Lesson Idea

Complete Scientific Article Collection for AP Biology

In this collection, we have gathered scientific articles that cover each of the units in the College Board’s AP Biology curriculum. These articles were adapted from original academic research papers published in peer-reviewed journals, re-written for students, and reviewed by the researchers. Each article contains an introductory video as well as questions to assess the students’ understanding.

Unit 1: Chemistry of Life

*How can we turn ocean water into renewable energy?*

Topic 1.1: Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding
Key terms: splitting water molecules, renewable energy, chemistry, physics
Method: experiment
Type of graph: pictograph
Additional resources: Original lab on osmosis, hydrogen fuel cells, and renewable energy (PDF)

Topic 1.2: Elements of life
Key terms: space travel, astronomy, physics, molecular biology, biomolecules
Method: experiment, field study, mass spectrometry, proxy data
Type of graph: bar graph
Additional resources: Available in 2 reading levels (Use Upper-level PDF for AP Bio). Also available in Spanish. Ask-A-Scientist podcast episode (link) with the NASA researcher.

Unit 2: Cell Structure and Function

*Why are people more likely to get sick when it is cold?*

Topic 2.2: Cell Structure and Function and Topic 2.4: Plasma Membranes
Key terms: microbiology, immunity, infectious diseases
Method: cell culture, experiment
Type of graph: pictograph
Additional resources: Available in 2 reading levels (Use Upper-level PDF for AP Bio).

*How did organoids help scientists understand COVID-19?*

Topic 2.2: Cell Structure and Function
Key terms: stem cells, microbiology, COVID-19, disease control, infectious diseases, outbreak, vaccine
Method: systematic review
Type of graph: microscopy image, pictograph
Additional resources: Available in 2 reading levels (see Upper-level PDF for AP Bio). Also available in Spanish.

Unit 3: Cellular Energetics

*How do deep-sea hot spring ecosystems work?*

Topic 3.5: Photosynthesis
Key terms: microbiology, chemosynthesis, photosynthesis, biomass, metabolism
Method: data extrapolation, DNA sequencing, fluorescence imaging, mass spectrometry, representative sampling
Type of graph: bar graph, map
Additional resources: Also available in Dutch

*How do some algae make the Earth warmer?*

Topic 3.1: Enzyme Structure and Topic 3.6: Cellular Respiration
Key terms: plant respiration, algal bloom, greenhouse gas emissions
Method: experiment, mass spectrometry
Type of graph: bar graph
Additional resources: Available in 2 reading levels (see Upper-level PDF for AP Bio)

Unit 4: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle

*How can we grow models of embryos in the lab?*

Topic 4.6: Cell Cycle
Key terms: stem cells, cell division, molecular biology
Method: cell culture, experiment, fluorescence imaging, microscopy
Type of graph: pictograph
Additional resources: Ask-A-Scientist video interview (YouTube) with the original researcher. Also available in Arabic.

Unit 5: Heredity

Topic 5.3: Mendelian Genetics
Key terms: mosquitoes, genetic traits propagation, vector-borne disease
Method: case study, data validation, PCR (Polymerase chain reaction), representative sampling
Type of graph: histogram, time series graph
Additional resources: Available in 2 reading levels (see Upper-level PDF)

*Evolution in action: are voles shrinking?*

Topic 5.5: Environmental Effects on Phenotype
Key terms: phenotype, genotype, climate change adaptation
Method: experiment, scientific modeling
Type of graph: bar graph, line graph
Additional resources: Also available in French

Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation

*What helps plants get just the right amount of iron?*

Topic 6.3. Transcription, Topic 6.6 Gene expression and Topic 6.7. Mutations
Key terms: DNA mutations, epigenetics
Method: experiment
Type of graph: bar graph
Additional resources: Also available in Spanish

Topic 6.7: Mutations and Topic 6.8: Biotechnology
Key terms: single nucleotide mutation, nanoparticles
Method: gene editing, DNA sequencing, experiment, fluorescence imaging
Type of graph: box and whisker plot
Additional resources: Video of nanoparticles circulating in blood vessels (35MB mp4 download). Also available in Korean.

*How can we use genetic engineering to get rid of malaria for good?*

Topic 6.8: Biotechnology
Key terms: gene drive, malaria, mosquitoes, vector-borne diseases
Method: gene editing, CRISPR, data validation, experiment, scientific modeling
Type of graph: pictograph, time series graph
Additional resources: Introductory videos (You Tube)

Unit 7: Natural Selection

*What can tree frogs in Chernobyl tell us about radiation?*

Topic 7.2: Natural Selection and Topic 7.4: Population Genetics
Key terms: evolution, fitness, amphibians, radioactivity
Method: experiment, field study, observation, representative sampling
Type of graph: bar graph
Additional resources: Lesson Idea video (YouTube) on natural selection with bacterial resistance. Also available in Spanish.

Where did cats first start living with people?

Topic 7.4: Population Genetics
Key terms: cat, domestication, evolution, genetics
Method: DNA sequencing, representative sampling
Type of graph: map
Additional resources: Lesson Idea video (YouTube).

*What can fossils tell us about the nervous system’s evolution?*

Topic 7.6: Evidence of Evolution
Key terms: fossils, brain development, horseshoe crabs
Method: microscopy, observation
Type of graph: pictograph
Additional resources: Ask-A-Scientist video interview (YouTube) and podcast (Substack) with the original researcher. Lesson Idea video (YouTube).

Topic 7.9 Phylogeny, Topic 7.10 Speciation, and Topic 7.11 Extinction
Key terms: phylogenetic tree, groundwater, amphibians, extinction
Method: field study, DNA sequencing
Type of graph: dendrogram, map
Additional resources: Audio version available (YouTube)

Unit 8: Ecology

*Why can some monkeys live high in the mountains?*

Topic 8.1 Responses to the Environment
Key terms: adaptation, species distribution
Method: field study, experiment, DNA sequencing
Type of graph: scatterplot, map
Additional resources: Ask-A-Scientist video interview (YouTube) with the researchers in the field. Lesson Idea video (YouTube).

*How can we quickly assess the status of eagles?*

Topic 8.3 Population Ecology
Key terms: population assessment, survival rate
Method: scientific modeling, risk analysis
Type of graph: time series graph
Additional resources: Introductory videos (You Tube)

*How can we track mosquitoes? (And why!)*

Topic 8.3 Population Ecology
Key terms: mosquitoes, vector-borne diseases
Method: mark-release-recapture (MRR), data extrapolation, representative sampling, scientific modeling
Type of graph: bar graph
Additional resources: Introductory videos (You Tube)

*How can polar bears survive longer in a changing climate?*

Topic 7.12 Variations in Populations, Topic 8.6 Biodiversity, and Topic 8.7 Disruptions to Ecosystems
Key terms: genetic diversity, species distribution, animal behavior, climate change adaptation
Method: field study, GPS tracking, DNA sequencing, representative sampling, survey research, climate scenarios, data reconstruction
Type of graph: map
Additional resources: Lesson Idea video (YouTube) on the greenhouse effect