AP Human Geography | Unit 4: Political Patterns & Processes
Learn and review all the key models, concepts, and vocabulary for the topic of Political Patterns & Processes in AP Human Geography. (12-17% of official AP exam score).
Erin Lavonne Bennett
Average rating:
4.5
Number of reviews:(4)
What's included
3 pre-recorded lessons
3 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
1-2 hours per week. The course consists of weekly modules that include instructional videos, interactive vocabulary flashcards, multimedia presentations, reading assignments, Cornell notes, and weekly assessments consisting of AP-style multiple choice and FRQ questions.Assessment
Weekly quizzes and a final exam.Grading
The final grade for the class is 80% the weekly quiz average and 20% the final exam. They will get a certificate of completion with a letter grade at the very end of the course.Class Experience
US Grade 9 - 11
This microcourse covers the topic of Political Patterns & Processes in AP Human Geography. With interactive vocabulary flash cards and animated explainer videos, this course will prepare you for success on the official AP exam this May. AP Human Geography is an introductory college-level human geography course designed for high school students. Students cultivate their understanding of human geography through data and geographic analyses as they explore topics like patterns and spatial organization, human impacts and interactions with their environment, and spatial processes and societal changes. 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. Scope & Sequence: Week 1: Political Geography Part 1 Topics Include: -The characteristics and sovereignty of states -Evolution of the contemporary political map -Territoriality & border disputes Activities: - Instructional videos - Weekly reading - Cornell notes - Vocabulary flashcards - Sorting activity - Video: Tyranny of the Map - Weekly quiz -Week 2: Political Geography Part 2 Topics Include: - Consequences of centripetal and centrifugal forces - Forms of Governance - Supranational Organizations - Unitary vs Federal States Activities: - Instructional videos - Weekly reading - Cornell notes - Vocabulary flashcards - Matching activity - Strategies for free response questions (FRQ) - Weekly quiz -Week 3: Political Geography Part 3 Topics Include: - The Function of Political Boundaries - Categorizing Boundaries - Shapes of States - The Politics of Election Activities: - Instructional videos - Weekly reading - Cornell notes - Vocabulary flashcards - Matching activity - Current event case study analysis - Weekly quiz
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows College Board Advanced Placement CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Advanced Placement (AP) Standards3 Lessons
over 3 WeeksLesson 1:
Political Geography Part 1
Understand the principles of self-governance and the legal and political autonomy that define state sovereignty. Lesson 2:
Political Geography Part 2
Analyze the forces that shape nations and their relationships. Lesson 3:
Political Geography Part 3
An insightful exploration of the geopolitical landscape. Other Details
Parental Guidance
AP Human Geography introduces high school students to college-level introductory human geography or cultural geography. The content is presented thematically rather than regionally and is organized around the discipline’s main subfields: economic geography, cultural geography, political geography, and urban geography. Culture is firmly embedded into each chapter of the class. Students will learn why people move from place to place, analyze different religions that are practiced throughout the world, discover how food is made and consumed throughout the planet, and explore how, why, and where homes are constructed on our diverse planet. The approach is spatial and problem-oriented. Case studies are drawn from all world regions, with an emphasis on understanding the world in which we live today. This will better prepare students to become productive citizens in a growing and complex society. Historical information serves to enrich the analysis of the impacts of phenomena such as globalization, colonialism, and human–environment relationships on places, regions, cultural landscapes, and patterns of interaction.
The class will utilize the following third-party resources:
- Instructional resources will be created and organized with Canva and Articulate 360
https://www.canva.com/ https://rise.articulate.com/
Supply List
Optional Resources: If possible, I recommend obtaining a copy of textbook The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography, by James M. Rubenstein. I will be supplying scanned copies of select reading excerpts for the weekly readings, so if you are comfortable using those, you can do without the textbook. It is quite pricey. Another resource I highly recommend, especially as a study review tool as the exam approaches, is the iScore5 App. It works well on mobile devices, and the creators are the same people who wrote the first wave of official APHG exams. It costs $4.99. Learn more at https://iscore5.com/ap-human-geography/
Joined April, 2023
4.5
4reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Teaching Certificates
Utah Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
North Carolina Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
3 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from Lesley University
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from University of Colorado at Boulder
Bachelor's Degree in History from Metropolitan State University of Denver
College Board official training and certification to teach AP Human Geography, 2015
Currently hold a professional NC teaching license for secondary social studies
Taught public high school AP Human Geography 2015-2018
Each year, my rate of passing scores was higher than the national average
ME in Educational Technology
BA in History
BA in Psychology Reviews
Self-Paced Class
$20
weekly or $60 for all content3 pre-recorded lessons
3 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 1 learner
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Ages: 14-17
