Two Quarters: Must be taken with 237A AP Human Geography ***

Open to grade 9
(Students may qualify for this course if they are recommended by a Middle School Social Studies teacher, or are contacted by the instructor, or by contacting the instructor.  We are encouraging good students who will eventually want to take additional Advanced Placement courses to sign up for this class.  Ultimately, the student must receive approval by the Social Studies Department and/or the instructor before enrollment is accepted in this course.)

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the discipline of Human Geography and the systematic study of patterns and relationships that shape our world.  The course will focus on skills such as:  interpreting maps, analyzing geospatial data, and understanding the implications of phenomena in places.  Topics studied include:  Geography:  Its Nature and Perspectives, Population and Migration, Cultural Patterns and Processes, Political Organization of Space, Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land Use, Industrialization and Economic Development, and Cities and Urban Land Use.  As with any Advanced Placement course, students taking AP Human Geography should expect college level reading assignments, workloads, and tests. 

A significant focus of this class is preparing students for successful completion of the AP Human Geography Examination given in May of each year.  Students who pass the exam may earn college credit.  A fee is charged for taking this examination.