Calculus AB
Instructor: John Losse
John Losse has been a reader of AP* Calculus exams for eleven years. His teaching career includes teaching calculus in secondary school overseas, and in
universities and community colleges in the US. He is also a volunteer with enrichment projects for AP calculus students in Arizona. John has conducted numerous workshops and institutes on AP*
Calculus as well as applications of technology to mathematics teaching. He always looks forward to the Pacific AP Institute, and is anxious to "work" in beautiful Monterey again this year.
John received his MS in Mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his BS in Mathematics from Trinity College in Hartford. You can email John at
at jlosse@me.com
2012 Session Outline
The Summer Institute will look at all the main topics of the Calculus AB curriculum and how they have been tested on recent exams. We will use calculator and non calculator methods to
understand theory and to solve typical AP* problems and understand the scoring standards. We will see and use current computer and internet resources.
We will discuss ways to teach the main topics. Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas, lessons, worksheets, etc., to add to those John has developed. A CD or USB drive with
our accumulated wisdom and resources will be distributed at the end – as much as will fit!
John will be using a TI-84 primarily, so bring one if you can. However, if your school uses the TI-89 or nSpire and you prefer it, by all means bring it along.
The schedule below is a starting point. We may rearrange things, but we will try to cover it all!
Tuesday, June 26
Limits and Continuity
Average Rates of Change and the Derivative
Named Theorems: IVT, MVT
The Derivative as a Function – What Does it Tell Us?
Local and Global Extrema; The First and Second Derivative Tests
Recent AP rules on sign charts
Optimization
Local Linearity, Estimates and Concavity
Related Rates
From Time to Time Every Day: Using Technology, Exchange of Ideas
Wednesday, June 27
The Definite Integral
Riemann Sums: Left, Right, Midpoint; The Trapezoid Rule
The Definite Integral as an Accumulator
Naturalness of The Fundamental Theorem F(b) – F(a) ; Net Change
The Rest of the Fundamental Theorem (d/dx . . . )
Antiderivatives and Substitution of Variables
A peek at TI's new graphing calculator, the Nspire
Thursday, June 28
Classic Area and Volume Problems
A Look at Calculus in Motion by Audrey Weeks
The Average Value of a Function
Differential Equations and Initial Conditions
Slope Fields
Separation of Variables
Internet resources; Computer Lab
Best practices. Worksheet exchange.
Any loose ends to tie up tomorrow? Let me know!
Friday, June 29
Implicit Differentiation
Inverse Functions and Derivatives
Tie up those loose ends.
The 20012 exam and how it was scored
Where is AP* Calculus Headed?
Evaluations
