To A.P. Physics Institute Participants:

During these one-week institutes, you will have the opportunity to meet and learn from others who are developing Advanced Placement Physics programs in their schools as you become familiar with the AP Physics program. You 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 2006 exam. As the institute syllabus published on the web site describes, we will generally spend each morning 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.

Three-ring binders will be provided for you, but you will need to bring:

•  Calculator

•  Lab notebook

•  Demonstration or "best practices" idea to share (optional)

•  Enough information to prepare a syllabus/timeline for your course or edit an existing one [This might include your school calendar and a listing of chapter headings from the text you will use.]

July 13-17
Iowa AP Institute
Des Moines Central Academy
Des Moines, IA

July 27-31
AP 5-Day Workshops
Cass Technical High School
Detroit, MI

Aug 10-13
SoCal AP* Institute
Palos Verdes Penninsula HS
Palos Verdes, CA

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 2007 test [B or C]and be prepared with questions concerning related concepts [All test copies will be provided.]

•  Begin working on Multiple Choice test or 2004 published test

•  Begin work on course syllabus

Day 2

Morning Session

•  Discuss solutions to free response problems #1-3 from 2007 test and related concepts

•  Describe the process of reading and scoring AP exams

•  Assign scores to free response homework (#1-3)

•  Use the A.P. scale to assign an A.P. score and course grade

•  Score sample student papers from 2007 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 2007 test and be prepared to discuss related concepts

•  Continue to work on the assigned Multiple Choice test

•  Work on course syllabus and lab journal

Day 3

Morning Session

•  Grade homework problems #4-7 from 2007 test and discuss concepts

•  Use the A.P. scale to assign an A.P. 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 Multiple Choice test

•  Work on course syllabus and laboratory journal

Day 4

Morning Session

•  Score 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

•  View excerpts from videotape "Demonstrations in Light", as time permits.

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 lab journal and 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”