Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums High School Any of your AP Sciences more than one period?

It has come to my attention that our AP Chem is a double credit course - taking up two periods. I am still trying to find out about the other AP Science classes. This phenomenon isn't applicable to APs in Math, English, Social Studies, foreign languages, etc. What gives? Any other schools assigning more than one period to any of their AP Science courses?

Our district does not, but I've heard of schools that have Physics C Mechanics and E&M as two classes.

They don't in my son's school, but perhaps they should (give two credits, I mean, not take up two periods, which is ridiculous).

My son is taking "AP Economics" this year, which is granted one credit, but he has to take two AP exams (micro and macro). But AP Physics C Mechanics is also granted one credit and covers only one semester of college material. AB Calc gets one credit, as does BC. But a kid who takes AB one year is allowed to take BC the next and get a second credit, even though they have already taken 2/3 of the course.

In our school AP Chem and AP Bio are 1.5 periods. Some kids use the other half period to study, relax, practice music, or to come in early to the science classroom. But only 1 credit. (There is a dedicated lunch time,)

AP Chem and AP bio are 1.5 periods. AP Phyics changed this year. They are offering an AP 1 that is one period and an AP 1 and 2 that is 1.5 periods. The 1.5 ones are 1.5 credits. My daughter says that the leftover half can be lunch. There isn't necessarily a dedicated period for lunch.

All of our hs science classes require an additional half period (every other day) for lab, not just the AP sciences, even the accelerated science class in 8th grade. (State regulations about labs are apparently strict, teachers have to keep copies of lab work and lab notebooks for a period of time to prove students have fulfilled this requirement, etc.) And yes, our physics C and E/M class is two periods total, but that includes the lab time. When do your kids ever do labs? I guess if you’re on a block schedule that makes sense, but otherwise it seems like there would not be enough time in one period.

I’m pretty sure they are all only assigned one credit, despite taking up more than one period. And it’s interesting to hear that for Kai’s school AP Econ is one credit- here it’s a half credit, one semester class (most kids we know take both exams). Correction- just realized our Econ class is dual enrollment, so not an AP course, though kids take the exams. So maybe that explains the difference.

In our state, kids are required to take PE every other day, with no exceptions, so that is what is usually scheduled opposite the lab periods. My kids have never had lunch in hs, and don’t know any friends who do, either.

Some of our history AP classes schedule “optional” time after school, for essay writing or additional material, with one teacher scheduling all his exams after school. I’m not sure how this is ok with administration, but it creates tremendous stress, particularly as most of these kids do lots of extracurriculars, which are of course after school.

Reading the other thread about work load was interesting- there is no way any homework is happening during the school day here, and if kids miss class for a music lesson or anything (required weekly to participate in the music program) they have to make it up (including gym, after school). My kids are not super speedy, despite finding the work unchallenging (or maybe because the work is unchallenging), and for them the workload has been quite high. But our kids are admittedly involved in a few time-intensive extracurriculars. Still, one kid, who is a terrible procrastinator, was regularly getting up between 4 and 5 am last year to do homework. Not a good situation.

My son has a two period block for AP Calculus. It was supposed to be BC...so you were to get credit for AB period 1 and BC period 2 and take the BC exam. I guess they want more kids to pass so they are only paying for AB exam this year instead of BC so they changed it to Honor calculus for period 1 and AB for period 2. Gives them more time to work on problems during school.

Also same thing with AP physics...but mainly so they can complete labs. 2 period block.

Got a recommendations email sent to all parents on the chemistry class. Teach explained their is a one period and a one half period class earning 1 and 1.5 credits. She said the 1 period one is half the work than the 1.5 period and there is a lot more homework. Though in the 1.5 period you can take 2 AP tests instead of 1.

Same here, extra time a couple times a week slotted for labs. I was under the understanding that it was only for the IB program but there seems to be a blur in the actual IB/AP courses. Some are labeled AP/IB. We will see when the time comes.

One of the main reason that DD is skipping GT Chem is because AP Chem is two periods.

Our AP Physics C is also two periods. It does include both Mechanics and E & M. I assume all AP Physics C courses cover both but not concurrently.

They get two high school (not college) credits only because the course takes up two periods. Our students take eight courses each year and graduate with 32 credits (barring Fs) plus a few earned in middle school although they only need twenty-something (23?) to graduate.

That is a nice variation. Unfortunately, I believe in our case it is literally two periods of class.

That is strange to us, mostly because of the facilities limitation. Our students are assigned one of three lunch times since only so many students can fit in the cafeteria or get through the lines and eat within a 30 minute timeframe.

DS/DD are on a block schedule so each period is about 90 minutes every other day. That does make labs easier although in my day, we managed AP science courses with labs within 50-55 minutes. The trick is in the planning, including preparing ahead of time, getting started immediately, and some labs can go over into the next day.

The after school exams also discriminate against school bus riders who may not be able to get alternate transportation . . . I guess they know to not sign up for those AP history courses.

Hmm . . . I am pretty sure we have to pay for our kids' AP exams so that would never be an issue. Our AB is one year, follow by BC the next year so DS would take the AB exam this year after the AB course and the BC exam next year after the BC course.

I need to look up AP Chem on the College Board website - in my day it was one AP Chem test.

Extra time for labs can make sense as that is how it was in college but it would be too difficult to schedule them within our school day.

We have a late bus run, so that’s not an issue, it just takes a looong time (fewer buses, so the trips are longer). But it’s yet another demand on kids’ time.

I now understand why so many parents here find a way to let their kids drive to school as soon as they are able- even the extra time saved in the morning is valuable when your kid is sleep-deprived (yes, it’s crazy that people let sleep-deprived kids drive, but I digress...).

But I agree with you in that scheduling work after school makes unfair demands on kids who have to take the bus. Wish that were the only way school discriminated against lower-income kids, but that’s an issue for another thread.

Wow, a late run bus is such a great idea! DS/DD literally have no time to stop by their lockers on the days that they take the bus home.

Along the same vein, the system really discriminates against kids who do not have access to private transportation or live within walking distance of their school. Our district recently adopted a new philosophy of grading, which aims to encourage learning and emphasize ultimate mastery by allowing students to "re-do" smaller assignments and quizzes to earn a higher grade. Unfortunately, that meant kids have to either come in early or stay late on the date/time scheduled by the teacher. I am just thankful that it is extremely rare for DS/DD to redo any assignments/quizzes.

The late bus thing is great, though as I said, it’s a long ride so many avoid it if they can. But it facilitates all the after school help that is key to the success of a lot of the kids. Our school heavily promotes AP for all (hence the tremendous workload in many classes- the teachers are evaluated on the kids’ scores, so they want as many 5s as possible, and some of the kids require lots of extras, it seems). It also allows everyone to participate in extracurriculars and sports, at least theoretically.

All of our AP science course are 1.4 credits - 1 period on 3 days and 2 consecutive periods on the other 2 days. One period, 3 days either goes to study hall or another interleaved AP science course. I don't think there are any other 2 or 3 day/week classes.

When I was in HS, AP Chem was last period each day, then Friday it was the last 2 periods, plus class until 4:30, so a 3 hour lab session. We have a late bus at school now, but no such thing in my day. My lacrosse coach wasn't a big fan of missing 80 minutes of practice every week.

In our district, stats are kept of each school's performance on each AP exam. I am thinking that the double periods on AP Biology, Chemistry and Physics C are to maximize those 4s and 5s as well as lab time. Although double period for AP physics C is reasonable since it is two semesters of college credits (Mechanics and Electricity/Magnetism). Easy AP sciences (I.e., environmental, psychology) are single period as are English and Social Studies and foreign languages. AP Calculus is already stretched into two years (AB 1st year and BC 2nd year) for two semesters of college credits