Talking politics in class

Good morning, afternoon, or whenever it is that you read this. My students are starting Unit 4 of AP Human Geography. This is my first or second favorite unit to teach depending on the year. This year feels like one where it will pull ahead since I am still, amazingly, motivated in my curriculum overhaul. But who knows? Maybe when we get to Unit 6, I'll truly raise the bar. Unit 4 is Political Patterns and Processes. I always crack a joke at the top: "They say you're not supposed to talk about religion and politics. Well, we talk about both in this class." It's not a great joke, but by this point in the school year they're just amused by my unorthodox diction enough to earn a few chuckles. This is one of the few jokes tied to this unit because Political Patterns and Processes starts really digging into the often ugly human systems at the root of so much pain and violence. "This unit addresses the political organization of the world. Building on knowledge of populations and cultural…

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