AP Summer Institute 2026

AP Environmental Science

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DAY 1

Introductions: About your workshop leader- Courtney Mayer

• Teaches AP Environmental Science at UT High School

• Consultant since 2003 in AP Environmental Science, PreAP Biology, PreAP Readiness, AP Skills and Practices, Interpreting Quantitative Data, and Designing Investigations and Experiments

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• Instructional design lead consultant for PreAP Biology

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• Author of 11 textbooks books in science education

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• AP reader and early table leader

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Publications: Courtney Mayer

The College Board strongly encourages educators to make equitable access a guiding principle for their AP programs by giving all willing and academically prepared students the opportunity to participate in AP. We encourage the elimination of barriers that restrict access to AP for students from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally underserved. Schools should make every effort to ensure their AP classes reflect the diversity of their student population. The College Board also believes that all students should have access to academically challenging course work before they enroll in AP classes, which can prepare them for AP success. It is only through a commitment to equitable preparation and access that true equity and excellence can be achieved.

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Equity and Access

Equity and Access

o What stands out to you?

o What in the statement affirms or extends your thinking about equity and access?

o How does this statement connect to your work as an educator?

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QUICKWRITE

What are the hopeful and optimistic elements of the statement?

A “One-Stop Shop” for Teachers

Inside the Course and Exam Description (CED)

• About AP
• Implementing Your Course
• About the AP Course
• Curriculum Framework Overview
• Course-Specific Information
• Exam Information

�New Additions

• Course-at-a-Glance
• Unit Guides
• Instructional Approaches

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Overview of the AP Instructional Resources

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Course and Exam Description (CED)

• Core document for each AP course
• Describes the AP Program in general
• Lays out the course content and curriculum framework
• Lists practices and skills to be mastered throughout the course
• Describes the course assessments

apcentral.collegeboard.com

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The New CED!

A re-imagined “one-stop shop” for teachers:

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Major Sections of the CED:

• About AP
• Implementing Your Course
• About the AP Environmental Science Course
• Curriculum Framework Overview
• Course-at-a-Glance
• Unit Guides
• Instructional Approaches
• Lab Information
• Exam Information

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Course-at-a-Glance offers teachers a comprehensive overview

Elements included:

• Big Ideas
• Units
• Topics
• Suggested pacing
• Suggested skills to be taught

CED, page 20-23

Course-at-a-Glance offers teachers a comprehensive overview

Elements included:

• Big Ideas
• Units
• Topics
• Suggested pacing
• Suggested skills to be taught

CED, page 20-23

Overview of the 2019-20 AP Science Practices

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CED Pg 13-15

Environmental Science Course Skills

How scientists conduct research

• Course skills describe what students should be able to do while exploring course concepts.
• Course skills also form the basis of tasks students are asked to perform on the AP Exam.
• Students will benefit from multiple opportunities to develop course skills in a scaffolded manner.

Discussion:

• What do you notice about the verbs as you read through each of the skills?

Environmental Science Course Skills, cont’d

How scientists conduct research

• Course skills describe what students should be able to do while exploring course concepts.
• Course skills also form the basis of tasks students are asked to perform on the AP Exam.
• Students will benefit from multiple opportunities to develop course skills in a scaffolded manner.

Discussion:

• What do you notice about the verbs as you read through each of the skills?

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Discussion:

• Which science practice do you think will be most challenging for your students to learn? Why?

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Unit Organization

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The course is organized into nine commonly taught units.

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AP Question Bank

Unit Guides

Personal Progress Checks

Progress Dashboard

Unit Guides

Planning guides that outline content and skills for commonly-taught units within a course

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Personal Progress Checks

Formative AP questions that provide students with feedback on the areas where they need to focus

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AP Question Bank

A library of real AP Exam questions that teachers can access which can be used to create customized practice and tests

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Progress Dashboard

Interactive reports that help teachers understand student progress on learning critical concepts and skills

Resources and Supports for AP

Exploring the Unit Opener

• Developing Understanding provides an overview of the key content of the unit.

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• Big ideas serve as the foundation of the course and develop understanding as they spiral throughout the course.

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• Building the Science Practices describes specific skills for the unit.

• Preparing for the AP Exam provides helpful tips and common student misunderstandings identified from prior exam data.

CED, Page 33

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Exploring the Topic Pages

Each page is intended to represent a teachable “chunk” of content – a chunk that might take anywhere from slightly less that a single class period to several class periods.

CED, Page 36

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Checkpoint 1

What do the colors of the Skill Categories represent?

Checkpoint 2

What do the small boxes in each column represent?

Checkpoint 4

Where is the suggested pacing found?

Checkpoint 6

What is the information at the bottom of the column telling you?.

Checkpoint 3

How many units are there for the entire year? Why do you think they are sequenced in this order?

Checkpoint 7

Under each unit title, there are percentages: What are they percentages of?

Checkpoint 5

Which two units have the most topics? Which two have the least?

Checkpoint 8

What do you think is measured on the Personal Progress Checks (PPC)?

Checkpoint 9

Which unit has the highest weighting on the AP Exam?

Checkpoint 10

How is the scaffolding of skills displayed across the units?

HAND BOOK:

pg 66-67

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Checkpoint 1

What do the colors of the Skill Categories represent?

Checkpoint 2

What do the small boxes in each column represent?

Checkpoint 4

Where is the suggested pacing found?

Checkpoint 6

What is the information at the bottom of the column telling you?.

Checkpoint 3

How many units are there for the entire year? Why do you think they are sequenced in this order?

Checkpoint 7

Under each unit title, there are percentages: What are they percentages of?

Checkpoint 5

Which two units have the most topics? Which two have the least?

Checkpoint 8

What do you think is measured on the Personal Progress Checks (PPC)?

Checkpoint 9

Which unit has the highest weighting on the AP Exam?

Checkpoint 10

How is the scaffolding of skills displayed across the units?

Violet = Skill 1: Concept Explanation

Blue = Skill 2: Visual Representations

Brown = Skill 3: Text Analysis

Yellow = Skill 4: Scientific Experiments

Orange= Skill 5: Data Analysis

Teal = Skill 6: Mathematical Routines

Green = Skill 7: Environmental Solutions

Each small box is a topic within the unit (practice is also an acceptable answer)

There are 9 units for the year.

The suggested pacing is found next to the exam weighting.

Units 5 and 8 have the most topics. Units 2 and 7 have the least.

The information at the bottom of the column provides information about the Personal Progress Checks.

The percentages represent exam weighting.

The PPCs measure students’ progress on applying course skills within the topics.

The Skills colors are represented throughout the units providing multiple opportunities for student practice.

Unit 9 has the highest weighting on the exam.

Time for a break!

Exam Weightings

Content, Application, and Practice

The new exam will always follow specific criteria regarding the number of items in certain categories.

Task Verbs Used in the FRQ’s

Beginning with the 2020 exam, there will be clearly defined task verbs used in the Free Response Questions

CED -pg 227

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Activity: �Eliciting �Course Skills

Directions:

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• Review the sample Multiple Choice exam questions from the new CED.

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• Make a list of the topics & skills that students must apply in order to successfully respond to each question.

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What must students be able to do on the AP exam?

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CED- Pgs 228-233

(page 236)

Activity: �Eliciting �Course Skills

Directions:

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• Review the two (2) sample Free-Response exam questions from the new CED.

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• Make a list of the topics & skills that students must apply in order to successfully respond to each question. Focus on what they need to do rather than the content they must know.

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What must students be able to do on the AP exam?

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CED- Pg 233

(page 241)

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Always begin with the end in mind!

Directions:

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• Review the sample Multiple Choice exam questions from the CED.

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• Find the unit and topic in the CED that the question comes from.

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• Discuss with your group how the content was tested on each question?

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What must students be able to do on the AP exam?

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CED- Pgs 228-233

(page 236)

Always begin with the end in mind!

Directions:

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• Review the two (2) sample Free-Response exam questions from the new CED.

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• Find the unit(s) and topic(s) in the CED that the question comes from.

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• Discuss with your group how the content was tested on each question?

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What must students be able to do on the AP exam?

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CED- Pg 233

(page 241)

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Unit 1

Wild About Wetlands

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-Look in the CED and discuss what you need to know to teach this unit

-How can you support that learning for kids through a lab?

-What did I used to teach that I no longer will use?�-What do I need to add?

-How does this cover ecological concepts?

-How do you ensure this lab is more than a worksheet?

Ecosystem Services

Unit 2

Island Biogeography Lab

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Lab Setup

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Unit 3

Mark and Recapture Lab

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Bubble Lab

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Purposeful Unit Planning

3.1

Sample Pacing: Unit 1

Considerations

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• What is the suggested range of class periods? What is the total number of topics in the unit? Are there enough suggested class periods to allot one day of instruction for each topic? Are there days left over?�
• Do any topics have a particularly challenging skill associated with them? Will those topics require more days of instruction?

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• Which topics have the most required content [e.g., the most concepts, essential knowledge statements, and/or LOs]? Will those topics require more days of instruction?

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• Which topics contain the most challenging content [e.g., concepts that are difficult to learn or difficult to teach]?

CED

p. 34

15 Class Periods

More Planning and Pacing: Unit 6

CED

p. 118

Using AP Classroom Data for Planning

Considerations

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• Have students had exposure to corresponding Science Practice skills in earlier units? If so, how did they perform on the Personal Progress Check questions that are aligned to those skills? Will additional class time be necessary to practice those skills?

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• Will more advanced skills in the unit require a revisiting of earlier prerequisite skills?

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• Have students had exposure to relevant pre-requisite topics in earlier units? If so, how did they perform on the PPC questions aligned to those topics? Will additional class time be necessary to make content connections?

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• What types of FRQs will appear on the unit PPC? Will additional class time be necessary at either the beginning or end of the unit for students to practice using corresponding skills?

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• How and when will students complete the unit PPCs, both the MCQ and FRQ sections?

Exploring the �Unit at a Glance

• The Unit at a Glance Table shows the topics, related enduring understandings, and suggested skills. The “class periods” column has been left blank so teachers can customize the time you spend on each topic.
• The suggested skill for each topic shows one way teachers can link the content in that topic to a specific AP Environmental Science skill.
• The individual skill has been thoughtfully chosen in a way that allows teachers to spiral those skills, along with the science practices, throughout the course. The questions on the Personal Progress Checks are based on this pairing. However, AP Exam questions can pair the content with any of the skills.

CED, Page 34

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Exploring Sample Instructional Activities

• The Sample Instructional Activities page includes optional activities that can help tie together the content and skills of a particular topic.

CED, Page 35

Instructional Approaches offer recommendations on integrating skills and content

Elements included:

• Selecting and Using Course Materials
• Instructional Strategies
• Developing Course Skills

Planning Time

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AP Summer Institute 2025

AP Environmental Science

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DAY 2:

Exam Overview

Overall Section Weights

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The new exam will always follow specific criteria regarding the number of items in certain categories.

CED, page 223-227

Exam Weightings

Unit Weights: MCQ’s

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The new exam will always follow specific criteria regarding the number of items in certain categories.

Exam Weightings

Content, Application, and Practice

The new exam will always follow specific criteria regarding the number of items in certain categories.

Question Types: Section I

MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS �

• Section I of the AP Environmental Science Exam includes 80 multiple-choice questions.

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• Some questions appear in sets of three to four questions, each with one or more stimuli including:
• Quantitative data, such as data tables, charts, or graphs.
• Qualitative data, such as models, representations, or maps
• Text-based sources.

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• Many questions are discrete, standalone items and may also be accompanied by one or more stimuli.

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• Multiple-choice questions require analysis of the provided stimuli and application of models, theories, and concepts within the curriculum.

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• Students are permitted to use a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator.

Question Types: Section II

FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS�

• Section II of the AP Environmental Science Exam consists of 3 questions, worth 10 points each.

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• All Units, Big Ideas, and Science Practices (other than SP 3) are assessed across Section II.

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• Students are permitted to use a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator.

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• Free-Response Question 1 – Design an Investigation – presents students with an authentic environmental scenario accompanied by either a model/visual representation or quantitative data, and may assess student ability to:

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• Describe and/or explain environmental concepts, processes, and models presented in written format (Practice 1).

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• Analyze visual representations or data (Practice 2 and/or 5).

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• Analyze research studies that test environmental principles (Practice 4).

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• Describe environmental problems and/or potential responses (Practice 7).

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CED

pp. 233-234

Question Types: Section II

• Free-Response Question 2 – Analyze an Environmental Problem and Propose a Solution – presents students with an authentic environmental scenario accompanied by either a model/visual representation or quantitative data, and may assess student ability to:

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• Describe and/or explain environmental concepts, processes, and models presented in written format (Practice 1).

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• Analyze visual representations or data (Practice 2 and/or 5).

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• Propose and justify solutions to environmental problems (Practice 7)

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• Free-Response Question 3 – Analyze an Environmental Problem and Propose a Solution Doing Calculations – presents students with an authentic environmental scenario and may assess student ability to:

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• Describe or environmental concepts, processes, and models presented in written format (Practice 1).

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• Apply quantitative methods to address environmental concepts (Practice 6).

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• Propose and justify solutions to environmental problems (Practice 7).

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CED

pp. 233-234

AP Calculator Policy

https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/takingtheexam/exam-policies/calculator-policy

• Calculators can be used on both part of the AP Exam.

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• Four function, scientific or graphic calculator

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Digital Activation: Unlock new tools and resources in a few clicks

AP Central & �My AP

Educators who log into AP Central will have a new personalized experience:�

• AP courses taught
• Dynamic timeline, tasks, and data
• Easy access to all relevant tools, including AP Classroom

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AP Classroom

New resources to support AP classes:

• Unit Guides
• Personal Progress Checks
• Progress Dashboard
• Question Bank

Note: AP Classroom also provides self-paced Professional Learning modules (Teaching and Assessing, Scoring Training, and more) for a growing set of AP courses.

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A welcome message and tour greets teachers on their first visit to AP Classroom.

Enrolling Students in Your Class Section

Teachers help students access resources and register for AP Exams with a Join Code for each class section

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AP Question Bank

Unit Guides

Personal Progress Checks

Progress Dashboard

Unit Guides

Planning guides that outline content and skills for commonly-taught units within a course

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Personal Progress Checks

Formative AP questions that provide students with feedback on the areas where they need to focus

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AP Question Bank

Library of formative, released, and secure AP practice questions teachers can use to assign online and paper tests to students

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Progress Dashboard

Interactive reports that help teachers understand student progress on learning critical concepts and skills

Resources and Supports for AP

Personal Progress Checks

AP assessments to guide instruction

• Personal Progress Checks are ready-made quizzes with MCQ and FRQ sections you can unlock or schedule for students when ready
• The Question Bank houses all other questions – AP practice and released exam questions as well as new formative questions

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Assessment Spectrum

Formative

Topic Questions

As you teach each topic and skill

Focused practice / remediation

Summative Practice Questions & Exams

Personal Progress Checks

20 MCQ

AP

Exam

As students complete each unit

As students prepare for Exam

As scaffolded instruction

Summative

Formative

Formal

Informal

3 FRQ

Assessment Characteristics

Note: What really makes an assessment formative is how and when it is used. A chapter test, for example, could be formative for the entire course but summative for a particular chapter or unit.

Summative assessments are …�

• Designed to capture the accumulation of a student’s knowledge at the end of a particular instructional cycle�
• Usually culminating experiences that only report out a final “score” (like the AP Exam)�
• Often formal exercises�
• Often high-stakes, and provide little opportunity for feedback

The AP Exam is intentionally designed to assess a student’s knowledge and skills at the end of the AP Course.

Formative assessments are …�

• Designed to be used in real-time as part of the instructional cycle���
• Include timely feedback or follow-up instruction that helps a student learn and improve�
• Either formal or informal�
• Provide opportunities to practice in a low-stakes way, and provide feedback to help students improve�
• Need not be restricted to content in the current year (i.e., may include pre-requisites)

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Personal Progress Checks

Formative assessment unlocked by teachers as students complete units

Teachers should not apply grades to student results, as these are formative assessments that build towards the AP Exam and do not translate to a HS grading scale.

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The completion of these assessments can be used to inform overall grades, particularly if you focus student attention on reviewing and acting on the feedback.

Course-at-a-Glance gives an overview of the Personal Progress Checks

Personal Progress Checks (PPCs)

The progress checks measure content and skills through: 

• multiple-choice questions with rationales to explain correct and incorrect answers 
• free response questions with AP scoring guidelines teachers can use to evaluate student work 

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AP Classroom: �Units and Personal Progress Checks

When ready, teachers can unlock Personal Progress Checks to assess the content and skills in each unit.

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Designed to fit in 45 minute periods or homework assignments, with sections that can be assigned separately:

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) for online test taking
• Free Response Questions (FRQ) for online or paper test taking

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AP Classroom: Topic Questions

Next to each topic, links show formative questions teachers can flexibly assign to students online or on paper in the Question Bank.

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Topic Questions: Implementation Methods

Topic Questions should be assigned using one or more of the following models:�

1. As homework immediately before the topic is taught to assess student understanding of topic and/or skill
2. As homework immediately after the topic is taught in class
3. At the top of the class as a “bell ringer”
4. At the end of class as an “exit ticket”

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Data review should occur immediately after administration of the topic questions. Teachers are encouraged to:

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• Enable student access and encourage review of rationales;
• Review class misunderstandings to plan subsequent teaching.

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In summary:

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• Topic Questions can be assigned as a set, all at once, or in parcels with a variety of use cases.
• Topic Questions can be assigned online or on paper.

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AP Question Bank

Unit Guides

Personal Progress Checks

Progress Dashboard

Unit Guides

Planning guides that outline content and skills for commonly-taught units within a course

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Personal Progress Checks

Formative AP questions that provide students with feedback on the areas where they need to focus

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AP Question Bank

Library of formative, released, and secure AP practice questions teachers can use to assign online and paper tests to students

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Progress Dashboard

Interactive reports that help teachers understand student progress on learning critical concepts and skills

Resources and Supports for AP

AP Classroom: �Class Progress Report by Skill 

Teachers can evaluate performance by skill and easily compare any topics paired with the same skill.

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AP Classroom: Class Progress and Feedback

Results display on a simple 25%* scale:

• Dark yellow: 0 – 24.99%
• Light yellow: 25 – 49.99%
• Light green: 50 – 74.99%
• Dark green: 75 – 100%

Performance results can be clicked to view individual student performance

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Note: Not to be confused with quartiles, this is simply the percent of possible points earned and does not represent a score distribution.

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As formative assessments, the score is not important but acting on the feedback is.

AP Classroom: �Student Progress Report 

Students also get feedback on their progress building knowledge and skills.

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AP Classroom: �Question Analysis

Feedback for every formative AP question explains the correct answer and every incorrect answer to help students reflect and improve.

AP Classroom: �Class Progress Report

Teachers can also view results by individual student and question.

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Teachers can identify trends in student responses to each question.

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Personal Progress Checks: AP Classroom

When ready, teachers can unlock Personal Progress Checks to assess the content and skills in each unit.

For the PPC MCQ, teachers can:

• Unlock or schedule the PPC for one class period or multiple class periods
• Set the date and time for start and finish
• Set a specific time limit
• Let students see their results right away, or not until all students have completed the PPC

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Personal Progress Checks: AP Classroom

When ready, teachers can unlock Personal Progress Checks to assess the content and skills in each unit.

For the PPC FRQ, teachers can:

• Unlock or schedule the PPC for one class period or multiple class periods
• Set the date and time for start and finish
• Set a specific time limit
• Let students see their results right away, or not until all students have completed the PPC
• Assign the FRQs as a printed booklet

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Personal Progress Checks

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Personal Progress Checks: Implementation

Personal Progress Checks (PPCs) should be assigned at the completion of each unit.�

• PPCs should be assigned within the window of time allotted for the completion of the unit.
• Completion of PPCs should include the scoring of student responses and the entering of student scores in AP Classroom.

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Data review should occur immediately after PPC administration. Teachers are encouraged to:�

• Enable student access and encourage review of rationales;
• Review class misunderstandings to provide individual or class remediation;
• Use data as input to future instructional decisions.

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In summary:�

• Personal Progress Checks are assigned as a full set, by MCQ and FRQ, though multiple parts of each section may exist.
• Personal Progress Check MCQ sections are assigned online only, but FRQ sections can be assigned online or printed.

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What do you currently do?

Let’s Discuss:

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• Think about how you currently use formative assessments as part of your classroom instruction.

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• What questions do you have?

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AP Question Bank

Unit Guides

Personal Progress Checks

Progress Dashboard

Unit Guides

Planning guides that outline content and skills for commonly-taught units within a course

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Personal Progress Checks

Formative AP questions that provide students with feedback on the areas where they need to focus

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AP Question Bank

Library of formative, released, and secure AP practice questions teachers can use to assign online and paper tests to students

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Progress Dashboard

Interactive reports that help teachers understand student progress on learning critical concepts and skills

Resources and Supports for AP

AP Question Bank

AP Question Bank

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• Indexed by content and skills
• Create customized tests that can be assigned online or on paper
• Create new questions or edit existing questions
• Enables students to practice on assignments from teachers and get detailed results

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AP Question Bank: Assessment Builder

Boosts student practice with every available AP question in one place.

• Previously used questions are indicated in orange
• Assessment Builder helps teachers create and customize assignments for students

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AP Question Bank

Boosts student practice with every available AP question in one place.

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• Indexed by content and skills
• Create customized practice and tests that can be assigned online or on paper as in-class assignments or homework
• Create new questions or edit existing questions
• Enables students to practice on assignments from teachers and get detailed results

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AP Question Bank

Results on every quiz created and assigned in the AP Question Bank are available for every class and student

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AP Assessments to Guide Instruction

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Topic�Questions

Use when you teach�each topic and skill

Personal

Progress Checks

Use when students complete each unit based on Topic Questions

Practice Questions�& Practice Exams

Use when students prepare for Exam

and as scaffolded instruction

AP�Exam

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AP Question Bank

Unit Guides

Personal Progress Checks

Progress Dashboard

Unit Guides

Planning guides that outline content and skills for commonly-taught units within a course

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Personal Progress Checks

Formative AP questions that provide students with feedback on the areas where they need to focus

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AP Question Bank

Library of formative, released, and secure AP practice questions teachers can use to assign online and paper tests to students

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Progress Dashboard

Interactive reports that help teachers understand student progress on learning critical concepts and skills

Resources and Supports for AP

AP Course Audit �

AP Course Audit: What You'll Need to Do

Detailed User Guide: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-course-audit-user-guide.pdf

Unit 4

Soil Labs

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Unit 5

Cooking Mining & Tragedy of the Commons Labs

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Join APES Facebook Group

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Unit 6:

Speed dating!

Urban Runoff &

Particulate Inquiry Lab

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AP Daily Videos

Watch 3 videos on topics you are unsure about and then discuss in breakout rooms.

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Planning Time

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AP Summer Institute 2025

AP Environmental Science

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DAY 3

Unit 7:

Slow down!

Ozone Strip Lab

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Chalk Drawings

Experimental Design Activity

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EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

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QUESTION #1

Independent Variable- (manipulated variable)

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• What the scientist changes to ‘get’ the results?

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• The cause of the change in the results.

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• AKA the manipulated variable in the experiment.

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• In this example the “amount of fertilizer that is best for making a particular species of plant grow” is the independent variable.”

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Variables

VERBATIM FROM THE EXPERIMENT!!!

Dependent Variable- (responding variable)

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• What is the scientist measuring? What data is he/she collecting?

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• The outcome relies on the independent variable. (It DEPENDS on the other variable)

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• AKA the responding variable.

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• The correct answer to this would be “The dependent variable in this experiment is how tall in centimeters each plant grows.”

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Variables

AGAIN VERBATIM FROM THE EXPERIMENT!!!

Constants-

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• Factors that are not allowed to change

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• Remember- you can only test one thing at a time!

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• Ex. If the temperature is held constant in an experiment and the amount of fertilizer is changed.

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Variables

Groups-

Experimental Group-

• The group with the manipulated variable- the one being tested.
• “Plants B – E are given 1 ml, 2 ml, 4 ml, and 16 mls respectively of a liquid fertilizer.”

Control Group-

• The standard- everything is compared to this group- no variable is manipulated.
• The control group is left unchanged and is used for comparison.
• “Plant A is watered but is given no fertilizer”.

AGAIN VERBATIM FROM THE EXPERIMENT!!!

Formulating a Hypothesis-

• If IV + verb then DV + verb (direction)
• Remember, your hypothesis doesn’t have to be correct. You could write one of the following:

· If fertilizer is added to plants, then plant growth in centimeters will occur.

· If fertilizer is added to plants, then plant growth in centimeters will not occur.

· If fertilizer is added to plant, there will be no change in plant growth. (the null hypothesis)

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VERBATIM!!!

Null Hypothesis

• The opposite of what you expect to see.

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• Shows that no statistical significance is observed.

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Scientific Question

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• How does the [independent variable] affect the [dependent variable]. You should list the levels of IV and make sure to compare the IV and DV.
• This is NOT a hypothesis so do NOT write it in the if, then format.
• This is a question the scientist is asking. Here might be some good responses:

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• Will adding 1 ml, 2 ml, 4 ml, and 16 ml’s of fertilizer to plants help stimulate plant growth?
• Will plants grow taller when 1 ml, 2 ml, 4 ml, and 16 ml’s of fertilizer is added?
• Does adding 1 ml, 2 ml, 4 ml, and 16 ml’s of fertilizer to plants help plants grow taller?

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• Data DOES NOT prove your hypothesis!

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• Data SUPPORTS or REJECTS your hypothesis.

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• Ex. Added fertilizer increased the rate of plant growth in the experimental group. Therefore my hypothesis is supported.

Conclusions-

• Read the article titled, “Why do invasive species like artificial lakes?”

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• Pay close attention to the experimental design portion (Methods).

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• Be prepared to answer questions a-c individually on your handout.
• Underline the hypothesis
• Identify the IV and DV

Experimental Design

What is an Experimental Modification?

• Improve your results, to better support your hypothesis, to correct error

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• EX: “The scientist repeated the experiment putting the plant in a stable environment of 3 degrees Celsius (37.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Explain how the results of the experiment could be altered with this modification. Remember to include directionality in your answer!

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• You would need to say something like:

· With colder temperatures, there would be less plant growth in centimeters because plants don’t grow as well in temperatures near freezing.

· Colder temperatures generally slow or stop plant growth.

· As temperatures drop below a plant’s threshold, growth decreases.

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On the chart paper, write down one experimental modification for everyone in your group.

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Rotate to each table and place a mark if you agree and a if you are unsure about the answer.

Ecosystem Services

Choose a corner for one of the following answers to question E

• Supporting

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• Cultural

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• Provisional

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• Regulating

Reproductive Strategies- (Question G)

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• ‘R’ versus ‘K’ strategists

Island Biogeography

This diagram shows the effect of an island’s size on the amount of species richness. The diagram shows two islands equidistant from the mainland. Island 1 receives less random dispersion of organisms. While island 2 receives more of the arrows and therefore more random dispersion of organisms.

This diagram shows the effect of an island’s distance from the mainland on the amount of species richness. The sizes of the two islands are approximately the same. Island 1 receives more random dispersion of organisms, while island 2, since it is farther away, receives less random dispersion of organisms.

Now let’s try an experimental design FRQ by yourself!

Write one thing you LEARNED today and one thing you WANT to know.

Unit 8: Slow down!

Biodegradable Materials Lab

Planning Time

128

AP Summer Institute 2025

AP Environmental Science

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DAY 4

The College Board strongly encourages educators to make equitable access a guiding principle for their AP programs by giving all willing and academically prepared students the opportunity to participate in AP. We encourage the elimination of barriers that restrict access to AP for students from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally underserved. Schools should make every effort to ensure their AP classes reflect the diversity of their student population. The College Board also believes that all students should have access to academically challenging course work before they enroll in AP classes, which can prepare them for AP success. It is only through a commitment to equitable preparation and access that true equity and excellence can be achieved.

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Equity and Access

Lab Analysis

Soil Salinization, Ozone Test Strips, Particulate, Nuclear

The Rules- The How

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FRQ Hints!

• The maximum number of points you can get on each FRQ is 10 points. After you have answered all the FRQ’s go back and see if you can “find” where the points come from. If you only get to 8 or 9 points, chances are you forgot to respond to some part of some question. See if you can find what you forgot!

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• Make sure you show all your work on any math questions…even if that work could be done in your head! No work= no credit!

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• All answers must be in complete sentences! No credit for incomplete sentences unless it says to identify!

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• Free Response Questions are NOT an essay!

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• It is more like a short answer!

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• It is technical/ scientific writing!

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• DO NOT restate the question!

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Rules to the Game!

Rules to the Game!

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• DO write in complete sentences!

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• It is timed! Write quickly but completely.

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APES Language

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APES FRQ Language

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• Environmental
• Economic
• Social/Societal
• Human Health

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• Calculate
• Describe
• Explain
• Identify
• Propose a solution
• Justify
• Make a claim

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Environmental/Ecological

• Talk about biotic and abiotic factors in the environment/ ecosystem- never people!

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• Plants, animals, soil, water and air quality

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Economic

• Talk about how the topic affects money and jobs! Include the words “money” and “jobs” in your answer to ensure you get the point- never plants or animals here!

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• Follow the money!!

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Social/ Societal

• Talk about HUMANS!!

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• Buildings, crops, human diseases, laws, human birth and deaths rates

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• Think about things such as benefits to towns or communities

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Human Health

• Talk about human diseases

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• respiratory damage, lung cancer, skin cancer, nervous system damage, reproductive disorders

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• You need to provide an example such as lead is a neurotoxin causing mental delays. “Cancer” by itself is often too vague, but saying lung cancer can result from asbestos exposure is a specific human health problem.

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APES Verbs

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There are 3 FRQ’s but FRQ # 1 and # 2 will each have 10 separate questions and you need to answer each question. Question 3 is the calculation question so it will usually have 7 separate questions because the calculation questions count for 2 points, one for the set up and one for the answer. Regardless, each FRQ is worth a total of 10 points. So things such as “identify” earn the same number of points as “explain”.

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The FRQ’s will each begin with a verb that is bolded. All verbs except “calculate” are worth one point.

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Calculate

Perform mathematical steps to arrive at a final answer, including algebraic expressions, properly substituted numbers, and correct labeling of units. Showing work is required.

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Calculate Example:

As a result of improved technology, the efficiency of solar panels has changed over time. In 1992 a solar cell had a maximum efficiency of 15.9%. In 2017 a solar cell prototype capable of 44.5% efficiency was produced. Calculate the percent change in efficiency from the 1992 cell to the 2017 cell. Show your work.

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Calculate Response:

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Describe

Provide the relevant characteristics of a specific topic.”

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• One Idea- One Process
• Must communicate all the information about the process (all steps/ all parts)

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• 2 parts

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Think where, when, how, why!

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Describe example:

• Describe a biological process by which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and converted to organic molecules.

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Describe response:

• Photosynthesis: the process by which plants/autotrophs take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into food/glucose/sugar/complex carbohydrates

or:

• plants/autotrophs fix carbon into food/glucose/sugar/complex carbohydrates.

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Explain

Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning to support or qualify a claim. Explain “how” typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas, explain “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome. Also phrased as “give one reason.”

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3 parts!

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Explain Example

Explain how fracking fluid is used to access oil and natural gas in sedimentary rock, such as shale, during the fracking process.

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Explain Response

Fracking fluid is injected/pumped into the well under high pressure, opening rock fissures, releasing oil and natural gas.

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Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.

Identify

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Identify Example

Identify one negative geologic effect in an area where hydraulic fracturing (fracking) occurs.

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Identify Response

• Earthquakes/seismic activity

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• Ground subsidence/sinkholes

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Propose a Solution

Provide a proposed solution to a problem based on evidence or knowledge.

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Propose a Solution Example

Propose a reasonable solution that could help lower the temperature increases caused by urban heat islands.

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Propose a Solution Response

Plant green roofs on buildings/plant vegetation around buildings/increase green space.

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Justify

Provide evidence to support, qualify, or defend a claim and/or provide reasoning to explain how that evidence supports or qualifies the claim.

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Justify Example

Justify the solution proposed in part (b)(i) by providing one additional benefit other than reducing temperatures in urban heat islands.

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Justify Response

Plant green roofs on buildings/plant vegetation around buildings/increase green space.

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• Provides food crops
• Creates habitat for biodiversity
• Slows/captures runoff

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Make A Claim

Make an assertion that is based on evidence or knowledge.

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Make A Claim Example

Make a claim for a realistic governmental action to improve air quality by reducing consumption of oil.

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Make A Claim Response

• Increase fuel economy standards for motor vehicles.

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• Invest in renewable energy resources.

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• Use tax incentives to encourage sales of hybrid/electric vehicles.

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HINTS FOR SUCCESS:

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Hints For Success:

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• Use descriptive terms (qualifiers and temporal language).

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• Example: During an earthquake increased pressure cause the plates slide past each other rapidly.

Hints For Success:

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• If a chemical equation can be used to describe a process, then use it!

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Good examples of when to use a chemical equation:

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• Ozone depletion/ formation
• Ocean acidification
• Smog formation/ Acid rain
• Photosynthesis/ Cell respiration—carbon cycling

Hints For Success:

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• Do not answer more than what is asked.

• Each question is only worth 1 point. If you give 2 answers and the first one is wrong but the second one is correct you do not earn the point.
• The reader can only give you credit for the first answer you give!

Hints For Success:

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• Answer the question asked!
• For example- 2014 Q1 asked students to identify a way to reduce use of electricity.

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• Students missed the point because they answered about alternative energy (using solar). This is about shifting the source rather than decreasing use.

Hints For Success: NO NO WORDS!

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• Do not answer a question with “it is bad for the environment” or it will “harm biodiversity”. These are too vague. You need to explain HOW it is bad for the environment or HOW it will harm biodiversity.

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• Also, don’t say it will cause “pollution”… any third grader can say that.. Be specific, name a particular chemical, etc. Show the grader that you know some science facts… you do!

HIPPCO:

H: Habitat Loss

I: Invasive Species

P: Too many People

P:***** Pollution (EXPLAIN!)

C: Climate Change

O: Overharvesting

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Hints For Success:

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Don’t use vague language. Let’s look at this example and let me know why it did not earn a point.

Hints For Success:

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Posters on what not to do:

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So what can we do as teachers to get students ready for the FRQ’s???

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Attacking the Question

BOX - Identify, Explain, Describe or Discuss

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BOX- Environmental, Ecological, Human Health, Social and Economic

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CIRCLE- one, two or three/ except

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UNDERLINE- academic vocabulary

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Let’s Practice!

• Mercury is often present in discarded e-waste. Identify one human health impact associated with discarded e-waste.

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• Mercury is often present in discarded e-waste. Identify one human health impact associated with discarded e-waste.

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Check your answer!

• Birth defects
• Brain damage
• Learning disabilities
• Mental retardation
• ADHD
• Reproductive system damage

• Minimata disease
• Hearing loss
• Mad Hatter’s disease
• Seizures
• Mental illness
• Headaches

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Scaffolding- The Practice!

Help them learn to write~ Build their confidence

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What now?

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Quick Writes

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TWO minutes/ TWO times a week

EX: Droughts are one environmental problem that can affect the frequency and severity of forest fires. Identify the ecological process that occurs following a forest fire that leaves the soil intact.

Answer: Secondary succession

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Think- Talk- Write 6 minutes; 0ne time a week

• Two minutes to think….a.k.a sweat it out
• Pens down/ paper turned over
• One minute to visit with your table partners
• Three minutes to respond

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Writing just enough!!

• How can we teach our students to write concisely yet completely?

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Better Scientific Writing- CER

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Scientific Writing

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FRQ Practice

• Quick Writes

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• Collaborative Writing- use CER for lab analysis—find FRQs to use as conclusion questions

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• Assessment- EVERY TEST—EVERY UNIT!

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Peer Review- The How & Practice!

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Why Incorporate Peer Review?

Researchers find that peer assessment deepens students’ understanding of their own learning and empowers students to become more actively engaged and self-directed in their learning processes.

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(Falchikov, 2005; Sivan, 2000)

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How?

• Three requirements:
• Collaborative / constructive classroom culture
• Established protocols
• Growth mindset- learn from mistakes and opportunities to correct

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Peer Review/ Peer Evaluation

• Long Version- Peer Review
• Students receive feedback form their peers to make revisions before they turn in the final product.

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• Short Version- Peer Evaluation
• Students evaluate final product of their peers and then evaluate themselves.

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Peer Evaluation Protocol

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Review the Rubric

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Evaluate

• Self
• Peer + Self
• Peer + Peer
• Peer + Peer + Self

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Create Value

• Teach students that this is part of the scientific process and that they are learning a skill.
• Teach them that this will make them better writers.
• Let them know this is part of their assessment.

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Required Content

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Legislation and Policies, Page 26

Unit 9:

15-25% of the exam!

Global Warming/Ozone depletion

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Math Practice

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Deep Dive: Instructional Planning Report

Summer 2021

Instructional Planning Report

• You can use this report to:
• Identify skill gaps in your group of students.
• Identify differences in performance between the two sections of the exam.
• Gain an understanding of your students’ performance relative to state and global peers.
• Start a discussion about instructional planning with other teachers, coordinators, and other school/district staff.

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Features

• Peer Comparison Data: State comparison data
• Key Metrics: Includes key metrics such as the percentage of scores that are 3 or higher.
• Filters and Customization: Use filters such as section, grade level and score to drill down into the performance of a subset of your students compared to their peers with the same attributes.
• Focus by Reporting Category Type: Refine the view of your Multiple-Choice performance breakdown by grouping reporting categories together such as Units.
• Export to PDF: Download a PDF of your report.

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Shows performance of students on multiple-choice and free-response sections for each AP exam administration compared to global group.

Note: Instructional Planning Reports are only available for students who tested in Administration 1, i.e. exams where the free response questions are released on the College Board website 48 hours after the administration.

Accessing the Report

Step 2: After selecting the subject, you will see a Customize Report page. Click on the dropdown under “Sections” to select your section(s) and then click on “Run Report”.

Step 1: Log into https://scores.collegeboard.org/. Select a subject under your “Instructional Reports”.

Note: You must select an Administrator Year that is NOT 2020.

Customizing the Report

The Instructional Planning report requires that you select a subject, and section(s) before running the report.

• You may change these selections after running the report by choosing the Customize option in the report header next to “Instructional Planning Report”.
• If there is no data available for the report selected, you will see a message with empty dropdowns.
• For more information about class sections visit https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/scores/instructions-tips/class-sections.

New for 2021: Class Sections linked to AP Registration and Ordering Sections

• Sections listed reflect the class sections created at the beginning of the school year/semester.
• Teachers can view reports for all students enrolled in sections they taught in AP Registration and Ordering.
• Section names will display exactly as they were set up in AP Registration and Ordering.
• Sections will be directly tied to teacher(s) so that school and district administrators will be able to customize and filter reports by teacher and section.
• School and district administrators will also have access to Exam Only sections.
• Learn more about class sections here.

Select one, all, or a subset of sections to run your report.

Note: These features are also available in the Subject Score Roster reports.

IPR Teacher Sections – 2019 and Prior

• For the 2019 and prior exam administrations:
• Schools were able to designate up to 10 section codes per subject.
• You should select only your class sections. Ask your AP Coordinator which section code(s) are your class(es).
• If your school didn’t designate class sections, you can view the Subject Score Roster and AP Instructional Planning Report for all students in the subject(s) you are authorized for in the AP Course Audit.
• You should select your section codes each time you run a report. Section selections are not saved for the current year or prior years.
• Section selections can be changed anytime by clicking the Customize option on your report header.

Using sections for multiple classes and teachers.

Note: Instructional Planning Reports were not available for the 2020 exam administration.

Summary and Score Distributions

This part of the report displays your students’ performance and score distribution on the 1–5 score scale compared to their state and global peers for the version of the exam they took. It also includes key metrics such as the mean scores and % of students who scored a 3 or higher.

Based on your organization's geographical location, your comparable groups will differ.

1. Within the United States: State and Global
2. Canada: Province and Global
3. Outside of the United States (with the exception of Canada) and US Territories: Country and Global

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Detailed Performance Breakdown – Multiple Choice

• Identify areas where your group exceeded the state and global means to help highlight your strengths.
• Find areas for high impact growth by looking at relative difference between your group and peer means.
• Drill down into subsets of students using section(s) and filters such as score and grade level. For example, select a score of 2 to see a profile of all students who scored a 2 on the exam. Compare this to a report filtered to only show students who scored a 3 or higher to identify areas for improvement. 
• Filters will apply to the data for your group of students as well as any aggregate peer data at the state and global levels in your report.

This part of the report provides detailed performance data on each portion of the exam and/or course that makes up the overall score for the multiple-choice section.

New for 2021

Reports will reflect the new Units of Instruction and align with the Course and Exam Descriptions.

Teachers can refine the view of the Multiple-Choice performance breakdown by grouping reporting categories together such as Units, Skills, Big Ideas, Practices, Stimulus Types, etc.

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Detailed Performance Breakdown – Free Response

• You will see the maximum possible raw (i.e. unweighted) score, your students’ group means, the state means, and the global means for each question.
• Additional subject specific information is included such as science practice mappings for individual questions on the science exams, and student essay choice selections for the history exams.
• Courses with performance tasks or a portfolio component provide performance details across content areas, tasks, and end-of-course exams where applicable. This includes AP Seminar, AP Research, AP Computer Science Principles, and the three AP Art and Design courses.

This part of the report provides detailed performance data on the free-response section.

New for 2021

Additionally, most subjects will reflect more detailed score breakdowns in the Free Response section.

Multiple Forms/Versions of the Exam and Comparison Data

Note: The data on this report will differ from the comparison data on the Subject Score Roster, which aggregates data across all versions of the exam. Also, if your students tested after the first administration window, you will not be able to view a view a report for forms of the exam given in later administrations.

If your students took different versions of the exam, your reports for the applicable subject(s) will be divided across forms. When you switch between different forms, comparison data will update automatically.

Filtering Reports – Teacher View

• To view the available filters in a report, click on the Filter Data button.
• Apply Filter: Filters will apply to the data for your group of students as well as any aggregate peer data at the state and global levels in your report.
• Remove Filters: To remove or clear filters, use the filter tags to remove filters, or un-select / select new filter values in the drop-down menus

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Some reports allow you to apply additional filters to your data after the report has run.

You can use these filters to drill down into the performance of a subset of your students compared to their peers with the same attributes.

• Instructional Planning Report: filter by score and/or grade level.
• Subject Score Rosters: filter by score and/or grade level

Note: No Data Available - In some situations, there is no data available for your chosen filters. For example, if you choose to view all 10th grade students who scored a 4, but none of your students received that score, you will see a no data message directing you to select different criteria

Filtering Reports – Teacher View

You can filter the report by:

• Score
• Grade Level
• Standard Group*

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*For World Language exams, you can choose to display all students or just the standard group. The standard group is comprised of students who indicated that they have not lived or studied for one month or more in a country where the language of the exam is spoken, and they do not regularly speak or hear the language at home.

Additional Resources

Links to AP Central and AP Classroom point to additional resources for educators.

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Downloading Reports in PDF Formats

• As a teacher you can download your Instructional Planning Report by subject. For this Single PDF option, any sections you have selected, and filters you have applied will be reflected in your PDF.
• If your students took different versions of the exam, all forms will be included in your download, and your report data will be grouped by form.
• Your download will open in a new tab and may take a few moments to load. Do not close the tab during this time.

Additional Things to Consider

• If your students tested after Administration 1, you will not be able to view a report for them. Instructional Planning Reports are only available for exams given during the first testing window where the free response questions are released on the College Board website 48 hours after the administration.
• Instructional Planning Reports were not available for 2020 AP Exams.
• To access prior year reports, change the administration year on your report dashboard and run the prior year data to obtain data for your own year-over-year comparison.
• Access the Instructional Planning Report on a desktop device for the optimal experience.
• Small differences in the distribution of students should not be over-interpreted, especially when the number of students in your group is small.
• If your students took different versions of the exam, your reports for the selected subject(s) will be divided across forms. When you switch between different forms, comparison data will update automatically.
• The data on this report will differ from the comparison data on the Subject Score Roster, which aggregates data across all versions of the exam.
• If your school used multiple class sections, you may view your report by an individual section, by a subset of your sections, or across all your sections. Only select the sections that you taught.
• Only complete scores are listed on the Instructional Planning Report – scores that are on hold, cancelled, or projected will not appear.

Questions?

Appendix

AP Score Reports Homepage

Note: Instructional Planning Reports were not available for the 2020 exam administration.

Supported Operating Systems and Browsers

To access AP Score Reports for Educators, you’ll need an internet connection and one of the following operating systems:

• Windows^® 7 or 10
• Mac^® OS X
• Chrome OS

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To take advantage of the full range of features the website has to offer, we recommend you use one of the following web browsers:

• Google Chrome (latest version)
• Firefox (latest version)
• Safari (latest version)

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Note: Internet Explorer 11 or a prior version is not recommended for accessing the site as support for this browser is being phased out by Microsoft^®.

Make sure you are ready to access your data by taking these steps first.

Browser Settings & Devices

Set your browser to the following for optimal report viewing:

• JavaScript enabled
• Cookies enabled
• Pop-up blockers disabled
• File downloads enabled

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To learn how to view or change your browser preferences, refer to your browser’s help text.

• For the optimal experience, please use the menu and navigation options provided within the site.
• Do not use your browser’s Back or Forward buttons to navigate through the website.
• While some portions of the site have been optimized for a mobile or table device, some reports should still be accessed on a desktop for the optimal experience, including the –
• Student Datafile
• Summary Reports
• Instructional Planning Report

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Additional technical tips for the optimal experience.

Additional Tips for Network and Browser Settings

• Network Settings
• Some users may experience issues accessing reports if they are logged in while on a school network that blocks College Board content. Please ensure that your school network's filter allows for all College Board content by including the wildcard "*.collegeboard.org" in the list of accepted URLs.

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• Browser Plugins
• Some browser plugins may not allow you to select your subject and sections, therefore preventing you from viewing your reports. If switching browsers doesn’t resolve this issue, disable or uninstall your extensions and try running your report again. If you’re using Chrome, you can also try opening an incognito window to run your report—this automatically disables any plugins. In Firefox, restart the browser in Safe Mode by selecting “Restart with Add-ons Disabled” from the Help menu.

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What about review??

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Thank �You!��

Courtney Mayer

courtneyanddavidmayer@gmail.com

210-823-7049

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Planning Time

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