Mr. Meinzen - AP Statistics

Advice from Previous Year"s AP Stats students

• Advice from previous year's AP Stats students to future students

  • If you could start AP Statistics over again, what advice would you give yourself?

    • Try to argue back every point because EVERY POINT MATTERS!!!

    • Learn how to efficiently finish homework because it adds up quick.

    • Do not underestimate multiple choice questions and prepare extensively for them.

    • In chapter 1 and 3, make sure you know all the different terms for univariate and bivariate data sets. Ch 1 is shape, center, and spread. Ch 3 is shape, trend, strength, and variability. These terms are the foundation for the rest of the semester.

    • The quarter projects are not very hard, but finding data for them is impossible. Make sure you start looking for data at least a week before the data is due. It's literally impossible to do it in one hour on the last day.

    • Work through the quarter projects gradually instead of completing it like any other assignment a day before the due day. They take a long time and are worth lots of points.

    • Be attentive and ask questions during Mr. Meinzen's lectures. He might mention something once and then it will appear on the test later

    • Figure out how to deal with Meinzen. He can be a big obstacle to your success, but can also be a huge boon to you. You just need to figure out how to learn and understand him and his way of grading. HE IS NOT FAIR!

      • Mr. M's commentary: While "fair", "equal", and "equity" are my goals for all my students, these social/justice goals are also balanced with preparing individuals for what they have chosen to do & learn regarding the content, to do well on independent AP exams, and to earn college credit. This "balancing act" may take varous forms to help develop individual "mental/emotional toughness." An example is grading scales: AP Exams are very challenging and are scored relative to all AP students worldwide. A score of "5" (roughly analogous to an "A") may be possible with students answering only 60% correct. However, only about 20% of traditionally "smart" students achieve this 60% (most earn 40% or, possibly, less). The challenge such a course entails can impact a student's self-image and be academically and emotionally draining on students. That said, if you believe that Mr M is stressing you beyond your limits, please talk to him about your situation.

    • "Make an Equation sheet"

    • "Manage your time...you are too busy but staying after school and doing 5 Questions helped"

    • "Get a TI84 graphing calculator!"

  • Answers to: What was your favorite part of the course?

    • "Not Chapter 6"

    • "Working with other students"

    • "The lectures"

    • "2nd Semester"

  • Answers to: What was the hardest/least favorite part of the course?

    • "Mr M."

    • "Lots of writing"

    • "Chapter 6 ... probability"

    • "Multiple Choice on AP Exams!"

• Content Awareness

  1. Learn “point estimate”
  2. Inference = either “Confidence Intervals” or “Hypothesis Test”
  3. Ch 6 - Tree Diagrams (how to draw them)
  4. Chr 9 start at 2nd Sem is the foundation for the full semester...if you struggle with Ch9, go to Office Hours with Mr. M otherwise 2nd semester will be difficult.
  5. Differences between textbook tests/quizzes and AP questions...include a FRAPPY on each chapter test.
  6. Include AP MC + FR questions as homework...or in-class AP questions throughout year not just 4th quarter with cross-scoring.

• Pedagogical Improvements

  1. 4th quarter project should be earlier an minimize overlap with AP Exam prep (mock exam schedule)
  2. Ch 5 - Each student create and conduct an Experiment
  3. Create a cheat sheet before each test
  4. Assign & space out lectures/classwork more evenly

• Pedagogical "Keeps"

  1. 1/2 lecture + 1/2 classwork (to answer questions)
  2. Grading style/ is good in long-term but short-term it annoying/frustrating [quizzes being extremely “picky” on each point]
  3. Scoring each other student’s mock exam questions using rubric.

Schedules : Day-based & Week-based

• Monday - Tuesday & Thursday - Friday Day-based schedule : 54-minute class periods	Wednesday (PLC day) Day-based schedule : 44-minute class periods
  7:15 - 8:15am : Java & Honors Java Programming / AP CSP [6 minutes for announcements if in-school] 8:21 - 9:15am : Trigonometry / PreCalculus 9:21 - 10:15am : AP CSA 10:15 - 10:45am : A Lunch 10:51 - 11:45am : AP Statistics 11:51 - 12:45pm : Prep 12:51 - 1:45pm : Trigonometry / PreCalculus 1:50 - 2:40pm : Office Hours in A314	7:15 - 8:05am : Java & Honors Java Programming / AP CSP [6 minutes for announcements if in-school] 8:11 - 8:55am : Trigonometry / PreCalculus 9:01 - 9:45am : AP CSA 9:51 - 10:35am : AP Statistics 10:35 - 11:05am : Lunch 11:11 - 11:55am : Prep 12:01 - 12:45pm : Trigonometry / PreCalculus 12:45 - 2:40pm : PLC for Teachers (no office hours)

• Week-based schedule (if needed):

• Option 2: Hybrid Learning : 2-3 days per week : one (or two) in-person meetings (i.e. "A" and "B" Days) and

  1 day remote.

• Option 3 : Remote Learning : 3-5 days per week from home

Resources : Required verification by student at remote (home) site

1. Internet for submission of assignments and/or downloading of content (i.e. pdf files, online textbook, video recordings, etc.)

2. Computer : laptop or desktop running MS Windows, Apple OSX, or Linux. Chromebooks or other browser-based operating systems will NOT be sufficient.

3. Private Websites with login credentials including username and password :

   1. Schoology : https://ecusd7.schoology.com : access to scheduled assignments specific to online scoring and/or grades

   2. AP Classroom : https://myap.collegeboard.org : access to AP course (need "join-code" from teacher) and assignments specific to online scoring

4. Public Websites that contain "free" content :

   1. Teacher website : https://meinzeit.com : access to course syllabus, classroom policies, lecture notes & assignments for planning purposes.

   2. School / District website : http://www.ecusd7.org/ehs : access to school policies and general information

   3. College Board : https://apcentral.collegeboard.org : access to information specific to AP courses

   4. Other websites as needed (posted either on teacher website or Schoology) for viewing supplemental videos, lectures, examples, etc.

TextBook & Resources :

General Course Information

• This course is designed to fulfill the requirements of the College Board's Advance Placement Statistics (AP Stat) course and assessments. Included in the requirements are:
• Student access to a computer lab with statistical software package (Fathom).
• TI84 or equivelant graphing calculator with statistical capabilities.
• Preparation for the 3 hour Written Exam for the AP Statistics Assessment.

Text & Resource Requirements

• The Practice of Statistics: TI-83/89 Graphing Calculator Enhanced, 2nd ed.

  ISBN 0-7167-4773-1

  David S. Moore from Purdue University, Daren S. Starnes from the Webb Schools, Dan Yates

  W. H. Freeman, 2003

• Graphing calculator such as a TI-83 or TI-84 (any version).

• Fathom 2.13 software for statistics will be used in the classroom/computer lab. Fathom is NOT required for home use but may be helpful. http://fathom.concord.org/

• Notebook(s) to record definitions, theorems, examples, and general notes. (including pencils, 4x6 note cards)

• Notebook(s) for all written homework -

1. copy original problem,

2. copy correct solution often from back of textbook, and

3. include steps that connect the problem witht he solution (with explanation/justification as appropriate).

• Optional for Students

• Prep for the AP Exam Supplement, Larry Peterson, 0-7167-9615-5

• Optional For Instructors

• Golden Resource Binder, 0-7167-8345-2,

  Instructor's Solutions Manual, Christopher Barat, Virginia State University, 978-0-7167-8344-2,

  ASSESSMENT: Test Bank CD-ROM (Windows and Mac versions on one disc), 0-7167-8343-6, revised by Darin Starnes, Michael Fligner and William Notz. Printed: 0-7167-8342-8

  PRESENTATION: Instructors Resource CD-ROM, 0-7167-9760-7 This CD-ROM contains all the student CD material plus: be imported to the presentation list from locally saved files and the web.

Assessments : scores & grades

• 2 types of assessments will be given in this course : non-graded formative (i.e. completion or pass/fail) scores and graded summative (i.e. test) scores.

1. Formative or "completion" scores are NOT graded and are designed to help students and parents keep track of progress and "effort" by the student within the targeted week. These scores are either all-or-nothing scores and include homework assignments, completion of an online quiz, or turning in a program by the due date. Students will be provided the answers (after the due date or completion of formative assessment) to help identify any mistakes by the student for future summative assessments (i.e. tests). While formative scores may be used for Pass/Fail (i.e. up to a "D" grade) of a course, they are explicitely not useful for determining a student's level of understanding of course content or mastery (i.e. not for grades other than pass/fail or "D").

2. Summative (i.e. test) scores are designed to identify what skills and content knowledge have been mastered up to that point in the students progression through the course. Solutions to the summative assesments are usually NOT provided as the scores are NOT designed for student improvement of content understanding. These scores will be the primary determination of grades beyond pass/fail or "D" and are appropriate for comparision between peer groups (peer groups may be in the same class, course, school, state, country, or world-wide).

Policy : Grading

• Semester Scores are calculated using the following table:

• Quarter Progress Scores will be calculated on a straight point basis. That said, each assessment will fall under one of 3 categories with approximate weighting. Note: The weights are not used to calculator scores. This table is for information only.

• Notes:
• Late assignments will given a score of zero (0)...except for unplanned excused absences which will be scored as specified in the student handbook.
• Scores will NOT be rounded up.
• Bonus work or bonus points are NOT part of the course score and will be included ONLY at the discretion of the teacher.
• Students should not EXPECT bonus points or bonus work...even if it is listed on the syllabus.
• Scores will be primarily based on individual ability, understanding, and accomplishment.
• There will be ONE in-school field trip in April to complete an AP "Mock Exam" in preparation for the actual AP Exam as well as the 2nd Semester Final Exam. This field trip is required and the "Mock Exam" will be scored as part of the course grade regardless of the student actually taking the AP Exam or not.
• Quarter and Semester GRADES will be calculated from corresponding scores based on the following table:

Policy & Practices : Student & Teacher Responsibilities

• In Seat & Ready to Go when bell stops (i.e. books, sharpened pencils, paper)
• Respectful of Teacher and Each Other (i.e. raise your hand, don't talk while teacher is talking, no rudeness or bad language, etc.)
• The two most important ingredients for success in this class are practice and attendance.
• No eating or drinking in class, 2 bathroom/drinking trips per Semester.
• Maintain at least 3 backup copies of all work. A "lost" or "destroyed" program will receive zero credit.
• Remember that, for every hour spent in class, 2 hours of outside class work (homework/projects) are typical for an AP course (i.e. 5 hours in class per week + 10 hours at home)

Responsibilities while absent:

Advice & Expectations

• Use mechanical pencils (have at least 2).
• Keep an organized notebook and a folder with all your assignments. Get two classmates’ phone numbers in case you need help.
• You will need to purchase a flash drive or other storage device for this class.
• Students must keep multiple backup copies of all work. It is the student's responsibility to be aware that technology is NOT perfect.
• If purchasing a disk/flashdrive is a problem, let me know
• WEBSITE for Assignments is https://meinzeit.com
• This class is a COLLEGE COURSE, it requires a great deal of self-discipline. It is easy to be social and not get work done. This is especially true in the first quarter when things seem easiest WARNING! If you do not keep up, you will fall behind and NEVER catch up.

What can I expect from the teacher ?

• You can expect the teacher to maintain a classroom atmosphere that is safe and conducive to the education of ALL students. Any student or group of students prevent or disrupt this will be discipline as outlined above.
• I will try to be available before and after school either in the classroom or in my office in Room 310 for extra help [unless a meeting is scheduled].
• I can be reached at EHS: jmeinzen@ecusd7.org or 656-7100.
• As well, I strongly encourage students and parents to contact me as soon as possible if there are any questions or difficulties.
• In general, I provide daily information on this website and I contact parents/guardians/students via the email address that is registered with the district. However, please let me know if you wish to be contacted by other means on this form. After you have read over this classroom policy, please sign below, and return to me to be put on file. This is your first assignment.