AP Biology 1-Month Study Plan

You have four weeks until the AP Biology exam. This schedule allocates deep review time to each of the 8 CED units, spirals key topics for retention, runs full-length mocks weekly, and leaves the final week for targeted refinement of weak areas.

Each week: 10–12 hours (mix of 1.5–2 hour study sessions, 3 full-length practice exams).

Weekly Schedule Overview

Week 1: Chemistry of Life, Cell Structure, Cellular Energetics (10 hrs)

Monday & Tuesday: Unit 1 — Chemistry of Life (3 hrs)

Review (90 min)

• Water properties: hydrogen bonding, cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, heat capacity, universal solvent. Why does ice float?
• Macromolecules: monosaccharides (glucose, fructose) → disaccharides (maltose, sucrose, lactose) → polysaccharides (starch, glycogen, cellulose). Know glycosidic bonds.
• Lipids: saturated vs unsaturated, why cell membranes are phospholipid bilayers, cholesterol's role in fluidity.
• Proteins: 20 amino acids, peptide bonds, primary/secondary/tertiary/quaternary structure. Know that structure determines function.
• Nucleic acids: deoxyribose vs ribose, phosphodiester backbone, nitrogenous bases (A, T, G, C, U), DNA double helix, RNA single strand.

Practice (90 min)

• 30 MC on macromolecules and chemical bonding.
• 1 mini-FRQ: "Compare and contrast the structure and function of starch and cellulose. Explain why both are glucose polymers but have different properties."

Wednesday & Thursday: Unit 2 — Cell Structure & Transport (3 hrs)

Review (90 min)

• Prokaryotic vs eukaryotic: no nucleus, no organelles (prokaryotes); DNA and membrane-bound compartments (eukaryotes).
• Eukaryotic organelles: nucleus (DNA, transcription), mitochondria (ATP), chloroplast (photosynthesis), ER/Golgi (protein synthesis and modification), lysosomes (digestion), vacuoles (storage and turgor pressure in plants), ribosomes (60S + 40S subunits).
• Membrane structure: fluid mosaic model, phospholipids, cholesterol, embedded proteins, carbohydrate chains (glycoproteins, glycolipids).
• Transport mechanisms:
  • Passive: simple diffusion (through lipid), osmosis (water follows solute), facilitated diffusion (protein channel, no ATP).
  • Active: Na⁺/K⁺ pump (uses ATP, antiporter), exocytosis (vesicles fuse, energy cost), endocytosis (phagocytosis, pinocytosis).

Practice (90 min)

• 25 MC on organelle function and transport.
• 1 FRQ: "A student places a plant cell in a hypertonic solution and observes plasmolysis. Design an experiment to determine the water potential of the cell. Identify your independent variable, dependent variable, control, and expected results."
• Predict: animal cell in hypotonic solution → cell lysis (no cell wall). Plant cell in hypertonic → plasmolysis (turgor pressure lost).

Friday: Unit 3 — Cellular Energetics (2 hrs)

Review (60 min)

• Enzyme function: active site, substrate specificity, induced fit, activation energy ($E_a$), cofactors (metal ions), coenzymes (NAD⁺, FAD, NADP⁺).
• Enzyme kinetics: Michaelis-Menten curve, $V_{max}$ (enzyme saturation), $K_m$ (substrate affinity). Competitive inhibition: $K_m$ ↑, $V_{max}$ ↔. Non-competitive: $K_m$ ↔, $V_{max}$ ↓.
• Photosynthesis: light reactions (thylakoid, P680, P700, photolysis, chemiosmosis → ATP + NADPH), Calvin cycle (stroma, CO₂ fixation, reduction, regeneration, net G3P production).
• Cellular respiration: glycolysis (2 ATP, 2 NADH), Krebs cycle (3 NADH, 1 FADH₂, 1 ATP per acetyl-CoA), ETC (NADH → 2.5 ATP; FADH₂ → 1.5 ATP). Total ≈ 30–32 ATP per glucose.
• Energy carriers: ATP (energy currency), NADH and FADH₂ (electron carriers), NADPH (reducing power in photosynthesis).

Practice (60 min)

• 25 MC on enzyme kinetics, photosynthesis, respiration.
• 1 short FRQ: "A respirometer measures O₂ consumption of germinating seeds at 20°C vs 30°C. Why does respiration rate increase at higher temperature? Predict why the rate might plateau or decline if temperature continues to rise."

Friday Evening: Mini-Exam (1 hr 30 min)

Run a 6-FRQ mini-exam (calculate score; aim for > 20 pts out of 30). Use strict timing.

Week 2: Cell Communication & Cycle, Heredity (10 hrs)

Monday & Tuesday: Unit 4 — Cell Communication & Cell Cycle (3 hrs)

Review (90 min)

• Signal transduction: extracellular signal (hormone, neurotransmitter) → receptor (outside or inside cell) → intracellular cascade → target protein → cellular response. Amplification occurs in the cascade.
• G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR): seven transmembrane, G-protein activation, cAMP second messenger, downstream kinases.
• Receptor tyrosine kinases: ligand binding → autophosphorylation → phosphorylation cascades.
• Cell cycle: G1 (growth, normal activities), S (DNA replication), G2 (preparation for division), M (mitosis/cytokinesis). Checkpoints control progression. Cyclins and CDKs regulate.
• Mitosis: prophase (nuclear envelope breakdown, spindle assembly), metaphase (chromosomes align), anaphase (sister chromatids separate), telophase (nuclear envelopes reform), cytokinesis (cell splits).
• Cancer: loss of cell-cycle control, uncontrolled division, mutations in tumor suppressors (p53) or oncogenes (Ras, myc).

Practice (90 min)

• 25 MC on signal transduction, mitosis, cell-cycle checkpoints.
• 1 FRQ: "Describe the signal transduction pathway for a hormone binding to a G-protein-coupled receptor. Explain how the signal is amplified and how it is terminated."

Wednesday & Thursday: Unit 5 — Heredity Part I (3 hrs)

Review (90 min)

• Mendelian genetics: homozygous (AA, aa), heterozygous (Aa), dominant, recessive, phenotype vs genotype.
• Monohybrid crosses: Aa × Aa → 1/4 AA, 1/2 Aa, 1/4 aa (genotype ratio 1:2:1); 3/4 dominant phenotype, 1/4 recessive (3:1).
• Dihybrid crosses: AaBb × AaBb → 9 A_B_ : 3 A_bb : 3 aaB_ : 1 aabb (phenotype ratio 9:3:3:1).
• Test crosses: Aa (unknown) × aa (homozygous recessive) → if 1:1 ratio, first is heterozygous; if all dominant, first is homozygous dominant.
• Pedigree analysis: dominant traits (affected person usually has affected parent; doesn't skip generations), recessive (can skip; two normal parents can have affected child), X-linked (males more affected, carrier females).
• Chi-square test: $\chi^2 = \sum \frac{(O-E)^2}{E}$. Calculate expected frequency, compare observed to expected, compute $\chi^2$, look up critical value (df = number of classes − 1; α = 0.05 typically), conclude.

Practice (90 min)

• 25 MC: Punnett squares, pedigrees, chi-square.
• 1 FRQ: "In fruit flies, a student crosses two heterozygous flies (Aa) and observes 200 wild-type offspring and 70 mutant offspring. Test the hypothesis that this is a 3:1 ratio using chi-square. Show all calculations and state your conclusion."

Friday: Unit 5 Part II — Hardy-Weinberg & Population Genetics (2 hrs)

Review (60 min)

• Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: $p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1$ where $p$ + $q$ = 1. $p^2$ = homozygous dominant frequency, $2pq$ = heterozygous, $q^2$ = homozygous recessive.
• Five assumptions: no mutation, no natural selection, large population (no drift), no gene flow (migration), random mating. Violation of any → allele frequency change (evolution).
• Calculations: from phenotype ratios (e.g., 16% recessive = $q^2 = 0.16$, so $q = 0.4$, $p = 0.6$), predict genotype frequencies in next generation.
• Non-Mendelian inheritance: incomplete dominance ($A^R A^W$ heterozygote = intermediate phenotype), codominance (both alleles expressed), multiple alleles, linked genes (crossover), sex-linked.

Practice (60 min)

• 20 MC on Hardy-Weinberg and non-Mendelian patterns.
• 1 FRQ: "In a population, allele $A$ has frequency 0.7 and allele $a$ has frequency 0.3. Assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, calculate the genotype frequencies. If the next generation shows $q$ = 0.25, has the population evolved? Explain which assumption was violated."

Friday Evening: Mini-Exam (1 hr 30 min)

Full 6-FRQ mock exam, strictly timed. Target score: > 22 pts out of 30.

Week 3: Gene Expression & Regulation, Evolution, Ecology (10 hrs)

Monday & Tuesday: Unit 6 — Gene Expression & Regulation (3 hrs)

Review (90 min)

• Central dogma: DNA → RNA → protein.
• DNA replication: semi-conservative, leading/lagging strands, Okazaki fragments, DNA polymerase, primase, ligase, helicase. Telomerase in eukaryotes.
• Transcription: RNA polymerase II (eukaryotes), promoter (TATA box), transcription factors, initiation/elongation/termination, 5' cap and 3' poly-A tail (mRNA processing), splicing (exons kept, introns removed).
• Translation: initiation (ribosome, tRNA, mRNA codon), elongation (tRNA anticodon pairs with codon, peptide bond forms), termination (stop codon, release factor). AUG start, UAA/UAG/UGA stop codons.
• Gene regulation (prokaryotes): lac operon (lactose presence inactivates repressor, transcription ON), trp operon (tryptophan presence activates repressor, transcription OFF).
• Gene regulation (eukaryotes): chromatin remodeling (histone acetylation), enhancers, silencers, transcription factor binding, epigenetic regulation (DNA methylation).
• Mutations: point mutations (silent, missense, nonsense), frameshift, insertion, deletion. Consequences: no effect, altered protein, truncated protein, loss-of-function.
• Biotechnology: restriction enzymes (cut at palindromic sequences), PCR (denature/anneal/extend), gel electrophoresis (DNA by size), recombinant DNA, plasmids, cloning, CRISPR (gene editing).

Practice (90 min)

• 30 MC on replication, transcription, translation, mutations, biotech.
• 1 FRQ: "A mutation in the promoter region of a gene reduces the binding of RNA polymerase II. Predict how this mutation affects transcription rate, mRNA abundance, and protein synthesis. Explain your reasoning."

Wednesday & Thursday: Unit 7 — Natural Selection & Evolution (3 hrs)

Review (90 min)

• Evolution by natural selection: variation (genetic diversity), differential survival (fitness), inheritance (trait passes to offspring). Result: allele frequency change.
• Evidence for evolution: fossil record (transitional forms, geologic timescale), biogeography (species distribution, endemic species, convergent evolution), comparative anatomy (homologous structures), molecular homology (DNA/protein similarity across species).
• Population genetics: allele frequency, genotype frequency, gene pool, microevolution (small-scale change within populations), macroevolution (large-scale change, new species).
• Natural selection types: directional (favors one extreme phenotype), stabilizing (favors middle), disruptive (favors both extremes).
• Speciation: reproductive isolation (barriers prevent interbreeding): behavioral (mating rituals), geographic (physical barrier, allopatric speciation), temporal (breed at different times), mechanical (incompatible reproductive structures), gametic (sperm can't penetrate egg).
• Phylogenetics: phylogenetic trees (branching diagrams), cladistics (shared derived traits), outgroup (least related species), molecular clock (DNA mutations at constant rate), speciation events (nodes).

Practice (90 min)

• 25 MC on evolution, speciation, phylogenetics.
• 1 FRQ: "Two populations of insects are geographically isolated. Over time, they accumulate different mutations and diverge in mating behavior. Explain how reproductive isolation eventually leads to speciation. Define your terms."

Friday: Unit 8 — Ecology (2 hrs)

Review (60 min)

• Population ecology: exponential growth ($N_t = N_0 e^{rt}$, J-shaped curve), logistic growth ($N_t = K / (1 + (K-N_0)/N_0 e^{-rt})$, S-shaped curve with carrying capacity $K$). Density-dependent factors (food, disease, competition, predation). Density-independent factors (weather, natural disasters).
• Life history strategies: $r$-selected (early reproduction, many offspring, short lifespan) vs $K$-selected (late reproduction, fewer offspring, long lifespan, parental care).
• Community ecology: predation (predator eats prey), competition (two species use same resource), symbiosis (mutualism: both benefit; commensalism: one benefits, neutral; parasitism: one benefits, one harmed).
• Succession: primary succession (pioneer species colonize bare rock, soil builds), secondary succession (after disturbance, faster because soil exists).
• Ecosystem ecology: energy flow (producers → consumers → decomposers), 10% rule (≈ 10% energy passes to next trophic level due to metabolic costs), trophic levels (plants, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers).
• Nutrient cycling: carbon cycle (photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, decomposition), nitrogen cycle (N₂ fixation by bacteria, nitrification, denitrification), phosphorus cycle (no atmospheric reservoir; weathering releases from rock).
• Biodiversity: genetic diversity (variation within species), species diversity (number of species), ecosystem diversity (variety of habitats). Alpha diversity (one location), beta diversity (between locations), gamma diversity (region).
• Conservation: protected areas, endangered species management, habitat restoration.

Practice (60 min)

• 20 MC on population, community, ecosystem, biodiversity.
• 1 FRQ: "An ecological pyramid shows energy (kJ) at each trophic level: producers = 10,000 kJ, primary consumers = 1,000 kJ, secondary consumers = 100 kJ. Explain why energy decreases and calculate what fraction is lost from producers to primary consumers. Predict the energy in tertiary consumers."

Friday Evening: Full Practice Exam (2 hrs 30 min)

Run a complete 6-FRQ mock (108 total points equivalent). Target: ≥ 75 points.

Week 4: Targeted Review, Full Mocks, and Exam Prep (12 hrs)

Monday & Tuesday: Weak Area Identification & Drilling (4 hrs)

• Score Week 3 full mock. Identify which FRQ types and units scored lowest.
• Unit deep-dive: re-review and do 5 targeted FRQ setups for each weak unit.
  • If weak on Hardy-Weinberg: do 3 full HW problems (calculate allele/genotype frequencies, test equilibrium).
  • If weak on photosynthesis/respiration: do 2 data-analysis FRQs.
  • If weak on signal transduction: draw 3 pathways from scratch, label each step.
• Do 40 mixed MC from weak topics.
• Practice essay structure: all FRQs must follow claim-evidence-reasoning: state your answer (claim), provide data or observations (evidence), explain the biological principle (reasoning).

Wednesday: Formula Sheet Mastery (2 hrs)

Learn and practice these formulas (given on AP Bio exam):

• Hardy-Weinberg: $p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1$
• Chi-square: $\chi^2 = \sum \frac{(O-E)^2}{E}$
• Water potential: $\Psi = \Psi_P + \Psi_S$ (Ψ_P = pressure potential, Ψ_S = solute potential)
• Temperature coefficient: $Q_{10} = \frac{R_2}{R_1}$ where $R_1$ and $R_2$ are rates at temperatures 10°C apart.
• Primary productivity: can be derived from photosynthesis/respiration data.
• Dilution: if diluting a stock solution, $C_1 V_1 = C_2 V_2$.
• Surface area / volume ratio: explains diffusion constraints in cells.

Practice: solve 10 problems using each formula. Time yourself (2 min per problem).

Thursday: Full Practice Exam 2 (2 hrs 30 min)

Run another complete 6-FRQ mock under strict exam conditions.

• Timed: 90 min total.
• No notes, only AP formula sheet.
• Target: ≥ 75 points (out of 108, equivalent to mid-5 or high-4 score).

After exam: Quick review of FRQ patterns you missed. Redo one or two on Friday morning.

Friday: Last-Minute Prep & Confidence Check (2 hrs)

• Read the last-minute review checklist →.
• Review top traps: mitosis vs meiosis (draw both), light reactions vs Calvin cycle (two locations, two sets of molecules), Hardy-Weinberg assumptions (name all five).
• Skim a list of high-yield vocabulary (photosynthesis, speciation, signal transduction, gene expression).
• Pack your test bag: ID, calculator with fresh batteries, pencils, erasers, water.
• Get 8 hours of sleep. Recovery and memory consolidation are real.

Score Boundaries

Out of 108 total points (MC + FRQ combined):

• 5: ~70+
• 4: ~58–69
• 3: ~42–57
• 2: ~30–41
• 1: < ~30

You do not need 100%. Aim for 65–70% and you'll earn a 5.

Ready for exam day? Browse the AP Biology library →, or jump straight to FRQ practice → or last-minute review →.