When it comes to the resemblance videos featured on this site, the question I'm most often asked is, "where do you and your students find the time to do this kind of work?"
My answer: I follow the APUSH course CED religiously, adhere strictly to its Pacing Guide, and make ample use of the wonderful resources found on AP Classroom.
Going this route not only ensures that I will have properly prepared my 140 APUSH students for the annual exam, it also results in my being provided with 10-20, fifty-five minute class periods before the the exam in May to do with what I want.
And it's in that "free time" that I provide my students with a chance to work in-class to create one or more knockoff videos.
Students also work on their videos after the annual May exam.
In some instances, if only because they found the work so engaging, some of my students have also worked on their videos over the summer vacation (as was the case with the DTLA Chinatown Massacre TED-Ed knockoff).
Bottom line, I firmly believe that the resources CB has recently made available makes it possible for me to not only prepare my students for the May exam in less time than ever imagined but to also provide them with the kind of learning opportunity that AP President Trevor Packer wishes every teacher would put before his/her students.
Students decide whether to work alone or in groups of up to three.
Students select a topic.
Students select the video format.
Students produce a pre production manual
Students record and publish.
All pre production manuals are essentially structured the same way.
They contain not only the script, but also the APUSH Key Concepts that address the topic of the video, a bibliography, at least five multiple choice questions and five true false questions (with the answers to these questions to be revealed by the video) and an academic honesty policy statement.
To view a typical AP Daily resemblance video pre production manual, click here.
To view a typical Reading Through History knockoff video, pre production manual, click here.
To view a typical Adam Norris knockoff video, pre production manual, click here
I give my students a semester to produce their videos. In 2020, I introduced this project based learning opportunity during the first week of school, making it due the day before winter break.
A small team of bright, talented, and conscientious APUSH students has worked very hard to ensure that the content presented in each video is accurate.
On the other hand, everyone should keep in mind that no matter the content verification system in place, this (as one of my school's admins recently said) "is student work and therefore shouldn't be expected to be perfect or viewed as official."
Nonetheless, if you believe that an inaccurate bit of content has been put forward, please share with me at ppaccone@smusd.us. I'll put before the team and, one way or another, respond within 48 hours.
When I asked my students, "yes or no, do you feel good about the work (pre production and video) that you have produced?", 82% said yes.
When I asked my students, "yes or no, do you want me to share your video with your teachers, our school's admins, and all the APUSH teachers I know?", 82% said yes.
When I asked my students, "yes or no, do you feel good about what you personally have contributed to this work?", 88% said yes.
When I asked my students, "on a scale of 1-10, to what extent have you enjoyed this work, with a 1 being not at all and a 10 being very much, 91% responded with a score of 7 or better.
I only teach that which is found in the APUSH Course and Exam Description (CED) . . .. and to make sure that I stay focused on this task, (and thereby teach the content most efficiently,) I have created slideshows for each of the nine time periods (aka units) of the course.
Click here for a detailed description of this cutting-edge "content delivery system."
To date, more than 600 APUSH teachers nationwide have reported making use of one or more of these slideshows.
Second semester, I will give my students a chance to work on what I call "an AP US History course-inspired Civic Action Project." For details, click here.