Biology
Course at a Glance
Format:
Live-Online and Asynchronous
New & Experienced Combined
Length:
4 days, Monday - Thursday
Dates:
June 21 - 24, 2021
Program Hours:
32 Contact Hours
Price:
$525 Standard Registration Fee (ends May 31)
$575 Late Registration Fee (begins June 1)
College Board APSI Materials
In order to guarantee your College Board APSI materials, registrations must be received four weeks prior to the course start date.
Course Overview
The AP Biology program changed recently with new Course and Exam Descriptions (CEDs). The emphasis of the course has moved from teaching for knowledge, to teaching for understanding. Students are less responsible for memorizing facts and details and are more responsible for being able to answer questions such as what, where, why, how and when.
The Biology CED has eight content units with suggestions of pacing (number of days) and they show the percent of coverage of each unit on the next exam. A much higher emphasis is placed on the six science skills.
The 2020 AP national exam also changed. Some of the changes included: dropping the grid-in questions (but having calculation questions in the multiple choice), having 18 points in 2 long essays, 16 points in 4 short essays, and a master grading rubric which showed where all of the points will come from on every essay question. The essay exams focused on the application of the science skills rather than focusing on the memorization of content. 2020 was the first test under the new format and participants will spend time looking at the free response questions and grading rubrics, as well as discussing what was learned from the administration of the new exam.
What You Will Learn
- Learn how to utilize the new Course and Exam Description (CED) document that shows all of the topics covered in AP Biology
- Learn how to pace the eight units and their relative weights on the national AP Biology exam
- Learn about the six Science Skills and how to incorporate them into your course
- Learn labs and how to incorporate them into your course
How You Will Benefit
- Utilize the Course and Exam Description (CED) document
- Learn the difference between Teaching for Knowledge versus Teaching for Understanding
- Know the Quantitative Statistics required for AP Biology
- Have a bundle of lab options from low tech to high tech
How Online Workshops Will Work
No one wants to sit and watch a 32-hour long webinar, so we are working closely with our consultants to develop a modified course schedule that allows you greater flexibility, but still getting the knowledge and skills you need.
Live-online instruction will be conducted through Zoom while asynchronous learning assignments will be managed through Canvas, the University’s learning management system (LMS).
Once you register, we will provide you with more details on how to access the platforms as well as your materials.
To register, please visit our registration portal.
Jeff Smith, Ph.D.
Jeff Smith has a B.S. and M.S. in Botany from Miami University and a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Oklahoma. He was an AP Biology teacher at Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities with over 20 years of experience. Smith has had over 400 students take the national exam.
In addition, Smith serves as a Midwest regional consultant for AP Biology and Quantitative Skills in Biology and has presented over 50 one-day training sessions in the last 23 years.
Furthermore, he has served as an AP Summer Institute consultant for the past 26 years, and has been an AP exam reader since 1996 and a table leader or question leader for many years.
Smith has also had the opportunity to present AP Biology workshops abroad in Taipei, Shanghai, Seoul, and Guam. He has written several of the multiple choice questions for AP Classroom.
How to Register
To register, please visit our registration portal. Attendees will need to register using their College Board login credentials.
If paying by check or purchase order, CPE staff will follow up with an invoice. Please reference invoice number on check.
If you have questions or need assistance registering, please contact [email protected] or 423-425-4344.
Frequently Asked Questions
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