home page. I am applying to college and I need a letter of recommendation. Will you write me one? Yes, provided the following requirements are met:
Are there certain supplies I need for this class? Yes. The required supplies for AP Biology are:
 OPTIONAL: Box of Spark Notes Biology Flash Cards. They are available at Barnes & Noble or bn.com.
How is this class different from AP Biology? Here are the differences between the two courses: IB Biology
AP Biology
Is this class hard? We cover some topics in much more depth than the AP course does. There is also an additional internal assessment component, which AP Bio does not have. Do we have a lot of homework? How much work outside of class should I expect to do? For every hour you spend in class, you should spend at least an hour outside of class preparing. So if you are in class 4 and a half hours one week, then you should be doing at minimum an equivalent amount of work preparing. During weeks in which you have a test, more time studying may be required in order to adequately prepare for the test. Some units of study require more preparation than others, so use this as a suggestion, not an absolute rule of thumb when studying. Writing internal assessments will also require spending more time than an ordinary assignment, so be aware of this. What textbook do we use?
Our primary text is Biology for the IB Diploma by C J Clegg. This text is directly aligned with the IB curriculum and contains information regarding the curriculum options we will study. It is a paperback book and contains a CD which has the contents of the second half of the book. Should this CD be lost, replacement of the entire text is required. You may opt to purchase your own copy of this book, but it is not a course requirement. It is available from Amazon.com as well as IBsource.com. You will also need to purchase the text Biology For the IB Diploma by Andrew Allott. This is our review guide and will be used during BOTH years of the course, most intensely in the second year. This can be purchased from Amazon.com as well. Your textbooks will be issued to you during the first week of class. You are expected to keep up with the reading on your own, as you will not be reminded each class period to do so. Do we do a lot of labs? I don't understand how to write my internal assessment that's due next period. Can I come in for tutoring? Yes. Mrs. Ferguson will establish her tutoring schedule after the first week of class. Tutoring times will be posted here on this website. Review sessions for tests will also be posted on this site. Please note, tutoring for a test will not be held the day before the test. What is the IB Biology Exam like? You will take the IB Biology exam at the conclusion of your second year of the course. The examination calendar for the spring of 2011 has not yet been established. The structure of the exam is given as follows: (from the IBO)Paper 1: Paper 1 is made up of multiple-choice questions that test knowledge of the core only for students at SL and the core and AHL material for students at HL. The questions are designed to be short, one- or two-stage problems that address objectives 1 and 2 (see the “Objectives” section). No marks are deducted for incorrect responses. Calculators are not permitted, but students are expected to carry out simple calculations. Paper 2: Paper 2 tests knowledge of the core only for students at SL and the core and AHL material for students at HL. The questions address objectives 1, 2 and 3 and the paper is divided into two sections. In section A, there is a data-based question that requires students to analyse a given set of data. The remainder of section A is made up of short-answer questions. In section B, students at SL are required to answer one question from a choice of three, and students at HL are required to answer two questions from a choice of four. These extended-response questions may involve writing a number of paragraphs, solving a substantial problem, or carrying out a substantial piece of analysis or evaluation. A calculator is required for this paper. Paper 3: Paper 3 tests knowledge of the options and addresses objectives 1, 2 and 3. Students at SL are required to answer several short-answer questions in each of the two options studied. Students at HL are required to answer several short-answer questions and an extended-response question in each of the two options studied. A calculator is required for this paper. I want to try taking the AP Biology exam at the end of the course. Will I be prepared for it? Because the two curricula are so vastly different, IB Biology students are not generally prepared to take the AP exam without a great deal of outside study. There are topics of study that are covered in AP Biology that are not covered in IB Biology. Students who wish to take the AP Biology exam are encouraged to use the AP Biology Cliffs Notes as a study guide. If I have a question about my child's grade, how can I contact Mrs. Ferguson? Email is the fastest way to get a hold of me, as I check it throughout the day and am quick to reply. You can click this link to send me an email, if your default email program can access your current browser. Otherwise, my email address is: Lee_Ferguson@allenisd.org.Should you need to contact me via phone, my number is (972)-727-0400, ext. 1303. Also, please be aware that AISD offers parents the opportunity to track their child's progress via Parent Connect. Information regarding Parent Connect can be found by clicking this link as well as the Parent Connect link found under the "For Parents" tab on this site's home page. I am applying to college and I need a letter of recommendation. Will you write me one? Yes, provided the following requirements are met:
Are there certain supplies I need for this class? Yes. The required supplies for IB Biology are:
What is the Group IV project?
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We actually use two books.