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PreAP and Academic – What’s the Difference?
Katy Independent School District, the leader in educational excellence, together with family and community, provides
unparalleled learning experiences designed to prepare and inspire each student to live an honorable, fulfilling life -- to create the future.
Purpose of Presentation
✓Create an understanding of the district vision for PreAP.
✓Articulate the differences between academic and PreAP coursework as evidenced in the unit plans.
Secondary Advanced Academics Vision/Beliefs
The Secondary Advanced Academics Committee (est. 2009) has established a vision for the Katy ISD Advanced Academic Program.
VISION:➢The Katy ISD Program enables and encourages
students to graduate from high school with at least one advanced academic credit (AP or Dual Credit).
➢The KISD participation in the Advanced Academic Program represents the student demographics of each campus.
➢The KISD Advanced Academic Program provides support systems designed to increase enrollment and success.
Secondary Advanced Academics Vision/Beliefs
BELIEF STATEMENTS: The vision is supported by the following beliefs about advanced academic coursework:➢Participation in one or more advanced academic courses is a
foundation of college readiness.➢Students, parents, teachers, counselors and administrators
recognize the value to the student of taking one or more advanced academic courses.
➢Students may require additional encouragement and support to be successful in advanced academic courses.
➢Teacher attitudes, beliefs and expectations impact student success and participation.
➢Vertical alignment of content, skills and habits of mind support student success in advanced academics.
How are Pre AP courses different from Academic?
Performance Expectations
OtherClassroom Environment
Resources
Curriculum Objectives
Curriculum Alignment
Katy ISD Pre-AP Curriculum is– Built upon the core academic curriculum
– An academically advanced course of study—CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES, RESOURCES, PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
– Aligned with AP course descriptions generated by College Board
– Coordinated with the work of the AP Vertical Teams
– Developed with a concentration on building student capacity to understand rigorous content
– Designed to serve the needs of gifted learners
Evidence of Pre AP Differentiation in Unit Plans
Unit Plans for Pre AP courses may include:
• More Rigorous Performance Tasks
• Alternate Performance Tasks
• Local PreAP Skill Objectives
• Additional Objectives
• Differentiated Resources
• Additional Instructional Guidance
• Aligned to AP skills and dispositions
Examples….
Alternate
Performance Task
Alternate
Performance Task
PreAP 6th Grade Social Studies
PREAP 8TH GRADE SCIENCE
[PreAP Differentiation is in brackets]
[Alternate Performance Task]
PREAP BIOLOGY
[Alternate Performance Task]
Unit Summary Expanded
Additional Vocabulary
PREAP ENGLISH II Differentiation is in italics.
Augmented Performance Task
Targeted Instructional Guidance
Additional Resources
Added Essential Question
Differentiated Performance Task
PREAP 8TH GRADE ENGLISH
Additional Instructional Guidance
PREAP 8TH GRADE ENGLISH
PreAP 6th Grade Math
PreAP Geometry
PreAP Geometry
Curriculum Alignment
Katy ISD Pre-AP Curriculum is– Built upon the core academic curriculum
– An academically advanced course of study—CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES, RESOURCES, PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
– Aligned with AP course descriptions generated by College Board
– Coordinated with the work of the AP Vertical Teams
– Developed with a concentration on building student capacity to understand rigorous content
– Designed to serve the needs of gifted learners*
GT CURRICULUM ELEMENTS--what to look for in GT classrooms
Addresses broad issues, themes or problems
Integrates multiple
disciplines
Addresses
dilemmas,
controversies,
biases, and ethical
questions
Addresses
unanswered
questions or issues
Requires students
to formulate
questions
Develops products
that challenges
existing ideas
Evaluates student
outcomes through
self-appraisal,
Develops products
related to real-
world applications
Develops
independent or
self-directed study
skills
Focuses on open-
ended tasks
Develops complex, abstract, and/or higher order thinking skills.
Develops a
research-oriented
model for acquiring
and synthesizing
information.
Offers an array of
learning
opportunities that
include whole
class, small group,
and individual
instruction
Offers assignments
that include visual
and verbal
components.
Uses graphic
organizers to
develop concepts
FAQ: Why take Pre AP courses in Junior High?
– Students who enroll in Pre-AP in junior high benefit from early preparation and academic rigor to develop the academic skills to more easily transition to AP coursework.
– Grades earned in junior high courses do not count toward the high school GPA (high school courses taken in junior high do count toward high school GPA)
FAQ: Do Pre AP courses have more homework than academic courses?
• Some courses may, in order to provide additional practice with accelerated curriculum
• As in all courses, homework should support student learning and provide meaningful reinforcement and practice
• Recent district wide survey indicates that most parents believe that the homework load is reasonable and relevant to the learning.
FAQ: Do students have to take Pre AP before enrolling in AP?
• Most AP courses do not require a prerequisite Pre AP course, however . . .
• Students who may wish to take AP courses are strongly encouraged to enroll in Pre AP courses
• Pre-AP courses are designed to better prepare students for the academic rigor of Advanced Placement courses
Students who succeed in Pre AP courses can eventually answer these
types of AP Test questions!
FRQ #3, AP English Language 2012
Consider the distinct perspectives expressed in the following statements.
If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things that other people are certain are impossible.
William Lyon Phelps,
American educator, journalist, and professor (1865–1943)
I
I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn’t wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine.
Bertrand Russell,
British author, mathematician, and philosopher (1872–1970)
In a well-organized essay, take a position on the relationship between certainty and doubt. Support your argument with appropriate evidence and examples.
FRQ #2, US History 2013
Analyze the role of trans-Atlantic trade and Great Britain’s mercantilist policies in the economic development of the British North American colonies in the period from
1650 to 1750.
Questions?
Contact Alene Lindley or Cathy Prudhomme.
