5th Annual AP Human Geography Conference for Illinois Teachers

Meet fellow colleagues, learn about current topics in Human Geography, and share your ideas.

Conference Details

Saturday, October 22, 2016, from 12:00 - 4:30 p.m.
James B. Conant High School, 700 E. Cougar Trail, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Professional Development Hours (formerly CPDUs) are provided at no charge for conference participants.
Please park in the front (south side) school parking lot near the flag pole and enter the school building through Door #1. Upon entering the building, please check in at the conference welcome table, pick up your conference badge and bag, and then turn left to make your way to the Media Center.
We will be outside walking on school property and surrounding neighborhoods for the majority of the first session, so please dress appropriate for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.

Conference Resources

Resources from Session 2: Leveraging Online Mapping Resources to Enhance Learning

Tentative Meeting Schedule

12:00 - 12:30 p.m.

Registration and Informal Networking

12:30 - 12:35 p.m.

Welcome and Conference Overview

Mike Sublett (Illinois State University)

12:35 - 2:15 p.m.

Session 1: Neighborhood Activity

Mike Sublett (Illinois State University)

Conference participants will work in teams to conduct hands-on field research and share findings. Come to the conference prepared for some walking outdoors on school property and surrounding neighborhoods.

2:15 - 2:30 p.m.

Break (light snacks provided by James B. Conant High School)

2:30 - 3:00 p.m.

Session 2: Leveraging Online Mapping Resources to Enhance Learning

Jenni Dahl (Think Geospatial)

GeoInquiries are easy-to-use instructional resources combining traditional social studies topics with interactive maps. These 15-minute activities may be presented from a single computer/projector. No installation, fees, or logins are necessary. During this session we will explore a sample GeoInquiry, "USA Demographics" and will see how to bring the lesson home to Illinois, with the Online Atlas of Illinois for K-12 Classrooms.

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Session 3: Teaching a Spatial Perspective of Geography

John Braglia (James B. Conant High School)

This field study requires active participation from the students, followed by lively class discussions grounded in and guided by the students’ spatial perspectives. This activity will provide students with a hands-on experience designed to help in their understanding of the spatial variables (i.e., zoning laws, building ordinances, land value, population density, planning and design requirements, market demand, etc.) that impact land use and influence a suburban design plan. Students shall be able to identify the varying levels and stages of development in human settlement patterns; specifically those that led to the urbanization of Schaumburg Township. This activity will also provide a real world application of the principles that contributed to the evolution of Schaumburg, Illinois from a "bedroom community" to an "Edge City."

3:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Session 4: Toponyms and Textbooks: Browsing the Human Geography Shelf

Mike Sublett (Illinois State University)

Place is an important aspect of the cultural landscape. Naming places, creating toponyms, is often a topic of Advanced Placement and introductory college-level human geography courses. This presentation takes a look at nine current textbooks to see how their authors deal with toponyms and provides time for audience discussion of toponyms and the process of choosing textbooks.

4:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Session 5: Shop Talk

Moderator: Mike Sublett (Illinois State University)

Q&A session for conference participants to ask questions, share information, and offer solutions. Topics may include the 2016 AP Human Geography Exam and Reading, the AP Human Geography syllabus approval process, lesson plans, classroom experiences, etc.

4:30 p.m.

Conference Wrap-Up

This project is funded by a grant from the National Geographic Society Education Foundation.