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AP European History AP European History StrategyStrategy

Mr. CicerchiMr. Cicerchi

Strongsville High SchoolStrongsville High School

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Purpose and GoalPurpose and Goal

The purpose of this class is to prepare students The purpose of this class is to prepare students for the AP European History Exam at the end for the AP European History Exam at the end of the yearof the year

The goal of all students should be to earn a “5” The goal of all students should be to earn a “5” on the exam to gain college credit; a “4” is on the exam to gain college credit; a “4” is also a very impressive score as only the most also a very impressive score as only the most selective schools won’t accept a “4”selective schools won’t accept a “4”

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ObjectivesObjectives This presentation was created to introduce students to This presentation was created to introduce students to

my expectations in an advanced placement classmy expectations in an advanced placement class Class will move at an accelerated pace and students Class will move at an accelerated pace and students

are expected to keep upare expected to keep up Due to the compressed time horizons of the class, we Due to the compressed time horizons of the class, we

won’t have time to slow down and answer question-won’t have time to slow down and answer question-after-questionafter-question

Please understand that I am approachable and you can Please understand that I am approachable and you can ask questions, but if you feel like I’m rushing through ask questions, but if you feel like I’m rushing through questions at times, I probably amquestions at times, I probably am

If you have additional questions, please see me If you have additional questions, please see me during my planning periodduring my planning period

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Presentation ContentPresentation Content

The content of the The content of the project is an overview project is an overview of what to expect in my of what to expect in my classclass

I will talk about reading, I will talk about reading, writing, testing within writing, testing within the class, and pacingthe class, and pacing

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Table of ContentsTable of ContentsCh. 1. Importance of Reading Ch. 1. Importance of Reading

Ch. 2. Focus Within WritingCh. 2. Focus Within Writing

Ch. 3. Preparing for TestingCh. 3. Preparing for Testing

Ch. 4. Day-to-Day and Week-to-Week Ch. 4. Day-to-Day and Week-to-Week

Ch. 5. Vacation is Not a BreakCh. 5. Vacation is Not a Break

Ch. 6. The End of the BeginningCh. 6. The End of the Beginning

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Importance of ReadingImportance of Reading Students need to read to material on time to Students need to read to material on time to be successful in classbe successful in class I know that most of you came from the I know that most of you came from the honors trackhonors track I also know that many of you have been I also know that many of you have been successful in the past either by skimming the successful in the past either by skimming the material or waiting until the last minutematerial or waiting until the last minute (I know this because I had some of you)(I know this because I had some of you)

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Importance of ReadingImportance of Reading I’m also not going to say that it’s impossible I’m also not going to say that it’s impossible to do well in this class on the test if you to do well in this class on the test if you procrastinate—but you make things procrastinate—but you make things SO SO MUCH HARDERMUCH HARDER on yourself if you do on yourself if you do This course will be taught at a quick pace; if This course will be taught at a quick pace; if you fall behind it will be hard to catch up you fall behind it will be hard to catch up

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Focus Within WritingFocus Within Writing In my opinion, the most easily controllable portion In my opinion, the most easily controllable portion of the AP Euro exam is the writing portionof the AP Euro exam is the writing portion I believe this because the multiple choice section I believe this because the multiple choice section will have important factual data and higher-level will have important factual data and higher-level thinking questions from 560+ years of historythinking questions from 560+ years of history While we don’t know what the essays will be either, While we don’t know what the essays will be either, there are larger themes that we can focus onthere are larger themes that we can focus on Specifically with the DBQ, there are documents Specifically with the DBQ, there are documents there to help direct our thought processes once we there to help direct our thought processes once we have a clear, focused thesishave a clear, focused thesis

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Focus Within WritingFocus Within Writing There are two sections within the writing portion: There are two sections within the writing portion: the FRQ (free response question) and the DBQ the FRQ (free response question) and the DBQ (document-based question)(document-based question) We will focus on component skills throughout the We will focus on component skills throughout the year: year:

writing a strong thesiswriting a strong thesis building a quality introductory paragraphbuilding a quality introductory paragraph integrating multiple documents in appropriate groupsintegrating multiple documents in appropriate groups understanding the author’s/artist’s point of viewunderstanding the author’s/artist’s point of view

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Focus Within WritingFocus Within Writing The skills on the previous slide can be The skills on the previous slide can be worked on without writing a full essayworked on without writing a full essay Of course we will also be writing plenty of Of course we will also be writing plenty of essaysessays We will get better by practicing both the We will get better by practicing both the individual skills and the long-form writing individual skills and the long-form writing processprocess

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Preparing for TestingPreparing for Testing In a way, the entire class is preparation of In a way, the entire class is preparation of testing, but as we get closer to the exam our testing, but as we get closer to the exam our focus will narrowfocus will narrow We will have some time to review for the We will have some time to review for the exam in classexam in class I will also make myself available for study I will also make myself available for study sessions outside of class as deemed necessarysessions outside of class as deemed necessary

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Preparing for TestingPreparing for Testing• As stated earlier, the most important thing in As stated earlier, the most important thing in here is to avoid procrastinationhere is to avoid procrastination• By staying current, the review at the end will By staying current, the review at the end will truly be a review; we will be re-learning, not truly be a review; we will be re-learning, not learninglearning• You should certainly take notes as you read—You should certainly take notes as you read—not for me, but for younot for me, but for you• Those notes will come in handy later in the Those notes will come in handy later in the year as we review material for the AP Examyear as we review material for the AP Exam

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Preparing for TestingPreparing for Testing

• This has some This has some additional tips for the additional tips for the DBQ of the exam, from DBQ of the exam, from a furry frienda furry friend

• Shamu Talks about AP European History

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Day-to-Day and Week-to-WeekDay-to-Day and Week-to-Week The textbook reads in a bit of a conversational The textbook reads in a bit of a conversational format; in fact, the author mentions that his writing format; in fact, the author mentions that his writing style is in the mode of telling a storystyle is in the mode of telling a story Due to this factor, it should be easier to understand Due to this factor, it should be easier to understand the text than other textbooks you’ve worked with in the text than other textbooks you’ve worked with in the pastthe past That said, reading will be assigned every few days or That said, reading will be assigned every few days or by the weekby the week Since this is a college level class, I plan to treat you Since this is a college level class, I plan to treat you similar to college studentssimilar to college students

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Day-to-Day and Week-to-WeekDay-to-Day and Week-to-Week You need to learn how to pace yourselfYou need to learn how to pace yourself If you’re in the marching band, saving reading for If you’re in the marching band, saving reading for the night you have practice would be a bad ideathe night you have practice would be a bad idea If you’re an athlete, you probably don’t want to If you’re an athlete, you probably don’t want to overload yourself on game nightoverload yourself on game night I know these are simple suggestions that many of I know these are simple suggestions that many of you probably already follow, but budgeting time you probably already follow, but budgeting time across classes and life activities is key to successacross classes and life activities is key to success

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Vacation is Not a BreakVacation is Not a Break Lastly, while I tend to not assign much in Lastly, while I tend to not assign much in other classes over vacation, this class will be other classes over vacation, this class will be differentdifferent While my personal philosophy would afford While my personal philosophy would afford you a break, the College Board doesn’tyou a break, the College Board doesn’t Since we need to make it through 560+ years Since we need to make it through 560+ years by early May, days over Winter and Spring by early May, days over Winter and Spring Break need to be utilizedBreak need to be utilized

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Vacation is Not a BreakVacation is Not a Break

I’m not going to ask you to turn in assignments I’m not going to ask you to turn in assignments during our breaks, but you will have to be reading during our breaks, but you will have to be reading and writingand writing

When we return from vacation, assignments are When we return from vacation, assignments are going to be due—know that ahead of timegoing to be due—know that ahead of time

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The End of the BeginningThe End of the Beginning One of the secondary purposes of this One of the secondary purposes of this PowerPoint was to eliminate as many surprises PowerPoint was to eliminate as many surprises as possibleas possible I know we’ll have issues that come up as we I know we’ll have issues that come up as we try to navigate this educational journey, but you try to navigate this educational journey, but you now know my expectationsnow know my expectations Hopefully we will be successful in our first Hopefully we will be successful in our first journey through AP European Historyjourney through AP European History

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The End of the BeginningThe End of the Beginning