Advance Placement Human Geography
Ms. Griebel
Room: A118
Email: lisa.griebel@k12.sd.us
Contact hours: 7:00 am, 4th period & 5th period
Course Description
AP Human Geography introduces students to a systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped
human understanding, use, and alteration of the Earth’s surface. Students employ spatial concepts and
landscape analysis to examine human social organization and its environmental consequences. They will also
learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their science and practice.
Course Expectations
AP Human Geography is an introductory college level class of one semester in length. The aim of the course is
to provide the student with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory human
geography courses. Students are expected to be in attendance on a regular basis. Students will be required to
read the text, other books, study guide booklet and various articles. There will be writing assignments, projects
and questions of the day which are geared toward preparation for the AP Human Geography test at the end of
the semester. Note taking and class participation are expected. It is highly suggested that students use a
notebook, binder and folder specifically for this class only. Other school districts across the nation have made
this a year long study, but we continue to teach it in one semester. Therefore we will be moving rapidly and
student will have a lot of personal responsibility for their education. Students will be graded on a total points
scale based on tests, quizzes, projects, presentations, attendance and note-taking
Textbook
De Blij, H.J., Fouberg, Erin H., and Murphy, Alexander B. Human Geography: People, Place, and
Culture. 9th ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2009
Supplemental Resource Materials
National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the World. 2nd ed. Washington D.C.:
National Geographic, 2007
Rubenstein, James M. An Introduction to Human Geography: The Cultural Landscape. 9th ed.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2008
Wood, Ethel. AP Human Geography: A Study Guide. 2nd ed. Pennsylvania: WoodYard Publications, 2009
New York Times: nytimes.com
The Economist: economist.com
Organization of Units
Unit I
Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives
(1.5 weeks)
This unit introduces students to the importance of spatial organization – the location of places, people, and
events, and the connections among places and landscapes – in the understanding of human life on Earth.
Key Points
- Key concepts of geography: location, space, scale, place, pattern, regionalization, and globalization
- Geography as a field of study
- Evolution of key geographical concepts or theories and models associated with notable geographers
- Key geographical skills
* Use of maps and spatial data in geography
* Interpreting different scales and the relationships of places and patterns
* Defining regions and the regionalization process – Formal, Functional and Perceptual regions
* Cultures: Cultural hearth, cultural diffusion, cultural barriers
* Recognizing and identifying the interconnections among places
- Geographic technologies – GPS and GIS
- Field and Census Data
Activities and Assessments
 Student power point presentations on various Geographers and theories
 Compare map projections using De Blij and National Geographic Atlas
 Guest Speaker from EROS data center – Subject to scheduling
 Define the Geographic concepts at the end of De Blij, chapter 1
 Define the terms and concepts at the end of Wood, Unit 1
 Responsive writing on current event articles
 Unit test consisting of multiple choice questions and free response questions
Resources:
De Blij, Chapter 1
EROS
New York Times & The Economist applicable articles
Rubenstein, Chapter 1
Wood, Unit 1
Unit II
Population
(2.5 weeks)
This unit gives a basis of understanding of the ways in which the human population is organized geographically.
Students will be able to make sense of the cultural, political, economic, and urban systems.
Key Points
- Geographical analysis of population
* Distribution, density and scale
* Population patterns and densities according to region
* Population pyramids and patterns: race, ethnicity, growth and decline
- Population theories, stages and their effects
- Population movement
* Migration – economic, cultural and environmental push / pull factors
* Scales and patterns of migration
* Migration selectivity
* Short term circulation and activity space
Activities and Assessments
 Student power point presentations on various Geographers and theories
 Compare population pyramids and migration patterns using De Blij and National Geographic Atlas
 Define the Geographic concepts at the end of De Blij, chapters 2 & 3
 Define the terms and concepts at the end of Wood, Unit 2
 Responsive writing on current event articles
 Unit test consisting of multiple choice questions and free response questions
Resources:
De Blij, Chapters 2 & 3
DVD: China’s Lost Girls – National Geographic? Lisa Ling
DVD: World in the Balance: A People Paradox- NOVA
New York Times & The Economist applicable articles
Rubenstein, Chapters 2 & 3
Wood, Unit 2
Unit III
Cultural Patterns and Processes
(4 weeks)
Students will learn how geographers assess the spatial and place dimensions of cultural groups as defined by
language, religion, race, ethnicity and gender, in the present as well as the past. They will understand
differences in cultural patterns and traits at the local level as well as the global level. Most importantly students
will understand how culture shapes the environment and the affect the environment has on the culture.
Key Points
- Concepts of culture
* Regions and traits
* Cultural diffusion
* Acculturation
- Cultural differences
* Language – families, dialects, barriers, toponymy, extinction
* Religion – Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism
* Ethnicity and Gender
* Popular and folk culture
* Environmental impact
- Cultural landscapes and cultural identity
* Values, identity and symbolic
Activities and Assessments
 Student power point presentations on various Geographers and theories
 Student paper and presentation on the world’s religions
 Handout: The Sacred “RAC” and student response.
 Define the Geographic concepts at the end of De Blij, chapters 4, 5, 6,& 7
 Define the terms and concepts at the end of Wood, Unit 3


Responsive writing on current event articles
Unit test consisting of multiple choice questions and free response questions
Resources:
De Blij, Chapters 4, 5, 6,& 7
Ponzi, Patricia Hughes. The Sacred “RAC” . Illinois: McDougal, Littell and Co. 1974
New York Times & The Economist applicable articles
Rubenstein, Chapters 4, 5, & 6
Wood, Unit 3
Unit IV
Political Organization of Space
(1.5 weeks)
This section allows students to focus on the nature and significance of the political organization of territory at
different scales. The focus is on the political geography of the modern state or country. Students are introduced
to different forces that shape the evolution of a contemporary world political map, influence of colonialism and
international political units such as NATO, the European Union or NAFTA. They learn about the structure of
the political map and the inconsistencies between political boundaries and the ethnic, economic, and
environmental patterns that produce alternative boundaries.
Key Points
- Territorial dimensions of politics
* Nature, meaning and types of boundaries
* Influences of boundaries on identity, interaction and exchange
- Evolution of the modern political pattern
* The nation-state concept
* Colonialism and imperialism
* Federal and unitary states
- Current challenges to the nation-state configuration
* Centripetal and centrifugal forces
* Decentralization: ethnic, economic and spatial forces
* Supranational organizations influence
- Forces of change: globalization, democratization and religious politics
Activities and Assessments
 Student power point presentations on various Geographers and theories
 Define the Geographic concepts at the end of De Blij, chapter 8
 Define the terms and concepts at the end of Wood, Unit 4
 Responsive writing on current event articles
 Unit test consisting of multiple choice questions and free response questions
Resources:
De Blij, Chapter 8
New York Times & The Economist applicable articles
Rubenstein, Chapters 7 & 8
Wood, Unit 4
Unit V
Agriculture and Rural Land Use
(1.5 weeks)
This section explores four themes: the origin and spread of agriculture; the characteristics of the world’s
agricultural regions; reasons why these regions function the way they do; and the impact of agricultural change
on the quality of life and the environment.
Key Points
- Development and evolution of agriculture
* Neolithic revolution
* Second agricultural revolution
- Major agricultural regions
* Subsistence agriculture
* Commercial agriculture
- Rural land use and settlement patterns
* Models for land use
* Global patterns of rural land use and settlement
- Modern commercial agriculture
* Third agricultural revolution
* Biotechnology
* Green revolution
* Modern environmental impacts
* The future of food supplies
Activities and Assessments
 Student power point presentations on various Geographers and theories
 Agricultural Revolutions timeline
 Guest Speaker from the Geography department at Northern State University – Subject to scheduling
 Define the Geographic concepts at the end of De Blij, chapter 11
 Define the terms and concepts at the end of Wood, Unit 5
 Responsive writing on current event articles
 Unit test consisting of multiple choice questions and free response questions
Resources:
De Blij, Chapter 11
Northern State University
New York Times & The Economist applicable articles
Rubenstein, Chapter 10
Wood, Unit 5
Unit VI
Industrialization and Economic Development
(3 weeks)
Economic activity is influenced by the interaction of several factors: natural resources, culture, politics and
history in specific places. Students will learn about the geographic elements of industrialization and its
evolution. This section also focuses on the current issues surrounding economic activity.
Key Points
- Key concepts in industrialization and development
- Theories of economic development
- Growth and diffusion of industrialization
* Industrial revolution: its affects and development
* Evolution of economic cores and peripheries
- Contemporary patterns and impacts of industrialization and development
* Major industrial regions
* Global industrial inequalities
* Industrialization and the environment
Activities and Assessments
 Student power point presentations on various Geographers and theories
 Student maps focusing on global industrialization and pollution. Analysis discussion
 Define the Geographic concepts at the end of De Blij, chapter 10, 12, & 13
 Define the terms and concepts at the end of Wood, Unit 6
 Responsive writing on current event articles
 Unit test consisting of multiple choice questions and free response questions
Resources:
De Blij, Chapters 10, 12, & 13
New York Times & The Economist applicable articles
Rubenstein, 9, 11 & 14
Wood, Unit 6
Unit VII
Cities and Urban Land Use
(2 weeks)
This unit focuses on the systems of the city and their location, function, economics and political structures.
Students will also understand the landscapes, culture, ethnic organization, employment, transportation, etc.
While much of this unit’s focal point is on the cities of North America, comparisons are made with other cities
in various regions of the world.
Key Points
- Key concepts and definitions of urbanism
- Origin and development of cities
* Historical patterns of city growth in various regions around the world
* Rural – urban migration and urban growth
* Global cities and megacities
- Functions of cities
* Economic base
* Urban influencing zones
* Changing demographic and social structures
- Theories and models of urban systems
- Built environment and social space
* Transportation and infrastructure
* Patterns of class, age, gender, race and ethnicity
* Political organization and urban planning
* Comparison of urbanization between regions
* Uneven development, ghettoization, and gentrification
* Transportation
* Zoning
Activities and Assessments
 Student power point presentations on various Geographers and theories
 City planning and urbanization activity
 Define the Geographic concepts at the end of De Blij, chapters 9 & 14
 Define the terms and concepts at the end of Wood, Unit 7
 Responsive writing on current event articles
 Unit test consisting of multiple choice questions and free response questions
Resources:
De Blij, Chapter 9 & 14
New York Times & The Economist applicable articles
Rubenstein, Chapters 12 & 13
Wood, Unit 7