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Implementing

Advanced Placement Capstone

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District Mission

The Mission of the Mineola Union Free School District is to inspire each student to be a life-long learner, pursue excellence, exhibit strength of character and contribute positively to a global society.

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Alignment with the District Mission

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  • Continue to strengthen the high school program & provide challenging programs for our students

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  • “College and Career Readiness”

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AP Capstone Visit to Hewlett High School

  • AP Capstone Pilot School

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  • Students currently enrolled in the Seminar and Research classes

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  • Students, staff, and administrators were interviewed

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  • Classes were visited

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AP Capstone Visit to Plainview JFK High School

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  • Students currently enrolled in the Seminar
  • Students staff, and administrators were interviewed

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  • Classes were visited

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AP Capstone Visit to The Wheatley School

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  • Students currently enrolled in the Seminar classes

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  • Students, administrators and staff were interviewed

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  • Classes were visited

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AP Capstone Costs

  • $139 per exam/course for each student

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  • $1,195 per teacher for week-long training session plus travel, lodging and expenses

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  • Mandatory online follow-up training for instructors

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  • Curriculum development funds

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  • Grading Committees

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  • Potential increase in FTE’s

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  • No startup costs or annual fees

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Program Design:

Model 1:

Replace English 10H with AP Seminar

Model 2:

Model 3:

Replace English 10H with AP Seminar & Co-Teach

Offer AP Seminar as an elective in 10th grade replacing science research with this option

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Recommendation for Implementation

2017 - 2018

2018 - 2019

2019 2020

2 sections - AP Seminar

.4 ELA

.4 Social Studies

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1-2 Sections AP Research

(.2-.4 Social Studies)

1-2 Sections AP Research

(.2-.4 Social Studies)

  • Align skills taught in Science Research 8 and 9
  • Revisit Research Requirements in the high school

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Program Overview

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Program Overview�AP Capstone

AP Seminar

AP Research

Themes are chosen that allow for deep exploration based upon:

  • Student interests
  • Local and civic issues
  • Global topics
  • Concepts from other AP course

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Deep investigation of a topic to foster a scholarly understanding of a real world issue.

  • Academic thesis paper
  • Public Presentation and Defense

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AP Seminar

Year One:

Assessments & Timeline

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AP Seminar Assessments

Team Project and Presentation (20% of AP Score)

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  • Individual Research Report (IRR)
  • Team Multimedia Presentation and Defense

Individual Researched-Based Essay and Presentation (35% of AP Score)

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  • Individual Written Argument (IWR)
  • Individual Multimedia Presentation
  • Oral Defense

End-of-Course Exam (45% of AP Score)

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  • 2 hour exam
  • Understanding and analyzing an argument (3 short-answer questions)
  • Synthesizing information to develop an evidence-based argument (evidence-based argument essay)

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Seminar Timeline

September-December

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Skills Built:

  • Summary
  • Analysis of: evidence, credibility, reliability
  • Reflection
  • Working with groups
  • Public Speaking
  • Effective multimedia design

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Seminar Timeline

December - Start Team Project and Presentation:

  • Students in teams, generate a research question
  • Individually, they explore the issue from lenses & perspectives are reported
  • Individual research is compiled into a group argument where findings
  • & perspectives are evaluated
  • Possible solutions are considered, researched & evaluated
  • An argument to support the solution is made, presented & defended

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Seminar Timeline

January - Submit Team Project and Presentation:

  • Individual Research Report
  • Team Multimedia Presentation & Oral Defense (8-10 minutes) (20%)

*schedule during midterm week, in a testing block

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February - Start Research-Based Essay and Presentation

  • Students are required to have spent 30 class days on this task

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Seminar Timeline

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March

  • Students continue working on Research-Based Essay and Presentation

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April - Finish Research-Based Essay and Presentation

  • Students submit Individual Written Argument and complete presentations and oral defense

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May - AP Exam

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AP Research

Year Two:

Assessments and Timeline

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AP Research Assessments

Students develop their own research inquiry.

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Thesis Paper components include (75%)

  • Introduction/Abstract
  • Literature Review
  • Hypothesis
  • Methods/Approach Discussion
  • Findings
  • Summary/Conclusion

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Oral Presentation and Defense (25%)

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AP Research Timeline

September

Students develop research questions, learn discipline-specific citation expectations

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October

Students research, refine research question, identify methods, approach & design;

Students create Annotated Bibliographies, maintain PREP journal

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November

Students begin literature reviews, finalize Inquiry Proposals, contact a Consultant

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December

Students create surveys & meet with IRB, refine/expand literature reviews, peer review

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AP Research Timeline

January

Students conduct their studies & collect data

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February

Students draft and peer edit

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March

Students submit their Researched Papers to College Board

Students present and defend their Research studies

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April

Teachers grade and submit to College Board by April 30

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