AP Biology Summer Break/1st Quarter Assignment Green Run High School Mrs. Ashley Karunaratne

Purpose: Welcome to AP biology! This class is highly intensive, with a lot of material that needs to be covered.

Please be aware that part of taking this class is commitment to being on time, on task, and hard

working. Although AP Biology is a huge commitment, we will have a lot of fun. I look forward to

working with each one of you next year! Here are a few items of interest before you get started on

the summer assignment.

I know the words “summer assignment” tends to send chills down any high school student’s spine, but

I think that you will find that this assignment will be very beneficial to you as we start the school year in

the fall and even a little fun! The reason I am giving you a summer assignment is to keep your mind

sharp and thinking, so you are ready to hit the ground running in September!

Due Date Schedule: Assignment Due Date

Part 1: “Letter of Introduction” email Email on or before Friday September 11th,

2015

Part 2: Sign-up for AP Biology Course

Communications

By Friday September 11th, 2015

Part 3: AP Biology Binder Set-up By the end of the first week of school (Sept.

11th, 2015)

Bring items to class with you!

Part 4: AP Biology Graphing Skills Practice Set

By Friday September 11th, 2015

Contact Information

If you have any questions during the summer, please contact Mrs. Ashley Karunaratne

(757) 784-8372 ~ TEXTING is welcomed and appreciated

Email: (ashley.karunaratne@vbschools.com or akelley05@gmail.com).

Course Website: https://grapbiology.wikispaces.com/

This page will be extremely helpful all year long! Bookmark it

PART 1 – LETTER OF INTRODUCTION Welcome to AP Biology!

We are going to spend a lot of time together next year, so it’s best if we get a head start on learning

a bit about you. Also we will use the Internet and the Web a lot next year for this course, so let’s get

you used to communicating with me via e-mail. Your first assignment is to successfully send an e-mail

to your AP Biology teacher.

Due date: Friday September 11th, 2015

Draft an e-mail to me following these guidelines:

a. Use clearly written, full sentences. Do not abbreviate words like you are on texting with a

friend. Use spell check! This is a professional communication like you would have with a

college professor, so let’s practice for your rapidly nearing future!

b. Make the Subject: “AP Bio: Introduction to <Insert Your Name Here>”

(Do not include the quote marks or the brackets, just the words)

c. Begin the e-mail with a formal salutation, like “Mrs. Karunaratne,” or “Dear Mrs. K.,”

d. Now introduce yourself (your name) and tell us a little bit about yourself, like:

What do you like to do (hobbies, sports, music, interests, etc.)? Do you have a job?

Was there anything that you liked about your earlier biology class?

What was the last book you read for fun?

What are you looking forward to the most in AP Biology?

What are you most anxious about in AP Biology?

Why did you decide to enroll in AP Biology? What are your future career plans?

e. End the e-mail with a formal closing: “Cordially”, “Sincerely”, “Warm regards”, etc. and add

your name as if you signed a letter.

PART 2– CLASS COMMUNICATIONS

1. Join our class Facebook page (you will get an emailed invite): Facebook – we have a class

Facebook page. You should know this is a closed group. I send you an invite to join our class

group using the email address you provide with your introduction email. Please be advised

that we will all have access to the “group page” however the group page is set up so that I

will not have access to your personal Facebook page and you will not have access to my

Facebook page.

FB group page name: GR AP Biology

2. Join our Remind101 Text Class When I need to send out fast class information quickly or send

out reminders I use Remind101. It will send you automatic text messages from me.

2 ways to join:

Text “@grapbio” to the number 81010

https://www.remind.com/join/grapbio

Part 3 – NOTEBOOK SET-UP

In order to save some class time, you will be creating your class notebook and bringing it

with you during the first week of class.

Required Items: (approximate cost)

1) A two inch 3- Ring Binder (Rings attached to back, not middle - called a D-ring binder

– is really sturdy to last for the entire year!) $5 - 10 ~ AVID Students will be using the AP

Biology section of their AVID Binder!

2) One package of dividers-- 5 tabs $1 - 2

Label the tabs with the following:

a. Notes

b. Labs

c. Study Guides/Classwork

d. Quizzes

e. Tests/Essays

3) Loose Leaf Paper-- College rule preferred $1 - 2

4) Pack of Pencils (Mechanical or Regular doesn't matter) $2 - 4

5) Pack of Colored Pencils $2 - 5

6) Notecard Box - $2-4

7) Index cards – 3x5 (at least 100 cards) $1

Total Cost: $10 to $15

Optional Items that will come in handy:

9) Pack of Pens (Multiple colors- Blue, Black, Red, and Green)

10) Pencil Pouch for your binder

11) ***AP EXAM PREP BOOK*** This will be beneficial to you throughout the year in studying

for unit tests and reviewing for the AP exam towards the end of the year. Here are some

recommended titles:

Cracking the AP Biology Exam, 2013 Edition (College Test Preparation) by Princeton

Review

Kaplan AP Biology 2013-2014 by Linda Brooke Stabler, Mark Metz and Paul Gier

5 Steps to a 5: AP Biology 2013-2014 (Published by McGraw-Hill)

Part 4 should be done prior to the first week of school (September 11th, 2015).

PART 4- AP BIOLOGY GRAPHING SKILLS PROBLEM SET

AP Biology Graphing Skills Practice

INTRODUCTION

Graphing is an important procedure used by scientists to display the data that is collected during a controlled

experiment. Line graphs must be constructed correctly to accurately portray the data collected. Many times the

wrong construction of a graph detracts from the acceptance of an individual’s hypothesis

A graph contains five major parts:

a. Title

b. The independent variable

c. The dependent variable

d. The scales for each variable

e. A legend

The TITLE: depicts what the graph is about. By reading the title, the reader should get an idea about the

graph. It should be a concise statement placed above the graph.

The INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: is the variable that can be controlled by the experimenter. It usually includes

time (dates, minutes, hours, etc.), depth (feet, meters), and temperature (Celsius). This variable is placed on

the X axis (horizontal axis).

The DEPENDENT VARIABLE: is the variable that is directly affected by the independent variable. It is the

result of what happens because of the independent variable. Example: How many oxygen bubbles are produced

by a plant located five meters below the surface of the water? The oxygen bubbles are dependent on the

depth of the water. This variable is placed on the Y-axis or vertical axis.

The SCALES for each Variable: In constructing a graph one needs to know where to plot the points

representing the data. In order to do this a scale must be employed to include all the data points. This must

also take up a conservative amount of space. It is not suggested to have a run on scale making the graph too

hard to manage. The scales should start with 0 and climb based on intervals such as: multiples of 2, 5, 10, 20,

25, 50, or 100. The scale of numbers will be dictated by your data values.

The LEGEND: is a short descriptive narrative concerning the graph's data. It should be short and concise and

placed under the graph.

The MEAN for a group of variables: To determine the mean for a group of variables, divide the sum of the

variables by the total number of variables to get an average.

The MEDIAN for a group of variables: To determine median or “middle” for an even number of values, put the

values in ascending order and take the average of the two middle values. e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 Add 4+5 (2

middle values) and divide by 2 to get 4.5

The MODE for a group of variables: The mode for a group of values is the number that occurs most frequently.

e.g. 2, 5, 8, 2, 6, 11 The number 2 is the mode because it occurred most often (twice)

The RATE for a graph is the slope of that interval: rise/run or change in y/change in x.

(formula = y2 – y1/x2 – x1)

Problem A

Using the following data, answer the questions below and then construct a line graph.

Depth in meters Number of Bubbles / minute Plant A Number of Bubbles / minute Plant B

2 29 21

5 36 27

10 45 40

16 32 50

25 20 34

30 10 20

1. What is the dependent variable and why?

2. What is the independent variable and why?

3. What are the mean, median, and mode of the 2 columns of data?

a). Bubble Plant A.: Mean ____________Median_________Mode________

b). Bubbles Plant B: Mean ____________Median_________Mode________

Problem B

Diabetes is a disease affecting the insulin producing glands of the pancreas. If there is not enough insulin being

produced by these cells, the amount of glucose in the blood will remain high. A blood glucose level above 140 for an

extended period of time is not considered normal. This disease, if not brought under control, can lead to severe

complications and even death.

Time After Eating hours Glucose ml / Liter of Blood Person A Glucose ml / Liter of Blood Person B

0.5 170 180

1 155 195

1.5 140 230

2 135 245

2.5 140 235

3 135 225

4 130 200

Analysis:

1. Which, if any, of the above individuals (A or B) has diabetes?

2. What data do you have to support your hypothesis?

3. If the time period were extended to 6 hours, what would the expected blood glucose level for Person B?

Problem C

Temperatures were obtained in November in a fairly arid area of Nevada. At two different sites, temperature

readings were taken at a number of heights above and below the soil surface. One site was shaded by a juniper (a

plant) whereas the other was not.

What conclusions can be drawn from the data?

What conclusions can be drawn from the data?

What conclusions can be drawn from the data?

Construct graphs showing the effects of temperature, humidity, and light intensity on mortality rates.

Calculate the rate (slope) of mortality for each condition:

a. Temperature

b. Humidity

c. Light intensity