Dear Poets,

[Information on behalf of the Nebraska Writers Collective (NWC), which is initiating a new Youth Poet Laureate program in Nebraska. This is the very same program that helped to launch Amanda Gorman, the poet who recited her original poem at the recent presidential inauguration.]

The Youth Poet Laureate program for poets ages 13-19 living in Nebraska begins at city, county, and state levels before branching off into regional and national competitions. Poets compete for a $1,000 cash prize, public readings, the YPL title and more! Someday perhaps a young Nebraska poet will represent our country as the National Youth Poet Laureate.

If students have questions about how to submit applications, the NWC team can answer them at either of these virtual workshops:

February 7 from 3:00PM-4:30PM CST OR February 27 from 11:00AM-12:30PM CST. Registration is quick, but required.

Submissions will open on February 8, and when students are ready to submit, their applications can be directed to ypl@newriters.org. Visit newriters.org/ypl to learn more.

Beginning Monday, May 18, and continuing through the makeup window, there will be a backup email submission process for browser-based exams. Any student testing between May 18–22 who can't successfully upload their response through the exam platform or send it by email, will need to request a makeup exam.

Setting Up for Success

Given the wide variety of devices, browsers, and connectivity, the CB is unable to prevent every possible local error from occurring during the exam. In advance of the administration, see this testing guide, Exam demo, and test day checklist to help avoid potential issues. Also know how to:

• Locate the e-ticket, which is emailed two days before each exam

• Use a recommended browser, update it to the latest version, and disable plugins

• Keep an eye on the time and begin submission at the 5-minute mark

• Additional tips to help are available here.

**Additional comments from CB: To protect the security and validity of exams, the College Board is unable to accept submissions from students who tested May 11–15. However, these students can feel confident that the email option will be in place for them during the makeup exams. This option will only be available for students who were not able to submit in the standard process—and they must then email their responses immediately following their exam. These students will see instructions about how to email their response on the page that says, "We Did Not Receive Your Response." The email address that appears on this page will be unique to each student.

AP Lit – May 13th – 1PM

AP Lang – May 20^th – 1PM

There will be a paper provided by CB on one page that should be out and beside the student on the test date with information about crashes and errors, etc. The worksheet will come out the week prior to testing.

Week of April 13^th –

Relevant free-response questions will be available in AP Classroom

Week of April 20^th –

Deadline to request internet connectivity or mobile tools

Week of April 27^th –

A “guide to test day” will be available online for AP students.

Part 2 of this webinar series will talk AP teachers through their students test day experience. Each AP teacher will get PowerPoint Slides before test day, regarding test day, and how to handle disruptions. This is the same date we’ll get the information for how to handle disruptions. School needs to print this paper OR students needs to handwrite it. Should be a physical copy. There will also be a video. Very important that schools get this physical information to students.

Week of May 4^th –

Reminders to students about how to prepare for the exam will be sent via email. Students will get a unique ticket for test entry that will be emailed and in CB account.

May 11-22 –

Exams will be given May 11-15 and May 18-22

We surveyed 18,000 AP students to see if they still wanted the opportunity to test this year. Their answer: a resounding yes. So we developed secure, online free-response exams for each course. Here’s what you should know about the 2019-20 AP Exam administration.

For more details, see our FAQ page.

Exam Length, Structure, and Format

• The exams will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March. We know that some students have lost more class time than others, and we want to be fair to all students.

• Like many college-level exams, this year’s AP Exams will be open book/open note. Get tips for taking open book/open note exams.

• Most exams will have one or two free-response questions, and each question is timed separately. Students will need to write and submit their responses within the allotted time for each question.

• For most subjects, the exams will be 45 minutes long, and include an additional 5 minutes for uploading. Students will need to access the online testing system 30 minutes early to get set up.

• Students will be able to take exams on any device they have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. They will be able to either type and upload their responses or write responses by hand and submit a photo via their cell phone.

• Students taking AP world language and culture exams will complete two spoken tasks consistent with free-response questions three and four on the current AP Exam; written responses will not be required. We'll provide more details in the coming weeks to help students prepare.

Students Who Don’t Have Internet or a Device

We recognize that some students may not have access to the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam. If you are a student or you know a student who needs mobile tools or connectivity, you can reach out to us directly to let us know—just fill out this form by April 24. (Formulario disponible aquí en español.)

Exam Timing and Tasks

• Exams will be given from May 11 through May 22. See the full AP exam schedule.

• Each subject’s exam will be taken on the same day at the same time, worldwide.

• Make-up test dates will be available for each subject from June 1 through June 5.

• Students can take the exam at home or in school, if schools reopen.

Note that most AP students that we surveyed nationwide said they prefer to test earlier, while the content is still fresh.

Taking the Exam

In late April, we’ll provide AP students and educators with information on how to access the testing system on test day, and video demonstrations so that students can familiarize themselves with the system.

Exam Scoring and Earning Credit and Placement

Get information about exam scoring, the score release timeline, and why we believe that most colleges will award credit and/or placement as they have in the past.

Exam Security

Learn how we'll make sure that 2020 exams are secure and fair to all students.

Above information found here: https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students/taking-ap-exams?excmpid=sm61-st-1-yt

The following information was provided by AP College Board Senior Vice President Trevor Packer

• Test dates are 5/11-5/22 * (full schedule posted at bottom of page)

  • Teachers get student responses two weeks after test

  • Students with documented accommodations will automatically have extended time

• How online exams will work:

  • Colleges will accept all scores

  • Exams are open book/note, questions will be more application based

  • Students can type or hand-write essays and upload a picture of it

  • Cheating protocols will be strict, especially for plagiarism; any instances of cheating will be reported to colleges

  • Students will need to time themselves. There is a timer, but if you submit after time, nothing will be counted.

  • Students can only use one device and must "submit with the same device they retrieve the question with."

    • There will be simulations in which to practice this retrieval and submission process.

  • AP Readings will all be online this year. In-person readings will return next year

    • Each response is going to be read 2x (usual procedure)

• Exam formats:

• • AP English Lang and Lit will be FRQ2 (prose & rhetorical analysis)

Good Afternoon My Studious Students,

I am missing you all a great deal. I know there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding us at the moment, but we will get through this.

College Board’s AP classroom is already set up for us to use. I will be opening up all the units for you to practice. Pace yourself as you work through the units provided. I will not be submitting those in the gradebook, so those of you taking the (online) AP exam, please complete them authentically. There is no reason to panic about those unit grades. I want them available to you, so you can prepare.

I love you all a great deal, and more than anything I want you all to stay safe and healthy. I appreciate all the joy you brought into our classroom each and every day. Take this time to also reflect on what we all take for granted. I know I am. Reflect on your life and what you truly value; we have been given the gift of time. Let’s take advantage of that. Wake up and watch the sunrise and take it in; have meaningful conversations with your parents and siblings; read a good book; just love one another and be kind to people. I am here if you need me. Take care!

The College Board is changing the AP exam schedule and content due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. That information is available at the link following this email.

It occurred to Nebraska Wesleyan that some students signed up for the AP exam instead of dual credit and may find this new situation less desirable as they contemplate the potential for taking the exam without in-person guidance or if there is some question as to whether a school will accept the truncated test.

If you believe it would be to your benefit to have the option to take dual credit now, Nebraska Wesleyan University Honors Academy is opening the registration. Regular tuition will apply.

If you decide to do this, note that registration is only open through April 17th. Wesleyan will need time to complete registration billing and grade completion.

As schools and communities navigate the unprecedented challenges posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the health and safety of educators and students are the AP Program’s top priorities. Here’s how we’re supporting schools:

• We’re providing free remote learning resources.

• We’re investing in the development of a new at-home testing option.

Through our members across the country, we understand the new time constraints on everyone in the education community. These solutions are meant to be as simple and lightweight as possible for both students and teachers — without creating additional burdens for school leaders during this time.

• Traditional face-to-face exam administrations will not take place. Students will take a 45-minute online free-response exam at home.

• Some students may want to take the exam sooner rather than later, while the content is still fresh. Other students may want more time to practice. For each AP subject, there will be 2 different testing dates.

The full exam schedule, specific free-response question types that will be on each AP Exam, and additional testing details will be available by April 3. We'll also unlock any relevant free-response questions in AP Classroom for digital use so students can access all practice questions of the type that will appear on the exam.

About This Year’s AP Exams

Students remain eager to take AP Exams and to have a chance to earn credit and placement. We surveyed 18,000 AP students and 91% indicated they want to complete this important step, urging us not to cancel this opportunity they have been working toward.

We’ll continue to support students with free resources through exam day. And while we encourage students to wait until closer to the test date to decide, any student already registered for an exam can choose to cancel at no charge.

The AP Program will invest heavily over the next month in the following ways:

• For the 2019–20 exam administration only, students can take a 45-minute online free-response exam at home. Educator-led development committees are currently selecting the exam questions that will be administered.

• AP curricula are locally developed and we defer to local decisions on how best to help students complete coursework. To be fair to all students, some of whom have lost more instructional time than others, the exam will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March.

• Colleges support this solution and are committed to ensuring that AP students receive the credit they have worked this year to earn. For decades, colleges have accepted a shortened AP Exam for college credit when groups of students have experienced emergencies.

• Students will be able to take these streamlined exams on any device they have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. Taking a photo of handwritten work will also be an option.

• We recognize that the digital divide could prevent some low-income and rural students from participating. Working with partners, we will invest so that these students have the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam. If your students need mobile tools or connectivity, you can reach out to us directly to let us know.

Test security is a concern.

• The exam questions are designed and administered in ways that prevent cheating; we use a range of digital security tools and techniques, including plagiarism detection software, to protect the integrity of the exams.

• Scoring at-home work for an AP Exam is not new to the AP Program. For years the AP Program has received and scored at-home student work as part of the exams for the AP Computer Science Principles and AP Capstone courses.

• Instructional Support

• 
  

*Message from Nebraska Wesleyan:

Thank you for noticing students were missing t-shirts. I looked into the automatically generated report and discovered your students were not the only ones out there still needing t-shirts. If you had not spoken up, I would have never caught the rest of the students. I am hopeful IT has fixed this report so we won't have issues next year. However, please know that I am appreciative of you. We want students to have a positive experience with NWU and sometimes a t-shirt can make a difference.

After looking into your list of students, it appears these people will be receiving t-shirts from us.

Kimberly, Bolanos-Moreno; Samantha, Camarena Jimenez; Grace McBride; Diego Romero Avalos; Eduardo Alvarez; Josue Bachez Granados; Ruby De la Torre; Lasaisha Dunagan-Eviglo; Avery Palsma; Tiffany Tinker; McKenna Comstock; Sheil, Diaz; Anayeli Dominguez; Areli Herrera; Kayla Kassing; Rachael McNear; Hailey Munoz; Minh Phan; Gabriel Quezada Cancino

As a heads up to you, the t-shirts will hopefully be arriving in the mail within the next week or two to these students' homes. In lieu of most school offices being closed during this COVID-19 outbreak, we will be using the student home address entered at the time of their registration.

Thank you for all that you do for our program and please let me know if you have any questions.

Andrea Howell; Administrative Assistant, Wesleyan Honors Academy; Nebraska Wesleyan University; 5000 St. Paul Ave.; Lincoln, NE 68504

Nature

1. 72 Cutest Animals (TV-PG) – A countdown of the cutest animals in the world introduces you to 72 adorable creatures.

2. Africa (TV-PG) – Travel through Africa and learn how animals in different ecosystems live and survive.

3. Baby Animals in the Wild (TV-G) – Learn about the natural world with this TV series that tracks baby animals through their daily lives.

4. Blue Planet II (TV – G) – Take a dive into the deepest parts of the sea in a series that shows you the wonders of the ocean.

5. Chasing Coral (TV-PG) – Look into the phenomenon of disappearing coral reefs with a team of divers who try to solve the mystery of their disappearance.

6. Dino Hunt (TV-G) – Paleontologists uncover dinosaur fossils while working to discover an elusive new species.

7. Earth’s Natural Wonders (TV-PG) – See how humans survive in some of the world’s most beautiful, yet harshest, environments.

8. Frozen Planet (TV- PG) – Journey through ice and snow to uncover the coldest areas of our world.

9. Growing Up Wild (G) – Five young animals discover how to survive in a harsh world.

10. If I Were an Animal (TV-Y) – Let two siblings Emma and Tim take your young kids into the fascinating animal world. Recommended for ages 5-8.

11. Life (TV-PG) – Delve into survival with this series that uncovers animal lives from insects to reptiles.

12. Mission Blue (TV-Y7) – Follow Sylvia Earle’s campaign to save a slowly dying ocean.

13. Monkey Planet (TV-PG) – Zoologist Dr. George McGavin gives an in-depth look at the nature and lives of monkeys.

14. Nature: Animals with Cameras (TV-PG) – Cameras attached to nine different species provide an interesting glimpse into animals’ lives.

15. Nature’s Great Events (TV-PG) – Watch spectacular wildlife events with this TV series that shows how changing seasons and events affect the animal world.

16. Our Planet (TV-G) – See our world’s natural beauty and the impacts of climate change in this extensive documentary that covers different ecosystems throughout the world.

17. Planet Earth II (TV-G) – Travel through the earth and see natural wonders hardly touched by humans.

18. The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans (TV-G) – A sequel to “Blue Planet” shows you the rarely-seen world under the sea.

19. Wild Alaska (TV-PG) – Witness the great state of Alaska change as the seasons come and go and how animals survive through it all.

20. Wild Arabia (TV-PG) – Discover the changing landscapes of Arabia that are rich in both history and beauty.

21. Wild North (TV-PG) – Look at the wildlife and nature in three different Norwegian biotopes.

History

1. American Experience: The Circus (TV-PG) – Discover how the circus rose to become one of the world’s favorite forms of entertainment and why it slowly died out.

2. Beatles: How the Beatles Changed the World (TV-PG) – Investigate the impact the Beatles had on music and culture, then and now.

3. Martin Luther: The Idea that Changed the World (TV-PG) – Learn about a man who fought the beliefs of the Catholic Church in this docudrama about Martin Luther.

4. The West (TV-PG) – Uncover life in the 19th century American West with this documentary that shows what life was like for pioneers and natives trying to tame a wild country.

5. The Wheelchair President (TV-PG) – Find out how the failing health and marriage of Franklin Delano Roosevelt impacted the conclusion of WWII.

Science

1. Brain Games (TV-G) – Games, illusions, and experiments give insight into how our brains create our vision of reality.

2. Brainchild (TV-Y7) – This educational series for younger children teaches them the science of the world.

3. City in the Sky (TV-PG) – Delve into modern air travel and the many facets that make it run.

4. Edge of the Universe (TV-G) – Understand some of the mysteries of space as scientists reveal secrets about comets, asteroids, and other cosmic mysteries.

5. Forces of Nature (TV-PG) – Learn about shapes, elements, color, and motion in this docuseries about the forces governing our world.

6. Nova: Black Hole Apocalypse (TV-G) – This documentary uncovers some of the mysteries of the strangest phenomenon in the universe: black holes.

7. SuperNature Wild Flyers (TV-PG) – Learn about aerodynamics of flight by studying and watching the lives of birds.

8. The Farthest: Voyager in Space (TV-PG) – This documentary chronicles NASA’s 1977 launch of two space probes, created to send pictures and data about the furthest reaches of space back to earth.

9. The Last Man on the Moon (TV-PG) – Hear from Gene Cernan as he talks about what it meant to be the last man to stand on the moon.

10. The Lion in Your Living Room (TV-G) – Learn all about the common household pet, the cat, in this documentary that explores multiple topics from its domestication to the science of a cat’s purr.

11. The Mars Generation (TV-PG) – Follow a group of teens at NASA’s “space camp” as they dream about traveling to Mars.

12. The Pyramid Code (TV-PG) – Discover the scientific knowledge and technological advancement of one of the greatest civilizations in the ancient world: the Egyptians.

Current Events

1. He Named Me Malala (PG-13) – Follow the journey of Pakistani girl Malala, shot for standing up for girls’ education, and her determination to keep fighting.

2. I Am Bolt (PG) – The life of world record holder Usain Bolt comes alive in this documentary about his athletic career.

3. The Pixar Story (G) – Get a behind-the-scenes look at the history and creation of a company that has made some of the most loved children’s movies.

Health

1. Sustainable (TV-G) – Chef Rick Bayless and other farmers describe the sustainable food movement and how it could impact the food industry of the future.

2. What the Health (TV-PG) – This documentary discusses links between diet and disease and talks about healthcare and the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Audiobooks - Free

Word of the Day – from Webster’s Dictionary

Short, Interesting Reads

100,000 Images online from Paris Museums

Podcast database

National Public Radio – google your local station; a variety of interesting shows, not just the news.

FreeRice It starts easy but gets hard! Save your score so each week you can build your vocab.