AP Biology Summer Project 2017 - Edl · AP BIOLOGY TOWNSHEND/GOODWIN SUMMER 2017 AP Biology Summer...

AP BIOLOGY TOWNSHEND/GOODWIN SUMMER 2017

AP Biology Summer Project – 2017 Introduction: The purpose of the summer assignment is two-fold: to expose you to the issues involving biology in our society and to give you a head start on the AP Bio content. By completing this assignment you will also have an introduction to the textbook for this course. The reading rigor for this class is high: therefore it is important that you prepare a reading strategy for the next year. Let’s do the math. You will read approximately 760 pages of text. Each page takes approximately 4 minutes. For adequate comprehension, you will probably need to read each page twice. Therefore, you will spend a whopping 100 hours reading your textbook between now and May 2018. 1st Part of the Summer Assignment You will be tested the first week of school on Chapters 1 -3. 1. Skim Chapter 1 2. Read Chapters 2 and 3 for detail. ALWAYS start your reading by looking at the pictures, titles, sub-titles. Get a gist. THEN read no more than 5 pages AT A TIME slowly for content. Lecture to your biology buddy or to the wall. THIS REALLY WORKS!!!! SAY THE WORDS!!!!!!! YES……TALK TO YOURSELF!!!!!! Then go get something to eat and come back to start again. 3. End by reading aloud the sub-titles to yourself – these are the big ideas. 2nd Part of the Summer Assignment Start listening to Science Friday, reading Scientific American, the Wall Street Journal– anything that covers current issues in society. Pay particular attention to issues concerning biology (uhmm…….the study of life – fairly broad). Choose an issue that peaks your interest. It can be in the field of genetics, ecology, biochemistry, ethical issues regarding DNA, almost anything. Research the issue (remember, an issue has more than one perspective or “side”) and write a SHORT paragraph summarizing the major points. Your paragraph is due the first week of school. Finally – and this is really important – post your issue on Schoology under AP Biology course for everyone to see. Only one person for an issue. I get the final word as to whether your issue qualifies as a current issue involving some aspect of biology. After presenting your summary to the class, you will table this project until after the AP exam. At that point, you will investigate your issue using your deep and comprehensive biology education, and present to your peers. We will be checking Schoology and email regularly throughout the summer. Don’t hesitate to email if you have a question. Otherwise, post to schoology QDQNQ-GBRK2

. If you lose this sheet, the assignment will be on the school website. Enjoy your summer, Michelle Townshend michelle.townshend@mead354.org Kaprina Goodwin Kaprina.goodwin@mead354.org