Question for AP Bio students regarding class length

<p>My son's school has always offered AP Biology as a two-period course. One period was dedicated to lab and the other to discussion. Each period meets for about 55 minutes and two separate grades are given for the class - one solely for lab and the other for the classwork.</p>

<p>Next year they are changing the structure of the course so that it's only going to be one period long. My son was planning to take AP Bio next year (when he's a senior) but now he's a little worried that there won't be enough class time to teach everything that will be needed to score well on the exam. If the class is only half as long as it has been in the past, there will be a lot less class time for discussion if they have to fit in labs, too.</p>

<p>How do other schools do it? Is it common for AP Bio to meet for 2 periods or is his school just weird?</p>

<p>AP Bio here is just one period.</p>

<p>My school is on a block schedule....we meet for 2 hours alternating twice and thrice a week. Plus, we have NEVER done a lab. Our teacher's pass-rate is still 85 percent, so I don't think you should be worried.</p>

<p>My AP Bio class is 50something minutes M-F, and it works fine. We never have any busy work or "study hall" periods. It's always either lecture or labs.</p>

<p>We have block schedule. AP Bio is 80 minutes a day for about 90 days (half the year) so I'd say it's less than what your son will have.</p>

<p>55 minutes is kind of short for a class period, but I'm assuming it is short because the class meets everyday, so it should be plenty of time to cover everything. My class meets three times a week for an 1.5 hours and we are able to do labs fine (there just isn't a lecture that day). If anything, I would be woried that the teacher might have a harder time acclimating (initially) to the abbreviated shedule, not the student.</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone who answered. I guess I was worrying for nothing. I'm glad to learn that a two period class isn't the norm for AP Bio.</p>

<p>Nonsequitured, you're probably right - the teacher is going to find it sort of hard to change her lesson plan. But she's a super teacher - I'm sure she'll work it out.</p>

<p>Hmm, AP Bio at my school is 2 periods every day, with each period being 41 minutes long. And, it's all lecture during that time. We've only had 1 lab.</p>

<p>My school is on a block schedule also. AP classes run 90 minutes for 36 weeks. The only exceptions are AP Econand AP Psych (90 minutes - 18 weeks).</p>

<p>I had only one period of AP Bio, with both text book curriculum and labs; I think your new course will be fine</p>

<p>My school is on block scheduling also. We meet for 90 minutes every other day. It should not be bad that they are changing the structure. because it will teach your son how to deal with things that college students have to deal with. For example, going on and taking out a lot of time to study things and learn things on his time.</p>

<p>2 periods in my school.</p>

<p>We have AP Bio for 50 minutes M-F plus one extra 50 minute period on Tuesdays for labs.</p>

<p>AP Bio is just one period in my school, but we have block scheduling so the class is 1:15 long and meets every other day. Anyways, it works well because our last year's average score on the AP exam was around a 4.3</p>