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Laura Brandt currently teaches AP Psychology and serves as the social studies department chair at Libertyville high school in the Chicago suburbs. Laura also teaches AP Psychology online for the Center for Talent Development through Northwestern University. She also recently taught AP Psychology, IB Psychology and AP Seminar at the College du Leman in Geneva, Switzerland Laura has also taught History, Government, Constitutional Law and a Law and Psychology
course. Laura served on the TOPSS executive board, which represents high school psychology instructors within the American Psychological Association. Laura has served in many roles for the AP Psychology exam reading including table and question leader and also serves as an examiner for IB psychology. Laura is a co-creator of the I-Score 5 review app for the AP Psychology exam, and a co-creator of the Books for Psychology Class blog which reviews psychology related books and provides classroom activities for teachers and students. Laura is the co-author of the Laura the 3rd edition AMSCO AP Psychology book and has served as a reviewer, contributor and/or author to other textbooks, test banks and reviews guides related to AP Psychology. Laura earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a Master’s degree in U.S. History from Northern Illinois University and her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University. |
LAURA BRANDT
Laura can be contacted at: [email protected]
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COURSE DESCRIPTION This four-day institute will be personalized to meet the needs of the individual participants and to address the recent changes in the AP Psychology curriculum. Preparation for both the multiple-choice and free-response portion of the exam will be addressed as well as a simulation of how the FRQs are graded. While the session will cover all Units in the AP curriculum, we will spend an extended period of time on research methods as a theme that runs throughout the course and is covered each year by one of the two free-response questions. In addition to focusing on the content of the research unit, we can focus on pedagogy and resources provided by the College Board. Particular emphasis will be placed on topics that are often challenging for students and instructors and those topics that are new to the curriculum. By the end of the week, instructors to AP Psychology should have the tools necessary to teach engaging and informative and should leave with a number of new activities, demonstrations and resources to use with their students.
Materials
Course Objectives
Agenda
Note: Based on the needs and the preferences of the participants registered for the session, this agenda may be modified while still by necessity meeting the criteria of 30 contact hours from the College Board.
Day 1
Morning:
Address the use of technology, expectations and overview of navigating the resources Introductions of participants and what they want to get out of the week. Additionally, the week will begin with a broad overview of the recent curricular changes to the course.
Discussion of textbook and supplemental materials Websites and resources that are helpful for the teaching of AP Psychology Discussion about equity and access in the Advanced Placement program.
Pacing recommendations, the course for year-long, block schedules and resources for different courses
Afternoon:
12:00-2:00
FRQ preparation and strategies for mastering the FRQ and Multiple-Choice portion of the exam
2:00-3:00
Explore the general resources to assist with the teaching of Psychology, set up and explore the resources in AP Central.
Day 2
Morning:
8:00-10:00
Examine Resources, activities, demonstrations and for Unit one Scientific Foundation of Psychology
10:00-11:00
Explore resources, activities and content for Scientific Foundations of Psychology
Afternoon 12:00-2:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for Biological Bases of Behavior.
2:00-3:00
Work on Pacing Calendar.
Explore Google Folder resources for Biological Bases of Behavior. Work on the next portion of the practice AP exam.
Day 3
Morning
8:00-10:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for and Sensation/Perception
10:00-11:00
Explore Google Folder for Sensation and Perception
Afternoon:
12:00-2:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for Learning and Cognition
2:00-3:00
Put together first Unit (day-to-day calendar, activities, demonstrations, in-class materials, assessments, homework). Explore Google Folder for Learning and Cognition. Work on the last portion of the AP exam.
Day 4
Morning
8:00-10:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for Development, Motivation/Emotion and Personality
10:00-11:00
Explore Google Folder for Development, Motivation/Emotion and Personality
Put together First Unit (day-to-day calendar, activities, demonstrations, in-class materials, assessments, homework)
Afternoon:
12:00-2:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for Disorders and Treatment and social psychology
2:00-3:00
Evaluate past FRQ questions.
Simulated grading of written FRQs and going over questions from the Multiple-Choice AP exam.
Materials
- A computer (phone’s or I-pads will likely not be enough for full participation)
- If possible, a copy of the textbook you will be using and any supplemental materials
- Creation of an AP Central account AP Central
- Access to College Board Materials which will be provided by the Institute
- If possible, please consider bringing a favorite lesson, review, assessment, demonstration you have found useful in the classroom, even if the idea was created for a different subject that you are willing to share for the benefit of the group.
Course Objectives
- Participants will understand how the Curriculum and Exam Description (CED) aligns with day-to-day classroom activities.
- Participants will be able to navigate AP Central in order to access the resources provided for both students and instructors.
- Instructors will be able to align their curriculum to cover the nine units outlined in the AP Psychology Course Description.
- Participants will work on a pacing guide for the upcoming academic school year.
- Instructors will understand the scope and sequence of the AP curriculum and will have an opportunity to delve deeply into a number of units to explore best practices, assessments techniques, challenging topics and available resources.
- Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the expectations for writing and grading free-response questions and strategies for covering and later assessing multiple-choice question on the AP exam.
- Participants will understand the opportunities for interleaving material throughout multiple chapters of the course for increased students practice and learning.
- Participants will develop a network of Psychology instructors with whom they can continue to develop relevant materials for the AP Psychology course.
Agenda
Note: Based on the needs and the preferences of the participants registered for the session, this agenda may be modified while still by necessity meeting the criteria of 30 contact hours from the College Board.
Day 1
Morning:
Address the use of technology, expectations and overview of navigating the resources Introductions of participants and what they want to get out of the week. Additionally, the week will begin with a broad overview of the recent curricular changes to the course.
Discussion of textbook and supplemental materials Websites and resources that are helpful for the teaching of AP Psychology Discussion about equity and access in the Advanced Placement program.
Pacing recommendations, the course for year-long, block schedules and resources for different courses
Afternoon:
12:00-2:00
FRQ preparation and strategies for mastering the FRQ and Multiple-Choice portion of the exam
2:00-3:00
Explore the general resources to assist with the teaching of Psychology, set up and explore the resources in AP Central.
Day 2
Morning:
8:00-10:00
Examine Resources, activities, demonstrations and for Unit one Scientific Foundation of Psychology
10:00-11:00
Explore resources, activities and content for Scientific Foundations of Psychology
Afternoon 12:00-2:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for Biological Bases of Behavior.
2:00-3:00
Work on Pacing Calendar.
Explore Google Folder resources for Biological Bases of Behavior. Work on the next portion of the practice AP exam.
Day 3
Morning
8:00-10:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for and Sensation/Perception
10:00-11:00
Explore Google Folder for Sensation and Perception
Afternoon:
12:00-2:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for Learning and Cognition
2:00-3:00
Put together first Unit (day-to-day calendar, activities, demonstrations, in-class materials, assessments, homework). Explore Google Folder for Learning and Cognition. Work on the last portion of the AP exam.
Day 4
Morning
8:00-10:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for Development, Motivation/Emotion and Personality
10:00-11:00
Explore Google Folder for Development, Motivation/Emotion and Personality
Put together First Unit (day-to-day calendar, activities, demonstrations, in-class materials, assessments, homework)
Afternoon:
12:00-2:00
Discussion and sharing of resources, activities, content and demonstrations for Disorders and Treatment and social psychology
2:00-3:00
Evaluate past FRQ questions.
Simulated grading of written FRQs and going over questions from the Multiple-Choice AP exam.