This session: AP Human Geography with Laura Kmetz is offered in ONLINE Event 2: June 23-26, 2025.
Meet your APSI Consultant for AP Human Geography
Laura Kmetz just finished her 30th year of teaching. She is the Social Studies Department Chair at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, TX, where she has taught AP Human Geography for 11 years along with a variety of courses. Laura writes standards-based activities for APHG published weekly by the National Council for Geographic Education and is the lead APHG teacher for Dallas Independent School District. Laura has also served as an AP exam reader since 2017 and has been an early table leader at the AP reading since 2021. She received an award for Distinguished Teaching in AP Human Geography in 2023 from the National Council for Geographic Education and has been designated as a recognized teacher by the State of Texas and a distinguished teacher by Dallas ISD. Laura received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Education degree in Counseling from the University of North Texas.
This workshop is designed to support both teachers new to teaching AP Human Geography and those who are experienced in teaching it. As a result of participating in this summer institute, teachers will be prepared to teach AP Human Geography and will look forward to teaching the course in the upcoming academic year. Specifically, they will
- learn about specific strategies and resources to support a diverse population of learners in the APHG classroom
- use their local school calendar to create an instructional calendar that includes planning and pacing for the year
- incorporate content from AP Classroom resources and suggested course skills and instructional activities in the College Board’s Course and Exam Description (CED) to create lesson plans
- use the big ideas and developing understanding in the CED for each unit to uncover the “hidden curriculum” of APHG
- learn how to use their local area to engage students in “doing” geography related to specific topics in the CED
- explore engaging media and complete lesson plans related to specific topics in the CED from a wide variety of sources and incorporate them into their instructional plan
- experience several instructional activities to teach specific topics in the CED that the instructor has used successfully with students
- learn specific strategies to support students in writing responses to free-response questions (FRQs)
- gain confidence in assessing and providing feedback on students’ responses to FRQs based on the instructor’s experience in leadership at the AP reading
- explore classroom resources and professional development offered by sources such as the National Council for Geographic Education and the American Geographical Society
Daily Schedule and Tentative Agenda
Specific topics subject to change based on needs and interests of participants
