High AP Human Geography

Segment 1

Module 1: Thinking Geographically

• Identify types of maps, the types of information presented in maps, and different kinds of spatial patterns and relationships portrayed in maps.
• Identify methods of geographic data collection.
• Explain the geographical effects of decisions made using geographical information.
• Define major geographic concepts that illustrate spatial relationships.
• Explain how major geographic concepts illustrate spatial relationships.
• Define scales of analysis used by geographers.
• Explain what scales of analysis reveal.
• Describe different ways that geographers define regions.

Module 2: Population and Migration Patterns and Processes

• Identify factors that influence the distribution of human populations at different scales.
• Define methods geographers use to calculate population density.
• Explain the differences between and the impact of methods used to calculate population density.
• Explain how population distribution and density affect society and the environment.
• Describe elements of population composition used by geographers.
• Explain that geographers depict and analyze population composition.
• Explain factors that account for contemporary and historical trends in population growth and decline.
• Explain the causes and consequences of an aging population.
• Explain theories of population growth and decline.
• Explain the intent and effects of various population and immigration policies on population size.
• Explain how different causal factors encourage migration.
• Describe types of forced and voluntary migration.
• Explain historical and contemporary geographic effects of migration.

Module 3: Cultural Patterns and Processes

• Define the characteristics, attitudes, and traits that influence geographers when they study culture.
• Describe the characteristics of cultural landscapes.
• Explain how landscape features and land and resource use reflect cultural beliefs and identities.
• Explain patterns and landscapes of language, religion, ethnicity, and gender.
• Define the types of diffusion.
• Explain how the process of diffusion results in changes to the cultural landscape.
• Explain how historical processes impact current cultural patterns.
• Explain what factors lead to diffusion of universalizing and ethnic religions.

Module 4: Political Patterns and Processes

• For world political maps: a. Define the different types of political entities; and b. Identify a contemporary example of political entities.
• Explain the processes that have shaped contemporary political geography.
• Describe the concepts of political power and territoriality as used by geographers.
• Define terms of political boundaries used by geographers.
• Explain the nature and function of international and internal boundaries.
• Explain the nature and function of international and internal boundaries.
• Define federal and unitary states.
• Explain how federal and unitary states affect special organization.
• Define factors that lead to the devolution of states.
• Explain how political, economic, cultural, and technological changes challenge state sovereignty.
• Explain how the concepts of centrifugal and centripetal forces apply at the state scale

Segment 2

Module 5: Agriculture and Rural Land Use Patterns and Processes

• Explain the connection between physical geography and agricultural practices.
• Identify different rural settlement patterns and methods of surveying rural settlements.
• Identify major centers of domestication of plants. Explain how plants and animals diffused globally.
• Explain the advances and impacts of the second agricultural revolution.
• Explain the consequences of the Green Revolution on food supply and the environment in the developing world.
• Explain how economic forces influence agricultural practices.
• Describe how the von Thünen model is used to explain patterns of agricultural production at various scales.
• Explain the interdependence among regions of agricultural production and consumption.
• Explain how agricultural practices have environmental and societal consequences.
• Explain challenges and debates related to the changing nature of contemporary agriculture and food-production practices.
• Explain geographic variations in female roles in food production and consumption.

Module 6: Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes

• Explain the processes that initiate and drive urbanization and suburbanization.
• Explain how cities embody processes of globalization.
• Identify the different urban concepts such as hierarchy, interdependence, relative size, and spacing that are useful for explaining the distribution, size, and interaction of cities.
• Explain the internal structure of cities using various models and theories.
• Explain how low-, medium-, and high-density housing characteristics represent different patterns of residential land use.
• Explain how a city's infrastructure relates to local politics, society, and the environment. Identify the different urban design initiatives and practices.
• Explain the effects of different urban design initiatives and practices.
• Explain how qualitative and quantitative data are used to show the causes and effects of geographic change within urban areas.
• Explain causes and effects of geographic changes within urban areas.
• Describe the effectiveness of different attempts to address urban sustainability challenges.

Module 7: Industrial and Economic Development Patterns and Processes

• Explain how the Industrial Revolution facilitated the growth and diffusion of industrialization.
• Explain the spatial patterns of industrial production and development.
• Describe social and economic measures of development.
• Explain how and to what extent changes in economic development have contributed to gender parity.
• Explain different theories of economic and social development.
• Explain causes and geographic consequences of recent economic changes such as the increase in international trade, deindustrialization, and growing interdependence in the world economy.
• Explain how sustainability principles related to and impact industrialization and spatial development.

Besides engaging students in challenging curriculum, the course guides students to reflect on their learning and evaluate their progress through a variety of assessments. Assessments can be in the form of practice lessons, multiple choice questions, writing assignments, projects, research papers, oral assessments, and discussions. This course will use the state-approved grading scale. Each course contains a mandatory final exam or culminating project that will be weighted at 20% of the student’s overall grade.***

***Proctored exams can be requested by FLVS at any time and for any reason in an effort to ensure academic integrity. When taking the exam to assess a student’s integrity, the exam must be passed with at least a 59.5% in order to earn credit for the course.  

Advanced Placement Policy

Students entering high school grades 9-12 have access to Advanced Placement courses that may result in earning college credit for high school coursework. These courses are used to calculate overall Grade Point Average (GPA) and typically count extra in the calculation. These courses are also available at no charge to Florida public school students, whereas they may have a tuition cost if taken in college. (S. 1003.02, F.S.)

A passing grade in the course will be accepted for high school credit.  Postsecondary institutions determine college credit awarded, based on the AP Exam score earned.  FLVS strongly encourages students who take AP courses to sit for the course AP Exam in May. Florida students shall be exempt from payment of any fees associated with AP Exam participation, with the exception of late test registration fees incurred by the student.