Pearson’s
The Cultural Landscape: An
Introduction to Human
Geography (AP Edition)
By: James M. Rubenstein
High School Social Science Department’s
textbook recommendation
Teacher Perspective
 Emphasizes relevance of
geographic concepts to
human problems
Why this
textbook?
 Provides access to images
and case studies of areas that
most of our students have
never encountered
 “Mastering Geography”
allows for maximizing
classroom time with
customizable online tools
such as “MapMaster”
Interactive Map activities,
Encounter Human Geography
Google Earth Explorations,
and Data analysis activities.
Student Perspective
 Students will have
access to online review
programs for test
preparation
 Online access to
MapMaster, glossary
flashcards, “In the
News” RSS feeds as well
as the eText version of
the book
 “MasteringGeography”
also includes self-paced
tutorials that provide
individualized coaching
for students
AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
TEXTBOOK PROPOSAL
REVIEW PROCESS
 Four different College-Board approved textbooks
 Four teachers who have also been planning the course curriculum and
materials to submit to College Board
 Comparison of organizational features, content, equity, quality of
assessments, and technology integration
 Most important question: which text will best prepare our students for
this AP exam and engage them in the process?
 Decision: McGraw-Hill’s The Art of Voice: Language and Composition
WHY MCGRAW-HILL?
Text Organization
 Part One: Close Reading and Writing Skills
 Part Two: Issues Across the Disciplines
WHY MCGRAW-HILL?
 The Writing Handbook
 Advanced language that students need to understand and
apply on the AP exam
 Examples: claims, reasoning, rhetoric, argumentation,
evidence, etc.
 Strategies for writing effectively and excerpts to showcase
how authors use those strategies (model texts)
WHY MCGRAW-HILL?
 Issues Across the Disciplines
 Classic and modern essays and articles
 Includes a section called “AP Favorites,” pieces selected from a survey of several
hundred AP teachers across the nation on which pieces best represented this
AP program
 Variety of authors who represent the diversity of today’s world
 Engaging and relevant topics such as family life, gender roles, culture and
civilization, civil rights, politics, etc.
 These topics represent repertoires of knowledge needed on the AP exam.
WHY MCGRAW-HILL? OTHER BENEFITS
 Encourages students to practice 21st century literacy skills
 Example: Analyzing Graphic Novels Through Cultural
Perspective
Find three graphic novels online from three different artists
in the world. How do the drawings differ by country?
Describe the visual rhetoric used in each style and argue
that cultural bias determines artistic appreciation.
WHY MCGRAW-HILL? OTHER BENEFITS
 Chapter activities promote an ongoing conversation among
students, popular culture, and texts
 Example: Describe an incident in your life when the
unexpected taught you an important lesson.
 Example: Find audio examples of two speakers who, in
your mind, “argue fairly.” Summarize their “facts” and how
they used rhetoric to persuade the audience.
THE AP ADVANTAGE BUNDLE (DIGITAL RESOURCES)
 Connect: a Learning Management system
 Provides teacher and student resources, including pre-made
assignments that match requirements of the AP exam and ways to
monitor student progress.
 Provides ways for students to identify areas of weakness and conduct
more practice focused on those areas
 SCOREboard: 4 complete, timed AP practice exams in the same
style students will see on their AP Exam in May
 Provides an additional way to personalize students’ learning and track their
progress throughout the course
WE ARE REQUESTING…
McGraw-Hill’s The Art of Voice: Language and Composition
 170 digital student editions with the
AP Advantage Bundle
 15 hard copies
AP Computer Science
Textbook Proposal – 2016
Why Adopt a Textbook?
• New course, no textbook in place
• AP Computer Science Curriculum has recently been audited and a text series
is necessary to meet the newest curricular needs
•
New set of Labs will be in place of GridWorld Lab (old AP curriculum)
Textbook Review/Selection
• Very Few AP Computer Science Textbooks available
•
Most still in line with old curriculum
• Compared 2 texts based on organizational features, content,
examples, problem sets and other features
• Textbooks we similarly organized
• Java Methods by Litvin provided the best resources to supplement
book
Java Methods by Skylight
• Provides Teacher and Student Presentations
• Included additional Sample Projects and Labs
• Extra Exercises at the AP rigor
• Aligned to new AP Computer Science Labs
•
Elevens, MagPie and Picture Labs
• Online Students Textbooks available
• Assessments aligned to AP exam rigor
Geometry
Textbook Proposal – 2016
Why adopt a new textbook?
• Current Text copyright date is 2000
• No online resources or features associated with current text
• Current textbook is not ideal for learners of all levels
•
•
Very little color, minimal diagrams
Proof based
• Minimal use for 1:world initiative
Review Process
• Reviewed 3 Geometry Textbooks
•
Reviewed by Kyle McAllister and Kevin Stein
• Compared organizational features, content, examples, problem sets, and
technology features
• A pilot process is currently under way in Level 2 and Collaborative Geometry
Classes
Big Idea’s Geometry
•
•
All textbooks provided similar organization and content
BIM Geometry provided the best mix of hands on activities
•
•
(3 per section) and practice problems
Practice problem had a great range in difficulty and delivery
•
•
writing prompts
error analysis and coordinate relationships
Additional Benefits
• Online Resource Library for teachers and students for 1:world initiative
• Dynamic Student e-Textbook
• Interactive teacher presentation tools
• Mobile apps for students to use on devices
•
Videos, HW Solutions, etc
• Online HW and practice problems with instant feedback for students