Social Studies – Advanced Placement Human Geography
Curriculum, Scope, and Sequence
State Goal 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States.
Why This Goal Is Important: The need for geographic literacy has never been greater or more obvious than in today's tightly
interrelated world. Students must understand the world's physical features, how they blend with social systems and how they affect
economies, politics and human interaction. Isolated geographic facts are not enough. To grasp geography and its effect on
individuals and societies, students must know the broad concepts of spatial patterns, mapping, population and physical systems
(land, air, water). The combination of geographic facts and broad concepts provides a deeper understanding of geography and its
effects on individuals and societies.
Common Core Standards:



English Language Arts Standards » Reading: Informational Text » Grade 11-12 (RI.11.12.1 to RI.11-12.9)
English Language Arts Standards » Writing » Grade 11-12 (W.11-12.1 to W.11-12.10)
English Language Arts Standards » History/Social Studies » Grades 11-12 (RH.11-12.1 to RH.11-12.9)
1st Quarter – Unit 1 – Introduction to Human Geography (2 weeks)
State Standard
C.C. Standard
Objectives
The student will be able to:
 Demonstrate their prior knowledge
 Understand where their “gaps of
understanding” are
 Distinguish what topics and subject areas are
included in the field of Human Geography
Board Approved 9/12/2012
Action Plan

Students will complete a
Human Geography Pre-test
in order to ascertain level of
prior knowledge.
Resources

Geography Pre-Test
1
17.A.5

Demonstrate 
how maps,
other
geographic
instruments and
technologies
are used to
solve spatial
problems (e.g.,
land use,
ecological
concerns).
RI.11-12.1.
Cite strong and
thorough textual
evidence to
support analysis
of what the text
says explicitly as
well as inferences
drawn from the
text, including
determining
where the text
leaves matters
uncertain.
The student will be able to:








17.A.4a Use
mental maps of
physical

features to
answer complex
geographic
questions (e.g.,
how physical
features have
deterred or
enabled
migration).
RI.11-12.7.
Integrate and
evaluate multiple
sources of
information
presented in
different media
or formats (e.g.,
visually,
quantitatively) as
well as in words
in order to
address a
question or solve
a problem.
Board Approved 9/12/2012



Explain the basic parameters of geographical
inquiry
Describe the role of geography in halting
disease epidemics
Distinguish the five Themes of Geography
Apply the five Themes of Geography in local
and foreign contexts
Use maps as secondary sources for analysis
and interpretation
Distinguish between relative and absolute
location
Explain the meaning and categories of cultural
diffusion
List and describe several different types of
regions
Identify broad geographic trends in the
modern world
Identify geographic regions, capitals, political
borders, rivers, bodies of wate,r and mountain
ranges of North America
Organize some demographical data in a map
format




Students will complete

assigned Human Geography:
People, Place, and Culture,
9th Edition. reading,

structured outline, and
discuss key ideas.
Human Geography: People,
Place, and Culture, 9th Edition

Students will read, discuss
and write a critical response
to a contemporary article on
globalization.
The Rise Of The Rest –
Essay by Fareed Zakaria

Introduction to Human
Geography – Lecture

Map of North America
Students will complete
structured lecture notes.
– Chapter 1 (pp. 1-34)
www.quizlet.com –
vocabulary flashcards
Students will complete map
labeling and cartography
assignment
2
17.A.4b Use
maps and other
geographic
instruments and

technologies to
analyze spatial
patterns and
distributions on
earth.
17.B.5
Analyze
international
issues and
problems using
ecosystems and

physical

geography
concepts.
17.A.5
Demonstrate
how maps,
other
geographic
instruments and
technologies
are used to
solve spatial
problems
The student will be able to:

W.11-12.1.
Write arguments
to support claims
in an analysis of
substantive
topics or texts,
using valid
reasoning and
relevant and
sufficient
evidence.
RI.11-12.1.
Cite strong and
thorough textual
evidence to
support analysis
of what the text
says explicitly as
well as inferences
drawn from the
text, including
determining
where the text
leaves matters
uncertain.
Board Approved 9/12/2012






Describe the connections between physical
geography and socioeconomic success
Synthesize and summarize several points of
views in a debated subject.
Organize thesis, evidence, and conclusions in a
cohesive argument
Follow a structured presentation and complete
notes as a reference for exam preparation.
Explain the development and basic
technological framework of GPS and GIS
technologies.
Apply knowledge of GPS and GIS technology by
using software to create custom maps.
Give examples of conclusions about differences
between geographic regions evident when
comparing custom maps.




Students will examine
Geography of North America
from several perspectives
and write a short essay
describing the impact of

America’s Physical
Geography on its
socioeconomic success.
Lost in Space: Geography
Training for Astronauts –
Power of Place Video
Series (25 min)
Boundaries and
Borderlands: Mexico and
the United States - Power
of Place Video Series (25
min)

Introduction to GPS and
GIS - Lecture

Students will be assigned
specific geographic sub

regions in North America and
use software to create
informative maps for each
region.
www.worldmapper.com
Students will complete
structured lecture notes.
Cartography Assignment
3
17.A.4b Use
maps and other
geographic

instruments and
technologies to
analyze spatial
patterns and
distributions on
earth.
17.B.4b
Analyze trends
in world demographics as they
relate to
physical
systems.

17.C.4c
Explain how
places with
various
population
distributions
function as
centers of
economic
activity (e.g.,
rural, suburban,
urban).
The student will be able to:
RI.11-12.3.
Analyze a
complex set of
ideas or
sequence of
events and
explain how
specific
individuals,
ideas, or events
interact and
develop over the
course of the
text.
RI.11-12.5.
Analyze and
evaluate the
effectiveness of
the structure an
author uses in his
or her exposition
or argument,
including
whether the
structure makes
points clear,
convincing, and
engaging.
Board Approved 9/12/2012








Apply knowledge of using GPS and GIS
technology to locate oneself in a geographical
space.
Use maps and statistical data to solve
problems which provide coordinates for
cached items
Summarize Jared Diamond’s argument
regarding the impact of geography on longterm human development.
Describe evidence provided to support
author’s thesis.
Develop discussion group strategies for
deepening individual and group understanding
of the assigned reading.
Demonstrate understanding of the geographic
concepts of transnationalism
Participate in an interview format discussion
Examine a case study of transnationalism in
the modern world.


www.geocaching.com
Students will use GPS devices

to complete a geographic
treasure hunt on the High
School Grounds and
adjoining areas.
GPS Handheld Devices
(Borrowed from
University of Illinois,
College of Education)


Students will take a reading
quiz and discuss assigned
reading section from
supplemental text.

Students will discuss
transnationalism and
modern migration patterns,
formulate questions, and

participate in a class
interview with an Australian
Geography teacher currently
working at an international
high school in Ho Chi Minh,
Vietnam.
Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fate of Human
Societies by Jared
Diamond (Preface &
Prologue, pp. 9-34)
Skype Guest Speaker –
Maggie Wighton –
“Transnationalism and
Living in Vietnam”
4
The student will be able to:



Organize essay in the approved format for the
AP Examination.
Connect essay prompts with grading
expectations.
Use a rubric to evaluate sample writings for AP
Examinations.


Students will examine an AP
Exam free response essay
prompt, sample student
responses, and the provided
rubric in an ongoing effort to
prepare for the structure and
scope of AP Exam Essays.
Free Response Essay
Practice Materials
(Previous year’s exam
released to teachers by
the College Board to
facilitate AP Exam
preparation)
1st Quarter – Unit 2 – Agriculture and Rural Land Use (2 Weeks)
State Standard C.C. Standard
Objectives
Action Plan
17.B.4a
Explain the
dynamic
interactions
within and
among the
Earth’s physical
systems
including
variation,
productivity and
constructive and
destructive
processes.
The student will be able to:

RI.11-12.4.
Determine the
meaning of
words and
phrases as they
are used in a
text, including
figurative,
connotative, and
technical
meanings;
analyze how an
author uses and
refines the
meaning of a key
Board Approved 9/12/2012



Identify and explain the time period,
characteristics, and impact of the Agricultural
Revolution
List and describe several different cultivation
and domestication strategies.
Explain the impacts of Agricultural
Modernization on Earlier Practices

Resources

Students will complete
assigned Human Geography:
People, Place, and Culture,
9th Edition. reading,

structured outline, and
discuss key ideas.
Students will read, discuss
and write a critical response

to a contemporary article on
the diet and food resources
of modern America
Human Geography: People,
Place, and Culture, 9th Edition –
Chapter 11 (pp. 365-402)
www.quizlet.com –
vocabulary flashcards
We Are What We Eat –
Essay by Michael Pollan
5
term or terms
over the course
of a text
17.C.5a
Compare
resource
management
methods and
policies in
different
regions of the
world.
The student will be able to:





17.A.4a Use
mental maps of
physical
features to
answer complex
geographic
questions
RH.11-12.7.
Integrate and
evaluate multiple
sources of
information
presented in
diverse formats
and media (e.g.,
visually,
quantitatively, as
well as in words)
in order to
address a
question or solve
a problem.





Board Approved 9/12/2012
Discuss and cite examples of large-scale trends
in American acquisition of food sources
Identify the impact of urban sprawl on
agricultural regions
Provide examples of local transitions from
agricultural to urban areas
Identify geographic regions, capitals, political
borders, rivers, bodies of water, and mountain
ranges of Central and South America
Organize some demographical data in a map
format
Identify corn’s importance in the American
food supply
Describe intended and unintended
consequences of this food supply strategy
Summarize the factors involved in a conflict
between subsistence farming and commercial
farming in the modern world.
Organize their opinions on the role of multinational corporations and local food supplies in
economic disadvantaged areas




Chicago: Farming on the
Edge - Power of Place
Video Series (25 minutes)

Map of Central and South
America

Agriculture: Civilization
Defined – Lecture

King Corn – Documentary
Video
Students will view and
discuss a video describing
the impact of urban sprawl
on farming communities.
Students will complete map
labeling and cartography
assignment.
Students will complete
structured lecture notes.

Students will examine the
scale, economic impact and
environmental impact of
America’s Corn Industry.


Students will research and
debate the positive and
negative affects of
commercial coffee farming in
Africa.
Starbucks coffee and
subsistence farming in
Sub-Saharan Africa –
Lesson Materials
6
17.C.4c

Explain how 
places with
various
population
distributions
function as
centers of
economic
activity (e.g.,
rural, suburban,
urban).
17.B.5
Analyze
international 
issues and

problems using
ecosystems and
physical
geography
concepts.
17.D.5 Analyze
the historical
development of
a current issue
involving the
interaction of
people and
geographic
factors
W.11-12.1.
Write arguments
to support claims
in an analysis of
substantive
topics or texts,
using valid
reasoning and
relevant and
sufficient
evidence.
The student will be able to:







W.11-12.6.
Use technology,
including the
Internet, to
produce, publish,
and update
individual or
shared writing
products in
response to
ongoing
feedback,
including new
arguments or
information.
Board Approved 9/12/2012
Explain the international connections of the
food they eat
Conduct fieldwork researching a specific
question
Organize and present results and conclusions
of fieldwork

Examine and analyze primary resources
Apply concepts of human geography to a legal
decision
Organize their thesis, evidence, and
conclusions in an essay format



Identify the missions and purposes of local and
large-scale seed banks
Explain the importance of genetic diversity in
agriculture

Students will search their
local grocery store for foods
grown, produced, or
packaged in a country
outside of the United States
and create a 2-minute
presentation reporting their
findings.
Students will examine the
facts of the 1997 British
lawsuit between the
MdDonald’s Corporation and
an Environmental Activist
group. Students then will be
assigned roles to reenact the
case and write a critical
response agreeing or
disagreeing with the findings
of the presiding court.
Students will examine the
mission and strategies of
Community and World Seed
Banks by reading several
secondary source articles
and official websites.
Students will read, discuss,
and write a critical response
to a contemporary article on
globalization.

Grocery Store

Country of origin of food
in your store –
Assignment and Student
Power Points

The McLibel Trial – Lesson
Materials

Community and World
Seed Banks Websites and
News Articles
7
17.C.4a Explain

the ability of 
modern
technology to
alter geographic
features and
the impacts of
these
modifications
on human
activities.
17.C.5a
Compare
resource
management
methods and 
policies in
different
regions of the
world.
W.11-12.7.
Conduct short as
well as more
sustained research
projects to answer
a question
(including a selfgenerated
question) or solve
a problem; narrow
or broaden the
inquiry when
appropriate;
synthesize multiple
sources on the
subject,
demonstrating
understanding of
the subject under
investigation.
The student will be able to:
RI.11-12.5.
Analyze and
evaluate the
effectiveness of the
structure an
author uses in his
or her exposition or
argument,
including whether
the structure
makes points clear,
convincing, and
engaging.


Board Approved 9/12/2012









Explain the goals and strategies of a non-profit
organization
Formulate questions to clarify understanding of
a complex issue
Conduct an interview of an informant to
develop deeper understanding of a complex
issue
Summarize Jared Diamond’s description of the
archeological evidence of the spread of human
beings in geologic history
Describe Jared Diamond’s conclusion of the
significance of geography into what areas were
first settled by modern humans
Develop discussion group strategies for
deepening individual and group understanding
of the assigned reading.
Organize essay in the approved format for the
AP Examination.
Connect essay prompts with grading
expectations.
Use a rubric to evaluate sample writings for AP
Examinations.
Students will discuss
geographic implications of
changing strategies in

acquiring and maintaining
the human food supply,
formulate questions
concerning the sustainability
of American farming and
eating habits, and participate
in a class interview with an
representative of Food Corps
Inc.

Students will take a reading
quiz and discuss assigned
reading section from
supplemental text.

Students will examine an AP
Exam free response essay
prompt, sample student
responses and the provided
rubric in an ongoing effort to
prepare for the structure an
scope of AP Exam Essays.
Skype Guest Speaker –
Food Corps Inc.
Spokesperson –
Sustainable Farming and
Eating Habits

Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fate of Human
Societies by Jared
Diamond (Chapter 1, pp.
35-52)

Free Response Essay
Practice Materials
(Previous year’s exam
released to teachers by
the College Board to
facilitate AP Exam
preparation)
8
1st Quarter – Unit 3 – Population and Migration (2 weeks)
State Standard
C.C. Standard
Objectives
Action Plan
17.B.4b
Analyze trends
in world demographics as they
relate to
physical
systems.
RH.11-12.8.
Evaluate an
author’s
premises, claims,
and evidence by
corroborating or
challenging them
with other
information.
The student will be able to:

17.C.5b
Describe the
impact of
human

migrations and
increased
urbanization on
ecosystems.
17.D.4 Explain
how processes
of spatial
change have
affected human
history (e.g.,
resource
development
and use, natural
disasters).




RH.11-12.3.
Evaluate various
explanations for
actions or events
and determine
which
explanation best
accords with
textual evidence,
acknowledging
where the text
leaves matters
uncertain.
Board Approved 9/12/2012





Explain the concepts of population density,
growth, and geographical factors behind
human settlement patterns.
Organize data pertaining to local, regional, and
international population trends.
List and describe the statistical measures
generally considered part of demographical
analysis
Describe several different categories of
emigrational motives
Identify causes and implications of diverse
examples of demographical transition.
Provide international examples of migration
patterns in the modern world
Differentiate between statistical and
exponential growth
Identify geographic regions, capitals, political
borders, rivers, bodies of water, and mountain
ranges of East Asia
Organize data in a map format
Resources

Students will complete
assigned Human Geography:
People, Place, and Culture,
9th Edition. reading,
structured outline, and

discuss key ideas.

Students will read, discuss
and write a critical response
to a contemporary article
and demographic statistics
on exponential growth of
human population.

Students will complete map
labeling and cartography
assignment.

Students will complete
structured lecture notes.
Human Geography: People,
Place, and Culture, 9th Edition
– Chapter 2-3 (pp. 36111)
www.quizlet.com –
vocabulary flashcards

7 Billion – National
Geographic series on
human population
growth, trends, and the
future of humankind

Map of East Asia

Is Demography Destiny?
– Lecture
9


17.C.4b
Analyze growth
trends in
selected urban
areas as they
relate to
geographic
factors.

17.B.4b
Analyze trends
in world demographics as they
relate to
physical
systems.
W.11-12.9.
Draw evidence
from literary or
informational
texts to support
analysis,
reflection, and
research.
The student will be able to:





RH.11-12.7.
Integrate and
evaluate multiple
sources of
information
presented in
diverse formats
and media (e.g.,
visually,
quantitatively, as
well as in words)
in order to
address a
question or solve
a problem.
Board Approved 9/12/2012

Describe social and environmental
consequences of population growth
Synthesize information from multiple
resources
Provide an example of gentrification
Compare and contrast demographic patterns
between various types of societies
Explain the correlation between youth,
unemployment, and civil unrest in Egypt






Conduct guided research to answer a specific
question
Compile and organize multiple primary and
secondary resources
Interpret quantitative data and maps
Describe large scale population movements in
the United States
Students will watch a short
video and read several
supporting articles and write
an essay that compares the
impacts of population
growth in a variety of social
contexts (Rich and
Industrialized countries

versus poor and agrarian
countries.)
Students will examine how
demographic patterns can

hasten or facilitate social and
political stability in human
societies.



Students will synthesize date
from several demography
resources and write a
descriptive essay that

summarizes U.S. population
growth and migration trends.
World In Balance – PBS
Video and supporting
materials about
population growth
NPR Article - The Young
Are the Restless – How
Demographics fueled the
Arab Spring
Gentrification Spelled
Out – Washington Post
Article
www.census.gov
U.S. national, regional
and International
Population Pyramids
USA Today Article –
Americans Gravitate To
Cities and Jobs
10
The student will be able to:

17.C.4a Explain

the ability of
modern
technology to
alter geographic
features and
the impacts of
these
modifications
on human
activities.
17.C.4c
Explain how
places with
various
population
distributions
function as
centers of
economic
activity (e.g.,
rural, suburban,
urban).
W.11-12.7.
Conduct short as
well as more
sustained
research projects
to answer a
question
(including a selfgenerated
question) or solve
a problem;
narrow or
broaden the
inquiry when
appropriate;
synthesize
multiple sources
on the subject,
demonstrating
understanding of
the subject under
investigation.
Board Approved 9/12/2012






Summarize two case studies of migrations in
Latin America
Compare and contrast the geographic and
political factors that influenced migrations in
each case study
Describe several political strategies employed
or proposed by national governments seeking
to reduce population growth in various
countries.
Discuss the impact of modern agricultural
techniques on population growth


Explain their own views, supported by
evidence and thoughtful analysis, on American
Immigration Policy
Apply geographic concepts of demographical
analysis to contemporary issues of public
interest.

Students will watch two
short videos that introduce
two Central American case
studies on causes and
direction of large-scale
migrations of human
populations.

Mexico: Motive to
Migrate - Power of Place
Video Series (20
minutes)

Guatemala: Population
and Conquest - Power of
Place Video Series (25
minutes)
Students will participate in a 
structured debate on the
merits of the “One Child”
Chinese policy and other
politically enforced strategies
to reduce population growth

Students will examine some
motivations for taking legal
and safety risks to migrate to 
the United States and write a
short essay describing their
views on American
immigration policies.
Political and Social
strategies to reduce
population growth –
Resource Packet
Poodwaddle Future
Population Clock
PBS Video – Dying to
Leave: Desperate
Migrants Risk Danger
and Death to Find a
Better Life
11
The student will be able to:
17.D.4 Explain
how processes
of spatial

change have
affected human
history (e.g.,
resource
development
and use, natural
disasters).
RI.11-12.3.
Analyze a
complex set of
ideas or
sequence of
events and
explain how
specific
individuals,
ideas, or events
interact and
develop over the
course of the
text.







RI.11-12.5.
Analyze and
evaluate the
effectiveness of the
structure an author
uses in his or her
exposition or
argument,
including whether
the structure
makes points clear,
convincing, and
engaging.
Board Approved 9/12/2012



List and describe the U.S. Naturalization
Process
Provide an example of one person’s experience
becoming an American Citizen
Use modern technology to engage an
informant from a distant location.
Describe the civilization of the classical
Polynesians
Explain the clash of civilizations between
Europeans and the people of Papua New
Guinea
Explain the connection between population
explosions and significant improvements in
agricultural technology
Organize essay in the approved format for the
AP Examination.
Connect essay prompts with grading
expectations.
Use a rubric to evaluate sample writings for AP
Examinations.


Students will research and
discuss the procedures for
becoming a naturalized U.S.
Citizen, develop questions
about the process and

participate in a Skype class
discussion with Yaw OpokuDakwa a Ghanaian-American
student in Chicago.


Students will take a reading
quiz and discuss assigned
reading section from
supplemental text.

Students will examine an AP 
Exam free response essay
prompt, sample student
responses, and the provided
rubric in an ongoing effort to
prepare for the structure and
U.S. Citizen and
Immigration Services
Official Website
Skype Guest Speaker –
Yaw Opoku-Dakwa –
“Becoming an American
Citizen”
Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fate of Human
Societies by Jared
Diamond (Chapters 2–4,
pp. 53-92)
Free Response Essay
Practice Materials
(Previous year’s exam
released to teachers by
the College Board to
facilitate AP Exam
12
scope of AP Exam Essays.
preparation)
1st Quarter – Unit 4 – Cultural Patterns and Processes (4 weeks)
State Standard
C.C. Standard
Objectives
Action Plan
Resources
The student will be able to:

Students will complete
assigned Human Geography:
People, Place, and Culture,
9th Edition. reading,
structured outline, and
discuss key ideas.


www.quizlet.com –
vocabulary flashcards

Students will be introduced
to the society of Lanzhou a
cultural melting pot in
Central China.

Lanzhou: Confluence of
Cultures - Power of
Place Video Series

Students will complete
structured lecture notes.

“What is Culture?’ –
Lecture

Students will complete map
labeling and cartography
assignment.

Map of the South Asia

17.C.5a
Compare
resource
management 
methods and 
policies in
different
regions of the
world.
17.B.4b
Analyze trends
in world demographics as they
relate to
physical
systems.

RI.11-12.2.
Determine two or
more central ideas
of a text and
analyze their
development over
the course of the
text, including how
they interact and
build on one
another to provide
a complex analysis;
provide an
objective summary
of the text.
Board Approved 9/12/2012









Distinguish between folk, local, material, and
non material culture
Provide examples of the geographic diffusion
of cultures
Identify “cultural hearths” and describe
characteristics of these
Describe popular, sub and counter cultures
and theories explaining these tensions in
societies
Discuss achieved statuses in social hierarchies
Discuss ascribed statuses in social hierarchies
Provide examples of markers of identity (race,
gender, ethnicity, cultural background)
Summarize the structure of human language
families
Describe the process by which languages
change and diversify
Identify major religious traditions in the world
and place them within geographical contexts
Identify geographic regions, capitals, political
borders, rivers, bodies of water and mountain
ranges of South Asia
Human Geography: People,
Place, and Culture, 9th
Edition Chapter 4-7
(pp.
112-248)
13

17.C.4a Explain

the ability of 
modern
technology to
alter geographic
features and
the impacts of
these
modifications
on human
activities.
17.C.5c
Describe
geographic
factors that
affect
cooperation
and conflict
among
societies.
RI.11-12.5.
Analyze and
evaluate the
effectiveness of the
structure an author
uses in his or her
exposition or
argument,
including whether
the structure makes
points clear,
convincing, and
engaging.
The student will be able to:







17.B.5
Analyze
international
issues and
problems using
ecosystems and
physical
geography
W.11-12.2.
Write
informative/explan
atory texts to
examine and
convey complex
ideas, concepts,
and information
clearly and
accurately through
the effective
selection,
organization, and
analysis of content.
Board Approved 9/12/2012
Organize data in a map format



Construct an outline to organize a descriptive
essay
Describe a case study of the negative social
impact of tourism disrupting local
communities
Examine their own culture from a more
objective perspective
Identify examples of bias, prejudice, and
stereotypes
Apply concepts of cultural adaptation to
geographical realities to their own cultural
contexts
Access a web archive and select resources to
deepen understanding of a complex issue
Analyze oral history and compare it with
other resources
Develop geographic theories to explain
cultural shifts and historical conflicts between
Native Americans and Americans of European
descent



Students will examine the
impact of global tourism on
Indonesian social norms and
culture and write a
persuasive essay for or
against limiting tourist
access to culturally
significant locations.
Students will view several
short clips depicting the
culture of different microregions in America and write
a script for the microculture within one square
mile radius of their homes.
Students will use a web
archive of Native American
oral history to research the
cultural shifts in the recent
history of these societies.

Indonesia: Tourist
Invasion - Power of
Place Video Series

"Body Ritual among the
Nacirema" – Essay by
Horace Miner

One Square Mile: A
Microcosm of Life in
America Since 2007 –
Video Project

In the Shadow of
Wounded Knee – Pine
Ridge Community
Storytelling Project
14
concepts.
The student will be able to:


17.D.5 Analyze
the historical
development of
a current issue
involving the
interaction of
people and
geographic
factors


17.C.4a Explain
the ability of
modern
technology to
alter geographic
features and
the impacts of
these
modifications
on human
RH.11-12.1.
Cite specific textual
evidence to support
analysis of primary
and secondary
sources, connecting
insights gained
from specific details
to an
understanding of
the text as a whole.






RI.11-12.7.
Integrate and
evaluate multiple
sources of
information
presented in
different media or
formats (e.g.,
visually,
quantitatively) as
well as in words in
order to address a
question or solve a
problem.
Board Approved 9/12/2012

Describe the peculiar historical circumstances
that resulted in the Gullah culture
Delineate the difference between a
subculture and a distinct culture
Provide examples of several significant
subcultures in the United States
Use internet resources to research a form of
cultural expression in foreign contexts
Summarize characteristic elements in popular
and traditional music from many different
regions in the world



Explain the connection between Buddhist and
Shinto Philosophy and Japanese cultural
expressions
Describe the specific steps of an Authentic
Tea Ceremony
Students will examine the
Gullah communities of
South Carolina and write an
essay arguing whether or
not this community should
be considered a “distinct
culture”
Students will be assigned a
geographic region for which
they will each research,
develop and present a
PowerPoint describing
traditional and
contemporary musical
traditions of the region.
Students will go on a field
trip to the University of
Illinois Japan House, tour a
Japanese Garden, be
introduced to Japanese
Philosophy, and participate
in a Tea Ceremony

Gullah Project – South
Carolina Gullah Culture
Lesson Packet

Do You Speak
American? – PBS
Project on colloquial
language

Student Project – Music
of the World

Field Trip – Japan
House: Touring a
Traditional Garden and
Participating in a Tea
Ceremony
15

activities.
Discuss symbolism in religious traditions

17.B.4b

Analyze trends
in world demographics as they
relate to
physical
systems.
RI.11-12.3.
Analyze a complex
set of ideas or
sequence of events
and explain how
specific individuals,
ideas, or events
interact and
develop over the
course of the text.
The student will be able to:





RI.11-12.5.
Analyze and evaluate
the effectiveness of
the structure an
author uses in his or
her exposition or
argument, including
whether the structure
makes points clear,
convincing, and
engaging.
Board Approved 9/12/2012





Formulate questions about living in a foreign
culture
Describe broad patterns of cultural diffusion
between Korea and Western culture
Analyze the global diffusion of key cultural
ideas from cultural hearths
Summarize Diamond’s explanation of how the
availability of indigenous plants and animals
impacted human development
Identify significant plants and animals in the
history of human societies
Describe the key geographical characteristics
that promote or inhibit cultural diffusion
Organize essay in the approved format for
the AP Examination.
Connect essay prompts with grading
expectations.
Use a rubric to evaluate sample writings for
AP Examinations.


Students will participate in a
Skype class discussion with
Brian Choi, a KoreanAmerican who moved to
Korea after college to teach
English and learn about his
parents’ native country.
Students will take a reading
quiz and discuss assigned
reading section from
supplemental text.

Skype Guest Speaker –
Brian Choi – “Culture
and Christianity in
South Korea”

Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fate of Human
Societies by Jared
Diamond (Chapter 5-9,
pp. 93-176)
Students will examine an AP
Exam free response essay
prompt, sample student
responses and the provided 
rubric in an ongoing effort
to prepare for the structure
and scope of AP Exam
Essays.
Free Response Essay
Practice Materials
16
2nd Quarter – Unit 5 – Political Organization of Space (2 weeks)
State
Standard
17.C.5c
Describe
geographic
factors that
affect
cooperation
and conflict
among
societies.
17.C.5a
Compare

resource

management
methods and
policies in
different
regions of the
world.
C.C. Standard
Objectives
Action Plan
RH.11-12.4.
Determine the
meaning of
words and
phrases as they
are used in a
text, including
analyzing how
an author uses
and refines the
meaning of a
key term over
the course of a
text
The student will be able to:

RI.11-12.7.
Integrate and
evaluate
multiple sources
of information
presented in
different media
or formats (e.g.,
visually,
quantitatively)
as well as in
Board Approved 9/12/2012









Describe the historical development of the
modern nation-state
Explain the world-wide effects of European
Colonialism and economic domination
Compare the political and economic systems of a
variety of modern countries
Discuss the increasing importance of
supranational organizations and analyze their
impact on political systems
Examine the process of developing recognized
territorial boundaries
Summarize the events that lead up to the
Rwandan Genocide
Explain the mission of the United Nation
Peacekeepers in this conflict
Develop a policy for stopping the spread of
ethnic and political conflict
Identify geographic regions, capitals, political


Students will complete
assigned Human Geography:
People, Place, and Culture,
9th Edition. reading,
structured outline, and
discuss key ideas.
Students will research into
the background of the
Rwandan Genocide of 1994,
examine the role of the
international community and
write an essay describing
their views on whether or
not wealthy industrialized
countries have a
responsibility to become
involved in conflicts in less
developed nations.
Students will complete
structured lecture notes.
Resources

Human Geography: People,
Place, and Culture, 9th
Edition Chapter 8 (pp.
249-287)

www.quizlet.com –
vocabulary flashcards

Rwandan Genocide
Resource Packet

Hotel Rwanda – Movie

The Nation State: A
Modern Reality –
Lecture
17
words in order
to address a
problem.
17.D.4

Explain how 
processes of
spatial change
have affected
human history
(e.g., resource
development
and use,
natural
disasters).
W.11-12.1.
Write
arguments to
support claims
in an analysis of
substantive
topics or texts,
using valid
reasoning and
relevant and
sufficient
evidence.

The student will be able to:


W.11-12.9.
Draw evidence
from literary or
informational
texts to support
analysis,
reflection, and
research.

Describe the use of social media in organizing a
grassroots political uprising in Egypt.
List and describe the factors that lead to
widespread discontent with the national
government in Egypt





Board Approved 9/12/2012

Students will complete map
labeling and cartography
assignment.
Students will examine the
ideological and political roots
of the 2011 Egyptian
Revolution

Map of Sub-Saharan
Africa

Egypt’s Revolution –
SBS Dateline Special
Presentation

Political Conflict
Student Projects
Syria (The Shockwaves
of the Arab Spring)
Sudan (The Aftermath
of a Genocide)
Kashmir (India and
Pakistan’s Dueling Land
Claims)
Northern Ireland
(Religious Tension and
Nationalism)
Korea (A People
Divided)
Mexico (Drug Cartels
and Instability)
Gaza (The Continuing
Conflict of Israel and
Palestine)
Somalia (Anatomy of a
Failed State)
o


17.B.4b

Analyze trends
in world demographics as
they relate to
physical
systems.
borders, rivers, bodies of water and mountain
ranges of South Asia
Organize data in a map format
Conduct independent research into an assigned
topic
Explain the significant events, trends, and causes
of several recent or ongoing conflicts in the
word.
Collaborate with a peer to create a
comprehensive and thorough presentation of
research results
Synthesize research findings from multiple
studies into a unified understanding or
conclusion
Explain appropriate citation and use of resources
fir presentation
Groups of two to three
students will be assigned one
of eight ongoing or recent
political conflicts in the world
and create a poster board or
PowerPoint presentation
describing the geographic
causes, scope, major events,
and potential outcomes of
each assigned conflict.
Students will then choose
one other presented conflict
and write an essay that
compares and contrasts
elements of their assigned
conflict with their selected
conflict.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
18

17.C.5c
Describe
geographic
factors that
affect
cooperation
and conflict
among
societies.
17.D.5
Analyze the
historical
development 
of a current 
issue involving
the interaction
of people and
geographic
factors (e.g.,
mass
transportation,
changes in
agricultural
subsidies, flood
control).
RH.11-12.3.
Evaluate various
explanations for
actions or
events and
determine which
explanation best
accords with
textual
evidence,
acknowledging
where the text
leaves matters
uncertain.
The student will be able to:






RI.11-12.5.
Analyze and
evaluate the
effectiveness of
the structure an
author uses in
his or her
exposition or
argument,
including
whether the
structure makes
points clear,
convincing, and
engaging.
Board Approved 9/12/2012




Provide examples of two major cultural shifts in
recent history.
Theorize about what factors contributed to
different outcomes in the two case studies
Apply conclusions from case study to other
potential analogous events (Reunification of the
Korean Peninsula)
Summarize Diamond’s theory on the direction of
the axis of each continent controlled the flow of
cultural ideas, innovations, and technological
improvements
Evaluate the validity of Diamond’s claims by
using additional sources to corroborate his
evidence
Participate in a class discussion to deepen
individual and group understanding of complex
ideas
Organize essay in the approved format for the
AP Examination.
Connect essay prompts with grading
expectations.
Use a rubric to evaluate sample writings for AP
Examinations.
 Berlin: United We Stand Students will be introduced
Power of Place Video
to the short and long-term
Series (23 minutes)
consequences of German
reunification and the end of  South Africa: This Land is
Apartheid as examples of the
My Land - Power of Place
geographic impact of deep
Video Series (25 minutes)
cultural and political
transitions.


Students will take a reading
quiz and discuss assigned
reading section from
supplemental text.

Students will examine an AP

Exam free response essay
prompt, sample student
responses, and the provided
rubric in an ongoing effort to
prepare for the structure and
scope of AP Exam Essays.
Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fate of Human
Societies by Jared
Diamond (Chapter 10,
pp. 177-191)
Free Response Essay
Practice Materials
(Previous year’s exam
released to teachers by
the College Board to
facilitate AP Exam
preparation)
19
2nd Quarter – Unit 6 – Cities and Urban Land Use (2 weeks)
State
Standard
C.C. Standard
Objectives
Action Plan
Resources
17.C.5b
Describe the
impact of
human
migrations and
increased
urbanization on
ecosystems.
RH.11-12.4.
Determine the
meaning of
words and
phrases as they
are used in a
text, including
analyzing how
an author uses
and refines the
meaning of a
key term over
the course of a
text
The student will be able to:


17.C.4c
Explain how
places with
various
population
distributions 
function as
centers of
economic
activity (e.g.,
rural,
suburban,
urban).
RH.11-12.9.
Integrate
information
from diverse
sources, both
primary and
secondary, into
a coherent
understanding
of an idea or
event, noting
discrepancies
among sources.
Board Approved 9/12/2012







Identify the civilizational hearths of urbanization
Compare and contrast the cultural achievements
of the major ancient river valley civilizations
Describe several different models of urban
development
Summarize the different characteristics between
functional zones within an urban area
Apply models of urban land use to several
different urban landscapes

Provide examples of communal use of space to
improve living conditions in high population
density regions

Identify geographic regions, capitals, political
borders, rivers, bodies of water, and mountain
ranges of South Asia
Organize data in a map format

Describe new trends in American Urbanism

Students will complete
assigned Human Geography:
People, Place, and Culture,
9th Edition. reading,
structured outline, and
discuss key ideas.
Students will examine the
infrastructure and use of
space in Tokyo and Delhi,
two of the largest
metropolitan areas in the
world. Students will write a
short essay summarizing land
use patterns evident in each
case study city and
contrasting with their own
community.
Students will complete map
labeling and cartography
assignment.
Human Geography: People,
Place, and Culture, 9th
Edition – Chapter 9 (pp.
288-334)

www.quizlet.com –
vocabulary flashcards

Tokyo: Anatomy of a
Mega-City - Power of
Place Video Serie

Delhi: Bursting at the
Seams - Power of Place
Video Series

Map of the Middle East

Evolution of Cities and
Models of Urban
Growth – Lecture
20

17.C.4a

Explain the 
ability of
modern
technology to
alter
geographic
features and
the impacts of
these
modifications
on human
activities.
17.C.5a
Compare
resource
management 
methods and 
policies in
different
regions of the
world.
17.C.4b
Analyze growth
trends in
selected urban
areas as they
relate to
geographic
factors.
RH.11-12.1.
Cite specific
textual evidence
to support
analysis of
primary and
secondary
sources,
connecting
insights gained
from specific
details to an
understanding
of the text as a
whole.
RI.11-12.5.
Analyze and
evaluate the
effectiveness of
the structure an
author uses in
his or her
exposition or
argument,
including
whether the
structure makes
points clear,
convincing, and
engaging.
Board Approved 9/12/2012
The student will be able to:







Describe the public transportation systems in
several international urban areas
Investigate specific infrastructural elements in
several different urban areas
Provide examples of cultural and geographical
influence on the use of urban transportation
systems
Theorize about the importance or unimportance
of public transportation systems in the overall
health and success of a community
Examine primary and secondary sources for
validity and reliability of information
Summarize multiple sides of a geographical
debate
Describe their own conclusions on the existence
of or solution for food deserts in American cities


Students will complete
structured lecture notes.
Students will each be
randomly assigned one of
the 30 most populous urban
areas in the world. Each will
do independent research
into the public mass
transportation of each city
and present their research
findings and conclusions to
the class. Class will discuss
the noticeable patterns
between transportation
availability and urban vitality.
Students will read several
articles and essays that
represent different
perspectives in the “urban
food desert” debate in
human geography. Students
will write a short essay
describing their own opinion
on the debate. Students will
then discuss the subject
further in class.

Comparing
Transportation in Cities
– Student Project
Resources

A New Yorker’s
Scorecard of Tokyo
Transportation – Essay

Race, Class, and the
Stigma of Riding the
Bus in America – The
Atlantic Cities Article

Sao Paulo: The Outer
Ring - Power of Place
Video Series (25
minutes)

Food Desert Debate
Resource Packet
o Can America’s Food
Deserts Bloom? – Time
Magazine Article
o Studies Question the
Pairing of Food Deserts
and Obesity – New York
Times Article
21
17.A.4b Use
maps and other

geographic
instruments
and
technologies to
analyze spatial
patterns and
distributions on
earth.
17.A.5
Demonstrate
how maps,
other
geographic
instruments
and

technologies
are used to
solve spatial
problems (e.g.,
land use,
ecological
concerns).
17.D.4
Explain how
processes of
spatial change
have affected
human history
The student will be able to:
RH.11-12.8.
Evaluate an
author’s
premises,
claims, and
evidence by
corroborating or
challenging
them with other
information.





RI.11-12.5.
Analyze and
evaluate the
effectiveness of
the structure an
author uses in
his or her
exposition or
argument,
including
whether the
structure makes
points clear,
convincing, and
engaging.
Board Approved 9/12/2012






Distinguish regions of Chicago by location and
demographical trends
Demonstrate competence reading and
interpreting map and quantitative data
Use maps to design directions to specific
locations in a major city
Discuss architectural trends and geographic
characteristics of different neighborhoods of
Chicago
Record impressions and experiences for
personal reflection
Summarize the development and spread of
human language (oral and written)
Explain the technological breakthroughs made
possible by the development of written
language
Cite specific examples of the relationship
between spoken language and complex cultural
development
Connect essay prompts with grading
expectations.
Use a rubric to evaluate sample writings for AP
Examinations.



Students will examine
demographical maps of
population density and
socioeconomic information
for neighborhoods, sub
regions and suburbs of the
Greater Chicago Region.
Students will take a field trip
to see observe two
previously studied sub
regions in Chicago,
Chinatown and the central
loop. Students will journal
about the experience.
Students will take a reading
quiz and discuss assigned
reading section from
supplemental text.
Students will examine an AP
Exam free response essay
prompt, sample student
responses, and the provided
rubric in an ongoing effort to
prepare for the structure and
scope of AP Exam Essays.

The Limits of Density –
Atlantic Cities Article

Chicago Demographical
maps –
www.census.gov

Field Trip: Chicago –
Chinatown visit and
Architectural Boat Tour

Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fate of Human
Societies by Jared
Diamond (Chapters 1113, pp. 195-264)

Free Response Essay
Practice Materials
(Previous year’s exam
released to teachers by
the College Board to
facilitate AP Exam
preparation)
22
2nd Quarter – Unit 7 – Development and Industrialization (2 weeks)
State Standard
C.C. Standard
Objectives
Action Plan

17.B.4a Explain
the dynamic
interactions
within and
among the
Earth’s physical
systems
including
variation,
productivity
and
constructive
and destructive
processes.
17.B.5
Analyze
international
issues and
problems using
ecosystems and
physical
geography
concepts.
The student will be able to:
RI.11-12.4.
Determine the
meaning of
words and
phrases as they
are used in a
text, including
figurative,
connotative, and
technical
meanings;
analyze how an
author uses and
refines the
meaning of a key
term or terms
over the course
of a text









Board Approved 9/12/2012
Provide examples of geographic factors that
promote and inhibit economic development
List and describe geographic models and
theories of economic development
Use maps to make spatial connections of
economic data (trade, resources, industrial
centers, and commercial centers)
Discuss environmental problems that have
resulted from unsustainable development and
strategies for avoiding these outcomes
Conduct independent research on consumer
goods
Make informed decisions about what
constitutes being a conscientious consumer
Explain the scope and implications of
industrialism on human societies
Identify geographic regions, capitals, political
borders, rivers, bodies of water, and mountain
ranges of South Asia
Organize data in a map format



Students will complete
assigned Human Geography:
People, Place, and Culture,
9th Edition. reading,
structured outline, and
discuss key ideas.
Students will watch a 30minute documentary
discussing the five steps of
any product: extracting
natural resources,
manufacturing, sale, use,
and disposal. Students will
be assigned common
household items and will
research to determine the
specific details of each step
of the life of the assigned
product.
Students will complete
structured lecture notes.
Students will complete map
labeling and cartography
assignment.
Resources

Human Geography: People,
Place, and Culture, 9th Edition
– Chapter 10 and 12
(pp. 335-362 and 403433)

www.quizlet.com –
vocabulary flashcards

The Story of Stuff –
Video and Class Project
Resource Packet

Geography of
Industrialization Lecture

Map of Europe
23
The student will be able to:
17.A.4a Use
mental maps of

physical
features to
answer complex
geographic
questions
17.C.4c
Explain how
places with
various
population
distributions
function as
centers of
economic
activity (e.g.,
rural, suburban,

urban).

17.C.4a Explain
the ability of
modern
technology to
alter geographic
features and
the impacts of
these
modifications
on human
activities.
W.11-12.1.
Write arguments
to support claims
in an analysis of
substantive
topics or texts,
using valid
reasoning and
relevant and
sufficient
evidence.






W.11-12.9.
Draw evidence
from literary or
informational
texts to support
analysis,
reflection, and
research.
Board Approved 9/12/2012


Explain the meaning and relationships of
concepts relating to currency value, exchange.
purchasing power and national wealth
Provide examples of relative cost of living and
purchasing value of a variety of currencies
Summarize the factors that lead to the creation
of the European Monetary Union (Euro)
Describe the basic parameters of the current
European Debt Crisis and its possible impact on
the stability of the Euro currency
Extract information from multiple forms of
media and synthesize information into an
overall interpretation
Provide examples of different nations’
experiences with modern industrial
development
Theorize as to what geographic factors
contributed to the relative success
industrializing Taiwan and the relative failures
bringing large-scale industry to the regions of
the Amazon Basin

Students will investigate the
history and diversity of
currency in human societies
with currency from 40
different countries around
the world. Discussion will
include exchange rates,
purchasing power, inflation,
and deflation. Students will
examine the current Euro
Debt Crises and write a
summary and conclusion
essay.
Students will examine two
contrasting examples of
modern industrial
development of the past 50
years and discuss factors
that might lead to successful
industrialization and
development.

What is Money? –
Lecture

Currency from around
the World - Resources

Is the Euro sustainable?
o Tracking Europe’s
Debt Crisis – N.Y.
Times Interactive
o Eurozone Heaves Sigh
of Relief: For How
Long? – Epoch Times
Article

Taiwan: High Tech Tiger
- Power of Place Video
Series (25 minutes)

A Second Chance for
Amazonia? - Power of
Place Video Series (25
minutes)
24
The student will be able to:
17.C.5a

Compare

resource
management
methods and
policies in
different
regions of the
world.
17.C.4c
Explain how
places with
various
population
distributions 
function as
centers of
economic
activity (e.g.,
rural, suburban,
urban).
W.11-12.6.
Use technology,
including the
Internet, to
produce, publish,
and update
individual or
shared writing
products in
response to
ongoing
feedback,
including new
arguments or
information.







RH.11-12.9.
Integrate
information from
diverse sources,
both primary and
secondary, into a
coherent
understanding of
an idea or event,
noting
discrepancies
among sources.
Board Approved 9/12/2012


Conduct independent research into the
demographical, cultural, economic, and
geographic of a specific country
Create a visual presentation for sharing their
research with peers
Compare and contrast their assigned country’s
characteristics to those presented by
classmates
Explain conclusions about the differences and
similarities between diverse countries
Describe the historical background of
colonization, independence, and development
in Colombia
Provide examples of social problems caused by
poor development in Colombia
Explain the reforms enacted to promote
sustainable development and improving the
quality of life in Colombia
Summarize Diamond’s case study on the
geographic benefits and constraints of Papua
New Guinea and how these impacted the
direction of cultural development in the region
Students will each be
assigned a country and will
complete guided research
investigating demographics,
development and quality of
life. Students will present
the research findings and
conclusions with the class.

Students will participate in a
discussion concerning
Colombia’s transition from a
weakly developed and
politically unstable country
to a modernizing nation with
Dr. Raul Mora, Professor of
Education, in Medellin,
Colombia

Students will take a reading
quiz and discuss assigned
reading section from
supplemental text.

Country Research
Project – Comparing
Development Indicators
and Quality of Life
o CIA World Factbook
o United Nations
Human Development
Index
o The Economist –
Quality of Life Index

Skype Guest Speaker –
Dr. Raul Mora –
“Colombia – A Country
in Transition”

Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fate of Human
Societies by Jared
Diamond (Chapter 1415, pp. 265-321)
25


RI.11-12.6.
Determine an
author’s point of
view or purpose
in a text in which
the rhetoric is
particularly
effective,
analyzing how
style and content
contribute to the
power,
persuasiveness or
beauty of the
text.
Board Approved 9/12/2012
The student will be able to:



Organize essay in the approved format for the
AP Examination.
Connect essay prompts with grading
expectations.
Use a rubric to evaluate sample writings for AP
Examinations.

Students will examine an AP
Exam free response essay
prompt, sample student
responses and the provided
rubric in an ongoing effort to
prepare for the structure
and scope of AP Exam
Essays.

Free Response Essay
Practice Materials
(Previous year’s exam
released to teachers by
the College Board to
facilitate AP Exam
preparation)
26
2nd Quarter – Unit 8 – Humanized Geography and Globalization (3 weeks)
State
Standard
C.C. Standard
17.C.4a
Explain the 
ability of

modern
technology to
alter geographic
features and
the impacts of
these
modifications
on human
activities.
17.B.4a
Explain the
dynamic
interactions
within and
among the
Earth’s
physical
systems
including
variation,
productivity
and
constructive
and
destructive 
processes. 
RI.11-12.2.
Determine two
or more central
ideas of a text
and analyze
their
development
over the course
of the text,
including how
they interact
and build on
one another to
provide a
complex
analysis;
provide an
objective
summary of the
text.
Objectives
Action
Plan
The student will be able to:










Board Approved 9/12/2012

The student will be able to:

RI.11-12.1.
Cite strong and
thorough
Explain several ways in which human activity can
change or damage geographic features
Provide examples of environmental changes
witnessed in recent decades
Identify geographic regions, capitals, political
borders, rivers, bodies of water, and mountain
ranges of South Asia
Organize data in a map format
Describe Gabon’s attempts to reorganize
management of natural resources to better
promote environmental stability
Examine multiple primary and secondary sources
to organize key points in a controversial topic
Write a persuasive essay that uses evidence to
promote a thesis
Listen carefully to counter-arguments and
opposing viewpoints
Address ideological opponents and defend
position
Summarize the key arguments on the debate
regarding human caused climate change from
multiple perspectives


Resources
Students will complete
assigned Human Geography:
People, Place, and Culture,
9th Edition. reading,
structured outline, and
discuss key ideas.
Students will complete map
labeling and cartography
assignment.
Students will examine a case
study of a conflict between
sustainable use of resources
and the globalized economy.
Students will examine many
different perspectives on the
human caused climate
change debate and discuss
tier opinions, conclusions,
and questions with
classmates. Students will

Human Geography: People,
Place, and Culture, 9th
Edition – Chapter 13-14
(pp. 434-479)

www.quizlet.com –
vocabulary flashcards

Map of Oceania

Gabon: Sustainable
Resources? - Power of
Place Video Series

Student Debate
Resources – Is Climate
Change caused by
Human Activity?
o www.climatedebatedail
y.com
o Climate Scientists are
Losing the Debate on
Global Warming – The
Telegraph Article
27
17.B.4b
Analyze trends
in world
demographics
as they relate
to physical
systems.
textual
evidence to
support
analysis of
what the text
says explicitly
as well as
inferences
drawn from the
text, including
determining
where the text
leaves matters
uncertain.



17.C.5b
Describe the
impact of
human
migrations
and increased
urbanization
on
ecosystems.

17.C.5c
Describe
RH.11-12.3.
Evaluate various
explanations for
actions or events
and determine
which
explanation best
accords with
textual evidence,
acknowledging
where the text
leaves matters
uncertain.
RH.11-12.8.
Evaluate an
author’s
premises, claims,
and evidence by
corroborating or
Board Approved 9/12/2012
Summarize Diamond’s arguments concerning the
causes of worldwide disparities of wealth and
power
Explain Diamond’s method of historical study
through scientific inquiry
The student will be able to:







Summarize Jared Diamond’s argument regarding
the impact of geography on long-term human
development.
Describe evidence provided to support author’s
thesis.
Develop discussion group strategies for deepening
individual and group understanding of the
assigned reading.
Explain the primary criticisms of Diamond’s thesis
and conclusions
Respond to Diamond’s critics with their own
interpretations and judgments
Apply previously discussed models of development
to the context of a rapidly changing economic
system in the Pacific Realm
Discuss the potential for future changes in the
world economy based on the semester’s research
o The Inconvenient Truth
– Global Warming
Documentary
o Resisting the Dangerous
Allure of Global
Warming Technofixes –
Essay by Dianne
Dumanoski
write a research paper using
provided and independently
researched sources to make
an argument to defend their
position on the debate.

Students will take a reading
quiz and discuss assigned
reading section from
supplemental text.

Students will write a critical
essay criticizing some aspect
of Jared Diamond’s theory
and conclusion as espoused
by the supplemental reading
book. After discussing their
own criticisms, students will
read and discuss two wellknown criticisms of
Diamond’s work and revisit
the class discussion on the
validity of Jared Diamond’s

Guns, Germs, and
Steel: The Fate of
Human Societies by
Jared Diamond
(Chapter 16-19 &
Epilogue, pp. 322-425)

Debate: Human
Societies and
Geographical
Determinism –
Resource Packet
o Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fate of Human
Societies – book by
Jared Diamond
o Guns, Germs, and Steel’
Reconsidered – Essay by
Scott Jaschik
o The Diamond Fallacy –
28
geographic
factors that
affect
cooperation
and conflict 
among
societies.
challenging them
with other
information.
RH.11-12.6.
Evaluate
authors’ differing
points of view on
the same
historical event
or issue by
assessing the
authors’ claims,
reasoning, and
evidence.
Board Approved 9/12/2012
thesis, evidence, and
conclusions.
into geography’s influence on world history



Organize essay in the approved format for the AP
Examination.
Connect essay prompts with grading expectations.
Use a rubric to evaluate sample writings for AP
Examinations.

Students will examine the
accelerating of Australia
changes its economic focus
towards the Asian mainland
and away from its historical
trend of European and North
American integration
Essay by Gene Callahan



Students will be formally
assessed using the format
and structure of the formal
AP Exam to facilitate
preparation for completing
the exam.
Australia – New Links to
Asia - Power of Place
Video Series
Free Response Essay
Final Exam Packet
29