Strive for a 5's have Arrived!

Hi all,

I found this box full of learning potential waiting for me in the mailroom today!

If you ordered a Strive for 5 study guide (for your own use) during textbook pick-up, you'll be happy to know that they have arrived! (If you did not order one, feel free to disregard this message). This is perfect timing, since I'm sure you are anxious to begin using it in preparation for your first unit of reading in AP Psych! If you would like to pick up your purchased copy before the first day of classes, I'll be available to distribute them a few times this week:

• I'll be working in my classroom today (Monday 8/25) until 4:00 PM. I know this is short notice, but if you're headed to school for some reason this afternoon, just swing by. :)

• On Tuesday (8/26), I'm in meetings pretty much all day, but will stay from 3-5 PM for anyone who would like to stop in.

• On Wednesday (8/27), I'll be working in my classroom from 8AM-12, though I have meetings after that time. If you're around that morning just stop by. 

Depending on how the week goes, I may be coming in to work on Friday as well, but I'm not sure of the time yet. I'll send out a message if I end up being around that day.

If you can't make it in this week, don't fret. I'll have it for you on the first day of classes. I just know some folks will want to get theirs ASAP, and this is to help them out.

If you would like to bring back your school-owned/issued copy of Strive for 5, I can take it off of your hands when you pick up your personal copy. :) If you haven't yet paid for your copy, payment would be appreciated at the time of pick-up. 

Getting Off to a Good Start in AP Psych

Way to go, AP Psych Class of 2015! The vast majority of you made it in to pick up your textbook and first assignment over the past couple of days, and I'm hoping I'll see the remainder of you in the days ahead.

By picking up your textbook and materials, you’ve already taken the first steps toward experiencing a year of success in AP Psych. Congratulations! Let’s keep it rolling over the next few weeks and into the school year. We will have a TON of fun learning about psychology this year, and you can ensure that you will get the most enjoyment out of this class by staying on track with your reading and studies (since it’s no fun to feel behind and overwhelmed).

Use this handy checklist to ease yourself into the workload for this course and start the year strong, by getting started on the following tasks over the next couple of weeks:

1. Complete the Blog Exploration Assignment in this packet (due Friday, Sept 5). This will help introduce you to all of the web resources that are available to help you with your studies this year.
2. Read through the Course Syllabus. Make a note of any questions you have so that you can ask them during the first few days of class. Have your parents/guardians review the syllabus, as well. When finished, all of you should sign the last page to indicate understanding. The signed page will be due Friday, Sept 5^th, as well.
3. Begin reading Units I & II (pp. 1-70) in your text, using the Strive for a 5 book to guide your study, if desired. Take notes in any way you feel comfortable, since you can use them on your first reading quiz on Sept. 12.
4. Decide if you would like to purchase your own copy of Strive for a 5 (i.e., one that you could write in) for $30. I will place one order at the end of textbook pick-up (August 15), and one during the first week of school.
5. Begin storing course materials in your 3-ring binder. Bring this to class with you on Sept. 2, and every day thereafter!

This is going to be an exciting year, and I can't wait to start! Looking forward to seeing you again when classes begin!

Textbook Pick-Up is Just Around the Corner!

I'm looking forward to meeting a great crop of AP Psych students at Textbook Pick-Up next week! During the times listed below, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Meet your AP Psych teacher!
• Get your textbook, syllabus, and first assignment! This will help you ease into the reading and work after (hopefully) a relaxing summer. 
• Optional: Order and pay for your own copy of the Strive for a Five textbook companion study guide (if desired). Make $30 check payable to Chippewa Falls Senior High School.
• Ask questions, see your classroom, and get started learning about psychology!

Stop by my classroom (rm 136) during any of the times listed below:

Monday, August 11th - 9 AM - 5 PM 

Tuesday, August 12th - 9 AM - 5 PM

Wednesday, August 13th - 9 AM - 5 PM

Thursday, August 14th - 3 PM* - 8 PM

*Please note the slight change in availability on Thursday the 14th. When I emailed students & parents back in May, I had indicated a 12 PM start time. However, since then I've had a meeting scheduled that will take from 8 AM - 3 PM...so I'll be back in my room a bit later than originally planned. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to email me: wellevk@chipfalls.org. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Back to School Shopping for AP Psych

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Greetings, AP Psych Students and Parents!

I hope this message finds you enjoying a pleasant Wisconsin summer. However, according to virtually every retail establishment I’ve visited during the past two weeks, it’s time for back-to-school shopping. Whether that thought excites you or makes you cringe, I figured I’d give you the heads up about what you’ll need for AP Psych. That way, we can streamline your shopping trip (whenever it happens).

Required:

• Be sure to pick up a 3-ring binder for use throughout the year in AP Psych. You’ll need this to keep your notes and handouts organized by topic area. Look for one 1.5 to 2.5 inches in width (3 in is usually too unwieldy to carry in a backpack daily). Note: I do have a number of free binders generously donated by the parent of a former student (her workplace was discarding them). I’ll have them available at textbook pick-up on a first-come, first-served basis. If you want to save some cash, you are welcome to take one at no cost!
• You’ll also want paper for note-taking (loose-leaf or notebook, your choice). Student preference is the key here: some folks like to use loose-leaf paper so they can insert notes into the binder by topic area, others like keeping their notes all in one notebook (post-it tabs to mark chapters/units can be helpful if going that route). If you like notebooks, be aware that many students fill up their notebooks by spring in AP Psych, so having more than one on hand will help. Also, some students prefer to keep their book notes and class notes separate (not a bad idea), so you’ll want to think about your “system” when shopping.
• Pens and pencils are going to be necessary. Perhaps this is obvious, but I thought I’d be thorough.

Optional:

Some students like to purchase these items to assist with their studying and test preparation throughout the year (and prior to the AP Psych Exam). However, they are not required. (Tip: Parents sometimes purchase these as very practical gifts at birthdays and holidays, so you may want to hang on to this for future reference).

• (New this year) Strive for a 5 Study Guide (cost $30; accompanies the new textbook). This workbook helps students process what they read in the text and practice skills in preparation for unit tests and the AP Psych Exam. I’m very excited about this, because I think it’s a great resource for students! The district provides each student with a copy; HOWEVER (and this is a big drawback, I think), because the district’s copies will be reused from year-to-year, students cannot write in them. That is a bummer, because they are set up like workbooks and would be much easier to use if students could write in them. Because I think that students might be interested in purchasing their own copies (to be able to write in them), I’m happy to organize an order for those who wish to do so. Students will be getting the copies provided by the district at textbook pick-up in mid-August, so you are free to take a look at the item and decide if you’d like to buy your own instead. If you know you would like to order your own, payments will be accepted at that time (then I can hopefully get the order submitted in time for them to arrive for the start of the school year). Depending on interest, I may place a second order in September (if students would like to wait and see how the first unit goes before buying). Unfortunately, the publisher does not have a direct retail website, so all ordering will have to be organized through the school.

• Additional test-prep book(s). There are a lot of these on the market (and you can find them online or at large book stores in the test-prep section), and are not many differences from one brand to another. Cost is usually $17-20. Some students like using them (especially the practice tests usually found in them) as the AP Exam approaches in the spring, but this is completely a matter of personal preference. If purchasing one of these, be sure to look for the 2014-2015 version, since our curriculum changes slightly this year (and 2013-2014 versions will not be up to date). I’ve got examples of these for viewing (or classroom use), so feel free to take a look at them when you come in for textbook pick-up if you want to see what they are like.

Barron's is just one of the test-prep books available. Princeton Review and 5 Steps to a 5 are also popular.

• Flash card sets. Like the test-prep books, it’s easy to find these online or at large book stores, and some students appreciate not having to print/make 1000+ flashcards on their own. (Note, however, that online flashcards are linked up to the class website for free;  this would be for folks who like having physical versions on hand for study.) However, if you wait until March or April to buy them, you may have trouble, since they tend to be in high demand as the AP Exam approaches (when, suddenly, 260,000 AP Psych students decide to simultaneously purchase them). Like the test-prep books, I’ve got sample sets for classroom use, so you can peruse them before deciding if it’s worth buying your own.

If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email (wellevk@chipfalls.org) or ask when you come in to pick-up your textbook in August. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and happy shopping!

Summer in AP Psych Land

This summer I've been pretty busy getting ready and renewed for what I hope will be a banner year for AP Psych in 2014-15. Just thought I'd give you a brief summary of all that has been happening to prepare for your arrival in rm 136.

AP Exam Reading

In early June, I joined 400+ AP Psychology teachers and Psych Professors from across the country at the AP Exam Reading in Kansas City, MO. This is my third year of participating in the Reading, and it was great to connect with my colleagues from across the country, see old friends, make new ones, and (of course), score endless stacks of FRQs from the 2014 exam.

I was assigned to Question 1, which was a research methods question, and was happy to be scoring lots and lots of bar graphs much of the week. In all, over a quarter million exams were read by the crew that week. 

With the recently retired (from teaching) Charlie Blair-Broeker at the AP Reading. 

Steve Jones and I take a serious selfie during lunch at the Kansas City Convention Center.

Brad Wray, Mike Ray, and I can't figure out why there are no cars in downtown Kansas City on Sunday afternoon. Or at least cheering crowds to celebrate the end of the AP Psych Reading.

Then, after the end of the school year, I did attempt to become a hermit for about 2 weeks. I got caught up on sleep and was able to clean my house for once. How nice, right?

Chi-Hi AP Psych Exam Results

In early July, scores for our AP Psych students at Chi-Hi became available, and we had a lot to celebrate! The 2014 crop of AP Psych students was our largest group of test takers yet: 95 students took the AP Psych Exam! And, they did quite well. 

As a group, we can boast a 86% percent pass rate (which was substantially higher than the national pass rate of 65%), and 33 of our 95 test takers earned 5's (the highest possible score). This is impressive, given how much instructional time we lost due to snow days over the 2014-15 school year. 

AP Annual Conference

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the AP Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA. It was an invigorating conference, as I picked up a lot of great ideas for use in my own classroom and for growing and supporting AP programs in general. 

As a side bonus, during non-conference hours I tried to squeeze in as many Philadelphia tourist activities as possible, including a run up "Rocky's" steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the early morning hours. 

I've got the Eye of the Tiger...

Now that mid-July is upon us, however, it's time to get focused again. I'll be at school more days than not over the next few weeks updating my plans for the year and getting things ready for textbook pick-up in mid-August. If you visit the blog during that time, you'll notice many pages and features are "under construction" as I make adjustments and updates for the 2014-15 school year.  

I'm looking forward to the planning and preparation, since it means I'll be seeing AP Psych students again soon.

The Year in Review

Since I'm heading out for the AP Exam Reading on Sunday, this week marks my last days with the Class of 2014. Despite a TON of challenges (me returning partway into the school year after my internship, more snow days than anyone ever wanted, and the hassle of being "in-between" versions of the DSM), this group stuck with it. And they did it with patience and a sense of humor.

Below, a compilation of some of our best moments from the past year.


AP Psych 2013-14 from Virginia Welle on Vimeo.

Implicit Attitudes: Immaculate Perception?

TED Talk by Jerry Kang:



Curious to see how you would do on the Implicit Association Test? Try out one of the versions of the IAT here.