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AP* Summer Institute

Calculus

Calculus


July 14-18, 2008
Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon

        This session is designed for beginning (new) as well as experienced AP* Calculus teachers and will focus on the three major themes in calculus: Limits, Derivatives, and Integration.  Strategies and pedagogy to effectively present the calculus concepts covered under the AB curriculum will be discussed.  Using numerous Free Response questions, we will discuss the scoring rubrics and how the exam is scored/read.  We will also discuss in detail the AP* Calculus Exam and how these calculus topics are “tested.”

AP* Calculus Institute Outline 

Title:  AP* Calculus AB

Goal:   To help prepare beginning teachers to AP* Calculus the skills to develop and present an effective AP* Calculus class.  For more experienced AP* teachers, this institute will help you refine and improve upon your existing calculus skills.

Course Description:   Over the course of this institute we will discuss:
1. Topics included in the AP* curriculum (including slope fields)
2.  Calculator usage
3.  Teaching styles/strategies
4.  Various textbooks/publishers
5.   Available resources for AP* teachers
6. How to present various calculus concepts
7. The AP* exam format
8. Scoring the AP* exam

Instruction Types:  Presentations, group discussions, small group work, individual presentations, problem-solving sets

Assignments:  Participants are expected to participate daily according to their comfort level, “homework” will be given on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights, and individual presentations on Thursday or Friday.

Letter of Accommodation:  If you need/want me to write a letter to your superintendent, principal or department head explaining the work you did during this institute, please just leave a name and address and I will gladly do this when I get back “home.”

Daily Overview

Day 1: Monday, July 14th 

  • Problem of the Day
  • AP* Calculus Overview
  • Textbooks
  • Reform Movement
  • Limits
  • Derivatives
  • Homework

Day 2: Tuesday, July 15th  

  • Problem of the Day
  • Rate of Change
  • Implicit Differentiation
  • Related Rates
  • Applications of the Derivative
  • Riemann Sums
  • Homework

Day 3: Wednesday, July 16th  

  • Problem of the Day
  • Accumulation
  • Integration
  • Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTC)
  • Slope Fields
  • Free Response Questions

Day 4: Thursday, July 17th

  • Problem of the Day
  • Differential Equations
  • BC Calculus Overview
  • Area/Volume
  • Selecting a Free Response Question for Presentation
  • Individual Presentations
  • Homework

Day 5: Friday, July 18th

  • Problem of the Day
  • Individual Presentations
  • Scoring Student Samples
  • College Board Rubrics
  • Scoring the AP* Exam
  • Closing Activities
  • Evaluation


*College Board, AP, Advanced Placement Program, Pre-AP, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board.  Used with permission.

Instructor

Brendan Murphy will be the 2008 Calculus instructor.