How to Prepare to Teach an Advanced Placement Course Leadership LSO Gary Carlin Jan, 2008

AP CENTRAL The College Board AP Central web site has a wealth of information on all Advanced Placement Courses: –Course Description –Teacher’s Guide –Sample Syllabi –Free Response Q&A –Helpful Websites/Resources –Electronic Discussion Groups, etc …

A Course Description Course Descriptions for all AP courses are available on the College Board AP Central web site (free download). Put your cursor on the AP COURSES AND EXAMS green navigation box and select Course Descriptions. Select your specific course from the Course Description Index.

AP Teacher’s Guide Contains course specific information on: How to Begin your AP course. Techniques and Strategies for the Classroom The specific AP exam Sample Syllabi Resources 200+ pages - on the Course Home Page

Topic Outline Outline of the Major Topics is found in your specific AP Course Description. Topics are NOT necessarily in order, even though presented as a numerical outline. The percentages (%) given represents the proportion of M/C questions on the exam – used to guide you in the emphasis that should be placed on course topics.

Sample Topic Outline: Env Sci I. Earth Systems and Resources (10-15%) II. The Living World (10-15%) III. Population (10-15%) IV. Land and Water Use (10-15%) V. Energy Resources and Consumption (10-15%) VI. Pollution (25-30%) VII. Global Change (10-15%)

Sample Syllabi Put your cursor on the AP COURSES AND EXAMS green navigation box and select Sample Syllabi. Select your specific syllabus from the Sample Syllabi Index. There are 4 samples for each course.

AP Course Audit “All schools wishing to label a course "AP" in the school year must complete and return the subject-specific AP Course Audit form, along with the course syllabus, for each teacher of that AP course.” Must be approved by the College Board. ses/teachers_corner/51262.htmlhttp://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/cour ses/teachers_corner/51262.html

NYCDOE Calendar Click on School Calendar and print. From this calendar we need: - School holidays/vacations - Start and finish times for school year - Non teaching (testing) days

School Year Calendar Indicate Start/Finish dates Cross out weekends Cross out holidays Cross out non-teaching days (Election Day, Regents Week, etc.) Indicate AP Examination date Count total number of Teaching days - approximately 140 days (May exam)

Sample: Days Per Topic (ES) I. (10-15%)14-21 days II. (10-15%)14-21 days III. (10-15%)14-21 days IV.(10-15%)14-21 days V. (10-15%)14-21 days VI.(25-30%)35-42 days VII.(10-15%)14-21 days –(includes review, testing, and labs)

Textbook Sequence On each AP Course Home Page there is an AP Course Audit Box with a link to Example Textbook List (also in Course Description) Use the textbook organization to help sequence the AP Topics from the Course Description.

Topic Breakdown Each Major Topic (Roman Numbers) is divided into subtopics (letters) I. Earth Systems and Resources (10-15%) –A. Earth Science Concepts –B. The Atmosphere –C. Global Water Resources and Use –D. Soil and Soil Dymanics each subtopic then has specific examples in parenthesis (Geologic time scale; plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanism; …)

Topic Depth The best way to “estimate” the level of depth for each topic is to match the Topics and Subtopics from the Topic Outline to the: –Content in the Recommended College-level textbooks/resources. –AP examination multiple-choice and free response questions.

AP M/C Questions Sample M/C questions in the Course Description. Released AP exams available through the College Board. “AP-similar” Questions: review books, test programs (Eduware Test Wizard) and test banks for recommended textbooks

Free Response Questions Course Home Page: Exam Information –The AP Exam description 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distribution

Electronic Discussion Groups Subscribe to a group so you may communicate with other course specific AP teachers –Read discussions and ask questions of specific members or the group related to teaching of topics and depth of content. –Search the archives for previous discussion threads.

AP Science Courses Must also prepare to provide laboratory experiences in all AP science course. AP Biology and Environmental Science must also prepare for field investigations. Sample Lab/Field activities are found in the Course Description, Teacher Guide and AP Central website.

AP Summer Institutes 5 full day workshops to train new teachers of AP courses (***ESSSENTIAL***). Content, Pedagogy, Test, Laboratory Component, Networking, Technology, etc. Bronx Sites include: Manhattan College and Fordham University.

AP Grants for the Summer Institute Green NOTICE box (left-hand side) Select AP Scholars Awards Select AP Grants (blue box –right side) Select AP Fellows 12/awards/ap-grants/fellowshttp://professionals.collegeboard.com/k- 12/awards/ap-grants/fellows

AP Fellows Program March 1, 2008 Deadline School: +50% students of color and low income families $1000 Scholarship to attend a College Board-endorsed AP Summer Institute.

A Summer Assignment Many veteran AP teachers like to give their new AP students a self-guided summer assignment they will turn in upon their arrival in September. A supplemental reading list. Suggested activities (web-based) to help prepare themselves.