Unit 4: Political Patterns and Processes – Exploring the Political Geography of South Korea

Essential Knowledge

PSO-4.A.1

Independent states are the primary building blocks of the world political map.

PSO-4.A.2

Types of political entities include nations, nation-states, stateless nations, multinational states, multistate nations, and autonomous and semiautonomous regions, such as American Indian reservations.

Essential Knowledge

IMP-4.A.1

Types of political boundaries include relic, superimposed, subsequent, antecedent, geometric, and consequent boundaries.

Essential Knowledge

IMP-4.B.3

Land and maritime boundaries and international agreements can influence national or regional identity and encourage or discourage international or internal interactions and disputes over resources.

IMP-4.B.4

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in the use of international waters, established territorial seas, and exclusive economic zones.

Source Analysis

4.C Explain patterns and trends in visual sources to draw conclusions.

4.E Explain how maps, images, and landscapes illustrate or relate to geographic principles, processes, and outcomes

Spatial Analysis

2E. Explain the degree to which a geographic concept, process, model, or theory effectively explains geographic effects in different contexts and regions of the world.

Students need to understand how to break-down stimulus material in both MCQs and FRQs. In order to analyze stimulus material students need to be able to read a variety of stimuli and apply AP Human Geography concepts to them. Often, students quickly look at stimulus material without carefully paying attention to specific details and rush toward the question. To help focus student attention and encourage deeper thinking before moving to a question, a helpful review strategy can be used not only in approaching exam questions but also in class whenever a stimulus is analyzed. This Stimulus Analysis, “STOP & Answer” breaks analysis into multiple steps for students.

STOP & Answer

• SOURCE LABELS: Pay attention to Source Labels including who or what is displayed. (S)
• TITLE: The title of any source is incredibly important. (T)
• OBSERVE: Make observations about the stimulus material. What is shown? What is emphasized? (O)
• PREDICT: Predict the question and answer based on AP Human Geography concepts before looking at any MCQ or FRQ. (P)
  &
• ANSWER: Read the question and answer choices. Select or write the correct answer.

Teacher Instructions:

• ANALYZE SOURCES 1-4:
  • Hand out the Student Handout: Political Entities 1A.
  • Students will make observations about the stimuli
  • The “STOP & Answer” review strategy is included as a reminder for them to consider in their analysis. This process slows analysis to focus student attention on particular elements of the stimulus.
• COMPLETE BRAINSTORM COLUMN 2 (Handout 1B): Students will complete the second column of the Political Organization Student Handout 1B first. This is a critical step for students to recall as much information about boundaries as they can. Activating their prior knowledge is an important step and also allows students to self-assess their learning gaps on this topic.
  • Encourage students to note which political entities they do not recall. This will be helpful information as they continue to prepare for the exam.
  • This brainstorming in the first column can be completed in pairs or as individuals. There are advantages for each approach. Collaborative work can push the learning further, though the gaps of student learning are more easily recognized when completed individually.
  • Ensure that students have correct answers by going over the Brainstorming column. Reference the Student Handout: Political Entities ANSWER KEY.
• COMPLETE APPLY COLUMN 3: Students will use their observations and analysis of Sources 1-4 to apply their understanding to Korea. Students will use their observations of the stimuli to determine which types of political entities are and are not present in the Korean Peninsula.
  • Students should cite as many stimuli as possible as they complete this column.
  • Students should recognize that not only may the same stimulus be used more than once, but also that the same stimulus may be used as evidence for multiple types of political entities.
• COMPLETE “CONCEPTUAL CHALLENGE:” Students will apply their understanding of political entities to answer.
  • There is one question that students will answer:
    • Select TWO of the stimuli. Explain the limitations of the two selected stimuli (in other words, what does the stimulus NOT show?).

The Student Summary Sheet can be used to review types of political entities.

Teacher Instructions:

• ANALYZE SOURCES A-E:
  • Hand out Student Handout: Political Boundaries
  • Students will make observations about the stimuli
  • The “STOP & Answer” review strategy is included as a reminder for them to consider in their analysis. However, the intention of this activity is not for students to complete each part. Rather, their focus and attention should be on using the sources to complete the Handout.
• COMPLETE BRAINSTORM COLUMN 2: Students will complete the first column of the Student Handout: Political Boundaries first. This is a critical step for students to recall as much information about boundaries as they can. Activating their prior knowledge is an important step and also allows students to self-assess their learning gaps on this topic.
  • Encourage students to note which political boundary types they do not recall. This will be helpful information as they continue to prepare for the exam.
  • This brainstorming in the first column can be completed in pairs or as individuals. There are advantages for each approach. Collaborative work can push the learning further, though the gaps of student learning are more easily recognized when completed individually.
  • Ensure that students have correct answers by going over the Brainstorming column. Reference the Student Handout: Political Boundaries ANSWER KEY.
• COMPLETE APPLY COLUMN 3: Students will use their observations and analysis of Sources A-E to classify the types of political boundaries.
  • Students should cite as many stimuli as possible as they complete this column.
  • Students should recognize that not only may the same stimulus be used more than once, but also that the same stimulus may be used as evidence for multiple types of political boundaries.
  • Here are the Political Boundaries identified for each source:
    • A: Superimposed
    • B: Superimposed, Subsequent,
    • C: Consequent
    • D: Antecedent, Subsequent
    • E: Subsequent, Geometric
• COMPLETE “CONCEPTUAL CHALLENGE”: Students will apply their understanding of boundaries to synthesize why most geometric boundaries that are also subsequent are superimposed.
  • There are two questions that students will answer:
    • Geometric boundaries are often antecedent. If they are subsequent boundaries then they are usually superimposed. EXPLAIN why.
    • If North and South Korea were to experience reunification, how and why might the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) continue to interfere with complete unity even if the fences were torn down, land mines removed, etc.?

The Student Summary Sheet can be used to review types of political boundaries.

Teacher Instructions:

• Hand out Student Handout: The Function of Political Boundaries.
• Students will select the two stimuli from Review Activity 2 they believe best show how a boundary can inhibit or encourage interaction. Students will explain HOW each selected stimulus affects interaction.
  • While student answers will vary Source B from Activity 2 is one that shows how boundaries may inhibit interaction in a dramatic way. The fence combined with the soldier show that interaction is significantly limited. Similarly, Source D from Activity 2 shows that most of the boundaries in South Korea are not land boundaries, but sea boundaries which may encourage interaction through global trade.
• In addition to land boundaries there are sea boundaries, largely established by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). Students will examine a source and explain how UNCLOS may impact the status of islands, such as the one in the source, when they are disputed/claimed by multiple countries.
  • Student answers will vary, but should reflect an understanding of UNCLOS. Push students to include territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone in their response.

5 Stimulus-Based Multiple Choice Questions and Answer Key (webpage)

For timing, students should plan on 3 minutes per point, plus about one minute of planning time. Part B is worth two points since students are asked to explain TWO reasons. On the AP exam if each part is only worth one point there will be seven parts (A-G), but if there is a part worth two points then there will be six parts (A-F).

Free Response Question with Scoring Guideline