AP United States Government and Politics Summer Institute (Project-Based Learning Focus) – Hawaii APSI 2026 July 20, 2026 – July 23, 2026 8:00 AM-4:00 PM HAT Farrington High School This workshop is operated on-site. This program is an interactive professional development experience. It includes an AP Summer Institute and optional online support sessions focused on implementing a project based learning approach in an AP classroom. Project Implementation Guides: Provide adaptable course planning and pacing, recommended assessments and assignments that encompass the entirety of the course. Summer Institute: Four-day training in the summer. The workshop includes project simulations, large group discussions, small group activities, reflection and critique, and individual learning. During the Summer Institute, you will: • Identify how students learn AP content and skills through course projects. • Understand and apply high-quality PBL design elements and teaching practices. • Simulate and model PBL practices using examples from the course projects. • Adapt and prepare to implement the projects with your students. Support Sessions: Five optional online support sessions are offered throughout the academic year. These sessions will provide support and learning opportunities before the beginning of each project. In these support sessions, you will: • Reflect on prior project work to identify needs for future project implementation. • Review and adapt the upcoming project to best serve your students. • Refine your PBL practice within the context of a project based AP course. Join us in Hawaii Farrington High School, June 20-23, 2026 Aloha! Mahalo
SPEAKER
KATIE PIPER
Katie Piper teaches political science and history courses at Lakeside School in Seattle. Previously she was an instructional coach and curriculum designer in the Bellevue School District. She has been an AP US Government workshop consultant for the College Board since 2016 and helped develop professional learning for the PBL series of APSIs for AP US Government and Politics, AP World History, AP Human Geography, and AP Business. She additionally served as a member of the College Board Instructional Design Committee for the AP US Government course redesign. She has served as a table leader and reader at the AP reading for the US Government exam. She was part of the Knowledge in Action team in partnership with the University of Washington and Lucas Education Research, serving as a teacher leader and designer of project-based curriculum (PBL) for the AP US Government course.
Katie is a contributing author for American Government: Stories of a Nation teachers’ edition and Documents and Court Cases reader. She has also been a consultant for Harvard University’s Democratic Knowledge Project, helping to shape middle school civics curriculum. She is looking forward to continued collaboration with AP US Government teachers this summer and sharing some engaging projects!
A New Location, New Experience and a New Sense of Aloha!
(The Aloha Spirit - compassion and kindness to all with whom we cross paths in our everyday lives.)