An Introduction to the

Advanced Placement
Program
Capital High School

Welcome
Capital High School is committed to every students
success.
We believe access to rigorous course work such as
Advanced Placement (AP) plays an important role
in that success.

What We'll Cover

What are Advanced Placement Courses?
The Benefits
AP Exams
What Is It Like to Take AP?
Next Steps: Help Your Child Make the Best Choices

What Are Advanced

Placement Courses?

Advanced Placement : The Basics

AP courses are college-level courses offered in

high school

Courses reflect what is taught in top introductory

college courses

Students take AP Exams at the end of the

course, measuring their mastery of college-level
work

A score of 3 or higher on an AP exam can typically

earn students college credit and/or placement
into advanced courses in college

Our AP Courses

English: English Language and Composition, English Literature and

Composition

History and Social Sciences: United States Government and

Politics, United States History, World History, Human Geography,
Psychology

Mathematics and Computer Science: Calculus AB

Sciences: Biology, Environmental Science

World languages: Spanish Language, Spanish Literature and

Culture

AP Syllabus: Literature and

Composition

Sophies$World$(Socrates$thru!The$Baroque)!
Shakespeares$Universal$Appeal$Examined$in$DNA$by!Jonathan!Bate!
Art,!Music,!and!Media!
Incendies!(a!modern!retelling!of!the!Oedipus!story)!
PBS!In$Search$of$Shakespeare$
Othello,!film!by!Oliver!Parker!
Hamlet$by!Kenneth!Brannagh!
Shakespeare$in$Love$by!John!Madden!
O,$film!by!Tim!Blake!Nelson!(modern!adaptation!of!Shakespeares!Othello)!
The$Reduced$Shakespeare$Company:$The$Complete$Works$of$William$Shakespeare$(abridged)$
!
Quarter#
3:#
Existentialism#
and#
American#
Modernism#
!
EQ:$How!can!we!understand!Existentialism!and!American!Modernism!as!a!reaction!to!shifting!
societal!values?!
Focus&
Standards!
[RI2,!SL2,!W9,!RL3,!SL4,!RL7,!SL3,!W5,!RL6,!SL6,!W4,!SL1,!RL2,!SL5,!SL1]!!
!!
Suggested&
Readings&
and&
Resources!
Literary!Texts:!!
Major!Works:!The$Stranger$by!Albert!Camus!and!As!I!Lay!Dying!by!William$Faulkner!
Poetry!by:!Wordsworth,!Coleridge,!William!Blake,!Lord!Byron,!Alfred!Tennyson,!Percy!Byshe!
Shelley,!Keats,!Matthew!Arnold,!Gerard!Manley!Hopkins,!Robert!Browning,!Elizabeth!Browning,!
Christina!Rossetti!
Informational!Texts!
Sophies$World$(Descartes!thru!Romanticism)$
!
Quarter#
4:#
Changing#
Societies#
!
EQ:$How!does!literature!both!shape!and!reflect!society?!
Focus&
Standards!
[RI3,!SL1,!W9,!RI2,!SL1,!RL3,!SL2,!W1,!RL1,!SL4,!W4,!RL2,!W5,!W6]!!
!!
Suggested&
Readings&
and&
Resources!
Literary!Texts:!!
Play:!The$Importance$of$Being$Earnest$by!Oscar!Wilde!
Major!Works:!The$Hummingbirds$Daughter!by!Luis!Alberto!Urrea!
Poetry!by:!Yeats*,!T.S.!Eliot,!Auden,!Dylan!Thomas,!Pablo!Neruda,!Seamus!Heaney,!Eavan!
Boland,!Billy!Collins,!Taylor!Mali,!Jimmy!Santiago!Baca!
Informational!Texts!
Sophies$World$(Hegel$thru!The$Big$Bang)!
Art,!Music,!and!Media!
!
*an!assortment!of!Yeats!poetry!put!to!music!by!Sean!Tyrell,!Joni!Mitchell,!and!Van!Morrison!

AP Syllabus: Psychology

AP#
Psychology#
Syllabus#
Instructor:#
Laura#
Carthy#
Capital#
High#
School#
lcarthy@sfps.info#
#
COURSE#
DESCRIPTION#
AND#
OBJECTIVES#
#
The purpose of the AP Psychology course is to teach students to critically analyze all
incoming information, to expose them to the history of the subject, the theories and
experiments of those psychologists of the past and present and to understand the different
perspectives and approaches which are being used by psychologists today, including
psychoanalytical, biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, socio-cultural,
evolutionary and positive perspectives. The main objective of this class is to instill in
students a desire for knowledge, to think for themselves, to take more psychology
courses, and to prepare students to pass the Advanced Placement Exam.
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
We will follow our psychology book throughout this course. The textbook is aligned to
the national AP exam, so by following it closely with diligence, students should all be
prepared for the AP exam in May. There are 14 units total in this textbook and we will be
following them in chronological order. I have prepared Power Points for each chapter and
we will begin each unit by taking Cornell Notes on these Power Points. It is
IMPERATIVE THAT YOU BE IN CLASS AND ALERT IN ORDER TO KEEP UP
WITH YOUR CORNELL NOTES. If you do not like to take Cornell Notes, this may not
be the right class for you. Change your schedule while you still have time.
Beginning of Unit:
Power Point with CORNELL NOTES, which will be collected twice for
each unit. (40% of quarter grade)
A hands-on PROJECT including guest presentations, hands-on learning,
student presentations, and mock panel discussions. (30% of quarter grade)
End of Chapter exams (30% of quarter grade)
!
GRADING POLICY
1. Punctual attendance, appropriate behavior and completion of all required
assignments will be the basis for grade. Every student will be expected to take the
AP test or my equivalent test.
2. Exams: generally one exam at the end of each unit. Missed tests may ONLY
BE MADE UP IF ARRANGED IN ADVANCE WITH TEACHER AND/OR
YOU HAVE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE APPROVED BY THE FRONT
OFFICE.
ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE AP EXAM IN MAY.

AP Syllabus: Calculus
AP Calculus AB Syllabus
Introduction
Our study of calculus, the mathematics of motion and change, is divided into two major topics: differential and integral
calculus. Differential calculus enables us to calculate rates of change, to find the slope of a curve, and to calculate velocities and
accelerations of moving bodies. Integral calculus is used to find the area of an irregular region in a plane, to measure lengths of
curves, and to calculate centers of mass of arbitrary solids.
Most AP Calculus students enter this course with knowledge of the basic mechanics of limits, derivatives, and
antiderivatives. The task is to perfect each students mechanics and to develop his or her understanding of the theory and the ability to
use these ideas in applied calculus. Through additional practice of the mechanics and through the development of the applications of
derivatives and antiderivatives in problem solving, each student may accomplish this task.
Problems will be presented and solved in four distinct ways: analytically, numerically, graphically, and verbally. Students
will use a graphing calculator to determine the value of a derivative at a point, to find the value of a definite integral, to graph a
function in any window, and to solve an equation.
The first seven months of the class will be devoted to studying the topics outlined below. The next four weeks will be review
and preparation for the AP exam. Throughout the year, information concerning the administration, scoring, and content of the exam
will be discussed. After taking the exam in May, students will complete projects relating to the topics they have studied in this class
during the year.

Technology
Every student in the class has his or her own TI-89 or TI-84 graphing calculator. Students usually purchase their own
calculators. Calculators are provided for students for whom this is a financial burden. Most homework problems are clearly identified
as being calculator allowed or non-calculator problems. Students are encouraged to develop a clear sense of when it is
appropriate to use a calculator and when a calculator is not appropriate. Tests are divided in to calculator and non-calculator sections.
Clear examples of graphing calculator use are included in the lectures. Students will learn how to use graphing calculators to
solve problems, experiment, verify, interpret results and support conclusions. The teacher provides appropriate calculator software to
the students as needed.
CourseOutline
Pre-Calculus Review (3 weeks)
Unit One: Limits and Their Properties (3 weeks)
! Find limits graphically and numerically.
! Evaluate limits analytically.
! Continuity and one-sided limits
! Intermediate Value Theorem
! Infinite limits and vertical asymptotes
Unit Two: Differentiation (15 weeks)
! The derivative and the tangent line problem
! Differentiability and continuity
! Basic differentiation rules and rates of change (average and instantaneous)
! Product and Quotient Rules and Higher Order derivatives
! The Chain Rule
! Implicit differentiation
! Related Rates
! Extrema on an interval
! Rolles Theorem and the Mean Value Theorem
! Increasing and decreasing functions
! The First Derivative Test
! Concavity and points of inflection
! The Second Derivative Test
! Limits at Infinity (horizontal asymptotes)
! Summary of Curve Sketching (including monotonicity)
! Optimization problems
! Business problems
! Differentials
! Local linear approximations
Unit Three: Introduction to Integral Calculus (10 weeks)
! Antiderivatives and indefinite integration
! Differential equations

! Position, velocity, acceleration problems

! Riemann sums
! Definite integrals solved using geometric formulas
! Properties of definite integrals
! Trapezoidal Rule
! The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
! Average value of a function
! Second Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
! Integration using u-substitution
! Displacement and definite integrals
Unit Four: Transcendental Functions (7 weeks)
! The Natural Logarithmic Function and Differentiation
! The Natural Logarithmic Function and Integration
! Inverse Functions
! Exponential Functions: Differentiation and Integration
! Bases other than e and applications
! Differential equations: Growth and decay
! Differential equations: Separation of variables
! Differential equations: Slope fields
! Inverse trigonometric functions and Differentiation
! Inverse trigonometric functions and Integration
Unit Five: Applications of Integration (3 weeks)
! Area of a region between two curves
! Volume: Known cross-sections
! Volume: Disc method
! Volume: Washer method
Unit Six: AP Review (3 to 4 weeks)
! Released AP Exams
! Free response questions; 2000 to present
Assessments
Students can expect either a quiz or test each week. Most of these will have a calculator part and a noncalculator part.
Quizzes/Tests, Projects, and Exams are 100pts each. All other assignments are 10pts.
Activities/projects
" Freeresponse practice: Students will be given four AP free response questions from previous tests to solve in
class either individually or in groups. The questions will represent and require analytical, numerical, graphical, and
verbal skills. There will be both calculator and non-calculator questions. These practices will take place 2 or 3
times before the AP Review and then occur twice a week until the AP exam. Special emphasis will be placed on
helping students learn to justify answers in complete sentence form.
" Piecewise Function Activity: Students will be given the activity 3.2: Four-Color Functions out of the Math path
AVID book. They will work in groups. Then with the same group they will make of their own piecewise function
story. They will include the function, verbal, numeric, and graphic representation. They will present to the class.
" DerivativeProject: Students will be given a card with a function on it. They will calculate the derivative as many
times as needed to gain the horizontal line. They will graph all derivations, show all computations, and then find
two tangent lines to their original function. They all will explain their procedure verbally. They will present they
work neatly.
" Volume of a known cross-section model project: Students will build a 3-D model of an assigned solid and will
calculate the volume.
" Newtons Law of Cooling Project: Who DONE it? Students will be given a problem to solve involving a crime
scene. The will have to figure out who done it and when it happened.
" Related Rates Project: Students are given an equation for the volume or area of a geometric shape, or Pythagorean
theorem. Then they must come up with related rates scenario. The project must include a Drawing of the situation,
all of the computations, and a written description of the solution. Students are encouraged to go all out if they want
an A.
Textbook and Resources
Larson, Ron, Robert P. Hostetler, and Bruce H. Edwards. Calculus of a Single Variable. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998, 6th
edition.
Bittinger, Marvin L., and Morrel Bernard B. Applied Calculus, Addison-Wesley , 3rd edition
Best, George W., and Lux J. Ricard, Preparing for the (AB) AP Calculus Examination. Venture Publishing
Donohue, Jim, and Gill, Tim. The Write Path II: Mathematics, AVID

AP Lesson: Government
1. Watch the video on youtube about the Iran Deal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw9eV6K_yHg

2. Discussion with the meaning for millenials about it.

overview of the middle east and nuclear nonproliferation

3. Key words
enriched uranium
weapons of mass destruction
fissil material
Middle East Israel

Iran
nuclear non proliferation
Ayatollah
History of US Iran Relations

4. Students close read NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/09/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks-anti-american-sentiments-hardliners.html?_r=0
highlight and use margins to answer key questions
5. Students read and analyze and discuss and vote on The D
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/15/world/middleeast/iran-deal-qa.html
6. Academic Discourse:
Students in tables grouped discuss the deal followed by a vote.
Videos are on this link
7. Discussion of checks and balances
President negotiates treaties with the Secretary of State, Congress approves treaties etc.
8. Discussion of Otto Von Bismark's statement: "Politics is the Art of the Possible."
9. Vote as if in Senate
Do Now AP Govt August 21
1. Get all your notes together with repetitions.
3 min
2. You are a Senator in Washington
who will vote on the Treaty. The vote will be a2/3 majority to pass
3. Discuss the 6 pointsof the Treatyin your group - 5 minutes
4. One person collect all the final votes at the table
5. Make sure you have written summariesLevel 1, 2, 3 of your Cornell Notes. Write a final summary of why you vote the
wayyou do to be handed in.
The final vote of both AP classes was close, and the treaty passed
Student/Senator:Will yousigntheIranArmsTreaty?
UsingAcademicDiscourseat your tables.
1. First students watched the Jack Black video on Nuclear Deal www.globalzero.net
2. Theytook Cornell Notes and wrote increasinglevelsof analysis Costas 3 summaries, egWhat if we dont sign the
deal?
3. Studentsclose read Death to America and cited authors main claims.
4. In a final vote Period 1 voted 25 ays and 7 nays Period 3 voted 24 nays and 8 ays

AP: The Benefits

AP: The Benefits

Students learn rigorous college-level content and skills

At Capital students earn weighted credit

Taking AP is valued in the college admission process

AP courses are interesting and rewarding academic experiences

Opportunity to earn valuable credit and placement in college

AP from the College Admissions

Perspective

85% of selective colleges and universities report

that a students AP experience favorably impacts
admission decisions*

Colleges rank grades in college-preparatory

courses and strength of curriculum as the two top
factors in the admission decision

AP courses tell college admission officials that

students are challenging themselves and
preparing for the rigors they'll encounter in their
college careers
*Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc., March 2007

AP: Skills & Advantages that Last a

Lifetime

Taking an AP course helps students build critical

thinking skills, confidence, and the essential time
management and study skills needed for college
success

Nationally, research shows that students who

score a 3 or higher on an AP Exam typically earn
higher grade point averages in college and have
higher graduation rates than their non-AP peers*
*2009, The College Board, The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes"

AP Helps Students Graduate on Time &

Save Money
Students who take AP courses and exams are much
more likely to complete a college degree on time.*
Graduating in four years represents a significant
savings on the cost of college.

Only 1 in 4 college students completes a

bachelors degree in 4 years.

The average cost of college for a single year is

$21,500** for in-state schools (tuition, fees,
room/board, misc. expenses).
*College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences, The College Board, 2008
**The College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2011, Figure 1

AP Expands Students Options

When students earn college credit through AP Exams,
their options and opportunities expand:

Move to upper-level college courses sooner

Pursue a double major
Gain time to study and travel abroad

AP Exams

AP Exams
AP Exams are administered by schools worldwide on
set dates in May each year.
Exams are typically 23 hours and include:
Multiple-choice questions
Free-response items such as essays, problem
solving,
document-based questions and oral response

Exam Dates 2015 Exact times subject

to
change
Environmental Science: Monday, May 2 at 8:00 AM
nd

Psychology: Monday, May 2nd at 12:30 PM

Spanish Language and Culture: Tuesday, May 3rd at 8:00 AM
English Literature and Composition: Wednesday, May 4th at 8:00
AM
Calculus AB: Thursday, May 5th at 8:00 AM
United States History: Friday, May 6th at 8:00 AM
Biology: Monday, May 9th at 8:00AM
United States Government and Politics: Tuesday, May 10th at 8:00
AM
Spanish Literature and Culture: Tuesday, May 10th at 12:30 PM
English Language and Composition: Wednesday, May 11th at 8:00
AM
World History: Thursday, May 12th at 8:00 AM
Human Geography: Friday, May 13th at 8:00AM

AP Exam Fees

The exam fee for 2016 is $92 per exam.

Exam payments are due March 15, 2016, with test

orders due April 15.

Assistance is available for eligible students with

financial need:
The College Board offers a $30 fee reduction per exam for eligible
students with financial need.
Furthers assistance may be available we will let you know more as
soon as we can.

Credit and Placement Opportunities

Each college and university has its own policies regarding AP
credit and placement. The College Board offers information
about AP credit at thousands of college and universities at
www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy.

Search by school name or

alphabetically

Data for each school includes a

direct link to that schools Web
page detailing AP credit and
placement policies

A statement from the college or

university about its AP policy

AP Credit: University of New Mexico

Course

Min. Score

Biology

3
4
5

4 electives
Calculus AB
3
Eng Lang and Comp
5
Eng Lit and Comp 3
5
Span Lang
3
4
201, 202
Span Lit and Cul
4
5
US Gov and Pol
3
US Hist
4

Num. of Credits
4

Biol 123, 124L

Biol 201, 201L
Biol 201, 201L &

Math 162
3
Engl 101
Engl 101, 102
Engl 101
Engl 101, 102
Span 101, 102
Span 101, 102,

4
8

3
6
3
6
6
12
3
6
3
6

Span 302
Span 301, 302
Pol Sci 200
Hist 161L, 162L

Course Equiv

AP Credit: New Mexico State

University
Course
Biology

Min. Score
3

Num. of Credits

Course Equiv

8
Biol 111G & 111GL.
Biol 211G & 211GL

Calculus AB

Math 121 & 191

Eng Lang and Comp

Eng Lit and Comp

3
3

4
6

Engl 111G
Engl 111G & 112

Span 313 & 325 or

Span Lang

3
Span 312 & 327
Span Lit and Cul
4
US Gov and Pol
US Hist

3
3

6
3
6

Span 306, 380

Govt 100G
Hist 201G & 202G

AP Credit: Santa Fe Community

College
Course

Calculus AB

Min. Score Num. of Credits Course Equiv

English

Span Lang

US Gov and Pol

US Hist

3-4

Math 162L

Engl 111

8-14
211, 212
3
6

Span 111, 112,

Poli 200
Hist 161 & 162

AP Credit: New Mexico Highlands

University
English and Social Studies: A score of 3 or higher can earn
you up to 6 credits.
Spanish, Biology and Calculus: A score of 3 or higher can
earn you up to 8 credits.

What is it like to take AP?

AP Myths & Realities

Myth

Reality

AP courses are for students who always get

good grades.

AP courses are for any students who are

academically prepared and motivated to take
college-level courses.

AP courses are too stressful.

It's no secret that AP courses are challenging.

But the support you receive from your
classmates and teachers can help you
manage the work load.

I don't think I will score high enough on the AP

Exam to get college credit.

You dont need to score a 5. Many colleges

grant credit and placement as well
based on a 3 or higher on an AP Exam.

Taking AP courses could hurt my GPA.

<Describe any extra weighting for AP course

grades that your school may offer.> Taking AP
courses shows colleges that youre willing to
challenge yourself academically.

I cant take AP because no one has

recommended me.

If you think youre ready to take an AP course,

then youre ready to advocate for yourself
just talk to a teacher or counselor.

Capital High School Offers Support for

AP Students
AP English (Mr. Clack and Ms. Carthy):
8 after-school workshops from 4-5 PM each semester. The remaining
semester's workshops are December 4, 9, and 11.
3 Saturday morning workshops with an outside presenter from 9noon. The next two are January 11 and March 15.
AP English teachers also conduct a full mock AP exam in the weeks
leading up to the official AP exam. These are typically given on a
Saturday or during a teacher in-service day.
AP Calculus AB (Ms. Vialpando):
Tutoring on Monday and Wednesday after school.
AP Spanish Language and AP Spanish Literature (Ms. SanchezCuesta)
Tutoring after school. Additionally students in AP Spanish may
participate in La Cosecha Bilingual Student Leadership
Conference and in the multicultural group HOASIS to engage in
community and cultural activities.

Capital High School Offers Support for

AP Students
AP US History (Mr. Hancock):

Summer program. All enrolled AP US History students begin the course

by completing summer reading assignments.

After school and scheduled appointments to meet with any student who
needs assistance.

Students will take a nationally released practice exam three times over
the course of the year to familiarize them with the national AP test and
to diagnose areas of weakness.
AP US Government (Ms. Tilp):

Model Legislature: Hands-on learning at the Roundhouse for AP

Government students in legislation, judicial system, journalism and
debate. Over 120 students from all over the state debate, write and
present bills, produce a newspaper daily and argue formidable Supreme
Court cases in their own student-run model legislature.

Free admission to Socratic seminars about the Lannan Foundation's

Cultural Freedom speakers: Amy Goodman, Jeremy Scahill etc at the
Lensic in Santa Fe.

Tutoring prior to the AP Exam - student led, peer to peer.

Next Steps: Help Your

Child
Make the Best Choices

AP: Resources Worth Exploring for

Students and Families

AP information: apstudent.collegeboard.org

College and Career Planning: bigfuture.org

Personalized feedback, practice and college

planning based on your PSAT/NMSQT results: My
College QuickStart www.
collegeboard.org/quickstart

AP credit policy information from colleges and

universities: www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy

Explore AP: Take the Next

Step

Questions? Contact the AP Coordinator,

Meg Morley, at:
467-1021
Room 221
mmorley@sfps.k12.nm.us