Session I: Sample Offerings

Economics (Micro and Macro combined)

The primary focus of this workshop will be to help teachers design a high-quality AP* economics program. Emphasis will be on microeconomics and macroeconomics economic content, as well as the methodology. Topics of particular interest will include scope and sequence of teaching micro and macro, textbook selection, the use of games and simulations, selection of supplemental materials, scheduling problems, test preparation, and test writing style. Use of previous AP* exams and their grading rubrics will help guide teachers to a better understanding of how to effectively teach the courses. Participants will be actively engaged in sharing effective teaching strategies and in using a wide variety of economics materials.

English Language and Composition (Novice AP* Teachers) 

This workshop is designed specifically for teachers with one to three years of experience in AP* English or for experienced teachers new to the AP* curriculum. Our work will deal with the following practical concerns: the course audit, practical test-taking strategies, sample syllabi,  types of texts and/or authors to cover, how many and what types writing assignments to use, managing the paper load, the appropriate amount of homework, what constitutes college level work, the implications of the revised course framework, and the impact of AP* on the rest of the curriculum. Participants will examine the AP* exam (including changes to some of the features of the exam), identifying the skills tested there, and subsequently, preparing a syllabus that works with those reading and writing skills. Selected authors studied will reflect essays from the 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st centuries.   The session will also highlight the changes to the AP exam, focusing on the multiple choice assessments and analytic rubrics.

English Literature and Composition (Novice AP* Teachers)
This workshop focuses on teaching and developing both critical reading skills and composition skills. Participants will examine the AP exam, identifying the skills tested there, and instead of "teaching to a test," will develop strategies to teach those critical reading and writing skills necessary for success in an AP literature class. Authors from Sophocles to Shakespeare to Virginia Woolf will be covered. Participants will work with particular lessons from a variety of authors. Aristotle's The Poetics, Shakespeare's Othello, Hamlet and The Tempest, William Wordsworth and the Romantic Poets, T.S. Eliot, William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, and Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse and Between the Acts are among the texts we will consider.

European History (Combined)
The course will provide overviews of the content covering the period from the Renaissance to the present. We will discuss course content, organization and pacing, using primary sources, teaching strategies, and a variety of learning activities. We will focus on essay writing, preparing students for the DBQ, and review past AP* exam items. AP^® European History has been redesigned and a further reorganization of the curriculum will be announced in May. Instructors are strongly encouraged to attend in order to prepare for these changes and learn of the new resources available. 

Psychology (Combined)
This workshop will provide teachers with materials necessary for teaching the Advanced Placement Psychology course. Topics include: social psychology, history and research methods, neurobiology, sensation/perception, learning, memory, development, personality, and abnormal/ treatment in addition to several other topics in psychology. Instructors will be provided with Internet resources, past test and review information, as well as numerous activities to use in their classroom. This course would be appropriate for both experienced and new teachers of Advanced Placement. 

Spanish Language (Combined) 
This summer institute is designed to familiarize teachers with the new AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam. The course will provide sample materials and classroom activities relating to the new exam and recent changes to the course. Participants will be invited to actively participate and share best practices with the entire group on a daily basis. They will leave with a toolbox of strategies to implement and successfully teach the course.

Statistics (Combined)

This workshop, designed for new and experienced AP Statistics teachers, will provide an overview of the topics included in the AP Statistics syllabus including the broad conceptual themes: Exploring Data, Sampling and Experimentation, Anticipating Patterns and Statistical Inference. In addition, this workshop will include curriculum design, in-class activities, simulations on the TI-83/84 and Inspire calculators, text selection, AP examination expectations, grading, and information regarding the College Board audit. We will also explore the new online support materials on AP Central that was recently released by the College Board. This will be a hands-on workshop. Participants should bring a TI83/84, Inspire (or other) graphing calculator

U.S. Government and Politics (Combined)
This session will be geared towards analysis and incorporation of the AP* Government redesign. This includes reviewing past AP* multiple choice exams, free response questions and content chapters. Skills, content and sharing of ideas will be the main focal point of this workshop. Specific topics to be covered will be sequencing, buzzwords and vocabulary, creating appropriate exam questions, importance of graph analysis and, finally, the overall structure of the course.

U.S. History (Combined)
This week will consist of a mix of pedagogy and content all focused on the successful implementation of the Advanced Placement United States History course.  We will focus on the writing and analytical skills needed for the course as well as the curriculum framework.  Participants are encouraged to bring their laptop; they will receive numerous resources.

Day 1-Introductions/AP History Practices and Skills /Understanding the Structure of the Course Framework/Reading Comprehension activity (Inner outer circle)/Historical Reasoning Skill of Comparison (Comparison Activity) HOMEWORK-Bring your favorite primary and secondary source.

Day 2-Analyzing Primary and Secondary Sources/Writing Thesis Statements and the Document Based Question!  Multiple Choice and writing our own Multiple Choice questions and mini-DBQ’s!  Historical Skill of Change and Continuity. HOMEWORK-Bring your favorite Political Cartoon!

Day 3-The Short Answer Question/Long Essay Question/ Historical Thinking Skill of Causation and Argument Development.  HOMEWORK-Bring your favorite lesson!

Day 4-Sequencing the Course/Syllabus Development/Bringing Skills and Content together with a lesson from the 1950’s!  Share Best Practices!

World History (Combined)
Participants will explore the latest changes to the AP* World History course, including thematic learning objectives, key concepts and course content, and historical thinking skills. Participants will learn and apply the most recent guidelines for assessing student knowledge, including the AP Exam (multiple choice, short answer, and free response sections). Participants will create lessons to help their students gain understanding of the course content and the skills necessary for success on the exam. The workshop will also discuss techniques for working with under-served populations, focusing on equity and access. Participants may, in addition, choose to revise or create a syllabus.

Session II: Sample Offerings

Art History (Combined)
This program is designed to prepare the teacher for the rigors of the gauntlet known as the Advanced Placement Art History course and exam. The instructor will emphasize the creation of a logical curriculum to meet the needs of students as well as to allow for a teacher’s self-expression in the classroom. The course will emphasize both lecturing and non-lecturing techniques and provide creative examples of both strategies. Discussion will also center on the exam itself, and how different teaching techniques address different aspects of the exam. Participants will be encouraged to create their own lessons during the workshop, and leave the course with a fully self-designed curriculum in place, and a series of sample lessons from each period. There will be a special focus on the Course Redesign, and a thorough exploration of some of the more obscure works now on the art history image list. There will also be a museum visit.

Calculus AB (Combined)
The class is designed to cover all the major topics of AB Calculus. Teaching strategies, appropriate use of technology and problem solving techniques are all used and discussed to help instructors better teach their students. Review of past AP exams along with how they are graded will be a big part of the week as well. Participants should bring a graphing calculator and a flash drive.

English Language and Composition (Adept AP* Teachers)
AP* English Language and Composition focuses on the skills articulated by the College Board*, which feature the following modes: rhetorical analysis, synthesis, and original argument. At the core of this workshop is the analysis of close reading skills; participants will examine a range of strategies with which to develop students' reading abilities. In addition to becoming familiar with all facets of the AP* English Language exam, participants will also explore ways to incorporate the world as a text and gain experience in writing assignments that integrate issues relevant to the communities in which they teach. The workshop will plan an experiential lesson — outside of our classroom — to apply the skills assessed by the exam in a real world setting. Significant time will be structured for participants to collaborate and develop original test questions and projects they may bring back to their classrooms. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptop and will receive numerous resources.

English Literature and Composition (Adept AP* Teachers)

This workshop is for experienced teachers of AP* English Literature, teachers who have taught the course for at least three years and who have participated in a one-week summer institute in Literature and Composition. Participants should be interested in further development or redesign of their classroom coursework. Our overriding concern for the week will focus on the differences between teaching reading and writing in an AP* course versus assigning reading and writing. This focus forces us to rethink coverage versus depth with our chosen texts and should prompt open discussions about our syllabi. Mornings will be devoted to group discussions and problem-solving on issues common to us all: designing and evaluating writing assignments, choosing authors and texts appropriate for our courses and our student bodies and communities, and ensuring that the exams are not the guiding forces in the classes. In the afternoons, we will work individually and in small groups to design or redesign our curricula. The instructor will work with each participant in these afternoon sessions. 

French Language (Combined)

This workshop will provide an overview of the structure and content of the AP French Language and Culture course. It will give participants an overview of new unit guides and instructional strategies created by the College Board, as well as the new resources which will be made available to registered teachers in the Fall of 2019: an AP question bank to use on formative assessments and an AP classroom platform to check student progress. In addition, the workshop will provide opportunities to discuss approaches to vertical and horizontal planning, explore and share essential resources and teaching strategies. Participants will view sample lessons, sample syllabi, and curriculum modules, as well as engage in developing lesson plans, and evaluation tasks. Finally, participants will share and discuss best practices and tips that work to assist colleagues in the day-to-day classroom teaching and learning context.

Participants are encouraged to bring samples of their own students' work from this past school year for possible group discussion and scoring using the AP* rubrics. Participants are asked to bring a laptop computer, a copy of their present syllabus, and any textbooks/resource materials they plan to use in the coming school year, and create a Google account (if they don’t already have one) for sharing files.

German Language (Combined)
This workshop provides participants with detailed information about the AP German Language and Culture exam. Authentic materials and assessment strategies lead to meaningful and successful experience for the proficient speaker of German. The presenter will navigate the participants through all six AP themes by modeling current advancements in the world language classroom, as well as provide examples of activities and assessments that facilitate the best practice for the multiple-choice and free-response sections of the exam. Participants will leave the workshop with considerable knowledge on how to increase their students’ critical thinking skills and how to develop questions similar to the ones used on the 2017 released exam. 

Human Geography (Combined)
This workshop is designed for new and experienced AP Human Geography teachers. Throughout the week, participants will engage in the following: syllabus/course audit development; covering key concepts in all seven units; writing multiple choice and free response questions; lesson ideas; test analysis; and the use of online sources. Lessons will be modeled for each of the seven units. Participants will share a lesson and test questions by the end of the institute. Depending on the weather, we will complete a field study off campus. Participants will gain access to a google team drive with thousands of files including powerpoints, lesson idea, website links and test prep materials for the AP exam.

Statistics (Combined)

This workshop, designed for new and experienced AP Statistics teachers, will provide an overview of the topics included in the AP Statistics syllabus including the broad conceptual themes: Exploring Data, Sampling and Experimentation, Anticipating Patterns and Statistical Inference. In addition, this workshop will include curriculum design, in-class activities, simulations on the TI-83/84 and Inspire calculators, text selection, AP examination expectations, grading, and information regarding the College Board audit. We will also explore the new online support materials on AP Central that was recently released by the College Board. This will be a hands-on workshop. Participants should bring a TI83/84, Inspire (or other) graphing calculator

U.S. History (Experienced AP* Teachers)
This institute is for experienced APUSH teachers who have taught the course for at least two years.  We will look at student writing samples, released exams, outside readings, and helpful websites.  We will discuss the observations of Readers from the 2018 exam.  Please bring examples of best practices, successful lesson plans, helpful hints and your current textbook to class.  Sharing your expertise is critical and essential to this group of experienced teachers.  There will be time to allow you to prepare your personal syllabus for the upcoming school year.

*College Board, AP, Advanced Placement and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission.