AP® Social Studies

AP Human Geography: How to Improve FRQ Responses

So, you have taken the plunge and are now teaching AP® Human Geography. People will ask “What is Human Geography?” but you have no idea how to answer (yet). I get this question all the time (from students and teachers alike) and I have a short and longer answer that will help kick off your...

Catherine The Great portrait in black and white

AP Euro: Catherine The Great–Englightened Or Not?

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

Stacked newspaper articles

AP® US History: Article Analysis

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,...

Stacks of open books with a magnifying glass laying on top

Analyzing Primary Sources in the Social Studies

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...

World map

How to Approach the 2023 AP® World History Exam

Experienced AP World History teacher Dave Drzonek and AP World History Exam table leader Charlie Hart discuss what students did well and what they struggled with on the 2022 AP World History Exam, and offer tips on how to use this information to better prepare students for the upcoming 2023 exam.