AP Geography -- Proposed Course Outline

Textbook -- Introduction to Geography (1993), Bergman & McKnight, Prentice Hall

The following outline is designed for an 18 week semester using an 80 minute class block schedule.

Week Chapter Topics

1. Course Introduction Course topics

Course expectations

Reading requirements

Skills checks

2. World Regional Overview (Prerequisites) Themes of geography

Geographic skills

Pre-test

3. Basic Concepts Ch. 1 Maps

Scale

Vocabulary

Geographic data

4. Physical Geography Ch. 2, 3, 4 Landforms

Weather and climate

Human impact on the environment

5. Principles of Cultural Geography Ch. 5 Innovation

Diffusion

Acculturation

Cultural diversity

6. Population and Migration Ch. 6 Using population data

Population trends and projections

Population policies

Demographic transition models

Barriers to migration

Migration patterns

Immigration and emigration

Spatial searches

7. Food Resources Ch. 7 Distribution of food supplies

World water resources

Increasing food production

8. Mineral Resources Ch. 7 Fuel and non-fuel resources

Renewable and recyclable resources

Future alternative energy supplies

9. Geography of Languages Ch. 8 Language origins

Language spread and change

Distribution of languages

10. Geography of Religions Ch. 8 Universalizing and ethnic religions

Classification and distribution of religions Religious impact on the land

Religious conflicts

11. Geography of Cities Ch. 9 Urban land use and planning

Systems of urban settlements

Causes and consequences of suburbanization

World urban diversity

Inside the modern city

12. Urbanization Ch. 9 Why are settlements established

Rural vs. urban

Growth of settlements

Central place theory

13. World of Nation-States Ch. 10 Political systems

Boundaries

Geographic characteristics of states

Political cohesiveness

14. Paths to Economic Growth Ch. 11 Comparing countries’ economies

Various national economic policies

Trade policies

15. Regional International Organizations Ch. 12 European community

Unraveling of the Soviet Union

North American trade bloc

16. Globalization of Economics & Politics Ch. 13 Formation of a global economy

Control of a world economy

Jurisdiction over the earth’s spaces

17. Research Projects

18. Course Review All previous material