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AP Biology | 24-25

Female Scientist

This live online AP Biology course is for high school homeschoolers who have completed both a high-school-level Biology class and a high-school-level Chemistry class. It can be taken live or in an asynchronous manner.

 

The College Board has structured AP Biology to be equivalent to two semesters of college Biology, with topics studied including the chemistry of life, cells and cell energetics, heredity, molecular genetics, evolution, diversity of organisms, structure and function of both plants and animals, and ecology.

 

This course is designed to help students develop a thorough understanding of biological concepts, view science as a process rather than an accumulation of facts, acquire personal experience in scientific inquiry, recognize unifying themes that integrate the major topics of biology, and apply biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social concerns​

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Class Details

  • AP Biology | Traditional, full-year, live, lab-science class

  • Tuition & Fees:

    • Tuition: $825

    • Digital Resources Fee: $60 (includes the class ebook)

    • See all required class resources HERE.

  • Instructor: Bekah Hilton

  • Dates: August 19, 2024 - May 2025 (AP Exam)

  • Weekly Classes: Live or asynchronous option (choose one or the other at registration)

    • Live option: Tuesdays @ 5-6:30 p.m. Eastern

      • Students attend and actively participate in live classes weekly with cameras on.

    • Asynchronous option:

      • Students watch the recording of each week's live class and complete a discussion forum with their async classmates related to the week's live class content.

      • Please note:

        • The asynchronous option is NOT a self-paced class.

        • The instructional content, assignments, and deadlines are the same for live and asynchronous.

        • Students will register for one mode (live or async) and stay in that mode during the year.

  • Optional Live Study Hall for live AND asynchronous students

    • Thursdays @ 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern

  • Grade level: 10th-12th​

    • Prerequisites:

      • Successfully completed a high school-level Biology class.

      • Completion of Chemistry and Algebra 2 is not required but is highly recommended.

  • Class size: 25
  • See our FAQ for:
    • age/grade guidelines, prerequisites, and class fit recommendations

    • a complete list of days, times, and breaks

    • a list of CA charter schools where this course is a-g approved​

  • Format:

    • Students share an interactive online classroom and meet live on Zoom.

    • Students who attend live are asked to please keep their webcams on.

    • Live sessions will be recorded for those who miss classes or prefer to watch later.

  • Average weekly time estimate: 10-12 hours including recorded and live instruction

  • All Blue Tent science courses are NCAA-approved.

  • This AP Biology class complies with the AP course audit and has been approved by the College Board.

    • On the 2024 AP Biology exam:

      • 50% of BTO students scored a 5.

      • 83% of BTO students scored a 4 or a 5.

        • By comparison, 40% of all students globally scored a 4 or a 5.

 

Weekly Assignments and Collaboration

At the beginning of each week, the instructor will post a summary of topics, assignments, and supplementary resources on the online classroom.

  • The AP Biology classroom will be the course hub, where students access class material, participate in online discussions, and collaborate with their classmates.

  • Since AP Biology is a college-level course, students should expect college-level pacing. They will need to be disciplined in completing their weekly reading and assignments so they can come prepared and make the most of live classes--being ready to ask questions and discuss the week's material with the instructor and their peers.

  • The instructor will be available to answer questions throughout the week via Moodle messaging, discussion forums, or email.​

  • Students should expect to spend approximately 10 hours per week on classwork (which includes instructional videos and live class time).

 

A Variety of Resources and Labs

  • Core and Supplemental Resources

    • Your digital resources fee includes

      • an ebook of McGraw Hill's Biology (AP edition) by Sylvia S. Mader and Michael Windelspecht.

        • This comprehensive text designed specifically for the AP curriculum framework, with instruction and diagrams well adapted for quick translation to notecard format and study.

      • eMind software for virtual dissections

  • Labs, Case Studies, and Projects

    • A variety of labs--both hands-on and virtual--will allow students to explore and apply their learning to real-world circumstances as they make observations, construct hypotheses, collect and analyze data, and formalize conclusions.​

    • Many of AP Biology's labs are virtual or research-based with an emphasis on critical thinking and guided and independent inquiry.​​

    • ​In addition to completing virtual and wet labs, students will undertake research projects, case studies, statistical analyses, and presentations throughout the year.

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In their online Moodle classroom, students will interact and collaborate with their instructor and peers every week. Blue Tent AP Biology is designed to be a class where advanced homeschoolers will enjoy sharing, comparing, and learning with class friends.

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