Advanced Placement Human Geography

Summer Preparation

Advanced Placement Human Geography

Summer Preparation

Mrs. Celeste Reynolds

Room: B125

creynolds@mpspk12.org

Welcome to the ninth season of AP Human Geography here at Mashpee High School. I look forward to our year together as we both enter our journey into the discovery of how human beings use this space called Earth. It is my hope that not only will you get a grade of 5 on the AP exam next May, but that you will also develop a love and passion for geography as I have and will want to continue in this field of study as you move forward into college.

This summer you will have preparation work to help you begin to learn about the concepts and issues we will be discussing in class. Your summer preparation includes:

1. Read ONE of Three Books (See Below)
2. Write a written assignment on One of the Four Books(Due Friday, October 2, 2020)
3. Define Unit I Vocabulary Terms (Hand written) (Due Tuesday, September 29 , 2020)
4. Bring in Five current event articles and fill out FIVE of the “Five Fact Friday” Worksheet
5. Read A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park ((Due Tuesday, October 6, 2020)

CHOOSE ONE TO READ

Book Assignment: Writing Assignment

You are required to read one of the following: The Power of Place,Why Geography Matters, or Factfullness. Each of these books are eminently readable, broadly informative, and specifically focuses on some important aspect of geography such as population growth, energy consumption, immigration, ethnic conflict, globalization, cultural landscape, and geopolitics. We will be discussing each of the terms in great depth and this book will help you gain a strong knowledge base. It is my hope that in anticipation of taking AP Human Geography, that you will not only enjoy the subject matter of this book, but that by reading this book you will make your AP experience more meaningful.

Prep Work I: Read Book/Paper for The Power of Place,Why Geography Matters, or Factfullness.

You are required to write a reflection paper on one of the four books: The Power of Place,Why Geography Matters, or Factfullness based on the following rubric. As is expected with all written assignments in AP Human Geography, make sure you Word-Process your assignments, using no larger than 12 font, Times New Roman, Double-Spaced. Point deductions will be taken off if this format is not followed. With regard to length of response, three-four pages typed in total would be considered appropriate. Please use the following rubric as a guide to how to organize your paper:

I. Description (5 points)

· Author’s Name,

· place of publication,

· date of publication,

· number of pages in book

II. Summary of Book (20 points)

· Important points brought out, highlights, etc).

III. Analysis (30 points)

• Author’s objectives – What did the author intend for the reader in writing this book? (10 Points)
• Universal Lessons – Provide examples from the book of lessons that would apply any place or time. These lessons should deal, if possible, with threads of humanity or the universal condition. If you do not feel there is any lesson to be learned from your book, explain why. (Use passages to support your answer)(20 points)

IV. Appraisal (15 points)

• Did you like/dislike he book and why? (10 points)
• What is missing? (5 points)

V.Themes of Geography (20 points)

• Please integrate, where applicable, the 5 geographic themes of place/location, movement, perception, human/environment interaction, and region. If you are unsure of the definitions of these terms, you will find them in any dictionary or web inquiry related to the Five Themes of Geography. You do not have to address them all, just the ones that apply to your book!
• Ten points are reserved for the overall paper. (10 points)

The Book Review is worth a total of 100 points.

Prep Work II: A Long Walk to Water Writing Assignment

You are also required to read A Long Walk to Water because it will help you understand more about sustainable development in developing countries. This book will introduce you to the water crisis in Africa and the dramatic effects it has on millions of lives. Not having access to safe, clean drinking water affects the health, education, and economic development of so many in this world. After the AP exam in May, students will be participating in the Walk for Water. Together as a class, AP Human Geography students will be taking part in a sponsored walk to raise funds for Water for South Sudan, a non-profit organization drilling wells and transforming lives. This organization was started by Salva Dut, one of the main characters in A Long Walk to Water, the novel the students will read over the summer. The money raised will help fund a well in a needy South Sudanese community. For more information about the work of Water for South Sudan, please visit the website at www.waterforsouthsudan.org

On the day of the walk, each student will be walking around a marked track at our school, while carrying one or two one-gallon jugs filled with water. Each gallon is just over 8 lbs. Often children their age carry 50 lb jerry cans for hours each day. Students will gain empathy and understanding of what it is to have to walk so many miles each day to fetch water. Having a well close to home transforms lives in developing countries. People will not get sick from water related diseases and miss out on an education or income. Girls can go to school and get an education rather than having to walk with their mothers to fetch water. Women can spend the hours they previously used walking and fetching water on more productive tasks – growing food, caring for children, making an income.

You are required to write a one page essay on A Long Walk to Water following the same guidelines as the other book essay outline from above. This essay will be used in your AP with WE Service Portfolio that will help you earn A Service Credit through the College Board.

Prep Work III: Vocabulary

There are a total of seven units in AP Human Geography and you will be required to complete a vocabulary list for each unit. You are assigned the first Unit Vocabulary over the summer to complete. Vocabulary lists must be HAND WRITTEN! You can find definitions on-line. Google AP Human Geography Terms or you can go to my website and there is a helpful website that I provide to help you define the terms. This vocabulary list is due the first day of school!

Prep Work IV: Current Events aka...Five Fact Fridays

It is important to listen to the news. Learn what is going on in the world. We will be discussing a lot of world events and how geography plays a role in these events. You will be required to find five current event story that happened after July 9, 2018 for five consecutive weeks, and fill out the “Five Fact Friday” Worksheet each week. Think of it as a current event each week. This worksheet will be due the first day of school!

If you feel you need to refresh your geography knowledge please visit the following web site HYPERLINK http://www.wartoft.nu/software/seterra/ This is called Seterra and it is a geographic game that will test your knowledge of physical geography that will be important throughout the year. So visit the site and test your geography knowledge and try to see if you can improve your score over the summer.

When you return to school you will be broken up into study groups. You will need to communicate, research, and do assignments on the internet throughout the year. Please let me know if you have difficulty obtaining these items and I will do my best to assist you.

To learn more about the course please visit my website!

https://sites.google.com/mpspk12.org/careynolds/mrs-reynolds-site

I look forward to a great year! This is a wonderful class that I really enjoy teaching and I hope you enjoy learning the subject manner as well.

Sincerely,

Celeste Reynolds

AP Human Geography Teacher

VOCABULARY: UNIT I: Nature vs. Perspective

Must be HANDWRITTEN!!!!!

A Vocabulary List for AP Human Geography

Martha Sharma

Retired teacher

Hilton Head, South Carolina

Unit I. Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives—Basic Vocabulary and Concepts

Note: The following concepts transcend all units in AP Human Geography; they are central to all geographic thinking and analysis and could even be considered central to any definition of geography.

Basic Concepts

Changing attributes of place (built landscape, sequent occupance)

Cultural attributes (cultural landscape)

Density (arithmetic, physiological)

Diffusion (hearth, relocation, expansion, hierarchical, contagious, stimulus)

Direction (absolute, relative)

Dispersion/concentration (dispersed/scattered, clustered/agglomerated)

Distance (absolute, relative)

Distribution

Environmental determinism

Location (absolute, relative, site, situation, place name)

Pattern (linear, centralized, random)

Physical attributes (natural landscape)

Possibilism

Region (formal/uniform, functional/nodal, perceptual/vernacular)

Scale (implied degree of generalization)

Size

Spatial (of or pertaining to space on or near Earth’s surface)

Spatial interaction (accessibility, connectivity, network, distance decay, friction of

distance, time-space compression)

Geographic Tools

Distortion

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Grid (North and South Poles, latitude, parallel, equator, longitude, meridian, prime

meridian, international date line)

Map (Maps are the tool most uniquely identified with geography; the ability to use and

interpret maps is an essential geographic skill.)

Map scale (distance on a map relative to distance on Earth)

Map types (thematic, statistical, cartogram, dot, choropleth, isoline)

Mental map

Model (a simplified abstraction of reality, structured to clarify causal relationships):

Geographers use models (e.g., Demographic Transition, Epidemiological

Transition, Gravity, Von Thünen, Weber, Stages of Growth [Rostow], Concentric

Circle [Burgess], Sector [Hoyt], Multiple Nuclei, Central Place [Christaller], and

so on) to explain patterns, make informed decisions, and predict future behaviors.

Projection

Remote sensing

Time zones

FIVE FACT FRIDAY ASSIGNMENT

Getting Globally Aware!!!!!

“Five Facts” Assignments

It is important you become globally aware! You will need to find a news story from another country (NOT THE UNITED STATES) on the BBC website. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ . You are to report FIVE facts from the article. During the school year you will be turning in this worksheet with your FIVE facts every Friday!!!!

Name:_______________________

Title of Article:________________________

Date: ______________________

Region of the world:_________________________

5 Facts: (Please write the Five Facts in Complete Sentences)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Why is this topic an important topic for the media to bring to the public’s attention?

How does this story relate to Human Geography? (Need to make two comparisons)

How did this article change your opinion or knowledge about this particular topic?

What is your opinion about the article you read?