PreAP and Academic –What’s the -...

PreAP and Academic – What’s the Difference?

Katy Independent School District, the leader in educational excellence, together with family and community, provides

unparalleled learning experiences designed to prepare and inspire each student to live an honorable, fulfilling life -- to create the future.

Purpose of Presentation

✓Create an understanding of the district vision for PreAP.

✓Articulate the differences between academic and PreAP coursework as evidenced in the unit plans.

Secondary Advanced Academics Vision/Beliefs

The Secondary Advanced Academics Committee (est. 2009) has established a vision for the Katy ISD Advanced Academic Program.

VISION:➢The Katy ISD Program enables and encourages

students to graduate from high school with at least one advanced academic credit (AP or Dual Credit).

➢The KISD participation in the Advanced Academic Program represents the student demographics of each campus.

➢The KISD Advanced Academic Program provides support systems designed to increase enrollment and success.

Secondary Advanced Academics Vision/Beliefs

BELIEF STATEMENTS: The vision is supported by the following beliefs about advanced academic coursework:➢Participation in one or more advanced academic courses is a

foundation of college readiness.➢Students, parents, teachers, counselors and administrators

recognize the value to the student of taking one or more advanced academic courses.

➢Students may require additional encouragement and support to be successful in advanced academic courses.

➢Teacher attitudes, beliefs and expectations impact student success and participation.

➢Vertical alignment of content, skills and habits of mind support student success in advanced academics.

How are Pre AP courses different from Academic?

Performance Expectations

OtherClassroom Environment

Resources

Curriculum Objectives

Curriculum Alignment

Katy ISD Pre-AP Curriculum is– Built upon the core academic curriculum

– An academically advanced course of study—CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES, RESOURCES, PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

– Aligned with AP course descriptions generated by College Board

– Coordinated with the work of the AP Vertical Teams

– Developed with a concentration on building student capacity to understand rigorous content

– Designed to serve the needs of gifted learners

Evidence of Pre AP Differentiation in Unit Plans

Unit Plans for Pre AP courses may include:

• More Rigorous Performance Tasks

• Alternate Performance Tasks

• Local PreAP Skill Objectives

• Additional Objectives

• Differentiated Resources

• Additional Instructional Guidance

• Aligned to AP skills and dispositions

Examples….

Alternate

Performance Task

Alternate

Performance Task

PreAP 6th Grade Social Studies

PREAP 8TH GRADE SCIENCE

[PreAP Differentiation is in brackets]

[Alternate Performance Task]

PREAP BIOLOGY

[Alternate Performance Task]

Unit Summary Expanded

Additional Vocabulary

PREAP ENGLISH II Differentiation is in italics.

Augmented Performance Task

Targeted Instructional Guidance

Additional Resources

Added Essential Question

Differentiated Performance Task

PREAP 8TH GRADE ENGLISH

Additional Instructional Guidance

PREAP 8TH GRADE ENGLISH

PreAP 6th Grade Math

PreAP Geometry

PreAP Geometry

Curriculum Alignment

Katy ISD Pre-AP Curriculum is– Built upon the core academic curriculum

– An academically advanced course of study—CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES, RESOURCES, PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

– Aligned with AP course descriptions generated by College Board

– Coordinated with the work of the AP Vertical Teams

– Developed with a concentration on building student capacity to understand rigorous content

– Designed to serve the needs of gifted learners*

GT CURRICULUM ELEMENTS--what to look for in GT classrooms

Addresses broad issues, themes or problems

Integrates multiple

disciplines

Addresses

dilemmas,

controversies,

biases, and ethical

questions

Addresses

unanswered

questions or issues

Requires students

to formulate

questions

Develops products

that challenges

existing ideas

Evaluates student

outcomes through

self-appraisal,

Develops products

related to real-

world applications

Develops

independent or

self-directed study

skills

Focuses on open-

ended tasks

Develops complex, abstract, and/or higher order thinking skills.

Develops a

research-oriented

model for acquiring

and synthesizing

information.

Offers an array of

learning

opportunities that

include whole

class, small group,

and individual

instruction

Offers assignments

that include visual

and verbal

components.

Uses graphic

organizers to

develop concepts

FAQ: Why take Pre AP courses in Junior High?

– Students who enroll in Pre-AP in junior high benefit from early preparation and academic rigor to develop the academic skills to more easily transition to AP coursework.

– Grades earned in junior high courses do not count toward the high school GPA (high school courses taken in junior high do count toward high school GPA)

FAQ: Do Pre AP courses have more homework than academic courses?

• Some courses may, in order to provide additional practice with accelerated curriculum

• As in all courses, homework should support student learning and provide meaningful reinforcement and practice

• Recent district wide survey indicates that most parents believe that the homework load is reasonable and relevant to the learning.

FAQ: Do students have to take Pre AP before enrolling in AP?

• Most AP courses do not require a prerequisite Pre AP course, however . . .

• Students who may wish to take AP courses are strongly encouraged to enroll in Pre AP courses

• Pre-AP courses are designed to better prepare students for the academic rigor of Advanced Placement courses

Students who succeed in Pre AP courses can eventually answer these

types of AP Test questions!

FRQ #3, AP English Language 2012

Consider the distinct perspectives expressed in the following statements.

If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things that other people are certain are impossible.

William Lyon Phelps,

American educator, journalist, and professor (1865–1943)

I

I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn’t wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine.

Bertrand Russell,

British author, mathematician, and philosopher (1872–1970)

In a well-organized essay, take a position on the relationship between certainty and doubt. Support your argument with appropriate evidence and examples.

FRQ #2, US History 2013

Analyze the role of trans-Atlantic trade and Great Britain’s mercantilist policies in the economic development of the British North American colonies in the period from

1650 to 1750.

Questions?

Contact Alene Lindley or Cathy Prudhomme.

alenelindley@katyisd.org

catherineeprudhomme@katyisd.org