AP Biology, like many AP classes, contains a LARGE load of material. Each test is composed of what could be considered a midterm or final in another class. Here are some memory tricks for one section from a Redondo Beach AP Biology Tutor.
Memory Tricks for Transcription and Translation
Transcription and Translation are the two steps to the central dogma in Biology. They are the two parts of the process that codes genes into proteins-turning the blueprint into the 3D building, if you will.
Memory Trick #1:
Transcription means to take what is spoken and turn it into a written account. It is taking something of the same language and changing its form. Similarly, in biology, transcription is the process of changing the form of the thing, while keeping it the same language. What I mean by that is that DNA and RNA are both built from nucleotides (nucleotides=the language) though they are in different forms (DNA=double stranded helix, RNA=single strand).
Translation means to change the language. Similarly in biology, translation is taking something from one language (nucleotides) to another (amino acids) in turning RNA to a protein.
Memory Trick #2:
After transcription, the mRNA goes through a few steps before it leaves the nucleus to find a ribosome and be translated. One of the steps is ‘splicing’ where parts of the mRNA are removed, and only the important section is left. Here’s the trick: EXons are the important part of the mRNA…they are the part that EXits the nucleus. the INtrons are the part that are removed…they are the part that stay IN the nucleus.
Memory Trick #3:
For more great tricks like this, come to Study Hut in Redondo Beach and work with an esteemed AP Biology tutor! Many of our tutors had not only taken biology, but have taken advanced biology classes in college and can provide support and explanations for concepts in AP Bio that have been skimmed over/raced through!
At The Hut, we know that all students learn differently and come to tutoring with unique expectations. For those high achieving high school students who are immersed in Advanced Placement courses, SAT practice, and extracurricular activities, time management is key.
Junior and senior year of high school are the most academically demanding years of the four. This is the time when students are mastering those tough classes (AP Euro, Bio, US, Chem, Spanish…) and special skills (soccer, music, community service…) that will make them competitive at the university of their choice. With little sleep and less free time during the day, what these teens need is a schedule.
Mira Costa junior Danny came to The Study Hut in need of a little planning. With a full schedule of electives and extracurriculars, Danny had no trouble learning the material; he just needed to find the time to do it. During tutoring sessions, Danny and I spent time organizing his schedule for the week – ensuring that he would have time to do the activities he loves as well as the focused studying that he needs to ace information-dense AP Biology. With a realistic amount of time blocked out every day for biology review, and the creation of specific goals for the completion of assignments, Danny’s test scores immediately improved. With the continued use of these organization techniques, as well as weekly concept review at The Study Hut, Danny’s grades are steadily improving. By the time of the AP Biology exam, he had drastically improved his grade in the class and his ability to retain large amounts of information.
One hour of one-on-one tutoring for high school students is not only an excellent way to clarify difficult concepts, it is also a way to keep busy students on track all week long. Short-term study techniques will prepare a student for an upcoming test, but organization and planning skills with a long-term focus are the key to improving a student’s ability to learn information, retain information, and succeed in the analytic-based learning that is in their future. The commitment to a regular schedule allows students to anticipate assignments and plan their schedules accordingly. This reduces stress, which in turn makes test-taking less of an ordeal. Less panic means better decisions and higher scores. Period.
If a student can stick to a study plan and stop relying on last-minute cramming, they are guaranteed to see positive results. And a little more sleep never hurts either…
Fewer than three weeks remain until the AP Biology Exam. Are you ready? Yes? No need to read further, then.
Still with me? Then I suppose you’ve answered no. That’s an excellent, honest first step. Maybe you’re worried that the facts and skills aren’t set firmly in your mind, that you’ll go into the test less than prepared. Doubt and anxiety are normal feelings for everyday life, but disastrous ones for tests – they can make all your brain’s resources collapse like a half-baked soufflé. Obviously there is no reason to let this happen! AP Biology is a rigorous course, and you’ve probably worked harder at it than at any other class this year. You deserve a score to show that! Read the rest of this entry »
Biology can be one of those subjects that you either get or you don’t, but everybody from grade school to high school has to take it and not just once. The problem most Biology students face is that they get lost on a specific part of a lesson and don’t get the individualized attention they need to get it cleared up. So when the teacher moves on and builds on the information he has just taught the student gets even more lost. The cycle continues this way until the student eventually just gives up, saying, “biology is too hard.” Read the rest of this entry »
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If you are having trouble in school or even just one class, the tutors at Study Hut can help you get organized and improve your grades so you can understand more and reduce stress. Read the rest of this entry »
