Curriculum Map

AP Biology

College-level biology covering the four Big Ideas: Evolution, Energetics, Information, and Interactions. Aligned to the College Board AP Biology Course and Exam Description. Prepares students for the AP exam and potential college credit.

14 Units

Early Units (Foundation)

Building Skills

Advanced Concepts

Capstone/Synthesis

Chemistry of Life

Explore the chemical foundations of life, including water's unique properties, carbon's versatility, and the functional groups that determine molecular behavior.

3-4 days

Biological Macromolecules

Examine the four classes of biological macromolecules — carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids — and how their structure determines their function.

4-5 days

Cell Structure and Function

Compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell organization, explore organelle functions, and trace the endomembrane system's role in protein trafficking.

3-4 days

Membrane Structure and Transport

Investigate the fluid mosaic model of membrane structure and the mechanisms by which cells control what enters and exits across the plasma membrane.

3-4 days

Cell Communication

Analyze how cells receive, transduce, and respond to chemical signals through signal transduction pathways, and how feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.

3-4 days

Photosynthesis

Investigate how plants and other photosynthetic organisms convert light energy into chemical energy via the light reactions and the Calvin cycle.

4-5 days

Cellular Respiration

Trace the complete breakdown of glucose through glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, and understand fermentation as an anaerobic alternative.

4-5 days

Cell Division: Mitosis, Meiosis, and Regulation

Examine the cell cycle, mitosis, and meiosis as mechanisms for accurate DNA inheritance, and analyze how cell cycle regulation prevents cancer.

4-5 days

Mendelian Genetics and Inheritance

Analyze hereditary patterns using Mendelian principles, probability, pedigree analysis, and chi-square statistics, including extensions that explain non-Mendelian inheritance.

4-5 days

Molecular Genetics: DNA, Replication, and Expression

Trace the flow of genetic information from DNA replication through transcription and translation, and analyze how mutations alter gene function.

5-6 days

Gene Expression and Regulation

Explore how cells control which genes are expressed, from prokaryotic operons to eukaryotic chromatin remodeling, epigenetics, and post-transcriptional regulation.

3-4 days

Evolution: Natural Selection, Population Genetics, and Speciation

Analyze the evidence for evolution, mechanisms of natural selection, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium as a null model, sources of genetic variation, speciation, and phylogenetic analysis.

5-6 days

Ecology: Populations and Communities

Analyze the dynamics of populations and communities, including growth models, carrying capacity, species interactions, and succession.

4-5 days

Ecosystems: Energy, Matter, and Biodiversity

Trace energy flow through trophic levels, analyze biogeochemical cycles, and examine how human activities are altering ecosystems and driving biodiversity loss.

4-5 days

Learning Progression

This course is designed to be taken sequentially. Earlier units establish foundational concepts that later units build upon. While you can explore units in any order, following the numbered sequence provides the most coherent learning experience.