Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Course Overview
This course will introduce students to the spatial world around them and its influences on
human behavior. The fundamental concepts of location, place, region, movement and
human-environment interaction will be studied, discussed, and applied to different
peoples throughout our world. Focusing on these ideas will help students understand
spatial interaction and behavior, use of the earth and its resources, political organization
of space, and human settlement patterns, globalization and the growth of urbanization.
The use of maps and the significance of mental maps will be emphasized in the course.
The course will also introduce students to computer software called the Geographic
Information System (GIS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS), which has enabled
geographers to answer a range of questions about the surface of the earth with new
precision, speed, and ease. It prepares students for the demands of a college education by
providing experience in college level reading, writing and responsibility for learning. The
course is an opportunity for students to earn college credits during their time in high
school. Course curriculum, materials and expectations are designed to prepare students
for success in the AP exam in May.
Testing
Students will be tested after each chapter and will be quizzed weekly on homework
readings. The unit tests will cover materials from the textbook, supplement readings,
discussions and lectures. The design of the test will be multiple choice and/or essay
questions. The design of the multiple choice questions will simulate as closely as possible
the questions the students will encounter on the AP exam in May.
Writing Assignments
The students will write a minimum of four (4) free response essay questions.
Grading
Tests
35%
Quizzes
25%
Homework
20%
Essays/DBQs 10%
Classwork
5%
Extra Credit
5%
Attendance, Participation, and Homework
Your presence in class is vital to success in this course. The College Board does not
accept more than 10 absences in a school year. Notification to the principal is necessary if
absences reach eight. If you are absent it is your responsibility to see me for what you
missed. You are expected to contribute in a thoughtful manner to all class discussions,
debates, and group work. Students should expect to spend at least one hour daily on
homework to be successful in this course and on the AP Exam in May.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Textbooks:
Rubenstein, James M. The Cultural Landscape – An Introduction to Human Geography,
10th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2011.
Barron’s How to prepare for the AP Human Geography: Students need to purchase this
review guide for the AP Exam, $16.95, at local book stores or online.
Online Resources
The World Wide Web online study guide by Peter B. Mires and Daniel L. Roy, designed
to accompany the text by providing both drill-based review exercises and web-based
critical thinking exercise, and will be a part of the homework assignments. Access to the
on-line study guide is: http://cw.prenhall.com/rubenstein/. When you reach the Prentice
Hall study guide website, click on 8e to go to the 8th edition of the text.
Chapter 1: Basic Concepts
Key Issues:
1. How Do Geographers describe Where Things Are?
• Maps
• Contemporary Tools
2. Why is Each Point of the Earth Unique?
• Place: Unique Location of a Feature
• Regions: Areas of Unique Characteristics
• Spatial Association
3. Why are Different Places Similar?
• Scale: From Local to Global
• Space: Distribution of Features
• Connections Between Places
Chapter 2: Population
Key Issues:
1. Where Is the World’s Population Distributed?
• Population Concentrations
• Sparsely Populated Regions
• Population Density
2. Where Has the World’s Population Increased?
• Natural Increase
• Fertility
• Mortality
3. Why Is Population Increasing at Different Rates in Different Countries?
• The Demographic transition
• Population Pyramids
• Countries in Different Stages of Demographic Transitions
• Demographic Transition and World Population Growth
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
4. Why Might the World Face an Overpopulation Problem?
• Malthus on Overpopulation
• Declining Birth Rates
• World Health Threats
Chapter 3: Migration
Key Issues:
1. Why Do People Migrate?
• Reasons for Migrating
• Distance of Migration
• Characteristics of Migrants
2. Where Are Migrants Distributed?
• Global Migration Patterns
• U.S. Immigration Patterns
• Impact of Immigration on the United States
3. Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles?
• Immigration Policies of Host Countries
• Cultural Challenges Faced While Living In Other Countries
4. Why Do People Migrate Within a Country?
• Migration Between Regions of a Country
• Migration Within One Region
•
Chapter 4: Folk and Popular Culture
Key Issues:
1. Where Do Folk and Popular Cultures Originate and Diffuse?
• Origin of Folk and Popular Cultures
• Diffusion of Folk and Popular Cultures
2. Why is Folk Culture Clustered?
• Influence of the Physical Environment
• Isolation Promotes Cultural Diversity
3. Why is Popular Culture Widely Distributed?
• Diffusion of Popular Housing, Clothing, and Food
• Electronic Diffusion of Folk Culture
4. Why Does Globalization of Popular Culture Cause Problems?
• Threat to Folk Culture
• Environmental Impacts of Popular Culture
Chapter 5: Language
Key Issues:
1. Where Are English-Language Speakers Distributed?
• Origin and Diffusion of English
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
• Dialects of English
2. Why is English Related to Other Languages?
• Indo-European Branches
• Origin and Diffusion of Indo-European
3. Where Are Other Language Families Distributed?
• Classification of Languages
• Distribution of Language Families
4. Why Do People Preserve Local Languages?
• Preserving Language Diversity
• Global Dominance of English
Chapter 6: Religion
Key Issues:
1. Where Are Religions Distributed?
• Universalizing Religions
• Ethnic Religions
2. Why Do Religions Have Different Distributions?
• Origins of Religions
• Diffusion of Religions
• Holy Places
• The Calendar
3. Why Do Religions Organize Space in Distinctive Patterns?
• Places of Worship
• Sacred Space
• Administration of Space
4. Why Do Territorial Conflicts Arise Among Religious Groups?
• Religion Versus Government Policies
• Religion Versus Religion
Chapter 7: Ethnicity
Key Issues:
1. Where Are Ethnicities Distributed?
• Distribution of Ethnicities in the United States
• Differentiating Ethnicity and Race
2. Why Have Ethnicities Been Transformed into Nationalities?
• Rise of Nationalities
• Multinational States
• Revival of Ethnic Identity
3. Why Do Ethnicities Clash?
• Ethnic Competition to Dominate Nationality
• Dividing Ethnicities Among More Than One State
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
4. What Is Ethnic Cleansing?
• Ethnic Cleansing in Europe
• Ethnic Cleansing in Central Africa
Chapter 8: Political Geography
Key Issues:
1. Where Are States Located?
• Problems of Defining States
• Varying Size of States
• Development of the State Concept
2. Why Do Boundaries Between States Cause Problems?
• Shapes of States
• Types of Boundaries
• Boundaries Inside States
3. Why Do States Cooperate with Each Other?
• Political and Military Cooperation
• Economic Cooperation
4. Why Has Terrorism Increased?
• Terrorism by Individuals and Organizations
• States Support for Terrorism
Chapter 9: Development
Key Issues:
1. Why Does Development Vary Among Countries?
• Economic Indicators of Development
• Social Indicators of Development
• Demographic Indicators of Development
2. Where Are MDCs and LDCs Distributed?
• Most Developed Regions
• Less Developed Regions
3. Where Does Level of Development Vary by Gender
• Gender-Related Development Index
• Gender Empowerment
4. Why Do LDCs Face Obstacles to Development
• Development Through Self-Sufficiency
• Development Through International Trade
• International Trade Approach Triumphs
• Financing Development
• Fair Trade
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Chapter 10: Agriculture
Key Issues:
1. Where Did Agriculture Originate?
• Origins of Agriculture?
• Subsistence and Commercial Agriculture
2. Where Are Agricultural Regions?
• Shifting Cultivation
• Pastoral Nomadism
• Intensive Subsistence Agriculture
• Plantation Farming
3. Where Are Agricultural Regions in MDCs?
• Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming
• Dairy Farming
• Grain Farming
• Livestock Ranching
• Mediterranean Agriculture
• Commercial Gardening and Fruit Farming
4. Why Do Farmers Face Economic Difficulties?
• Challenges for Commercial Farmers
• Challenges for Subsistence Farmers
• Strategies to Increase the Food Supply
• Commercial vs. subsistence farming:
• Students will develop an understanding of the unique challenges faced
by each model of production, applying Von Thunen’s model of
production. Students will also assess the strengths and weaknesses of
Von Thunen’s model in accordance with Friedrich Hayek’s theory on
the limits of human knowledge.
• Assignment: pp. 329-339, Summary Questions (1-4)
• Discussion Question: 1) Define Von Thunen’s model with respect to
both commercial and subsistence farming. What unique set of
challenges does each model of production entail anf how do these
challenges relate to Von Thunen’s model? 2) Von Thunen’s model
originated in the early 19th century. What subsequent technological
innovations occurred, and how might these changes have impacted the
theory’s efficacy? 3) Assess the strengths and weaknesses of Von
Thunen’s model. Can you think of a way to apply Friedrich Von
Hayek’s theories regarding the acquisition of information (and the
inherently lmited scope of human knowledge) to a critique of Von
Thunen’s model?
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Chapter 11: Industry
Key Issues:
1. Where Is Industry Distributed?
• Origin of Industry
• Industrial Regions
2. Why Are Situation Factors Important?
• Proximity to Inputs
• Proximity to Markets
• Ship, Rail, Truck, or Air?
3. Why Are Site Factors Important?
• Labor
• Land
• Capital
4. Why Are Location Factors Changing?
• Attraction of New Industrial Regions
• Renewed Attraction of Traditional Industrial Regions
Chapter 12: Services
Key Issues:
1. Where Did Services Originate?
• Three Types of Services
• Services in Early Rural Settlements
• Services in Early Urban Settlements
2. Where Are Contemporary Services Located?
• Services in Rural Settlements
• Services in Urban Settlements
3. Why Are Consumer Services Distributed in a Regular Pattern?
• Central Place Theory
• Market-Area Analysis
• Hierarchy of Services and Settlement
4. Why Do Business Services Cluster in Large Settlements?
• Hierarchy of Business Services
• Business Services in LDCs
• Economic Base of Settlements
Chapter 13: Urban Patterns
Key Issues:
1. Why Do Services Cluster Downtown?
• CBD Land Uses
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
• Competition for Land in the CBD
• CBDs Outside North America
2. Where Are People Distributed Within Urban Areas?
• Models of Urban Structure
• Applying the Models Outside North America
3. Why Do Inner Cities Face Distinctive Challenges?
• Inner-City Physical Issues
• Inner-City Social Issues
• Inner-City Economic Issues
4. Why Do Suburbs Face Distinctive?
• Urban Expansion
• The Peripheral Model
• Suburban Segregation
• Transportation and Suburbanization
Chapter 14: Resource Issues
Key Issues:
1. Why Are Resources Being Depleted?
• Energy Resources
• Mineral Resources
2. Why Are Resources Being Polluted?
• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
• Land Pollution
3. Why Are Resources Being Reused?
• Renewing Resources
• Recycling Resources
4. Why Should Resources Be Conserved?
• Sustainable Development
• Biodiversity
AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY NEWSPAPER ASSIGNMENT
Weekly
You are required to locate a recent news (in the past week) article from any English
language newspaper that deals with any of the topics in Human Geography. You may
look through your text or the Barron’s book for topics that would be suitable. You MAY
NOT use the internet for this assignment!
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
You will be required to submit the actual article attached to a typed summary for a
weekly “Where in the World?” grade. You should offer to discuss your article in class if
it is especially interesting and relevant.
Your summary must include the following in bulleted form:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Who
What
Where- Be specific when you identify location.
When
Why
How
Important facts and the relevance that it has to our course of study. It must also
include your opinion of the article and topic.
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 1
1. Describe the site, situation, and mathematical location of our school [alternative:
your hometown].
2. Name three formal regions that this school is located within and give a reason for
each. Do the same for functional and vernacular regions.
3. Describe an element of your culture that appears to be environmentally
determined (caused by the natural environment). Can you now provide evidence
that this cultural element is only one of many possibilities in the given
environment?
4. Give a local example of not-so-sensitive environmental modification, as
demonstrated in the book’s discussion of Florida. Are there multiple ways to
achieve the desired result of an environmental modification? Discuss.
Coordinate questions
33.9
N, 116.25 W [desert northeast of Palm Springs, Calif., USA]
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
1. What do you observe here? Describe what you see in terms of pattern,
density, and/or concentration.
2. How would you describe the climate of this area? What visual cues lead you
to this conclusion?
33.75 N, 116.35 W [golf courses in Palm Desert, Calif., USA]
1. How far away is this location from the previous coordinates?
2. What is going on here? You may need to zoom in or out to understand what you
see. Again, describe what you see in terms of pattern, density, concentration.
3. How would you describe the human modification of the environment at this
location? How would you characterize this particular cultural landscape?
4. Zoom out from this location and describe where it is. What about its situation
explains its existence?
Now look briefly at the following places:
33.434 S, 70.565 W [golf course in Santiago, Chile]
1.345 S, 36.717 E [golf course in Nairobi, Kenya]
26.093 N, 50.567 E [golf course near Awali, Bahrain]
39.965 N 116.234 E [golf course in Beijing, China]
47.985 11.51 E [golf course outside of Munich, Germany]
1. How do these locations demonstrate globalization and diffusion? How do
you think this idea diffused? Explain your answer.
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 2
1. Refer to Table 2-1 on page 51 of your textbook. In terms of food supply,
which measure of density is most important when considering whether a
country’s population is too large? Why?
2. Describe the change brought about by the industrial and medical revolutions
in terms of population growth. What effect did both revolutions have?
3. List several differences between the industrial and medical revolutions. Why
did both cause a move from stage 1 to stage 2? What is preventing countries
now in stage 2 from moving to stage 3?
4. What did Thomas Malthus predict about population growth? Was he right?
Give an example of a neo-Malthusian argument from your own experience
(some resource you think might become rare because of population growth).
5. How is the epidemiologic transition like the demographic transition? How is it
different? What does the epidemiologic transition mean when comparing the
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
lives of people in the developed world with the lives of people in less
developed countries?
Demographic Data Collection and Analysis
Purpose: students will look up demographic data for a variety of countries to
become more familiar with demographic measures.
Students will choose six to ten countries for analysis. Data selection: choose
widely available data for the students to look up. Have the students assemble
the data in a table.
Analysis: you may wish to have students perform regression analysis on two
or more points of data, or simply to write a reflection on what they learned.
Use the following countries in your analysis:
Afghanistan
Bolivia
Cambodia
China
France
Lithuania
Tanzania
Turkey
United States
Look up the following information for each country on www.prb.org and
assemble it into a table. Your table should be easy to read and fit onto one
page. If you cannot fit it onto one page, please make sure that all column and
row labels are present on the second page.
Crude Birth Rate (Births per 1,000 populations)
Crude Death Rate
Rate of Natural Increase
Infant Mortality Rate (Infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Life Expectancy
Include a column or row in your table in which you identify which stage of
the demographic transition you believe each country to be in. Once you have
assembled your table, write a two- to three-page paper (500 to 750 words) on
what you have learned from assembling this information: Do there appear to
be any trends or relationships between the data? Is there any data that surprise
you?
Resources
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
•
The U.S. Census Bureau’s International Data Base has an interactive population
pyramid application at:
http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/informationGateway.php
“From the Data Access page, select the "Country" tab, then the country and year(s) of
interest and press the "Submit" button. Go to the "Population Pyramids" tab and you will
see the dynamic pyramid followed by the pyramid(s) for the years you selected. You can
select a different country and/or year(s) and click the "Submit" button to see the resulting
pyramids.”
This application illustrates how a population pyramid can display demographic data in an
easily-understood format. The “dynamic” model, where the pyramid grows through a
progression of past demographic data and into a forecast for 2050, helps students
understand how each generation’s reproductive choices affect a country’s population
structure.
•
The WHO is the authoritative source of health data for the world, especially
valuable as a resource for further investigation into this chapter’s section on the
epidemiological transition. http://www.who.int/whosis/en/
•
Gapminder features an easy-to-use interactive chart tool and map. The chart
allows users to select variables on each axis and watch trends unfold through
time. http://www.gapminder.org/
•
The U.S. Census features a wealth of demographic and economic data on the U.S.
population. (http://www.census.gov/)
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 3
1. Name an economic, social, and environmental “push” factor (three in all) that
would make you migrate, and explain each one. Do the same for three “pull”
factors. Make sure you demonstrate an understanding of the difference
between mobility and migration in your answer.
2. Why did 40 million Europeans leave for the United States to face unknown
challenges in America? Answer as though you were a European in the late
1800s preparing to migrate and give your reasons for leaving Europe as well
as your reasons for choosing America.
3. Why are new migrants to an area frequently the butt of racist or ethnic jokes?
Explain in the context of the history of European emigration to the United
States. Which groups were more frequently made fun of?
4. Describe an interregional move made by your family, some friends, or some
others you know. Explain their migration decision using the terminology from
the book. Do the same for an intraregional move.
Coordinate Questions
Look at the following coordinates located along national borders (you might have to
zoom in) and describe what you see in terms of:
•
evidence that a border is there
•
evidence that life is different on one side of the border from the other
•
evidence that people could cross the border easily
•
evidence that there is an effort to prevent people from crossing the border
Canada/U.S. border:
49 N, 122 W
49 N, 115 W
49 N, 97 W
45 N, 72 W
Mexico/U.S. border:
27.5 N, 99.5 W
28.34 N, 110.31 W
31.75 N, 106.75 W
31.5 N, 111.6 W
32.54 N, 117 W
Review questions:
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
•
Would it be possible to truly secure either border?
•
Which would be more difficult to secure? Why?
•
What are the implications of your observations to border and/or immigration
policy?
To Build a Fence?
Politicians and citizens periodically have proposed building a high-security fence
along a major portion of the U.S.-Mexico border with the goal of preventing
undocumented migration.
Read the research article cited below and write a response to it in the context of the
“new fence” idea. What do you think might result from a new fence at the border?
How might we instead resolve issues with undocumented migration?
• McIntyre, D. L., and Weeks, J. R., (2002). Environmental Impacts of Illegal
Immigration on the Cleveland National Forest in California. The Professional
Geographer, 54, 392-405.
Resources
•
A great collection of essays on Katrina from the Social Science Research
Council: http://understandingkatrina.ssrc.org/
•
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home
Map and text-based information about refugees, photos, news, publications,
and educational material, including the excellent “The State of the World’s
Refugees 2006: Human Displacement in the New Millenium.”
(http://www.unhcr.org/4a4dc1a89.html) and the “UNHCR
Global Report 2008” (http://www.unhcr.org/gr08/index.html#/home)
•
Stakely, J.T. (2003). Cultural Landscape Report for Ellis Island. Brookline,
Mass.: National Park Service Olmstead Center for Landscape Preservation.
This document is a detailed analysis of the changes to the landscape of Ellis
Island and its cultural history. (Requires Adobe Reader)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/elis/clr.pdf
•
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
This is the official U.S. government site for immigration policy and
applications.
•
http://www.state.gov/g/prm/
This is a U.S. government site for official news and views on immigration and
refugee issues.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 4
1. Describe a personal habit, a custom that you follow that is not generically
“popular culture”, and a culture that you follow. Be sure to define and explain
each one, and then try to explain where each one originated.
2. Do you consider your culture to be part of the “dominant” culture at this
school? If “yes,” explain how you observe other cultures and why you make
these observations. If “no,” explain how the dominant culture influences your
own culture.
3. Describe a distinctive food preference that your family has and trace its
origins to a folk hearth. If you don’t have one, use an example that you’ve
heard of or seen (not from the book).
4. List some of your food taboos and give an explanation for each. How many
have to do with traditions you’ve inherited, and how many have to do with
cultural views you’ve adopted as an adult?
5. Social websites like MySpace and YouTube are changing the way that
popular and folk cultures are diffused. Give and support an argument for how
the Internet might aid the preservation, or even expansion, of some folk
cultural elements.
6. Describe one activity of popular culture that you engage in and evaluate its
impact on the environment. What might a folk cultural alternative to your
activity be?
Culture Observation Assignment
For this assignment, you’ll observe the cultural landscape of one part of our community.
You can choose a location that represents popular culture (e.g., a mall, the campus
bookstore, a coffee shop, a park, a street intersection) or folk culture (e.g., a folk art
festival, a street market, a musical performance). You’ll need to use all five of your
senses to study a particular place/event and report on your observations.
Objectives
First, prepare a plan of your objectives. Where will you be going? What are you planning
to observe? How will you record your observations? Write this plan down to give your
investigation a more direct focus.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Observations
Go to the location you’ve selected for your observation and spend some time there. Your
report should include detailed observations of the site and situation characteristics of your
location, so take careful notes.
Find a good place to make your observations and stay for at least one hour. Take notes on
what you’ve decided to observe. You may also change your mind about what is most
important to observe.
Attach your observation notes to end of your assignment.
Results
Present the results of your observations. Depending on what and how you chose to
observe some element(s) of culture, you might arrange your results in a table, or you
might summarize your observations in several paragraphs.
Discussion
Now write about 500 words discussing what you observed. Make sure to relate your
observations to key concepts in Chapter 4 and earlier chapters.
Your final paper should have the following sections: Objective, Results, Discussion, and
your observation notes attached after your bibliography.
Resources
•
Entertaining and informative details of American popular culture from the last
200 years. Produced by the Kingwood College Library reference librarians,
Kingwood, Texas. http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/19thcentury.html
http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decades.html
•
http://www.si.edu/encyclopedia_si/nmah/ Exhaustive resource for educators
and students.
•
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/History_and_Culture/AmericanIndian_Hi
story.htm
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 5
1. Why do so few Americans speak another language other than English?
Answer the question from a personal perspective and a national perspective.
2. How do you think Americans who travel abroad but don’t speak other
languages are perceived by residents of the places they visit? Compare this to
the way recent immigrants to the United States are perceived by English-only
speakers in the U.S. Can a direct comparison be made? What is the difference
between these situations?
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
3. Debate continues over whether English should be the official language of the
United States and whether schools should teach in languages other than
English. Give an argument for school being taught only in English, and one
supporting teaching with other languages in our schools. Which argument do
you support, and why? Cite any references you use.
4. Give several inoffensive examples of words you use that your parents
wouldn’t understand. What does this reveal about the nature of languages?
5. Apply the book’s comparison of language in multilingual states to this
country. Which approach do you believe would work better, and why? Given
current immigration trends, will this be a concern?
Toponym Analysis
Find a map of the area surrounding our school. It should have both physical and cultural
features labeled.
First, identify whether there is a dominant language being used in the place names. Write
a few paragraphs describing the dominant language or languages and what the place
names reveal about the culture of the people who chose the names. (For example, do
street names have a systematic, numbered order, or do they reflect native trees, or are
they named after people or something else?)
Next, identify other place names that have an origin different from the ones above. Write
a few paragraphs describing the language or languages these place names reflect and
what this reveals about the cultural history of the region. Is there a difference in the type
of location (physical vs. cultural) that is named?
Summarize your findings in a few paragraphs. Can an analysis of toponyms reveal part of
the cultural history of a place? What other questions does your analysis raise?
Resources
•
This is the definitive online source for cataloging, documenting, and
understanding world languages.
Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, sixteenth
edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version:
http://www.ethnologue.com/.
National Association for Bilingual Education http://www.nabe.org/
•
Despite widespread belief to the contrary, there is no official language of the
federal government of the United States. Here is the website of one organization
that hopes to make it so: http://www.us-english.org/
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Office of English Language Acquisition, U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/index.html
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 6
How are the differences between universalizing and ethnic religions similar to the
differences between folk and popular culture? List several similarities.
Describe some major differences between language and religion.
Describe how language and religion are similar.
Explain why religious conflicts occur. Is it only that religious ideologies disagree, or is
geography involved? How do you think religious conflicts can be resolved?
Holy Site coordinates
21.422 N, 39.826 E: Holy Mosque and the Kaaba, Mecca (Makkah), Saudia Arabia
31.778 N, 35.231 E: Jerusalem
41.903 N, 12.453 E: Vatican City
40.770 N, 111.893 W: Temple Square, Salt Lake City
55.752 N, 37.623 E: St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
27.469 N, 83.275 E: Lumbini (Buddha’s birthplace), Nepal
Resources
•
Detailed statistics on religious adherence, bibliographic materials, sections on
“famous adherents,” and religions by geographic location.
http://www.adherents.com/
•
This site gives a thorough treatment of world religions, controversies among and
within religions, and discussions of moral philosophy regarding religion,
tolerance, intolerance, and conflict. Particularly interesting to view is the section
dedicated to emails the web site authors have received over the years.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/
•
Puritans or Pornographers? The schizophrenia at the heart of anti-Americanism.
(2006, February 23). The Economist.
This is an excellent short article on the conflicting perceptions of America as a
land of pornographers (i.e., popular culture) or Puritans (i.e., Christian
fundamentalists). The article argues that the United State’s proficiency at
exporting both gives nearly everyone outside of its borders reason for dislike.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
•
A basic, but useful, geography of religious influence in the Old World from 3,000
BC to the present day. http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/history-of-religion.html
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 7
1. Give some examples from your personal experience that demonstrate the
difference between race and ethnicity.
2. List some genetically inherited traits that are usually not associated with race.
Why do you think these traits aren’t used to define race, and skin color so
often is?
3. Support the argument “every ethnicity should have its own state.” Now
criticize this argument from a geographic perspective.
4. If two conflicting groups have different religions, should the conflict be
termed “religious” or “ethnic?” Does the distinction matter?
5. Briefly research and summarize an ethnic conflict not mentioned in the text.
Why does ethnic cleansing continue to happen? What can we do to prevent it?
Resources
•
The internment of Americans citizens of Japanese-American ethnicity
during World War II is an excellent example of when ethnicity and
nationality were contested. Discussions may also include racism and
racist constructions of the Japanese during the war. Some resources:
Manzanar National Historic Site (National Park Service):
http://www.nps.gov/manz/
National Park Service, Manzanar Historic Resource Study:
http://www.nps.gov/archive/manz/hrs/hrst.htm
•
The Library of Congress hosts an excellent collection of primary
documents online with descriptions and context at:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aointro.html
•
The United Nations Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo
maintains a web site at http://www.unmikonline.org/. This site features
news reports as well as updates on Kosovo’s newly independent status
and future.
•
A resource monitoring the abuse of human rights around the world,
this site frequently identifies ethnic conflicts: http://www.hrw.org/
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
•
The United Nations Sudan Information Gateway, at
http://www.unsudanig.org/index.php, provides information on the
conflicts in southern Sudan and the Darfur regions. See also:
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unmis/, the homepage of
the United Nations Mission in the Sudan.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 8
1. When referring to European nations occupying areas around the world, taking
over the governments and often brutally suppressing any resistance, why do you
think the word "colonialism" is used instead of "invasion?" Explain and elaborate.
2. Using a world map, identify two examples each of the following types of states
not referenced in the text: compact, elongated, landlocked, and fragmented.
3. What are the implications of gerrymandering? Is there any way that voting
districts could be divided up that would not result in one group complaining of
inappropriate representation?
4. Look at the text’s definition of terrorism. Modify it or create your own if you
wish. Now consider the following questions:
o Over a nine-month period in 1941-42, the German Luftwaffe (air force)
bombed London, destroying more than 1 million houses and killing
approximately 43,000 people. Except for the fact that this act was carried
out by a state, does it meet your definition of terrorism?
o Over a period of two nights (February 13-15) in 1944, the U.S. and British
air forces dropped approximately 3,900 tons of high explosive and
incendiary (fire-causing) bombs on Dresden, Germany. Their objective
was to destroy Dresden’s rail yard, but they dropped so many bombs all
around the city that the resulting firestorm killed about 30,000 people,
most of whom burned alive. Except for the fact that this act was carried
out by a state, does it meet your definition of terrorism?
o Should we draw a distinction between “terrorism” and “war” as separate
concepts? Explain your reasoning.
Resources
•
This 2001 documentary by Kevin McKiernan provides an excellent
example of the relativism of U.S. foreign policy. In this case, the
film investigates human rights abuses of Kurds in Turkey, a
valuable U.S. ally, at the same time (late 1990s) that the United
States was objecting to the oppression of Kurds in Iraq.
Review/Reflection Questions Chapter 9
1. If you were to create an index of development, what indicators would you use,
and why? How would you weight each indicator? Could your index be used
around the world, or would it be mostly relevant to our society?
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A.P. Human Geography
2. The HDI is used to measure development at a whole-country level. Is it
adequate to measure development within a country? Why or why not?
(Another way of thinking about this: are there minority groups that might be
“glossed over” by the HDI?)
3. The GDI is used as a way of ranking development scores to compare the
development of women compared to men in a society. However, looking at
the Gender Development Index rankings might imply that those countries at
the top of the list have gender equality. Discuss whether this is the case or not.
4. Discuss whether our economy requires other countries to remain
underdeveloped. That is, could we maintain our standard of living if the rest
of the world had the same level of development, and thus presumably the
same wages and costs of living? What does this mean for the future?
Assignment: Two Dollars per Day
An estimated three billion of the world’s population subsist on less than U.S. $2 per day.
Research and write a four-to-five page descriptive essay (approximately 1200 words)
describing in detail what your life on this income ($700 per year) would be like. Make
sure to include:
•
What do you do for work? Describe your daily routine.
•
What happens when you become sick or injured?
•
What are your most pressing concerns?
•
What are your hopes for the future for yourself and your family?
Resources
•
Online at http://www.undp.org/, the UN Development Program’s site contains
reams of information about development, including the annually themed Human
Development Report. For an excellent tutorial on the UN’s development goals
and the scale of global poverty, direct students to the “Human Development
Trends 2005” animation. It may be necessary to use the UNDP’s site search
feature to find this report.
•
Some critiques of development charge that corruption in government plays a role
in hindering development. Students can explore this through the reporting of
Transparency International (http://www.transparency.org), a corruption
monitoring and reporting organization operating around the world. Their 2009
Corruption Perceptions Index is available at
http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
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•
This 2001 film by Stephanie Black presents the case against the IMF’s structural
adjustment policies in Jamaica. The theme of the film echoes the introductory
paragraphs of the chapter, contrasting the tourist experience with the lives of
everyday Jamaicans in poverty.
It features interviews with the then Deputy Director of the IMF and the former
Prime Minister of Jamaica. This film serves as an excellent bridge to Chapter 10
because it raises the issue of farm subsidies in the developed world.
•
This is a 2002 PBS Frontline World documentary on the arrival of satellite TV to
Bhutan, a mountain kingdom which did not have television until 1999.
The program website, including a 10-minute streaming video, is available at
http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009. Orville
Schell comments on the Bhutanese conception of “gross national happiness” and
the effects of TV in his essay at
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bhutan/gnh.html.
•
This is a clearinghouse of information on U.S. international development,
including current projects, reports, and the agency’s policy priorities and
standards. Online at http://www.usaid.gov/.
Review/Reflection Questions Chapter 10
1. Which of Whittlesey’s regions is the “odd duck” in that it doesn’t fit perfectly into
commercial or subsistence categories?
2. When you shop for your food, do you think about where it came from? Does this
bother you now that you think about it? Why or why not?
3. Pick one of the following common household foods and trace its production,
movement, and processing until you purchase it:
o Hamburger (meat, bun)
o Banana
o Coffee
o Apple
4. Why do you think Europeans generally avoid genetically modified food while
Americans generally do not?
5. A major criticism of rich countries regarding international trade and development
is that the richest countries in the world also offer the greatest agricultural
subsidies to their farmers. How would ending rich-country agricultural subsidies
help the less developed world?
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
•
•
Go online to The Meatrix at http://www.themeatrix.com/. Watch the animations
and take notes. Critique the presentation in two to three pages (500-750 words).
What are the aims of the presentation? How is it trying to influence the viewer? Is
it effective in this? Support your answers and remember that a critique assesses
both good and bad elements, thus it should not be a position statement for or
against the presentation.
View the following coordinates and try to identify the type of agriculture being
practiced based on the regional location and Whittlesey’s definitions.
40 N, 87.8 W [East central Illinois, probably corn]
47.25 N, 105.15 W [Eastern Montana, probably winter wheat]
38 N, 121.145 W [Orchards in California’s Central Valley]
38.46 N, 122.32 W [Vineyards in California]
36.32 N, 100.65 W [Industrial meat production in North Texas]
35.85 N, 102.47 W [Feed lot and irrigated agriculture in North Texas]
41 N, 65.7 E [Pastoral nomadism in Uzbekistan]
10.4 N, 106.6 E [Intensive subsistence, wet rice dominant in South Vietnam]
40.5 N, 110.4 E [Intensive subsistence, wet rice not dominant in northern China]
51.6 N, 5.5 E [Mixed crop and livestock and/or truck farming, Netherlands]
10.05 N, 84.243 W [Coffee plantation in Costa Rica]
Resources
•
Covered in the text on page 337, aquaculture is a growing and sometimes
controversial source of the world’s protein. NOAA’s Fisheries Service hosts an
informative site on aquaculture in the U.S.. Their media site is at
http://aquaculture.noaa.gov/.
•
The USDA has extensive resources online, from environmental issues to rural
development. Their main portal is at http://www.usda.gov/.
•
The Environmental Working Group’s Farm Subsidy Database, online at
http://www.ewg.org/farm/, provides resources and references to farm subsidies in
every U.S. state as well as summary statistics. A revealing look at how much U.S.
taxpayers pay indirectly for their food to be inexpensive in the supermarket.
•
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative serves as a bulldog for American
trade policy. This website promotes U.S. trade policy, defending everything from
the North American Free Trade Agreement to development through trade:
http://www.ustr.gov/. This site is also relevant to Chapters 10-12.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 11
1. Name some industries local to our town. Identify and explain the situation and
site factors involved in each industry’s location.
2. Now pick an industry and describe how its closing would affect the town’s
economy. Would the jobs lost in the closing be the only effects? Explain.
3. Give an example, not from the text, of an industry that is likely to locate
closer to inputs, and explain.
4. Give an example, not from the text, of an industry that is likely to locate
closer to markets, and explain.
5. If industrial location is chosen according to situation factors in order to
minimize transportation costs, explain why many industries are locating in
Southeast Asia and shipping goods to markets in North America.
6. Given current trends in the movement and growth of industry, is industry
likely to remain important as a source of employment in our country? Why or
why not?
Resources
•
These coordinates highlight a few examples of industrial centers
around the world. Great similarities can be observed between all of the
centers. While some feature heavy industry and others light,
transportation routes by sea or rail, and frequently highway, are always
visible.
53.46 N, 2.32 W Manchester, United Kingdom
51.213 N, 6.693 E Barbaraviertel, Germany industrial complex,
including a port and rail yard on the Rhine (near Dusseldorf, Germany)
48.58 N, 7.8 E Strasbourg industrial complex on the Ill River.
45.52 N, 9.08 E Industrial complex and rail yard outside of Milan,
Italy.
50.26 N, 19.14 E and 50.03 N, 20.01 E Myslowice and Krakow, Poland
55.7 N, 37.64 E; 47.98 N, 37.80 E; 56.88 N, 60.6 E; 53.8 N, 87.1 E
Moscow, Donetsk, Yekaterinburg, and Kuznetsk, Russia
42.3 N, 83.16 W; 43.27 N, 79.82 W; 40.48 N, 80.06 W; 39.71 N, 75.53
W; 42.35 N, 71.03 W Ford Motor Company River Rouge Plant,
Dearborn, Michigan; Heavy industry in the port of Hamilton, Ontario;
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; and Boston Harbor
23.062 N, 113.292 E; 39 N, 117.75 E; 41.7 N, 123.43 E Guangzhou,
Tientsin, and Shenyang, China
35.6 N, 139.8 E; 34.6 N, 135.4 E Tokyo harbor and Osaka harbor
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
•
This 1989 film chronicles the effects of GM plant closures in Flint,
Michigan as the job losses ripple through the city, resulting in
economic depression. Students might be assigned the film as an outof-class paper project or shown part of the film in class.
•
The Urban Game, developed by Larry Treadwell of Ft. Lauderdale
(Florida) High School, provides students with a hands-on simulation of
the development and industrialization of urban areas in the first 100
years of the industrial revolution. A full round of the game will take
students about 1-1/2 to two hours, but stages may be combined to
speed the process. Consider modifying the game into an assignment or
breaking the class into small groups to accomplish the activity.
http://www.thecaveonline.com/APEH/TheUrbanGame.htm
•
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative serves as a bulldog for American
trade policy. This website promotes U.S. trade policy, defending everything from
the North American Free Trade Agreement to development through trade:
http://www.ustr.gov/. This site is also relevant to Chapter 9.
•
This web site provides enough statistics on labor and industry to last a lifetime,
including detailed statistics on labor, job markets, inflation, productivity,
unemployment, and much more. http://www.bls.gov/.
Review/Reflection Questions for Chapter 12
1. Make a list of the service jobs you’ve had, and identify each by type
according to the text.
2. Describe the type of job you’re hoping to start after college. Is it a service?
What does this, combined with your previous answer, tell you about the range
of service jobs?
3. Would it be difficult to do well at the job you’ve described above if you lived
in a very small town? Use the concepts of threshold, range, and central place
theory to describe why high-paying jobs are easier to find in large cities.
4. Present the reasoning of a person who chooses to live downtown, near the
central business district (CBD). Answer as though you’re explaining to a
friend why you chose to live there. Reference concepts from the text in your
answer.
5. Now present the reasoning of a person who chooses to live in the suburbs
while they work in the city. Again, answer as though you’re explaining your
decision to a friend and reference concepts from the text.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
Coordinate Questions
1. Look at the following coordinates and describe the settlements using the text’s
terminology.
51.958 N, 4.733 E [Linear, clustered rural settlement with canals in the Netherlands]
7.964 N, 1.043 E [Clustered rural settlement in Togo]
9.26 N, 66.57 W [Clustered, planned rural settlement in Venezuela]
12.616 S, 76.162 W [Clustered rural settlement in steep mountains, Peru]
35.25 N, 98.9 W [Dispersed rural settlement, Oklahoma, U.S.]
Resources
•
This web site provides enough statistics on labor and industry to last a lifetime:
http://www.bls.gov/. There are detailed statistics on labor, job markets, inflation,
productivity, unemployment, and much more.
•
http://www.census.gov/econ/www/servmenu.html
This website details statistics (some collected quarterly) on employment in the
service sector. This site includes definitions of each service industry (type),
detailed data on each type, and the survey forms used to collect the data.
Review/Reflection Questions Chapter 13
1. Why do people live in cities? Why do people live in suburbs?
2. Identify whether you live in the city or in the suburbs and explain why you live
there (if you live with your parents or on campus, explain a parent’s choice of house).
3. How are cities in North America different than cities in Europe?
4. How are cities in Europe similar to cities in less developed countries?
5. Describe the issues associated with suburban ‘leapfrog’ development. How could
these issues be resolved in North America?
Coordinate Questions
Look at the following locations in a satellite photo view on a mapping browser. You may
wish to use two windows so you can switch back and forth between the two easily.
52 N, 0.99 W (Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England)
43.7 N, 116.35 W (Eagle, Idaho, USA)
Answer the following questions:
1. Each of these small towns is to the north and west of a larger city. Find these
larger cities and name them.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
2. Describe the land uses besides housing and their distributions in each of the cities.
3. Estimate the population of each town. Make sure your scale is similar for each
town.
4. Now look up the population for each town using a simple Internet search. Report
what you find.
5. Describe the approach to land use and planning taken in each town.
o Which represents a greater infrastructure cost, and why?
o Which represents a greater impact on the environment, and why?
o Which represents a greater impact on the aesthetic appeal of the
countryside, and why?
Resources
•
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/habitat/index.asp This free online lesson plan
offers six units including curriculum and assignments.
•
The World Bank has a student-oriented information page on urbanization at
http://youthink.worldbank.org/issues/urbanization/
•
UN Habitat looks at human settlements around the world:
http://www.unhabitat.org/ This site features reports on urban poverty,
development, urbanization, and the State of the World’s Cities report
(http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?
catid=7&cid=5964&subMenuId=0&typeid=46)
Review/Reflection Questions Chapter 14
1. When you use non-renewable resources, do you think about other people that
could be using those resources? If yes, describe how you conserve resources.
If no, what would it take for you to start conserving them?
2. Which non-renewable resource mentioned in the text do you find yourself
worrying about the most, and why?
3. Describe how your life or that of a friend is affected by pollution.
4. Why would we want to move towards renewable energy and resources? List
several reasons.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
5. For most of human history, our “solution to pollution” has been to increase
environmental capacity by putting the pollutant into a larger body of water or
a bigger mass of air. Discuss what happened to that solution in the 20th
century: what changed?
6. Comment on the idea of sustainability. Do you have, or plan on having, a
family? What resources and/or pollution do you want to leave for the next
generation?
Ecological Footprint
Visit these websites and answer the questions that follow.
http://www.myfo otprint.org/
http://www.rprogress.org/footprint/ecolFoot.shtml
1. What does the Ecological Footprint measure? How is it calculated?
2. How big is your ecological footprint? How many Earths would we need if everyone on
Earth consumed as many resources as you do?
3. Write a two-to-three-page essay (500-750 words) in reaction to what you found from
calculating your footprint. You may choose to critique the methodology of the footprint
calculator (either as being too conservative or too generous), or you may analyze your
impact on the environment in terms of what you’ve learned about the concept of an
ecological footprint.
Coordinate Questions
1. Identify the location and what is occurring in terms of environmental impacts and
resource use at each of the following coordinates:
10 S, 63 W [Massive deforestation in the Amazon basin]
22 S, 165 E [Massive mountaintop strip mining in New Caledonia]
0.53 S, 166.94 E [Nauru, an island which has been exhaustively strip-mined for
phosphate deposits]
Aral Sea Coordinates
These coordinates demonstrate economic and environmental effects of the diversion of
water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya to promote cotton and other agriculture in the
Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union. The Aral Sea disaster is discussed
on page 486.
45.297 N, 59.336 E [Abandoned ships now far from shore]
46.330 N, 59.5 E [A hastily dredged temporary port and channel is now landlocked by
the shrunken sea, many ships lie aground.]
46.657 N, 61.136 E [A dried-up harbor and the town that once was on its shore]
46.8 N, 61.66 E [The former port of Aralsk]
41.215 N, 61.405 E [Damming into a shallow reservoir and massive diversion of the Syr
Darya (Syr River)]
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
41.25 N, 68 E [Damming and diversion of the Amu Darya (Amu River)]
44.92 N, 65.31 E [Extensive irrigation projects, some fields now abandoned; productive
fields nearby]
45.725 N, 61.67 E [Some productive fields, many abandoned and/or salinized]
Resources
•
The EPA hosts a comprehensive site on environmental issues in the United States,
including climate change, at http://www.epa.gov/.
Resources for the Future
•
Online at http://www.rff.org/, Resources for the Future is a think-tank based in
Washington, D.C. It sponsors research and provides information on resource and
environmental management.
AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY SPRING BREAK ASSIGNMENT
Using your textbook and pages 189-194 of the Barron’s book, prepare an explanation of
where you have chosen to put your new place of business. In your explanation, you must
do the following:
1. Choose one of these industries
a. Furniture
b. Automobiles
c. Textiles/clothing
d. Food
e. Computer hardware
f. Entertainment/tourism
2. Use at least 4 of the 6 location principles in your explanation, correctly and
intelligently (4 pts)
3. Use at least 6 vocabulary terms correctly in your explanation, either from the
Barron’s section of from Chapter 11 in the Rubenstein text. YOU MUST
UNDERLINE OR HIGHLIGHT THEM! (6 pts.)
4. Create a map of the area that you have chosen. It must include any major cities,
roads, bodies of water and population data for that area. Map can be hand drawn
or computer generated (10 pts.)
5. Type the explanation in 12-point font, 1” margins, 1 ½ lines spaced, black ink. (4
pts.)
6. Present your map and explanation to class (6 pts.)
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
This assignment is worth 6 grades, one for each of the components of the assignment.
Each section will earn points then tallied for the composite grade, the highest score being
30.
The scale is: 90-100 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
60-69 = D
< 59 = F
Be sure to think this through, discuss this with others (adults) and spend some time
researching your choice.
Services Group Activity
1. Outline the major principles of central place theory. Be sure to use diagrams.
2. Discuss the impact of globalization on modern world cities. Use specific
examples.
3. Explain how urbanization changes the proportion of people employed in the
various sectors of the economy? Which sector is concentrated in world cities?
Why?
4. Outline the steps a retailer should take in selecting the optimal location for a store.
5. Use of the World Wide Web for various consumer, personal, producer,
transportation, and public purposes is growing at a rapid pace. These are all
services Chapter 12 of your text focused on; however, there was no mention of
the World Wide Web as a service provider. Is there a hinterland and nodal region
in this electronic space? Can the Central Place Theory be applied to electronic
space? Does the size of a market area or range of a service apply here? Explain
and use diagrams.
AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY FINAL EXAM PROJECT
This is not someone else’s world; ultimately, this is your world. You spend a limited time
on this planet and it’s up to you to make the best of it, for you, your children – and your
planet. The Internet has opened another door of perception, a terrific door – a new
portal to the world. Like the explorers of days gone by, now you are able to travel to
unknown places, find new territories and gain knowledge – and maybe wisdom.
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
You will be required to present information about the country that interests you most, on
a first come - first served basis.
You should use this web site as your jumping off point: www.nationsonline.org/oneworld
It has a wealth of information and links to many other places where you can find what
you need.
Please submit your presentation to men on CD or jump drive that can easily be loaded
onto my computer. You can also try to send it as an email attachment (if possible) as
well.
Your photo slide show presentation must include the following:
1. Geography:
a. Major landmarks (photos and description)
b. Map of country with major cities labeled
c. Famous people?
2. Facts and Figures:
a. Type of government – who is the head of state?
b. Economic activity
c. Population (demographics, language, religion, gender, literacy rates, etc.)
d. Environment
e. AIDS information
3. Culture
a. Art
b. Music (embedded in show, if possible)
c. Types of food (bring in/share recipe)
d. Native dress (wear it, bring in a sample or just show photos)
4. Travel and Tourism
If you were to plan a tri[p to this country, provide all of the details of you getting
there, staying there, where to go, what to do, approximate costs and best time of
year to travel there.
Although this list is quite extensive it is by no means exhaustive. Please feel free to add
more information or details. The goal is to provide us (your teacher and your
classmates) with a desire to help make this world a better place through a deeper
understanding of the people who live on this planet.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, READING, ETC.
• Supplemental Readings/Resources: The course relies heavily on a substantial
number of supplemental readings and resources. Please be advised that not every
resource will be used in any given year, and not all resources are necessarily
Course Syllabus 2011-2012
A.P. Human Geography
listed due to the importance of understanding and analyzing current events. Each
school year’s news items will dictate which readings/resources will be used.
Furthermore, listed readings/resources on this syllabus may be substituted with
others.
Internet Resources:
1. The Power of Place: videos that we will view and discuss in class are found at
www.learner.org/resources/series180.html. Each topic has at least one case study
that we will view as a class. The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century
teaches the geographic skills and concepts that are necessary to understand the
world by shedding light on the physical, human, political, historical, economic, and
cultural factors that affect people and natural environments. Maps, animation, and
academic commentary bring into focus case studies from 50 sites in 36 countries.
Each case study features new interviews, maps, video footage, and graphics in order
to reflect the geographic issues of our world in the 21st century.