AP Course:

AP BIOLOGY

Kathy Van Hoeck

CONSULTANT: Kathy Van Hoeck

I worked for 15 years as Medical Technologist before going into education.  After getting a master’s degree in Biology, I taught Anatomy and Physiology at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL for 5 years and then high school biology in the Chicago suburbs for 25 years where I taught AP Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, Medical Careers and freshman honors biology.  I am now an adjunct professor of Biology at St. Xavier University in Chicago. I’m a College Board Consultant and have been an AP Biology Reader since 2011. I have served as Table Leader and Early Table Leader. I love to travel and spend time with my 6 grandkids.

Class Description:

The focus of this Institute will be on the following topics:

  • Review the Course and Exam Description (CED) in AP Biology (2019). 

  • Familiarizing teachers with the exam format

  • Revising traditional labs into inquiry based lab investigations and extensions to labs most of us already do

  • Effective use of AP Classroom in developing formative and summative assessments.

  • Instructional strategies that improve student success in AP Biology

  • Development/revision of a syllabus for Course Audit submission, if needed.

The CED connects each learning objective to science practices that build skills and the  specific essential knowledge needed to help students learn to think and act like biologists. Participants will practice modifying traditional experiments into inquiry-based models and explore alternatives/extensions to these investigations that meet the same learning objectives and integrate the same science practices. 

We will spend time analyzing the AP Biology exam and look at trends and patterns noticed in student responses from previous years. We will spend time analyzing recently released FRQ’s so teachers can guide students in what they need to know and demonstrate to be more successful on the AP exam. We will discuss strategies for improving student performance through strategies such as phenomenon anchored learning, modeling, activity before content, I2 and CER which help to build student success. The facilitator will create a supportive and welcoming learning environment that encourages participants to share best practices, to take risks, and fosters a sense of community.