Transcript AP PowerPoint - Mercer County Schools

An Introduction to the
Advanced Placement Program®
Mercer County Senior High School
Welcome
MCSH is committed to every student’s success.
We believe access to rigorous course work such as
Advanced Placement® (AP®) plays an important role in
that success.
What We'll Cover
•What are Advanced Placement® Courses?
•The Benefits
•AP® Exams
•Next Steps: The Process
•Course Presentations by Teachers
•Q & A
What Are Advanced Placement®
Courses?
Advanced Placement ®: The Basics
• AP® courses are college-level courses
offered in high school
• Students take AP Exams at the end of the
course, measuring their mastery of collegelevel work
• A score of 3 or higher on an AP exam can
typically earn students college credit and/or
placement into advanced courses in college
Our AP® Courses
•
Arts: Studio Art: 2-D Design Portfolio
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English: English Language and Composition, English Literature and
Composition
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History and Social Sciences: Psychology, United States History, World
History
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Mathematics : Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics
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Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science
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World languages: Spanish Language
AP® Myths & Realities
Myth
Reality
AP courses are for students who always get good grades.
AP courses are for any students who are academically
prepared and motivated to take college-level courses.
AP courses are too stressful.
It's no secret that AP courses are challenging. But the
support you receive from your classmates and teachers
can help you manage the work load.
I don't think I will score high enough on the AP Exam to
get college credit.
You don’t need to score a 5. Many colleges grant credit —
and placement as well — based on a 3 or higher on an AP
Exam.
Taking AP courses could hurt my GPA.
Students who take AP courses and earn a D- or higher
will receive an additional GPA point. Taking AP courses
shows colleges that you’re willing to challenge yourself
academically.
I can’t take AP because no one has recommended me.
If you think you’re ready to take an AP course, then
you’re ready to advocate for yourself — just talk to a
teacher or counselor.
AP®: The Benefits
AP®: The Benefits
•
Students learn rigorous college-level content and skills
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Taking AP is valued in the college admission process
•
AP courses are interesting and rewarding academic experiences
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Opportunity to earn valuable credit and placement in college
AP® from the College Admissions Perspective
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85% of selective colleges and universities report that a
student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission
decisions*
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Colleges rank grades in college-preparatory courses and
strength of curriculum as the two top factors in the admission
decision
•
AP courses tell college admission officials that students are
challenging themselves and preparing for the rigors they'll
encounter in their college careers
*Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc., March 2007
AP®: Skills & Advantages that Last a Lifetime
•
Taking an AP course helps students build critical thinking skills,
confidence, and the essential time management and study
skills needed for college success
•
Nationally, research shows that students who score a 3 or
higher on an AP Exam typically earn higher grade point
averages in college and have higher graduation rates than
their non-AP peers*
*2009, The College Board, “The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes"
AP® Helps Students Graduate on Time & Save Money
Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely to
complete a college degree on time.* Graduating in four years
represents a significant savings on the cost of college.
•
Only 1 in 4 college students completes a bachelor’s degree in
4 years.
•
The average cost of college for a single year is $21,500** for
in-state schools (tuition, fees, room/board, misc. expenses).
*College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences, The College Board, 2008
**The College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2011, Figure 1
Credit and Placement Opportunities
Each college and university has its own policies regarding AP® credit and
placement. The College Board offers information about AP credit at thousands
of college and universities at www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy.
• Search by school name or alphabetically
• Data for each school includes a direct link to
that school’s Web page detailing AP credit
and placement policies
• A statement from the college or university
about its AP policy
AP® Exams
AP® Exams
AP Exams are administered by schools worldwide on set dates in
May each year.
• Exams are typically 2–3 hours and include:
•
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Multiple-choice questions
Free-response items such as essays, problem solving,
document-based questions and oral response
AP® Exam Fees
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The exam fee for 2016 is $92 per exam.
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Reduced fee is available for students with "Free &
Reduced Lunch” status.
Next Steps: The Process
Enrollment Contract
•Requires you to acknowledge that an AP course is a year-long
class, and that both the student and parent sign, indicating that
both understand the commitment the student is making.
•Students will have two weeks following the start of the school
year to drop an AP class with no consequences. After the drop
period is over, no AP classes can be dropped for the remainder of
the school year and whatever grade the student earns in class will
be attached to his or her permanent high school transcript.
•Requires that you talk to the teacher who currently teachers the
course in order to understand what will be expected of you.
•Due to Counselors no later than March 14th
AP Commitment
AP COURSE
AP TEACHER SIGNATURE
1.)
2.)
Please complete this contract with student, parent, and teacher signatures. This MUST be
turned in with scheduling form. ( 1 contract per 2 AP courses). Only 2 AP courses may be
included in this agreement. Additional AP courses can be scheduled with counselor approval.
Student Signature__________________ Date____________________
Parent Signature____________________________ Date_______________________
Parent Email address_____________________________ Parent Phone__________
Counselor Signature__________________________ Date______________________
AP®: Resources Worth Exploring for Students and Families
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AP information: apstudent.collegeboard.org
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College and Career Planning: bigfuture.org
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Personalized feedback, practice and college planning based on
your PSAT/NMSQT® results: My College QuickStart™
www.collegeboard.org/quickstart
•
AP credit policy information from colleges and universities:
www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy
Hear From Our Teachers
English Department
AP Language and Composition
An AP course in English Language and Composition
engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose
written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and
rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers
who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their
writing and reading should make students aware of
the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audiences,
expectations, and subjects as well as the way generic
conventions and the resources of language contribute
to effectiveness in writing.
AP Language & Composition
What to Expect…
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College Level Course
Required Summer Reading Assignment
Focus on non-fiction
Minimum 2 hours per week of outside-of-class
work
• Several Writing Assignments (Rhetorical
Analysis, Synthesis, Argumentative, and more)
• Rigorous curriculum
• Potential for college credit based on AP Exam
AP Literature & Composition
What to expect in AP Lit
 College Level Course
 Summer Reading Assignment
 Focus on Literary Analysis: Analytical Reading and Writing, Critical Thinking
 Regular Homework
 Average Time Investment of 3-5 Hours per Week Outside of Class
Dual Credit Opportunity through
Campbellsville University
Qualifying students can earn six (6) hours of transferrable college credit
(three hours per semester)
Added to three (3) hours of potential college credit for a qualifying AP Exam score,
students can earn a total of nine (9) hours of college credit for this one course alone!
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AP LIT AND HONORS ENGLISH IV
AP LIT
College Level Instruction
Offered for Dual Credit
Literature-Based
Regular Homework
Reading, Writing, Projects
Primary Focus is preparation
for the AP Exam
HONORS ENGLISH IV
College Level Instruction
Offered for Dual Credit
Thematic-Based
Occasional Homework
Reading, Writing, Projects
Primary Focus is preparation for
the Academic Research Paper
Social Studies Department
AP World History
Course Units
Period 1. Technological and
Environmental Transformations,
to c. 600 B.C.E.
Period 2. Organization and
Reorganization of Human
Societies, c. 600 B.C.E. to 600
C.E.
Period 3. Regional and
Transregional Interactions, c. 600
C.E. to c. 1450
Period 4. Global Interactions, c.
1450 to c. 1750
Period 5. Industrialization and
Global Interaction, c. 1750 to
c.1900
Period 6. Accelerating Global
Change and Realignments, c.
1900 to the Present
Course Themes
1. Interaction Between Humans and the
Environment
2. Development and Interaction of
Cultures
3. State-Building, Expansion and
Conflict
4. Creation, Expansion and Interactions
of Economic Systems
5. Development and Transformation of
Social Structures
Historical Thinking Skills
1.Crafting Historical Arguments
from Historical Evidence
2.Chronological Reasoning
3.Comparison and
Contextualization
4.Historical Interpretation and
Synthesis
AP World History
Approach:
Daily routine - I design this course to be largely student-driven interaction with each
other and primary and secondary source analysis with group discussions and
guiding questions.
There is very little lecture on my part, but when I do lecture, it’s interactive instead
of “sit-and-get.”
Assessments:
In-class assignments that focus on the “SPICE” themes and nightly readings of
text/outside sources.
We will write up to 9 essays (3 of each type) throughout the year to prepare
students for writing portion of the AP Exam.
Multiple choice exams are reflective of the questions students will encounter on
the AP Exam.
AP World History
Quotes from current students
“Read the textbook!”
“Study hard!”
“Take it seriously!”
“Have a good reason to take it.”
“Don’t take it just to be with your friends.”
“It’s very interesting, but A LOT of work!”
“You can do it, it’s not unbearable.” x3
“Use your notes”
“Don’t be scared”
“Have a sense of humor”
AP United States History
Advanced Placement US History is a college level introductory
course which examines the nations’ political, diplomatic,
intellectual, cultural, social and economic history from the Ice
Age to the present. A variety of instructional approaches are
employed and a college level textbook is supplemented by
primary and secondary sources.
Students will practice the nine historical thinking
skills:
Causation
Continuity and change over time
Periodization
Comparison
Contextualization
Historical Argumentation
Appropriate use of evidence
Interpretation
Synthesis
AP United States History
The class will consist of ten units of study:
Period One: 1491 to 1607 On a North American continent controlled by American Indians
contact among the peoples of Europe, the Americas and West Africa created a new world.
Period Two: 1607-1754 Europeans and American Indians maneuvered and fought for
dominance, control and security in North America and distinctive colonial and native societies
emerged.
Period 3: 1754-1800 British imperial attempts to reassert control over its colonies and the
colonial reaction to these attempts produced a new American republic, along with struggles
over the new nation’s social, political and economic identity.
Period 4: 1800 – 1848 The new republic struggled to define and extend democratic ideals in
the face of rapid economic, territorial and demographic changes.
Period 5: 1844-1877 As the nation expanded and its population grew, regional tensions,
especially over slavery, led to a civil war – the course and aftermath of which transformed
American society.
AP United States History
Period 6: 1865-1898 The transformation of the US from an agricultural to an
increasingly industrialized and urbanized society brought about significant
economic, political, diplomatic, social, environmental and cultural changes.
Period 7: 1890-1945 An increasingly pluralistic US faced profound domestic
and global challenges, debated the proper degree of government activism
and sought to define its international role. This unit will be divided into 7A:
Imperialism, Progressivism & WWI. 7B: Roaring 20s, Depression and the
New Deal, and WWII
Period 8: 1945-1980 After World War II, the US grappled with prosperity
and unfamiliar international responsibilities while struggling to live up to its
ideals.
Period 9: 1980 to the Present As the US transitioned to a new century filled
with challenges and possibilities, it experienced renewed ideological and
cultural debates, sought to redefine its foreign policy and adapted to
economic globalization and revolutionary changes in science and
technology.
AP United States History
Each historical period will start with lecture and discussion. All periods will include outside
reading: a book to read with a written analysis, multiple articles to read comparing authors’
opinions on the same events or literature examples to discuss. There will be a book to read
during the summer on early American history. All units will have chapter worksheets
containing multiple choice/ cause & effects to complete, also many maps. Primary documents
(such as the Monroe Doctrine, Truman Doctrine, etc.) will be read and analyzed. Students will
practice answering the types of questions germane to the AP exam: reading multiple choice
questions, short answer questions, long essays and the DBQ (Document Based Question).
Students will also work on regular essays and regular multiple choice questions as they must
take the EOC (End of Course) exam.
Challenge: thinking and discussing --Advantages: you will enjoy the class as much as you put into it! You may take the AP exam the
first Friday in May, and you MUST take the EOC later in the month of May. The AP exam is
optional; the EOC is not. Dual credit is available through Campbellsville University – six hours.
AP exam can give you three hours of college credit. If you are interested in learning (especially
history) enjoy working with your intellectual peers, you could possibly obtain NINE hours of
college credit.
AP Psychology
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This is a year-long course equivalent to a college
psychology course
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In it, we explore the concepts, theories,
perspectives, phenomena and behaviors associated
with the subfields and research areas of psychology.
Topics Include
History/theories of personality
Research and Experimentation
Biological Bases of Behavior
Principles of learning, memory, and language
Sensation and Perception
States of Consciousness
Influences of Heredity versus Environment (Nature v.
Nurture)
Abnormal behavior
AP Psychology
Purpose: 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 learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in
their science and practice.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: The content of this class requires that we discuss
mature topics, including but not limited to gender differences and sexual
drives. Students will also be required to be involved in discussions in a
respectful manner about these topics. Any student not willing to
participate in a mature and respectful manner may be asked to leave the
class.
Art Department
AP Studio Art
What is AP Studio Art?
-You have three AP Art classes to choose from: Drawing, 2D, or 3D
-Drawing: Develop technical skills and familiarize yourself with the functions of visual
elements as you create an individual portfolio of work for evaluation at the end of the
course.
-2D: Demonstrate mastery through any two-dimensional medium or process, such as
graphic design, digital imaging, photography, collage, fabric design, weaving, fashion
design, fashion illustration, painting and printmaking. Develop technical skills and
familiarize yourself with the functions of visual elements as you create an individual
portfolio of work for evaluation at the end of the course.
-3D: Demonstrate mastery through any three-dimensional approach, such as figurative
or nonfigurative sculpture, architectural models, metal work, ceramics, glass work,
installation, assemblage and 3-D fabric/fiber arts. Develop technical skills and familiarize
yourself with the functions of visual elements as you create an individual portfolio of
work for evaluation at the end of the course.
AP Studio Art
What are the Prerequisites?
-You must complete at least 1 art class, love doing art, have a creative imagination, and a
.
strong work ethic.
-If you are a transfer student or were unable to take an art class, you will need to submit
a sketchbook and samples of your work. The art teacher must sign off.
-Summer Assignments: You will be given a list of 6 projects to complete over the summer.
- Portfolio Requirements: 12 Breadth Section, 12 Concentration Section, and 5 Quality pieces.
-You will be expected to participate in: the District Art Show, the Spring Art Auction at Haggin Hospital,
help with props/sets, work with special education students, and create a ceiling tile.
AP Studio Art Structure
Assessment Overview
In early May, students submit actual works
and digital images of works for 2-D Design
and Drawing Portfolios. These works should
demonstrate artistic growth and
development. For the 3-D Design Portfolio,
students submit digital images of the art
works they created as well as an artist
statement in which they describe ideas
investigated and explain how the ideas
evolved as they created their body of work.
All portfolios are assessed by at least two
highly experienced studio art educators (AP
Studio Art teachers or college faculty) who
apply standard scoring criteria, with respect
to the forms and content.
Format of Assessment
Section I: Quality
5 actual works for 2-D and Drawing, 12
digital images for 3-D; 33% of Portfolio
Score
Demonstrate mastery of design in concept,
composition, and execution
Section II: Concentration
12 digital images; 33% of Portfolio Score
Describe an in-depth explanation of a
particular design concern
Section III: Breadth
12 digital images for 2-D and Drawing, 16
digital images for 3-D; 33% of Portfolio
Score Demonstrate understanding of design
issues
Math Department
Calculus vs.
Statistics
Students can choose to take one or both, as
long as they have taken the prerequisites.
AP Calculus Students…
AP Statistics Students…
Are you thinking about majoring
in science, engineering, math,
economics, pre-med, etc.?
Are you thinking about majoring
in a language, history, psychology,
business, pre-law, etc.?
Were you successful in Trig?
Are you willing to spend time
solving problems that require
many computational steps?
Were you successful in Algebra II?
Are you willing to spend time
analyzing problems that require
written explanations?
AP Calculus AB vs. AP Calculus BC
Why Calculus? Because it makes Physics make sense…
And because everyone should know why the volume of a sphere
is 4πr3/3!
AP Calculus AB
• Covers one semester of
college-level Calculus.
AP Calculus BC
• Covers an entire year of
college-level Calculus.
• Pacing is faster than Pre-Cal/Trig.
• Pacing moves faster than AP Cal AB.
• A great place for anyone who
did well in Trig but had to
work hard doing it.
• A great place for anyone who
did really well in Trig and in AP Cal AB .
• A great place for people who
want to be doctors.
• A great place for people who
want to be engineers
What to expect in AP Calculus AB?
• There will be a summer assignment over the Pre-Cal/Trig materials
• Need strong algebraic skills to manage the work and critical thinking
and problem solving skills
• This course covers topics of Limits, Derivatives and its applications,
Integrals and their applications.
• Requires a Graphing Calculator, TI-84 recommended.
• Daily Homework, periodic reading assignments and projects apart
from quizzes and tests.
• At least 30-45 min outside of class time everyday.
• DUAL Credit available through Campbellsville University-3hrs
Elementary Calculus credit
AP Statistics
Why Statistics?
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Covers one semester of college-level Statistics.
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Pacing is Faster than your previous math classes.
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A great place for anyone who did well in Algebra II
and wants more of a challenge.
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This course covers topics of Analyzing Data, Producing
Data, Probability and Random Variables and
Inference.
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Requires a Graphing Calculator, TI-84 recommended.
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Daily Homework, periodic reading assignments and
projects apart from quizzes and tests.
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At least 30-45 min outside of class time everyday.
Grading
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Assignments/Class work
Free Response Questions
Quizzes
Tests
Final
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All tests are cumulative. Tests can not be retaken.
Quizzes can be retaken and are not cumulative.
Free Response questions are not cumulative and can not be retaken.
5%
5%
20%
50%
20%
World Languages Department
AP Spanish Language
Spanish IV AP is the most advanced language class
offered at Mercer.
Spanish students are extending skills acquired in
Spanish I, II and III and acquiring vocabulary that is
personally relevant.
Students will interpret and present information in
written and spoken Spanish and communicate both in
writing and speaking formats.
AP Spanish Language Expected Homework
During the semester, students are expected
to do
writing, cultural research and reading outside
the classroom. In-class time is reserved for
oral presentations, lessons, conversations and
group activities. This means homework will be
between three and four hours a week.
AP Spanish Language and Culture EXAM
AP Spanish is divided into topics that
reflect the AP exam. Students are tested
on reading comprehension, listening
comprehension, extemporaneous
speech, written communication, and
presentational research style writing.
Course Themes
The “AP Spanish Language and Culture” course is structured around six
themes:
• Beauty and Aesthetics
• Contemporary Life
• Families and Communities
• Global Challenges
• Personal and Public Identities
• Science and Technology
Themes facilitate the integration of language, content, and culture and
promote the use of the language in a variety of contexts. The themes may
be combined, as they are interrelated.
Science Department
AP Biology
AP Biology – Curriculum
redesigned in 2012-2013
• Reduced the breadth of
content
• Less time spent on factual
recall and more time on
inquiry-based learning of
essential concepts
• Emphasis on lab work and
authentic science practices
Topics in AP Biology
• Helps prepare for advanced science
courses in college and future careers in
science. Especially beneficial for
students
considering a career in the medical field.
• Prerequisites are Pre-AP Biology and
Chemistry
Students are required to do
extensive reading and lab work. It
Is important for students to have good
attendance for lab work.
AP Chemistry
AP Chemistry is a course geared toward students with interests in chemical and physical
sciences, as well as any of the biological sciences. Goals of the course are :
Preparing students to be critical and independent thinkers who are able to function
effectively in a scientific and technological society.
Preparing students to analyze scientific and societal issues using
scientific problem solving.
Preparing to emerge from this program with an appreciation for the
natural world.
Preparing Students for advanced college level chemistry work.
Preparing students to be able to make an acceptable score on the AP Chemistry
Examination.
In each laboratory experiment, students will physically manipulate
equipment and materials in order to make relevant observations and
collect data; use the collected data to form conclusions and verify
hypotheses; and communicate and compare results and procedures
(informally to other experimenters, and also in a formal, written report to
the teacher).
AP Chemistry
Atomic theory, chemical bonding, phases of matter, solutions, types of reactions, chemical
equilibrium, reaction kinetics, electrochemistry, and thermodynamics are all topics that will be
covered in AP Chemistry.
This is a fast paced, in depth course that requires students to constantly utilize
prior information and build upon that knowledge. There is a substantial amount of
responsibility that falls on the student in research , design and utilization of
information. Strength in mathematics is mandatory and retention/utilization of ALL
previously taught chemistry concepts is expected.
There will be ongoing utilization of laboratory work and this will include the
requirement for student design . ALL labs will require a FORMAL laboratory report
with extensive work by the student in utilization and analysis of the data that they
have generated. Research and Design is a large part of the laboratory section of
this class.
AP Environmental Science (APES)
•Designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester,
introductory college course in environmental
science
• Wide variety of topics are covered (including
Earth Science, population dynamics, energy
production, food and water production, pollution,
global climate change, legal, cultural, and
economic issues, and more
• Course is personally relevant to students’ lives
APES
Many in-class labs, projects,
and activities such as testing
student car emissions, local
water quality index testing, soil
testing etc.
Moderate amount of outside
reading and homework.
Questions and Answers