Environmental Science

Taught by Ben Smith

Outline

Materials
- The College Board* AP* Environmental Science Participant's Manual: Teacher's Guide, Released Exam, 2012 FRQs/Rubrics/Samples
- Handouts: Course content, pacing/syllabi, labs, activities, resources
- Some of Ben's Exams and FRQs
Teaching AP* Environmental Science: Thoughts/Approaches/Strategies
- Prerequisites: The most important prerequisite
- Students taking AP* Environmental Science
- Equity and Access
- The Importance/Significance of Class Discussions
- Lecturing: How I have modified lecture-time since 1996
- Course timeline, Syllabi, Time Management, Lecture/Discussion
- The Course and The May AP* Exam
- The Course Redesign
- Comments on some of the Free Response Questions from 1998-2011
- Sample Lessons
- The Textbook Choice
- Resources & Support Materials: Books, lab/field manuals, periodicals, equipment, videos
- Identification and discussion of "Problem Areas"
- The importance of "experimental design" labs; inquiry
- "Positive Messages"
- Field Trips and guest speakers
- Summer assignment(s)? -Pros and Potential Cons
- Websites
- Research projects, long-term lab and field investigations
- Possible "Post-May AP* Exam" assignments, labs, literature, videos, etc.
What's "New" with APES?
- Course Redesign: "Best Practices", Problem Solving, Experimental Design/Inquiry, Synthesis and Evaluation
The 2012 AP* Exam FRQs: discussion
The AP*ES Redesign: comments
A brief look at and comments about some of the fifty-six FRQs from previous Exams (1998-2011)
Strategies for helping students prepare exams
- Chapter and unit exams, as well as the May AP Exam
- How we can reduce the number of April and/or early May nights that we wake up at 2:30 a.m. thinking about AP* Environmental Science topics that we could have spent more time exploring with our students.
Thoughts on improving and continuing the strengths of AP* programs:
- Stay current
- Run with your strengths and passions
- Network with other AP*ES Teachers; discussion groups, AP* Central.
- The "Reading": attend the AP* Environmental Science Exam Reading in June. The AP* Reading may not occur at an ideal time for some, but you will find this experience to be a very valuable one.

Schedule

Monday, Day 1
- Overview of the AP* Environmental Science Course
- Brief discussion of the AP*ES Participant's Manual
- Course Outline and objectives
- The "AP*ES Course" and the "May AP* Exam"
- Prerequisites and the students taking the course; "The most important prerequisite."
- Textbook options/text selection
- Planning the AP*ES course:
  - Mapping out the 165 (or 80) days or so you have with your students:
  - Scheduling and Pacing: How long to devote to each of the topic areas
  - Techniques, strategies, and suggestions for teaching this course
  - Overview of laboratory work, field investigations, and demonstrations
  - Grading: exams, quizzes, homework, labs, reports, presentations, projects, and other assignments
  - A "typical two-week period" in Ben's AP*ES classes; sample lessons
- Resources and Support Materials
- Preparing for the AP* Exam
- A look at the major "problem areas"
- Set-up/conduct Laboratory and Field investigations

Tuesday, Day 2
- Specific information on the Seven Major Topic Areas:
  - Earth Systems and Resources...................10-15%
  - The Living World........................................10-15%
  - Population...................................................10-15%
  - Land and Water Use..................................10-15%
  - Energy Resources and Consumption.....10-15%
  - Pollution: ...................................................25-30%
  - Global Change...........................................10-15%
  - Discussion, regarding each of these areas: I- VII, will continue throughout the week
- Laboratory and Field Work continued: Set up/conduct several experiments
- Lab and Field equipment: what do you "need"? What would be helpful to have?
- Lab and Field manuals
- Videos, software, websites, periodicals
- Continue AP*ES discussion on "Planning, Strategies and Suggestions..."

Wednesday, Day 3
- Water Quality Testing
- Course Content Specifics continued
- Perform Lab/Field Experiments
- Non-text reading assignments/periodicals, field outings/trips, agencies
- Additional resources
- Video samples/titles
- Exam Handouts:
  - Samples of Ben's Multiple-Choice Exams, Free Response Questions, and Rubrics
- Thoughts on how we might reduce the number of April and/or early May nights that we wake up at 2:30 a.m. thinking about AP* Environmental Science topics that we could have spent more time exploring with our students

Thursday, Day 4
- Lab and Field Work continued
- The AP* Examination: discussion/comments of Parts I and II of the Exam:
  - Part I: The Multiple Choice Questions: comments regarding Released Exams
  - Part II: The Free Response Questions: an examination of the 2012 FRQs, Rubrics, and Sample Papers, as well as comments on many of the previous 56 FRQS which have appeared on exams (1998-2011)
- Grading the AP* Exam: "The Reading"
- The "FRQ Assignment":
- Strategies to help students succeed throughout the year in your course and on the AP* Exam in May; student preparation and review suggestions
- Discussion of "Post-May AP* Exam" assignment possibilities
- Lecture-content specifics continued
- A few more worthy video titles/samples
- Wrap-Up Lab and Field Work
- Continue course content discussions
- Continue sharing favorite labs, resources, and ideas
- Final thoughts and comments on teaching this superb course!