The AP US History Exam Prep Class Experience

The AP US History Exam Prep Class Experience

Description:

This course is designed to provide additional materials that can be accessed at students' convenience in order to help students pass the AP US History Exam in May.  It can be used as a  several week long instructor-guided study course or can be used independently by students wishing to practice on concepts and skills needed for the test. 

Students will be provided with study materials from the Barron's AP US History exam prep text and Sparknotes US History SAT exam prep online resources, as well as actual AP exam materials in order to prepare them for the AP US History exam. Although not completely necessary, I strongly recommend the purchase of the Barron's text so the author gets some royalties for his effort. There are two ways to do this course: 

Instructor-Guided Course:

If instructor guided, the AP instructor creates a calendar to go over the course materials and has students work through the materials based on the calendar independently and meets with students either virtually or in a traditional classroom in order to go over materials.

Independent Study Course: 

This course divides the study of US History into four chronological eras that serve as this site's sub pages. To get the most out of the course independently, open up each unit and use the materials provided as needed. My suggestion is to begin with the Unit Exam, which consists of AP exam questions grouped by era. Score the exam noting which questions you missed, and open up Barron's chapters that correspond to your areas of weakness on the test. For example, if you take the Unit 3 Exam and you miss every question concerning the Progressive Movement, open up Barron's Chapter 21: The Progressive Movement (1900-1920), do the reading, and take those multiple choice questions. The Sparknotes are organized in similar fashion.

Basically, you use the Unit tests to see where you need work, and then you use the Barron's Chapters and Sparknotes to supplement your knowledge in units and eras where you're not knowledgeable.  

Why bother?

Two things will help you pass the AP test in May: your knowledge of the content and your skill at taking the exam. We will cover both of these in the course-a unit takes 2 weeks and we meet once to discuss essays and build writing skills and a second time to go over the content. If you take all the unit exams and the 2001 practice exam, by the time you sit down to take the AP test it will actually be your 4th AP exam (at least for the multiple choice questions). Practice makes perfect!

Questions:

If you have any questions, click this link to contact me.