Course Description 

During this AP Biology APSI, you’ll explore the course framework, the exam, and the new AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction—and give you feedback throughout the year on the areas where individual students need additional focus. You’ll also learn about completing the digital activation process at the start of the school year that will give you immediate access to the new resources and will help ensure that your students can register for AP Exams by the new fall deadlines. By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.

Course Objectives

Participants in this in-depth training will increase their knowledge of and comfort level with the AP Biology Curriculum, including an in-depth review of the AP Biology Course and Exam Description (CED), and they will learn how to plan their course around the CED.  A focus is on using the course content with a point of emphasis on how to incorporate science practices into your content.

We will perform a version of some of the labs from the new lab manual, and
conduct some effective and inexpensive alternative labs with Unit 4.  We will do investigations that could be used as Take-Home Labs and discuss how to tweak labs you currently use to make them more student-driven and inquiry-based.  Also, other take-home experiments or project opportunities will be discussed.

Various teaching and learning strategies will be introduced in order for participants to fully integrate the science practices into their daily classroom. Additionally,  resources that integrate the science practices will be used during the week. In addition, time will be spent familiarizing ourselves with the format, sample questions, and grading of the AP Biology exam.

We will also look at the scope and sequence of the course with time being
dedicated to your own course syllabus and lesson planning.

  • Items Needed:
    Laptop Computer ideally, (tablet would work) and School Calendar

    • Access to your classroom resources.
    • I will share a google drive with all the resources for teaching AP Biology. These resources include pacing guides, suggested activities including case studies, Data Nuggets and other activities. AP Exam review ideas included.

About the Presenter 

Mark Little had been a science teacher at Broomfield High School in Colorado for 32 years and has taught AP Biology for about 20 years and retired at the end of 2018.  He has been very involved with the AP Biology re-design, including and not limited to field-testing some of the laboratory investigations and helping with the new CED.  Mark has been an AP Reader and Table Leader for over fifteen years at the reading along with being an item writer for the exam. Mark received his BS degree from Colorado State University and his Masters from the University of Denver.

Mark incorporates the new curriculum framework ideas in his workshop and his focus for his institutes is to help the AP Biology come alive for students He incorporates the information learned in his workshops and stays current using research-based, pedagogically sound instructional strategies.  Mark is involved with the AP Biology Teacher community and offers help to teachers directly in these groups. Mark is a National Board Certified and has been recognized for his teaching by receiving various awards, including the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award for the state of Colorado in 2005. Since 2014, Mark has lead AP workshops in Alabama, Arizona, Minnesota, Montana and California. Mark was President of the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) in 2013 and currently still very involved with the organization.  In 2024, he received NABT’s highest award, Honorary Membership by being recognized for his teaching, research, or service in the biological sciences.  He enjoys reading, fly fishing and golfing and traveling with his wife in his free time.

Register Now