Taught by Chris Averill
Introduction
Dear AP® Colleagues,
I look forward to meeting you at the Southern California AP® US History Summer Institute. We have a full week of active learning activities, which will hopefully be both entertaining and energizing. You will gain a deeper understanding of how to organize and develop a sequential curriculum for your AP® Course that is both integrated and spiraling in skill development throughout the year.
We will spend a considerable period of the week examining the AP® Curriculum and creating student centered activities to address the historical thinking skills required. From “Change Over Time” to “Extended DBQ Analysis” activities that focus on development of historical thinking skills as well as content, we will comprehensively cover how to handle the curricular expectations. Additionally, we will examine the new exam in depth: Multiple Choice, Short-Answer Essay, Long-Answer Essay, and DBQ. Time will also be allotted for Unit design and syllabus creation for the new audit process. Helpful student activities will be presented that push your students to deepen their historical insights and that move them to a higher level of analytical writing in preparation for the AP® Exam. Technology’s incorporation into the classroom will be exhibited and websites of strong value to the class will be explored in depth.
Make sure to bring your:
- School calendar
- Laptop (or iPad)
- AP® textbook (if you have one)
- AP® Teacher resources - if you have any
- Units/Lessons you have developed if you are experienced teacher
- Download the AP® Curriculum to your desktop for easy access
- I am hopeful that the exchange of ideas and the professional connections made during this week will assist you - in reaching more students and in deepening their analytical thinking and writing skills which are so critical for their success in your AP® class.
Schedule
Monday, Day 1
Introductions
- Administrative, pedagogical and structural challenges and possibilities
AP® Curriculum
- Examination of the Historical Thinking Skills, Learning Objectives and Concept Outline. Collaboration Activity in breaking down the New AP® Curriculum
AP® Exam
- Basic structure, Percentages and Historical Thinking skills required – Impacts on how we teach
Take Practice Multiple Choice Section
Tuesday, Day 2
Multiple Choice Questions
- Breaking down the questions and rationales, understanding their purpose and designing new questions – Techniques used to break down questions for further understanding
Short Answer Essays
- Examine released samples and hold a mock reading, create original short answers essays, tips on appropriate grading within your classroom
Unit Design
- Begin unit planning using Backward Design and Critical Thinking Spiraling Techniques
Websites
- Examine historical websites for value to our curriculum and add to your units
Wednesday, Day 3
Long-Essays
- Examine released samples and hold a mock reading using new scoring rubrics, create Long-essay questions
Unit Design
- Unit design (cont’d) – Include writing breakdown activities
Audit
- Preview the course audit expectations
Critical Reasoning Activities
- CB generated to improve historical critical thinking skills
My AP® Classroom
- Examination of the CB website and student activities
Afternoon
- Analyzing Primary Source Documents: APPARTS
- Document Based Question (DBQ) Analysis Exercise
- DBQ Rubrics
- Sample Reading of DBQs
- Group Curricular Framework Project
Thursday, Day 4
DBQs
- Write on Sample DBQ
- Mock Reading with new scoring rubrics
- Breakdown activities to teach required historical thinking skills required of the DBQ
Critical Reasoning Activities (Cont’d)
Unit Design (Cont’d)
- Focus on writing skill development activities to incorporate
Publications
- Examine Textbooks and Review Guides
Friday, Day 5
DBQs (Cont’d)
Unit Design (Cont’d)
- Collaborate/share units
Other Activities
- Additional skill development activities
Wrap up and Evaluations