2013-2014 AP Biology Summer Assignment & Intro Letter

AP Biology Summer Assignment 2013-2014Welcome! & Congratulations on deciding to take on the challenge of an Advanced Placement Course.According to my class list, you are registered to take AP Biology next year & that’s why you’re getting thisletter. ☺ Don’t worry! This may look a lot worse than it is. I just want to get you all the information you’llneed & address some common questions before we go on summer break. Please stop by my room andtalk with me or a previous AP Biology student if you have any questions or concerns. If someone youknow is registered & didn’t receive a letter or if someone else is interested in joining our class, please tellthem to stop by my room F205 to get one or visit the Perry High Website, Staff, Lyon. Thanks!I know what you are thinking….why a summer assignment?AP Biology is a vigorous, yet manageable and rewarding class. In order to meet the demands of the curriculum it is necessary for youto complete some work before you come back in July. Since the Environment has become such a highly talked about subject, yoursummer assignment will be based around the Ecology portion of the 7th Edition Campbell book titled Biology. Many of you may be wellversed in this topic already so it shouldn’t be too difficult. You will also do your first independent reading assignment associated withthis unit so you can see how what we study is seen in every day life.What are you required to do?Part #1 (Introduction Letter)First, I would like to know a little about who you are so your first assignment is to send me an email. Yup….that’s it! Your first APBiology grade will be sending me an email…if only all of the grades were this easy! I will reply so you have electronic record that yourassignment was received. Here is what I would like you to email me at lyon.melanie@cusd80.com before the end of this schoolyear:Subject Line: AP Biology 13-14, Your NameBody: Your full name (& nickname that you go by if you have one) & stuff about you!• Who was your last science teacher? What class?• What other science classes have you taken? Are planning to take next year?• What do you like to do (hobbies, sports, music, interests, etc.)?• Was there anything that you liked or disliked about your earlier biology class?• What are you looking forward to the most 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?Don’t worry! There is no right or wrong answer….be honest so that I can figure out the best way to help you next year! ☺A word of advice: I am your future teacher (not your fb friend) so please remember to use proper salutations, closing, phrasing, etc.Part #2 (Websites & Social Media)While you are online sending me the email, go to the following websites & bookmark them. We will be using these to sites all year & itwouldn’t be a bad idea to glance through them this summer. First bookmark: my website for this class. Go to the Perry High Website,Staff, Lyon, AP Bio tab.Second bookmark http://www.youtube.com/user/bozemanbiology?feature=results_main (or youtube search:bozemanbiology) This website has summary lectures for a lot of scientific concepts. We will use the video lists called AP Bio essentials& Biology often. Get online access to your text book: Go to www.pearsonschool.com/access. When prompted register with thisstudent access code: SSNAST-SMELL-YOGIC-NEMAN-LAPIS-HOMES Follow me on twitter: @mslyonphs for tweeted classannouncements and reminders.Part #3 (Summer Assignment Information)You will not need to check out a book over the summer (unless you really want to). All of the notes for the summer assignment will beposted on my website, along with the work packets themselves just after the school year ends. They will be downloadable from ourclass website listed in #2 above. Please see me if you will not have internet access during the entire summer for a book & planaccordingly. Technology “excuses” are not permitted for homework extensions. I expect your reading assignments to be completed inyour own handwriting. This text book has a lot of technical vocabulary & can feel overwhelming. The packets will help you to know whatparts to focus on. You many find it helpful to make a list or vocab cards of the key vocabulary terms for each of the chapters as well.This assignment will be due the first Friday back. Do not wait until then to complete the assignment or you will feeloverwhelmed….that is why I am giving it to you now. We will be having a test of the material the second week of school. Every APBiology exam will consist of 50 multiple choice questions & 1 or 2 short answer free response questions.

Part #4 (Independent Reading Assignment)I would like you to read an independent non-fiction book over the summer and keep a reflection journal as yougo. Please use a composition notebook dedicated as your independent reading reflection journal and follow thereflection guide posted on the website. One of the short answer essays for our first exam will be from thisreading. Note: Please remember there are other AP Biology students so don’t wait until the last week & try tocheck it out from a local library. If you prefer, I bought my copy online for about $8.00 ☺ I noticed thatamazon offers a kindle version of this book as well. The book is titled Killer Germs. This book is everythingreaders ever wanted to know about deadly viruses, killer parasites, flesh-eating microbes, and other lifethreatening beasties but were afraid to ask. What disease, known as "the White Death" has killed 2 billionpeople, and counting? What fatal disease lurks undetected in air conditioners and shower heads, waiting to become airborne? Howlethal is the Ebola virus, and will there ever be a cure for it? How do you catch flesh-eating bacteria? Killer Germs takes readers on afascinating (sometimes horrifying) journey into the amazing world of viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and worms and explores theroles they have played in shaping the course of human history.Authors: Barry E. Zimmerman, David J. Zimmerman ISBN: 0071409262Part #5….Last One (School Materials) ☺Please get all of the materials you will need for next year ready for the first day of school, as we will be starting right away.Here is what will be needed to be successful in my AP Biology class: (Please let me know as soon as possible via email or in private ifyou need assistance obtaining any of these or any of the course supplies throughout the year.)You will need regular access tothe internet for this course.• One 1-2” & one 2–3” binders just for AP Bio• Dividers with Tabs labeledo Warm Upso Noteso Homework & Worksheetso Review Sheetso Other• 2 extra sets of dividers (10 total tabs)• 3x5 note cards & ring for vocabulary• 2 or more different colored high lighters• Colored pencils• Sticky notes of various sizes and/or colors• 2 composition notebookso One for labso One for your reflection journal• Student Planner or Calendar• STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Expo markers & a white board& STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Exam Prep Book 2012 or newOther Independent Reading Materials Needed for Later in the Year(If you want to purchase them instead of checking them out or borrowing from an old AP student. Don’t forget if you decide to wait.)How We Live & Why We Die: The Secret Lives of CellsAuthor: Lewis Wolpert ISBN-10: 0393072215Wolpert, professor of biology at University College London, conceives bodies as complex societies of cells, witheach individual cell and cell type fulfilling a very specific role. As Wolpert explains, cells are incredibly complicated.He provides basic biological information about cell structure, genetics and reproduction, and then discusses theroles cells play in disease, aging, death, reproduction, memory, emotion and much more. In focusing on theprocess of human development, he marvels at how a single cell, a fertilized egg, can grow into a complexorganism. Along the way, Wolpert lightly touches on some hot-button topics like the ethics of stem cell research;when a developing fetus might be considered human; and the ethics of cloning. His range is so great that hehas little time to delve beneath the surface of any of the subjects he raises, making this a brief introduction forthe learner in basic cell biology & its implications. (There are 2 different versions of the cover.)Survival of the SickestAuthor: Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince ISBN-10: 0060889667Joining the ranks of modern myth busters, Dr. Sharon Moalem turns our current understanding of illness on itshead and challenges us to fundamentally change the way we think about our bodies, our health, and ourrelationship to just about every other living thing on earth. Through a fresh and engaging examination of ourhistory, Dr. Moalem reveals how many of the conditions that are diseases today actually gave our ancestors aleg up in the survival sweepstakes. But Survival of the Sickest doesn't stop there. It goes on to demonstratejust how little modern medicine really understands about human health, and offers a new way of thinking thatcan help all of us live longer, healthier lives.