Connie Wells has a Master of Science Degree in Physics from The University of Kansas and is a Physics and Advanced Placement Physics teacher, as well as Science Department Chair, at Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City, Missouri. During the past fifteen years as an AP* Physics teacher, she has been active in test scoring and development for The College Board, serving on the AP* Physics Test Development Committee from 1997-2001. She has been a Reader, Table Leader and Question Leader for the AP* Physics Reading and has presented teacher workshops throughout the country and abroad. She is the author of AP* Physics B: A Kaplan Learning Guide, Simon and Schuster, 2004. In November 2003, Connie received the 2003 Siemens Award for Advanced Placement Teaching sponsored by The College Board and The Siemens Foundation.

You can e-mail Connie at cwells@pembrokehill.org.

During this one-week institute, participants will have the opportunity to meet and learn from others who are developing Advanced Placement Physics programs in their schools as they become familiar with the AP* Physics program. Teachers will come away from the institute with many materials, including sample textbooks, the College Board AP* Physics packet, a CD with tests and solutions from past years, packages of "make and take" labs and demonstrations, teacher materials and sample course syllabi, and the solutions to the 2008 exams. Each morning will generally be spent working on problem solving techniques and discussing approaches to teaching AP* Physics. Afternoons will be spent in the laboratory---building lab and demonstration setups, performing demonstrations, doing lab experiments, developing computer graphing skills, and checking web materials. Each participant will have the option of presenting a topic or demonstration during the "Best Practices" session. There will be short "homework" assignments each day, but these will be minimal and should allow you plenty of time for evening activities or socialization with other participants. Bring your calculator and an extra suitcase!

Day 1
  Morning Session

• Introduction and overview of Institute goals
• Examine AP* course content and plan for preparation of individual course syllabi
• Discuss exam format
• Discuss preparation and design of the laboratory journal
  Afternoon Session

• Demonstrations
• Lab: Construction of "Small Frequency Motor"
• Experiment and Construction: "What's Watt?"
  Assignment:

• Work #1-3 free response from 2008 test [B or C] and be prepared with questions concerning related concepts [All test copies will be provided.]
• Begin working on 2004 Multiple Choice test
• Begin work on course syllabus

Day 2
  Morning Session

• Discuss solutions to free response problems #1-3 from 2008 test and related concepts
• Describe the process of reading and scoring AP* exams
• Assign scores to free response homework (#1-3)
• Use the AP* scale to assign an AP* score and course grade
• Score sample student papers from 2008 exam
• Further discussion of multiple choice format and exam preparation
• View "Mechanical Universe" videotape excerpts, as time permits
  Afternoon Session

• Demonstrations
• Construction of "LED and Neon Blinkies"
• Training on Excel Spreadsheet and Graphing
  Assignment:

• Work remaining free response from 2008 test and be prepared to discuss related concepts
• Continue to work on the 2004 Multiple Choice test
• Work on course syllabus

Day 3
  Morning Session

• Grade remaining free response problems from the 2008 test and discuss concepts
• Use the AP* scale to assign an AP* score and course grade
• Score student samples of these problems
• Take a mock 15-minute multiple choice exam, grade and score it
• View "Frames of Reference" videotape, as time permits.
  Afternoon Session

• Demonstrations
• Discussion of capacitors
• Lab: "Charging and Discharging a Capacitor"
• Graph charging and discharging curves using Excel
  Assignment:

• Complete 2004 Multiple Choice test
• Work on course syllabus

Day 4
  Morning Session

• Score 2004 Multiple Choice Test, answer questions and discuss related concepts
• Discuss increased emphasis on laboratory work on the exam
• Develop a summary of ideas for implementation of a laboratory plan
• Present changes in curriculum that began with 2002 exam
  Afternoon Session

• Demonstrations
• Lab: "Determination of Planck's Constant"
• Discussion of large group data and error analysis
• Develop graphs on computer
• Discuss teacher resources, including web sites
• Organize materials for "Best Practices" presentations
  Assignment:

• Bring in course syllabus for sharing and critique
• Bring in "Best Practices" presentation (optional)

Day 5

• Demonstrations and "Best Practices" by participants
• Hand out CD's
• Workshop evaluation
• Further exploration of on-line resources
• Drawing for "give-aways"