May 23, 2012
Julianne Zedalis
The Bishop's School, La Jolla, California
Abstract
Bruce Alberts calls the revisions to AP Biology “a major reform in science education that will enable many more young Americans to experience science as a special ‘way of knowing’ about the world.” Biology teachers face the challenge of balancing breadth of content coverage with depth of understanding. Changes to AP Biology address this by shifting to instruction that focuses on enduring conceptual understandings and the essential knowledge that supports them. Through inquiry, students acquire knowledge for themselves when given opportunities to observe, explore, question, and investigate. The new curriculum allows teachers of all levels — both experienced and those launching their first course to design and modify instruction with the science practices in mind.
This webinar will provide:
- An overview of the changes to the AP Biology curriculum, labs and exam
- Examples of adapting your favorite activities to the new framework
- New resources for professional development and sample exam questions
Speaker's Biography
Julianne Zedalis has taught AP Biology, forensic science, and anatomy and physiology for more than 25 years at Albuquerque Academy and The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA, where she holds the Balgrosky-Hinshaw Endowed Chair in Biology. She has received numerous teaching awards, including the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement Teaching and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching. After her AP Biology course at Bishop's was ranked first in the College Board’s Report to the Nation for two consecutive years, Julianne was selected to serve on the AP Biology Redesign Commission. She was lead writer for the course's new 2012 lab manual, AP Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry-Based Approach, and has explained the changes to the AP Biology curriculum at several professional conferences, including APAC, NABT, and NSTA. She also authored a curriculum module, From Gene to Protein — A Historical Perspective, that is available to teachers attending professional development workshops and a Course Planning and Pacing Guide for the revised course that is available online at AP Central.