Sherpa Learning Launches New AP® U.S. History “Big Picture” Resource by Veteran Exam Leader Dr. Michael Henry
WEST MILFORD, NJ — Sherpa Learning, an independent publisher dedicated to Advanced Placement® success, is proud to announce the release of its newest resource, Making Connections in AP U.S. History: Piecing Together Evidence and Argumentation to Develop the Big Picture.
Authored by Michael Henry, Ph.D., a veteran educator with over 20 years of classroom experience, the workbook is designed to help students move beyond the rote memorization of isolated facts. Instead, it empowers them to synthesize disparate historical developments into a cohesive, sophisticated understanding of the American narrative—a skill essential for success in college-level courses and beyond.
Bridging the Gap Between Facts and Analysis
While standard textbooks often treat history as a static catalog of names and dates, Making Connections uses a proprietary, scaffolded approach to help students synthesize information into high-scoring analytical arguments. The curriculum is built around the Long Essay Question (LEQ) framework—though its pedagogical reach extends to the Document-Based Question (DBQ) as well—offering a clear roadmap for historical argumentation. By teaching students to “connect the dots” between themes and events, the workbook provides a definitive path for mastering one of the most difficult aspects of the APUSH exam: the Complexity Point (Skill 6.D).
“Most AP U.S. History students can tell you what happened, but they often struggle to explain why it matters,” says David Nazarian, Owner and Director of Sherpa Learning. “With Making Connections, we’ve removed the mystery surrounding high-level synthesis. By leveraging Dr. Henry’s ‘inside logic’ from his years leading the AP Reading, we’ve created a safety net that helps students see the ‘Big Picture’ and build the persuasive, multi-variable arguments that earn the highest marks on the rubric.”
Proprietary Four-Part Structure
Each of the workbook's 15 units is anchored by an essential argumentative prompt and follows a consistent, scaffolded structure:
- Narrative Review: Provides historical context tailored to the unit's central argument in an “accessible academic” tone.
- Document Exercise: Features canonical primary sources that prompt students to link evidence directly to the “Big Picture.”
- Graphic Exercise: Uses visual tools like the Thesis Pyramid and flow charts to map out complex arguments logically.
- Official Rubric Template: Demystifies grading by guiding students through the official 6-point scoring criteria for the Long Essay Question (LEQ).
Author Credibility and Academic Precision
Dr. Henry’s unmatched credentials—including 8 years as an AP Exam Leader—ensure that every exercise aligns rigorously with the latest College Board Course and Exam Description (CED). Furthermore, the text models Academic Precision and Modern Standards by utilizing the precise terminology and professional historiography expected in current scholarship.
About Sherpa Learning
Founded in 2014, Sherpa Learning is a family-owned independent publisher specializing in premium resources for Advanced Placement® courses. From AP® U.S. History to English Literature, Sherpa Learning products are trusted by top-tier schools nationwide and consistently earn top ratings for their skill-based, teacher-tested approach.
For more information, to view a sample, or to request a price quote for a class set, please visit www.sherpalearning.com.
Contact
Email: press@sherpalearning.com
Tel: (862) 345-7668
*AP is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.
