AP AFAM COURSE DESCRIPTION
This dynamic workshop, endorsed by the College Board and presented by a knowledgeable consultant with specialized expertise in the course, is tailored for educators seeking to elevate their teaching strategies in the AP African American Studies course. Through interactive sessions and collaborative activities, participants will explore effective methods for engaging students with complex topics such as social justice, political movements, and cultural innovations. Teachers will gain access to a variety of resources, including digital tools and scholarly articles, to enhance their curriculum and empower students to excel in the course and beyond.
APSI AFAM Agenda
Note – This agenda may be subject to change, based on the needs and preferences of the registered participants and possible changes to the Course and Exam Description from the College Board. It will still meet the requirements of 30 contact hours and the guidelines of the APSI, regardless of any possible changes.
(Detailed four-day breakdown of activities, modeled lessons, and participant products)
PARTICIPANT TECHNOLOGY AND ACCESS
- This institute is paperless. Participants bring a fully charged laptop with Wi Fi access each day.
- All materials and templates are provided in a shared Google Drive folder, with download options for offline use.
- Participants assume access to one generative AI tool, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot, for guided planning activities.
- Instructor classroom technology needs: Apple laptop connector, USB-C to HDMI, or USB-C multiport adapter with HDMI.
DESIGN PRIORITIES FOR THE WEEK
- Participants leave with ready-to-teach products, not just ideas.
- Every session ends with a concrete deliverable saved to a participant’s folder.
- Instruction is skill-forward and inquiry-based, modeling source work, discussion, and writing.
- Support for first-time AP students and belonging routines are embedded daily.
- Generative AI is used as a planning accelerator with verification and privacy safeguards.
DAILY PRODUCTS BY THE END OF EACH DAY
- Day 1: Yearlong pacing draft, unit map, AP platform readiness checklist, first week routines plan
- Day 2: Two inquiry lesson outlines, source set plan, discussion protocol plan, writing routine plan
- Day 3: One aligned assessment task, rubric or criteria checklist, feedback and revision cycle plan, differentiation menu
- Day 4: Draft syllabus, first three weeks launch plan, assessment calendar, spiral review plan, personal implementation action plan
MODELED LESSON EXEMPLARS FROM MY PRACTICE
These are model lessons I facilitate during the institute to demonstrate best practices. Each model is short, reusable, and includes a template that teachers can adapt.
- Dominant Narrative and Counter Narrative Source Lab: A source comparison routine that teaches students to identify framing, omission, and perspective, then write a short evidence-based response.
- Depth of Knowledge AP Builder: Contextualization and Corroboration: A repeatable protocol that moves from close reading to cross-source claims.
- Inquiry Launch Routine: Essential Question to Evidence Pathway: A structured opening that converts a unit question into student-generated sub-questions and a source hunt plan.
- Equity and Belonging Entry Task Series: Identity, Community, and Academic Belonging: A first-week set of prompts that builds classroom norms while teaching annotation and discussion moves.
- SAQ Practice Clinic: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning in Four-Paragraph Moves: A scaffolded writing routine with quick feedback and revision.
- Source Set to Seminar: Evidence Tracker and Talk Moves: A discussion model that supports equitable participation and requires source-based claims.
Download the full agenda (PDF)
Homework: Two total hours across the week. The suggested plan is 30 minutes at the end of each day, Tuesday through Thursday, plus 30 minutes Thursday evening to prepare for Friday.
