AP Physics C: Mechanics – Connie Wells

This session: AP Physics C: Mechanics and Composition with Connie Wells is offered IN PERSON at Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia during une 23-26, 2025.

Meet your College Board-endorsed Consultant for AP Physics C: Mechanics, Connie Wells

Connie Wells has a Master of Science Degree in Physics from The University of Kansas. After teaching Physics, AP Physics B, AP Physics C and AP Physics 2 at the high school level for over twenty-five years, Connie is now an adjunct instructor of physics at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. She has been active in test scoring and development for The College Board since 1995, serving on the AP Physics B and C Test Development Committee from 1997-2001 and as Co-chair of the AP Physics 1 and 2 Curriculum Development Committee and Co-chair of the AP Physics 2 Development Committee from its inception to 2015. 

In November 2003, Connie was a Regional Winner of the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement Teaching sponsored by The College Board and The Siemens Foundation and was awarded the Rockers Award for Greater Kansas City Area Outstanding Teacher in Science in 2008. 

As a workshop leader and College Board institute consultant, she has presented physics teacher training institutes throughout the United States and abroad—including Edmonton (AB, Canada), Hawaii, Saipan (Northern Marianas Islands), Barranquilla (Colombia), Bangkok, Skopje (Macedonia), Shanghai, Tokyo, Harbin (China), Taipei (Taiwan), Hangzhou (China), Beijing, Pudong (China) and Dubai (UAE). 

She is the author of several physics review guides produced by major publishers and of documents and focus booklets for AP Physics published by The College Board, including “Conservation Concepts” and the “Rotational Motion” Curriculum Modules, and co-author of “Electrostatics” and “The Laboratory Guide”. In August 2015, she was named Woman Physicist of the Month by the American Physical Society. She currently works on contract AP Physics projects for The College Board and presents AP Physics Workshops and Summer Institutes. 

wellsphysics@gmail.com

Overview of APSI Session for AP Physics C: Mechanics

Participants in this summer institute will have the opportunity to meet and learn from others who are developing Advanced Placement Physics C Mechanics programs in their schools. Current and aspiring AP Physics C teachers will strengthen their knowledge of the subject, become familiar with the AP Physics program for AP Physics C Mechanics and its changing scope and sequence, and develop laboratory and demonstration materials for use in their own classrooms. They will come away from the institute with many materials, including the revised Course and Exam Description for 2024-25 and the solutions to the 2026 free response exams. The College Board has developed an extensive array of training materials for AP Classroom, including materials for the new curriculum for 2024-25, so these will be discussed extensively. Time will be spent working on problem-solving techniques and discussing approaches to teaching AP Physics —including the role of vertical teaming, development of a course syllabus, and designing labs and assessments that address higher order thinking skills. Participants will be given the opportunity to work in small groups to model inquiry-based laboratory design emphasized by the AP Physics courses, selecting the lab work from a variety of options that best fit the teacher’s course needs. Everyone will develop a course syllabus—either using their proposed new audit syllabus or starting the framework of a new syllabus. In advance of the institute, please do the following: (1) Ask your school AP Coordinator or other official to authorize your permissions to your AP course for 2024-25 so you can gain access to AP Classroom. (2) Download the New Course and Exam Descriptions from AP Central for Physics C Mechanics to your computer. 

I look forward to working with you!

Connie   Contact Information:  Connie J. Wells  wellsphysics@gmail.com   913-709-1673 (cell)

Walton AP Physics C Mechanics Summer Institute  June 22-25, 2026   Tentative Daily Schedule

The 2026 Advanced Placement® Summer Institute for AP Physics C Mechanics is designed to provide teachers with an in-depth understanding of the revised AP Physics C course and exam description, as well as hands-on experience with demonstrations, laboratory activities, and effective instructional strategies. The following structured agenda outlines the tentative schedule and requirements for the institute.  —> Please note that times may be subject to change based on the final APSI schedule.

Day 1  Morning Meeting Session I (8:00–10:15 AM)

• Welcome and Introductions

• Institute Goals and Expectations

• Overview of the Revised AP Physics C Course and Exam Description

Break (10:15–10:30 AM)

Morning Meeting Session II (10:30 AM–12:00 PM)

• Detailed Review of the Course and Exam Description (CED)

• Introduction to AP Classroom:

• Basics of the platform

• Live tour demonstration

Lunch (12:00–12:45 PM)  Afternoon Meeting Session III (12:45–2:15 PM)

• Demonstrations on Key AP Physics C Topics

• Group Assignment: 2025 Free Response Questions (FRQ)

• Form groups and choose a problem number

• Create a poster outlining:

• Problem solution steps

• Distribution of points 

• Correlation to learning objectives (LOs)

• Teaching strategies

• Related demonstrations or labs used to teach these concepts

Break (2:15–2:30 PM)  Afternoon Meeting Session IV (2:30–4:15 PM)

• Finalize group problem presentations

Open Forum (4:15–4:45 PM): Questions from the day

Assignments:

• Individually work through all the 2026 Free Response questions and prepare questions for discussion

• Set up the outline of your Course Plan

• Select and watch an AP Daily video of your choice

• Confirm with your school administrator that you are approved to teach the course for 2026-27(so the

• audit page will open). This must be done each year.

Day 2  Morning Meeting Session I (8:00–10:15 AM)

• AP Classroom Tour:

• Using Personal Progress Checks

• Teacher-prepared quizzes

• Topic Questions

Break (10:15–10:30 AM)  Morning Meeting Session II (10:30 AM–12:00 PM)

• Complete AP Classroom Tour

• Notes on changes in equations listed on the Equations reference since 2024, along with new topics

• added (or topics modified)

• Begin group Free Response problem presentations, as time permits

Lunch Break (12:00–12:45 PM)  Afternoon Meeting Session III (12:45–2:15 PM)

• Physics C Classroom Demonstrations

• Select laboratory experiments to complete in small groups (equipment arranged by topic and LO)

• Complete problem presentations if needed

Break (2:15–2:30 PM)  Afternoon Meeting Session IV (2:30–4:15 PM)

• Build and test PVC Rotational/Centripetal Devices

• Begin work on assigned Free Response Question presentation

Open Forum (4:15–4:45 PM): Q and A from the day

Assignments:

• Continue work on your Course Plan

• Locate and view the Physics Classroom help videos

• Review sample Free Response Questions in the new CED

Day 3   Morning Meeting Session I (8:00–10:15 AM)

• Roll Call: Present a selected instructional strategy from the CED

• Complete remaining AP Classroom training

Break (10:15–10:30 AM)   Morning Meeting Session II (10:30 AM–12:00 PM)

• Group presentations of Free Response Questions (FRQ)

• Begin small group work on assigned Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

Lunch Break (12:00–12:45 PM)   Afternoon Meeting Session III (12:45–2:15 PM)

• Continue with FRQ presentations

• Paired work on selected labs to present to the class

• Hands-on activities and demonstrations for the Physics C classroom

• Discussion on meeting laboratory design and time requirements

Break (2:15–2:30 PM)   Afternoon Meeting Session IV (2:30–4:15 PM)

• Build and test the “Foil Capacitor”

• Continue with group work on assigned Multiple Choice questions

• Laboratory design investigations

Open Forum (4:15–4:45 PM): Q and A session

Assignments:

• Continue work on the Course Plan

• Prepare a Best Practices presentation (optional)

• View assigned Physics Classroom short videos

Day 4   Morning Meeting Session I (8:00–10:15 AM)

• Best Practices presentations

• Discussion of strategies and pedagogical tools

Break (10:15–10:30 AM)   Morning Meeting Session II (10:30 AM–12:00 PM)

• Complete PowerPoint presentations and discuss labs, demos, and classroom planning tips

• Presentations and discussion of Multiple Choice questions

Lunch (12:00–12:45 PM)   Afternoon Meeting Session III (12:45–2:15 PM)

• Additional hands-on demonstrations for Physics C

• Broadening access to AP Physics C

• Group and class-wide discussion of lesson plans

Break (2:15–2:30 PM)   Afternoon Meeting Session IV (2:30–4:45 PM)

• Reflections activity

• Final Q and A session

• Drawing for prizes

• Reminders and Requirements

Reminder: Please make sure your complete contact information is filled in on the spreadsheet to receive prize entries, coupons, and to maintain group connections.

All participants are expected to complete a rough outline and timeline for the course, with at least the first two weeks completed. This Course Outline should include all topics and subtopics from the CED, a timeline, and columns to enter assignments, activities, and labs.

Consultant Contact Information:

• Email: wellsphysics@gmail.com

• Phone/Text: 913-709-1673

• Mailing Address: 2413 W. 71st St, Prairie Village, KS 66208

• Institution Contact: Rockhurst University, 1100 Rockhurst Road, Kansas City, MO