Getting to Know Your Students
A “Getting to know you” survey or questionnaire the first week of school is not a new idea. Used strategically, however, it is an essential tool to quickly learn about …
Teaching Tips
APES Math Strategy That Really Works
(Updated in July 2019 to reflect the new AP® calculator policy) The million dollar question in AP® is “How can I help struggling students while not boring or giving busy …
Peer Grading FRQs using Google Forms and Spreadsheets by Katy Sturges
Implementing FRQ Peer Grading in the Classroom Guest writer: Katy Sturges, APES teacher from Texas In the summer of 2008, after completing my first year of teaching only Biology, I …
Using Mastering in an AP® Class
I’ve been using the “Mastering Environmental Science” companion website for Environment: The Science Behind the Stores by Withgott and Laposata for many years. The Mastering platform (a Pearson website for college-level …
Pacing Calendar and Curriculum Plan for Withgott
I use Withgott and LaPosada’s Environment, the Science Behind the Stories, 5th edition for AP® Environmental Science. I’ve used Withgott for 15 years and love it. My students find it accessible …
Flipped Classroom-Reflections and Changes for Year 2
I recently finished the second year of a flipped classroom for AP® Environmental Science and my students did very well on the AP® Exam. I have a lot of first-time …
Everything Ecocolumns
My students’ favorite lab is building and taking care of Ecocolumns. This lab gives them practice in long-term data collection and a myriad of other essential topics in APES. Here …
AP® Released Exams, Score Predictions, & the Final Exam “Curve”
One way to prepare students for the AP® exam is to have them take practice exams and released exams as practice or as a final exam before the AP® Exam. …
APES Lab Supplies Part 2: Other Recommended Labs
The labs on this post tend to be popular, because they cover a lot of topics within the lab, build skills, and/or are engaging. You don’t need to do all …
APES Lab Supplies Part 1: Essential Labs
A question new AP® Environmental Science teachers ask is “What supplies do I need?” or “What kits should I buy?” This post will go over basic APES lab supplies. Kits …
Air Pollution Lab-Airborne Particulates
One of the best (and easy to implement) labs I do is an air pollution lab–airborne particulates lab (Click for student handout). I worked with a colleague at a neighboring …
Biomagnification Activity from the Monterey Bay Aquarium
I really like this biomagnification activity from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I discovered this activity in a Monterey Bay Aquarium workshop at a conference I attended a couple of years …
6 Week Study Plan for the AP® Environmental Science Exam
Reviewing for the AP®Exam is important. My students review content and knowledge at home while we work on skills and practice exams in class. Read about different ways to review …
Air Pollution Videos
Sounds crazy, but a good air pollution documentary doesn’t exist to show to our students. Instead, there are many smaller videos that work well. I live in Southern California, and …
Water Quality Testing in the Lab
Water Quality Testing is essential for AP® Environmental Science students. Every released exam has water quality test questions. Water quality is usually covered in Unit 8, but some teachers cover …
Fecal Coliform Bacteria
Students need to understand fecal coliform bacteria. This is bacteria that comes from mammal waste and can be an indicator of a sewage spill, or something else that contaminates the …
Biological Oxygen Demand
I live in arid Southern California where surface water is scarce and it is impossible for my students to measure Biological Oxygen Demand in person. So, I filmed the process …
Protected: Trees Please! 5E
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Math Differentiation in Science
Students in science classes often have differing math abilities and its difficult to cover math without boring some kids and losing other kids. One way to approach is to allow …
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