AP Correlations for Investigating Biology through Inquiry

The College Board’s AP Biology Curriculum Framework has shifted the course from a more traditional content-based model to one that focuses on four Big Ideas, the Enduring Understandings comprised of the major concepts under each Big Idea, and the Essential Knowledge necessary to support these concepts. Science Practices are emphasized throughout the course.

Table 1 correlates Investigating Biology through Inquiry to the AP Biology Curriculum Framework. Note: Items in bold are addressed in the Preliminary Activity of the Investigation. The additional items are addressed only when certain Researchable Questions are selected.

Table 1 Correlation of Investigating Biology through Inquiry to the AP Biology Curriculum Framework
Investigation Number	Investigation Name	Big Idea	Enduring Understanding	Essential Knowledge
1	Investigating Buffers	2	2D	2D3
2	Diffusion	2	2B	2B1,2B2
3	Investigating Osmosis	2	2B	2B1,2B2
4	Chemistry of Membranes	2	2B	2B1,2B2
5	Investigating Protein: The Bradford Assay	4	4A	4A1
6A	Testing Catalase Activity (O2)	2, 4	2D, 4A, 4B	2D1,4A1,4B1
6B	Testing Catalase Activity (Gas Pressure)	2, 4	2D, 4A, 4B	2D1,4A1,4B1
7	Introduction to Biofuels: Enzyme Action	2, 4	2D, 4A, 4B	2D1,4A1,4B1
8	Analysis of Enzymes using Tyrosinase	2, 4	2D, 4A, 4B	2D1,4A1,4B1
9	Cellular Respiration	1, 2, 4	1B, 2A, 2B, 4A	1B1, 2A1,2A2,2B3,4A2,4A6
10	Sugar Metabolism with Yeast	1, 2, 3, 4	1B, 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, 4C	1B1, 2A1,2A2,2B3, 3B1, 3B2, 4A2,4A6,4C2
11	Fermentation with Yeast	1, 2, 4	1B, 2A, 2B, 4A	1B1, 2A1,2A2,2B3,4A2,4A6
12	Photosynthesis by Chloroplasts	1, 2, 4	1B, 2A, 2B, 4A	1B1, 2A1,2A2,2B3,4A2,4A6
13	Transpiration of Plants	1, 2, 4	1A, 2A, 2B, 2D, 4A	1A2, 2A3,2B1,2B2,2D1,4A4,4A6
14	Plant Pigments	1, 2, 4	1B, 2A, 2B, 4A	1B1, 2A1,2A2,2B3,4A2,4A6
15	Heart Rate	2, 3	2C, 2D, 3D	2C1,2C2,2D2,3D1,3D2,3D3
16	Investigating Dissolved Oxygen	4	4A, 4B	4A6,4B4
17	Investigating Primary Productivity	4	4A	4A2,4A6
18	Modeling Population Dynamics	4	4A	4A5
19	Water Monitoring	4	4A, 4B	4A6, 4B4
20	Evolution of Cellobiase in Fungi	1, 2, 4	1A, 1B, 2D,4A, 4B	1A1,1A2,1B1, 2D1, 4A1, 4A5, 4A6,4B1, 4B2
21	Introduction to Molecular Evolution	1, 4	1A, 1B,4A	1A1,1A2,1A4,1B1,1B2, 4A1
22	Artificial Selection of Yeast	1, 2, 3, 4	1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, 4C	1A1,1A2,1B1, 2A1, 2A2, 2B3, 3B1, 3B2, 4A2, 4A6, 4C2

Table 2 provides a way to quickly see how Investigating Biology through Inquiry spans the four Big Ideas. Note: Investigations in bold address the AP Biology Big Idea in the Preliminary Activity. The additional Investigations listed address the Big Idea only when certain Researchable Questions are selected.

Table 2 Correlation of the AP Biology Big Ideas to Investigating Biology through Inquiry
AP Biology Big Ideas		Investigating Biology through Inquiry Investigations
1	The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.	9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22
2	Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis	1, 2, 3, 4, 6a, 6b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22
3	Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes	10, 15, 22
4	Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.	5,6a,6b,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,16,17,18,19,20, 21, 22

Table 3 outlines how each of the seven Science Practices for AP Biology is addressed throughout Investigating Biology through Inquiry. The inquiry style of the book assures that all of these over-arching practices are addressed in each investigation. Therefore, rather than redundantly correlating all 22 Investigations each of the Science Practices, a global correlation is presented.

Table 3 Correlation of the AP Biology Science Practices to Investigating Biology through Inquiry
Science Practices for AP Biology	Investigating Biology through Inquiry
Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems. 1.1 The student can create representations and models of natural or human-made phenomena and systems in the domain. 1.2 The student can describe representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the domain. 1.3 The student can refine representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the domain. 1.4 The student can use representations and models to analyze situations or solve problems qualitatively and quantitatively. 1.5 The student can reexpress key elements of natural phenomena across multiple representations in the domain.	Part I Preliminary Activity Each Preliminary Activity provides background information, often including representations and models, which the students use to understand the subject in the investigation. Part III Planning As the students plan their investigation, they will be analyzing the problem and refining their models or representations. Part IV Carrying out the Plan As the investigation is carried out, students will continue to use and refine their models. Part V Organizing the Data As students analyze the results of their investigation, they will gain an even clearer understanding of the natural phenomena. Part VI Communicating the Results In the communication phase, students will reexpress the key elements of their models or representations of the natural phenomena they were investigating.
Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately. 2.1 The student can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems. 2.2 The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena. 2.3 The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.	Part I Preliminary Activity Each Preliminary Activity includes a “Questions” section which guides students’ thinking and analysis, usually including an application of mathematics. An example would be calculating the net productivity from dissolved oxygen level changes. Part III Planning The planning process often includes calculations such as preparing a recipe for a particular concentration of a solution. Numerical estimations are also common during the planning phase. Part V Organizing the Data Data analysis almost always includes mathematics. Calculating the rate of diffusion through membranes under various conditions is one example.
Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course. 3.1 The student can pose scientific questions. 3.2 The student can refine scientific questions. 3.3 The student can evaluate scientific questions.	Part II Generating Researchable Questions Posing scientific questions is at the heart of every investigation in this book. Once students have been introduced to the topic through the Preliminary Activity, they are directed to pose a scientific, researchable question which they will then investigate. Part III Planning During the planning process, the questions are often refined as students learn more about their topic and begin to think through the logistics of actual research. Part VI Communicating the Results As students communicate their results to their class, they evaluate their own and each other’s questions.
Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question. 4.1 The student can justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer a particular scientific question. 4.2 The student can design a plan for collecting data to answer a particular scientific question. 4.3 The student can collect data to answer a particular scientific question. 4.4 The student can evaluate sources of data to answer a particular scientific question.	Part III Planning During the planning process, the students will determine what data they want to collect. Evaluating other sources of data can be helpful in this step. Students will then select which tools are needed to collect data and develop a plan carry out the test. Part IV Carrying out the Plan Students carry out the plan and collect their data. Part V Organizing the Data As students organize their own data, they may choose to evaluate data from other sources as well to help answer their particular question.
Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence. 5.1 The student can analyze data to identify patterns or relationships. 5.2 The student can refine observations and measurements based on data analysis. 5.3 The student can evaluate the evidence provided by data sets in relation to a particular scientific question.	Part I Preliminary Activity Data analysis and evaluation of evidence occurs in at least two places in every investigation. In the Preliminary Activity, students analyze their data to identify initial pattern or relationships. Part IV Carrying out the Plan As the students’ planned investigation is being carried out, they will need to refine and evaluate their observations as they go. Part V Organizing the Data Once the data collection is complete, students will evaluate the evidence provided by their data.
Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories. 6.1 The student can justify claims with evidence. 6.2 The student can construct explanations of phenomena based on evidence produced through scientific practices. 6.3 The student can articulate the reasons that scientific explanations and theories are refined or replaced. 6.4 The student can make claims and predictions about natural phenomena based on scientific theories and models. 6.5 The student can evaluate alternative scientific explanations.	Part V Organizing the Data In the Organizing the Data phase of these investigations, students evaluate their results in order to construct an explanation or claim. Students use their data and its analysis to justify these claims. Part VI Communicating the Results As students communicate their results to their class, they articulate their claims based on the data. Often, students in other groups will arrive at different conclusions. This is an excellent opportunity to evaluate alternative scientific explanations for seemingly conflicting results.
Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts and representations in and across domains. 7.1 The student can connect phenomena and models across spatial and temporal scales. 7.2 The student can connect concepts in and across domain(s) to generalize or extrapolate in and/or across enduring understandings and/or big ideas.	Part I Preliminary Activity Each Preliminary Activity introduces student to the phenomena in question, and how it fits into the big ideas. From this basis, coupled with the investigation to follow, students can begin to make connections across special and temporal scales. Part II Generating Researchable Questions This phase of the investigation forces students to think about the connections, and in what directions they can go understand something new about concept they are studying. Part III Planning As the students plan their investigation, they must begin to make connections to other disciplines and think about how scale and time are important factors. Part IV Carrying out the Plan Much of the thought process becomes concrete during this phase of the investigation. Part V Organizing the Data During the organization phase, students must bring together not only their data, but their prior knowledge of various phenomena and models and put it into context to connect the concepts. Part VI Communicating the Results Having to articulate their results to the rest of the class forces students to relate the knowledge, how it fits into the big ideas, and its connections to other disciplines in a clear and concise manner.

Table 3 Correlation of the AP Biology Science Practices to Investigating Biology through Inquiry

Science Practices for AP Biology

Investigating Biology through Inquiry

Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems.

1.1 The student can create representations and models of natural or human-made phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.2 The student can describe representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.3 The student can refine representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.4 The student can use representations and models to analyze situations or solve problems qualitatively and quantitatively.
1.5 The student can reexpress key elements of natural phenomena across multiple representations in the domain.

Part I Preliminary Activity

Each Preliminary Activity provides background information, often including representations and models, which the students use to understand the subject in the investigation.

Part III Planning

As the students plan their investigation, they will be analyzing the problem and refining their models or representations.

Part IV Carrying out the Plan

As the investigation is carried out, students will continue to use and refine their models.

Part V Organizing the Data

As students analyze the results of their investigation, they will gain an even clearer understanding of the natural phenomena.

Part VI Communicating the Results

In the communication phase, students will reexpress the key elements of their models or representations of the natural phenomena they were investigating.

Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately.

2.1 The student can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems.
2.2 The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.
2.3 The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.

Part I Preliminary Activity

Each Preliminary Activity includes a “Questions” section which guides students’ thinking and analysis, usually including an application of mathematics. An example would be calculating the net productivity from dissolved oxygen level changes.

Part III Planning

The planning process often includes calculations such as preparing a recipe for a particular concentration of a solution.
Numerical estimations are also common during the planning phase.

Part V Organizing the Data

Data analysis almost always includes mathematics. Calculating the rate of diffusion through membranes under various conditions is one example.

Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course.

3.1 The student can pose scientific questions.
3.2 The student can refine scientific questions.
3.3 The student can evaluate scientific questions.

Part II Generating Researchable Questions

Posing scientific questions is at the heart of every investigation in this book. Once students have been introduced to the topic through the Preliminary Activity, they are directed to pose a scientific, researchable question which they will then investigate.

Part III Planning

During the planning process, the questions are often refined as students learn more about their topic and begin to think through the logistics of actual research.

Part VI Communicating the Results

As students communicate their results to their class, they evaluate their own and each other’s questions.

Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question.

4.1 The student can justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer a particular scientific question.
4.2 The student can design a plan for collecting data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.3 The student can collect data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.4 The student can evaluate sources of data to answer a particular scientific question.

Part III Planning

During the planning process, the students will determine what data they want to collect. Evaluating other sources of data can be helpful in this step.
Students will then select which tools are needed to collect data and develop a plan carry out the test.

Part IV Carrying out the Plan

Students carry out the plan and collect their data.

Part V Organizing the Data

As students organize their own data, they may choose to evaluate data from other sources as well to help answer their particular question.

Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.

5.1 The student can analyze data to identify patterns or relationships.
5.2 The student can refine observations and measurements based on data analysis.
5.3 The student can evaluate the evidence provided by data sets in relation to a particular scientific question.

Part I Preliminary Activity

Data analysis and evaluation of evidence occurs in at least two places in every investigation. In the Preliminary Activity, students analyze their data to identify initial pattern or relationships.

Part IV Carrying out the Plan

As the students’ planned investigation is being carried out, they will need to refine and evaluate their observations as they go.

Part V Organizing the Data

Once the data collection is complete, students will evaluate the evidence provided by their data.

Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories.

6.1 The student can justify claims with evidence.
6.2 The student can construct explanations of phenomena based on evidence produced through scientific practices.
6.3 The student can articulate the reasons that scientific explanations and theories are refined or replaced.
6.4 The student can make claims and predictions about natural phenomena based on scientific theories and models.
6.5 The student can evaluate alternative scientific explanations.

Part V Organizing the Data

In the Organizing the Data phase of these investigations, students evaluate their results in order to construct an explanation or claim.
Students use their data and its analysis to justify these claims.

Part VI Communicating the Results

As students communicate their results to their class, they articulate their claims based on the data.
Often, students in other groups will arrive at different conclusions. This is an excellent opportunity to evaluate alternative scientific explanations for seemingly conflicting results.

Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts and representations in and across domains.

7.1 The student can connect phenomena and models across spatial and temporal scales.
7.2 The student can connect concepts in and across domain(s) to generalize or extrapolate in and/or across enduring understandings and/or big ideas.

Part I Preliminary Activity

Each Preliminary Activity introduces student to the phenomena in question, and how it fits into the big ideas. From this basis, coupled with the investigation to follow, students can begin to make connections across special and temporal scales.

Part II Generating Researchable Questions

This phase of the investigation forces students to think about the connections, and in what directions they can go understand something new about concept they are studying.

Part III Planning

As the students plan their investigation, they must begin to make connections to other disciplines and think about how scale and time are important factors.

Part IV Carrying out the Plan

Much of the thought process becomes concrete during this phase of the investigation.

Part V Organizing the Data

During the organization phase, students must bring together not only their data, but their prior knowledge of various phenomena and models and put it into context to connect the concepts.

Part VI Communicating the Results

Having to articulate their results to the rest of the class forces students to relate the knowledge, how it fits into the big ideas, and its connections to other disciplines in a clear and concise manner.

AP and Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of and does not endorse this product.

See all AP correlations »