Course Overview

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 Earth’s surface.  Students employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human social organization and its environmental consequences.  They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their science and practice.

Expectations

AP Human Geography is a college level course. At the end of the Spring Semester students will be taking the AP Human Geography Exam which could earn college credit.  Therefore, this course will require more work than a regular high school course.  Expect to work everyday in class and expect out of class assignments. The course work will be rigorous and time consuming.  The greatest expectation you can have as a student in this course is that you will gain a greater understanding of the world in which we all live.

Required Textbooks

Rubenstein, James M. The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography. 13th ed.

Units

Fall Semester

1. Thinking Geographically

2. Population

3. Cultural Practices and Processes

4. Political Organization of Space

Spring Semester

5. Agricultural and Rural Land Use

       6. Cities and Urban Land Use

7. Industrialization and Economic Development

Grading Scale*

A93 - 100

B85 - 92

C75 - 84

D70 - 74

F0 - 69

*5 points will be added to each nine weeks grade and semester exam because this is an AP course.

Attendance and Absences

• Students will need to login to the daily attendance assignment in Schoology to mark their attendance.

• Students who are in class will mark their attendance at the very beginning of the class period.

• Students who are not in class but at home will need to mark their attendance before 2:30 PM.

• All students on Friday virtual days will need to mark their attendance at the beginning of the virtual class.

Materials Needed

• Almost all work for the class will be completed using the student’s computer. All assignments and assessments will be turned in or completed in Schoology.

• Students will need paper and pen to complete the daily question and the Free Response Questions that are in preparation for the AP exam.

• Students may some days need headphones.

In-Class Days

• All students will be required to wear a facial mask while in class. All students will be assigned a specific seat that will be at least six feet from the nearest student.

• Class will begin with students first completing the daily attendance assignment in Schoology. Students will need to copy down and answer the daily question projected from the television.

Virtual Students Only (Students who are not attending any in-class lessons.)

• All students who signed up for the all virtual schedule will login to the class during their assigned class period using the Zoom information below.Students will login on the Monday and Wednesday schedule. There will be no virtual (Zoom calls) lessons on Tuesday and Thursday. Students should login two minutes before class begins.

Distance Learning Days

• Students must remember to mark their attendance in Schoology on both distance learning days when they are not present at school.

• The distance learning assignments will be posted the weekend before the distance learning assignments are due. All distance learning assignments will all be turned in on Schoology by 10PM on Thursday.

• Students can complete the distance learning assignments anytime between the date it is posted and the due date on Thursday of that week.

Virtual Fridays

• Students will need to use the Zoom login information below to login to their class one minute before class is to begin. Students do not need to login any earlier during 2nd-7th periods, because I will be finishing a previous class zoom call.

• Go to -  https://zoom.us

• Zoom Meeting Id - See Schoology for Id

• Password - See Schoology for Password

• Students will need to login to Schoology to mark their attendance.

• During the Friday virtual class the distance learning assignments will be discussed and any answers for the activities will be given.

• These virtual meetings will be a maximum of 25 minutes.

Assignments and Readings

• Students will have multiple assignments to turn in weekly. There will be map quizzes throughout the first semester.

• Students will have these common assignments for each units:

• Vocabulary List and Questions

• Unit Videos and Questions

• Highlight the Chapters from the textbook for each unit.

Quizzes and Tests

• All quizzes and tests will be completed in Schoology. There will be map quizzes, vocabulary quizzes, unit exams, and additional quizzes throughout the school year.

Quiz and Test Retakes, Make-Up Work, and Late Work

• All assignments are expected to be completed. If the assignment is not turned in on time, the student is expected to turn in the assignment for a late grade. One day late will be the loss of a letter grade, and all days after that will be a maximum of 70%. Students are NOT expected to have any zeros for assignments.

• Most quizzes can be retaken up to 1-2 additional times to earn a higher grade. Students cannot earn more than 90% on any vocabulary quiz retake.

• All unit exams will be scored on a scale. Students will complete test corrections to earn additional points to their exam grade.

• Students must fill out this Google form when they have quiz retakes, make-up work, and/or late work to be completed:

• https://forms.gle/iXYhcmnbBEnRsrb98

• Students’ grades will NOT be updated until they fill out the Google form.

Extra Credit

Students can complete the written outline for any or all chapters covered during the nine weeks for extra credit. Students can earn up to one additional point to their overall average for completing all outlines.

Contacting Me

• It is expected if there are any questions concerning assignments, quizzes, tests, etc., the student will first review all directions and information online in order to find the answer to his/her question. If students cannot find the answer, they should email me. It is the responsibility of the student to email me their questions or concerns.

• Parents and/or Guardians can email me anytime with questions or concerns. However, I do request that parents and/or Guardians do their best to allow their child to be the main person responsible for emailing me with their questions concerning assignments, class work, quizzes, etc.