AP Biology Course and Exam Description

This is the core document for this course.

Course Overview

AP Biology is an introductory college-level biology course. Students cultivate their understanding of biology through inquiry-based investigations as they explore topics like evolution, energetics, information storage and transfer, and system interactions.

Course and Exam Description

This is the core document for this course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and the AP Program in general. The CED was updated in the summer of 2020 to include scoring guidelines for the example questions.

Course Resources

Ap biology course overview.

This resource provides a succinct description of the course and exam.

AP Biology Course at a Glance

Excerpted from the AP Biology Course and Exam Description, the Course at a Glance document outlines the topics and skills covered in the AP Biology course, along with suggestions for sequencing.

AP Biology Course and Exam Description Walk-Through

Learn more about the CED in this interactive walk-through.

AP Biology CED Errata Sheet

This document details the updates made to the course and exam description (CED) in September 2019. It includes printable copies of the updated pages, which can be used as replacement sheets in your CED binder. Note: It does not include the scoring guidelines, which were added to the online CED in the summer of 2020.

AP Biology CED Scoring Guidelines

This document details how each of the sample free-response questions in the course and exam description (CED) would be scored. This information is now in the online CED, but was not included in the binders teachers received in 2019.

AP Biology: Equations and Formula Sheet

Students are allowed to use this resource on the AP Biology Exam. It is also available in Appendix A of the CED.

Course Content

Based on the Understanding by Design® (Wiggins and McTighe) model, this course framework provides a clear and detailed description of the course requirements necessary for student success. The framework specifies what students must know, be able to do, and understand, with a focus on the big ideas that encompass core principles, theories, and processes of the discipline. The framework also encourages instruction that prepares students for advanced work in STEM majors.

The AP Biology framework is organized into eight commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like.

 Unit

 Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section)

 Unit 1: Chemistry of Life

 8%–11%

 Unit 2: Cell Structure and Function

 10%–13%

 Unit 3: Cellular Energetics

 12%–16%

 Unit 4: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle

 10%–15%

 Unit 5: Heredity

 8%–11%

 Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation

 12%–16%

 Unit 7: Natural Selection

 13%–20%

 Unit 8: Ecology

 10%–15%

Science Practices

The AP Biology framework included in the course and exam description outlines distinct skills, called science practices, that students should practice throughout the year—skills that will help them learn to think and act like biologists.

 Skill

 Description

Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section)

 1. Concept Explanation

 Explain biological concepts, processes, and models presented in written format

 25%–33%

 2. Visual Representations

 Analyze visual representations of biological concepts and processes

 16%–24%

 3. Question and Method

 Determine scientific question and method

 8%–14%

 4. Representing and Describing Data

 Represent and describe data

 8%–14%

 5. Statistical Tests and Data Analysis

 Perform statistical tests and mathematical calculations to analyze and interpret data

 8%–14%

 6. Argumentation

 Develop and justify scientific arguments using evidence

 20%–26%

AP and Higher Education

Higher education professionals play a key role in developing AP courses and exams, setting credit and placement policies, and scoring student work. The AP Higher Education section features information on recruitment and admission, advising and placement, and more.

This chart  shows recommended scores for granting credit, and how much credit should be awarded, for each AP course. Your students can look up credit and placement policies for colleges and universities on the  AP Credit Policy Search .

Meet the AP Biology Development Committee

The AP Program is unique in its reliance on Development Committees. These committees, made up of an equal number of college faculty and experienced secondary AP teachers from across the country, are essential to the preparation of AP course curricula and exams.

AP Biology Development Committee

MIHS Summer AP Course Homework

Click below on your class to find your AP Course Homework

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Summer Homework Reading

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AP Calculus AB

AP Calculus AB Summer Homework

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AP Chemistry

Summer Homework Shared Folder

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Landing Page for Summer English AP/Honors Work

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Summer Homework Cover Page (Read First)

Summer Homework Packet

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AP Spanish Summer Homework

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AP® Biology

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Course Description

Our online AP Biology course builds students' understanding of biology on both the micro and macro scales. After studying cell biology, students move on to understand how evolution drives the diversity and unity of life. Students will examine how living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information and how organisms utilize free energy. This course is the equivalent of an introductory college-level biology course and prepares students for the AP exam and for further study in science, health sciences, or engineering.

The AP Biology course provides a learning experience focused on allowing students to develop their critical thinking skills and cognitive strategies. Frequent no- and low-stakes assessments allow students to measure their comprehension and improve their performance as they progress through each activity. Students regularly engage with primary sources, allowing them to practice the critical reading and analysis skills that they will need in order to pass the AP exam and succeed in a college biology course. Students perform hands-on labs that give them insight into the nature of science and help them understand biological concepts, as well as how evidence can be obtained to support those concepts. Students also complete several virtual lab studies in which they form hypotheses; collect, analyze, and manipulate data; and report their findings and conclusions.  During both virtual and traditional lab investigations and research opportunities, students summarize their findings and analyze others' findings in summaries, using statistical and mathematical calculations when appropriate. Summative tests are offered at the end of each unit as well as at the end of each semester, and contain objective and constructed response items. Robust scaffolding, rigorous instruction, relevant material and regular active learning opportunities ensure that students can achieve mastery of the skills necessary to excel on the AP exam.

This course has been authorized by the College Board® to use the AP designation.

Course Details

Full Year : Full year courses are two semesters in length, 18 weeks maximum each; suggested summer pacing is 9 weeks.

Semester 1 : Courses have a maximum duration of 18 weeks per semester.

Semester 2 : Courses have a maximum duration of 18 weeks per semester.

Semesters 1 and 2: Required

AP Biology requires a college-level biology textbook . Students may use any college-level biology textbook to successfully complete the course.

Though students may use any college-level textbook, resources such as page references and scaffolded reading guides are provided in the course to support students who use either of the following texts:

  • Campbell Biology , 11th ed. Lisa Urry et al. (Pearson, 2016) ISBN-10: 0134093410 / ISBN-13: 9780134093413 Acceptable alternate: 12th ed. (2020). ISBN-10: 0135188741 Acceptable alternate: 10th ed. (2013). ISBN-10: 0321775651
  • Principles of Life , 3rd ed. David M. Hillis et al. (W. H. Freeman, 2019) ISBN-10: 1319017711 / ISBN-13: 9781319017712 Acceptable alternate: 2nd ed. (2014). ISBN-10: 1464109478 Acceptable alternate: 1st ed. (2011). ISBN-10: 1429257210

AP Biology requires the completion of hands-on lab activities and has been approved by the College Board as meeting all requirements for a laboratory science course. For a list of hands-on lab materials, go to http://support.apexlearning.com/materials .

Apex Learning has partnered with a third-party vendor to create a custom laboratory kit that contains all the materials needed for this course. The kit may be purchased here: http://www.qualitysciencelabs.com/apex-learning-science-kits/ . Once there, select “Advanced Biology Kit for Apex Learning.” Note that a microscope is not included and must be obtained separately. Kits may take up to 3 weeks to ship. For Quality Science Labs customer service, call 1-866-700-1884.

Course Units & Syllabus

More courses.

MS Physical Science

Chemistry in the Earth System

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Ap us history / honors english 11 - summer 2024, ap world summer 2024.

Click here for summer AP Art assignment information

AP Biology '24-25 Review Guide HERE

For AP Calculus AB, we strongly encourage students to practice the prerequisite skills necessary for success in calculus through the attached summer packet.  Please share the summer packet with students planning to take AP Calculus AB during the 2023-24 school year.

2024 Summer AP Calculus Packet

No summer assignments!

AP French study guide Verb Categories

I would like students to review the attached vocabulary and verbs. I highly recommend that AP French students read the book Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong by Jean-Benoît Nadeau.

There are no summer assignments for AP Government this year!

No Summer Assignment for AP Lang this year!

  • AP Spanish Global Themes Vocabulary
  • AP Spanish Global Vocabulary template

2024 AP Statistics Summer packet here .

APUSH Summer Homework 2024

  • Honors Humanities 10 Summer Homework
  • AMSCO text prologue

IMAGES

  1. its the AP Biology summer assignment!

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  2. SUMMER AP Biology Prep: Get Ready for AP® Bio over the Summer

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  3. AP Biology Summer Assignment 2015

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  6. AP Bio Summer Assignment

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    AP Biology Course and Exam Description. This is the core document for this course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and the AP Program in general. The CED was updated in the summer of 2020 to include scoring guidelines for the example questions. PDF.

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    MIHS Summer AP Course Homework. Click below on your class to find your AP Course Homework. AP Biology. Summer Homework Reading. Contact: [email protected]. AP Calculus AB. AP Calculus AB Summer Homework. Contact: [email protected]. AP Chemistry.

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  20. AP® Biology

    Students may use any college-level biology textbook to successfully complete the course. Though students may use any college-level textbook, resources such as page references and scaffolded reading guides are provided in the course to support students who use either of the following texts: Campbell Biology, 11th ed. Lisa Urry et al. (Pearson, 2016)

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