A few months ago, AP Environmental Science teacher William Mattes reached out with an idea he had been developing. He wanted to create a way for students to practice AP-style free-response questions (FRQs) in a way that was both engaging and time-efficient. We immediately saw the potential and have been collaborating with him to create a full set of nine Inquiry Briefs, one for each unit in the APES curriculum, now available individually and as a discounted bundle.
What are Inquiry Briefs?
Inquiry Briefs are compact, targeted case studies designed to reinforce APES concepts and FRQ skills. Unlike traditional case studies, these briefs provide minimal background information, requiring students to apply their prior knowledge, just as they will on the AP exam. Each brief aligns with a specific APES unit and is perfect for formative assessments, class discussions, or AP exam review.
William, who teaches APES at a high school in Texas where every minute of class time is precious, uses Inquiry Briefs to help his students practice AP science skills early in the year, reinforce content throughout the course, and gain confidence tackling FRQs. He describes them as “scaffolded FRQs,” structured to guide students while also challenging them to think critically.
Inquiry Briefs serve as an effective tool to engage students, reinforce content, and build confidence in FRQ-style questioning. These short, one-class-period (45-50 minute) activities replicate elements of the APES exam by presenting students with real-world environmental problems, data analysis, and AP-style FRQs.
Teaching Strategies with Inquiry Briefs:
Early-Year Integration: Introduce Inquiry Briefs at the beginning of the year to familiarize students with FRQ-style questions. This scaffolding helps students develop analytical skills while introducing key concepts that will be explored in greater depth later.
Weaving Concepts Together: Use Inquiry Briefs to preview and review topics encountered in other units of the curriculum to highlight how they are interrelated. This approach builds familiarity, provides opportunities to practice, and reinforces connections across units.
Classroom Discussion & Review: After completing an Inquiry Brief, students can:
Check their work asynchronously using the provided answer keys.
Participate in a “point” vs. “no point” class exercise.
Engage in structured discussions to correct common errors and refine their responses.
We’re excited to offer Biome Migration Patterns (Unit 1) as a free sample so you can try an Inquiry Brief with your students. You can also explore the full APES Inquiry Briefs Bundle, which includes all nine briefs at a discounted price.
List of Our Inquiry Briefs:
Biome Migration Patterns – APES Unit 1 (FREE)
Climate Change Affecting Coral Reefs – APES Unit 2
The Lake Trout Population Crash – APES Unit 3
Challenges Associated with Urbanization – APES Unit 4
Ogallala Aquifer Depletion – APES Unit 5
Transitioning to Green Energy – APES Unit 6
Air Quality in Cities – APES Unit 7
Harmful Algae Blooms – APES Unit 8
Emerald Ash Borer – APES Unit 9
AP Exam Strategies Through Inquiry Briefs
Since Inquiry Briefs mirror the FRQ section of the AP exam, students can use them to practice effective test-taking strategies:
Answer the easiest questions first (e.g., Identify/Describe) to maximize points.
Only your first answer counts on FRQs. If you provide multiple responses to a question, graders will only consider the first one unless you cross out the answer you don’t want to be graded. Be confident in your response and avoid writing multiple conflicting answers.
Use precise APES terminology and avoid vague words like "pollution" or "unhealthy."
Use data and units from provided graphs, charts, and diagrams when appropriate.
When solving math questions, show all of your calculation steps and include unit labels in each step.
Write out your thought process on Justify/Explain questions rather than assuming the grader will infer connections.
Re-check your work in the final five minutes, ensuring that you showed all of your calculation steps, and included all unit labels, and that your written responses are precise.
Harmful to plants/animals/biodiversity | Cause population decline to…[insert reason from prompt or APES knowledge] |
Harmful to humans/ make humans sick | Cause… damage to the nervous system, cause respiratory irritant, cause cancer/ increase cancer rates |
pollution/pollute/ | Release CO2, SOx, NOx, PM into the… atmosphere, water, soil |
Chemicals | mercury/heavy metals, asbestos, PCBs, endocrine disruptors. |
Mess up | Disrupt: food chain, habitat, nutrient or water cycling |
Eco friendly/ “green” | [insert practice or object] is renewable/ sustainable because [insert reason] |
Cause climate change | [insert action] which increases/decreases [insert greenhouse gas] emissions which increases/decreases global climate change |
From Smedes Write like a Scholar Series: writing AP Environmental Science FRQs, additions by William Mattes
Why Inquiry Briefs Work
Inquiry Briefs align with AP Environmental Science's emphasis on applying knowledge rather than memorizing facts. They provide an opportunity for students to engage with real-world scenarios while honing their ability to analyze, explain, and justify environmental concepts. By incorporating them into your curriculum, you can build stronger FRQ skills, deepen student understanding, and better prepare your class for the AP exam.
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