AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
2009-2010 Syllabus
AISB - Mali
Course Summary:
Advance Placement Human Geography is a college level class where students are introduced to the organized study of geographical patterns and progressions that have shaped humanity through the use and alteration of the Earth’s surface.During the year, we will examine human social organization and its environmental consequences on our planet through the use of spatial concepts and landscape analysis. We will study the patterns and processes that have shaped the human understanding of our world. We will evaluate land use and study how humans have changed the topography of the world. Our studies will include the examination of world cultures, human institutions, the effects of new technologies, and world geography. It is my goal to give you the tools to obtain a score on your AP test, which could amount to credit for a 3-credit college course. Strong writing skills and advanced cognitive aptitude are required to succeed on the college level and it is for this reason that these skills will be emphasized in this course.
Course Objective
· Examine the discipline of geography, including its tools, themes, and concepts.
· Utilize and evaluate maps and spatial data.
· Define regions and evaluate the regionalization process.
· Characterize and analyze changing interconnections among places.
· Evaluate geographic problems on the global, national, and local scale.
· Identify and interpret at different scales the relationships among patterns and processes.
· Assess the nature and significance of phenomena that occur in the same place.
· Analyze the diversity of global cultures and their economic characteristics.
· Recognize how tastes and values, political regulations, and economic constraints work together to create particular types of cultural landscapes.
· Examine how cultural landscapes are shaped and how they change over time.
UNIT OUTLINE
Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives - Unit 1
1. Geography as a field of inquiry
2. Evolution of key geographical concepts and models associated with notable geographers
3. Key concepts underlying the geographical perspective; location, space, place, scale, pattern, regionalization, and globalization
4. Key geographical skills:
1. How to use & think about maps & spatial data
2. How to understand & interpret the implications of associations among phenomena in places
3. How to recognize & interpret at different scales the relationship among patterns & processes
4. How to define regions & evaluate the regionalization process
5. How to characterize & analyze changing interconnections among places
5. New geographic technologies, such as GIS & GPS
6. Sources of geographical ideas & data: the field, census data, etc.
Unit 1 AERO STANDARDS
(People, Places, and Environment) Students will understand the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography influence and are influenced by human history.
a. Explain how the physical environment contributes to the development of distinct cultural identities.
b. Use spatial models to explain relationships between places and patterns of settlement and trade.
c. Explain how social, cultural, and economic factors shape physical and other human features of places and regions.
e. Evaluate the reciprocal influences of history and geography on a region.
8. (Science, Technology, and Society) Students will understand how societies have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments.
a. Evaluate the ambiguity of the term technology.
e. Understand historical and current influences of modern science on technological innovation.
h. Evaluate causes and consequences of the diffusion of the autocatalytic process of technological innovation.
i. Describe how values, beliefs, and attitudes have influenced and been influenced by scientific knowledge and technological knowledge.
k. Explain the roles and effects of technology and of science in resource acquisition and use.
Population - Unit 2
1. Geographical analysis of population
1. Density, distribution, & scale
2. Consequences of various densities & distributions
3. Patterns of composition: age, sex, race, & ethnicity
4. Population & natural hazards: past, present & future
2. Population growth & decline over time & space
1. Historical trends & projections for the future
2. Theories of population growth, including the Demographic Transition Model
3. Patterns of fertility, mortality, and health
4. Regional variations of demographic transitions
5. Effects of population policies
3. Population movement
1. Push and pull factors
2. Major voluntary and involuntary migrations at different scales
3. Migration selectivity
4. Short-term, local movements, and activity Space
UNIT 2 AERO STANDARDS
(Time, Continuity, and Change) Students will understand patterns of change and continuity, relationships between people and events through time, and various interpretations of these relationships.
d. Perform analyses of quantitative historical data.
(People, Places, and Environment) Students will understand the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography influence and are influenced by human history.
d. Evaluate the impact of migration on human systems (e.g., health care, education, government).
(Production, Distribution, and Consumption) Students will understand fundamental economic principles and ways in which economies are shaped by geographic and human factors.
e. Analyze relationships between economic activity and patterns of trade and migration.
Cultural Patterns and Processes - Unit 3
1. Concepts of Culture
1. Traits
2. Diffusion
3. Acculturation
4. Cultural Regions
2. Cultural Differences
1. Language
2. Religion
3. Ethnicity
4. Gender
5. Popular and Folk Culture
3. Environmental impact of cultural attitudes & practices
4. Cultural landscapes and cultural identity
1. Values and preferences
2. Symbolic landscapes and sense of place
UNIT 3 AERO STANDARDS
(People, Places, and Environment) Students will understand the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography influence and are influenced by human history.
a. Explain how the physical environment contributes to the development of distinct cultural identities.
4. (Culture) Students will understand cultural and intellectual developments and interactions among and within societies.
a. Analyze sources and characteristics of cultural, religious, and social reform movements.
d. Examine different theories of religion.
f. Examine examples of syncretism, acculturation, and assimilation in the context of belief systems and culture.
g. Evaluate the religious dimensions (creed, code of behavior, rituals, community) of non-religious belief systems (e.g. communalism, patriotism, activism, consumerism).
h. Examine the epistemological complexities of the post-modern age.
i. Understand how art, literature, and traditional customs both shape and are shaped by society.
5. (Society and Identity) Students will understand social systems and structures and how these influence individuals.
a. Analyze how sociological circumstances (e.g., class, heritage, ethnicity) influence an individual's perceptions of and reactions to the world.
b. Analyze the socialization of individuals by groups, organizations, and institutions.
d. Understand why cultural definitions of gender identity persist and are resistant to change.
e. Understand circumstances and consequences that arise from differences between cultural norms and personal gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
8. (Science, Technology, and Society) Students will understand how societies have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments.
c. Analyze effects of technology on the diffusion of culture and the preservation of cultural identity.
Political Organization of Space - Unit 4
1. Territorial dimensions of politics
1. The concept of territoriality
2. The nature and meaning of boundaries
3. Influences of boundaries on identity, interaction, & exchange
4. Federal and unitary states
5. Spatial relationships between political patterns and patterns of ethnicity, economy, and environment
2. Evolution of the contemporary political pattern
1. The nation-state concept
2. Colonialism and imperialism
3. Democratization
3. Changes in political-territorial arrangements
1. Changing nature of sovereignty
2. Fragmentation, unification, and alliance
3. Supranationalism and devolution
4. Electoral geography, including gerrymandering
UNIT 4 AERO STANDARDS
(Connections and Conflict) Students will understand causes and effects of interaction among societies, including trade, systems of international exchange, war, and diplomacy.
a. Understand how trans-regional alliances and multinational organizations can encourage or discourage solidarity and diversity.
c. Evaluate examples in the history of conflict and its effects.
d. Analyze how cooperation and conflict influence the development and control of political, economic, and social entities.
e. Analyze effects of differing national foreign policy positions on international competition and cooperation.
f. Evaluate effects of political conflict on national unity.
h. Evaluate relationships between political systems and the development of multi-national alliances.
i. Understand types of world powers (e.g., military, corporations, religions) and how they influence connections and conflicts in the world.
j. Evaluate the effectiveness of international organizations.
Agriculture & Rural Land Use - Unit 5
1. Development and diffusion of agriculture
1. Neolithic Agricultural Revolution
2. Second Agricultural Revolution
2. Major Agricultural production regions
1. Agricultural systems associated with major bio-climatic zones
2. Variations within major zones and effects of markets
3. Linkages and flows among regions of food production and consumption
3. Rural Land Use and Settlement patterns
1. Models of agricultural land use, including von Thunen's model
2. Settlement patterns associated with major agricultural types
3. Land use/land cover change (desertification, deforestation)
4. Modern Commercial Agriculture
1. Third Agricultural Revolution
2. Green Revolution
3. Biotechnology
4. Spatial organization and diffusion of industrial agriculture
5. Future food supplies and environmental impacts of agriculture
UNIT 5 AERO STANDARDS
1. (Time, Continuity, and Change) Students will understand patterns of change and continuity, relationships between people and events through time, and various interpretations of these relationships.
b. Identify and evaluate long-term changes, enduring influences, and recurring patterns in world history.
c. Compare alternative models for organizing history into periods.
d. Perform analyses of quantitative historical data.
e. Analyze the impact of revolution on politics, economies, and societies.
(Production, Distribution, and Consumption) Students will understand fundamental economic principles and ways in which economies are shaped by geographic and human factors.
a. Understand basic economic concepts.
b. Explain the major economic systems and evaluate their relative merits.
c. Explain patterns of trade from ancient times to the present.
d. Analyze ways in which trade has contributed to economic change in selected societies or civilizations.
e. Analyze relationships between economic activity and patterns of trade and migration.
f. Analyze and evaluate economic issues from a geographical point of view.
g. Describe reciprocal influences of changes in transportation and communication and changes in trade and economic activities.
(Science, Technology, and Society) Students will understand how societies have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments.
j. Analyze instances in which economic conditions have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments.
k. Explain the roles and effects of technology and of science in resource acquisition and use.
Industrialization & Economic Development - Unit 6
1. Growth and diffusion of industrialization
1. The changing roles of energy and technology
2. Industrial Revolution
3. Evolution of economic cores and peripheries
4. Geographic critiques of models of economic localization (i.e. land rent, comparative costs of transportation), industrial location, economic development, and world systems
2. Contemporary patterns and impacts of industrialization and development
1. Spatial organization of the world economy
2. Variations in levels of development
3. Deindustrialization and economic restructuring
4. Pollution, health, and quality of life
5. Industrialization, environmental change, and sustainability
6. Local development initiatives: government policies
7. Globalization and international division of labor
UNIT 6 AERO STANDARDS
(Production, Distribution, and Consumption) Students will understand fundamental economic principles and ways in which economies are shaped by geographic and human factors.
a. Understand basic economic concepts.
b. Explain the major economic systems and evaluate their relative merits.
c. Explain patterns of trade from ancient times to the present.
d. Analyze ways in which trade has contributed to economic change in selected societies or civilizations.
e. Analyze relationships between economic activity and patterns of trade and migration.
f. Analyze and evaluate economic issues from a geographical point of view.
g. Describe reciprocal influences of changes in transportation and communication and changes in trade and economic activities.
Cities and Urban Land Use - Unit 7
1. Origin and evolution of cities
1. Historical patterns of urbanization
2. Rural-urban migration and urban growth
3. Global cities and megacities
4. Models of urban systems
2. Functional Character of contemporary cities
1. Changing employment mix
2. Changing demographics and social structure
3. Built environment and social space
1. Models of internal city structure in North America and around the world
2. Transportation and infrastructure
3. Political organization of urban areas
4. Urban planning and design
5. Patterns of race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status
6. Uneven development, ghettoization, and gentrification
7. Impacts of suburbanization and edge city
Unit 7 Aero Standards
(People, Places, and Environment) Students will understand the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography influence and are influenced by human history.
a. Explain how the physical environment contributes to the development of distinct cultural identities.
b. Use spatial models to explain relationships between places and patterns of settlement and trade.
c. Explain how social, cultural, and economic factors shape physical and other human features of places and regions.
d. Evaluate the impact of migration on human systems (e.g., health care, education, government).
e. Evaluate the reciprocal influences of history and geography on a region.
Course Timeline (Overview) note: Unit 5 will likely follow Unit 2
Unit Focus / Textbook Readings / Chapter Video Resources / Unit Dates / Unit Assessments andProjects / Suggested Activities and Independent work
1.Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives / Rubenstein – Ch. 1
Kuby Ch. 1,3
De Blij Why Geography Matters Ch. 1, 2 / Video -Power of Place #1and 2; Video - Geography: A Voyage of discovery; / 3-Weeks / *Quiz: Rubenstein 1 De Blij Ch. 1, 2
*Unit Test: Unit 1
*Introduce Current Events Portfolio
*Kuby Activity 1 Map analysis essay
*Mental Map Place Geography Quiz
*Vocabulary Speeches / Activities:
Kuby Activity 1
Readings:
De Blij Human Geography Ch. 1
The Human Mosaic Ch. 1
2.Population /
Rubenstein – Ch. 2,3
Kuby Ch. 4-5De Blij Why Geography Matters Ch. 5 / Video –People Places and Change #6; Power of Pace #14,18,21 / 4Weeks / *Quiz: Rubenstein 2,3 De Blij Ch 5
*Unit Test 2
*Kuby Activity 1 Population Pyramid
*Population Project
*Mental Map Place Geography Quiz
*Vocabulary Speeches / Activities:
Kuby Ch. 4 Activities 1-4
Kuby Ch. 5 Activity 2, 3
Readings:
De Blij Human Geography Ch. 4-7
Human Mosaic Ch. 3
3.Cultural Patterns and Processes /
Rubenstein – Ch. 4,5,6,7
Kuby Ch. 2 / Video –Power of Place #4,7,10,17,25 / 4-5 Weeks / *Quiz: Rubenstein 4,5,6,7*Unit 3 Test
*Kuby Activity 3
*Popular Cultural Project / Activities:
Kuby Activities 1-2
Readings:
De Blij Human Geography Ch. 2-3, 8-13, 29, 31-32
Human Mosaic Ch. 4-5,7
4.Political Organization of Space / Rubenstein – Ch. 8
Kuby Ch. 12-13 / Video – Power of Place #2,3,19 / 5 weeks / *Quiz: Rubenstein 8
*Unit 4 Test
*Kuby Ch. 13 Activity 2
* Political Org. of Space Project
*Nations Project
*Semester Exam / Activities:
Kuby Ch 12 Activities 1-2, Ch. 13 Activity 1
Readings:
De Blij Human Geography Ch. 14-17
Human Mosaic Ch. 6
5.Agriculture & Rural Land Use – Intro to Development / Rubenstein –10
Kuby Ch. 8 / Video – Power of Place #6,12,16,20,23
Guns Germs and Steel #1
Kuby Pages 225-231 and lesson online / 4 weeks / *Quiz: Rubenstein, 10
*Unit 5 Test
*Kuby Ch 8 Activity 1
*Agriculture and Rural Land Use Project
*Project Field Trip
*Mental Map Place Geography Quiz
*Vocabulary Speeches / Activities:
Kuby Ch. 8 Activities 2-3
Readings:
De Blij Human Geography Ch18-20, 30
Human Mosaic Ch. 8
6.Industrialization & Economic Development / Rubenstein Ch. 9, 11,14
Kuby Ch. 6-7, 14 / Video – Power of Place # 15,18 / 4 weeks / *Quiz: Rubenstein 11,14
*Unit 6 Test
Project Persuasion Paper w/LA / Activities:
Kuby Ch 6 Activities 1-2, Ch. 7 1-3, Ch. 14 1-2
Readings:
De Blij Human Geography Ch. 24-27, 33-35
Human Mosaic Ch. 9
7.Cities and Urban Land Use / Rubenstein – Ch. 12,13
Kuby Ch. 9-11 / Video – Power of Place # 11,24 / 4 weeks / *Quiz: Rubenstein 12,13
*Unit 7 Test
*Kuby Ch. 11 Activities 1 and 3
*Mapping Bamako Project
*Mental Map Place Geography Quiz
*Vocabulary Speeches / Activities:
Kuby Ch. 9 activities 1-2,
Readings:
De Blij Human Geography Ch21-23, 28
Human Mosaic Ch. 10-11
AP EXAM – May 14th Power of Place streaming if possible….