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Link to APHUG review site: http://www.learningpod.com/browse/category/exam
There is a diagnostic exam, practice multiple choice questions organized by geographic themes, and a couple of practice tests.
There is a diagnostic exam, practice multiple choice questions organized by geographic themes, and a couple of practice tests.
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.
Announcements
A little bit about this class...
This is a social studies class that focuses on “The Why of Where” (Why do things happen and where they do happen?) Obviously this is a class that requires higher level thinking. Many students are used to sitting, listening, copying notes from the board or a power point screen and then taking tests that largely require factual recall. This test taking pattern is a skill that high achieving students mastered because they have been doing it since kindergarten. AP Human Geography is designed to move beyond this pattern of factual recall and present opportunities to learn techniques to prepare for later AP classes, college, and beyond.
AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY REQUIRES TAKING FACTS AND APPPLYING THEM TO NEW SITUATIONS. For many students the opportunity to express their “best guess” about a situation is fun, exciting, and challenging. For others, who are only used to memorizing information, the idea of making an inference, analyzing information, or expressing an idea or opinion is frightening, let alone difficult. For some students, this may be the first time in their lives when they receive a grade lower than an A or a B... please understand that learning is a process and moving past just memorizing information is difficult.
This is a college level class. The textbook is a college level text which must be finished, necessitating an accelerated pace. The transition from middle school to this advanced level means that class time is devoted to comprehending the text content, using supplemental materials, discussion of how the content applies to what is currently going on in the world or how the content applies to contemporary history. None of these are simple tasks. To accomplish these tasks in class, preparation at home with daily, in depth homework is necessary. Poor work habits and lax attendance habits will make success difficult.
All that being said, AP Human Geography is a fascinating and relevant course of study that sets the stage for future AP courses and life-long learning. I look forward to a productive year of learning and enjoying the AP Human Geography subject matter.
Should you ever have any additional questions or need clarification, feel free to contact me via email at [email protected].
This is a social studies class that focuses on “The Why of Where” (Why do things happen and where they do happen?) Obviously this is a class that requires higher level thinking. Many students are used to sitting, listening, copying notes from the board or a power point screen and then taking tests that largely require factual recall. This test taking pattern is a skill that high achieving students mastered because they have been doing it since kindergarten. AP Human Geography is designed to move beyond this pattern of factual recall and present opportunities to learn techniques to prepare for later AP classes, college, and beyond.
AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY REQUIRES TAKING FACTS AND APPPLYING THEM TO NEW SITUATIONS. For many students the opportunity to express their “best guess” about a situation is fun, exciting, and challenging. For others, who are only used to memorizing information, the idea of making an inference, analyzing information, or expressing an idea or opinion is frightening, let alone difficult. For some students, this may be the first time in their lives when they receive a grade lower than an A or a B... please understand that learning is a process and moving past just memorizing information is difficult.
This is a college level class. The textbook is a college level text which must be finished, necessitating an accelerated pace. The transition from middle school to this advanced level means that class time is devoted to comprehending the text content, using supplemental materials, discussion of how the content applies to what is currently going on in the world or how the content applies to contemporary history. None of these are simple tasks. To accomplish these tasks in class, preparation at home with daily, in depth homework is necessary. Poor work habits and lax attendance habits will make success difficult.
All that being said, AP Human Geography is a fascinating and relevant course of study that sets the stage for future AP courses and life-long learning. I look forward to a productive year of learning and enjoying the AP Human Geography subject matter.
Should you ever have any additional questions or need clarification, feel free to contact me via email at [email protected].
New Announcements
10th Grade Offering - Possible Change?
There has been some discussion about the potential offering of AP European History to 10th grade students. Let's read the course details listed below (which are from the AP College Board website), discuss the merits of both, and complete the survey below. Keep in mind that you could always take AP European History as an elective.
The study of European history since 1450 introduces students to cultural, economic, political, and social developments that played a fundamental role in shaping the world in which they live. Without this knowledge, we would lack the context for understanding the development of contemporary institutions, the role of continuity and change in present-day society and politics, and the evolution of current forms of artistic expression and intellectual discourse. In addition to providing a basic narrative of events and movements, the goals of the AP program in European History are to develop (a) an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European History, (b) an ability to analyze historical evidence and historical interpretation, and (c) an ability to express historical understanding in writing.
This course explores the following themes:
Intellectual and Cultural History
The AP World History course content is structured around the investigation of five course themes and 19 key concepts in six different chronological periods, from approximately 8000 B.C.E. to the present.
This course covers the following themes, periods, and concepts:
Course Themes:
There has been some discussion about the potential offering of AP European History to 10th grade students. Let's read the course details listed below (which are from the AP College Board website), discuss the merits of both, and complete the survey below. Keep in mind that you could always take AP European History as an elective.
The study of European history since 1450 introduces students to cultural, economic, political, and social developments that played a fundamental role in shaping the world in which they live. Without this knowledge, we would lack the context for understanding the development of contemporary institutions, the role of continuity and change in present-day society and politics, and the evolution of current forms of artistic expression and intellectual discourse. In addition to providing a basic narrative of events and movements, the goals of the AP program in European History are to develop (a) an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European History, (b) an ability to analyze historical evidence and historical interpretation, and (c) an ability to express historical understanding in writing.
This course explores the following themes:
Intellectual and Cultural History
- Changes in religious thought and institutions
- Secularization of learning and culture
- Scientific and technological developments and their consequences
- Major trends in literature and the arts
- Intellectual and cultural developments and their relationship to social values and political events
- Developments in social, economic, and political thought
- Developments in literacy, education, and communication
- The diffusion of new intellectual concepts among different social groups
- Changes in elite and popular culture, such as the development of new attitudes toward religion, the family, work, and ritual
- Impact of global expansion on European culture
- The rise and functioning of the modern state in its various forms
- Relations between Europe and other parts of the world: colonialism, imperialism, decolonization, and global interdependence
- The evolution of political elites and the development of political parties, ideologies, and other forms of mass politics
- The extension and limitation of rights and liberties (personal, civic, economic, and political); majority and minority political persecutions
- The growth and changing forms of nationalism
- Forms of political protest, reform, and revolution
- Relationships between domestic and foreign policies
- Efforts to restrain conflict: treaties, balance-of-power diplomacy, and international organizations
- War and civil conflict: origins, developments, technology, and their consequences
- The character of and changes in agricultural production and organization
- The role of urbanization in transforming cultural values and social relationships
- The shift in social structures from hierarchical orders to modern social classes: the changing distribution of wealth and poverty
- The influence of sanitation and health care practices on society; food supply, diet, famine, disease, and their impact
- The development of commercial practices, patterns of mass production and consumption, and their economic and social impact
- Changing definitions of and attitudes toward mainstream groups and groups characterized as the "other"
- The origins, development, and consequences of industrialization
- Changes in the demographic structure and reproductive patterns of Europeans: causes and consequences
- Gender roles and their influence on work, social structure, family structure, and interest group formation
- The growth of competition and interdependence in national and world markets
- Private and state roles in economic activity
- Development and transformation of racial and ethnic group identities.
The AP World History course content is structured around the investigation of five course themes and 19 key concepts in six different chronological periods, from approximately 8000 B.C.E. to the present.
This course covers the following themes, periods, and concepts:
Course Themes:
- Interaction Between Humans and the Environment
- Development and Interaction of Cultures
- State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict
- Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
- Development and Transformation of Social Structures
- Key Concept 1.1. Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth
- Key Concept 1.2. The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
- Key Concept 1.3. The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies
- Key Concept 2.1. The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
- Key Concept 2.2. The Development of States and Empires
- Key Concept 2.3. Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication and Exchange
- Key Concept 3.1. Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks
- Key Concept 3.2. Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and Their Interactions
- Key Concept 3.3. Increased Economic Productive Capacity and Its Consequences
- Key Concept 4.1. Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange
- Key Concept 4.2. New Forms of Social Organization and Modes of Production
- Key Concept 4.3. State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion
- Key Concept 5.1. Industrialization and Global Capitalism
- Key Concept 5.2. Imperialism and Nation-State Formation
- Key Concept 5.3. Nationalism, Revolution, and Reform
- Key Concept 5.4. Global Migration
- Key Concept 6.1 Science and the Environment
- Key Concept 6.2 Global Conflicts and Their Consequences
- Key Concept 6.3 New Conceptualizations of Global Economy, Society, and Culture
Unit Four Video Case Studies:
As part of our studies on culture, we will have two DVD/video-based case studies using the films, "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Hotel Rwanda." Both movies are rated PG-13. "Seven Years in Tibet" (1997) will allow students to a gain a more in depth look at the culture of Tibet as well as the Tibetan Buddhist religion. "Hotel Rwanda" (2004) will allow students to better understand concepts relating to ethnicities such as genocide and ethnic cleansing, as well as modern day conflicts existing in Sub-Saharan Africa. We will also watch two movies second semester, but I will have you review the films and ask for your permission closer to that time. At this time, please complete the form below to either give permission for your student to watch these films or if you would prefer that they complete an alternate assignment. Thanks in advance!
Old Announcements
FRQs: Another teacher posted this guide on how to effectively write a response to an AP Free Response Question; it seems to be quite helpful, so I am passing it along -- take a look: How to Write an FRQ Response.
Notability: For a quick guide covering how to use Notability, visit the following sites:
http://snapguide.com/guides/use-notability-1/ and/or http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57515975-285/getting-started-with-notability-for-ipad/ -- Please note, you should be exporting your documents to either your dropbox or google drive accounts on a daily basis.
Infinite Campus: Please be watching Infinite Campus to ensure your grades are correct. I recently found out that a lot of grades were not
saved or saved correctly due to a compatibility issue with Google Chrome. There have also been many assignments missing names which makes it difficult to issue credit. If you see any errors, be sure to let me know right away.
Grades and Studying: A word of caution when looking at grades. Yes, grades count; however, please remember that students are just getting used to the format of AP style questions let alone the transition of entering the ninth grade. Currently, we have very few points in Infinite Campus but by the end of the year we will have thousands of points and by then, they will be AP experts with much higher scores. Our learning journey is one that will take time and practice, but together we will be successful, so hang in there. What can you do in the meantime? The best thing you can do is be reading your textbook (read the chapter we will cover prior to covering it in class), study the previous content fifteen minutes each evening (look under the "Population and Migration" unit tab for additional information), and start getting used to the AP style of questions on which you will be tested by practicing via the textbook's website, http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_rubenstein_humangeo_8/ **Another great resource which I have not tried but have heard very good reviews about is the following app (it requires iOS 6.0 or later) which was created by two students who scored 5s on all of their AP Exams; the app is organized by the topics* indicated by the College Board: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/app4success/id594202252?mt=8
Study Skills: Feel like you might need help with your study skills and strategies? Check out this amazing site: http://www.studygs.net/
Review Sessions: **Review sessions are being postponed due to low turn out. However, once band is done with their Thursday afternoon practices, we will resume our sessions. They will be held on Thursday afternoons from 3:45-4:30, in my room, 109. Feel free to attend to review the current week's content, ask questions, or work on study skills. That being said, if makeup work needs to be completed or if a you have specific questions, etc., you are more than welcome to attend ESS; please just let me know.
Test Corrections: Corrections can be made on missed test (only tests) questions. If you would like to make corrections, you must make arrangements to come in before/after school. For those questions you answer correctly, you can earn back 1/3 of the possible credit for each question.
Notability: For a quick guide covering how to use Notability, visit the following sites:
http://snapguide.com/guides/use-notability-1/ and/or http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57515975-285/getting-started-with-notability-for-ipad/ -- Please note, you should be exporting your documents to either your dropbox or google drive accounts on a daily basis.
Infinite Campus: Please be watching Infinite Campus to ensure your grades are correct. I recently found out that a lot of grades were not
saved or saved correctly due to a compatibility issue with Google Chrome. There have also been many assignments missing names which makes it difficult to issue credit. If you see any errors, be sure to let me know right away.
Grades and Studying: A word of caution when looking at grades. Yes, grades count; however, please remember that students are just getting used to the format of AP style questions let alone the transition of entering the ninth grade. Currently, we have very few points in Infinite Campus but by the end of the year we will have thousands of points and by then, they will be AP experts with much higher scores. Our learning journey is one that will take time and practice, but together we will be successful, so hang in there. What can you do in the meantime? The best thing you can do is be reading your textbook (read the chapter we will cover prior to covering it in class), study the previous content fifteen minutes each evening (look under the "Population and Migration" unit tab for additional information), and start getting used to the AP style of questions on which you will be tested by practicing via the textbook's website, http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_rubenstein_humangeo_8/ **Another great resource which I have not tried but have heard very good reviews about is the following app (it requires iOS 6.0 or later) which was created by two students who scored 5s on all of their AP Exams; the app is organized by the topics* indicated by the College Board: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/app4success/id594202252?mt=8
Study Skills: Feel like you might need help with your study skills and strategies? Check out this amazing site: http://www.studygs.net/
Review Sessions: **Review sessions are being postponed due to low turn out. However, once band is done with their Thursday afternoon practices, we will resume our sessions. They will be held on Thursday afternoons from 3:45-4:30, in my room, 109. Feel free to attend to review the current week's content, ask questions, or work on study skills. That being said, if makeup work needs to be completed or if a you have specific questions, etc., you are more than welcome to attend ESS; please just let me know.
Test Corrections: Corrections can be made on missed test (only tests) questions. If you would like to make corrections, you must make arrangements to come in before/after school. For those questions you answer correctly, you can earn back 1/3 of the possible credit for each question.
A Few Reminders
The key to being successful in any AP class is…pacing! It is so crucial to have a careful, measured plan of attack as a part of any standardized test prep regime. The key to success lies almost entirely in sticking to a well-organized, personally-tailored study schedule. Now (early September) is the time to start organizing yourself for not only unit tests but the May AP test itself. You will be well-served to keep in mind the following tips:
Set aside regular chunks of time. Make this test prep a part of your regular schedule, and choose a convenient time so that it doesn’t become a chore. Whether it’s fifteen minutes every day, an hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, an all-day Sunday affair, or each day during your study hall – it’s crucial that you choose a time you can stick to and organize your schedule around it. Think of this as putting time in the bank. It’s so much more painless and effective when done in manageable increments – half the battle here is avoiding the stressful (and often disappointing) cramming sessions.
Plot out a calendar. Once you know when and how often you’ll be able to study each test or for the AP over the coming months, pull out a calendar, mark your dates, and count your sessions. Take this number of potential study dates and use it to divide the number of key issues or content chapters you need to review to be prepared with all the information that the exam will test. Once you list these individual tasks next to each slot for studying – you’ve made yourself a rudimentary syllabus! Now stick to it – this is the part where perseverance really pays off.
Practice, practice…Practice (duh) – you need to collect as many practice questions as you can get your hands on. The more you do, the more you’re used to the way that these test-makers frame the issues and look for the right answers. Sprinkle a few practice questions into your review every week, but also be sure to leave yourself at least one open session toward the end of your review to complete a full-length practice exam. This is good even just to get you used to the conditions of the test and the stamina required to get through. Also remember that the text book's website is full of useful review information and questions; use it!
So remember that this is the time to strike! Whether it is for the next unit test or the AP test coming up in May, the best preparation lies in organizing yourself right now. Of course, there will be many opportunities to practice along the way – but remember, stick to your schedule and hone your study skills.
Set aside regular chunks of time. Make this test prep a part of your regular schedule, and choose a convenient time so that it doesn’t become a chore. Whether it’s fifteen minutes every day, an hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, an all-day Sunday affair, or each day during your study hall – it’s crucial that you choose a time you can stick to and organize your schedule around it. Think of this as putting time in the bank. It’s so much more painless and effective when done in manageable increments – half the battle here is avoiding the stressful (and often disappointing) cramming sessions.
Plot out a calendar. Once you know when and how often you’ll be able to study each test or for the AP over the coming months, pull out a calendar, mark your dates, and count your sessions. Take this number of potential study dates and use it to divide the number of key issues or content chapters you need to review to be prepared with all the information that the exam will test. Once you list these individual tasks next to each slot for studying – you’ve made yourself a rudimentary syllabus! Now stick to it – this is the part where perseverance really pays off.
Practice, practice…Practice (duh) – you need to collect as many practice questions as you can get your hands on. The more you do, the more you’re used to the way that these test-makers frame the issues and look for the right answers. Sprinkle a few practice questions into your review every week, but also be sure to leave yourself at least one open session toward the end of your review to complete a full-length practice exam. This is good even just to get you used to the conditions of the test and the stamina required to get through. Also remember that the text book's website is full of useful review information and questions; use it!
So remember that this is the time to strike! Whether it is for the next unit test or the AP test coming up in May, the best preparation lies in organizing yourself right now. Of course, there will be many opportunities to practice along the way – but remember, stick to your schedule and hone your study skills.