I like to slow down in the first two units of AP World and take advantage of the time and lighter content to unpack skills, particularly primary source comprehension and analysis. This post includes several activities and resources I have used over the years to do this.
Teaching Historical Writing to English Language Learners
I have been teaching in China for nearly a decade, and in that time at least half of my students have been English language learners. Ultimately, this has made me a much better teacher. When I started teaching in Florida, I rarely used instructional time to explicitly teach writing. After all, that's what the English teachers did. When I moved to China, I was forced to stop taking writing skills for granted.
Tools and Tips for Teaching Contextualization in AP World History
Contextualization can be a deceptively easy skill for students. Many default to information overload instead of thinking through which historical facts or developments are the best choice for revealing historical insight about their topic or argument. Structure is needed.
Making the First Day in AP World Count
Start the year with something engaging that will help establish a positive class culture. Be the unique class that breaks the Day 1 stereotypes of syllabi and class rules and show students that inquiry and historical thinking can be fun.
Designing a Social Studies Course with C3 Standards
Our department's 9th grade foundational course is interdisciplinary and uses the C3 Framework; its called Geographic Cultural Studies. Courses and curriculum are always works in progress. This course has been successful so far and I am very happy with the rigor it has added to our curriculum, however, there are some adjustments needed to make it better. Some of the adjustments were related to content, so that it aligns better with our 10th grade World History course, and others are related to prioritization of the C3 standards and unit structure to support a transition to standards-based / competency-based instruction and assessment.
Should AP exam scores count as a grade?
I came across an interesting chart from a school where AP exam scores seem to be used as a factor in a student's final grade. It's pictured below. The summer logistics of this aside, I was intrigued by the intended and unintended consequences of such a policy.
National History Day Workshop Take Aways
The month of March was one of the busiest I have had in a long time. Despite my frenzied to-do list, one of the highlights of the month was a two-day workshop run by Lynne O'Hara and Kim Fortney from the National History Day organization. The workshop was filled with some great tools and insights about teaching historical thinking and helping students create stronger NHD projects.
ChatGPT and AI Tools for the Social Studies Classroom
I have been playing around with some ideas on how to use AI tech tools in class. I don't want to use a tool just for the purpose of trying something new, but want to find a creative way of adding value for my students. Most of what I have explored recently has been a result of purchasing a premium subscription to ChatGPT. The additional GPTs that this offers access to are incredibly useful.
Teaching Game Theory and History with Diplomacy
I am designing a two week summer course that will use the games Diplomacy and Twilight Struggle to teach game theory and history. These games are a great opportunity to teach strategic decision making, iterated and sequential games, risk and payoff assessment, bargaining and negotiation, and long-term planning in a way that engages students and helps them internalize the learning. Sometimes, the classroom needs to be more "fun!"
Experiences with the new rubrics for AP World History
By this point in the school year my students have written four DBQs and are working on their second LEQ. After working with the new rubrics and giving them a chance, I have mixed feelings. They are not perfect, but neither were earlier iterations since it is impossible to create a rubric that makes everyone … Continue reading Experiences with the new rubrics for AP World History