Items are subject to change. It is my intent to adhere closely to this document.
Brownsburg High School: Advanced Placement
Human Geography Course and Outline
2014-2015
Geography Means the World to Me.Gemma Pullen Mr. Matt Walsh Secondary Social Studies Department Head Brownsburg High School 1000 S. Odell Street Brownsburg, IN 46112 mwalsh@brownsburg.k12.in.us
Who is that Mr. Walsh? I will begin my 23 rd year as an educator during the 2014-2015 school year. My years of teaching have taken me to a wide array of schools both near and far. I came to Brownsburg Junior High School as a 7 th Grade Global Studies Teacher. By 2005, I served Brownsburg West Middle School as the assistant principal. In 2008, I had the opportunity to be BCSCs Director of Curriculum. As that position went away in 2011, I took on the administrator role as BCSCs Secondary Social Studies Department Head.
As the Department Head, my role as an administrator is to be the chief evaluator and coach for social studies teachers in grades 6-12. Additionally, I am charged with developing and maintaining the social studies curriculum for grades 6-12. Lastly, as the head instructional coach, I do have the wonderful opportunity to be teaching two periods of AP Human Geogrpahy.
One highlight of my career came to me when I was a teacher at Brownsburg Junior High in 2003. That year, I was surprised to be selected as Indianas Milken Family Foundation Educator. What a surprise and honor it was!
Introduction to the Course The purpose of the AP Human Geography course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earths surface. Students learn to employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human socioeconomic organization and its environments consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their research and applications.
Seven major units of study comprise this course. We will look at these themes through the lenses of historical and modern distributions/patterns, processes, and effect of the human population. In addition, we will use current problems to test and discover how these geographical theories play out in the real world. The seven units are:
Foundations for Human Geography Population and Migration Cultural Patterns and Processes Items are subject to change. It is my intent to adhere closely to this document. Political Organization of Space Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land Use Industrialization and Development Urban Patterns
Emphasis is placed on the critical use of multiple perspectives in geographic issues, theories, and models, project-based learning, mapping, and case studies.
Textbooks Fouberg, Erin Hogan., Alexander B. Murphy, and De Blij Harm J. Human Geography: People, Place, and Culture. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2012. Print. (Student text) Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1989. Print (Support and Student materials). Rubenstein, James M. The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2011. Print. (Support material) Rubenstein, James M., John Philip Anthony Hurt, and Shanna L. Hurt. Pearson Education AP Test Prep Series: AP Human Geography. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2011. Print. (Support material)
Materials for Success Textbook by (Fouberg, Murphy, and De Blij) Three-ring, 1 binder with dividers Spiral notebook Notecards/index cards Post-It Notes (any color) Loose-leaf paper Coloring Utensils Email address Twitter Account (not mandatory) Google Account (document sharing/not mandatory) Box of Kleenexes
Additional readings will be supplied by Mr. Walsh. These may be stored in a section of the binder.
AP Exam The AP course is not mandatory, but a majority of students take the AP Exam. The AP Exam is designed by the College Board. Students with a passing score of a 3, 4, or 5 are most-often rewarded with some type of college credit. This policy changes based upon the discretion of the university the student plans to attend.
The APHG Exam is Friday, May 15 th at 8:00 AM. The testing is held at the school.
Items are subject to change. It is my intent to adhere closely to this document. For more information on the AP Exam for Human Geography: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-human-geography
Expectations Outside of class This course will require that you work extensively outside of class. You will be required to work sometimes with a group to accomplish relevant projects. Additionally, study time with Mr. Walsh occur so that he can consult and review with you. See your calendars for important dates about this.
Groups You will have some input into the HG groups that you will work with all year. This is your team, your department. A majority of this work will take place in class as you all have busy schedules, but there will be times that you must balance and manage your time for group success.
Effective Habits Use your calendar. Use your calendar. Use your calendar. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Plan. Plan. Plan. Read. Read. Read. Manage Time. Adhere to deadlines.
Field Trip Policy No student has an absolute right to a field trip. Students may be denied participation if they fail to meet academic or behavioral requirements. AP/Dual Credit courses are college level courses that require a higher standard for learning. If an AP/Dual Credit teacher feels that a student would be harmed educationally by missing their class for a field trip, the AP/Dual Credit teacher has the right to deny permission for the student to miss their class.
Course Planner
Topic Multiple Choice Coverage on AP Exam (See AP Description.) Readings Time I. Geography: Nature and Perspectives 13-17% Chapter 1, Blij 4 Weeks
August 4 - August 30 II. Population and Migration 13-17% Chapter 2, Blij
Chapter 3, Blij 5 Weeks
September 1 - October 3 Items are subject to change. It is my intent to adhere closely to this document. III. Cultural Patterns and Processes 13-17% Chapter 4, Blij
Chapters 5, 6, 7, Blij 6 Weeks
October 6 - 10 Fall Break October 13-24 Cultural Patterns and Processes Chapter 4, Blij
Chapters 5, 6, 7, Blij Jigsaw Teach October 27 - December 5 IV. Political Organization of Space 13-17% Chapter 8, Blij
5 Weeks
December 8 - 17 Semester Exam December 18 & 19 Winter Break December 22 - January 3 Political Organization of Space Chapter 8, Blij
January 5 - 30 V. Agriculture: Food Production and Rural Land Use 13-17% Chapter 11, Blij 4 Weeks
February 2 - February 27 VI. Industrialization and Economic Development 13-17% Chapter 10, Blij
Chapter 12, Blij 4 Weeks
March 2 - 20 Spring Break March 23 - April 3 Industrialization and Economic Development Chapter 10, Blij
Chapter 12, Blij April 6 - 10 VII. Cities and Urban Land Use 13-17% Chapter 9, Blij
4 Weeks
Items are subject to change. It is my intent to adhere closely to this document. Select readings, Jacobs April 13 - May 8 Exam Review (In-class) May 11-12 Final Exam May 13 - approximate Final Product Production and Presentation May 14 - 29
Grading Policy
To effectively assess achievement, a majority of this courses grade will be based upon summative assessments (unit tests, projects, and writing). Other assignments such as formatives and learning activities will impact the final grade to a much lesser extent. Formatives are used to check for misunderstanding and practice mastery learning. All grades are based upon point totals. The purpose of the assessment will dictate the number of points.
Your semester grades are calculated as follows: 40% from Quarter 1; 40% from Quarter 2; and 20% for Semester I Final. The same process follows for Semester II.
All grades can be accessed in PowerSchool.
Extra credit is not a typical practice for an AP course. Students will engage in enrichment work that may result in additional points. Enrichment work extends student learning beyond the curriculum and into a students area of interest. Students may also encounter optional work. This work simply provides more practice with a topic and adds points to the gradebook.
I will follow the Absent Policy of the Student Handbook when completing assignments. I am also understanding that life happens. We can work through anything.
Course Topics and Themes: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-human- geography
Items are subject to change. It is my intent to adhere closely to this document. Reading Assignments: These will be officially assigned at the beginning of the week. Students should read nightly. Formatives to assess reading will occur weekly. A detailed list will be provided by August 4 th . The first chapter should be read by August 6 th .
#bulldogtough #Scholars4Lyfe
Items are subject to change. It is my intent to adhere closely to this document. Parents and Guardians: AP Human Geography.
Please sign and return this document to Mr. Walsh. This simply indicates that you have seen a copy of this syllabus for AP Human Geography. Please print and sign below. Use the lines as needed.