AP Exam Preparation Webinar
AP Human Geography: Strategies That
Help Students Pass The AP Exam
This one hour webinar session will:
1. Share review and study strategies
2. Give participants insight to using study guides & test prep materials
3. Share how to read into multiple choice questions
4. Share how to best prepare for Stimulus Based Questions
AP Human Geography ExamDate:Date: May 13
Format:Format: Multiple Choice (M/C) - 50%
75 questions/60 Minutes
Free Response (Essay) 50%
3 questions/75 Minutes
Units of Study & Weight:Units of Study & Weight: 5-10% Geography (least)
13-17% Population, Culture, Political Organization of Space, Industrialization & Econ. Dev., Cities & Urban Land Use
1. Share review and study strategiesReview Schedule
Things to ConsiderThings to Consider• Spring Break• Know Your Students• Work With Other AP Teachers & Coaches• AP Saturday Academy
Pacing Pacing • Diagnostic Test Administration– 1-2 Session(s)• Reviewing Diagnostic Test Results – 1 session• Unit Practice Tests (7)• Mock Exam
Plan Structured Reviews & Create a CalendarPlan Structured Reviews & Create a Calendar
Study Strategies
• Thoroughly study content
• Practice, practice, practice answering questions similar to those on the test
• Review, review, review the answers on practice tests, AND students should be able to explain why an answer is correct or incorrect
Sample CalendarSunSun MM TT WW ThTh FF SS
April
3
Initial Meeting•Homework – students convert the course outline into questions and respond; define terms, and concepts use flashcards as needed
Saturday Academy
9:00-12:00
Diagnostic Test • Review Results •Examine Results
10 Unit 2M/C-7:30-8:30
FR- 3:30-5:00•Timed practice test questions•Integrate test taking skills/Strategies
Class Review
Unit ______
M/C amt. of time
FR amt. of time
Time to review answers
Unit 3 Saturday Academy
9:00 – 12:00
•M/C – 75 questions •FR --3 questions
17 Unit 4 Unit 5
24 Unit 6 Unit 7 Saturday Academy
9:00 – 12:00
Mock Exam
May1
Saturday Academy
9:00 – 12:00
Mock Exam
EXAMEXAM
Get The Word OutGet The Word Out !!• AnnouncementsAnnouncements
– Fall Semester Students– Post Time/Dates of Reviews
• Incentives Incentives – Notify Parents/Guardians
• Get them on board!!!– $$$ College Tuition– Quality Points & GPA
• Follow-up – Attendance– Results of Diagnostic test
• Help with Saturday Academy – Snacks– Transportation– Furnish extra Test Prep Books
• They are Teacher’s Too!!– Teach vocabulary– Watch Power of Place videos as a family—case studies– Time practice tests with No Distractions
– Extra Credit• Homework/AssignmentsHomework/Assignments
– Examine results of diagnostic test and target needs of individual students
√ Share review and study strategies
2. Give participants insight to using study guides & test prep materials
3. Share how to read into multiple choice questions
4. Share how to best prepare for
Stimulus Based Questions
2. Give participants insight to using study guides & test prep materials
• Select Test Prep BookSelect Test Prep Book– Diagnostic test
• Results driven– Review Content – Re-teach/Homework – 30 minute
PPT reviews for each unit on website– Vocabulary– Models– Theories– Integration of Geographic Tools– Case studies (Examples)– Practice Tests – An Outline (of Content Areas)
√ Share review and study strategies
√ Give participants insight to using study guides & test prep materials
3. Share how to read into multiple choice questions
4. Share how to best prepare for
Stimulus Based Questions
3. Share how to read into multiple choice questions
• Format– 75 multiple-choice questions– Answer choices: A – E
• Start with easy questions (why?)
• Start with 5-10 questions (timed, 1.25 minutes)
• Context clues• Word association• Eliminating answer choices• Scoring—guessing verses leaving blank
– Narrow to 2 answer choices – First response – “Go with what you know”
Sample Multiple Choice Questions
Roman Catholics are clustered in the U.S. southwest mainly because of migration of
a. Roman Catholics from Latin America
b. Roman Catholics from Northeast United States
c. Roman Catholics from Ireland
d. Protestants to the North
e. Protestants to the East
Answer: A
Question Source: Rubenstein, 9e
1.1. What do you What do you know about know about the SW?the SW?
2.2. What ethnic What ethnic group is group is concentrated concentrated there?there?
3.3. Encourage Encourage students to students to write on the write on the test/scrap test/scrap paperpaper
Apply Apply U.S. HistoryU.S. History or or Civics & Civics & EconomicsEconomics: : Colonial PeriodColonial Period
Encourage Encourage students to students to apply prior apply prior knowledgeknowledge
A minisystem is a society witha. a single cultural baseb. a modern economyc. an extensive physical infrastructured. extensive urbanizatione. all of the above
What is the key word in the question?Simply by identifying the key word, which answer choices were eliminated?How did you eliminate “B”?What is the answer?
Tips & Suggestions: 1. The answer is often in the question.2. Assure students who do not know the answer immediately, that they have the skills to
find the answer.3. Eliminate similar answer choices
Question Source: Knox/Marston, 8e
Answer is less than 1.25 minutes
The first phase of the internal geographic expansion and regional integration of core regions was based on this transportation technology
a. railroads
b. aircrafts
c. tractors
d. trucks
e. canals
Answer: E
Why is “E” the correct answer?
Suggestions & Tips• Allow time during study sessions to discuss correct answers• Encourage students to share how they “figured-out” the correct
answer
Retired practice test questions:– http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/
repository/ap-human-geography-course-description.pdf
– Practice exams, available to authorized AP teachers through their AP Course Audit accounts
– Main page• http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/humangeo
√ Share review and study strategies
√ Give participants insight to using study guides & test prep materials
√ Share how to read into multiple choice questions
4. Share how to best prepare for
Stimulus Based Questions
4. Share how to best prepare for Stimulus Based Questions
What are stimulus based questions?What are stimulus based questions?Read and interpret information contained on– Maps – Charts– Graphs– Models
Free Response
Go to:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_questions/2004.html?type=print
Select 2010: Free-Response Questions1. Review the question2. Review the rubric/scoring guide
From the review of the retired test questions, should students
1. pace themselves and use the time wisely?2. spend time “dissecting” the question?3. spend time outlining responses?4. define terms?5. demonstrate mastery of concepts by using
examples found in case studies?6. draw from current events for examples
and case studies?7. ensure that they answer the question?8. attempt to answer the question?
√ Share review and study strategies
√ Give participants insight to using study guides & test prep materials
√ Share how to read into multiple choice questions
√ Share how to best prepare for
Stimulus Based Questions
Open Discussion Questions
1. What strategies will you use to make sure that your students know that they will score a level 5?
2. How do you plan to get them to your reviews?
3. How do you plan to partner with parents?
4. How do you plan to partner with other AP teachers at your school?
References
• http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/humangeo
• Human Geography in Action, Knox, Marston (8e)
• Human Geography in Action, Rubenstein, 9e.
Contact Information
Register for the AP Human Geography listserve via discussion board http://apentral.collegeboard.com/humangeo
Apply to be an AP Reader - go to above address
End