Advanced Placement Human Geography

Teacher: Kendra La Rocca

Course: SSG611 AP Human Geography+
Textbook: The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography, AP Edition, 2014 Rubenstein
Building: 216 Room: 169
Phone: DSN 624-4281 CIV 095-56-4281
Class Day: Period 4 A Day
Email: kendra.larocca@eu.dodea.edu
Website: www.MsLaRoccasClasses.weebly.com
About this course:
The AP Human Geography+ (year-long) course enables students to pursue college-level studies in
human geography. Content is taught thematically around the following seven topics including Geography:
Its Nature and Perspectives; Population and Migration; Cultural Patterns and Processes; Political
Organization of Space; Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land Use; and Industrialization and
Economic Development; and Cities and Urban Land Use. In this course, students learn about the
systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of
the Earths surface. The approach is spatial and problem oriented. Students utilize case studies, group
projects and class discussions to understand the world in which we live today.1
Though the system has an open enrollment policy, students should understand this is a college-level class
taught in a high school classroom and is designed to culminate in the AP Human Geography Exam.
Students receive the weighted grade only if they take the AP Exam. Those who are enrolled in AP
Human Geography may expect a more intense workload; the breadth, pace, and depth of material
covered exceeds the standard human geography class. This course is the equivalent of an
introductory college level human geography class with college level requirements. It is intended to
be both rigorous and challenging.
This is a very rigorous class and in order for the year to be a successful one, there are some things
students need to know. This information is intended to help students to understand what is expected of
them in the class as well as provide a basic idea of the materials covered.
Students are expected to come to class completely prepared. This includes the following points:
Student should have all homework/assignments completed and with them in class. Failure to
bring in homework will result in a zero grade for that assignment. There is no opportunity to turn
in late homework as we will have already reviewed it.
Student should have textbooks, handouts, binder, pencil or pen, paper with them as they will not
be allowed to return to their locker or to another teachers room to retrieve their materials.
The expectation for this course is very high. This means that tests will be more challenging.
Essays will be more frequent with the understanding that student writing should be more in depth.
Please understand that grading will be more rigid than that of a standard class.

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Class work policies:

There are no test or quiz retakes/corrections/error analysis.

Rewrites for essays and short answer responses are only allowed in Semester I. There will be
fewer revisions available as we progress from Quarter I to II. No rewrites/revisions allowed in
Semester II. Please understand that doing a rewrite/revision does not guarantee an improvement
in the grade. There must be marked improvement upon the original work.
Semester I rewrites are only granted if the student takes the initiative to set up a conference
session with me to discuss the necessary revisions.
Late work is accepted with penalties. In Semester I, late assignments lose a letter grade for every
actual day that they are late (not class day). Know that work is due at the beginning of the period.
After class or the end of that day are considered the next day. In Semester II, late assignments
will lose 50% for the first day it is late. No work will be accepted after that.
Plagiarism is unacceptable. Any student plagiarizing will receive a zero on the assignment.
Plagiarism refers to a form of cheating that has been defined as the false assumption of
authorship: the wrongful act of taking the product of another persons mind, and presenting it as
ones own. To use another persons ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging
the source is to plagiarize. Plagiarism, then, constitutes intellectual theft (MLA Handbook 30).
All assignments, whether finished in or out of the classroom, are to be completed by the student
alone.
If you are unexpectedly absent on a day that something is due, plan on turning the work in on the
first day back at school (not the day you come back to class). Similarly, if you miss a quiz or
exam due to an unexpected excused absence, schedule a time for a make up on the day you return
(again, not the day you come back to class). You are responsible for the work you miss, and as
such should check the Weebly and Schoology sites regularly. When you return from your
absence, it is expected that you are ready for class that day.

Regarding writing, students should understand that the following expectations apply:
All essays should be in APA format. An APA handbook and sample essay/works cited will be
given at the beginning of the year. Pay attention, keep the sample given, and follow the format
precisely. If students do not follow APA format, the essay will be returned for corrections and late
penalty will be given.
There is no use of 1st person, 2nd person, contractions, fragments or run-ons allowed. If students
do this, the essay will be returned for corrections and late penalty will be given.
All work should be the students original work. Academic integrity is of the utmost importance. A
signed statement of academic honesty and integrity is required for all assignments.
Plagiarism is unacceptable and will result in a zero grade for the assignment.
Assessment / Grading policies:
Students will be evaluated for completion of reading assignments; comprehension of materials as
measured by objective, essay, and/or oral examinations; improvement in written compositions and oral
presentations, with major emphasis on critical thinking, content, organization, specificity and relevance of
detail and evidence of reasoning, and with secondary emphasis on skill growth in spelling, punctuation,
capitalization, grammar, and usage.

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More specifically, such assignments include but are not limited to homework, pop quizzes, group
activities, class discussion, unit tests, essays, oral presentations, vocabulary tests and semester/final
exams. Each of these will fall into a total points category.
Students will receive a weighted grade for satisfactory completion of an AP course, and taking the AP
Exam.
Grade
A
B
C
D
F

Percentage
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
59% and below

Grade Point Value

4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0

Weighted Point Value

5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
0.0

Goals of AP Human Geography2

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Interpret maps and analyze geospatial data;

Understand and explain the implications of associations and networks among phenomena in
places;

Recognize and interpret the relationships among patterns and processes at different scales of
analysis;
Define regions and evaluate the regionalization process; and
Characterize and analyze changing interconnections among places.

Topic Outline for AP Human Geography2

The AP Human Geography course is organized around seven major topics:

Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives

Population and Migration
Political Organization of Space
Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land Use
Industrialization and Economic Development
Cities and Urban Land Use

The course plan (tentative):

Quarter 1 (August 29 November 3)
o Introduction to AP, defining geography, APA formatting, and course expectations
o Expectations concerning plagiarism and academic honesty and integrity
o Chapter 1
o Chapter 2
o Chapter 3
Quarter 2 (November 7 January 12)
o Chapter 4
o Chapter 5
1

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o
o
o

Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Semester exam

Quarter 3 (January 23 March 30)

o Chapter 8
o Chapter 9
o Chapter 10
o Chapter 11
Quarter 4 (April 10 June 15)
o Chapter 12
o Chapter 13
o Review
o AP Exam
o Final project in lieu of final semester exam
Why take AP?
A study done in 2008 by the College Board found that students who took AP in high school had better
four-year graduation rates in college than those who did not take an AP course. This is just one of the
many reasons that students may choose to enroll in an AP course.
The benefits of taking AP
Advanced Placement courses often come with a common misconceptionthat they are only available to
high achieving students. The reality is that any student can enroll in an AP course regardless of physical
or mental blocks that the student might feel may be preventing them from taking AP. Since AP is geared
toward preparing students for college, all students interested in attending a college or university should
really consider taking an AP course. However, students must decide on whether or not their schedules can
accommodate the rigorous amount of time and dedication needed to take an AP course.
The successful AP student
Understands that AP Human Geography is a college level class with a large time commitment.

Manages times well, is organized, and is punctual with assignments.

Can work effectively without constant monitoring by a teacher.

Has a strong work ethic, and reads at a high level.

Writes with organization, fluency, and clarity.

Enjoys learning new ideas, thinking about them, and discussing them.

DoDEA. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.dodea.edu/

College Board. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/