The AP Art History course explores such topics as the nature of art, its uses, its meanings, art making, and responses to art. Through investigation of diverse artistic traditions of culture from prehistory to the present, the course fosters in-depth and holistic understanding of the history of art from a global perspective. Students learn and apply skills of visual, contextual, and comparative analysis to engage with a variety of art forms, constructing understanding of individual works and interconnections of art-making processes and products throughout history.

Experienced teachers at SSPC teach based on the redesigned AP Art History curriculum for 2016, addressing core questions such as: How to approach the 250 works of art in the Image Set? How to make meaningful thematic connections among the works of diverse cultures and adapt to the increasing emphasis on global content? How to incorporate resources beyond the traditional textbooks? How to prepare for the AP exam in subsequent years?

Throughout the course, our teachers will:
· Focus on the 250 image sets, big ideas, essential questions and learning objectives
· Ensure enduring understanding for each content area
· Balance depth of knowledge and breadth of content coverage
· Improve student’s critical thinking, reading, writing, and note-taking skills
· Demystify the AP exam and access practice questions
· Create an engaging and fun classroom
· Incorporate external resources for teaching the course content areas
· Infuse digital technology and multimedia with a traditional classroom

Students will have ample opportunities to access the most up-to-date content and walk away with practical knowledge and test-taking strategies to succeed in the new AP Art History test, including enhanced visual literacy in looking at, thinking about and communicating ideas about works of art. Students are encouraged to bring a laptop to receive and work with valuable handouts that are in electronic format, such as on a flash drive.

The AP Art History course explores such topics as the nature of art, its uses, its meanings, art making, and responses to art. Through investigation of diverse artistic traditions of culture from prehistory to the present, the course fosters in-depth and holistic understanding of the history of art from a global perspective. Students learn and apply skills of visual, contextual, and comparative analysis to engage with a variety of art forms, constructing understanding of individual works and interconnections of art-making processes and products throughout history.

2019 TEST DATE, TUESDAY (PM), MAY 14, 2019

The newly redesigned curriculum was implemented in 2015 with significant departure from the old format. The inaugural 2016 exam has provided initial insights into the many questions that both first-year and experienced students preparing to have the course about redesigned AP Art History exam have been asking: just how much does one learn beyond the 250 works of art in the Image Set? Why is there so much emphasis on the global content areas and how can one make meaningful thematic connections among these diverse cultures? Where can one find more learning resources beyond the traditional textbooks? How can one better pace the exam prep of the course?

AP Art History 2018-2019

Throughout the summer weeks, we will place special focus on the following topics of immediate concern related to preparing and teaching the newly redesigned AP Art History curriculum:

Understanding the new curriculum framework and its implications for learning: 250 Image Set, Big Ideas, Essential Questions, Learning Objectives and Enduring Understanding for each Content Area
How to better pace the exam prep of the course
Balancing depth of knowledge and breadth in content coverage
Improving critical thinking, reading, writing, and note-taking skills
Demystifying the AP exam and accessing practice questions
Creating and working with active and fun classroom
Resources for developing and learning the course content areas

Students will have ample opportunities to acquire and share best exam preparation practices and walk away with practical materials and strategies to immediately conform to active student-centered learning in the classroom, including enhancing visual literacy: helping students develop skills in looking at, thinking about and communicating ideas about works of art. Participants are required to bring a laptop to receive and work with valuable papar that are in electronic format, such as on a flash drive.

The AP Studio Art course is for students interested in a rigorous and focused study in art. Students will develop a quality portfolio that demonstrates a mastery of concept, composition and execution in drawing or 2D design. This course is based on a student creating a body of work that demonstrates quality, concentration, and breadth. This portfolio will be submitted to the College Board for college credit. The course will meet for a full year on the academic model (8 meetings every two weeks). Students taking any college-level course will be expected to spend a considerable amount of time outside of class in order to complete homework and sketchbook assignments.

This course provides an overview of the content of the AP Studio Art portfolios in Drawing, Two-Dimensional Design, and Three-Dimensional Design. A variety of course structures will be considered and issues in drawing, 2D and 3D design, color, sculpture, and painting will be addressed in depth. Participants will follow individual course outlines for their own AP Program* syllabus and will, through simulated grading of sample portfolios, become familiar with AP grading standards and procedures. Attention will also be given to the preparation of artwork as well as the digital submission of the portfolio. Participants will leave with several textbooks and cloud access to all the handouts and generated materials. There will be homework after each lesson, culminating in an exhibit of participant artwork. Bring cameras to document the process and the exhibit.

2019 TEST DATE: FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2019

Studio Art — last day for coordinators to submit digital portfolios (by 8 p.m. ET) and to gather 2-D Design and Drawing students for physical portfolio assembly. Teachers should have forwarded students' completed digital portfolios to Coordinators before this date.

AP Biology is an intensive course designed to be the equivalent of an introductory biology course taken in college. The emphasis is on developing an understanding of biological concepts rather than an accumulation of facts. The student should understand and appreciate the science of biology as a process and a personal experience in scientific inquiry that develops their problem solving and critical thinking skills.

This course also prepares the high school student to take the AP exam given in May. In order to pass the exam, students must be highly motivated and driven to excel in this challenging course. The format for this class will be primarily lecture supported hands on activities and quiz review.

The format for this class will be primarily lecture, supported by hands-on activities and quiz review.

2019 TEST DATE, MONDAY (AM), MAY 13, 2019

Calculus AB is a course in single-variable calculus that includes techniques and applications of the derivative, techniques and applications of the definite integral, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. It is equivalent to at least a semester of calculus at most colleges and universities, perhaps to a year of calculus at some. Algebraic, numerical, and graphical representations are emphasized throughout the course.

Students taking this course have completed a solid foundation of mathematical courses that include algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and elementary functions. Students are familiar with the properties, graphs, algebra, and language of linear, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, inverse trigonometric, and piece-wise defined functions. Students will normally have taken Algebra, Algebra II, Trigonometry, and Pre-Calculus before taking AP Calculus. Attitude prerequisites include a willingness to work both in and out of class, a willingness to collaborate with classmates to foster mutual understanding, and a sincere intent to place out of the first semester of college calculus rather than repeat it.

This summer, students will experience a complete overview of the AP Calculus AB curriculum with emphasis on appropriate use of graphing calculator, content and pacing, and global review for the AP exam. We will also review content and pedagogy in the following topics: related rates, area/volume, differential equations/slope fields, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, implicit differentiation, L’Hopital’s Rule and other topics. A special focus on assessment and motivation will help students incorporate new strategies to build a successful AP Calculus program. We will examine changes to the AP Calc AB starting in 2016. Students are asked to bring a graphing calculator.

2019 TEST DATE, TUESDAY (AM), MAY 14, 2019

Calculus AB is a course in single-variable calculus that includes techniques and applications of the derivative, techniques and applications of the definite integral, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. It is equivalent to at least a semester of calculus at most colleges and universities, perhaps to a year of calculus at some. Algebraic, numerical, and graphical representations are emphasized throughout the course.

Students taking this course have completed a solid foundation of mathematical courses that include algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and elementary functions. Students are familiar with the properties, graphs, algebra, and language of linear, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, inverse trigonometric, and piece-wise defined functions. S will normally have taken Algebra, Algebra II, Trigonometry, and Pre-Calculus before taking AP Calculus. Attitude prerequisites include a willingness to work both in and out of class, a willingness to collaborate with classmates to foster mutual understanding, and a sincere intent to place out of the first semester of college calculus rather than repeat it.

This course is designed for studentss who have already learned the AB curriculum and are comfortable with the AP program. The AB curriculum will be reviewed, with an emphasis on the topics the students desire. We will look at proofs of the basic theorems of AB calculus, as well as more in depth explorations of differential and integral calculus applications. In addition, we will look at first semester college calculus topics that are not part of the AB curriculum.

These sessions will cover all topics on the Calculus AB syllabus which includes limits and continuity, definition of the derivative, applications of the derivative, rate of change, Mean Value Theorem, Riemann sums, the definite integral by geometric and analytic means, average value, anti-differentiation,, applications of integration, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, slope fields, applications of anti-differentiation and separable differential equations.

Sample problems from previous AP exams will be given and solved together to develop an understanding of the material and the College Board philosophy. Students will also receive a variety of classroom tested activities and calculator programs to enhance practicing. We will discuss ways to prepare students for the AP exam. Students will also get several current textbooks and resource materials. Instructors will be sharing their extensive files.

2019 TEST DATE, TUESDAY (AM), MAY 14, 2019

This AP Calculus BC course covers topics in single variable differential and integral calculus typically found in a first-year college Calculus I and Calculus II two semester course sequence. Students who have successfully completed AP Calculus AB should enroll in AP Calculus C.

While taking the Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus BC exam is not required, this course prepares students to succeed on the AP Calculus BC exam and subsequent courses that draw on material from this course.

Students will learn single variable calculus by actively engaging with the lectures, interacting with online resources, and by attempting many practice problems through homework and quizzes.Students will be solving AP free response and multiple choice questions, as well as learning how the free response questions are scored. We will discuss exam strategies and the recent curriculum re-write will be addressed, as well as any other issues that the students want discussed.

2019 TEST DATE, TUESDAY (AM), MAY 14, 2019

This AP Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first year of college. For most students, the course enables them to undertake, as a freshman, second year work in the chemistry sequence at their institution or to register in courses in other fields where general chemistry is a prerequisite. This course is structured around the six big ideas articulated in the AP Chemistry curriculum framework provided by the College Board.

A special emphasis will be placed on the seven science practices, which capture important aspects of the work that scientists engage in, with learning objectives that combine content with inquiry and reasoning skills. During the year students will use demonstrations and other simulations that work with course content in ways that cannot easily be duplicated in the lab.

AP Chemistry is open to all students that have completed a year of chemistry who wish to take part in a rigorous and academically challenging course. This course can be taken either after or along with a full year Organic Chemistry course for additional work with the concepts, reactions, and processes from organic chemistry.

To keep the students in the cumulative mindset needed to prepare for the AP exam, as well as exams in a university setting, there will be a weekly quiz in non-test weeks on the last student day of the week and each unit exam administered will have questions from previous units included. Students will also take part in discussions that will relate topics covered to real world applications of the concepts.

The redesigned AP chemistry program is in effect for the 2013-2014 school year. The new course focuses on reasoning and inquiry skills that are essential for success at the college level. To this end, the revised course emphasizes inquiry based labs that are more student-directed. It centers on a more conceptual, qualitative understanding of chemistry, and has less breadth and more depth.

2019 TEST DATE, THURSDAY (AM), MAY 9, 2019

This session, designed for both new and experienced AP students, will provide an intensive five-day program that focuses on the experimental portion of our AP chemistry course.

The institute will use guided-inquiry as well as traditional labs to explore a variety of experiments covering each of the six Big Ideas. We will also work out strategies for modifying traditional labs to make them more inquiry-based. The use of three major lab kit suppliers will allow you to evaluate the new guided inquiry lab kits and instructions from Flinn, Carolina, and Wards. Additionally, we will perform experiments from the new laboratory manual developed by the College Board. Some labs will be computer-based using a variety of probes such as pH, colorimetry, and temperature. Students will work in small groups to perform the labs and then compare results, troubleshoot problems for students, and develop plans to integrate labs into your curriculum. Many of the lab experiments will be followed by in-depth analysis and conclusion discussions. This will allow us to develop and model critical-thinking skills that can be used in the classroom so that inquiry becomes an integrated component of our entire course. Using a dynamic approach in the classroom, students will experience firsthand how to create a community of scientists, vastly decrease the amount of time, and increase the effectiveness of, their lab grading. The institute will look at how the new curriculum affects the laboratory program. We will examine lab problems from recent AP Exams as well as develop laboratory questions for our own exams. We will also discuss strategies that help prepare students for success on the exam.

Additionally, we will examine the College Board’s access and equity initiatives and the extensive supporting resources available to AP teachers. Most importantly, the institute will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and teaching practices where you will be able to add to and gain from the success and experience of other AP teachers. Many, if not all, of this year’s labs will be different from labs covered in the previous two years so everyone will leave the institute with a list of new labs and ideas that you will want to use in your classrooms and laboratories. As in past St. Johnsbury APSI’s, the week will serve as a springboard for the development of a network of collaborating AP Chemistry teachers. Come for a week of experimentation and collaboration with colleagues from the entire region.

Comparative Government is a college level political science course that provides students with: a concrete understanding of the scientific method behind political comparison, a well developed sense of political theory, and a “real world” understanding of global studies through specific analysis of 6 different political entities. Throughout the course of the semester students will be learning the process that political scientists use to analyze and evaluate political systems, and then applying that process to the case studies. Upon completion of the Comparative Government class, students will be equipped to understand and evaluate current geo-political issues in an informed manner, and will have developed the tools and methodology to understand and evaluate geo-political issues that will arise in the future.

AP Comparative Government and Politics prepares students to become citizens in an increasingly interconnected world. It focuses upon important themes and concepts, including globalization and democratization. Specific case studies include the United Kingdom, the European Union, Russia, the People’s Republic of China, Mexico, Iran, and Nigeria. Cross-country comparisons are made throughout the course. Perhaps more than any other AP course, AP Comparative Government and Politics enables students to analyze world events and broaden their perspectives.

2019 TEST DATE, THURSDAY (AM), MAY 16, 2019

AP Computer Science introduces students to the formal concepts of object-oriented computer programming, including program design, control structures, data structures and algorithms using the Java programming language. It is a course designed to be comparable to a first year college level computer programming class. Students will gain an understanding of the history of computing, and the nature of hardware and software; the software design process, and the basics of object-oriented programming, as well as the ethical considerations of computer science. They will also gain a familiarity with Java classes, objects, and data types; basic Java syntax; constructor, accessor, and mutator methods; decision and looping statements; and logical operators, among others. During the second half of the course, students will have the opportunity to further develop and refine their programming skills by focusing on the techniques of data abstraction, including encapsulation and inheritance. In particular, the emphasis is on the organization of information and the implementation of common data structures such as arrays and array lists, as well as various searching and sorting methods through such structures. Students also explore recursion and the close relationship between data structures and algorithms including basic complexity analysis and comparisons between several different methods.

In addition, AP Computer Science is a course designed to enhance students' logical problem solving abilities. Not only does it increase student understandings of the Java language, but it also builds analytical skills that are valuable in the field of computer science, in other academic courses, and in life in general. This class will enable students to significantly increase their computer science and programming skills - skills that are needed in an ever increasing array of college courses and workplaces. Throughout this course, students are encouraged to work individually and collectively to solve problems, share solutions, and make important discoveries.

The course accommodates students with different levels of familiarity with Java and OOP. We will study classes and objects, constructors and methods, interfaces and inheritance, strings, arrays and ArrayList, and other topics specified in the AP CS Course Description. We will also review the College Board’s AP materials, and review the free-response questions from the latest AP CS Exam.

2019 TEST DATE, TUESDAY (PM), MAY 10, 2019

This course is meant to be an inviting introduction to computer science for a wide, diverse, population of students. It provides a gentler introduction to programming than the existing AP Computer Science A course. AP CSP includes the “Big Ideas” of creativity with computing, algorithms, data analysis, and the impacts of computing on society. It is an excellent preparation for a career or college degree program in Computer Science, as well as a great way to help your students learn computational thinking.

This workshop is designed for beginning (new) as well as experienced students to introduce you to College Board’s newest computer science course called AP CS Principles. This course is a broad introduction to computer science designed to improve access for all students. We will focus on the 7 Big Ideas for this course: Creativity, Abstraction, Data and Information, Algorithms, Programming, The Internet, and Global Impact. We will emphasize specific practicing strategies to accomplish each of these tasks in a diverse learning environment. We will discuss in detail the structure of the AP CS Principles Assessment including the two Performance Tasks and the Multiple Choice exam. Scoring rubrics will be utilized.

2019 TEST DATE, FRIDAY (PM), MAY 10, 2019

Students will study both Microeconomics and Macroeconomics principles throughout the course in preparation for the College Board’s Advanced Placement Examination. During the first half, students will gain an understanding of principles that apply to individual consumers within the larger economic system. The primary emphasis of study will be focused on product markets, factor markets, and the government’s role in promoting greater competition, efficiency and equity in the economy. The second portion of the course will deal with Macroeconomics principles. Students will learn how a nation’s economic performance is measured. Primary emphasis will be in the areas of national income and price determination. Issues of international trade and future economic growth will also be studied.

We will model for students' lessons on challenging economic concepts, including: graphing of market models, externalities, Aggregate Demand and Supply, Monetary policy, loanable funds market, MRP and others.

Our goal is to clearly identify for teachers the need to know concepts and models, as well as provide guidelines for those concepts which will enrich the AP classroom.

2019 TEST DATE, WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY (P/AM), MAY 15/17, 2019

This course offers a rigorous preparation for college level writing and emulates a first-year college composition class by preparing students to “write effectively and confidently in their college courses across the curriculum and in their professional and personal lives” (College Board). Students will read and analyze a wide range of non-fiction texts—from newspaper editorials, to travel writing, to literary non-fiction, to biography, to sermons. Although most of the texts for the course are non-fiction, some works of fiction will be studied. In terms of reading, students will learn how to analyze and critique a wide range of non-fiction texts. Students will become familiar with the rhetorical strategies that make for effective, persuasive writing. Specific attention will be paid to the development and analysis of a written argument. Students will learn how to identify the elements of a strong argument and will grow to improve their own written arguments. Furthermore, in terms of writing, students will improve their mastery of standard written English and will grow in their ability to produce “analytic and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex idea and develop it” through the use of evidence. Students will continue to develop their ability to revise their own writing—improving upon its strengths and removing its weaknesses.

Over the course of the weeks we will fully review the AP English Language and Composition curriculum and exam. Students will review and practice skills of argumentation and rhetorical analysis and share best practices.

2019 TEST DATE, WEDNESDAY (AM), MAY 15, 2019

The AP English Literature and Composition course is designed with the goal of enhancing students’ abilities to explore, comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate complex literary texts. Upon completion of this course a student should be proficient in discussing literature of varied themes, historical contexts, and genres whether it be in an on-demand, timed writing prompt, an in-depth, scrutinized, and revised essay, or in class discussion.

Students entering this course must have the initial expectation that they will read, contemplate, and write about literature extensively. We will write an essay every couple weeks (in analytical, argumentative, and expositional forms) and will read every day (novels, creative nonfiction, short stories, and poems). They must be willing to challenge and justify their understandings, attempt to see other perspectives, and discuss in a mature and lively manner.

As this course also has the goal of preparing all students to pass the AP English Literature and composition exam, it operates in accordance with the information contained in the latest AP English Literature course description (which I ensure by reviewing it at least once per academic year). The course features practice for both free response and multiple choice portions of the test. We attempt to scaffold students’ on demand close reading and writing abilities by repeated practice, group scoring, feedback, and reflection on a variety of sample AP-styled questions and prompts.

Students in this workshop will begin with a broad overview of AP English Literature curricula, and will proceed to examine effective strategies to read and respond to each of the major literary genres. Examples of both familiar canonical texts and works by emerging writers will provide platforms for discussion and collaboration, as students experience and develop practicing methods and materials.

Rather than focus on preparing “to” the AP examination, the workshop will encourage students to prepare “with” it. Even though the workshop is devoted to Advanced Placement, students will find that its approaches and materials are readily adaptable to all levels.

2019 TEST DATE, WEDNESDAY (AM), MAY 8, 2019

This workshop is designed for practicing and aspiring writers who wish to work on their own craft while learning the pedagogy of fiction. It is designed to extend the work that teachers have done at the English Literature sessions by this summer in the past or to include others who may be interested.

All students will read the Best American Short Stories of 2015, edited by T.C. Boyle. In addition, the class will read Tom Averill’s rode.

Sessions will include such topics as –

Pedagogy:
Reading as a writer–how a fiction writer might read differently from a scholar;
Learning “opposing” stories (in terms of character/theme/point of view/plotted vs. not plotted);
Pairing the new selections in the O. Henry with stories generally in this session; Researching the publication history of each piece;
Developing writing exercises from a story;
Learning the elements of fiction through representative stories (the basis for this course).

Writers’ Workshop:
Exercises each day based on one of the stories in the anthology;
Exercises that explore the sentence–the long and short of it;
Exercises that develop non-threatening workshops on writing;
Exercises that involve an entire group of writers;
Exercises in revision and editing;
AND

AP Literature Course Description Summer 2017

The goal of the AP English Literature and Composition workshop help you to customize an AP program that is based upon your strengths and the demands of the examination.
Each day of the workshop, we will have three sessions of approximately 2 hours. we will prepare materials according to the topical outline below, and reserve plenty of time for your questions and concerns, as well as time for sharing your practices.
There are two things you need to do in advance of the workshop:
(1) This year we will be reading and working with The Best American Short Stories of 2015, edited by T.C. Boyle. Please read this collection and be prepared to discuss it. It is easily available on Amazon, either new or used.
(2) Please bring copies of an experienced unit that you have developed which either expands the canon or uses a new approach to learning. Do not worry if the unit/activity was developed for a level other than AP. We will use these units to broaden the range of materials and pedagogical strategies that you get at the workshop.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Monday: Philosophy and Overview of AP English
Selection of Students + Improving Student Writing
Tuesday: AP Units in the Novel, Poetry, and Drama
Novel, Drama in AP, Discussion of the Best Short Stories of 2015
Wednesday: The AP English Literature Exam – Multiple Choice
Writing with Authority for Question Three
Poetry: The work of MacArthur Genius Ellen Bryant Voigt
Thursday: Grading the A.P. Essay Examination
Understanding and Controlling Subtext– Helping Students to do their Best
Friday: Units of new fiction, clusions and Assessment

This workshop will involve a great deal of hands-on work and sharing of all of our electronic materials (bring a thumb drive and your computer), and we hope that you will leave with a file of useful materials and a clear philosophy about using them. We will address additional topics depending upon the needs of our group.

The goal of the AP Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them.

Environmental science is interdisciplinary; it embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. Yet there are several major unifying constructs, or themes, that cut across the many topics included in the study of environmental science. The following themes provide a foundation for the structure of the AP Environmental Science course.

1. Science is a process.
Science is a method of learning more about the world.
Science constantly changes the way we understand the world.

2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes.
Energy cannot be created; it must come from somewhere.
As energy flows through systems, at each step more of it becomes unusable.

3. The Earth itself is one interconnected system.
Natural systems change over time and space.
Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances.

4. Humans alter natural systems.
Humans have had an impact on the environment for millions of years.
Technology and population growth have enabled humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the environment.

5. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context.
Understanding the role of cultural, social, and economic factors is vital to the development of solutions.

6. Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems.
A suitable combination of conservation and development is required.
Management of common resources is essential.

This workshop covers the lab/field trips/activities needed to teach APES. The workshop also covers the APES classroom and the nature of the APES exam. Additional, there are four field trips: a soil workshop, a tour of the Ryegate wood chip electrical generating plant, a class and a tour of the STJ Sewer Plant, and an outdoor class covering easy exercises for forestry field work.

2019 TEST DATE, MONDAY (PM), MAY 6, 2019

A rigorous course covering European History from the period of the Renaissance to the present. The course contains analysis of primary source documents and discussion. This is a standard first-year college course. Critical thinking and writing skills are emphasized. The student will be expected to do daily reading outside of class.

For Experienced and New teachers. Major changes in the AP European History exam! The main focus will be on the new changes in the structure of the course as well in the new exam. The workshop will also concentrate on teaching strategies, core concepts, recent historiography, alternative assessments, and t grading the A.P. exam – all designed to reflect the new changes in the course. The workshop is also designed to share and discuss student centered teaching strategies and activities. Students will receive numerous PowerPoint’s, and ancillary teaching materials and readings as well the instructor’s 250-page workbook

2019 TEST DATE, WEDNESDAY (PM), MAY 8, 2019

The AP French language and Culture course aims to promote both fluency and accuracy in language use. In order to facilitate the study of language and culture, the instruction is set up to include all aspects of the target language in variety of settings. It will provide to students an integration of the four language skills :

1. Development the ability to understand spoken French in various contexts.
2. Development a French vocabulary sufficient for reading newspaper, magazine articles, literature text and more, without dependence on a dictionary.
3. Development the ability to express oneself in French, both orally and in writing, coherently, resourcefully, and with reasonable fluency and accuracy.

The course will guide the students to explore culture and events in both contemporary and historical settings and to examine products and practices of the target culture with regard to their perspectives. In order to achieve this, the teacher will use French almost exclusively in the teaching of the course and students are encouraged to do likewise. Students are also encouraged to participate in French Club activities at school and outside school.

This course will concentrate on preparing teachers to deliver the new curriculum in French Language and Culture and prepare their students for the new examination format.

2019 TEST DATE, WEDNESDAY (PM), MAY 8, 2019

Advanced Placement Human Geography is a high school course equivalent to a one semester introductory college course in Human Geography. Course topics include the nature and perspectives of geography, population, cultural geography, industrialization and economic geography, agriculture and rural land use, urban geography, and political geography.

2019 TEST DATE, TUESDAY (PM), MAY 14, 2019

AP Physics C: Mechanics is equivalent to a one-semester, calculus-based, college-level physics course, especially appropriate for students planning to specialize or major in physical science or engineering. The course explores topics such as kinematics; Newton’s laws of motion; work, energy and power; systems of particles and linear momentum; circular motion and rotation; and oscillations and gravitation. Introductory differential and integral calculus is used throughout the course.

This workshop will help both new and experienced instructors develop a rigorous and enjoyable calculus-based course targeting the AP Physics C examinations in mechanics and electricity-magnetism. We will discuss fundamental principles, try out the demonstrations that illustrate them, examine past exam problems and review scoring briefly. A large part of our time will be spent doing laboratory experiments, typically three of four per day, and discussing the logistics and options related to a laboratory program. Students should bring a calculator, and, if convenient, a laptop computer for data analysis.

Have you ever asked seeming impossible to answer “HOW COME” questions? Things like: Why’s the sky blue (except before sunset when it’s red)? If Earth’s spinning us around the equator at 1,034 mph, why isn’t there a ferocious wind in our face and why aren’t we terribly dizzy? How come it looks like there’s water on a hot roadway in the summer? Why does time go a little slower on the Sun, and faster on the moon? A wet towel snaps in midair, and creates a sonic boom … how come? Discover the answers to many of your “how come” questions, as we gain an understanding of nature, the universe, and technology at the most fundamental scientific level….Physics!

2019 TEST DATE, TUESDAY (PM), MAY 7, 2019

Have you ever asked seeming impossible to answer “HOW COME” questions? Things like: Why’s the sky blue (except before sunset when it’s red)? If Earth’s spinning us around the equator at 1,034 mph, why isn’t there a ferocious wind in our face and why aren’t we terribly dizzy? How come it looks like there’s water on a hot roadway in the summer? Why does time go a little slower on the Sun, and faster on the moon? A wet towel snaps in midair, and creates a sonic boom … how come? Discover the answers to many of your “how come” questions, as we gain an understanding of nature, the universe, and technology at the most fundamental scientific level….Physics!

AP Physics 2 is designed to be equivalent to the second semester of an introductory college-level algebra-based physics course. This course is useful for potential engineering, pre-med, science and computer science majors as well as anyone interested in Physics. It is also a fantastic college preparatory course. There is time for thorough, in-depth, student centered inquiry activities allowing students to carry out careful experiments and design laboratory practical work to answer real world questions.

2019 TEST DATE, FRISDAY (PM), MAY 10, 2019

What is the purpose of the Pre-AP English Program? The purpose of the Pre-AP program is to enable students to read complex texts with understanding and to write prose that is rich enough and complex enough for mature readers.

What is the Pre-AP program? The AP English Language and Composition course is designed to help students become skilled readers of prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and to become skilled writers who can compose for a variety of purposes. By their writing and reading in this course, students should become aware of the interactions among a writer's purposes, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way generic conventions and the resources of language contribute to effective writing.

This course is devoted to continue the student preparation for upper level classes such Pre-Calculus and AP Statistics. Topics include quadratic functions, polynomials, radicals, rational expressions, and exponential and logarithmic functions. This depth and complexity of this course will prepare students for advanced math courses.

In this session we will review and discuss both the strategies and skills students need to be successful in the different AP Math classes (both AP Statistics and AP Calculus). We will discuss the basic math themes that students can build on to help ensure success at the AP level and future college mathematics classes. Many of these skills are first introduced and developed at the Middle School level and these teachers play an integral role in student’s success at the High School level. We will talk about the Common Core State Standards for Math and how these standards can be incorporated into a successful Pre-AP Math program. The Math SAT’s are being redesigned for March 2016 and we will review what changes are coming and how Pre-AP can again help students succeed on these exams/classes. Pre-AP is not a series of individual math classes but strategies that should be introduced at the Middle School level (or earlier) to all students. All Math teachers from 6th grade through all High School Math classes are welcome to attend and a “team” of teachers from one school would be a wonderful addition to this workshop.

The science course has focused our Pre-AP work on a set of skills and vocabulary that are important for students to acquire as they learn the process AND content of science.

The Pre-AP Biology course emphasizes the integration of content with science practices—powerful reasoning tools that support students in analyzing the natural world around them. This ability is one of t he hallmarks of scientific literacy, and it cultivates a more sustainable pathway to numerous college and career opportunities in science as well as numerous natural and social sciences. This course focuses deeply on the foundational biology knowledge and skills that matter most in preparing students for subsequent coursework in science. This course concentrates on the core areas of ecological systems, evolution, cellular systems, and genetics. Rather than understanding content topics in isolation, students will make meaningful connections between the structures, processes, and interactions that exist across biological systems—from cells to ecological communities.

In Pre-AP Biology, students will:

• Actively participate in analyzing real-world phenomena.
• Apply science practices to construct and revise their knowledge.
• Regularly collaborate with their peers in dialogue, investigations, and problem solving.

Areas of Focus
Pre-AP Biology instructional resources focus on the following key instructional shifts:

• Emphasis on analytical reading and writing: Students engage in analytical reading and writing to gain, retain, and apply scientific knowledge.
• Focus on applying mathematics: Students use mathematics to understand and express the quantitative aspects of biology, to record and interpret experimental data, and to solve problems as they arise.
• Attention to modeling: Students go beyond just labeling diagrams to modeling biological processes to demonstrate and revise understanding of key patterns, interactions, and relationships.

Unit 1: Ecological Systems

Unit 2: Evolution

Unit 3: Cellular Systems

Unit 4: Genetics

These big ideas are addressed across units:

• Biological evolution
• Genetic inheritance
• Biological systems
• Interdependence

The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also lean about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.

This course is devoted to continue the student preparation for upper level classes such Pre-Calculus and AP Statistics. Topics include quadratic functions, polynomials, radicals, rational expressions, and exponential and logarithmic functions. This depth and complexity of this course will prepare students for advanced math courses

This hands-on workshop will provide students with an overview of the structure and content of an AP Psychology course. Students will analyze past AP exams and participate in a simulated AP reading to evaluate student writing. Interactive demonstrations, online resources and discussions will provide students with opportunities to learn about how to integrate new research in psychology into their teaching. Students will leave the workshop with a course outline and engaging curriculum to cover the 14 topics and learning objectives in the AP Psychology exam. Session III is open to teachers with all levels of experience.

2019 TEST DATE, THURSDAY (PM), MAY 9, 2019

The library and the library media specialist have never been more important to our information-driven society and in today’s schools. In this workshop we will look at how the library media center has changed and develop a strategic vision and plan to create a vital information center that will be an indispensable resource for both your students and teachers. Some of the topics we will focus on include advocacy, marketing, social media, makerspaces, the virtual library, apps, technology and ebooks in the library. Students will collaborate with colleagues and have opportunities to select topics for in-depth investigation.

This course is geared towards the high school library media specialist but middle school library media specialists as well as public librarians could benefit from this workshop.

The AP Spanish language and Culture course aims to promote both fluency and accuracy in language use. In order to facilitate the study of language and culture, the instruction is set up to include all aspects of the target language in variety of settings. It will provide to students an integration of the four language skills :

1. Development the ability to understand spoken Spanish in various contexts.
2. Development a Spanish vocabulary sufficient for reading newspaper, magazine articles, literature text and more, without dependence on a dictionary.
3. Development the ability to express oneself in Spanish, both orally and in writing, coherently, resourcefully, and with reasonable fluency and accuracy.

The course will guide the students to explore culture and events in both contemporary and historical settings and to examine products and practices of the target culture with regard to their perspectives. In order to achieve this, the teacher will use Spanish almost exclusively in the teaching of the course and students are encouraged to do likewise. Students are also encouraged to participate in Spanish Club activities at school and outside school.

In May of 2014, the AP Spanish Language Exam was adapted to include culture. This course will address the redesign of the exam, and train experienced and new AP teachers to prepare their students for the exam. Teachers are encouraged to go to this web site to read more about the new course; http://advancesinap.collegeboard.org. All AP Spanish Language and Culture teachers need to submit a syllabus directed to this exam. Throughout the week, students will have the opportunity to share ideas and to work together on preparing for the Course Audit.

We will discuss how to teach for improvement in interpretive communication, and will spend considerable time reviewing strategies for interpersonal writing and speaking, and presentational writing and speaking. Much practice in the workshop will be directed towards the teaching of cultural comparisons, and in activities to strengthen the students’ awareness of cultural diversity.

Throughout the week, students will have the opportunity to share ideas and to work together on preparing for the Course Audit. Patricia Smith is an experienced Spanish Language Consultant who will guide you throughout the week as you prepare this syllabus. Topics to be discussed during the week will include:

Course Description, Planning and Pacing Guide for Course
Standards for Foreign Language Learning
AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Exam
Three modes of communication
Emphasis on cultures of Spanish-speaking world
Analysis of the six themes on which the course is based
Curriculum framework and learning objectives
Strategies of teaching of listening, speaking, reading, and writing
Cooperative learning
Becoming an AP Reader
AP Equity and Access
Differentiated instruction

2019 TEST DATE, TuesDAY (AM), MAY 7, 2019

This course is intended for those with some experience in teaching the AP Spanish Language and Culture Course. As in the workshop for first-time AP teachers, we will go over the course description, analyze the six course themes, talk about interpersonal speaking and writing, and presentational speaking and writing, but we will do this in much more depth. Since students will already be familiar with components of the exam, we will not practice taking different parts of it.

Our time will be spent discussing strategies for more effective teaching of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Throughout the week, we will incorporate the cooperative learning methods of David and Roger Johnson so that students can experience for themselves the applicability of cooperative learning to the Spanish classroom. We will discuss how to use the AP scoring guidelines in our own classrooms, and we will evaluate the most recent student samples of directed response. In addition to this, we will explore other methods of assessment, including “Can-Do” statements and the IPA.

The course will be conducted completely in Spanish. Students are encouraged to bring questions and problems with them to the workshop, and together we will work on solving these issues. Please feel free to email the instructor with any questions at patricia.t.smith@comcast.net.

AP Spanish Literature and Culture 2016: Patricia T. Smith

The workshop will review each of the course’s six themes, each students will receive the AP Spanish Literature and Culture Workshop Handbook, and a Curriculum Module. As we use the module in the workshop, we will explore ideas for teaching four works from the new required reading list: Cortes’ Segunda carta de relación,Miguel León-Portilla’s Visión de los vencidos, José Marti’s Nuestra América, and Rubén Darió’s A Roosevelt. The course will also focus on activities to foster opportunities to write analytical essays with language appropriate for literary analysis. Activities will be based on the understanding of literary and cultural texts.

2019 TEST DATE, THURSDAY (AM), MAY 9, 2019

AP Statistics will introduce you to the study of Statistics at the college level. You will learn to think statistically, analyze and present data, produce data from samples, experiments and simulations, understand the probabilistic foundations of statistics, and make valid statistical inferences.

This course will emphasize using statistics to solve real-life problems. You will work individually and collaboratively, and develop math communication skills in both oral and written form. You will be expected to perform statistical analyses using graphing calculators and computer software. We will prepare extensively for the Advanced Placement Statistics Exam administered in May.

The objectives of this weeklong workshop are straightforward: to help our students do a better job teaching AP Statistics and to improve their students’ scores on the AP Exam.

We will examine the College Board’s outline of topics and course philosophy, discuss the course expectations, and share strategies for success on the AP exam. Additionally, we will review and clarify important concepts in Statistics and provide guidance and answer questions about the subject matter. We will also explore pedagogy, looking at sample lessons, classroom activities, effective demos, and possibilities for projects. Finally, we’ll look at a variety of resources, including textbooks, calculators, videos, software, and other materials.
Whether you are new to AP Statistics or a veteran educator, you’ll come away with lots of valuable insights (and have fun, too)!

2019 TEST DATE, THURSDAY (PM), MAY 16, 2019

AP United States Government and Politics is a college level course offered to students who wish to be academically challenged and plan to take the AP exam in the spring. It is a survey course that provides an introduction into the operation of American national government. As such, we will examine:

1. The American system of government and its origins
2. Political opinions, interests, and behaviors
3. Political organizations, to include parties, interest groups and mass media
4. The institutions of government and their role in making and enforcing public policy
5. Civil liberties and civil rights
6. Primary source materials and contemporary news analyses

In exposing you to these areas, it is our goal to foster the development of the analytical perspectives for interpreting, understanding, and explaining the political processes and events in this country.

AP United States Government and Politics is an exciting course for both teachers and students. This summer institute course is designed to give new teachers a place to start and to help experienced teachers expand, refine and improve their current courses. We will analyze each unit, discuss the important information and concepts, and consider how to best approach the textbook and cover recent developments. Students will review textbooks and selection criteria (this will include free preview textbooks and other materials) and other resources, including internet sites, supplemental readers, and review guides. In addition, we will review the course curriculum and examine how the AP exam is scored. We will learn tips for improving student performance on multiple-choice questions and practice scoring the 2014 free response questions. Teachers will be provided with teaching materials, including lectures, discussions, simulations, student research projects and current events projects.

2019 TEST DATE, MONDAY (AM), MAY 6, 2019

The course is designed to provide students with a college level experience and the analytical skills and knowledge necessary to prepare them for the AP College Board United States History test in May. The course will examine the growth of the American Republic from its pre-European peoples to present day. The course topics will include colonial America, Revolutionary America, Jeffersonian and Hamiltonian ideology, Jacksonian Democracy, Manifest Destiny, Imperialism, Progressivism, the New Deal, World Wars I & II, the Cold War Era, and Modern America. The course will be divided into time periods and focus on major themes in US History including the social, political, economic, and cultural history.

The course will be a combination of lectures and discussion based upon assigned text readings in addition to teacher provided journal articles, current news events, primary source material, tests, essays, quizzes, and supplementary materials. Further, students will have to analyze and be tested on maps and graphs and other forms of visually presented information.

This workshop is designed for both new and experienced teachers and will focus on the recently redesigned AP US History course and exam. The new curriculum framework establishes a specific set of historical thinking skills and thematic learning objectives which helps teachers organize the content starting in 1491 and ending in the present. The workshop will explore best practices for bringing together skills, themes, and content in the classroom and will provide opportunities for students to work with peers, share ideas, lessons, and best practices. Teachers will learn how they have more freedom to develop courses that challenge their students in their schools.

In addition, the exam includes a new style of multiple choice questions, short answers, a long essay, and a document-based question. Released exam items will be available as models for students who will design appropriate lessons using their own instructional materials. Students may also adapt or create course syllabi that reflect the new course design.

2019 TEST DATE, FRIDAY (AM), MAY 10, 2019

AP World History focuses on developing students’ abilities to think conceptually about world history from approximately 8000 BCE to the present and apply historical thinking skills as they learn about the past. Five themes of equal importance — focusing on the environment, cultures, state-building, economic systems, and social structures — provide areas of historical inquiry for investigation throughout the course. AP World History encompasses the history of the five major geographical regions of the globe: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, with special focus on historical developments and processes that cross multiple regions.

The institute will provide students with an overview of the course including content, skills, and AP strategies. We will review the new course changes, as well as work to develop materials on teaching the historical thinking skills. Both instructors believe that AP world history is best taught through interactive strategies so students will be actively engaged in doing world history during the institute through discussions, simulations and group activities, similar to what you might choose to do in your classroom. They will share world history content and resources, as well as model lesson plans. Working with AP sample essays, the session will discuss effective teaching techniques for AP essay writing and for AP test-taking. In addition, they will provide tips on how to add new case studies that address less well known topics and challenging subject matter from the required curriculum frameworks to your courses in time efficient ways.

2019 TEST DATE, THURSDAY (AM), MAY 16, 2019