Greer High School
Teacher: Carly Brooks
pcbrooks@greenvilleschools.us (864) 355-5742
A variety of learning strategies will be used including lecture, group discussion, group work, film/video review, and independent study. Critical and creative writing, reading, and thinking skills will be emphasized. All students will take the AP Human Geography Exam in May. AP Human Geography is a college-level course requiring maturity and positive, motivated students.
“On successful completion of the course, students should have developed skills that enable them to:
Use and think about maps and spatial data
Understand and interpret the implications of associations among phenomena in places
Recognize and interpret at different scales the relationships among patterns and processes
Define lines and evaluate the regionalization process
Characterize and analyze”
- Human Geography Course Description, apcentral.collegeboard.com
Cengage/National Geographic – Human Geography: A Spatial Perspective
Video and film resources will be recommended throughout the course. I will provide a list for parents.
Required Supplies:
3 ring binder or folder for handouts and notes
Blue or black ink pens
3x5 note cards
#2 pencils
Class Expectations:
You are enrolled in a college-level course. Please behave accordingly.
When you are absent it is your responsibility to get your missed assignments. All assignments are posted in Google Classroom.
All policies and procedures outlined in the Greer High School Student Handbook will be followed.
EXTRA HELP: I am available for extra help Monday through Thursday from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. and after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as needed. Just ask. I am here for you. :0)
Pay attention to assignment due dates – Late work will not be accepted, unless the student has an excused absence. Please note that extracurricular activities and field trips are not excuses for late or incomplete work. It is YOUR responsibility to make up class work, quizzes, or tests missed because of an absence. You have 5 school days to make up work upon your return, unless other arrangements have been made.
The Advanced Placement Human Geography Exam
Students will take the AP Human Geography exam in May. The exam is written by the College Board, and it is used to determine whether or not students have acquired knowledge comparable to that which they would have received in an actual college setting. A passing score on this exam (i.e. 3, 4, or 5), should ensure that a student will earn exemption credit (usually for an introductory Geography course) from the college or university in which they enroll.
Class activities and tests will be geared toward preparing students for the AP exam. The exam is 2 hours and 15 minutes long and consists of two equally weighted sections. Section I consists of 60 multiple choice items to be completed in 60 minutes. Section II consists of 3 free-response questions to be completed in 75 minutes. The student score on the AP exam does not affect report card grade(s) at Greer High School. In other words it is possible to make an A on the GHS report card for AP Human Geography, but not receive points on the AP exam high enough to receive college credit.
It is strongly recommended (but not required) that you buy an AP Human Geography Test Prep book to assist in your preparation for the exam. There are many found in local bookstores and online. I also have some available in our classroom. More information about the AP Exam and some sample questions can be found at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_humangeo.html?humangeo.
Helpful Hints:
Reading the textbook is ESSENTIAL for success
Review vocabulary, geographic models, and their applications to current and real world situations
Use the companion website for the textbook
Read and review every night
Manage your time wisely
Complete all assignments on time!
Keep up with current events and be prepared to discuss world events in class
Be interested and enjoy learning about the world and those in it
COURSE OUTLINE
I. Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives
Historical development of geography
Definition of human geography and basic concepts of geography- location, space, place, scale, pattern, regionalization, and globalization
Methods and skills of geography
Sources of Geographical Information and Use of Geospatial Technology remote sensing, data sources, and geographic information systems
Identification of world regions
II. Population and Migration
Global population patterns
Factors and historical patterns of growth
Contemporary patterns of demographic data
Demographic Transition Model
Population policies - Malthus and population sustainability
Population distribution
Spatial patterns (global, regional, local)
Implications of densities and distributions
Population movement
Types of migration
Understanding push and pull factors
· Ravenstein’s laws of migration
Major historical migrations
Contemporary migration patterns
III. Cultural Patterns and Processes
Concepts of culture
Folk and pop culture
Language and its importance as an element of culture
Religion and sacred space
Ethnicity and nationalism
Cultural differences in attitudes toward gender
IV. Political Organization of Space
Defining political geography
Nations and states (territoriality)
Function and influence of boundaries
Forms of governance
Influence of state shapes
Evolution of contemporary political patterns
Colonialism and imperialism
Democratization
Legacy of the Cold War
Cooperation and Conflict
Supra-nationalism and international alliances
Devolution of countries
Electoral Geography – redistricting and gerrymandering
Armed conflicts, war, and terrorism
V. Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land Use
Origin and diffusion of agriculture
Major agricultural production regions
Types of agriculture
Global distribution
Rural land use and settlement patterns
Von Thunen’s Model of Agricultural Land Use
Settlement patterns of major types of agriculture
Issues in contemporary commercial agriculture
Biotechnology and genetically modified organisms
Environmental impact
Famine and malnutrition
VI. Cities and Urban Land Use
Patterns of Urbanization
Origin and location of urban areas at multiple scales
Global: rates and regions
National: growth and decline
Local: urban sprawl
World cities and megacities
Suburbanization
Urban Models
Urban systems
· Central Place Theory, Rank-Size Rule, and Primate Cities
Internal city structure
· Urban Concentric zone, sector, multiple-nuclei, galactic city/edge city
Contemporary issues and trends of urbanization
Urban Sprawl
Changing demographic, employment, and social structures
Environmental issues
Uneven development
VII. Industrialization and Economic Development
Growth and diffusion of industrialization
Origins of Industrial Revolution
Distribution of industry
Situation and site factors
Weber’s theory of industrial location
Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth and Wallerstein’s World Systems
Social and economic measures of development
Economic, social, and demographic indicators
More developed versus less developed regions
Obstacles to development
Contemporary patterns and impacts of industrialization
Uneven development
Deindustrialization and economic restructuring
Globalization and the international division of labor
Natural resources and environmental concerns
Sustainable development
Women in development