Increased Expectations = Increased AP Scores in AP Calculus AB

Increased Expectations = Increased AP Scores in AP

Calculus ABRosie Durand Cathy Stone

Morton High SchoolMorton IL 61550

Rosie.Durand@morton709.org Cathy.Stone@morton709.org

2011 Connections ConferenceMarch 17, 2011

St. Charles, Illinois

Today’s presentation:

1. Who Are We? Professionally and Demographically

2. A History LessonWhat have we done?

3. Current EventsWhat are we doing now?

4. Next stepsPlans for the future…

Who Are We?Professional Experience: • 7 years Calculus experience, 14 overall• 4 year Calculus experience, 10 overall

Morton Demographics:• Located in Central Illinois, suburb of Peoria• Unit School District• Approximately 1000 students• 6% Free and Reduced Lunch

Historically….School Year Number of Students

Taking AP Exam

Average

Score

Comments

2005-2006 5 3.2

2006-2007 6 3.3 Attended one day informational workshop

2007-2008 15 3.8 Attended the week-long conference prior to this

school year.

2008-2009 17 4.47 Earned official AP status through The College

Board

2009-2010 27 4.56 Attended one day workshop

2010-2011 1 Algebra, 1 Geometry, 1 Pre-Cal teacher attended

Vertical Team Training 1 day conference

Importance of AP Course Audit

Course can only be titled “AP” in course description book if school has been approved by The College Board

Titling the course AP has improved our ability to hold students to higher expectations

• How we do homework • Group work component• Modeling tests after AP tests

Typical Test Questions in 2006

Components of the AP Calculus AB Curriculum

Use a multi-representational approach• Graphical• Numerical• Analytic• Written/Verbal

Components of the AP Calculus AB Curriculum

Use of graphing calculator to analyze problems• Find zeros• Find intersections• Find numerical derivatives• Calculate definite integrals

Written/Verbal

Slope Field Matching GameGet in groups of 2 or 3. Each group will receive an envelope containing three different colored cards. Without writing on the cards, match the slope field, differential equation, and verbal description.

Graphical

Numerical

Analytical

Using a Graphing Calculator

Preparing for the AP Exam

• Finish new material in late March • Notebook Project

– Groups of three (ideally)– In class portion – Out of class portion– 60% of their fourth quarter grade

Next Steps

• Continue to revise curriculum in Algebra 1 – Pre-Calculus to incorporate multi-representational approach

• Promote the APPROPRIATE use of graphing calculators in the 9-12 mathematics curriculum

• Continue to encourage enrollment• Problems for Student Investigation• Refine, refine, refine

Resources

• http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/2178.html

• AP Multiple Choice Question Collection 1969-1998

• Demos with Positive Impacthttp://mathdemos.gcsu.edu/mathdemos/sectionmethod/equsqrcross75slab.mov

http://mathdemos.gcsu.edu/mathdemos/sectionmethod/sqrtcirccross75slab.mov

http://mathdemos.gcsu.edu/mathdemos/sectionmethod/sinetricross75slab.mov

QUESTIONS?