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. ________________________________________________________________ World Geography (AP Human Geography) Page 1 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 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) Population Geography Distribution and Density Population Trends and Growth Overpopulation Chapter 3 - Migration (Weeks 7-8, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks) 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) 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) The English Language Language Families ________________________________________________________________ World Geography (AP Human Geography) Page 2 Chapter 6 – Religion (Weeks 13-14, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks) Distribution Organization Religious conflict Chapter 7 – Ethnicity (Weeks 15-16, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks) Distribution Nationality Ethnic Issues Unit IV - Political Organization of Space (13 - 17% of AP exam) Chapter 8 – Political Geography 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 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) 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) Origin of Industry Distribution Economic problems related to Industry in both more developed and less developed countries ________________________________________________________________ World Geography (AP Human Geography) Page 3 Chapter 12 - Services (Weeks 29-30, 6 Hours, 5 Classes, total 2 weeks) Origin Distribution pattern Services and Cities Unit VII - Cities and Urban Land Use (13 - 17% of AP exam) Chapter 13 - Urban Patterns 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. ________________________________________________________________ World Geography (AP Human Geography) Page 4 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: 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: 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 o 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 ________________________________________________________________ World Geography (AP Human Geography) Page 5 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. 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. ________________________________________________________________ World Geography (AP Human Geography) Page 6 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 ________________________________________________________________ World Geography (AP Human Geography) Page 7