AP Human Geography

Gregory Simpson
[email protected]
Website: www.SimpsonAPHuG.weebly.com
Office Hours: After school Tuesday 3-5pm, Lunch (M-F) and by Appointment

Course Description
AP Human geography examines why things are located where they are and the interaction
humans have on their environment. From these perspectives we will examine ethnic and
religious distribution, migration patterns, city development, industry and agriculture.

The AP exam will be on Tuesday, May 5, 2022

The exam will have two parts, each worth 50% of the final score;
➢ A 60 question multiple-choice test to be completed in 60 minutes
➢ An essay portion that will consist of 3 free response questions to be completed in 75
minutes.
o 1 with no stimulus, 1 with 1 stimulus, 1 with 2 stimuli

Course Objectives
o Introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that
have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surfaces.
o Study and use the methods of geographers including observation,
mapmaking, data gathering and reporting, and technical writing.
o Employ special concepts, geographic vocabulary, and landscape interpretation
to a variety of locations and situations around the globe and in local areas.
o Expand student’s perspectives to include geography and its effects on
historical and current events.
Text:
The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography (11th Edition)
Author: James M. Rubenstein

Course Planner
Unit Chapters in Book Time Frame
Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives 1 4 Weeks
Population 2, 3 4 Weeks
Cultural Patterns and Processes 4, 5, 6 4 Weeks
Political Organization of Space 7, 8 4 Weeks
Agricultural and Rural Land Use 9, 10 4 Weeks
Industrial and Economic Development 11, 12 4 Weeks
Cities and Urban Land use 13 & throughout 3 Weeks
Grading Policy
(Students and parents can check student’s grades and progress through their Jupitergrades account)
Scholarship
A 100-90
B 89-80
C 79-70
D 69-50
F 50 and below

Assignments Points Available % of Grade

Tests 160 18%
FRQ and Peer Reviews 160 18%
Skills Tests 160 18%
Projects 150 15%
Map and Vocabulary Quizzes 80 10%
Home Learning Packets 105 7%
Midterm/Final 140 14%

Late Work Policy:

Every day that work is late, starting from the day that students did not have it
ready at the beginning of class, I will take 5% off. This will happen until a student
gets down to 75%. Students may turn in any late work for up to a C credit at any
time.

Retake Policy:
For Unit Tests, Skills Exams, and Map and Vocabulary Quizzes, students must
complete an error analysis. After students complete the error analysis they may
retake the exam during lunch or office hours. Students can still earn up to an A on
this exam.

For FRQs students simply need to tell me that they have studied and would like a
new question. I will give them a new question from the same unit. They will not
know what the question is beforehand. Students can earn up to an A+ on this
exam.

Extra Credit Policy:

There will have extra credit opportunities for every Unit. Each Unit will be align
and weighted with one of the assignment categories. The cutoff date for each
unit will be the day of the Unit Exam. After the exam, students will get a new
series of Extra Credit opportunities.
Grading Policy
(Students and parents can check student’s attendance through their InfiniteCampus account)
Citizenship
A 100-90
B 89-80
C 79-70
D 69-60
F 59 and below

Assignments Total Points Available % of Grade

Attendance 100 33%
Behavior 120 34%
Preparation 100 33%

Tardy Policy
Students must be in the door in their assigned seat when the bell rings. If a student is
late 3 days in a row or 6 times throughout the quarter, this will result in a maximum of a
D in Citizenship.

Absentee Policy
3 days or more, absent student needs a contract through the attendance office.
Students are responsible for all class work that they have missed. If a student is absent
on the date something is due, such as extra credit, projects, or home learning packets,
they are considered late. Due dates are simply the last day to turn it in, not the only. All
work can be turned in before the last day. Any test that was missed, students will take
the following day or at lunch.

Rules and Expectations of the Classroom

1. Respect
2. Never talk when someone else is talking
3. You must participate
4. Always come to class prepared
5. Be in your seat when the bell rings
6. Always come willing to learn
Consequences
1. Verbal warning
2. Seat moved/ Detention
3. Phone call home
4. Referral
Skills to be taught throughout the course
• Use and think about maps and special date-use maps to pose and solve
problems
• Understand and interpret the implications of associations among phenomena
in places. Compare and relate phenomena from place to place and how they
work together to create a cultural landscape.
• Recognize and interpret at different scales the relationships among patterns
and process. How events and processes at different scales influence each
other.
• Define regions and evaluate the regionalization process. Identify how the
regional process came about in specific regions
• Characterize and analyze changing interconnections among places.
Understand how events and processes in one place can influence the other
places.
• Integrate technology into all projects. Students will increase their proficiency
in Microsoft Office, Internet research, web design.

General Day-to-Day Activities:

1. Activities: Practical applications of geography.
2. Quizzes: Map, Vocabulary, or Visual Interpretation
3. Skills Test: Students will analyze maps, graphs, photographs, and pictures. After
analyzing the figures, they will have to develop statements highlighting the association
between two sources.
4. Test: Test will be a three day process. Day one will be a 50 question multiple choice
exam to be completed in 40 minutes. Day two will be two free response questions to be
completed in 50 minutes. Day three, students will complete a peer review of a
classmate’s free response using a rubric provided. As a class, we will review the multiple
choice section of the test.
5. Projects: These projects are a collaborative effort where students must apply key
concepts of the class to create a presentable project.
6. There will be a packet assigned at the beginning of each unit to be completed
throughout the month as an ongoing home learning assignment. Parents or Guardians
are encouraged to help monitor the reading assignments to ensure that their student
does not fall far behind.

Materials List
*if student is unable to purchase these items please see instructor and the school will provide*
• 3 ringed binder with tabs to • Pen/pencil (whiteout) • Scissors
separate course work • Highlighter • Glue stick
• 3 subject notebook • Color Pencils • Stapler
Accommodations for students with disabilities

If you have an IEP or a 504 plan and require accommodations/modifications, I encourage you

to discuss your accommodations and needs with me as early in the semester as possible. I will

work with you and the school support staff to ensure that accommodations/modifications are

provided as appropriate. If you have questions about what accommodations you are eligible to

receive, please talk to your case manager or school psychologist.

Support for students' learning and well-being

Well-being is paramount to student’s success and development. It is important for students to

be mindful about how they feel in order to help reduce stress and anxiety. Students need to

have a healthy balance between work and play in order to support their well-being. A healthy

diet, staying active, adequate sleep, and staying social are all ways to encourage a healthy

lifestyle. If at any point students feel too overwhelmed, there are outlets on campus to assist

students. These include our Counseling office, Nurse, Assistant Principals, Peer Mediators, Link

Crew Leaders, or any trusted adult on campus can help with sending students to the right

resource.

Advice to help students manage their learning

Time management is paramount to academic success in this class. Students should be spending

around 45 minutes a night on this course. This can be studying, working on assignments, extra

credit or error analysis. We have a calendar in the front of the class that has everything we will

be working on for up to a month in advance. Due dates are also on our website’s calendar. In

addition our website has study resources and tips under “Student Resources”. Additionally,

Students can receive tutoring during lunch or office hours after school as well.