Welcome to AP Human
Geography Guidance
Mr. Andrade
December 3, 2014
Prep and Pre-AP World Geography
Welcome!
Today’s Agenda:
• About Me
• Class Expectations/Focus
• About the AP Human Geography Exam
About Mr. Andrade
Andrade: Ahn-drah-day
• Teach Prep and Pre-AP World Geography
• Education: BA in Geography from the University of
Oklahoma, MA in Geography from Indiana University
• AP Human Geography exam reader for 2 years; taught
Introduction to Human Geography in college
• Attended Westside HS; Mrs. Stephens was my Human
Geography teacher
• I have a little brother who’s also a freshman at Westside
Class Expectations/Focus
• This is a mutual respect zone. I will respect you as I respect my students, and you
will respect me as you would respect your teacher.
• Arrive on time with writing utensils and supplies, wear your ID at all times, and
come with an open mind.
• I expect you to come prepared with questions you may have from your
readings/regular class instruction; I want to help you succeed but YOU are
ultimately in control of what you gain from this period.
• Main focus is to learn test-taking strategies and how to write Free Response
Questions (FRQs) in preparation for the AP Human Geography exam.
About the AP Human Geography Exam
• Date: 8 AM on Friday, May 15, 2015
• Cost varies depending on financial need; you’ll find out more about this next
semester
• AP Readings are typically held in early June; you’d get your results in the mail
late July/early August
• High school teachers and college professors met in Cincinnati, OH to read over
100,000 AP Human Geography FRQs this summer
What is the test like?
• The exam is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes long, split into two parts
• Multiple Choice: 50%; 75 questions lasting 1 hour
• Free Response (FRQ): 50%; 3 questions lasting 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Multiple Choice section is holistic (includes all concepts covered throughout the
year)
• Total scores on the multiple choice section are based on the number of questions
answered correctly
• Points aren’t deduced for incorrect answers and no points are awarded for unanswered
questions
Free Response Questions
• 3 questions to be answered within 1 hour and 15 minutes
• You will be given all three questions at the same time, but you should try to spend no
more than 25 minutes on each question
• FRQs are similar to essays; the more you write about the topic, the greater
the chance you’ll earn more points towards your score
• The main focus is for you to understand the task required, the number of
steps required in the answer, the region or concept you’re writing about, and
the difference between identify, describe, and explain
Identify, Describe, and Explain
• To identify is to establish or indicate who or what something is
• Describe and Explain are very similar, however:
• To describe is to list properties or features of a thing/process/event/etc.
• To explain is to relate the thing/process/event/etc. to a larger context
Identify/Describe/Explain Practice
(3 minutes)
Language
Identify
Describe
Explain
Identify/Describe/Explain Practice
Language
Identify
Language is a method of human
communication.
Describe
Language can involve the use of
verbal and/or nonverbal
methods.
Explain
Some examples of the most
common verbal or spoken
languages include Mandarin
Chinese, English, and Spanish.
We sometimes use various hand
signals to communicate
nonverbally.
Practice with FRQ Prompts
For each prompt, tell me which word(s) indicate the task(s) to be performed in your
response.
1. Identify two reasons why businesses would choose to locate their call centers in
small southern towns.
2. Choose either activity X or activity Y and apply the underlying principles of von
Thunen’s agricultural land-use model to explain the location of the activity.
3. Define and discuss the key features of the new international division of labor (also
known as global division of labor).
Contact Me
• Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have; I’m here to help!
• Tutorials: Tuesdays and Wednesdays during B lunch
• Let me know in advance if you plan to come during my tutorial times via e-mail or in
person
• E-mail: jandrad2@houstonisd.org