Course Descriptions:

Biology Calculus AB Chemistry Chinese Language and Culture

English Language and Composition  English Literature and Composition European History French Language and Culture

Micro & Macro-Economics Physics B Psychology Studio Art

• Key Concepts and Skills - 3 modes, 4 skills, 5 goals, 11 standards
• Syllabus Development - 10 curricular requirements, 2 resource requirements
• Course Designs and Teaching Strategies
• Resources and Textbooks (with special reference to Jia You and Integrated Chinese)
• Theme-based and task-based instruction
• Interactive activities for practicing communicative skills
• Scoring guidelines and marking rubrics for various tasks (writing and speaking)
• AP course audit - sample syllabi
• Exam released questions and samples
• AP exam format and sample questions

English Language and Composition – Presenter, Valerie Stevenson

     Overview

     The AP English Language and Composition workshop is designed in keeping with the College Board's dedication "to developing excellent college-level courses for high school students."  Both new and experienced teachers will gain the skills and information they need to successfully teach the course.  Participants will understand the common approaches to the subject with its emphasis on rhetoric and composition, and also see how to adapt those approaches in ways that are best suited to their particular students, existing curriculum, and school setting. 

     Our goal is to present a rich variety of useful materials, to share our expertise, and to provide valuable professional stimulation.  Discussions will address not only the rationale and "big ideas" of the course so that teachers can make coherent curriculum choices, but also many practical strategies that answer the question, "But what do I do on Monday?"

     AP Language and Composition Examination

     During the course we will deal extensively with the test itself and its relative importance in developing and teaching the course.  We will look closely at the various types of questions on both the multiple-choice and free response sections of the exam.  Participants will be trained to use the nine-point AP scoring guide to read and score student papers "like an AP reader." 

     Critical Reading and Rhetorical Analysis

     In addition to working with the exam itself, the workshop will emphasize two course essentials: critical reading and rhetorical analysis.  Beginning with the end in mind, we will identify those skills necessary for successful college-level reading and the strategies with which we can best train our students.  We will compare and contrast style analysis of literary texts with rhetorical analysis of nonfiction to understand what distinctions are pertinent for us and our students to know.  Special attention will be given to choice of text, reading assignments, and teaching strategies that strengthen close reading skills.  Because the course often is, as it is described in the AP Language and Composition Teacher's Guide, "a literature survey threaded with rhetorical emphasis, [it is] important to choose or augment texts with nonfiction and non-literary readings that force students to consider the linguistic power and expository effectiveness of various writers and prose pieces."  We will talk about how to make that a reality in a high school classroom. 

     Writing in AP Language and Composition'

     In order to add dimension to the label "effective writing," we will thoroughly discuss how much and what kinds of writing students need to do.  We will explore what is meant by "mature academic perspective" and a variety of rhetorical modes as well as strategies to help students develop their own personal style and voice.  We will differentiate between teaching the on-demand writing required on the AP exam and the multi-draft process writing necessary in any college freshman composition course.  Participants will be given strategies and assignments suitable to each process.

    Daily Schedule, Day 1

• Essential Skills & Strategies: an overview of the nuts and bolts of AP English Language and Composition: overview of key concepts of rhetoric; successful basic strategies for any AP English Language class.
• College Board: resources and materials to support students and teachers, equity and access policy.
• Teaching Writing and Writing Management in AP English: methods for instruction, feedback, and management of timed writing; the AP scoring guide and grading; successful strategies for single-draft and multi-draft writing; writing project for teaching the rhetorical modes.

     Day 2

• Passage Analysis and American Literature:  the "arch method," a fundamental methodology for prose passage analysis; successful strategies, activities and projects for using American literature to each AP Language.
• The AP Exam, Passage Analysis Question: read, score, and discuss student samples.

     Day 3

• Teaching Argument and Persuasion:  "Everything's an Argument"; logic fallacies; successful strategies and classroom activities.
• The AP Exam, Argument Question: writing and evaluating argument on the AP exam; read, score, and discuss student samples.

    Day 4

• Multiple Choice: types of questions, test-taking strategies for students, question-writing strategies for teachers, practice test for participants.
• Argument Continued, the Synthesis Essay:  Latest information about the relatively new synthesis question, sample prompts and student essays, methods and strategies for teaching synthesis skills, how the new skill will appear on the multiple choice test.
• The AP Exam, Synthesis Question:  background on the AP test; strategies for student success; read, score, discuss student samples.
• "Best Value" Round Robin
• Course Evaluations

English Literature and Composition – Presenter, Ellen Greenblatt  

                                                                           Day 1, Tuesday, July 3rd

Morning Pre-Break

Introductions to group

• Introduction to AP and AP Central
• Introduction to formal poetry (sonnets, sestinas, villanelles, etc.)     

Morning Post-Break  

Continue poetry (focus on contemporary poetry)

Grading Question 1 of the 2012 Exam

• Presentations by group members

Afternoon

19th-century novels

• Stylistic analysis of passages from several novels
• Approaches to teaching the 19th-century novel

                                                                            Day 2, Wednesday, July 4th

Morning Pre-Break

An Introduction to using literary theory in the classroom

Morning Post-Break

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Other Stories by Kafka

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

• Presentations by group members

Afternoon

(Part 1 and Part 2)

• Flash Fiction
• Presentations by group members
• Question 2 of the 2012 Exam  

                                                                             Day 3, Thursday, July 5th

Morning Pre-Break

Shakespeare:

• Hamlet
• Other titles TBA

Morning Post-Break

More drama:  Filming as interpretation

Afternoon

• Strategies for writing good papers
• Presentations by group members                 

                                                                                 Day 4, Friday, July 6th

Morning Pre-Break

Utopias and Dystopias in literature: a thematic approach.  How to develop thematic electives within AP.

Morning Post-Break

• Grading Question 3 of the 2012 exam
• Generating and sharing Question prompts

Afternoon

Individual and collective approaches to teaching The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht     

European History – Presenter, Chris Freiler

     The workshop will take teachers through how to develop an AP curriculum, select appropriate resources, employ a variety of assessments, prepare students for the AP exam, and address any other issues of importance to the participants.  In addition, the workshop will address administrative issues such as AP equity and the European History course redesign.

Workshop Objectives 

• understand the structure and pacing of an Advanced Placement curriculum
• learn methods of preparing students for a college-level curriculum
• understand the structure and grading of the AP exam
• share ideas with other motivated instructors
• understand in greater depth a particular content focus (cultural and intellectual history)

Institute Preparation

Participants are encouraged to bring either hard copies or a flash drive (preferred) of any model lessons or materials for sharing with other participants.

It is also recommended that new teachers review the current course description at the College Board site: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap-european-history-\course-description.pdf

We will be addressing intellectual and cultural history as our content focus.  Please purchase Alfred Crosby's The Measure of Reality: Quantification and Western Society, 1250-1600 and read the Preface and first four chapters prior to the institute.  The book can be purchased cheaply used from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Measure-Reality-Quantification-Western-1250-1600/dp/0521639905/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320536018&sr=8-1 .

In addition, I will supply participants prior to the institute with an additional article via e-mail that will also address how to integrate intellectual and cultural history into the course.

Institute Schedule

Day 1

• Introductions
• Presentation of participant issues/concerns
• AP equity and access
• Selecting materials for an AP course
• Structuring an AP course - preparing for the course redesign
• Creating a unit of study
• Discussion of Crosby text
• Read Crosby, Chapters 5-8 for homework

Day 2

• Discussion of readings
• A bird's eye view of the scope of AP European History
• Employing projects in the curriculum
• Resource sharing
• After the exam
• Conceptualizing intellectual and cultural history
• Read Crosby, Chapters 9-11 for homework

Day 3

• Using primary sources
• Teaching the DBQ
• Scoring the DBQ
• Teaching essay writing
• Scoring FRQs
• Discussion of reading
• Video and Internet resources
• Developing units of study
• Read article by Scott, "State simplications"

Day 4

• Discussion of Scott article
• Strategies for multiple-choice questions
• Reviewing for the exam
• Exercises in chronological thinking
• Develop units of study
• Sharing of lessons, best practices

French Language and Culture – Presenter, Brian Kennelly

     This course will introduce AP teachers to the course and exam in French Language and Culture.

     Topics will include the following:

• Course goals, objectives, content, and resources
• Exam development and grading
• Syllabi, lesson plans, and assignments
• Teaching strategies and best practices

      What participants should bring:

• AP French Language and Culture Curriculum Module:  L'environnement: quels voeux pour notre planète?
• AP Vertical Teams Guide for World Languages and Cultures
• USB key

Micro & Macro-Economics  – Presenter, Sue Weaver

     Course Outline:

Day 1

• Introductions
• Scope and Sequence of Microeconomics (Acorn Book)
• Marginal Analysis
• Supply and Demand

 Day 2

• Perfect Competition
• Monopoly
• Game Theory
• 2011 Micro Essays and Rubrics
• Bet Practices - Your chance to share your best lesson

Day 3

• Scope and Sequence of Macroeconomics
• Aggregate Supply and Demand plus graphs
• Fiscal Policy

Day 4

• Monetary Policy
• Exchange Rates
• 2012 Essay and Rubrics
• Best Practices - Your chance to share your best lesson

Physics B – Presenter, Stephen Fuerderer

     Workshop participants will have a variety of needs and come from a variety of settings including public schools, private schools, semester schools, international schools and even virtual schools. We will do our best to meet the needs of each participant whose valuable experience and expertise will help make the summer institute a rich and professionally rewarding experience.

     Workshop participants will become more familiar with the AP Physics curriculum, laboratory activities, and multimedia to enhance their instruction. Participants will learn how to construct and design open-ended labs that foster higher learning, practice grading sample AP exam questions from recent exams, and discuss how to implement and grow an AP program at their school.

Psychology – Presenter, Kent Korek

     Every summer since 2004, I have facilitated Advanced Placement Summer Institutes (APSI) for AP Psychology.  These week-long workshops are highly concentrated learning experiences covering almost every aspect of teaching an AP Psychology course.  They are perfect for first-year teachers, veteran AP Psychology teachers and everyone in between.  While the week is primarily designed towards an AP Psychology course, teachers of high school level psychology have found the week well worth their time and effort.

 Goals and Objectives

     In my mind, each APSI throughout the country is a unique experience based upon the goals and objectives of the institute's consultant and sponsoring institution.  Some institutes stress course content, while others FRQs, while still others activities and resources. 

     For me, the fundamental goal of an institute is to provide an overview of a college-level introductory course in psychology with an emphasis on demonstrations, labs, activities, resources, etc. that classroom teachers can use in their classrooms.  Steps to accomplish this include:

1. providing a basic overview of a typical AP Psychology course as described in the College Board Description (Acorn Book), with an emphasis on developing a scope and sequence for the participant's individual school
2. sharing a large number of tools, techniques, tips and other resources to address the "how-to" aspect of teaching AP Psychology
3. discussing various aspects of the AP Psychology exam and how to prepare students to be as successful as they can be
4. detailing the many additional resources (websites, blogs, discussion groups, etc.) available to psychology teachers 

     My hope is that the institute's participants will leave excited about the prospect of teaching psychology, fairly knowledgeable about the discipline and its subfields, and armed with some specific ideas and practical information for lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and other activities.

     For an overview of an institute's agenda that I present please visit my website below.  I have listed at this website a sample of activities which would be subject to change depending on the needs of a given institute's participants. 

http://www.germantownschools.org/faculty/kkorek/Advanced_Placement_Psychology_Summer_Institutes.cfm

Studio Art – Presenter, Barbara Sunday

     This Studio Art Institute will provide teachers with an overview of preparation possibilities and presentation requirements for the 3-D Design, 2-D Design, and Drawing Portfolios. Student success through the demonstration of high-quality visual problem solving will be a key concern throughout.

     The following topics will be thoroughly covered: defining the parameters and examining the specifications for each portfolio section, striving for highest possible Quality results both in planning for differentiated instruction and mentoring individual students, and using the rubrics and knowledge of the Reading process to maximize student results for each section of each portfolio. Teaching strategies, sharing best practices, and examining suitable resources will be highlighted throughout the week.

     Each day, time will be devoted to increasing possibilities for the development of Breadth and Concentration by reviewing student work in PowerPoint format, examining the contents of actual portfolios, and engaging in studio samplers that address specific instructional issues.

     Participants will be provided with many visuals, an ample handout, and a range of actual portfolios. Although all materials for studio examples will be provided, it is suggested that participants bring the following items: