Let’s face it, poorly answered free response questions are hard on both teachers and students. Most students shudder at the thought of answering the free response questions in AP Macro because it requires them to gather all their knowledge AND apply it. When teachers see poorly answered FRQs, we...
This blog entry is designed to provide some hints to help your students improve their writing on the free-response section of the exam. The expectations, instruction, and instruction that teachers provide students related to FRQ writing is extremely important and will dramatically impact student...
This lesson aims to show teachers and students how to develop a historical argument using Documents Based AP History (DBQ) documents. We will use developed paragraphs written to answer the APWH Modern 2019 (Portuguese in the Indian Ocean DBQ) to show students and teachers how corroboration,...
The start of a new year always a wonderful opportunity to introduce students to effective, research-backed methods for studying more effectively. Students often have the best intentions in mind when sitting down to prepare for an exam or to take in new information, but they often make mistakes in...
Teaching historiographyin Advanced Placement United States History is essential for developing critical thinking skills and strengthening analytical abilities without losing coverage time. By focusing on historiography, educators can curate experiences that will help students to understand multiple...
One of the greatest rewards of teaching history is when students are able to show that they can think in a complex manner and recognize that history is often muddled with differing interpretations and controversies. Catherine the Great is one of the more complex rulers that students must study in AP
In a 2004 Gallup survey, history and social studies ranked as the least popular subject for teenagers. Why is this? Many adults recount history class as being forced to memorize names, dates, and events without a connection to one another. Acronyms like SOAPStone (Speaker, Occasion, Audience,...
One of the most common tasks I see in the social studies classroom is the use of primary sources. The power of letting people choose their own story and bringing diverse perspectives to the historical narrative is essential and worthy work. After all, teaching with textbooks, for a wide variety of...
With just one percent of students earning the complexity point on the 2021 AP® World History DBQ, is teaching it even worth it? John Maunu says, "YES!"
