Independent Study Syllabus: College Prep Human Geography

Spring Semester, 2008

 

Ms. Johnston                      kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu           676-6481 Ext. 5239

 

This course is designed to help you take and pass the AP Human Geography Exam. As the deadline for AP course syllabus audits has passed, this course will not appear on your transcript as an AP course. However, the course will cover most of what is offered in an AP or college-level human geography course, and the syllabus has been borrowed from the AP course taught at Pinecrest School in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The textbook for this course is used in other AP Human Geography courses and has been one of the textbooks used at Western Washington University for this course.

 

Western Washington University Course Equivalent: EGEO 201, Human Geography.

Catalog description: 201 HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (4). Regional patterns of population and settlement; spatial analysis of economic, social and political organization.

 

AP Human Geography Course Description: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap07_humangeo_coursedesc.pdf

 

Textbook

The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography, 7th Edition, by James M. Rubenstein, Miami University

 

Supplemental Resources

We will use some or all of the following:

·        Pinecrest syllabus & resources (AP Human Geography course website)

·        Textbook website (Rubenstein, 7th ed)

·                        W.D. Pattison, "The Four Traditions of Geography" Journal of Geography Vol. 63 no. 5: 211-216.

·        J.L. Lewis, "A New Look at the Four Traditions of Geography" Journal of Geography Vol. 75 no. 9: 520-530.

·        "Return Migrations of African-Americans to the South: Reclaiming a Land of Promise, Going Home, or Both?"

 
·                        William W Falk,  Larry L Hunt,  Matthew O Hunt. Rural Sociology. College Station: Dec 2004.Vol.69, Iss. 4;  pg. 490, 20 pgs

·        Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

·        “Easter’s End” by Jared Diamond

·        Newspapers

·        Films shown for WWU’s Geography 300 (see http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~patrick/geo324-films/g324-films-home.htm). You have permission to attend these films, courtesy of Dr. P. Buckley. Complete film list: http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~patrick/geo324-films/film-short-list-n-description.htm.

 

Recommended Purchases

·        A good atlas, preferably one that contains several types of maps (political, economic, climatological, etc.)

·        Don’t Know Much About Geography, by Kenneth Davis

·        The AP study guide for this course

 

Course Completion Date

All assignments and assessments for this course will be completed no later than Monday, June 2, 2008. This will allow time for grading of end-of-term assignments and assessments and reporting of a grade before the deadline for senior grades.

Grading

Grading will be done as Pass/Fail, where a passing grade is 70% or above and there are no missing assignments or assessments.

 

Goals & Areas of Study

We will use the following course of study. You are expected to have at least a general knowledge of each of the areas identified below, and then will use the assignments and independent research components of this course to learn more about issues and case studies in each unit. Basically, the course of study is the roadmap; our modes of travel can be determined as we go.

 

I. Nature and Perspectives  (5-10% of the AP Exam)                                     TEXTBOOK CHAPTER 1

A.  Geography as a field of inquiry

Evolution of key geographical concepts and models associated with notable geographers

B.  Key concepts underlying the geographical perspective: location, space, place, scale, pattern, regionalization, and globalization

C.  Key geographical skills

1. How to use and think about maps and spatial data

2. How to understand and interpret the implications of associations among phenomena in places

3. How to recognize and interpret at different scales the relationships among patterns and processes

4. How to define regions and evaluate the regionalization process

5. How to characterize and analyze changing interconnections among places

D.  New geographic technologies, such as GIS and GPS

E.  Sources of geographical ideas and data: the field, census data

 

II. Population (13-17% of the AP Exam)                                                    TEXTBOOK CHAPTER 2

A.  Geographical analysis of population

1. Density, distribution, and scale

2. Consequences of various densities and distributions

3. Patterns of composition: age, sex, race, and ethnicity

4. Population and natural hazards: past, present, and future

B.  Population growth and decline over time and space

1. Historical trends and projections for the future

2. Theories of population growth, including the Demographic Model

3. Patterns of fertility, mortality, and health

4. Regional variations of demographic transitions

5. Effects of population policies

C.  Population movement

1. Push and pull factors

2. Major voluntary and involuntary migrations at different scales

3. Migration selectivity

4. Short-term, local movements, and activity space

 

III. Cultural Patterns and Processes (13-17% of the AP Exam)               TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS 4-7, 1

A.  Concepts of culture

1. Traits

2. Diffusion

3. Acculturation

4. Cultural regions

B.  Cultural differences

1. Language

2. Religion

3. Ethnicity

4. Gender

5. Popular and folk culture

C.  Environmental impact of cultural attitudes and practices

D.  Cultural landscapes and cultural identity

1. Values and preferences

2. Symbolic landscapes and sense of place

 

IV. Political Organization (13-17% of the AP Exam)                                    TEXTBOOK CHAPTER 8

A.  Territorial dimensions of politics

1. The concept of territoriality

2. The nature and meaning of boundaries

3. Influences of boundaries on identity, interaction, and exchange

B.  Evolution of the contemporary political pattern

1. The nation-state concept

2. Colonialism and imperialism

3. Federal and unitary states

C.  Challenges to inherited political-territorial arrangements

1. Changing nature of sovereignty

2. Fragmentation, unification, alliance

3. Spatial relationships between political patterns and patterns of ethnicity, economy, and environment

4. Electoral geography, including gerrymandering

 

V. Agriculture and Rural Land Use (13-17% of the AP Exam)                      TEXTBOOK CHAPTER 10

A.  Development and diffusion of agriculture

1. Neolithic Agricultural Revolution

2. Second Agricultural Revolution

B.  Major agricultural production regions

1. Agricultural systems associated with major bio-climatic zones

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. Models of land use, including von Thünen's model

2. Settlement patterns associated with major agriculture types

D.  Modern commercial agriculture: the Third Agricultural Revolution

1. Green Revolution and the beginning of the biotechnologic revolution

2. Characteristics of the third revolution: blending of primary, secondary, and tertiary activities, intensification of mechanization, and development of biotechnology

3. Spatial organization of industrial agriculture

4. Diffusion of industrial agriculture

5. Future food supplies and environmental impacts of agriculture - hopes and fears

 

VI. Urbanization and Globalization (13-17% of the AP Exam)                TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS 13, 9

A.  Definitions of urbanism

B.  Origin and evolution of cities

1. Historical patterns of urbanization

2. Rural-urban migration and urban growth

3. Global cities and megacities

4. Models of urban systems

C.  Functional character of contemporary cities

1. Changing employment mix

2. Changing demographic and social structures

D.  Built environment and social space

1. Comparative models of internal city structure

2. Transportation and infrastructure

3. Political organization of urban areas

4. Urban planning and design

5. Patterns of race, ethnicity, gender, and class

6. Uneven development, ghettoization, and gentrification

7. Impacts of suburbanization and edge cities

 

VII. Industrialization and Economic Development (13-17% of the AP Exam)   TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS 9, 11

A.  Key concepts in industrialization and development

B.  Growth and diffusion of industrialization

1. The changing roles of energy and technology

2. Industrial Revolution

3. Evolution of economic cores and peripheries

4. Geographic critiques of models of economic localization (i.e., land rent, comparative costs of transportation), industrial location, economic development, and world systems

C.  Contemporary patterns and impacts of industrialization and development

1. Spatial organization of the world economy

2. Variations in levels of development

3. Deindustrialization and economic restructuring

4. Pollution, health, and quality of life

5. Industrialization, environmental change, and sustainability

6. Local development initiatives: government policies

 

VIII. Environmental Geography (Selected Sections of the AP Exam)             TEXTBOOK CHAPTER 14

A. Social Space

1. Decisions and Conflict

2. Uneven Development

3. Quality of Life

4. Sustainability

B. Modern Ecological Change

1. Nutrition and Hunger

2. Environmental Devastation

 

Independent Study Aspect: In this course, you will be expected to pursue not only required certain avenues of research on themes and issues of human geography, but to pursue your own issues of interest. Below are some recommended areas of research to help you build an understanding of the essential course understandings, as well as global and national issues:

 

·        Recommended place/people themes:

o       Venezuela – resources, political conflict, culture

o       Kurdish people – “Kurdistan,” conflicts between Kurds and other regional peoples

o       “Middle East” or “Latin America” – is there a regional identity?, issues of the region, migration, cultural conflict

o       Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia - contested space, ethnic/linguistic/religious diversity

o       Sudan – contested space, ethnic/linguistic/religious diversity, migration

o       Nigeria – ethnic/linguistic/religious diversity

·        Recommended issue themes:

o       Water use and access to potable water – bottling of water, privatization of water resources

o       Endangered languages and cultures – Chamorro language, native cultures (folk vs. pop culture)

o       Globalization of economies and cultures

o       Population control methods and controversies – China, India, restriction of condom/birth control information in US foreign aid

o       Land use regulations – Bellingham waterfront, growth management

 

Assignments and Assessments

It is expected that you will read the textbook and other supplementary readings on your own. Assignments and assessments will be completed as follows:

 

Chapter Assessments: To demonstrate understanding of the chapters and themes, you will need to take the online chapter assessments (Concept Review, Thinking Spatially, and Quick Review) provided by the textbook publisher. These can be found at: http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_rubenstein_humangeo_7/6/1647/421832.cw/index.html. You should complete these chapter assessments in the order provided by the syllabus (see below), and by the due dates provided or agreed upon. These assessments will be scored based on number correct out of number possible for each online activity.

 

Assignments & Activities:

1. Specific, short-term assignments will be uploaded to the Ms. Johnston’s Teacher Web Page under Human Geography or emailed to you. These should be completed by the due dates provided or agreed upon, and the point values will be determined when the assignments are given. Some assignments may be taken from the publisher website and such website assignments can be submitted electronically. All other assignments should be submitted in writing or via email to kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu. If you have trouble emailing your assignments to that address, you should Cc all assignments to YanaJ76@gmail.com.

 

2. For each unit, you will also complete a research study of an area of your own interest. For the research study, you must do the following:

             A) Write at least one essential or guiding question about the issue [5 points]

B) Answer the question(s) in written form, demonstrating knowledge of the unit content. This is where you apply your knowledge to new learning. The format does not have to be a standard essay; you may break up the assignment as you see fit. [20 points]

C) Ask questions for further study – Write at least two questions that address related issues or would potentially make good research topics. Then, briefly explain why you have asked those questions (why are they significant?). [5 points]

D) Cite your resources using APA or MLA citations. You must always have a Resources page and do in-text citations. (APA is easiest for in-text citations). [10 points]

These research studies will be 40 points each, with points distributed as indicated above.

 

3. You may have the opportunity to go on several independent field trips and meet with local experts. You are expected to help set up your own appointments for these events and to arrive on time, behave professionally, etc. Field trips & meetings may include:

§        GIS as a tool: Mark VanderVen, WWU Geography instructor

§        GIS use and local planning issues: Whatcom County Planning Department (Josh Fleishman), or City of Bellingham Planning Department

§        Gentrification: Jonah White, WWU Geography graduate student

§        Geography Issues in Film: Dr. Patrick Buckley’s course offerings [Complete film list: http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~patrick/geo324-films/film-short-list-n-description.htm. ]

§        Infection control, population control, and culture: Slum Doctors Programme

 

Unit Assessments: Unit assessments will be created and provided by Ms. Johnston using textbook publisher materials for multiple choice and true/false questions, and AP Free Response Questions (FRQs) from previous AP Human Geography exams. These assessments should be completed at arranged times here at school, unless otherwise agreed upon, and will be scored by Ms. Johnston. However, it is expected that you will participate in the scoring and review of unit assessments. Unit assessment point values will be determined as they are given.