U.S. HISTORY
Instructor: Keith Wood


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Keith has taught in Utah schools since 1974, beginning in a private alternative high school then moving to Murray High School where he currently works. He graduated from the University of Utah with a major in history and a minor in English and has an M.Ed. in instructional technology from Utah State University. He has taught Advanced Placement U. S. History since 1995, has been an AP reader since 1999, and has been a College Board consultant since 2001. In his spare time, he is the high school web master and teaches introductory college writing courses at Salt Lake Community College. You can email Keith at kwood@murrayschools.org

2010 General Session Outline

This is a very general overview of the days. A much more detailed agenda will be provided on the first day. Part of each day will provide participants the chance to share strategies and present their success with the group.

Day 1:
  • Introductions
  • Questions & expectations
  • Components of an AP course
  • College Board materials & resources
  • Equity, enrollment, perspective on AP scores
Day 2:
  • Textbooks & supplementary materials
  • Building a syllabus
  • Using primary sources
  • Convergent & divergent thinking, teaching students to make inferences
  • Multiple choice strategies
Day 3:
  • Teaching & assessing writing in an AP U. S. History course
  • Essay thinking & writing skills
  • DBQ skills & free response skills
  • Teaching students to make proper inferences
  • Structuring an AP essay
Day 4:
  • Projects & review strategies
  • Things to do other than lecture
  • Defining "success" in an AP history course
  • Program evaluation

Materials to have with you:

Information about your current (or future) AP U. S. History textbook—version or edition, number of chapters, quality of publisher-provided supplementary and online materials, quality of inclusion of women & minorities, balance of presentation (social, economic, political), etc.
A lesson plan, teaching strategy, or activity that worked well in your class (AP or other history course) that you can share with other participants (25 copies, if possible).