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AP Human Geography posted by Meredith Pochily on May 29 2011 at 14:37:30
I'll preface this by saying that I very much enjoyed this course. A lot of people seem to use it as a "starter" AP, but it doesn't need to be; I've taken other APs and still got a lot out of this class.
If you're like me last year, you're intrigued by human geography, but not sure just what exactly it is and what you'll spend a year learning about if you sign up for this course. In the course, you'll study the interactions between humans and their environment -- population, political geography, urban geography, agriculture and land use, resources, industry, economic development, and cultural geography: things like population distribution and growth, agricultural land use patterns, colonialism and political organizations, how to measure development, religion and languages, and urban models.
Ok, on to the questions...
How many hours of work per day or per week did you generally put into the course?
It varied a lot; some days I spent 30 minutes on geography. Other days I spent 2 or 3 hours. The workload was pretty uneven, as some weeks we were assigned a 30 or so page chapter, review questions (usually about 10 short essays), and activities in the Kuby textbook, while other weeks would only require work on one activity. All of the week's work is due on the following Monday, so I often procrastinated and did a lot of the homework over the weekend (which I don't recommend). It's a fair amount of work, but as long as you budget your time and get a system, it's not overwhelming.
Are there any particularly favorite assignments that you found especially valuable?
I liked the activities in the Kuby workbook. They were a good application of the concepts we learned in the main text and also offered some variation. The practice FRQs were also very helpful as it came closer to exam time.
Did the course enhance your interest in the subject?
Yes. I came into the course with very little previous knowledge of human geography and I really wasn't sure what it was going to be all about. I found that I became more interested in geography as we got further into the year. During the last few months especially, while I was reviewing the whole year, I got a more comprehensive understanding of what we'd been learning. If it's even possible, I really enjoyed studying for the exam.
Did you find your communications with other students to be interesting or valuable?
This isn't the most interactive class I've taken through PA Homeschoolers, but the structure of the course doesn't lend itself to as much interaction and also doesn't require it. There was some communication on the WWWboard; students would post articles pertaining to what we were studying and ask one another questions. We also did one project with a partner during the year which was fun and different from the normal routine.
Did you feel the course prepared you for the AP exam?
Absolutely. All of the material you'll need to know for the exam is covered in the textbooks. During the year, I short-changed myself a bit and found in April that I wasn't as prepared as I should be. It's easy to not study as much as you should weekly, but I recommend that you do. I didn't, and I had to make up for lost time by doing a lot of extra studying in April and May. Dr. Gillespie did assign less homework to allow time for us to study independently, though. I would highly recommend getting a study book (I used Kaplan's) and reading and studying the whole thing in the spring. It will help you review the entire course and know what you really need to know for the exam; there's no way you can remember everything we learned during the year. However, the course itself prepares you very well for the exam and the Fellman review questions give you a ready-made study tool.
What sort of student would do well in this course? Would you recommend this course to other students (if they are willing to work hard!)?
Any student who is motivated to learn the course material could do well in this course. You'll need some discipline and time management skills, but overall I would say it's a good starter AP course -- not because the workload is significantly less than other APs, but because of the nature of the subject (it's also one of the shorter exams).
I would definitely recommend this class. I learned a lot and much of it is fairly valuable in the "real world." I find myself thinking about some of the models and principles we learned and applying them to real situations which is cool; it's always neat to see what you've learned become a part of the way you think. For some APs, it seems like the AP exam is just kind of "fluff" -- a formality -- but I actually thought that the exam was helpful for APHG; without the motivation of studying specifically for it, I wouldn't have learned nearly as much.
I hope this helps you decide whether or not APHG is the right course for you!
~Meredith
AP Geo For The Year posted by Eric Lugg on May 24 2011 at 11:34:16
This was my first chance to take an AP class, Geography had always been entertaining for me. The course at first, was very challenging and it seemed very overwhelming, but the important thing that helped me was getting a work schedule set up for me every week. This course helped me understand geography more, it also opened up some aspects of geography I had never thought about. The work on a normal day was about one to one and a half hours spent working on the class.
My AP Human Geography class review posted by Phillip Adilukito on May 20 2011 at 19:17:34
This was my first AP test and class and I didn't know what to expect. At first, it seemed to be quite challenging, when I slowly progressed into the class, I felt I was learning about the World in one class. This class had helped me learn about my city, state, and world through a geographer's perspective. I highly recomend that all in high school should take this class and learn about their world, through a geographer's perspective and become a geographer.
AP Human Geography posted by Jamie Wheeler on May 16 2011 at 13:54:12
Human Geography was my first AP class. Going in, I had no idea what it would be like. Fortunately, I discovered that it is an interesting subject with a great, enthusiastic teacher.
I feel that the APHG course did prepare me for the exam. I also found it useful to do extra multiple-choice questions and to look over sample free-response questions from the College Board website as the exam approached in the spring. Since Dr. G gives us less homework towards the end to give us extra time to study, this was no problem.
I usually spent about 45 minutes to an hour every day on APHG. Of course, some days could be longer, depending on what was going on in the class. Few days were shorter. I didn't feel it was an excessive amount of work at all.
The assignments I found especially valuable were the Fellmann review questions. Although while I was writing them they could feel like wading through a massive amount of information, they helped me sort and process this information in a way that helped me to internalize it and aided immensely on the exam. In terms of fun, I loved doing some of the Kuby assignments -- very hands-on -- and I enjoyed learning about the interactions of geography with history and politics.
The course undoubtedly enhanced my interest in the subject. I really had very little interest in geography of any sort before this class, but I was surprised to discover how much it influences and impacts so many interesting things, from the origins of our food to major current events.
My communications with other students (and Dr. Gillespie!) on the WWWBoard were very interesting and valuable. If you need to get in touch with Dr. Gillespie, she responds very promptly to email. However, it would have been beneficial if more people had come to the weekly chat time which the teacher set up. Often there were only one or two people there, but perhaps this would be different in different years.
I would very much recommend this course for any dedicated student who's willing to expend the effort it takes to master the material. It's a great first AP class to learn the hows and whys of AP testing, as well as the subject matter. This course is especially suited for students with an interest in history, politics, and/or current events, as well as geography, of course. Nevertheless, I think if you're not interested in geography at the start of the course, you will be by the end!
My Best AP Human Geography Course Ever! posted by David De Vitry on May 26 2010 at 09:47:22
This class was my favorite one this year! This is not only because it is one of my preferred subjects but also because we covered interesting topics and case studies. The textbooks and activities were extremely helpful and relevant to the exam. Near exam day, I found that I had not taken enough notes. I used a review book but I wouldn't recommend it. If I had known, I would have simply used the resources from AP Central. But on the other hand, the multiple choice tests in the review were worthwhile. I think there should have been more FRQs over the class, not only in the end. All in all this was a great experience and I encourage others to discover the intrinsic elements of human interaction
Human Geography posted by Olivia Tillett on May 20 2010 at 11:01:03
1. I felt like this class really helped me to learn the basics of Human Geography. I know more now then I did before. I felt prepared for the exam and even when I didn't really know all the answers, I had a good idea of what they might be based on what I had learned.
2. This course enhanced my interest in the subject. I know what Human Geography is about. I have always been interested in history and different cultures. Imagine my surprise when I found a chapter all about cultures. I was able to see other interests of mine pop up in the book.
3. I liked my fellow students. We talked on the board and whenever I had a question, I went to them.
4. This is my first AP class. I felt like this was a good introductory class to AP. It was a low pressure setting with AP work. The teacher was very understanding. I would recommned this class to students who are considering taking an AP class, but who are nervous about being stressed out. I would also recommend this calss to those who have been taking AP classes for years because it was an interesting subject to learn about.
Review of AP Human Geography-Dr. Carol Ann Gillespie posted by Emily Farrar on May 19 2010 at 13:59:19
1. I thought this course did a very good job preparing me for the AP Human Geography Exam, Dr. Gillespie had great advice. I had a lot of useful tools and advice to help me prepare, and for good measure her suggestion of a review manual (Kaplan) was superb. I enjoyed taking the Timed FRQs that she supplied the last couple weeks before the exam and the fact that she took our teaching up to just a few days before our exam meant that she was dedicated to our success, which meant a lot.
2. I usually spent about 4 hours a day working, depending on what was due that day/week, plus extra look-up stuff I did. The month before exam day I of course upped my hours though, just as a safety for the exam, and as I'm sure all AP students do/did as well.
3. During the week we had two things we had to send in by Monday, "For Review" from our Fellman textbook and "Activity question" from our Kuby textbook. The questions in both of these textbooks I found fun to answer and incredibly helpful in better understanding the material covered in the chapters. The videos assigned were excellant, and doing the "vocabulary" helped me understand particular concepts. The "applications" were A LOT of fun too!!!
4. The course did enhance my my interest, and I'll probably take very similiar classes in college. The course collected together all of my favorite aspects of learning and material into one course. Going into the grocery stores I now look at where the produce is from and even think about some of the models I learned, like von Thunen's model. This past weekend I was at my brother's college graduation and after the commencement they had tables set-up all around with signs saying the different majors the kids did. I felt particularly drawn to the signs saying things "Asian studies, and African studies" because this class introduced me to new way of looking at each of these subjects and incorporated much of what I assume will be taught in those classes.
5. I felt close to my fellow students. If I needed assistance I knew I had friends in the class to help. The weekly chats were a great idea!!! Unfortunetly I had other conflicts so I wasn't able to make some, but the times I did make it I enjoyed the discussions. I very much liked the partner assignment essay we wrote too.
I also felt close to Dr. Gillespie. By the end of the class I felt like I could go to her for anything, and she would help me as soon and as best as she could. She challenged me to come up with good, strong, desciptive answers and taught me to think and look at the world in new ways.
6. I would recommend this class in a heartbeat. I think it's good class to take, whether it's your first AP class or you've been taking them for years. Doing this class you need to be willing to put in the work, but you won't sigh in digust, but look forward to the work. The material covered in this course covers a wide variety of things but all of them very helpful to understand in life, as almost everything is a part of your day-to-day life. The concepts help you think about everything in a different, more in-depth way and you end-up falling in love with the different aspects in your life more because you better understand what went into making the advantages you have in your life possible, and how amazing this world is.
So, you want to take Human Geography? posted by Heather Meehan on May 19 2010 at 09:39:09
First of all, what exactly is Human Geography? People posed me this question every time I mentioned this course, and in the beginning of the year, I had trouble answering. But after taking Dr. Gillespie's course in the subject, I can answer with confidence. Human Geography is life, plain and simple. It touches on every aspect of our experience with our surroundings from culture, to architecture, to religion and language, to agriculture...the list goes on. I am very surprised that no one has heard of this subject--even myself, before this year. Human geography should be required learning for students going into ANY field--science, social studies, literature...even math! just as chemistry is required for any student going into science. Human geography is the chemistry of general learning--it covers all the basics while still posessing a specialization and vocabulary all its own.
By the year's end, you will be thoroughly acquainted with that vocabulary, from population pyramids to nemalthusianism to tertiary sector employment. Dr. Gillespie's well chosen texts and activities will provide you with a solid grounding in the subject and will also provide you with the tools of a professional geographer--experimentation, interpreting data, and field experience. If you're like me, by the end of the year you will have multiple new ideas for future careers, from toponymy (the study of place names) to urban planning. This course reinforced and intensified all my previous interests, while at the same time broadening my horizons and refining my perspective.
In general, I spent 4-5 or more hours a week on the course material, with an occasional day devoted almost entirely to HG activities. In the course intro, it is suggested that you do not wait till the weekend to finish the kuby activity assignments. I strongly reccomend that you listen to this advice. I didn't, and it made my life much more difficult. This course is set up a little differently from most APs, since the deadline for submissions is on Mondays. I suggest working through the assignments as if the deadline was on Friday, just to give yourself less stress. (Again, quite good advice that I myself did not follow) Another thing you need to be aware of is that the courseload is slightly uneven from week to week. Some weeks it would be quite heavy, with a large amount of textbook reading, written assignments, and practical activities. Some weeks the course load was much lighter, with only a video and activity or so to submit. I used the extra time to catch up on other courses, or to do my own studying, but you'll need to plan accordingly and do whatever works for you. One of the great things about this course is the variety of approaches--you won't get bored by falling into the same routine of textbook reading. You'll behave like a professional geographer through practical applications and self-guided research.
One of the best things about this course is Dr. Gillespie herself. She is friendly, understanding and extensively well informed. There were some weeks when I was drowing in the accumulated workload of my APs and College Courses, but she was always willing to work with me and I am endlessly grateful for her flexibility. Also, she is the only AP teacher I have met so far to send out personal handwritten notes to each student at the beginning of the year! The moment I got her note and read through the summer reading list, I knew I was going to love this course. She goes out of her way to make sure everyone is getting the most out of their experience, and she does an EXCELLENT job of clearly explaining what to expect from the exam. Although she seems to have a busy schedule, she never fails to respond to posts or emails and she is unfailingly patient and positive. Another great aspect of this course were the weekly chats, which were invaluable in getting to know my fellow students. I advise you to make friends in the class--I did, and it really helped, especially when my used copy of the kuby textbook was missing pages and I had to beg for someone to email me the assignments. (Another good piece of advice: invest in a BRAND NEW kuby workbook. Really. It will save you stress and money in the long run) I am hugely indebted to everyone in the class, and I will miss them all in the upcoming year!!!!
Review of AP Human Geography class posted by John Ehrett on May 17 2009 at 20:15:37
I really enjoyed this class. Overall, I felt like I gained a much better understanding of geographic, sociologic, and economic principles, as well as their real-world significance.
This class prepared me very well for the AP exam and I feel reasonably confident about the recent test. Dr. Gillespie provided specific feedback on all workbook exercises, and made study aids and other helps available before the exam. These were extremely useful.
Generally, this class took me about 30-45 minutes per day, with one day a week being a "geography day" during which I devoted 1-2 hours to the subject. The "Review Questions" at the end of each chapter were essential to gaining a thorough understanding of geographic principles, and it did take a substantial amount of time to adequately answer each question.
Of the activities, those I enjoyed most involved analyzing the global economy and the roles that different nations play within an increasingly globalized society. As many questions on the AP exam dealt with this topic, I felt I was well prepared for the test.
Students and parents may wish to be aware that one of the textbooks for this course, "Human Geography in Action" by Michael Kuby, is written from a very left-leaning perspective. In dealing with issues such as religion, jihad, and the Iraq War, this textbook clearly has a leftist bias. Many of the activities in the book, however, are extremely helpful in reinforcing geographic concepts, especially in the first 9 or 10 chapters.
Overall I really enjoyed this class and felt it prepared me well for the AP exam. As an NCFCA (National Christian Forensics and Communication Association) debater, I found it extremely valuable. I would recommend it to students who enjoy international studies, economics, or geopolitics.
Dr. Gillespie's Human Geography class (Take it!) posted by Emma Manning on May 17 2008 at 13:21:09
I highly recommend taking Dr. Gillespie's AP human geography course. The material is all very interesting, and many of the assignments are fun and interactive, either done online or actually near your own home.
For example, one of the big projects was the "Sense of Place" field trip, which involved taking pictures of my neighborhood, drawing my own map, and writing a brief report on the types of houses and such in my neighborhood. Even though I have lived there my whole life, I felt like the class made me see everywhere with a new perspective. This is true both of very familiar places and of places I've never even been!
Although there are some big projects, both the course and the corresponding test are on the easy side for APs. This would make it a particularly good choice for someone doing an AP course for the first time. However, I would honestly recommend it to anyone. It should prove interesting to all, whether or not they have previous experience with or interest in geography!