<p>Some of our high school's science AP's, like AP Physics, AP Chemistry, AP Bio require two class blocks. This allows time for labs and time to teach all the material well, and thereby ensures most kids got 4's and 5's on the national exam.</p>
<p>Now, our HS is considering making these courses just one block, like all the other classes. Truth be told, the demand for AP's has increased and they simply don't have enough teachers who have been trained to teach AP's to accommodate interested students. By cutting down to one block, they probably plan to increase the number of classes offered. However, there seems to be some question as to whether the AP teachers will be willing to take on more sections. Many have told their students they will refuse, because it's too much work already. As justification for this plan, the school claims that at most other high schools these lab sciences are only one block.</p>
<p>When courses were on a year-long schedule in our high school, the science AP classes occupied two periods so as to permit labs. There had been a move to cut them down to one period at some point, but consultations with the College Board persuaded the school to retain the two period classes. These were held four days a week.</p>
<p>Sciences and AP Calculus are double periods. Half of the kids seem to do well on the AP tests, mostly 4s and 5's. The big complaint I hear is that the class is slowed down because a quarter of the class shoudn't be taking the AP version.</p>
<p>AP Calc BC or AB is one period, I think AP Environmental is too. AP Physics B, C, Chem and Biology all have an extra period every other day for labs. Usually it alternates with gym which NYS requires all four years.</p>
<p>AP Chem, Bio, and Physics are two periods per day, five days per week. All other AP courses are one period, full-year courses, including Calc AB and Calc BC (taken after AB).</p>
<p>I never heard of the classes being multiple blocks. All of ours were just one (there were 8 blocks, with four occurring on "Red Days" and four on "White Days", with the days alternating).</p>
<p>At my son's public school, no classes were given double periods. He took Calc BC, Chem, Bio and Physics C with single blocks, and many students did very well on the exams (he had 5s on all). At the other public school in town (same school district) the school day is set up in blocks, with every course taken every other day for 90 minutes. The AP classes are still "single block", but it is easier to get labs done within the class period. Nonetheless, their record on the AP exams is not as good as the other school with the shorter class periods. (Not a socioeconomic effect, BTW. The school with the worse AP record is far more affluent.)</p>
<p>I think the lab components of the AP courses are not as extensive as many people think they should be.</p>
<p>At our school, AP Bio requires students to work through their lunch period or come to school 40 minutes before the opening bell. We have an awesome teacher who gives up his time in this way and hard-working kids who are willing to sacrifice to take his class.</p>
<p>We have moved several times over the years, and I have seen different approaches to how AP classes are scheduled. Where we live now, a student has to take a year of the "honors" level of a science before they can take the year-long "AP" level--therefore, most of the top students are taking two science courses at the same time--honors physics and AP chem for example. Where we lived before, a student taking science courses had double periods twice a week for labs with physical ed. classes the other three days.</p>
<p>^^^What rcefn mentions about taking AP sciences as a second course was generally true at my son's school, also. Son had honors bio and honors chem prior to AP Bio and AP Chem. Physics was a little hazier, his only prior class was a physical sciences class in junior high. Perhaps this was why it was possible to do the AP courses in a single period.</p>
<p>Our school has dumped AP. Has gone to all IB. All science courses for uppper level are now 2-year IB classes. Makes it tough to take more than one advanced science, if you want to take fine arts, also. </p>
<p>For those of you with students taking more than one science, are all the rest of the students courses, core, or is there room for fine arts, p.e. etc.?</p>
<p>Goes to show what a wide variety of approaches there is nationwide. </p>
<p>At our public h.s. in CA, the school day is only six periods and all classes are one period, including APs. (Certain electives and a few academic classes are offered early in the morning as a "zero period" to provide more choices). S2 is taking AP Chem now and if there is a lab, it is done over several days and then there is the book-lecture nonlab instruction for awhile before another lab. There's only one teacher who teaches AP Chem and she's very dedicated; she schedules after-school review sessions on her own time to help students do well on the AP test. I don't know the distribution of scores, but I think most of her students earn 4s and 5s. </p>
<p>With a 6-period day, it would be hard to take two-period APs or two sciences during the same school year and still fit in the requirements for PE, the UC-required year of Fine Art, required govt-econ course (only offered as one semester each.) PE is required for two years (four semesters), but many students take PE during summer school to have a period available for an elective or a second science.</p>
<p>AP Bio is 1 period every day + 1 extra lab period once per week. AP EnviSci doesn't have an extra lab period.. and we don't have AP Chem or Physics.</p>
<p>Daughter is wondering how she will take a two year sequence of IB Bio and IB Chem or Physics, plus the english, math, social studies, she needs AND the fine arts that she wants. I've been asking about one year advanced science courses, but that isn't going to happen....</p>
<p>AP bio is two "periods". On our block scheduling it is a block for two full semesters, and it counts as two classes as far as high school credit is concerned, one is BIOLOGY II HONORS and one is AP BIOLOGY.</p>
<p>AP Bio is 1 period (90 minutes) every day for the whole school year.</p>
<p>AP Enviro. is 1 period every other day. </p>
<p>Our sch. alternates between offering AP Chem and Physics each year as there are not usually enough students wanting the classes to offer both in one academic year. I believe they are 1 period every other day also.</p>
<p>AP Calc. is offered 1 period every day or 1 period every other day depending on the students needs/schedule for the whole school year.</p>
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Daughter is wondering how she will take a two year sequence of IB Bio and IB Chem or Physics, plus the english, math, social studies, she needs AND the fine arts that she wants.
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<p>If she's an IB diploma candidate, she probably won't be able to do two sciences and a fine arts course. IB is set up so that students do six subjects -- English, social studies, math, foreign language, one science, and a "sixth subject" that may be either another science, a fine art, or one of several other choices that probably don't interest your daughter. Doing any additional academics beyond that can be difficult both from a scheduling point of view and in terms of getting the work done. At some schools, for some kids, it is possible. But it is not possible in all cases (and it may not be a good idea for a person interested in fine arts because art courses tend to be very time consuming).</p>
<p>Wow all this is certainly confusing!! Each school is so different. Our H.S. only allows a student to take an AP after taking the honors section for that subject. AP courses are taught everyday, one hour a day for the whole year. We are on trimesters. The only exception is AP Calc. AB, it is only two trimesters. Most of our students get 4's or 5's on the exams and bring many credits with them to college. My D went to college with 14 additional credits.</p>