Course Overview college-level survey course

[Pages:7]AP? Human Geography Syllabus Takoma Academy 2012-2013

Course Overview

Human Geography is a college-level survey course which introduces students to the systematic study of human spatial and distributive patterns and trends in the world around us using geographic concepts and tools. Human geography is a social science which examines how humans understand, interact, and alter the landscape around us. It views sociology, anthropology, economics, and ecology through the lens of geographic inquiry. A central theme is the tension between cultural diversity and globalization.

AP Human Geography is a year-long course designed to meet or exceed a 100-level, one semester college human geography course. At the end of the year students will be administered the official AP Exam. This exam must be passed to receive applicable college credits. Grades administered throughout the class are for high-school purposes only and do not apply to AP Credit.

Advanced Placement Human Geography is part of a cooperative endeavor by high schools, colleges, and the College Board that provides highly motivated students the opportunity to earn college credit during their high school years. If the student does not choose to take the AP exam, the course still fulfills the graduation requirement for social studies

Course Objectives

- Students will be able to systematically define the geographic patterns and and spatial concepts involved in human interaction with the physical environment

- Students will be able to use and interpret various types of landscape analysis including paper maps, aerial photographs, satellite images, GIS information, and other data sets.

- Students will be able to compare, contrast, and interpret the relationship between patterns and processes at a variety of scales.

- Students will be able to identify local and global regions based on multiple factors: culture, population, political organization, industry, agriculture, and resource use.

- Students will be able to characterize and analyze changing interconnections among places

Textbooks

Fellman, J.D. (2010). Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill.

Knox, P.L. (2010). Human Geography: Places and Regions in Global Context 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Kuby, M., Harner, J., and Gober, P. (2010) Human Geography in Action 5th ed. New York: Wiley.

Rubenstein, J.M. (2011) The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography 10th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Rubenstein is the required student textbook. Kuby, Fellman, and Knox are resources used by the instructor. Additional resources (films, online case studies, satellite mapping, etc) are used throughout the year as required for each unit. These are listed in the detailed unit plans.

Students will also be provided with a Barron's AP Human Geography Test Preparation book.

Prerequisites Minimum of 10th grade standing at time course begins World History

Lab Component Students will have in-school access to a computer lab, where they will complete a number of lab activities using the internet and GIS software. Additional internet activities will need to be done outside of class.

Course Outline

Units Unit 1:

Basic Geographic Concepts Unit 2-3:

Population and Migration Unit 4:

Folk and Popular Culture (Units 3-6 are co-joined in the

curriculum) Unit 5:

Language Unit 6:

Religion Unit 7:

Ethnicity Unit 8:

Political Geography

Exam % 5-10% 13-17% 13-17%

13-17%

Course Dates 4 Weeks

Aug 21 ? Sept 14 5 Weeks

Sept 17 ? Oct 19 2 Weeks

Oct 22 ? Nov 2

2 Weeks Nov 5 ? Nov 16

1 Week Nov 19 ? Nov 30

2 Weeks Dec 3 ? Dec 18

2 Weeks Jan 7 ? Jan 18

Textbook Resources

Unit 9: Development

Unit 10: Agriculture

Unit 11: Industry

Unit 12: Services

Unit 13: Urban Patterns

Unit 14: Resource Issues

13-17% 13-17% 13-17% 13-17% 13-17% 13-17%

Exam Review

2 Weeks Jan 21 ? Feb 1

2 Weeks Feb 4 ? Feb 15

2 Weeks Feb 18 ? Mar 1

2 Weeks Mar 4 ? Mar 15

4 Weeks April 1 ? Apr 26

2 Weeks Apr 29 ? May 10 2 Weeks (depending on exam date) May 13 ? May 24

Classroom Procedures and Course Requirements

Participation AP HuGe is a college-level course. As such, additional effort and dedication to learning will need to take place. Full participation is expected at all times. Students who are uninterested in learning may be asked to reconsider their enrollment in the class.

Notes Notes add important information to the textbook and readings, and will be vital for tests and quizzes. Notes must be left in binders. The teacher will check them periodically. Make a habit of reviewing notes within 24 hours of taking them.

Daily Assignments / Homework Students will receive opportunities to pursue and practice concepts, skills and information learned in their courses through assignments completed inside class or extended outside of the classroom. It is expected that students complete these activities.

If students do not complete assigned practice activities by the deadline the following will apply:

Students will have until 8:00am the following morning after the due date to submit the activity to the teacher to receive 50% credit.

Assignments not submitted the following day by 8:00am will not get any credit; HOWEVER, teachers will still review the assigned activity to provide students feedback which will help students know their progress toward mastering the knowledge and skills.

All work, unless otherwise noted, is due at the beginning of class on the due date. Work should be turned in to the AP HuGe basket with the following information in the heading:

Name, Class, Due Date, Assignment Title

Assignments MUST be turned in on 3-Ring Binder paper only. No spiral notebooks should be used in class period. Only use black and blue ink or pencil. Please make a habit of turning in legible, neat assignments.

Returned Work Student work will be evaluated and returned in a timely manner. Please pay close attention to written feedback.

Exams You will be given exams after most units. Exams are used to test your knowledge over each unit, but more importantly, they allow you to practice for the final AP exam. Exam questions are generally taken directly from AP Central material or from pervious exam examples.

Evaluation Students are evaluated in many ways, both summative and formative. While grades are received for work, students should pay close attention to feedback from the teacher and fellow students. Appropriate response to feedback (taking advice and learning from it) is essential to success in this AP course. Grades are posted on RenWeb and will be posted in the classroom as well.

A

93 ? 100

Journals/Observations:

20%

A- 90 ? 92

Projects:

35%

B+ 87 ? 89

Quizzes

15%

B

83 ? 86

Unit Exams

30%

B- 80 ? 82

etc

Weekly Journals Please refer to attached instruction sheet.

Instruction Methodology Lecture: Key concepts and factual information should be written into notes by students. Make a habit of recording insights and helpful explanations that will assist in studying. Discussion: Teacher will call individuals by name or accept raised hands. Please feel open to bring any relevant thought to the discussion...there are no stupid ideas or questions. It may be helpful to record major points of discussion in your notes for further use in your studies. Group Work: Be willing to work with a variety of people. This is part of your social development. Follow instructions carefully and include all members of the group. Projects: There will be a high frequency of projects. Expectations for projects vary. Please carefully read directions and rubrics for each. Projects are designed not only to be enjoyable but understand a particular process, concept, or theory. Please pay special attention to these applications as they will be very beneficial as examples on your exams. Media: Frequent use is made of media (video, music, etc). Students are expected to remain attentive. If no other work is attached to the media, it is expected that students will take notes in their binder throughout the media presentation.

Academic Integrity The teacher expects each student to strive for the highest standard of personal excellence. It is therefore understood that students will be responsible to complete their own learning with academic integrity. Cheating, as defined in the handbook, will result in a suspension and a zero for the work. All cheating issues will be referred to the administration.

Classroom Expectations Our classroom should be pleasant place where learning comes naturally. The following guidelines will help us accomplish this goal. 1. Students at TA are active learners, not passive learners! 2. Respect for EVERY person is ESSENTIAL in all activities. 3. Be Responsible for your success. Bring what you need (notebooks,

textbooks, pens) Leave what you don't need (phones, food, bathroom needs). 4. Pursue the objectives. Focus on what you need to learn. 5. Meet your deadlines. 6. Provide insight. You have valuable ideas and questions. Add them to discussions and further develop them. 7. Keep the Classroom clean ? Pick up all personal effects before leaving. Throw trash in trash cans. Return classroom books to proper shelf. 8. Be familiar with the Takoma Academy Handbook

This course incorporates the 12 AP scoring components listed below: ... a systematic study of the nature of geography ... a systematic study of the perspectives of geography ... a systematic study of population geography ... a systematic study of cultural patterns and processes ... a systematic study of political organization of space ... a systematic study of agriculture and land use ... a systematic study of industrial and economic development ... a systematic study of cities and urban land use ... the use of landscape analysis to examine human organization of space ... spatial relationships at different scales ranging from the local to the global ... how to use and interpret maps and spatial data ... how to use and interpret geographic models

Human Geography Current Events Journals

Required Materials: Marbled Composition notebook (provided by teacher), Blue or black pen, Stapler or tape.

Description of Activity:

One journal entry based on a news or magazine article, discussing how concepts from human geography can be used to explain or clarify current world events. Due each Thursday of the school year, excluding exam weeks. The teacher often provide you with articles to use. Some weeks you will be asked to provide your own.

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Staple or tape the article into your journal. a. If you use an online article you must provide a proper MLA citation: Author. "Title of Article." Name of Magazine. Date Article Published. Date Visited Website.

2. Journal entries must contain at least 2 paragraphs discussing the following: a. Paragraph 1 should be a concise summary of the article. b. Paragraph 2 should analyze the concepts in the article using Human Geography concepts and vocabulary. What does the article have to do with Human Geography, or how can Human Geography help you analyze the article?

Additional Information:

If your article is particularly interesting, we may copy it for the whole class to comment on.

The teacher will write comments and feedback on your journals. Please feel free to write more comments in response. This process is vital to practicing and developing the terms and concepts used in Human Geography. If you put lots of effort into these articles, you will find your final exam to be much easier. By the end of the year, you will know a lot more about what's going on in the world, and you will have a wealth of examples to use in your AP Human Geography Exam essays. You will have had on-going discussions in writing with your teacher and with fellow classmates and at home about current events.

Grading Rubric ? Journals

Student presents a clear, concise summary of the article. Student shows a thorough

4

understanding of specific AP HuGe vocabulary used to analyze the article. Student clearly explains the reasoning used to form their conclusions. Contains few minor errors in

vocabulary and grammar that do not impact meaning

Student presents a clear summary of the article. Student shows an extensive

3

understanding of specific AP HuGe vocabulary used to analyze the article. Student gives

general explanations about how they reached their conclusions. Contains minimal errors in

vocabulary and grammar that do not impact meaning

Student presents a vague summary of the article. Student shows a general understanding

2

of specific AP HuGe vocabulary used to analyze the article. Student lacks rationale their

conclusions. Contain significant errors in vocabulary and grammar that impair meaning

Student lacks or provides a minimal summary of the article. Student shows little to no

1

understanding of specific AP HuGe vocabulary. Student lacks rationale for their conclusions.

Contains major errors in vocabulary and grammar that impair meaning

Parents and Students,

Please read through this entire syllabus. Once you have completed reading it, please sign the form below indicating that you are familiar with and agree to the expectations for this class.

"I have read, understand, and agree to the policies and procedures set forth in this syllabus."

Signed:

_____________________________ ___________

Signature of Student

Date

_____________________________ ___________

Signature of Parent / Guardian

Date

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