Course Descriptions

These courses are designed to give teachers an overview of the basic structure and content necessary for an Advanced Placement course in the subjects listed. In addition, instructors review the Advanced Placement Examination in each subject as it applies to that content area by discussing sample multiple-choice and free-response questions. A major portion of each course involves the development of an Advanced Placement curriculum by each participant. In the past, these courses have proven to be beneficial to experienced teachers of Advanced Placement and prospective new instructors for AP classes.  

Ed. 612 - ART AND DESIGN 

Faculty: Joann Winkler (Online - July 24-28; July 31-August 4; August 7-11)

The objective of this course is to provide both new and experienced AP® Art and Design teachers with an understanding of the requirements of the updated course and portfolios. This course is designed to assist high school teachers of AP® Art and Design in understanding, planning, and teaching the course while assessing student progress. The goal is to prepare students to develop their portfolios successfully. The rubrics for each section of the three portfolios will be reviewed. By the end of the session, teachers will be more effective in evaluating their students’ work and assisting them in achieving higher AP® scores.

An emphasis will be placed on ideation and strategies for assisting students in selecting Sustained Investigation topics that are viable and inventive. Studio sessions will be dedicated to developing a mini-investigation using action research, inquiry, and exploration. Participants will engage in the same kind of creative problem-solving that they will ask of their students.

The format of the Institute will include informal lectures, digital presentations, and studio activities. All participants will be encouraged to share best practices, and some exercises will be completed in small groups. Group critiques and activities will be conducted with an emphasis on the process and developing a theme or idea that can generate continued investigation. Participants should be prepared to share their innovative approaches with other workshop members. Museum experience will provide curriculum ideas and add strategies to enhance student artwork. 

Participants can expect to:

• Engage in inquiry and investigation through practice, experimentation, revision, and reflection,
• Investigate themes from Contemporary Art to inspire curriculum,
• Collaborate with studio and seminar sessions structured to address the use of contemporary art practices,
• Develop ideation for the Sustained Investigation that can support investigative research about an artistic concern,
• Create art to support the research-based inquiry into a mini investigation
• Develop sketchbook and process strategies,
• Select art for the Selected Works section,
• Share strategies for portfolio development with hands-on approaches to work,
• Review the UPDATED rubrics and use them to score portfolios through mock readings
• Museum or gallery exercises (subject to availability and only for the in-person version of this course)

Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops, flash drives, sketchbooks, and favorite media to support art-making in the 2D, 3D, or Drawing portfolio.  If possible, bring utensils to cut and adhesives of choice in addition to collage-making materials.

Ed. 635 – ART HISTORY  

Faculty:  Sean Bayliss (Online - July 24-28)

Faculty: Yu Bong Ko (Online - July 31-August 4; August 7-11. Syllabus & Schedule)

This AP Art History workshop will focus on preparing, sustaining, and teaching the redesigned curriculum while anticipating the road ahead for maximizing student success. You will acquire insightful ideas and best teaching practices to immediately and confidently promote active student-centered learning in and out of the classroom. Your instructor for this workshop is one of the co-authors of the redesigned curriculum implemented in 2015 and updated in 2019. The instructor’s knowledge includes prior service on the College Board’s Test Development Committee, along with scoring the AP Examination in Art History.

Workshop Goals/Objectives:

• Acquire familiarity with the Course and Exam Description (CED) that organizes AP Art History into ten commonly taught units – 1 for each of the ten content areas.
• Understand the course framework that defines specific Art Historical Thinking Skills, Big Ideas, and Learning Objectives and how they are tied to specific Enduring Understandings and Essential Knowledge statements.
• Develop a fundamental understanding of the standardized free-response section of the exam that uses a stable analytic rubric, as well as performance tasks that are defined for students.
• Provide insights into how the AP Examination Readings are conducted, including identifying and explaining how course content and skills are assessed on the exam. Participants can practice applying the scoring guidelines from the recent AP exams to student work samples.
• Develop a pacing guide by unit/topic to incorporate the full scope of the AP course into the school’s academic calendar.
• Walk away with ready-to-use strategies and pedagogical tools shared by experienced teachers within the AP community.
• Incorporate a wide array of reading, writing, note-taking, and review practices consistent with educational philosophy concerning approaches to teaching AP Art History.
• Practice “culturally responsive teaching” while making Art History relevant to students as a course in high school. 
• Recognize and obtain the most effective resources and materials from texts, readers, online sources, and other multimedia platforms.
• Know about AP Audit protocols for the coming year.

In addition, teachers will complete a digital activation process to access AP Art History AP Classroom Resources provided by the College Board: AP Daily Videos, Unit Guides, Personal Progress Check, Progress Dashboard, and AP Question Bank. 

Please use this link to the College Board’s AP Central Art History to learn more about this course.

Ed. 630 - BIOLOGY 

Faculty: Phyllis Robinson (Online - July 24-27; July 31-August 3; August 7-10) 

This course is designed for both teachers who are new to teaching AP Biology as well as experienced teachers who are looking for information about the changes in curriculum and the wealth of new resources that unfolded in 2019-2020. The course will focus on the following: 1) the foundation of AP Biology as articulated in the Curriculum Framework (the four Big Ideas, six Science Practices, etc.), 2) Inquiry-based lab instruction, and 3) helping students be more successful in the AP Biology Exam. Throughout the course, participants will learn about the exciting changes The College Board has made available in student course enrollment, formative and summative assessments, laboratory ideas, and the abundance of resources that are now available for teachers and their students. In addition, participants will be exposed to many of the resources available to them from publishers, science supplies, research institutions, and online. Participants will receive a binder containing the new AP Biology Course and Exam Description (CED), which is also accessible online.

Each participant will briefly share a “best practice” idea during the week of a favorite activity or demonstration. Participants should bring a laptop computer or tablet device with them. All laboratory equipment and other materials will be provided. Those participants who are new to AP Biology and are taking this course for graduate credit at Manhattan College will develop a course syllabus based on the new curriculum standards. Those teachers who have already successfully submitted an AP Biology audit syllabus for the new program will develop a unit based on the new curriculum.

Ed. 637 - CALCULUS AB 

Faculty: Cluny Mendez (Online - July 24-28)

Faculty: Gregory Timm (Online - July 31-August 4; August 7-11) 

The primary goal of this class is for the teacher to acquire the techniques necessary to teach Advanced Placement AB Calculus at the secondary level successfully.  This course will focus on classroom strategies that encourage teachers not only to enjoy teaching calculus but also to learn how to creatively engage students in mathematical investigations that enable the students to "discover" the major concepts.  We will examine various strategies and skills that can be used to explore the fascinating world of teaching AP Calculus. This course is intended to provide appropriate training for the AP Calculus teacher by providing opportunities to refresh, solidify, and expand your theoretical understanding of calculus, become familiar with the level of knowledge required for student success on the AB AP Calculus Examination, gain expertise in the creation and use of appropriate assessment vehicles, including technology, and connect pedagogical theory to practice in the AP classroom.

Ed. 638 - CALCULUS BC 

Faculty: Bill Semus (Online - July 24-28)

Faculty: Mark Howell (Online - July 31-August 4; August 7-11)

Although this course will include materials covering the full range of Calculus BC content, the "C" topics in the curriculum will receive special emphasis. Teaching strategies directed towards approach, activities, time frame, and assignments will be developed. A multi-representational approach will be used throughout, looking at concepts symbolically, graphically, numerically, and verbally. The role of the graphing calculator as a powerful instrument for enriching and enhancing the calculus study will be explored, and a substantial collection of student-ready activities will be distributed. Current textbooks related to the new technology will be available for participants to examine.  Assessment strategies and AP Exam preparation will be discussed, and the Advanced Placement examination will be analyzed. Participants will be familiarized with grading standards and the application of grading scales to free-response questions. A graphing calculator is used during this course.

Ed. 631 - CHEMISTRY 

Faculty: Lisa Cumming (Online - August 7-11)

Faculty: William Cumming (Online - July 24-28; July 31-August 4)

This methodology course surveys the basic structure and content necessary for teaching an Advanced Placement Chemistry course. Chemistry topics such as equilibrium, kinetics, and “how to” problem-solving are presented.  Class size, student selection, textbooks, and labs are also addressed. Special attention is paid to teaching strategies, the AP exam, and its grading. Some lab experiments suitable for AP classes are incorporated into the course. Participants receive examples of past AP exams, appropriate tests, worksheets, and lab experiments.

This course will provide an opportunity for high school AP Chemistry teachers to observe significant teaching demonstrations, perform experimental procedures using computer-interfaced equipment, and review with presenters various topics covered in AP Chemistry. Teachers will have the opportunity to discuss the methodology of converting typical cookbook labs into guided inquiry labs.

Participants will have the opportunity to perform several lab exercises that align with the College Board redesign. Best practices will be discussed.  For each of the labs, AP-published related Labs will be provided and reviewed. Information about the requirements for the AP Chemistry Course Audit will be shared.

Ed. 627 - COMPUTER SCIENCE A 

Faculty: Marvin Hoffert (Online - July 31-August 4)

This course examines concepts, topics, instructional strategies, and assessments related to the teaching and learning of AP Computer Science Principles. The topics outlined in the College Board Course and Exam Description will be significantly examined. In addition, the AP Assessment will be analyzed, and strategies for preparing students for the AP Assessment will be discussed.

Ed. 642 - COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES 

Faculty: Marvin Hoffert (Online - August 7-11, Syllabus)

The course accommodates participants with different levels of familiarity with Java and OOP.  We will study the material of all 10 Units in the latest Course and Exam Description (CED), including arithmetic, decisions (if statements), iterations (loops), strings, classes and objects, constructors and methods, inheritance and polymorphism, 1D and 2D arrays and ArrayList, searching and sorting, and recursion. We will discuss the College Board’s course audit process, work with the College Board's exemplar labs and AP Classroom, including the multiple-choice and free-response questions from past exams, and share techniques for teaching Java in high school.

Ed. 619 - ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION

Faculty:  Daniel O'Rourke (Online - July 25-28; August 7-10)

Faculty: Stephen Klinge (Online - July 31-August 4)

During our AP Summer Institute, we will work with each of the main areas of the English Language exam—the multiple-choice questions (both the reading and the writing questions), the synthesis essay, the rhetorical analysis essay, and the argument essay—and discuss ways to prepare our students with the skills they will need on the AP test. We will examine the Course and Exam Description book and the resources available in AP Classroom. We will also discuss the scoring process for the test and review the current year’s Language exam essay questions.

As a community of peers, we will collaborate on strategies, practice test-taking, analyze readings, and share best practices. We will place ourselves in the position of our students and then explore how we, as their teachers, can improve their skills as writers, thinkers, as close-readers, and test-takers.

Readings will come from various pre-20^th century and 20^th-century / contemporary sources. However, the emphasis will be on non-fiction; we will discuss the use of poetry and other fiction within the Language course. Before the course, I will send a list of essays to read so we have a set of common texts to discuss.

Ed. 603 - ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION 

Faculty: Nichole Wilson (Online - July 24-27; July 31-August 3)

Faculty: Minaz Jooma (Online - August 7-10)

The AP English Literature course and exam ask students to engage meaningfully with literature spanning centuries, genres, and voices.  Our workshop will tackle creating a vibrant class and preparing your students for the test.  Participants can expect hands-on and relevant work that will enhance what they are already doing.  Participants will share texts, lesson plans, assignments, and prompts that have worked in the past to strengthen course syllabi and to tweak the day-to-day activities.  Our course will also strive to strike a balance between giving the canon its due but also bringing in newer, fresher material to engage students. We will also examine the role of supplementary texts and the possibilities with literary theory when appropriate. When we look at the AP Lit exam, we will review multiple choice teaching strategies, essay prompt analysis, strong writing criteria, and rubric creation.  With recent changes to the AP exam and course description, we will review the new writing rubrics and discuss syllabus suggestions.  Participants will leave reflecting on their students, school, and class and having worked to bring exciting and challenging material to school in the fall.

Ed. 626 - ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Faculty: Andrew Milbauer (Online - July 24-28; August 7-11; Schedule)

Faculty: Katherine Morris (Online - July 31-August 4)

In this session, participants will investigate the new AP Environmental Science Course and Exam Description and experience student-centered labs, activities, and fieldwork that align with the content, skills, and science practices that are the foundation of this course.  Participants will examine and experience a fully developed unit and use that as a model to plan a unit of their choice, including developing a new lesson using suggested classroom strategies and creating an assessment using the AP website test bank.  Essential to this course is the understanding of the course framework and the Big Ideas that spiral through the units, as well as the scaffolding of concepts, skills, and science practices.

Much of the week will be spent in the field and the lab so that participants leave with many hands-on activities to facilitate student learning and develop critical analysis and problem-solving abilities, fundamental skills necessary for this course. Through designing experiments, engaging in inquiry-based activities, and collecting data in the field, students will understand how the process of science works. Hands-on activities rather than lectures are the emphasis, and workshop activities will focus on resources available in every community; cemeteries, power plants, fields, forests, ponds, and school campuses are all rich resources for inquiry-based projects. 

Significant time will be spent analyzing and scoring student examples of free response questions and learning to navigate AP Classroom effectively.  This course is appropriate for both new and experienced AP teachers.

Ed. 636 – EUROPEAN HISTORY 

Faculty: Keneth LeSage (Online - July 24-28)

Faculty: Katherine Landsea (Online - July 31-August 4)

Faculty: Jim Kirkcaldy (Online - August 7-11)

The Revised AP European History Exam 2016 will be introduced and explained, and discussed at length.  Participants can preview sample exam questions and examine sample rubrics for these questions. Participants will explore the overview of the Curriculum Framework based on the Revised AP European Test. Historical Thinking Skills will be introduced and discussed. They will focus on the following Skills: Chronological Reasoning, Comparison, and Contextualization, Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence, and Historical Interpretation and Synthesis. Thematic Learning Objectives are organized into five major themes: (1) Interaction of Europe and the World, (2) Poverty and Prosperity, (3) Objective Knowledge and Subjective Visions, (4) States and Other Institutions of Power, (5) Individual and Society, will be introduced and explored.

We will cover the Concept Outline and the required course content for each historical period. The Historical Periods in the Concept Outline will include key concepts, supporting concepts, and historical developments that are required knowledge for each period presented in the outline:  Period 1: c.1450 to c.1648, Period 2: c.1648 to c.1815, Period3: c.1815 to c.1914, Period 4: c.1914 to the present.

Since this is an APSI, the Agenda will also cover the importance of pacing, methods of essay writing, and the use of literature, art, and primary sources in the AP Curriculum.  Discussion of textbook selection and additional content-specific materials to complement the course is another aspect of the Institute. An overview of how best to use technology, how to review for the exam, what summer reading is suggested, and what post-exam activities are available will also be discussed. As always in the APSI, the sharing of "Best Teaching Practices" is another highlight of our week together.

Ed. 608 - FRENCH LANGUAGE & CULTURE 

Faculty: Deanna Scheffer (Online - July 24-27, Syllabus; July 31-August 3, Syllabus)

Faculty: Edward Weiss (Online - August 7-11)

The French L&C AP Summer Institute Workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of all aspects of the AP experience and examination. It will help teachers analyze the AP curricular themes and subthemes, learning objectives, achievement level descriptions, test questions, scoring rubrics, and student samples for the new exam. We will discuss and develop activities and assessments that present language in a cultural context, appropriately build student proficiencies in the modes of communication, and integrate "authentic materials" into language instruction. We will discuss strategies to prepare students for the AP exam effectively, review course requirements, plan the integration of available CB materials as well as develop other course materials. We will also train how to navigate/use AP Classroom, AP Daily, and AP Live materials. If needed, participants will learn strategies for teaching combo-level courses.

Ed. 623 - GERMAN LANGUAGE & CULTURE 

Faculty: Katrina Griffin (Online - July 31-August 3; August 7-10)

This workshop provides participants with detailed information about the current AP German Language and Culture exam.  Given the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication, the presenter will navigate the participants through all six AP themes by modeling current advancements in the world language classroom.  The teacher of German today realizes the validity behind effective curricular progression, thereby allowing all students the benefits of the AP experience from the first year of instruction.  Authentic materials and assessment strategies all lead to a meaningful and successful experience for the proficient speaker of German. 

Ed. 624 - HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 

Faculty: Jeanne Shin-Cooper (Online - July 24-28)

Faculty: Rita Cron Hines (Online - July 31-August 3)

Faculty: Celeste Reynolds (Online - August 7-11)

This course will provide an overview of the AP Human Geography curriculum and help teachers design their courses. Teachers will review lesson plans, resources, and websites for teaching each major topic covered in the AP Human Geography course, including geography, population, cultural patterns, the political organization of space, rural land use, industrialization, and cities. The course will focus on effective teaching strategies, learning activities, and preparation for success on the AP exam. Participants will begin to develop their course outline, syllabus, and assessment tools.

Ed. 628 - ITALIAN LANGUAGE & CULTURE

Faculty: Ida Wilder (Online - July 24-28; July 31-August 4; August 7-11)

This course gives participants an overview, as well as the requirements, of the AP Italian Language and Culture Course and exam. Participants will also learn about classroom strategies and engage in a professional exchange of ideas. In addition, they will examine the components of the AP curriculum framework, including learning objectives, description of the expected student performance, and themes. They will discuss instructional design for the course that integrates cultural content into language lessons and connects the modes of communication in meaningful ways. Participants will also review necessary AP material, such as course descriptions, exam specifications, and student examples from various exams. Other highlights include ideas for syllabus development and the opportunity to score student work from the 2018 exam with rubrics. Finally, participants will become acquainted with the electronic media used to support AP teachers, such as AP Central, AP Teacher Community, and many, many useful websites.

Ed. 641 - MACROECONOMICS

Faculty: Theresa Fischer (Online - July 24-27; July 31-August 3)

Faculty: David Mayer (Online - August 7-11)

Welcome to the AP Macroeconomics Experienced workshop, where we will immerse ourselves in the materials of the Course and Exam Description binders (CED) created and distributed in 2019 by the College Board. The workshop will focus on specific content concerns outlined by you in the class and by the Chief Reader report. We will review economic models and theories, help students calculate and evaluate economic data and create students centered classroom experiences and simulations for successful learning.  This will help students overcome some of the challenges in the course. A major part of the workshop will be devoted to planning and gaining confidence in our ability to teach the AP Economic syllabus along with forming a lasting professional learning community.

Ed. 613 - MUSIC THEORY 

Faculty: Joel Phillips (Online - July 24-28; July 31-August 4; August 7-11)

Music Theory for Teachers of Advanced Placement strongly emphasizes musical skill development and provides numerous strategies to help teachers prepare students to achieve their best. It features an extensive and careful analysis of the AP curriculum and the examination’s content and scoring. Members will evaluate representative examples of available materials, especially those provided by the College Board, and participate in various in-class activities, most of which are based on performance. Following the course, people who have not taught AP music theory will be able to complete the course audit requirements. All participants, including experienced AP teachers, can expect to take away new ideas, insights, and greater confidence in their teaching.

Ed. 609 - PHYSICS I 

Faculty: Barry Panas (Online - July 24-28; July 31-August 4)

Questions on the AP Physics 1 exam probe a student’s understanding of the entire scientific process.  They don’t just predict an answer, but they must explain the reasoning behind the prediction and discuss how that prediction would change as the conditions of the problem change.  And they don’t stop there:  they describe how they would set up an experiment to verify that prediction, how to analyze the data collected from such an experiment, and how that experiment might turn out.  In other words, our students are expected to acquire and demonstrate the same skills that professional physicists use in their work.

In our AP summer institute, we will discuss in detail the content and structure of the AP Physics 1 exam.  More importantly, we will talk about how to teach students the physics skills that will be tested on the new exams and which are useful at all levels of physics.  Participants who have already taught these courses for a year will have a chance to share ideas and activities that worked – or didn’t work – for them; those who are brand new to AP Physics 1 will leave with more materials than they could ever imagine.

The overarching goal of the week will be to communicate and share physics teaching ideas that, while focused on AP Physics 1, can be applied to any level of physics, including conceptual, Regents, AP Physics 1, and AP Physics C.  In particular, we will discuss the following:

• Quantitative use of demonstrations, whenever students can be asked to predict the result of a demonstration, that demonstration has served a purpose beyond simply attention-grabbing.
• Laboratory activities in the style of AP lab questions. We will perform two or three of these.  We will discuss how to create activities that are not only pedagogically valuable but also directly prepare the students for the types of exam questions they will face.
• In- and out-of-class assignments and activities that bring students beyond focusing on an abstract answer. We’ll talk about specific ideas that will help get students to write, communicate, and experiment.

Ed. 643 - PHYSICS II 

Faculty: Barry Panas (Online - August 7-11)

Questions on the AP Physics 2 exam probe a student’s understanding of the entire scientific process.  They don’t just predict an answer, but they must explain the reasoning behind the prediction and discuss how that prediction would change as the conditions of the problem change.  And they don’t stop there:  they describe how they would set up an experiment to verify that prediction, how to analyze the data collected from such an experiment, and how that experiment might turn out.  In other words, our students are expected to acquire and demonstrate the same skills that professional physicists use in their work.

In our AP summer institute, we will discuss in detail the content and structure of the AP Physics 2 exam.  More importantly, we will talk about how to teach students the physics skills that will be tested on the exams and which are useful at all levels of physics.  Participants who have already taught the course will have opportunities to share ideas and activities that worked – or didn’t work – for them; those who are brand new to AP Physics 2 will leave with more materials than they could ever imagine.

The overarching goal of the week will be to communicate and share physics teaching ideas that, while focused on AP Physics 2, can be applied to any level of physics, including conceptual, Regents, AP Physics 1, and AP Physics C.  In particular, we will discuss the following:

• Quantitative use of demonstrations, whenever students can be asked to predict the result of a demonstration, that demonstration has served a purpose beyond simply attention-grabbing.
• Laboratory activities in the style of AP lab questions. We will discuss how to create activities that are not only pedagogically valuable but also directly prepare the students for the types of exam questions they will face.
• In- and out-of-class assignments and activities that bring students beyond focusing on an abstract answer. We’ll talk about specific ideas that will help get students to write, communicate, and experiment.

Ed. 620 - PSYCHOLOGY 

Faculty: Jessica Flitter (Online - July 24-27; August 7-10)

Faculty: Nick Fernandez (Online - July 31-August 3)

Ed. 632 – SPANISH LANGUAGE & CULTURE

Faculty: Yensen Lambert (Online - July 24-28; July 31-August 4; August 7-11)

In this course, we will dissect the Curriculum Framework for the 2019 Spanish Language and Culture exam.  Participants will analyze the AP curricular themes and subthemes, learning objectives, achievement level descriptions, test questions, scoring rubrics, and student samples for the new exam. Our discussion of student performance will focus on three communicative modes:  interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational.  Additionally, we will discuss AP curriculum and syllabus development and the integration of culture (products, practices, and perspectives) into all levels of an AP and Pre-AP program with a special emphasis on the use of technology and the arts to support curricular goals.  Finally, we will discuss teaching strategies, instructional materials, and online resources to make our AP program vibrant, relevant, and successful.

Ed. 625 – SPANISH LITERATURE & CULTURE

Faculty: Kerry Sullivan (Online - July 24-28)

Faculty: Maritza Sloan (Online - July 31-August 4; August 7-11)

During this AP Spanish Literature and Culture training, you will explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year, which will give you immediate access to the new resources and help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you will gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understanding the Course; Planning the Course; Teaching the Course; and Assessing Student Progress and Understanding. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, and the AP question bank.

Ed. 616 - STATISTICS

Faculty: Steven Willott (Online - July 24-28)
Faculty: Paul Buckley (Online - August 7-11)

This course is intended for AP Statistics teachers who feel uncertain about the content or the expectations of the course. We will discuss a variety of questions from previous exams, along with their scoring rubrics and some student solutions, as a springboard for investigating the content and how to present it. There will also be discussions regarding the use of available technology in the course, available resources, test-taking strategies, and ideas for projects and activities. 

Ed. 640 - U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 

Faculty: Bryan Ashkettle (Online - July 24-28)

Faculty: Christopher Lundgren (Online - July 31-August 4)

Faculty: Maria Schmidt (Online - August 7-11)

• More room for teachers to cultivate student understanding.  The topic outline for the current course will be replaced by a content outline: a focused, detailed description of the content that may appear on the AP Exam. This will save teachers from rapid, superficial content coverage, enabling them to spend more time helping students understand key topics in depth.
• More focus on what students should be able to do with the knowledge they develop. The curriculum framework defines a set of political science skills and practices that will require students to analyze, compare, interpret, and communicate political information—the same skills and practices that college and university faculty expect students to have after completing the equivalent college course.
• More emphasis on the U.S. founding documents and other primary sources. A specified set of 19 Supreme Court cases and nine foundational documents—including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—will now be required study. For each required Supreme Court case, the National Constitution Center will publish articles for students showing both sides, where there was a bipartisan agreement, and where there were differences.
• More emphasis on applied learning. Students will complete a research project or investigation relating a political problem or current issue to the course content.
• Course Objectives: Participants in this Institute will become familiar with the revised format of the AP US Government and Politics course and exam.
• Develop an understanding of the content areas covered by the exam, including the nine basic documents and 19 Supreme Court cases. 
• Develop the ability to analyze Internet resources available for teaching the course.
• Compare and contrast some of the resources available for the teaching of this course, and make decisions as to the materials that would best serve the needs of their students. 
  
  

  Ed. 633 – U.S. HISTORY 

  Faculty: Scott Horton (Online - July 24-28; July 31-August 4; August 7-11)

  The purpose of the course is to familiarize teachers with a wide variety of the elements of the AP program in American History, including:

  1. Procedures for AP teachers: We will explore the College Board’s Equity and access statement, the curricular and resource requirements that schools agree to when offering AP-level courses, and work through the course audit that is required of all AP teachers.
  2. Curricular Requirements: We will spend most of our time becoming familiar with the Course and Exam Description document, designed to help teachers understand the many elements of the course. We will review the themes that tie together elements of the course and investigate the historical thinking skills and reasoning processes that underlie the redesigned course curriculum. We will have the opportunity to consider how to scaffold the skills in the course and to develop a pacing guide for the curriculum. Once familiar with these elements, we will share lesson examples for each of the thinking skills and reasoning processes in various course units.
  3. Online and Offline Resources: We will explore some of the resources available to teachers in the non-digital world (i.e., textbooks, review books), as well as the variety of online materials that College Board has made available to instructors including AP Classroom, the AP Daily videos, and the online teacher community as well as non-College Board resources.
  4. Assessments: We will learn about the various assessment items on the AP Exam, including multiple-choice, short answer questions, long essays, and document-based essays, and explore some strategies for students to use with these different items. We will become familiar with the essay rubrics and apply them to student work. We will also learn about Instructional Planning Reports and discuss how those might be used for teachers to become reflective practitioners so they can adjust their courses on a year-to-year basis. 

Ed. 639 – WORLD HISTORY 

Faculty: Kit Wainer (Online - July 24-27; July 31-August 3; August 7-10)

This institute will focus on teaching both skills and content, and it is driven by the belief that both can be done at the same time. We will discuss specific ways of teaching writing, and participants will get lesson ideas for how to teach argument development. Additionally, participants will get to see how AP exam essays are graded and how the rubrics are interpreted. Finally, participants will be given ample time to plan their courses so they can leave the institute with a realistic timeline.