Winston Churchill High School

Courtney Mayer Winston Churchill High School San Antonio, Texas [email protected]

AP Environmental Science – Review of 2007 Exam

Trends in Recent AP Environmental Exams (Data is from College Board’s AP Instructional Planning Reports for 2005, 2006, & 2007)

Overall Grade Distributions

AP 1 2 3 4 5 No Possibly Qualified Well Grade Recommen- Extremely dation Qualified Qualified Well Qualified 2005 Global 30.8% 17.9% 18.9% 23.3% 9.1% % Studen2006 Globalts 32.4% 17.5% 19.2% 21.8% 9.0% % Studen2007 Globalts 31.2% 17.6% 17.9% 22.9% 10.4% % Studen ts

Courtney Mayer Winston Churchill High School San Antonio, Texas [email protected]

Trends in Recent AP Environmental Science Exams (Data is from College Board’s AP Instructional Planning Reports for 2007)

Multiple Choice - # Questions Per Content Area (all figures rounded to the nearest 1/10th)

Content Area w/ (% 2007 # Questions According to Course ne) I. Earth Systems and 13 Resources (10-15%) (% of Total) II. The Living World (10- 11 15%)

III. Population (10-15%) 14

IV. Land and Water Use 13 (15 – 20%)

V. Energy Resources and 14 Consumption (10-15%) VI. Pollution 25 (25-30%)

VII. Global Change 10 (10 – 15%)

SECTION SUMMARY 100 (100%)

Courtney Mayer Winston Churchill High School San Antonio, Texas [email protected] AP Environmental Science – Review of 2007 Exam

Trends in Recent AP Environmental Science Exams

(Data is from College Board’s AP Instructional Planning Reports for 2007)

Performance on Multiple Choice (all figures rounded to the nearest 1/10th)

Content Area w/ (% Global Mean Correct / According to Course # Questions Outline) (% Correct)

I. Earth Systems and Resources 5.9/13 (10-15%) (45% correct)

II. The Living World 5.3/11 (10-15%) 48% correct

III. Population (10- 15%) 6.7/14 48% correct

IV. Land and Water Use 6.3/13 (15 – 20%) (48% correct)

V. Energy Resources and Consumption 5.5/14 (10-15%) (39% correct)

VI. Pollution 9.7/25 (25-30%) (39% correct)

VII. Global Change (10 – 15%) 3.4/10 (34% correct)

SECTION 100 Courtney Mayer SUMMARY (100%)Winston Churchill High School San Antonio, Texas [email protected]

Trends in Recent AP Environmental Science Exams (Data is from College Board’s AP Instructional Planning Reports for 2005, 2006, & 2007)

2005 Performance on Free Response

Question/ Max Possible Global Mean Problem

Global Diseases 10 4.5

2006 Performance on Free Response Question/Problem Max Possible Global Mean

Meat and Grain 10 3.5 Photovoltaic 10 4.4 Energy

CoalGlobal Mining Warming and 1010 3.1 3.1 Reclamation

ANWRBrownfields and Oil 1010 3.6 5.4

Fishery Decline 10 3.9

2007 Performance on Free Response Question/ Max Possible Global Mean Problem

Sewage 10 4.9 Treatment

Hot Water 10 5.8 Energy Conservation

Thinning Ozone 10 3.1

Urban Heat 10 3.9 Islands

Consider factors that influence performance (Source: 2006 AP Instructional Planning Report)

 Intentional departures in local course content from AP Course Description o Ex. Emphasis on topics outside of course description, spending more instructional time in certain areas at the expense of others

 Instructional methods o Ex. Different teaching styles, teacher-centered v. learner-centered instruction

 Relative preparation o Ex. Students who practice free response writing outperform those who do not

 Group represents population of students with different characteristics than global population o Ex. Educational background, level of skills, achievement