Hot Lava Mama Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Background: A few years ago when ds was in 6th grade (now finishing 8th) he was really getting into American history. He still loves it and reads/watches a lot of stuff relating to that. Back then, I was thinking he could take the AP exam for US history since it would be one of the easier ones for him since he enjoys the topic. Now, we are finishing up 8th and I am setting the schedule for 9th. It's going to be intense. I think he will struggle a bit. My goal is to make sure we are on the right track with writing/research projects, while also keeping up with math, science & logic/rhetoric. I am looking at WTM and trying to follow it pretty closely. Focus for reading Great Books/writing/research projects is going to be related to world history. Two years ago I purchased Alan Brinkley's A Survey: American History because I saw it was recommended as the text for AP US history. So, to get to my question: Does he need to do an "AP class" to take the AP exam? If so, do I need to come up with something to get it approved by the college board or do I just need to do this if I want to "classify" the course as "AP" (I don't care about that...mostly just want him to take the AP exam)? Can I just have him read the text and do some writing projects, possibly go through one of the Barron's AP books, then have him take the test? Also, if he doesn't do well on the AP exam, do colleges make you report them anyways? If I have to get approval first, I am leaning toward not doing it at all. I think it is going to take a lot out of him just getting into the groove of the intense work for 9th. I don't want to add the AP pressure on top of that. He could do that later. What would you do if you were in my situation? Also, does anyone already have something for an AP course that uses Brinkley's book? And, last but not least, do most students start their review (like with a Barron's book or whatever) later in the year (say in Jan or Feb?)Thanks! Hot Lava Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarahillmom Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 No you do not need to take an AP course to take the exam. You only need to go through the college board if you want to be able to put AP (course title) on your transcripts. This is not necessary if your child takes the exam for most schools- I have read a couple of threads recently that states some schools want to see the course and exam. I suggest maybe talking with the universities your child is interested in to find out their school's recommendation. If you go to the college board website they walk you through what you need to do to get your class approved. Taking the AP exam you only need to contact a school who is giving the exam and get your child signed up. As far as resources for AP US History I will be following this thread because I am trying to put together my plans for next year as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I have had 3 kids take the AP US History exam without doing an approved course. All 3 got 5s and no colleges any of them applied to asked what course they had done. They were just interested in the scores. If your son doesn't get at least a 3, you can get the score removed (I had to do that for other exams for both my boys who didn't realize they actually had to study for APs!) My daughter used what was then Sonlight 100 (no clue what it is now) and my son's both used a course I put together using Teaching Company DVDs and Critical Thinking through US History as the 'spines'. I added biographies and movies and for the last 2 weeks before the exam they worked through the Princeton AP guide. If anyone wants my syllabus, I am going to post it on my website - I will try and remember to come back here and post the link - but otherwise PM me. I did put it together with AP exam in mind and by the time I did it, I knew the sort of questions they would get and my 'course' prepares them for that. It is quite a bit of work but both my boys felt very well prepared going in, had enjoyed the year, and got the score they wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarieD Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I would love to see that syllabus! Please do post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimberlyI Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I would be interested in what you put together also as I am also considering AP US history for next year using the Brinkley text. Our experience this year: My 9th grader is scheduled to take two AP's next week. I think he is well prepared though he did not take an official AP class. As long as your son knows the US History content, and do find out what is covered on the test, he could do very well. We did find the sources on the college board website to be very helpful. We should have practiced the free-response questions all year but since we didn't plan on taking the AP tests from the start we didn't practice those soon enough. For the US History test they will need to know how to do a DBQ and I'm not sure what else. My son has taken 2 practice tests so far. That was a useful exercise and we'll try to take 1 more in each subject this week prior to the exams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckster Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 As a previous poster mentioned, you do not need a class to take the test. However, it is easy to get a syllabus approved through the college board. Their website walks you through the process. I just got AP Psychology approved and am in the middle of compiling our US History syllabus to submit. We will use America: Last Best Hope and Kings Meadows American Culture lectures as a spine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 As a previous poster mentioned, you do not need a class to take the test. However, it is easy to get a syllabus approved through the college board. Their website walks you through the process. I just got AP Psychology approved and am in the middle of compiling our US History syllabus to submit. We will use America: Last Best Hope and Kings Meadows American Culture lectures as a spine. Beckster, how long did the approval process take? I'm in the middle of writing up a Physics B syllabus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckster Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Beckster, how long did the approval process take? I'm in the middle of writing up a Physics B syllabus. Syllabus was approved the next day, though the website says it can take up to 60 days. Maybe most teachers submit over the summer, and it might take that long then? Good luck with writing up the syllabus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Just to update - my daughter is getting married on Saturday and then next week I plan to get the AP US History syllabus out. I will come back and post when it is ready and I will PM all those who PMed asking for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimberlyI Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Just to update - my daughter is getting married on Saturday and then next week I plan to get the AP US History syllabus out. I will come back and post when it is ready and I will PM all those who PMed asking for it. Thanks! Really looking forward to looking at it. Grateful for your generosity in sharing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckive6 Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 I can't answer many of your questions, but did want to put in that my dd started to review and really study for the test in December/January.(Though she was actually enrolled in an AP course.) I also wanted to recommend a super review book, "AP U.S. History: The Essential Content by Larry Kreiger". It was really helpful to my dd in reviewing, though it doesn't have sample FRQs and DBQs like the Barron's Book does. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelewaf Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Just to update - my daughter is getting married on Saturday and then next week I plan to get the AP US History syllabus out. I will come back and post when it is ready and I will PM all those who PMed asking for it. Merylvdm, Enjoy your daughter's wedding!!!! How wonderful! I would so appreciate and use the US Hist syllabus when you come back. Thank you so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Sorry it took so long - but it is done at last. You are the first to see it, so please let me know if you find typos, bad links or anything else. Here is the link to the US History Course - http://fundafunda.com/prodpage. As I said before, I used this for both my sons before the took the AP US History exam. A friend's son has just done it too - I am hoping for great results from him too. I do know he felt good about the exam. Hope it helps some of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: Meryl, thanks so much for doing that!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin in DFW Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Have you looked at the AP U.S. History course on Hippocampus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Ok, I'm back with a question for you, Meryl. I thought you said when your dd did it you used SL 100 + the SL 430 lit? But here you're listing Paul Johnson... And what procedure did they follow for the reading? Read AFTER watching the TC videos or before? And take notes while you read or just let all the content and overlap self-reinforce? And did you meet with them weekly or more to discuss? How did you handle the Critical Thinking books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Ok, I'm back with a question for you, Meryl. I thought you said when your dd did it you used SL 100 + the SL 430 lit? But here you're listing Paul Johnson... And what procedure did they follow for the reading? Read AFTER watching the TC videos or before? And take notes while you read or just let all the content and overlap self-reinforce? And did you meet with them weekly or more to discuss? How did you handle the Critical Thinking books? My dd did use SL100 - but my boys did it at the same time as she did and they were in 6th and 8th grade then. Which is why I had a problem when they got to high school. They did do SL 430 US Lit (or whatever it might be called at present), but then I put this together for the actual history. I let them do it however they wanted to. They usually watched the DVDs one at a time on Mon - Wed and then wrote the essays on Thurs and Fri. They would do the reading a bit each day as it was too much to read in one go. They are boys so, no, no notes! (My daughter would have taken notes I am sure). After they gave me their essays I would grade and tell them what I felt they left out - sometimes I would make then re-write. Critical Thinking thru US History helps prepare them for the DBQ section of the exam. They would do it and give it to me and I would grade it and discuss any errors. I did not program in formal discussion times - it would just happen naturally round the dinner table many nights. I watched the John Adams series with my older son; my husband watched with the younger one. And sometimes the other movies we would watch as a family - it just depended. Do the same stuff from a variety of angles did mean that it was naturally reinforced. They didn't start studying till 2 weeks before the exam and it worked out fine. They were engaged and interested and that seemed to do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Duplicate post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Thank you Meryl!!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyH in NC Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Thank you! This looks terrific. I am saving it for 11th grade for my girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyJudyJudy Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Sorry it took so long - but it is done at last. You are the first to see it, so please let me know if you find typos, bad links or anything else. Here is the link to the US History Course - http://fundafunda.com/prodpage. As I said before, I used this for both my sons before the took the AP US History exam. A friend's son has just done it too - I am hoping for great results from him too. I do know he felt good about the exam. Hope it helps some of you. This looks awesome! Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Meryl, in your syllabus you suggest using the Teaching Company DVDs (rather than audio). Are there particularly good visuals or is that just a personal preference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Have you looked at the AP U.S. History course on Hippocampus? I saw in another thread on here that it is being taken down next year. Looks like a decent free option. My one concern is that it lacks much in the way of 'homework'. I saw that sometimes there is a question to think about, and once there was material to read and one multiple choice question followed. I didn't watch the videos so am not sure how engaging or otherwise they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Meryl, in your syllabus you suggest using the Teaching Company DVDs (rather than audio). Are there particularly good visuals or is that just a personal preference? Personal preference - my kids and I are not good with just listening. I don't think there were many visuals but I still find it easier to watch a lecturer. So, sure - go with audio if that works with your kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin in DFW Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjssully Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Hi, thanks so much for this course!! I plan to use it as written; except I have one question about the John Adams DVD. You have it listed at 501 minutes. Is it really that long? 8 1/2 hours long? I am not sure that we could fit that in for 1 week! Did you really watch that DVD for 8 1/2 hours? Thanks again, you have saved the day for me! pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphus Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 One resource I found this year are the ap us lesson plans on the national endowment for the humanities "edsitement" website. http://edsitement.neh.gov/feature/advanced-placement-us-history-lessons Lots of great primary source stuff. Some is a bit class roomy, but can be modified. This was Ds favorite part of our year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 One resource I found this year are the ap us lesson plans on the national endowment for the humanities "edsitement" website. http://edsitement.neh.gov/feature/advanced-placement-us-history-lessons Lots of great primary source stuff. Some is a bit class roomy, but can be modified. This was Ds favorite part of our year. Nice resource! Thanks :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Hi, thanks so much for this course!! I plan to use it as written; except I have one question about the John Adams DVD. You have it listed at 501 minutes. Is it really that long? 8 1/2 hours long? I am not sure that we could fit that in for 1 week! Did you really watch that DVD for 8 1/2 hours? Thanks again, you have saved the day for me! pam Sorry, I missed this one - it really is that long! I have it scheduled over 3 weeks. But I think we took longer in reality. We tried to watch about 30min a day ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbrady Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Thanks, this course looks great. Would you do it with an 8th grader or would you wait until 11th or 12th grade? Would you do Sonlight 100 in 8th grade and this course in high school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dina in Oklahoma Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) Edited August 17, 2013 by Dina in Oklahoma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dina in Oklahoma Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Thanks, this course looks great. Would you do it with an 8th grader or would you wait until 11th or 12th grade? Would you do Sonlight 100 in 8th grade and this course in high school? Bump :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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