Advanced Placement Summer Institute

The Advanced Placement® Summer Institute 2024, is offered to new and experienced AP® and Pre-AP® teachers. This AP training that is offers a wide variety of courses during the course of four weeks.  Teachers attending the NSU Summer Placement Institute will conclude their institute experience with renewed enthusiasm and be equipped with new ideas and resource materials to use in their classrooms.

This program is in partnership with the State Department of Education for Oklahoma Teachers.

FOUR WEEKS OF COURSES: June 10-13 (in person), June 17-20 (in person), July 15-18 (online) and July 22-25 (online), 2024.

Instructors: Courses are led by experienced, enthusiastic and dedicated College Board-endorsed lead consultants who have a broad range of knowledge and proven ability presenting to their peers. Instructors include AP test development committee members, AP exam readers, winners of special recognition awards from the College Board, and winners of regional and national teaching awards. 

When: Each course meets Monday through Thursday of its given week, 8: 00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Where: Weeks 1 and 2 are in person at NSU BA. Weeks 3 and 4 are online via zoom.

Price: $715. For Oklahoma teachers the State covers all but the $50 deposit which is non-refundable. 

Cancellations must be provided in writing by sending an email to ce@nsuok.edu  NSU will provide a full refund (NOT including the $50 non-refundable deposit) to registrants who cancel by the refund deadline (May 10th for June classes and June 15th for July classes.) . Cancellations that occur after the refund deadline will not receive a refund. In addition, registrants who fail to show up for their session are not eligible for a refund.

Professional Development Credits: Participants will receive up to 30 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits or 3.0 Continuing Education Units (CEU). 

Acknowledgment of Enrollment: Once you register for a course through our  you will be enrolled in the course. An enrollment acknowledgment will immediately be sent to the email address on your account showing payment confirmation or including instructions for submitting payment via check. In some cases, a course may be full, and you will have the option of getting on a waiting list. A waiting list is automatically created for a course once it has filled to capacity. If a spot should become available in that filled course, and you are next on the waiting list, you will receive an email to the email address on file with instructions for completing registration for that specific course. Please contact our office, 918-444-4610 if you have any questions.

Out of state participants are required to have provided a P.O. number from their school or pay personally before materials will be shipped.

Week 1: June 10-13, 2024

• Art and Design

  • This APSI will cover the College Board Art and Design Course and Exam Description (CED) as we discuss each section and consider planning for the course to include the requirements for writing a year-long syllabus. The College Board’s policy- Diversity and Inclusion & Equity and Access - will be a foundation as we consider instructional strategies that will help recruit and retain all types of students, and carry them to successful outcomes. Various instructional strategies will be discussed, experienced, and brainstormed for teaching the course, including content and skills as described in the CED. We will also look into the offerings of AP Classroom, AP Daily, AP Central and other resources while generating ideas of integrating these resources into lesson plans for students’ and their learning. We will look at the College Board Instructional Planning Report that identifies students’ strengths and weaknesses in order to reflect on instruction in the classroom. There will be group activities as well, using the rubrics to score student samples for the two sections of the portfolio, Selected Works & Sustained Investigation. The Teacher Community will be shown as a super resource for ideas, questions, and answers.

    With the intention of understanding the students’ perspectives, teachers will experience activities and develop questions that lead them to their own inquiry-based personal, mini- sustained investigation. Studio time will include individual, hands-on, making-art that allows each teacher the time and opportunity to investigate materials, processes and ideas.

    Application of research, experimentation, practice, revision, writing and reflection will be the final outcome for each teacher, in order to better understand the Big Ideas of the course, including Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings, Learning Objectives and Essential Knowledge.

• Biology
  • During this online AP Biology APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new 2020-21 AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.
• Calculus AB

  • This workshop provides teachers with the tools they need to implement an effective AP Calculus AB course. Our objective is that each of you will gain additional knowledge that will assist you in teaching AP Calculus and provides the tools needed to implement an effective AP Calculus AB course. During this training, teachers will explore the mathematical practices for AP Calculus (MPACs) and the components of the curriculum framework, including the big ideas, enduring understandings, learning objectives, and essential knowledge. To this end, we will spend time discussing lessons that focus on AP calculus topics, solving and discussing AP type problems as well as problems from AP exams, both Multiple Choice and Free Response. We will cover as many Calculus AB topics as possible, particularly those of interest to the participants of the workshop, including: limits, derivatives, application of derivatives, Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, integrals, differential equations, application of integrals. We will also discuss the grading of the AP Calculus Exam. You will receive a notebook with workshop materials in addition to College Board Publication Course and Exam Description Participants will understand how to use activities that organize the course content to develop students’ proficiencies in the skills identified by the curriculum framework.

    Please check the email you used in registering during the two weeks preceding the workshop for additional information and requests.

• Chemistry
  • This course is for teachers new to AP Chemistry. The POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) method of teaching will be modeled throughout the course as participants work in small groups on guided-inquiry activities. Select topics from all six of the Big Ideas of the AP curriculum will be covered including topics introduced in the 2014 course revision. Due to the lack of laboratory facilities there will be no lab component to this workshop. However, labs appropriate for AP Chemistry will be reviewed and discussed and classroom-appropriate lab activities will conducted.
• English Language and Composition

  • Designed for the English instructor seeking to learn or improve teaching strategies pertinent to AP English Language, this course will focus on preparing students for the national exam but have an emphasis on application to the rhetorical situations present in communications “of the real world” so that students may also become critical thinkers beyond the classroom as well. Participants will leave the institute with lessons and strategies they can immediately incorporate into their curriculum. 

    Topics will utilize examples from fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama with an overall emphasis on improving students’ close reading/analysis skills and improving the syntactical maturity of students’ writing. Possible APSI discussion topics include: 

    An in-depth study of the AP English Language CED, including the 6 Point Rubric. We will focus on integrating the rubric into our own scoring methods as well as using the course outline and student samples for instructional purposes in our own classrooms.  

    Exploring the teaching tools and resources of AP Classroom and MyAP 

    Ideas for developing an AP English Language course as part of an effective Vertical Team 

    Improving close/ reading, critical thinking, and rhetorical/language analysis 

    Improving students’ writing through their ability to read and analyze complex text 

    Introducing/Improving Argumentative Writing (for the English Language & Comp Exam) 

    Utilizing multiple genres in the AP English Language & Composition classroom 

    Utilizing high-interest non-fiction (including images and video as rhetorical text) 

    Research time for lesson planning, enrichment pieces, and application 

• European History

  • AP® European History is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university Western Civilization course. Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of basic chronology and major events from the Renaissance (around 1450) to the Present. Special emphases are placed upon the development of historical skills, practices, and methods used by historians so students learn to “analyze historical sources, make connections, and craft historical arguments as they explore the seven themes of the course including cultural and intellectual developments, states and other institutions of power, social organization and development, national and European identity, and technological and scientific innovation” (AP European History Course and Exam Description). This summer institute will provide participants with an overview of the AP program and the European history course as well as content, strategies, and skills that increase student interest and knowledge in the course. What You Will Learn 

    Understanding the course design and setup of an AP European History course 

    Working with multiple-choice questions 

    Using a rubric and grading sample short answer, long essay, and document-based questions 

    Helping students analyze primary and secondary sources 

    Applying Equity and Access principles in your classroom

• Statistics
  • Whether you are new to AP Statistics (Welcome!), have 1 – 2 years of experience and feeling comfortable, or a Veteran (with much wisdom to share), plan on a week of immersion in the science and art of creating knowledge in a world governed by chance. We will discuss the big ideas and the specific skills students will need to succeed in AP Statistics and provide information about the structure of the AP Statistics exam and the rubrics used to assess student responses. The College Board has constructed a massive system of support for classroom instruction and exam preparation – AP Classroom, AP Daily, and the AP Statistics Teacher Community. We will introduce these resources and how they relate to the planning and organization of the AP Statistics year. As we progress through the content of the Course Description, the focus will be more on teaching resources early in the week and the exam and exam issues later. We will present engaging data to analyze, and activities designed to get your students out of their seats. The use of technology in AP Statistics – both graphing calculators, and statistical software -- will be stressed throughout the week. The collection, analysis, and interpretation of data is what statistics and teaching statistics is all about; our week will unfold just like teaching AP Statistics: in activities, discussion, and interpretation, not me pontificating!
    The AP Statistics Course and Exam Description, revised in 2019, goes beyond a mere “Description” of the course; it offers a sound framework and resources for building quality instruction. A bit of new content was added to the course in 2019, along with a veritable torrent of resources for teachers. The CED is packaged into nine Units, each with a wealth of specificity and detail about what your students will be expected to know and do. We will review the Big Ideas and the specific Skills students will need to succeed in AP Statistics and provide information about the structure of the AP Statistics exam and the rubrics used to evaluate student responses. We will focus on statistics as an active endeavor and present activities that will engage your students and get them “out of their seats.” The use of technology will be stressed throughout the week. Communication – the presenting an effective argument about interpreting data -- is an essential part of doing and teaching statistics; much of our time together will be spent in discussion and interpretation, not me pontificating! The sequence of statistical topics, and approximate allocation of time follows below. Generally, we will focus more on the content and teaching of the course early in the week, and more on the exam and exam issues as we march through the week.
• US History

  • Advanced Placement United States History combines skill development with content

    knowledge; this APSI will provide teachers with the strategies and tools to successfully teach the course.

    Learning Outcomes/Key Takeaways:

    Learn how to implement the AP curriculum with a focus on developing the historical thinking skills and the reasoning processes

    Focus on the skill of argument development and document analysis necessary for the successful completion of the AP exam

    Receive numerous resources and lessons that are tied to the Curriculum and Exam Description (CED)

    Become familiar and comfortable with scoring essays (document based questions and long essay questions)

    Analyze numerous secondary and primary sources

    Become familiar with AP Classroom

    Develop a syllabus and course outline/timeline.

Register Here

Week 2 June 17-20, 2024

• English Literature and Composition
  • This APSI course is designed to maximize the learner experience, providing relevant AP content and pedagogy through meaningful engagement – all focused on best practices for preparing your AP students for success. It centers on the development of an AP English Literature course that is based on the analysis of a variety of forms of fiction, with a special focus on close-reading skills. The course will begin with an overview of the structure, content, and scoring of the AP English Literature and Composition exam and cover all of the new aspects of the 2020 AP English Literature and Composition class expectations and exam. Teachers will score sample essays with an eye to understanding the moves that matter on timed writings. In addition, teachers will deconstruct one section of a multiple-choice exam to see the skills and habits of mind that are tested. Most of the class will be spent working through a series of skill-building activities that will prompt students to read, write, and think thoughtfully about texts that are complex and ambiguous, requiring skillful interpretation. Participants will be able to develop and share practical teaching strategies, including approaches that support the equity agenda of the College Board. Teachers should read and bring a novel/play they are teaching or wish to teach; we will be working through activities with this novel/play during the week. Some novels or play participants might want to consider include: All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Beloved by Toni Morrison or Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
• Environmental Science

  • This in-person course is designed to maximize the learner experience, providing relevant AP content and pedagogy through meaningful engagement—all focused on best practices for preparing your AP students for success. This class is designed for both new and experienced AP Environmental teachers. The intensive four-day course will provide an overview of the entire AP Environmental Science (APES) curriculum. Each day, important concepts will be discussed and related specifically to APES free-response questions, and participants will perform (either virtually or in person) laboratories associated with these concepts

    The major goal is to expose participants to both content and hands-on activities important to teaching a successful APES course. In addition, new AP resources will be discussed, specifically AP Classroom. Participants will be expected to spend some time on homework for this Institute, which could include working up lab data, reading lab activities, and, for all teachers, preparing a course syllabus or outline that correlates to the APES course description

    Participants are encouraged to share electronic materials/favorite web sites as some class time will be reserved for this purpose. Participants should have their school calendar for the coming year and a scientific calculator of some type available. Participants will be expected to have read and answered the 2022 Free Response Questions before the Institute begins.

• Government and Politics - US
  • During this AP Government and Politics - U.S. APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.
• Human Geography
  • During this AP Human Geography APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank
• Physics 1
  • During this AP Physics 1 APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.
• Precalculus
  • The AP Pre-Calculus institute will cover the content of the AP course, with emphasis on the first semester. Participants will learn how to introduce challenging concepts in a variety of ways. Participants will receive materials to use with their students including teaching notes, discovery lessons using the graphing calculator, and worksheets for extra practice. Insight into exam expectations and grading practices, for both multiple choice and free response questions, will be discussed. Specific attention will be paid to AP Classroom and all the related resources. Discussion of how to pace and sequence the topics to plan for the school year and how to review for the AP test will also be included. Finding ways to balance the rigor of the course and preparing students for success is always part of the discussion. Participants should bring the “text” and graphing calculator used in their classroom.
• Psychology

  • This course is designed to help both new and experienced teachers build a successful AP Psychology program with motivated, engaged students. As much as possible, the course will attempt to be individualized to meet the needs of each individual, while still covering broad topics for the benefit of all involved. The course will include with basic logistical considerations like exams and homework, preparing for the AP Exam in terms of multiple choice and free response questions, understanding the curriculum framework, pacing the course, and a significant amount of content activities and instructional assistance. Topics that are often challenging to students (and instructors!) will be emphasized, to improve comprehension. We will examine the Course and Exam Description (CED), College Board resources, and the AP exam in detail, with considerable time devoted to helping students succeed with qualifying scores. Whether someone is new to teaching AP Psychology or a veteran with years of experience, everyone should come away with something new and useful to put into practice in their classrooms right away.

    Goals

    You will be familiar with the CED/AP Classroom and will have practical ways to make use of them in your course.

    You will be able to align your curriculum to the unit structure of the AP Course and Exam Description in a way that is practical for you and your students.

    You will be able to create a year-long or semester pacing guide for your course, with what to teach and how long to teach it.

    You will learn about how to interleave content and skills throughout the course to increase student learning and mastery

    You will understand the assessments for AP Psychology - Multiple Choice questions and FRQs - creating, writing, and scoring.

    You will learn about and be able to implement a variety of different demonstrations and activities that may help to keep the course interesting, challenging, and engaging.

    You will develop a network of other AP Psychology instructors, for instructional support and collaboration moving forward.

• Spanish Language and Culture

  • This institute is especially designed for both new and experienced AP Spanish Language teachers and those who are interested in teaching the AP Spanish Language & Culture Course at their schools. A broad range of topics is included so that the teacher will be prepared to offer the course with confidence. During these four days, participants will look at how to create an AP Spanish Language and Culture Program or expand on an existing one. Teachers will receive information and strategies to help students develop needed skills be successful when taking the Advanced Placement Examination as well as to continue using the language in life situations.

    Institute Goals 

    To discuss and examine curriculum and strategies for developing advanced proficiency in the language skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing and cultural knowledge. • To familiarize participants with the format, administration and scoring of the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam. 

    To provide suggested activities emulating the various sections of the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam and in evaluating the free-response sections using actual rubrics and student samples from this year’s Exam (or last year’s Exam whatever the case.) 

    To discuss the use of technology and demonstrate access to the AP Classroom Program to enhance instruction. 

    To share participant ideas in teaching and create material to be used in the classroom 

    To discuss and examine appropriate instruction materials (texts, video, audio, websites, etc.) with an emphasis on authentic materials and integration of language skills 

    To improve the participant’s language proficiency by communicating in Spanish as much as possible during the Institute 

    To discuss ideas for integration of vertical teaming (when applicable)

    Institute Objectives 

    During the course, the participant will: 

    Become thoroughly familiar with the Course and Exam Description and its Units of Study and how they are reflected in the various sections of the Exam. 

    Become thoroughly familiar with the various sections and Tasks of the Exam. 

    Reflect on and discuss teaching methodology appropriate to develop the language skills needed for an AP Spanish Language & Culture Course 

    Be familiar with a wide range of strategies, activities and materials appropriate to teaching AP Spanish Language & Culture. 

    Design or Refine a course Syllabus and detailed AP Spanish Language & Culture activities to be used the following Academic Year (If applicable) 

    Examine and evaluate a variety of print, audiovisual and electronic resources available for use in class and for reference and independent study 

    Learn how the Exam is scored and experience scoring students samples from past AP Exams. 

• World History - Modern
  • During this AP World History: Modern APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.

Register Here

Week 3 July 15-18, 2024

• Art and Design

  • This APSI will cover the College Board Art and Design Course and Exam Description (CED) as we discuss each section and consider planning for the course to include the requirements for writing a year-long syllabus. The College Board’s policy- Diversity and Inclusion & Equity and Access - will be a foundation as we consider instructional strategies that will help recruit and retain all types of students, and carry them to successful outcomes. Various instructional strategies will be discussed, experienced, and brainstormed for teaching the course, including content and skills as described in the CED. We will also look into the offerings of AP Classroom, AP Daily, AP Central and other resources while generating ideas of integrating these resources into lesson plans for students’ and their learning. We will look at the College Board Instructional Planning Report that identifies students’ strengths and weaknesses in order to reflect on instruction in the classroom. There will be group activities as well, using the rubrics to score student samples for the two sections of the portfolio, Selected Works & Sustained Investigation. The Teacher Community will be shown as a super resource for ideas, questions, and answers.

    With the intention of understanding the students’ perspectives, teachers will experience activities and develop questions that lead them to their own inquiry-based personal, mini- sustained investigation. Studio time will include individual, hands-on, making-art that allows each teacher the time and opportunity to investigate materials, processes and ideas.

    Application of research, experimentation, practice, revision, writing and reflection will be the final outcome for each teacher, in order to better understand the Big Ideas of the course, including Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings, Learning Objectives and Essential Knowledge

• Biology
  • During this AP Biology APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.
• Calculus AB
  • During this AP Calculus AB APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.
• Computer Science Principles

  • This course examines concepts, topics, instructional strategies, and assessments related to the teaching and learning of AP Computer Science Principles. The topics outlined in the College Board Course and Exam Description will be examined at great length. In addition, the AP Assessment will be analyzed, and strategies for preparing students for the AP Assessment will be discussed.

    Course Goals:

    1. Enhance participant knowledge of the AP Computer Science Principles (a.k.a. CSP) curriculum framework.

    2. Increase awareness of the AP CSP Big Ideas and Computational Thinking Practices and how they apply to the AP CSP curriculum and assessment.

    3. Expose participants to apps and IDE’s, and reference and supplemental materials that potentially serve as tools for exploring the curriculum and preparing for the assessment.

    4. Broaden participant capacity to create summative assessments that reflect the AP CSP curriculum and assessment criteria.

    5. Discover strategies for AP CSP curricular and syllabus development.

    Learning Objectives:

    Demonstrate knowledge of AP CSP curriculum framework.

    Participate in discussions concerning the philosophy of AP CSP within the context of College Board initiatives.

    Evaluate, modify, and create curriculum materials and lesson ideas that promote student understanding of essential concepts.

    Integrate appropriate technology into the AP CSP curriculum and learning activities.

    Develop strategies, tools, and procedures to prepare students for the AP CSP Assessment.

• Economics Macro and Micro (combined)
  • During this AP Economics - Macro and Micro (combined) APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.
• English Language and Composition
  • We will focus on critical thinking skills, the CED and AP Classroom resources. We will annotate for diction, syntax, figurative languages as well as looking at writer's purpose. We will have sessions on tone, symbols vocabulary, vertical alignment as well as many other aspects of the language and composition course. We will also take a close look at the AP exam and the recent changes. We will study, discuss and utilize hands-on activities for argument, synthesis, and the analysis questions. We will have a session on the multiple choice section of the exam as well. Hopefully after the APSI teachers will have many more tools for which to ready their students for the AP exam.
• European History
  • Designed to accommodate both new and experienced teachers of European history, this workshop will include topical discussions specific to European history as well as extensive discussions of teaching advanced placement curriculum. We will address the European history course content and exam with particular attention to improving student skills, increasing student engagement, and performance on the AP® exam as well as the content outlined in the key concepts and themes of the Course and Exam Description. There will also be opportunities to share best practices and thoughtful discussion of materials and strategies to increase engagement and improve the skills of the advanced placement student.
• Government and Politics - US

  • The AP US Government & Politics workshop will introduce participants to the specific content and skills needed for students to be successful in the course. Participants will be introduced to question types and scoring for all free response questions, as well as analyzing the structure and presentation of AP US Government multiple choice questions. Each content unit of the course will be explored and connected to the Course and Exam Description, including disciplinary practices, enduring understandings and learning objectives, and unit guides. Participants will compare and contrast available resources and become familiar with the College Board’s AP Classroom and the wealth of resources that are available.

    Participants will engage in collaborative activities as well as individual work to prepare unit plans and course pacing guides unique to their school settings. Participants should prepare for an interactive experience that will lead them to feel energized and ready to teach the course. 

• Physics 1

  • This is a four-day course designed for both beginners and experienced teachers. I like to be responsive to the needs of the participants, I will be conducting the conference form my lab at the Tower Hill School in Wilmington DE, so there is nothing in theory we could not do upon request, however, here is the plan that I have for our time together. 

    Day 1: During these four days, I will be presenting a comprehensive program that can be followed which will ensure success. On the first day we will be laying out the program and understanding it’s components. This will involve setting up a calendar for the course based on your school’s particular schedule. Please come to the conference knowing as much as you can about your schedule for the 23-24 school year. 

    Day2: The plan has four components to it: 1. Inquiry-based Instruction, 2. Techniques in learning concepts, 3. Techniques in problem solving. 4. A comprehensive lab program. On Day two we will be learning techniques and best practices mostly on inquiry-based instruction and conceptual techniques. 

    Day3: We will focus on the techniques and best practices of components two and three: Techniques in learning concepts, 3. Techniques in problem solving. 

    Day 4: We will focus on the techniques and best practices of component four: designing a comprehensive lab program. 

    Although these things will be our main focus, we will be doing many other things along the way. Learning about AP Classroom, learning about the specific details of your course the course and exam description. We will learn the science practices and the big ideas of AP Physics I. You may find that this course has a much different emphasis than other physics courses and as such, we will have to develop specific techniques to address these differences 

• Psychology
  • During this AP Psychology APSI led by Jason DeLucco, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction – and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this Online APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank
• Spanish Language and Culture

  • This institute is especially designed for both new and experienced AP Spanish Language teachers and those who are interested in teaching the AP Spanish Language & Culture Course at their schools. A broad range of topics is included so that the teacher will be prepared to offer the course with confidence. During these four days, participants will look at how to create an AP Spanish Language and Culture Program or expand on an existing one. Teachers will receive information and strategies to help students develop needed skills be successful when taking the Advanced Placement Examination as well as to continue using the language in life situations. 

    Institute Goals 

    To discuss and examine curriculum and strategies for developing advanced proficiency in the language skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing and cultural knowledge. 

    To familiarize participants with the format, administration and scoring of the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam. 

    To provide suggested activities emulating the various sections of the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam and in evaluating the free-response sections using actual rubrics and student samples from this year’s Exam (or last year’s Exam whatever the case.) 

    To discuss the use of technology and demonstrate access to the AP Classroom Program to enhance instruction. 

    To share participant ideas in teaching and create material to be used in the classroom 

    To discuss and examine appropriate instruction materials (texts, video, audio, websites, etc.) with an emphasis on authentic materials and integration of language skills 

    To improve the participant’s language proficiency by communicating in Spanish as much as possible during the Institute 

    To discuss ideas for integration of vertical teaming (when applicable) Institute 

    Objectives 

    During the course, the participant will: 

    Become thoroughly familiar with the Course and Exam Description and its Units of Study and how they are reflected in the various sections of the Exam. 

    Become thoroughly familiar with the various sections and Tasks of the Exam. 

    Reflect on and discuss teaching methodology appropriate to develop the language skills needed for an AP Spanish Language & Culture Course 

    Be familiar with a wide range of strategies, activities and materials appropriate to teaching AP Spanish Language & Culture. 

    Design or Refine a course Syllabus and detailed AP Spanish Language & Culture activities to be used the following Academic Year (If applicable) 

    Examine and evaluate a variety of print, audiovisual and electronic resources available for use in class and for reference and independent study 

    Learn how the Exam is scored and experience scoring students samples from past AP Exams. 

• US History

  • Advanced Placement United States History combines skill development with content knowledge; this APSI will provide teachers with the strategies and tools to successfully teach the course.

    Learning Outcomes/Key Takeaways:

    During this workshop, participants will:

    Learn how to implement the AP curriculum with a focus on developing the historical thinking skills and the reasoning processes

    Focus on the skill of argument development and document analysis necessary for the successful completion of the AP exam

    Receive numerous resources and lessons that are tied to the Curriculum and Exam Description (CED)

    Become familiar and comfortable with scoring essays (document based questions and long essay questions)

    Analyze numerous secondary and primary sources

    Become familiar with AP Classroom

    Develop a syllabus and course outline/timeline 

Register Here

Week 4 July 22-25, 2024

• Art History
• Calculus BC
• Chemistry
• English Literature and Composition 
• Environmental Science
• Government and Politics Comparative 
• Human Geography
• Music Theory
• Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism and Physics C: Mechanics (combined)
• Precalculus
• Statistics
• World History - Modern

Register Here

If your subject is full, and you want to be placed on the waiting list, please submit your registration form without the $50 Registration Deposit.  Your $50 non-refundable Registration Deposit will be collected if a seat becomes available.  Should a seat become available, we will contact you at the email address you provide on your registration form.  If we do not hear back from you, we will move on to the next person on the waiting list.

*Pre-AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the development and delivery of this professional development.

College Board, AP®, Advanced Placement®, Advanced Placement Program®, AP Vertical Teams®, Pre-AP® and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board.  Used with permission.

College board scholarships

1. AP Fellows: For teachers at schools with a majority underrepresented minority and/or low-income student population
   1. Scholarship Amount: $1,000 max
   2. Eligible AP sbujects: All AP subjects EXCEPT AP Capstone (Seminar and Research)
2. AP Rural Fellows: For teachers at rural schools
   1. Scholarship amount: $1,500 max.
   2. Eligible AP subjects: All AP subjects EXCEPT AP Capstone (Seminar and Research)
3. AP Capstone: For teachers who are planning to attend the AP Capstone summer professional development event.
   1. Scholarship amount by way of a Fee Waiver code to cover the cost of tuition
   2. Eligible AP subjects: ONLY AP Capstone (Seminar and Research)