This session: AP Physics 2 with Jim Vander Weide is offered IN PERSON at Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia during Event 3: June 23-26, 2025.

Meet the College Board Consultant for AP Physics 2

 

 Jim Vander Weide is a Physics teacher at Hudsonville High School in Hudsonville, MI and has been teaching for over 25  years.  He has served as an AP Reader (AP Physics test grader) from 2004-2017, was a Table Leader (in charge of a group  of readers) from 2009-2014, and a Question Leader (in charge of several Table Leaders and their teams) from 2015-2017  and for the 2020 online reading.  In addition, Jim was a member of the AP Physics C Test Development Committee from  2011-2014 and is currently writing questions for the 2026 AP Physics C: Mechanics exams.  He has participated in  reviewing modules for the College Board, writing labs for the current lab manual that is available through the College  Board, and recorded some of the AP Daily videos available in AP Classroom.  In addition, he has worked with the College  Board articulating the AP Physics C curriculum and was a member of the Instructional Design Team for Physics 1, which  helped develop the Physics 1 Workbook that was released in 2019. Jim was also involved with NMSI (National Math and
Science Initiative) where he ran student study sessions, teacher training sessions, and reviewed materials for the NMSI  workshops. He also helped develop a 3-week course for the NYC Summer Enrichment Program through NMSI. From  2020 to 2022 Jim was involved with developing physics lessons for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality offered  through the company Holopundits, Inc. Jim earned his Master’s in Physics Education in 2002 with an emphasis in Physics  Education Research (PER) and since then has been working to improve his inquiry-based teaching style.

Whether you are a new or an experienced AP physics teacher, this workshop will provide an opportunity for you to become familiar with the College Board’s algebra/trigonometry-based AP Physics 2 course. You will have the opportunity to meet and share ideas with colleagues who are teaching or planning to teach the course.

Topics may include:

  • 1) an introduction to the Physics 2 course description,
  • 2) a close-look at the recent years’ Physics 2 exam questions,
  • 3) instructional
  • strategies for selected topics,
  • 4) preparing your own syllabus for the course audit, and
  • 5) ideas of
  • labs and other projects.

Throughout the week, sample exam questions and released practice exam questions will be used to help you gain the knowledge and understanding of the new curriculum and its instructional requirements. You will be expected to take active roles in the workshop including familiarizing yourself with the course framework, answering sample exam questions, sharing teaching strategies, designing labs, and developing your own syllabi for the audit as well as for your students.