Grade 9 - AP Human Geography

AP Human Geography
Course Description: AP Human Geography is a year long course designed to give
students an in depth understanding of the interaction between impact humans and their
environment. This course will examine the human experience at both the macro and
micro­geographical level. Units of study include the nature and perspectives on
geography, population, migration, cultural patterns, language, religion, ethnicity, political
geography, economic development, industrialization, agricultural and rural land use, and
urban geography. All students will take the AP Human Geography exam in May.
Sufficient achievement on the exam will allow the student to receive college credit.
Course Requirements: Per the AP Economics Course Description created by College
Board, instruction will be based on the following requirements. This course will provide
C1: a systematic study of human geography including the nature of and
perspectives on Geography, population, cultural patterns and processes, political
organization of space, agricultural and rural land use, industrialization and
economic development, cities and urban land use.
C2: instruction on the use of spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine
human organization of space.
C3: instruction on spatial relationships at different scales ranging from the local to
the global.
C4: instruction on how to use and interpret maps, data sets, and geographic models.
GIS, aerial photographs, and satellite images.
Textbook: de Blij, H.J., Alexander B. Murphy, and Erin Fouberg. Human Geography:
People, Place and Culture. 8 th ed. Hoboken NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2007
Materials: 1’’­2’’ three ring binder with dividers that is reserved specifically for this
class, pens, pencils, and notebook paper. A small capacity USB drive is also
recommended for technology based projects.
Supplemental Materials:
Kuby, Michael, John Harner, and Patricia Gober. Human Geography in Action. 4 th ed.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2007

Rivoli, Pietra. The Travels of a T­Shirt in a Global Economy. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
& Sons, 2005.
Alagona, Peter S., and Meredith Marsh. How to Prepare for the AP Human Geography
Advanced Placement Examination. Hauppauge, NY: Barrons Educational Series Inc.,
2003.
New York Times: Upfront Magazine (bi­weekly edition)
National Geographic Magazine (monthly edition)
Smithsonian Institute Magazine (monthly edition)
“Google Earth.” 2007 Google Inc
UnitedStreaming. Discovery Education. www.unitedstreaming.com
College Board: www.apcentral.collegeboard.com. This website contains practice exam
questions and preparation materials for the student.
Student Evaluation:
Tests 30%
Quizzes 20%
Homework/class work 30%
Writing assignments 20%
_______________________________
Total 100%
Assessment Methods: Students will use interactive notebooks as an organizational and
learning tool for the course. Students will be expected to keep track of all assignments
and grades received on a provided assignment sheet. The notebook will include
vocabulary, notes, handouts, practice questions, and key concepts for each unit. The

notebook will be turned in the day of the unit exam and graded. Unit exams will be
divided into two class periods. Unit exams are a 35­45 minute timed multiple choice
section, followed by a 45­minute free­response section which will involve answering two
Free response type questions. Writing assignments will include practice on free response
questions, 1­2 page opinion/response papers, and topics related to the current unit of
study. In addition, students will complete various individual and group projects
throughout the year which will be considered class work.
Teaching Methods:
The instructional methods for this course will include: lecture, group work, student­led
oral presentations, debates, case studies, independent study, and audio/visual resources.
Course Outline:
I. Unit 1: Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives
C1: a systematic study of human geography.
C2: instruction on the use of spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human
organization of space.
C3: instruction on spatial relationships at different scales ranging from the local to the
global.
C4: instruction on how to use and interpret maps, data sets, and geographic models. GIS,
aerial photographs, and satellite images.
Required Reading: DeBlij, Chapter 1; Kuby, Chapter 1
A) What is Geography Why study Geography
1. geography and globalization
2. Human vs. Physical Geography
3. Geographic questions­thinking Geographically
B) Maps and their use in Geography
1. Historical development of map making

2. Types of maps
3. Mental maps
a) activity spaces
b) activity: activity space of Port Charlotte maps
4. Maps and technology
a) applied activity: Kruby, Chapter 1 “True Maps, False Impressions:
Making, Manipulating, and Interpreting Maps”
C) Spatial analysis and distribution
1. process=pattern
2. Five themes of Geography
3. Cultural landscape
4. Regions
5. Connectivity and diffusion
6. Environmental determinism vs. possibilities
D). Unit I Exam
II. Unit 2 Population
C1: a systematic study of human geography.
C3: instruction on spatial relationships at different scales ranging from the local to the
global.
Required Reading: DeBlij Chapter 2&3
A) Population patterns
1. Density and distribution
2. Scale
B) Natural changes in population
1. Models
a) demographic transition model

2. Rate of growth and/or decline
a) doubling time
b) demographic momentum
C) Population and composition
1. Affecting factors in composition
2. Patterns of age, sex, gender and ethnicity
a) population pyramids
3 Consequences of composition and trends
4. activity: population pyramids using UpFront on African children
D) Influencing factors
1. Natural hazards
2. Government policies
a) activity: China/Inda comparison project
3. Video Case Study: Italy­ http://www.learner.org/resources/series85.html
E). Movement
1. Types of migration
a) forced
b) voluntary
2. Push and pull factors
a) activity: identify push/pull factors on why people leave other states to
come to Florida.
3. Distance decay
4. Flows and counter flows
5. Scale and activity space in migration
a) Human Geography in Action­ Tracking the AIDS Epidemic
F). Unit II Exam
III. Unit 3 Culture
C1: a systematic study of human geography.
C4: instruction on how to use and interpret maps, data sets, and geographic models. GIS,
aerial photographs, and satellite images.

Required reading De Blij Ch.4­7)
A) Cultural concepts
1. Types of culture
2. Diffusion and assimilation
a) local culture
b) popular culture
3. Case Study: Culture in Brief: Globaliztion101.org
4. Cultural Regions
B). Cultural landscapes and identity
1. Symbols of values and culture
2. Scale and place
C). Cultural elements
1. Race, ethnicity, and gender
a) racial issues
b) scale, identity and space
c) power relationships
2. Language
a) language families and distribution
b) diffusion of languages
c. languages of identity
3. Religion
a) origin and diffusion of religions
b) religion in the cultural landscape
c) religious conflicts
D) Activity: Cultural landscape of Pt. Charlotte/Punta Gorda
E) Unit III exam
IV Unit 4 Political Geography
C4: instruction on how to use and interpret maps, data sets, and geographic models. GIS,
aerial photographs, and satellite images.
C1: a systematic study of human geography.
Required Reading: De Blij Ch. 8
A) Territory and politics

1. Territoriality
2. Boundaries and borders
a) identity and political representation
B) Development of the modern political pattern
1. The nation­state
2. Multi­nationalism
a) multi­state nation vs. multi­nation state
b) stateless nation
1. Case Study: Kurds/ Kurdistan
3. Colonialism and imperialism
4. Capitalism and the World Systems model
a) core, periphery, and semi­periphery
b) world economy
5. Spatial organization of government
a) unitary and federal systems
b) centripetal and centrifugal forces
c) devolution
C) Challenges to traditional political arrangements
1. Geopolitics
a) German School­Ratzel
b) British/American School­Mackinder & the Heartland Theory
2. Supranational Organizations
a) future of the state
b) conflicts associated with the future of the state
D) Impact and Influence of Multi National Corporations
E) Unit IV Exam
V. Unit 5 Agricultural Geography
C1: a systematic study of human geography.
Required Reading: De Blij Ch. 11
A) Development and diffusion of agriculture
1. Neolithic Revolution
2. Second Agricultural Revolution
B) Major agricultural production regions
1. Inter­regional and intra­regional connectedness
2. Variations within major zones and effects of markets

3. Linkages and flows among regions of food production and consumption
C) Rural land use and settlement patterns
1. Types of settlements
a) Villages
2. Agricultural land use and human settlement
a) township and range system
b) other survey systems (longot, metes, & bounds etc)
3. von Thunen’s Model
a) Sinclair’s model vs. von Thunen’s
D) Modern commercial agriculture: the Third Agricultural Revolution
1. Green Revolution and the beginning of the biotechnical revolution
a) Characteristics of the third revolution: blending of primary, secondary,
and tertiary activities, intensification of mechanization, and
development of biotechnology
1. Primary source: U.S. Sugar Corporation
2. Agribusiness
3. Diffusion of industrial agriculture
4. Biotechnology
5. Future food supplies and environment impacts of agriculture­hopes and fears
E) Unit 5 exam
VI Unit 6 Urban Geography
C1: a systematic study of human geography.
C2: instruction on the use of spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human
organization of space.
C3: instruction on spatial relationships at different scales ranging from the local to the
global.
Required Reading: De Blij Chapter 9
A) Definition and formation of cities
1. five hearths of urbanization
B) Function of cities
2. economic­introduce Central Place Theory
C) Location of Cities
1. Urban hierarchy
a) rank size rule
2. Central Place Theory
3. Hexagonal Hinderlands

4. Urban Sprawl
5. Infrastructure
D) Organization of Cities
1. Concentric Zone Model
2. Sector Model
3. Multiple Nuclei Model
4. Non­U.S. Models
5. Mega cities
E) Demographics of cities
1. Planning and zoning
a). Case Study: Celebration Fl http://www.celebrationfl.com/
2. Uneven development
a) blockbusting, gentrification, etc
b) Case Study: Rubenstein­Two families in New Jersey
3. Ethnic Neighborhoods
4. Bid Rent Curves
F) Globalization of Cities
G) Unit 6 exam
VII Unit 7 Industrialization and Development
C1: a systematic study of human geography.
C2: instruction on the use of spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human
organization of space.
Required Reading: De Blij Ch. 10 & 12
A). Defining and measuring development
1. Developed vs. developing nations
2. GNP
3. GDP
4. Formal v. informal economy
5. Development models
a) Rostow’s Modernization Model
6. Case Study: World Bank from Globalization.org
B). Core­periphery relationships, World Systems Theory revisited
1. Neo Colonialism
2. Structuralist Theory
3. Dependency Theory

a) El Salvador and dollarization
4. Case Study: U.S. , Mexico and maquiladoras
C). Government and development
1. Case Study/reading: The Travels of a T­shirt in the Global Economy (Pietra
Rivoli.
a) influences and policies on a commodity chain
2. “Islands” of development
D) Industrial Development
1. Diffusion Pattern
2. Environmental impact
E) Models: location theories and industrial location
1. Weber: Least Cost Theory
a) agglomeration (example: mall)
b) deglomeration
2. Hotelling: Locational interdependence
3. Losch: profit maximization
F) Industrial Production Today
1. Deindustrialization
a) off shoring
b) outsourcing
c) new major industrial belts today
2. Case Study: “Money for nothing Calls for Free” article
3. Fordist vs. post­Fordist world economic system
4. Changing influences
a) regional and global trade agreements
b) transportation and energy advances
G) Unit 7 Exam
VIII Unit 8 Environmental Geography
C1: a systematic study of human geography.
C2: instruction on the use of spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human
organization of space.
C3: instruction on spatial relationships at different scales ranging from the local to the
global.
C4: instruction on how to use and interpret maps, data sets, and geographic models. GIS,
aerial photographs, and satellite images.
Required Reading: De Blij Chapter 13

A). Human impact on the environment
1. Alteration of ecosystems
2. Water
a) Middle Eastern water politics
3. Atmosphere
a) global warming
b) acid rain
4. Land
a) deforestation and erosion
b) waste disposal
B) Contributors of Change
1. Population, politics and patterns of consumption
2. Changes in technology
C) Human responses to environmental change
IX Exam Review