Geography can improve citizens' quality of life by improving their understanding of the population, resources, environment and development of geographical areas. The emergence of remote sensing technology provides a convenient method for understanding the regional geographical landscape. It is important to develop a regional geography curriculum…

The Powerful Geography approach entails strengthening the relationship among curricula, student aspirations and motivations, and applications and practices of geographers in business, government, and nonprofit organizations. As a practical response to the GeoCapabilities project's vision of future geography curricula based on conceptions of…

Describes the national geography standards, "Geography for Life," part of the Goals 2000 program. Asserts that the standards define the most important elements of geography content and instruction. Discusses innovative features of the standards and presents suggestions for using them. (CFR)

Discusses the importance of geographic knowledge and understanding for learning history. Emphasizes five themes of geography: location, place, relationships within places, movement, and regions. Provides specific lesson suggestions. Argues for geography instruction's integration into all areas of social studies with maps and geographic themes. (DK)

Examined how varying levels of geographic expertise facilitated reasoning with maps as representations of the earth's surface. Found that geography experts performed significantly better than novices and preservice teachers, and experts' performance was differentiated by the reasoning in which they engaged. Explored implications for understanding…

Asserts that geography is an ideal discipline for environmental education. Argues that geographers study the environment in four major ways: (1) the natural environment; (2) the impact of human behavior on the environment; (3) environmental influences on human behavior; and (4) the landscape. (CFR)

Contends that the integration of history and geography has long been recommended by historians and social scientists. Discusses the five themes of geography and how they can be integrated into an effective lesson plan. Provides an annotated list of resources on this topic. (CFR)

Explains interrelationships between geography and social studies. Highlights developments affecting school geography since 1980. Determines that geography's spatial perspective distinguishes it from other social sciences. Examines 10 presuppositions of geography education to reveal geography's scope, role, and relevance to social education.…

Describes a college level course in which computer mapping is incorporated into the geography curriculum. Discusses problems associated with using commercial mapping software in the general geography classroom. Concludes that students have reduced computer anxiety and a better understanding of geographic concepts as a result of the computer…

Presents two lesson plans exemplifying analytical geography. The first lesson shows how medical geography can be used to track the silent route of cholera. The second lesson about the Bermuda Triangle is an exercise in fundamental mapping skills and teaches children a valuable lesson in double-checking facts. (RLC)

A land use unit using information from space programs is intended to help secondary teachers develop, plan, and implement land use programs in the social studies classroom. The subject of this unit is a flood control dam in Colorado. Interdisciplinary curriculum includes activities in mapmaking, environmental and mathematical studies, local…

Discusses geographic information systems (GIS) and their use in elementary and secondary education. Databases are described, including a graphics package for maps and an alphanumeric database; and resources are included. (11 references) (LRW)

The program of map and globe study skills for elementary social studies contains two parts: primary level for grades 1-2 and intermediate level for grades 3-6. Concepts of the units include maps as geographical representations; maps as symbols; directions; astronomical maps; city and world maps; and scales and measurement, among others. Each…

In order to obtain information on the status of geographical knowledge possessed by University of South Dakota (Vermillion) students, a geography survey designed to determine specific knowledge about the locations of bodies of water, countries, and cities was conducted. One map was used for identifying cities, while the second was used for…

This collection of cartographic projects grew out of a professional development summer institute for teachers conducted in 1995 in the History Department of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Curriculum materials developed during the institute were used in various classrooms during the following school year. The collection contains selected…