On Ramp to AP* Biology - Weston High School

Interested in taking AP Biology, or an advanced biology course, but unsure if you are ready? This is the course for you! This short course will briefly review basic concepts covered in AP Biology, and will include advanced challenge questions. Starting with a review of genetics and related content, the course will prepare you to tackle Investigation 2 and 3 of the AP Biology curriculum. You will learn how to create a mathematical model of populations and be able to compare DNA and Protein sequences using BLAST. The students who complete this mini-course will be better prepared to tackle more advanced course material in the future. FAQ Do I need to buy a textbook? Generally, no. Having access to an introductory-level biology textbook would be useful; However, the course will refer you to various free online resources if you need more review of a particular concept. Will this course prepare me for the AP Biology Exam? No. The purpose of the course is to help you achieve success in the AP Biology course that you will be taking subsequently. Does it cost anything to take this course? No. The course is completely free. However, if you want to obtain a verified certificate, there is a small fee involved. Advanced Placement® and AP® are trademarks registered and/or owned by the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, these offerings.

What you'll learn

• How to create a mathematical model in Excel or Google Sheets
• Population modeling basics
• How to use NCBI’s BLAST
• How to make a cladogram
• Basic concepts covered in AP Biology courses