SAN DIEGO SUMMER AP* INSTITUTE
U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Course Description
Here are the goals and objectives for our week:
1. To understand the basics of AP* U.S. Government and Politics:
· Curriculum
· Student enrollment
· Textbook selection
· Supplemental readers
· Resources
· Test development
· Test taking strategies
· Free response writing.
2. To understand the nature of the AP* U.S. Government and Politics exam, and to develop appropriate strategies for maximizing student scores. The instructor is a member of the Test Development Committee for the course, and will share his insights on the process of developing the AP* exam.
3. To analyze the most recent AP* U.S. Government and Politics exam and to learn how the free-response section was scored.
4. To acquire lots of resources for teaching the course:
· The instructor's lecture notes
· Sample tests
· Free response questions and rubrics
· Instructional handouts
· Textbooks
· Supplemental readers
· College Board materials.
Schedule:
MONDAY
Morning session:
8:30-9:30: Orientation, introductions, and agenda
9:30-12:00: College Board packet
Acorn book
Begin Curriculum
Session -
through class sets of Newsweek
Afternoon session:
1:00-3:00: Continue Curriculum Session - through Bar of Difficulty
3:00-3:30: Show short clip from "Frontline: Washington's Other Scandal"
Individual consultations
TUESDAY
Morning session:
8:30-12:00 Continue Curriculum Session - through Types of MC questions
Distribute charts/graphs/tables
Afternoon session:
1:00-3:00: Continue Curriculum Session - through Free Response Writing Guide
3:00-3:30 Show short clip from "The People and the Power Game," part II
Individual consultations
WEDNESDAY
Morning session:
8:30-10:00: Review FR writing: teachers write a structure to a past FR question
Continue Curriculum Session: through Testing
10-11:30: Computer lab to check out web sites
Afternoon session:
1:00-3:00 Begin mock grading of the free response section of the recent AP* exam in groups of three
3:00-3:30: Show short clip from "The People and the Power Game," part I
Individual consultations
THURSDAY
Morning session:
8:30-12:00: Finish Curriculum Session.
10 Common Mistakes Made by New AP* Teachers.
Distribute and go over lecture notes
Continue mock grading of the free response section of the recent AP* exam
Afternoon session:
1:00-3:15: Charts question writing task
Vocabulary quiz development task
3:15-3:30: Individual consultations
FRIDAY
9:00-11:30: Evaluations
Finish mock grading of the free response section of the recent AP* exam
Finish any remaining tasks
"Journeys with George"
Other possible activities for the week:
- Preparation of syllabus: course calendar/chapters/supplemental readings/videos/projects
- Development of reading guides for supplemental articles
- Development of free response questions and rubrics
- Development of daily reading quizzes
- Multiple choice question writing task
