Topic Outline (Percentage of Course)

With links to free-response questions and grading standards

The following guidelines are offered to help teachers and their students focus on unifying themes and key concepts. At the ends of each section there are links to past essay questions over that topic. You can also refer to the free response questions dealing with Biological concepts.

I. Molecules and Cells (25%)

A. Chemistry of Life (7%)

1. Water

2. Organic molecules in organisms

3. Free energy changes

4. Enzymes

(See also: Biochemistry)

B. Cells (10%)

1.Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

2. Membranes

3. Subcellular organization

4. Cell cycle and its regulation

(See also: Cells, Concepts 1993, Concepts 1994)

C. Cellular Energetics (8%)

1. Coupled reactions

2. Fermentation and cellular respiration

3. Photosynthesis

(See also: Cellular Respiration, Photosynthesis)

II. Heredity and Evolution (25%)

A. Heredity (8%)

1. Meiosis and gametogenesis

2. Eukaryotic chromosomes

3. Inheritance patterns

(See also: Cells, Genetics)

B. Molecular Genetics (9%)

1. RNA and DNA structure and function

2. Gene regulation

3. Mutation

4. Viral structure and replication

5. Nucleic acid technology and applications

(See also: DNA)

C. Evolutionary Biology (8%)

1. Early evolution of life

2. Evidence for evolution

3. Mechanisms of evolution

(See also: Evolution, Ecology, Concepts 1995)

III. Organisms and Populations (50%)

A. Diversity of Organisms (8%)

1. Evolutionary patterns

2. Survey of the diversity of life

3. Phylogenetic classification

4. Evolutionary relationships

(See also: Ecology, Evolution, Concepts 1995)

B. Structure and Function of Plants and Animals (32%)

1. Reproduction, growth, and development

2. Structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations

3. Response to the environment

(See also: Human Reproduction; Embryology; tissues, organs and systems; behavior; ecology; plants; plant reproduction; Concepts 1992 and 1995)

C. Ecology (10%)

1. Population dynamics

2. Communities and ecosystems

3. Global issues

(See also: Ecology)

See an annotated Course Outline that provides sample questions targeting important concepts related to individual biological topics. The questions are intended to help teachers and students better put the topics into the context of a conceptual framework.