Lesson Flow: Modern Classroom
AP® Statistics
In the Modern Classrooms approach, students proceed at their own pace, watching lesson videos, working on practice problems, and then completing mastery check assignments in class. Once they’ve mastered a topic, they move on. All the while, the teacher is completely freed up to monitor their work, check in, provide feedback, and pull small groups that may need additional support. Plus, absent students can simply pick up where they last left off.
Skew The Script’s founder piloted the Modern Classrooms approach in his AP® Statistics class and loved it. Now, he can’t imagine teaching the course any other way. The guide below shows how to use our materials in a Modern Classroom.
Lesson Timing & Components
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Although lessons are self-paced in a Modern Classroom, we recommend providing students with a minimum pacing. This way, everyone is ready to engage in the next lesson’s Discussion Question by a certain date. Plus, it ensures that everyone is ready in time for unit assessments and, ultimately, the AP Exam.
For 45-minute classes, the recommended minimum pacing is two days per lesson.
Day 1: Introduce & Discuss (45 min)
Opening (Whole Class, 5 min): Announcements, student shoutouts, and/or providing an enticing “teaser” of the Key Question tackled by the lesson video.
Video & Guided Notes (Self-Paced, 30 min): Students watch the lesson video and take guided notes in the handout. Students also write their initial response to the lesson Discussion Question (posed at the end of the video).
Discussion Question (Whole Class, 10 min): Students discuss their responses in table groups. Then, students discuss full group, with the teacher facilitating.
Day 2: Practice & Check Mastery (45 min)
Opening (Whole Class, 5 min): Announcements, student shoutouts, and/or addressing lingering questions from prior lesson(s).
Practice (Self-Paced, 30 min): Students work independently or in groups to finish the practice problems in the handout, developing fluency before the mastery check.
Mastery Check (Self-Paced, 10 min): Students work independently to complete the mastery check problem and assess their understanding of the lesson. Teachers grade and provide individual feedback on mastery checks.
-
Although lessons are self-paced in a Modern Classroom, we recommend providing students with a minimum pacing. This way, everyone is ready to engage in the next lesson’s Discussion Question by a certain date. Plus, it ensures that everyone is ready in time for unit assessments and, ultimately, the AP Exam.
For 90-minute classes, the recommended minimum pacing is one day per lesson.
Opening (Whole Class, 5 min): Announcements, student shoutouts, and providing an enticing “teaser” of the Key Question tackled by the lesson video.
Video & Guided Notes (Self-Paced, 30 min): Students watch the lesson video and take guided notes in the handout. Students also write their initial response to the lesson Discussion Question (posed at the end of the video).
Discussion Question (Whole Class, 10 min): Students discuss their responses in table groups. Then, students discuss full group, with the teacher facilitating.
Practice (Self-Paced, 35 min): Students work independently or in groups to finish the practice problems in the handout, developing fluency before the mastery check.
Mastery Check (Self-Paced, 10 min): Students work independently to complete the mastery check problem and assess their understanding of the lesson. Teachers grade and provide individual feedback on mastery checks.
Using the Materials
We are using the first lesson in the curriculum (Lesson 1.A.1) as a model.
Video
Using the Video
Video: Students independently watch the video, which covers the Guided Notes portion of the handout. Students take notes in the handout and provide their initial response to the lesson Discussion Question, which is posed at the end of the handout.
Tips: Consider using EdPuzzle, which allows teachers to embed questions into YouTube videos and monitor student video completion. In addition, we recommend making your own version of the video by using the lesson slide deck. Speaker notes are included for each slide in the slide deck.
Using the Student Items
Handout: Students use the printed handout to take guided notes, as they watch the lesson video. In class, students complete the Discussion Question and Practice problems in the handout, with their classmates.
Mastery Check: Students answer the mastery check problem to assess their understanding of the lesson. Mastery checks are graded individually by the teacher. Multiple versions are provided for absent students, to prevent copying, and to allow students multiple at-bats.
Using the Teacher Items
Handout Key: Teachers can find model responses and instructor notes for the Guided Notes, Discussion Question, and Practice problems in the lesson handout key.
Mastery Check Key: Teachers can find model responses and grading rubrics for the mastery checks in the mastery check keys.
Slide Deck: Teachers can use the slide deck to provider enticing “teasers” of each video’s Key Question, to frame the Discussion Question, and to review challenging portions of the lesson video in class. Teachers can also use the slides to make their own version of the lesson video. Each slide comes with speaker notes that match the video.