Course overview
AP Biology builds a connected model of life across scales. The course starts with chemistry that explains biological structure, moves through cells and energy flow, then develops heredity, gene regulation, evolution, and ecology using evidence-based reasoning.
Syllabus
- 01→
Chemistry of Life
Explain how water, carbon chemistry, and biological macromolecules create the structural and chemical basis of living systems.
- 02→
Cell Structure and Function
Analyze how cell components, membranes, and transport mechanisms support homeostasis and specialized cellular roles.
- 03→
Cellular Energetics
Trace energy transformation through photosynthesis and cellular respiration, including enzyme-driven pathways and ATP production.
- 04→
Cell Communication and Cell Cycle
Explain how cells receive signals, transduce information, and regulate growth, division, and differentiation through controlled checkpoints.
- 05→
Heredity
Apply Mendelian and chromosomal models to explain inheritance patterns, meiosis, and sources of genetic variation.
- 06→
Gene Expression and Regulation
Follow information flow from DNA to RNA to protein and explain how cells regulate expression across different contexts.
- 07→
Natural Selection
Use population-level evidence to explain evolution through variation, differential reproductive success, and changing allele frequencies.
- 08→
Ecology
Analyze interactions among organisms and environments, including energy transfer, nutrient cycling, population dynamics, and ecosystem stability.