World Geography: Human Patterns and Interactions
CGU4U
AP Human Geography
Course Overview
2009/2010
Department of Geography
1 course credit
110 hours
The Ontario Curriculum, Canadian and World Studies, 2005 (Revised)
Course Description:
“This course examines how humans interact with their natural environments and
with each other. Students will study the influence of spatial, political, economic,
and social factors on settlement patterns, human migration, cultural change,
globalization, and environmental trends. Students will use geotechnologies and
skills of geographic inquiry and analysis to extend their knowledge of human
geography and to identify and explain current trends and patterns, and predict
future ones.” (Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Canadian and World
Studies, 2005 (Revised).
Overall Approach
The aims of this course are simple: Why do people develop into the way they do?
Why that language? Why that religion? Why that economy? Why that Culture?
Why live where they live? The answers to these questions rely on the
environment that the earth supplies to its inhabitants. The aim of the course is to
have the students appreciate the relationship between the geography of the earth
and the social, cultural, economic make-up of its inhabitants. World Geography is
a perfect avenue for teaching the students why people are different!
This is a unique course and a great opportunity for the students to not only get an
Ontario credit (Grade 12 - University Preparation) in World Geography but for
you to get Advanced Placement in many U.S. universities as well as Canadian
ones. Advanced Placement means that if you score a high mark out of 5 on the
AP exam, universities that acknowledge AP Human Geography will allow you to
take a second year Geography course in your first year. Some universities will
even consider granting a full or half first year credit to students that score very
high on the AP exam. All of this depends on the University that you are applying
to. Please check the Guidance office for further details.
This is in fact much like a first year course in university. Treat your note-taking,
homework, readings and assignments with care, dedication, maturity and
responsibility.
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World Geography (AP Human Geography)
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AP - Human Geography - Course Outline
Chapters refer to our text book:
The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography, 8th ed.,
by J.M. Rubenstein
Unit I - Geography: Nature and Perspective (5 - 10% of AP exam)
Chapter 1- Thinking Geographically
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What is Geography
Geographic Inquiry
Role of Maps – Places, Regions, Patterns, GIS
Key Concepts – location, space, scale, regionization, globalization
Lying with Maps
Geographic Skills – spatial perspective and understanding data
Unit II - Population (13 - 17% of AP exam)
Chapter 2 - Population (Weeks 5-6, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks)
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Population Geography
Distribution and Density
Population Trends and Growth
Overpopulation
Chapter 3 - Migration (Weeks 7-8, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2
weeks)
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Why People move- voluntary/involuntary
Types of Migration
Obstacles/Refugees
Migration within a country
Population Policies
Case Studies
Unit III - Cultural Patterns and Processes (13 - 17% of AP exam)
Chapter 4 - Folk and Popular Culture (Weeks 9-10, 6 Hours, 5 Classes,
total 2 weeks)
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Concepts of culture - traits, diffusion, acculturation
Folk and Popular culture
Globalization of culture and regions
Chapter 5 – Language (Weeks 11-12, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks)
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The English Language
Language Families
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Chapter 6 – Religion (Weeks 13-14, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks)
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Distribution
Organization
Religious conflict
Chapter 7 – Ethnicity (Weeks 15-16, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks)
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Distribution
Nationality
Ethnic Issues
Unit IV - Political Organization of Space (13 - 17% of AP exam)
Chapter 8 – Political Geography
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States and Nations
Boundaries and state organization and National Power
Co-operation – economic, political and military
Fragmentation, unification, alliance
Unit V - Agriculture and Rural Land Use (13 - 17% of AP exam)
Chapter 10 – Agriculture
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Origins of agriculture
Agricultural regions
Development related to Agriculture
Farmers and economic difficulties
Revolutions in Agriculture (eg. 1st, 2nd and The Green Revolution and
GMO's)
Unit VI - Industrialization and Economic Development (13 - 17% of
AP exam)
Chapter 9 – Development (Weeks 21-22, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks)
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Levels of development
Regions of development
Gender issues related to development
Globalization and development
Note: The unit on Agriculture could go here!
Chapter 11 – Industry (Weeks 27-28, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks)
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Origin of Industry
Distribution
Economic problems related to Industry in both more developed and less
developed countries
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Chapter 12 - Services (Weeks 29-30, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks)
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Origin
Distribution pattern
Services and Cities
Unit VII - Cities and Urban Land Use (13 - 17% of AP exam)
Chapter 13 - Urban Patterns
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Urbanization - rural-urban migration
Urban Structure (mega cities)
Inner Cities
The Suburbs
Transportation, infrastructure, ghettoisation, gentrification, urban planning,
smart growth
Note the order of the above chapters and units may change!
For a more complete examination of this course, please go to:
http://playroom.crescentschool.org/geography/geography.asp
Assessment and Evaluation:
Assessment is an ongoing process. It is the gathering of information (data) using
a variety of tools and strategies such as tests, assignments and activities.
Assessment can be DIAGNOSTIC. This type of assessment occurs at the
beginning of a unit. It is used to see how much is known prior to delivering new
content.
Assessment can be FORMATIVE. This is assessment that is ongoing; these are
activities and tasks which students explore, test and practice new learning.
These can take the form of homework (questions and answers), small quizzes,
binder checks, homework checks. In this course there will be “Key Issue” checks
for each chapter of the book. Although these do not count directly toward your
mark, they may influence your projected or final mark and your parent/teacher
interviews. Formative assessment prepares the student for the next type of
assessment that IS graded and DOES count. It is in the best interest of the
student to do all of the formative as best they can.
The next type of Assessment is called SUMMATIVE. This is assessment that
occurs at the end of a unit or a piece of work. It allows students to demonstrate
the new learning. Summative assessment can be more complex and lengthy
than formative. They can take the form of tests, assignments, projects etc.
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Evaluation is the process of bringing all of the above together and assigning a
value to represent the quality of a student’s work. Evaluation is about making
judgments on how the student has done. It is taking the results of the summative
assessment and taking into account the formative assessment as well and
coming up with a grade and/or comments and/or letter grade.
A variety of techniques are used to arrive at a ‘final mark’ for each student. This
variety will be based on the four categories from the Ontario Ministry of
Education’s ‘Achievement Chart’. Rubrics will be used (wherever possible) to
communicate these expectations to the students. These include:
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chapter tests - these will always be in two parts: Part A will be Multiple
Choice and be based on the Key Issues/Worksheets that we do for each
chapter and Part B will be made up of no more than three essay type
questions which we will call CRQ’s (Critical Response Questions).
Activities/Case Studies – each chapter will have an activity
Small assignments and readings
final exam – A reminder that you will write an AP external exam in the
beginning of May and ‘our’ internal exam which will be scheduled during
the regular exam week or before.
The final percentage grade will be derived as in the table below. In summary:
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70% is based on evaluations undertaken throughout the course and
represents the student's most consistent level of achievement with special
attention directed to most recent performance.
Each of the above techniques (tests, activities, assignments etc.) will
evaluate the students based on the learning categories (KICA) below.
Some or all will be used as appropriate and will reflect the Achievement
Chart:
Knowledge & Understanding
Thinking & Inquiry
Communication
Application
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Knowledge & Understanding:
-knowledge of facts and terms
-understanding of concepts principles and theories
-understanding of relationships between concepts
o Thinking & Inquiry:
-critical thinking skills (e.g., conducting analysis, detecting point of
view and bias)
-creative thinking skills (e.g., problem solving that uses multiple
perspectives)
-inquiry skills (e.g., formulating questions; organising and
conducting research; analysing, interpreting, and evaluating
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information; drawing conclusions)
o Communication:
-oral communication (e.g., debates, role playing) for different
audiences and purposes
-written communication (e.g., reviews, short essays, long essays,
letters) for different audiences and purposes
o Application:
-application of concepts, skills, and procedures in familiar context
-transfer of concepts, skills, and procedures to new contexts
-making logical conclusions or generalizations
-making predictions and planning courses of action
-use of technology, equipment, and materials
-making connections (e.g., between past, present, and future
contexts and roles; between subjects; between subjects and the
world outside the school)
This course will not have an ISP (Independent Study Project). The majority of the
mark will come from Tests and Activities/Case Studies and small assignments.
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30% is based on the final assessment (exam and/or activity) and will
follow the learning categories (KICA) as well.
The students are evaluated in a number of different ways and no one item carries
a lot of "weight". Each chapter of the course involves at least one test and one
activity/case study as well as some assignments
BREAKDOWN OF COURSE EVALUATION
Students are evaluated in a number of ways throughout the year. These include
assignments, tests, small group projects and exams. The mark is cumulative
throughout the year.
Knowledge/Understanding
Thinking/Inquiry
Communication
Application
Final assessment (Exam – 20, Year End Activity – 10)
17.5%
17.5%
17.5%
17.5%
30%
Total
100%
Please check the document “Evaluation and Assessment in Geography” This document is linked
on the main Geography page found at:
http://playroom.crescentschool.org/geography/geography.asp
(just above the teachers names), for a further explanation on how your final mark will be
calculated.
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Late Policy - Making the Grade and Taking Responsibility
All assignments that are submitted for evaluation will be assigned a DUE DATE.
If you are not going to meet a due date for an assignment you must negotiate an
extension and a deadline before class on the due date. The date negotiated for
the deadline will normally be between one and three days after the original due
date. You will be asked to sign a form indicating that you have asked for an
extension. If you do not negotiate for an extension and do not hand in your work
by the class on the original due date, you will receive a 0 for that assignment. If
you do not submit your assignment by the class on the negotiated deadline, you
will receive a 0 for that assignment. If you negotiate more than three
assignments, your mentor and parents/guardians will be notified.
It is in the best interest of the student to submit assignments on the assigned
date.
Chapter order for this year
Chapter 1 - Thinking Geographically
Chapter 12 - Services
Chapter 13 - Urban Patterns
Chapter 8 - Political Geography
Chapter 9 - Development
Chapter 10 - Agriculture
Chapter 11 - Industry
Chapter 2 - Population
Chapter 3 - Migration
Chapter 4 - Culture
Chapter 5 - Language
Chapter 6 - Religion
Chapter 7 - Ethnicity
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