This session, AP Psychology – New Teachers with Nancy Fenton is offered ONLINE during Event 1: June 17-20, 2025.  

AP Psychology – New Teachers with Nancy Fenton is also offered in ONLINE Event 2: June 23-26, 2025.  Choose the session that works best for you.

Meet your APSI Consultant for AP Psychology

 

Nancy Fenton, MA, teaches AP Psychology at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, and online for the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University. She has taught AP® Psychology since 2006 and has been a reader for the AP® Psychology exam since 2008, a table leader since 2017, and a College Board consultant since 2014. In 2020, she was one of two teachers who provided daily live YouTube AP® Psychology review sessions on the AP® YouTube Channel of the College Board. She has recently recorded AP Daily videos for the redesigned curriculum and worked on questions for AP Classroom. She earned her BA in History and Secondary Education at Northeastern Illinois University, an MA in Psychology at National Louis University, and a second MA in curriculum and instruction with a technology focus, also from National Louis University. Ms. Fenton was awarded the 2013 American Psychological Association (APA) Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) Excellence in Teaching Award for dynamic teaching and commitment to the advancement of psychology and has presented at regional conferences for AP Psychology teachers. She has previously served as a member of the TOPSS board. She has worked on numerous APA initiatives, including the National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula’s performance indicators and several TOPSS Psychology Unit Lesson Plans. Nancy Fenton is the co-author of two editions of the review book AP® Psychology All Access with Jessica Flitter. She has served on the high school educator advisory board for multiple editions of the Myers-Dewall AP Psychology textbook. She has worked on several other AP® psychology textbooks and test banks, including creating instructor resources and daily lesson plans for Psychology in Your Life 4 th Edition (Gazzaniga/Grison).

She is co-author of the new AP Psychology Crash Course book being created for the course redesign that will be available in 2023. She writes for the blog Books for Psychology Class with co-bloggers Jessica Flitter and Laura Brandt. She is the co-author of the iScore5™ Psych app created for AP® Psychology students to prepare for the exam. Nancy Fenton also teaches AP® United States Government and Politics and co-author the Crash Course AP® United States Government and Politics review book.

About the 2024 AP® Psychology Summer Institute

AP Psychology Redesign
The redesign for AP Psychology is here and takes effect for the 2024-2025 school year. The College Board
revisions for the 2024-25 school year align with the 2022 American Psychological Association (APA)
recommendations for teaching undergraduate psychology. At this APSI, we will thoroughly cover the course
and exam revisions that reflect the evolving landscape of introductory psychology.

  • At the APSI, you will receive resources for your course and information on effectively utilizing the materials on AP Classroom, which will be live this summer. You will be ahead of the curve!
  • Understanding the course
  • Planning the course
  • Teaching the course with an emphasis on new content areas, including activities and formative
  • assessments
  • Assessing student progress and understanding
  • A deep dive into research and statistics foundation (unit 0).
  • New FRQs: Specific resources and strategies for the Article Analysis Question (AAQ) and
  • Evidenced Based Question (EBQ)
  • Multiple choice strategies for all Science Practices 1-3
  • Special emphasis on new content, including activities and formative assessments.
  • Effectively using AP Classroom.

Join us in embracing these exciting changes and enhancing the AP Psychology experience for you and your students!

Workshop Details [For a print copy, click HERE]

This four-day workshop is designed for both new and experienced AP Psychology instructors. It will include course content, planning, and a wide variety of teacher resources that can be used in various educational settings (e.g., traditional, block, online, blended, and flipped). The workshop will highlight the broad themes linking the distinct units to a strong understanding of the discipline. Particular attention will be devoted to effective teaching strategies for supporting the content and building success on the AP exam, including the multiple-choice and the written (free response) portions. Participants will develop a strong understanding of how the free-response questions are graded and learn specific practical techniques to effectively prepare students for this portion of the exam. For each course unit, new materials will be provided, including demonstrations, hands-on activities, labs, review materials, critical thinking exercises, formative assessments, summative assessments, and strategies for difficult topics. Projects and activities that build content and the development of scientific attitudes and skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and literacy, will also be examined. This interactive conference will allow teachers to share ideas, activities, questions, and best practices. The virtual APSI will include both synchronous and asynchronous learning each day.

The virtual APSI will include both synchronous and asynchronous learning each day.
Course Objectives
• The fundamental goal is to provide an overview of a college-level introductory course in psychology, emphasizing demonstrations, labs, activities, instructional methods, and assessments (formative and summative) that enhance student learning and engagement.

  1. Participants will understand the College Board’s mission statement and how it affects the development of an AP Psychology Course, including an emphasis on equity.
  2. Participants will understand and develop best practices related to the online College Board resources, including AP Classroom, Exam results evaluation, and AP Community.
  3. Participants will devise or improve a curriculum that includes the nine units outlined in the AP Psychology Course and Exam Description that covers the scope and sequence in the most effective for their course and school calendar.
  4. Participants will develop an integrated understanding of the broad themes that link the distinct units to help students build a strong knowledge of the discipline.
  5. Participants will leave prepared with new demonstrations, activities, assessments, active learning strategies, tips, resources, and effective instructional techniques.
  6. Participants will have effective strategies for the separate components of the AP Psychology exam, including both the multiple-choice and essay (free response) portions. Participants will develop a strong understanding of how the free-response questions are graded and learn specific practical techniques to effectively prepare students for this portion of the exam.
  7. Participants will be provided additional resources (e.g., review materials, websites, blogs, and discussion groups) to keep up to date with changes in the field and the redesign.
    The institute participants will leave excited about the prospect of teaching AP Psychology, knowledgeable about the discipline and its subfields, and armed with specific ideas and practical information for lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and other activities.

Tentative Agenda
Below is a brief overview of the agenda.  Please note that this is not a detailed agenda; only a few specific activities, assignments, assessments, projects, and demonstrations are listed. The schedule does not contain all the specific areas within each content unit. The institute will include effective teaching strategies for content and skills related to the course. Each day will also focus on a set of “tools” for the effective teaching of AP Psychology.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Daily Sessions

Day One Synchronous

  • Tools for teaching AP Psychology:
    • Strategies and Pedagogical Tools: Identify and explain various instructional strategies and tools, in addition to AP Classroom, that teachers can incorporate in their lesson plans to teach the content and skills in the CED:
    • Textbook Selection
    • Pacing guide
    • Supplemental Resources and Technology
  • Tools for teaching vocabulary
  • Introduction and Overview of AP Psychology
    • AP Psychology Course and Exam Description (CED): Discuss each section of the CED and make connections to the Curricular Requirements
    • Course Scope, Sequence, and Calendar Creation: Outline the instructional plan by Unit and Topic in an academic calendar AP Audit and Course Syllabus, including an equity and access discussion
    • Opening Activities

Unit 1 Overview: Activities, Assignments, Assessments (formative/summative), Projects, Demonstrations

  • Unit 1 – Deep Dive

Day 1 Asynchronous Options: Please select from the following options and additional options provided at the end of the session. Select the options that are the most helpful for YOUR classroom.

  • Option 1: Complete the Audit Syllabus (New Teachers only)
  • Option 2: Create a Personalized Pacing Calendar for the Year (Blank Calendar and Sample Unit Plans are provided in the Google Drive)
  • Option 3: Explore the CED Choice Board — see the document in the Google Drive
  • Option 4: Explore the Fenton Google Drive Unit Materials — see Google Drive

Day One “Homework” – This can be completed during the asynchronous time. Review of practice exam questions.

Day Two Synchronous:

  • Tools for assessment (formative and summative)
    • Instructional Strategies
    • AP Classroom Resources: Discuss examples of how AP Classroom can be utilized to develop each skill/practice using example student data provided by the College Board and develop lesson plans that reinforce topic and skill connections
  • Tools for teaching AP Psychology
    • Strategies and Pedagogical Tools:  Identify and explain various instructional strategies and tools, in addition to AP Classroom, that teachers can incorporate in their lesson plans to teach the content and skills in the CED
  • Units 2 and 3 Overview: Activities, Assignments, Assessments (formative/summative), Projects, Demonstrations

Day Two Asynchronous Options: Please select from the following options and additional options provided at the end of the session. Select the option(s) that are the most helpful for YOUR classroom.

  • Option 1: Complete the Audit Syllabus (New Teachers only)
  • Option 2: Create a Personalized Pacing Calendar for the Year (Blank Calendar and Sample Unit Plans are provided in the Google Drive)
  • Option 3: Explore the CED Choice Board — see the document in the Google Drive
  • Option 4: Explore the Fenton Google Drive Unit Materials — see Google Drive
  • Option 5: AP Classroom/Assessment Choice Board – document in Google Drive
  • Option 6: Explore the Blended Learning Ideas Choice Board — document in Google Drive

Day two “Homework” This can be completed during asynchronous time:

  • Review of practice exam questions.

Day Three Synchronous

  • Tools for teaching AP Psychology
    • Strategies and Pedagogical Tools: Identify and explain various instructional strategies and tools, in addition to AP Classroom, that teachers can incorporate in their lesson plans to teach the content and skills in the CED
  • Tools for assessment (formative and summative)
    • Instructional Strategies
    • AP Classroom Resources: Discuss examples of how AP Classroom can be utilized to develop each skill or practice using example student data provided by the College Board and develop lesson plans that reinforce topic and skill connections
  • Units 3, 4, and 5 Overview: Activities, Assignments, Assessments (formative/summative), Projects, Demonstrations

Day Three Asynchronous Options: Please select from the following options and additional options provided at the end of the session. Select the options that are the most helpful for YOUR classroom.

  • Option 1: Complete the Audit Syllabus (New Teachers only)
  • Option 2: Create a Personalized Pacing Calendar for the Year (Blank Calendar and Sample Unit Plans are provided in the Google Drive)
  • Option 3: Explore the CED Choice Board — see the document in the Google Drive
  • Option 4: Explore the Fenton Google Drive Unit Materials — see Google Drive
  • Option 5: AP Classroom/Assessment Choice Board – document in Google Drive
  • Option 6: Explore the Blended Learning Ideas Choice Board — document in Google Drive

Day Three “Homework” — This can be completed during the asynchronous time: Review of practice exam questions.

Day Four Synchronous

  • Tools for teaching AP Psychology
    • Strategies and Pedagogical Tools: Identify and explain various instructional strategies and tools, in addition to AP Classroom, that teachers can incorporate in their lesson plans to teach the content and skills in the CED
  • Tools for assessment (formative and summative)
    • Instructional Strategies
    • AP Classroom Resources: Discuss examples of how AP Classroom can be utilized to develop each skill/practice using example student data provided by the College Board and develop lesson plans that reinforce topic and skill connections
    • Assess and Reflect: Practice interpreting data within the Instructional Planning Report to identify student strengths and weaknesses and reflect on implications for instruction
  • Units 6 and 7 Overview: Activities, Assignments, Assessments (formative/summative), Projects, Demonstrations

Day Four Asynchronous Options : Please select from the following options and additional options provided at the end of the session. Select the options that are the most helpful for YOUR classroom.

  • Option 1: Complete the Audit Syllabus (New Teachers only)
  • Option 2: Create a Personalized Pacing Calendar for the Year (Blank Calendar and Sample Unit Plans are provided in the Google Drive)
  • Option 3: Explore the CED Choice Board — see the document in the Google Drive
  • Option 4: Explore the Fenton Google Drive Unit Materials — see Google Drive
  • Option 5: AP Classroom/Assessment Choice Board – document in Google Drive
  • Option 6: Explore the Blended Learning Ideas Choice Board — document in Google Drive

Day Four “Homework” — This can be completed during the asynchronous time.

  • Review of practice exam questions.

Unit Overviews

  • Activities, Assignments, Assessments (formative/summative), Projects, Demonstrations
  • AP Psychology Exam
    • Review materials
    • Exam expectations
    • Multiple choice strategies for all Science Practices 1-3
    • FRQ Strategies for the Article Analysis Question (AAQ) and Evidenced Based Question (EBQ);
    • Techniques for giving detailed and specific feedback on both types of FRQs.
  • Post-AP AP Exam activities
  • Psychology beyond the classroom
  • Electronic Resources

What to bring for a Virtual APSI:

  • A copy of your school’s academic calendar
  • If possible, please provide a copy of the textbook you will be using and any supplemental materials.
  • If possible, please consider bringing a favorite lesson, review, assessment, or demonstration you found useful in the classroom, even if the idea was created for a different subject you are willing to share. The exchange of ideas is key to continued growth in the field.