AP Human Geography
Copeland, Clifton
Unit 1: Geography, it’s nature and perspectives
Unit Overview
The AP Human Geography course and Unit 1 of
the course emphasize the importance of
geography as a field of inquiry. The course
introduces students to the importance of spatial
organization —the location of places, people, and
events; environmental relationships; and
interconnections between places and across
landscapes — in the understanding of human life
on Earth. Geographic concepts emphasized
throughout the course and this unit are location,
space, place, scale, pattern, regionalization, and
globalization. These concepts are basic to student
understanding of spatial interaction and spatial
behavior, the dynamics of human population
growth and movement, patterns of culture,
economic activities, political organization of
space, social issues, and human settlement
patterns, particularly urbanization. Students
learn how to use and interpret maps. They also
learn to apply mathematical formulas, interpret
models, and analyze quantitative and qualitative
geographic data.
Key Geographic Skills/Standards
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How to use and think about maps and
geospatial data
How to understand and interpret the
implications of associations among
phenomena in places
How to recognize and interpret at
different scales the relationships among
patterns and processes
How to define regions and evaluate the
regionalization process
How to characterize and analyze
changing interconnections among places
How to use and interpret findings
through the use of geospatial
technologies
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How to interpret maps
Identify major regions of the world and
the United States
Essential Questions
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What is Human Geography?
How do geographers describe where
things are?
Why do geographers use maps and
what do maps tell us?
Why are geographers concerned with
scale and connectedness?
-What is the difference
between large scale and small scale?
What are the three types of regions?
How does diffusion occur?
How are different places similar?
Formative Assessments
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8.4-Student Designed Mental Map
8.6-United States Map Quiz
8.13-Kuby SW Assignment
8.13-Unit One Vocabulary Quiz
Summative Assessments
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8.11-YFB Project Due
8.14-Unit 1 Test
Essential Vocabulary
Activity space
Administrative region
Anthropogenic
Azimuthal projection
Carl Sauer
Cartograms
Cartography
Choropleth maps
Cognitive maps /Mental maps
Concentration
Connectivity
Contagious diffusion
Coordinate system
Cultural barrier
Cultural ecology
Cultural landscape
Density
Dispersion
Distance decay effect
Dot maps
Earth system science
Environmental determinism
Environmental geography
Eratosthenes
Expansion diffusion
Fertile Crescent
Formal region/Thematic region
Friction of distance
Fuller projection
Functional region
Geographical Information Systems
Geoid
George Perkins Marsh
Global Positioning System
Graticule
Gravity model
Hierarchical diffusion
Human Geography
Idiographic
International Date Line
Intervening opportunities
Isotherms
Large scale
Latitude
Law of retail gravitation
Longitude
Map projections
Mercator projection
Meridians
Natural Landscape
Nomothetic
Parallels
Pattern
Perceptual region
Physical geography
Possibilism
Preference map
Prime meridian
Proportional symbols map
Ptolemy
Qualitative data
Quantitative data
Reference map
Region
Regional geography
Relative/Absolute distance
Relative/Absolute location
Relocation diffusion
Remote sensing
Resolution
Robinson projection
Scale
Sense of place
Site
Situation
Small scale
Spatial diffusion
Spatial perspective
Stimulus diffusion
Sustainability
Systematic geography
Thematic layers
Thematic map
Time-space convergence
Topographic maps
Topological space
Transferability
Visualization
W.D. Pattison
Unit 1 Activities and Required Tasks
Topic
Activities
Monday, August 3
Date
Introduction to the
Course
Tuesday, August 4
Maps,
Contemporary
Tools and History
Wednesday, August 5
Five Themes of
Geography
1) Welcome, Introduction to Course, TRSS
2) Syllabus, Unit Outline
3) Student Info Sheet
4) Letter to Parents
5) Mental Mapping Activity
Turn in Mental Map
1) Scavenger Hunt (Historical Development of
Geography)
2) Article: Four Traditions of Geography….BLOG
1) Review Four Traditions
2) Five Themes of Geography
3) Go over Scavenger Hunt
4) Intro to Your Favorite Band Project
Thursday, August 6
Scale
1) U.S. Map Quiz
2) Video Clip: West Wing-Map Projections
3) Lecture: Scale, Scale Models and Skeletons
4) Video: Power of Place (One Earth Many
Scales)
Friday, August 7
Scale
1) Lab: Hands On Map and Scale Activity
2) Article: Do Maps Create or Represent Reality?
Monday, August 10
Regions and
Diffusion
1) Lecture: Regions
2) Regions of the World
3) Types of Diffusion
4) STATE Introduction
Tuesday, August 11
STATE Design and
Fates
Vocabulary and
FRQ Prep
Vocabulary and
FRQ Prep
Turn in YFB Project
1) STATE Lottery and Design (Phase I & II)
1) STATE Design (Phase I and II)
2) STATE Round One Fates
Turn in Kuby SW Assignment
1) Unit 1 Vocabulary Quiz
2) FRQ Preparations
3) Sample FRQs
1) Unit 1 Test FRQ
2) Unit 1 Test MCQs
Wednesday, August 12
Thursday, August 13
Friday, August 14
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Unit 1 Test
Homework
6) Unit 1 Vocabulary-BLOG
7) Parent Letter
8) Mental Mapping Activity
3) Read and Analyze Pattison Article-Four
Traditions…BLOG
4) Unit 1 Vocabulary
5) U.S. Map Quiz Prep
5) Unit 1 Vocabulary
6) YFB Tour Activity/Project
7) Read Rubenstein Chapter 1 (Pp. 2-8)/KQs for
Review
8) U.S. Map Quiz Prep
5) Koppen Climate System-BLOG
6) YFB Project
7) Read Rubenstein Chapter 1 (Pp. 9-17)
8) Finish Video: Power of Place (One Earth, Many
Scales)
9) Unit 1 Vocabulary
3) Work on YFB Project
4) Chapter 1 KQs for Review
5) Unit 1 Vocabulary
5) Finish YFB Project (Due Mon. Aug. 12)
6) Kuby Southwest Region Assignment-BLOG
7) Read Rubenstein Chapter 1 (Pp. 18-40)
8) Chapter 1 Key Questions for Review
9) Unit 1 Vocabulary
2) Unit 1 Vocabulary
3) Unit 1 Vocabulary Quiz Prep
4) Unit 1 Test Prep
3) Unit 2 Vocabulary
Use http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/usaquiz.html to assist you with map quiz preparation (U.S. Map Quiz-Thursday, August 6)
Unit 1 Activities and Required Tasks
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Use http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/usaquiz.html to assist you with map quiz preparation (U.S.
Map Quiz-Thursday, August 6)