AP Seminar Boot Camp
Chagrin Falls High School students enrolled in AP Seminar for the upcoming school year were able to attend a free three-day boot camp June 13, 15 and 17 to prepare for the year. The camp was designed to help alleviate pressure that both instructors and students face during the school year.
The AP Seminar class is structured so the students have the first 18 weeks to learn the material and the last 18 weeks to work on their College Board performance tasks without their teacher’s assistance.
“Students can feel a lot of pressure, especially those coming from ninth grade,” said AP Seminar instructor Dr. Shannon Beach. “This boot camp teaches the students the basic skills they will need to succeed during the year.”
Day one taught the students AP Seminar argument terms, how to annotate, what is SOAPSTone the RAVEN and how and why they are used. Day two taught students how to argue effectively, how to use research databases and how to cite correctly; and day three taught students how to write effective arguments and helped students begin their mini-research paper, which is due the first day of school.
“These three days have been amazing,” said Beach. “We haven’t quite conquered the world, but we sure did try. I have felt the anxiety lifted from the students just by being here.”
The camp was not required, however, most of the students enrolled in AP Seminar participated in the boot camp.
The AP Seminar Boot Camp program was supported by Becky Quinn, director of curriculum and instruction, as well as central office.