Mr. McGuire e-mail: bmcguir@erhs.la
Course Description/Objectives
AP Human Geography is a yearlong course that focuses on how people make places, how we organize space and society, how we interact with each other in places and across space, and how we make sense of others and ourselves in our locality, region and world. It is the distribution, processes, and effects of human populations on the planet.
The purpose of the course is to utilize geographic processes to systematically study and understand spatial patterns that are evident in the world in which we live.
Text/Resources
-Human Geography: People, Places and Culture. H.J. De Blij, Alexander B. Murphy, and Erin
H. Fourberg. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2007.
-Goode’s World Atlas , Rand McNally , 21 st
Other Resources
Edition 2005
-REQUIRED BY UNIT 1 TEST: Barron’s, How to Prepare for the Human Geography Advanced
Placemen
2003.
Exam By Peter S. Alagona and Meredith Marsh. Barron’s Educational Series, Inc,
-Optional Barron’s AP Human Geography Flash Cards by Meredith Marsh, M.A., and Peter
S. Alagona,
Ph.D.
-Check out: http://barronseduc.com/0764195980.html
for more information.
Numerous news article from the local, state, and national levels are used from the following sources: Time Magazine, Newsweek, The Economist, Daily Herald Chicago, Chicago Tribune,
New York Times, Washington Post.
The following websites are used to illustrate spatial concepts: www.census.gov/ www.worldmapper.org
www.cia.gov
www.cnn.com
www.worldatlas.com
www.un.org
www.googleearth.com
www.wiler.com/college/deblig - The companion site for the textbook. Use it!

www.iliketolearn.com
- Use this site to review for map tests! http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/ - Use this site to review for map tests!
Materials
*Blue/black pen, red pen and pencil
*3-Ring binder-1”-1.5” with 10 dividers
*Loose-leaf paper in binder
*3-Subject Notebook-Lecture notes and book notes
*Highlighters-5 colors-Headings, vocabulary, people, models and examples
The A.P. Test
The A.P. test will be taken in May of 2011, for students wishing to achieve college level credit. The exam is two hours and 25 minutes long and consists of two equally weighted sections:
Section I (multiple-choice): 60 minutes, 75 questions
Section II (free-response): 75 minutes; 3 mandatory questions, each of which accounts for 33% of the student’s score in this section
Throughout the year we will improve on the skills required to succeed on this test.
Furthermore, because the test takes place second semester, we will have optional review sessions beginning in the spring.
Grading Scale:
A
B
90 & Above
80 – 89
Tests (Multiple Choice and Free Response) 40%
Reading Quizzes 10%
C 70 – 79
D 60 – 69
F Below 60
Map Quizzes 10%
Projects/Homework/Activities 25%
Final 15%
*School Logic will be used for recording grades. Please take responsibility for your grade and check it on a regular basis. It is YOUR responsibility to alert the teacher in case of an error or omission.
*Late work will be accepted for partial credit at the discretion of the teacher. Turn your work in ON TIME!
*Tests/quizzes will be available until the end of the unit and can be retaken in room 237.
Tardy Policy
The school tardy policy will be enforced.
Absences
It is your responsibility to find out what you missed if you are absent. Take all possible steps to complete any assignments or tests, which may have been missed during an excused or unexcused absence.
Academic Honesty
The school policy will be followed. It is considered cheating if you discuss or inform students in another class period what is on a test or quiz. There will be several

opportunities to work with other students on assignments. There is a clear distinction between working cooperatively on a class assignment and providing answers or receiving answers on a class assignment or test.

Units
The units have been broken down into seven general topics, which we will deal with in relationship to how much of each topic may appear on the actual A.P. exam. The College
Board supplies percentages for each topic, which coincide with the actual amount of information that will be on the exam. The time spent on each topic may be greater or less than stated, depending on how the course flows from week to week.
Readings
AP Human Geography can be taught from a variety of texts. While this course uses the
Human Geography: People, Places and Culture textbook by De Blij, it is by no means complete. Therefore, we have placed an extra copy of the other textbooks in room 237 for your review if you would like additional information and clarification. Use the additional resources as you best see fit.
Fourberg.
1. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture. De Blij, Murphy and
2. Human Geography in Action. Kuby, Harner and Gober.
3. The Cultural Landscape. Rubenstein.
4. The Human Mosaic. Jordan-Bychkov, Domosh, Neumann and Price.
5. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activit. Fellman, Gettis and
Gettis.

Time: 5 Weeks (August 23 – September 23)
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings
a. Five Themes of
Geography
b. History of Geography
c. Map Projections
d. Globalization
e. Scale and Connectedness
f. Spatial Thinking
g. GIS
h. Diffusion
a. Human Geography: People, Place and
Culture (Chapter 1 & 14) - De Blij, Murphy and
Fourberg. Pages 1-31 and 418-430
b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 1). Kuby, Harner and Gober. Pages 1-32
c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 1). Rubenstein. Pages
2-43
d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 1 & 14). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 1-30 and 411-419.
e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 1 & 3). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 2-30 and
92-93
Time: 4 Weeks (September 26 – October 21)
Weeks 1-2 of Unit – Population
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings a.
Population density and distribution b.
Demographic Transition c.
Demographic Terms d.
Population Pyramids e.
Disease a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 2) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg. Pages
34-67 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 3 and 5). Kuby,
Harner and Gober. Pages 62-88 and112-136 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 2). Rubenstein. Pages
44-78 d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 7). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 213-256 e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 4). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 96-133 f. AIDS - Death Stalks A Continent - TIME Magazine

Weeks 3-4 of Unit – Migration
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings a.
Types of migration b.
Voluntary vs. forced c.
Step vs. chain d.
Refugees e.
Ravenstein’s Laws of
Migration f.
Push and pull factors g.
Illegal immigration a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 3) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg. Pages
68-97 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 4). Kuby, Harner and Gober. Pages 89-111 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 3). Rubenstein. Pages
80-109 d. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 3 & 6). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 81-92 and 176-213 e
Time: 6 Weeks (October 24 – December 2)
Weeks 1-2 of Unit – Government Structures
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings a.
Types of states b.
States vs. nations c.
Political spectrum d.
Nationalism e.
Types of government f.
Boundaries a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 8) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg. Pages
219-255 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 13). Kuby, Harner and Gober. Pages 356-442 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 8). Rubenstein. Pages
254-285 d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 6). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 177-213. e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 12). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 410-446
Weeks 3-6 of Unit – Political Organization of Space & Presidential Election
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings a.
Colonialism b.
Shape of states c.
Federal vs Unitary vs
Confederate a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 8) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg. Pages
219-255 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 13). Kuby, Harner and Gober. Pages 356-442

Governments d.
Supranationalism e.
Electoral geography f.
Geopolitics g.
Devolution h.
Supranatural organizations c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 8). Rubenstein. Pages
254-285 d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 6). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 177-213. e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 12). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 410-446
Time: 5 Weeks (December 5 – January 20)
Week 1 of Unit – Culture & Language
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings
a. Folk vs. popular culture
b. Cultural landscape
c. Cultural change
d. Cultural diffusion
e. Housing styles
f. Language
g. Language trees a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 4 & 6) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg.
Pages 98-123 and 148-175 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 2). Kuby, Harner and Gober. Pages 34-61 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 4 & 5). Rubenstein.
Pages 112-142 and 144-178
Weeks 2-3 of Unit – Religion
Topics Covered/Content
Goals d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 2, 4 & 12). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 31-63 and 109-142 and 420-433 e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 2 & 5). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 34-63 and 134-175
Readings a.
Five major religions b.
Universal vs ethnic religions c.
Religious conflict d.
Middle East conflict e.
Creation of Israel f.
Impact of religion on a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture (Chapter
7) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg. Pages 177-218 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 12). Kuby, Harner and Gober. Pages 333-355 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 6). Rubenstein. Pages
180-216 d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 3). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 67-108

cultural landscape g.
Sacred sites h.
Creationism vs. evolution debate e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 5). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 134-175
Weeks 4-6 of Unit – Race & Ethnicity
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings a.
Race & racism, history of race & affirmative action b.
Genocide c.
Segregation, apartheid
& slavery d.
Colonialism e.
Discrimination a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 5) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg. Pages
125-147 b. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 7). Rubenstein. Pages
218-252 c. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 5). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 143-175 d. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 7). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 214-249
FINAL EXAMS
MAP FINAL – JANUARY 24 th
FINAL EXAM – JANUARY 25
, 2012 th , 27 th , 27 th , 2012
Time: 4 Weeks (January 30 – February 24)
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings
a. History of urbanizations
&
development
b. City models
c. Central place theory
d. City problems
e. Suburbanization
f. Sprawl
g. Edge cities
h. Type of economies
i. Development models
(Rostow)
j. Indicators of economic a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 9 & 10) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg.
Pages 257-298 and 300-327 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 9, 10 & 11). Kuby,
Harner and Gober. Pages 249-277 and 278-301 and 303-332 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 9, 12 & 13). Rubenstein.
Pages 290-324 and 386-429 and 430-457 d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 10 & 11). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 331-374 and 375-410 e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 11). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 364-409

growth
Time: 4 Weeks (February 27 – March 23)
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings a.
Von Thunen’s model of agriculture b.
Types of agriculture c.
Green revolution d.
History of agriculture e.
Obesity f.
Coffee farmers g.
Relationship between environment and agricultural production h.
Agribusiness i.
Drugs. a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 11) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg.
Pages 328-360 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 8). Kuby, Harner and Gober. Pages 215-248 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 10). Rubenstein. Pages
326-363 d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 8). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 259-294 e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 8). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 252-291
(13-17% of
AP Test)
Time: 4 Weeks (April 2 – May 4)
Weeks 1-2 of Unit – Industry & Services
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings a.
Maquiladoras b.
Industrialization c.
Sweatshops & child laborers d.
Globalization and spread of manufacturing e.
Modern industry f.
Industrial location theory g.
Weber’s model of industrialization h.
Major industrial regions i.
Trade organizations j.
Deindustrialization a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 12) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg.
Pages 361-388 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 6 & 7). Kuby,
Harner and Gober. Pages 137-176 and 177-214 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 11). Rubenstein. Pages
364-391 d. The Human Mosaic (Chapter 9). Jordan-Bychkov,
Domosh, Neumann and Price. Pages 297-328 e. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 9 & 10). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 292-
327 and 328-361

k.
Movement to services.
Weeks 3-4 of Unit – Human-Environment Interaction
Topics Covered/Content
Goals
Readings
a. Environmental change
b. Human impact on the
environment
c. Environmental issues. a. Human Geography: People, Place and Culture
(Chapter 13) - De Blij, Murphy and Fourberg.
Pages 389-417 b. Human Geography in Action (Chapter 14). Kuby, Harner and Gober. Pages 444-484 c. The Cultural Landscape (Chapter 14). Rubenstein. Pages
464-499 d. Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activity
(Chapter 3 & 13). Fellman, Gettis and Gettis. Pages 64-80 and 450-485
AP REVIEW – MAY 7 th and 8 th
FIRST PART OF FINAL-MAY 11 th
AP TEST – MAY 11 th
AP PROJECT – MAY 14 th – JUNE 8 th –DUE DAY OF FINAL EXAM
MAP-FINAL EXAM – JUNE 6 th , 7 th or 8 th