Designed for students in grades 7 through 10, this teaching unit presents illustrative resource materials depicting the multi-factor nature of a geographic region. The unit focuses not only on climatic factors, but also on introducing other regional factors in an informal way. A blackboard summary of a class discussion of the different regions is…

Suggests the essential characteristics of the five fundamental themes of geography and provides related learning activities for elementary grades. States that use of these complementary and overlapping themes will result in balanced and comprehensive geographic instruction. (LS)

Provides a sequential set of instructions for creating a large playground map. Discusses the educational benefits of such a map, and suggests activities for using the map effectively. Stresses the usefulness of maps in teaching place identification, spatial patterns, and directional orientation. (RW)

Designed for students in grades 7 through 12, this teaching unit presents illustrative resource materials depicting concepts related to climate and geographic regions. Emphasis is on giving students an understanding of climatic elements and factors, not as isolated, disjointed entities, but as a dynamic interplay of forces having a very definite…

The use of analogy can be the most effective way of helping science students successfully formulate hypotheses and develop understandings of concepts. (JR)

This activity is one of a series of 17 teacher-developed instructional activities for geography at the secondary-grade level described in SO 009 140. The activity investigates resource management and economics. It employs the student-activity approach to inquiry learning by using group work, simulations, and team research reports. Given data about…

High school students learn about the sun's effects on the earth by examining the concepts of latitude and longitude, seasons, and time. Each of these topics is treated in a separate, but similarly organized, unit. Relevant vocabulary is introduced, and complex terms are clarified with diagrams and illustrations. In the unit on time, potentially…

This guide for elementary grade teachers is intended to assist in: 1) planning for sequential development of basic skills and understandings in the use of maps and globes; 2) providing concrete experiences for children in primary grades which increase understanding and develop skill in the use of maps and globes; 3) providing extended experiences…

Argues that primary grade level teachers must provide activities which promote thinking skills before expecting achievement in map, globe, and graphing skills. Provides examples of activities which may be used to promote the basic thinking skills which underlie all school work. (JDH)

Suggested activities for integrating language concepts and comprehension skills into elementary school geography instruction are presented. The activities focus on concept formation through semantic mapping and making analogies, and on comprehension through recalling, generalizing, interpreting, and making inferences. Semantic maps indicate spoke…

This syllabus provides a guide for administrators and teachers in selecting strategies and materials to achieve the New York state social studies program goals and objectives for global education. The first section lists the state goals for elementary, secondary, and continuing education. The second section delineates the social studies skills of…

Presents an instructional activity which can be used to introduce teachers to the five basic themes of geography, or to help intermediate or secondary students relate geography to their lives. The material can be used in several variations and is organized around the five concepts of location, place, relationships within places, movement, and…

Recognizing the need to strengthen education about Africa in United States schools and to enable teachers to present complex issues about apartheid, political stability, and cultural conflict, this digest addresses the issue of how teachers can improve their teaching about Africa. The article poses 3 questions: (1) Why is it important to teach…

Geographic, economic, and social/cultural understandings related to the United States, Canada, and Latin America are emphasized in this fifth-grade social studies program. The syllabus contains a teacher notebook that elaborates key features of the program and suggests relevant classroom applications. The notebook includes: (1) the program's 10…

The methodology used in the evaluation of this unit is the same as that described in SO 000 468. Eleven teachers were selected for the field trial thereby involving approximately 300 ninth through twelfth grade students. This unit has five integral activities: 1) Hunger; 2) Agricultural Realm; 3) Interviews with Farmers; 4) Game of Farming; and,…