Are there any pre-requisite classes that would prepare me for biology class?

(In all of that extra time you have, of course!) I have 4 x 4 block, and AP is in the second semester; it is impossible to cover everything before the exam. However, I now require all AP students to take biochemistry, where I cover all of the molecules, cells, viruses, molecular genetics, and some heredity. It eases the load for second semester and I've skated around the administration -- which allows AP Biology to run for only one semester (AP Calculus and AP English run a full year." -- Kim Armitage, Vicksburg High, Vicksburg, Michigan.

1/15/01 Question: "Should AP Biology students take chemistry before their AP class? This question may have been asked before -- but I will be teaching AP Biology for the first time, and have heard different viewpoints. I would appreciate your candor."

Answer 1: "I am probably in the minority -- but I don't think chemistry is a necessary prerequisite. This depends on what is covered in general biology. The actually chemistry in AP Biology is not that hard -- a general understandings of redox, enzymes, and dehydration synthesis/ hydrolysis -- covers most of the reactions -- chemistry of water, bonding, hydrophobic/hydrophilic forces, polar/nonpolar, endo/exo reactions are pretty conceptual and don't really take that much time.

Structures of organic molecules, i.e. , carbohydrates, lipids, etc. are also pretty straight forward." -- Heda O'Brien, The Bullis School, Potomac, Maryland. 4/21/01 Answer 2: "I have found that the students who don't have chemistry before they enroll in AP Biology have a much more difficult time with the course than the students who have taken chemistry.

I can get students through the course with or without the chemistry, but it is much more difficult for me and for the students. I had a student ask me why chemistry was required for AP Biology but biology was not required for AP Chemistry. The answer, of course, is that chemical reactions can occur in the absence of life but life cannot occur in the absence of chemistry.

I am very much in favor of the chemistry prerequisite, I just wish that I could get our counselors to read the prerequisites in the course guide before placing students into the class!" -- Jo Ann Burman, Andress High School, El Paso, Texas. 4/21/01 Answer 3: "I require chemistry as a prerequisite simply because, if students can make it through chemistry and earn a decent grade, then they have probably learned some very valuable thinking skills and problem-solving skills, as well as having some discipline drilled into them because of the rigors of our chemistry labs. The kids need these types of attitudes and attributes to make it through a tough course like AP Biology where they are required to take on much of the responsibility themselves.

Besides, starting next year, I will be teaching all of the chemistry classes. What a great way to recruit! Probably what I will end up doing is this: Pushing the ninth graders in biology honors that do well into chemistry honors as tenth graders, then having them take AP Biology as eleventh graders (they will have already had their prerequisites), and then possibly offering the AP Chemistry within the next couple of years to those who have taken the first year of chemistry.

That way if they wanted to, they could switch the AP classes, i.e. , AP Biology as juniors and AP Chemistry as seniors, or the other way around." -- Mike Pilliod, Middleburg High School, Middleburg, Florida. 4/21/01 Answer 4: "Yes, this question keeps coming up on a regular basis.

I taught AP Biology without introductory chemistry as a prerequisite for 20 years with success. It can be done. Heda O'Brien's answer was excellent.

I am very much in favor of the chemistry prerequisite, I just wish that I could get our counselors to read the prerequisites in the course guide before placing students into the class!" -- Jo Ann Burman, Andress High School, El Paso, Texas. 4/21/01 Answer 3: "I require chemistry as a prerequisite simply because, if students can make it through chemistry and earn a decent grade, then they have probably learned some very valuable thinking skills and problem-solving skills, as well as having some discipline drilled into them because of the rigors of our chemistry labs. The kids need these types of attitudes and attributes to make it through a tough course like AP Biology where they are required to take on much of the responsibility themselves.

Besides, starting next year, I will be teaching all of the chemistry classes. What a great way to recruit! Probably what I will end up doing is this: Pushing the ninth graders in biology honors that do well into chemistry honors as tenth graders, then having them take AP Biology as eleventh graders (they will have already had their prerequisites), and then possibly offering the AP Chemistry within the next couple of years to those who have taken the first year of chemistry.

That way if they wanted to, they could switch the AP classes, i.e. , AP Biology as juniors and AP Chemistry as seniors, or the other way around." -- Mike Pilliod, Middleburg High School, Middleburg, Florida. 4/21/01 Answer 4: "Yes, this question keeps coming up on a regular basis.

I taught AP Biology without introductory chemistry as a prerequisite for 20 years with success. It can be done. Heda O'Brien's answer was excellent.