PRE-AP/AP VERTICAL ALIGNMENT
Helping teachers improve student
achievement…one step at a time!
TEXAS SOCIAL STUDIES SUPERVISORS
SPRING CONFERENCE 2011
AUSTIN, TEXAS
PRESENTERS
 Angela
Miller
 Secondary
Social Studies Curriculum Manager
 amiller2@houstonisd.org
 Montra
Rogers
 Secondary
Social Studies Content Specialist
 mrogersw@houstonisd.org
PRE AP/AP VERTICAL ALIGNMENT
 The
concept of vertical
alignment incorporates the
idea that AP courses cannot
be taught in isolation…it
requires cooperation of
teachers working together
to coordinate their teaching
efforts in a continuum of
skill building from one
grade/course to the next.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

The academic intensity of a student’s
high school curriculum still counts more
than anything else in pre-collegiate
history in providing momentum toward
completing a bachelor’s degree.
THE TOOLBOX REVISITED:
Paths to Degree Completion From High School Through College
Clifford Adelman, U.S. Department of Education, 2006
THINK/PAIR/SHARE
What skills do students
need to be successful in
high school AP Social
Studies courses?
RATIONALE FOR OUR WORK
Social Studies was not part of Laying the Foundation
In Spring 2010, there were only 3 high schools out of
the 36 in the district with more than 50% of the
students achieving 3, 4, or 5s on the AP World
History and/or the APUSH exams.
In Spring 2010, the Superintendent stated his
expectation that EVERY student enrolled in any AP
course would sit for the exams [and the district
helped pay for those exams].
MORE REASONS…
The Superintendent expects every high school to
offer 12 - 15 AP courses by 2011 – 2012 and that
each student will graduate with AP courses on
his/her transcript.
 Through suggestion from the Superintendent all
high schools in the district began offering AP
Human Geography as a 9th grade replacement
course for World Geography Studies this year.
 Beginning next year, 50% of each teacher’s
appraisal will be based on student achievement
data including AP exam scores.

TEACHING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES
AWARE
AWKWARD
ABLE TO
APPLY
AUTOMATIC
WHAT IS TAUGHT MATTERS!
Students rise to the
level of rigor in the curriculum and
the assignments given them…with
systematic instructional supports.
www.edtrust.org
HABITS OF THE MIND
Read the article Habits of the Mind: A
Conversation with Grant Wiggins
 Use the Dialectical Journal strategy to reflect on
your reading
 Share with partners.

QUALITIES OF VERTICAL ALIGNMENT
SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL STUDIES STRATEGIES…
FOUR CORNERS CATEGORIZATION
Teachers identified strategies they felt were
critical to student success.
 We identified the four categories of critical
skills currently used by College Board:

1.
2.
3.
4.
INQUIRY SKILLS
INTERPRETATION SKILLS [PRIMARY/SECONDARY]
ANALYSIS SKILLS
APPLICATION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS
Analyze the picture of two dolphins [below]
for similarities and differences –
The more differences you see the more you
are experiencing stress…
REASONS TO TEACH WRITING
Writing is a fundamental skill
Social studies contains a myriad of possibly
engaging content ideas to write about
Writing helps students become better
thinkers
The ability to clearly express ones
ideas connects learning to the real
world connection
Students who can write are REALLY
college and career ready!
INTELLECTUAL DIARY/QUICK WRITES
3
– 5 minutes with prompt
 your pen must keep moving.
 If you don’t know what to write put “My
mind just went blank” or “I will think of
something in a minute.”
 Do NOT stop and correct ANYTHING
A GOOD WRITING PROMPT…
Forces students to “take a
stand” or make an assertion
Defend their position with relevant,
specific and accurate information
Explain why their information
supports their assertion
Most advanced…destroy
counter arguments…
HANG IN THERE!!!