The major purpose of the Commission and its panels is to work to improve geographic programs at the college level; it is supported by the National Science Foundation. Specific objectives are: 1) to develop approaches to integrate geographic programs within the broader higher education context including interdisciplinary design; 2) develop and…

Components of national undergraduate geography major curricula are reviewed, followed by discussion of a behavioral approach to curriculum theory and a case study which incorporates behavioral objectives in curriculum development. Surveys in 1968 and 1974 revealed that most undergraduate major geography programs are loosely structured and contain…

Describes new secondary geography curriculum of the USSR. Curriculum is structured to provide four separate courses spanning 357 class periods over a number of school years. The translated documents include course descriptions along with teaching suggestions and evaluation procedures. (JDH)

Presented is a model for teaching elementary students how to associate place names with their referents on a map. The model has six steps: motivate, demonstrate, mnemonic devices, practice, test, and review. Described is a sample lesson for teaching about western states. (RM)

This curriculum packet is based on a National Public Radio series of 10 one-hour programs produced in India between 1986 and 1989. The tape cassette is designed to introduce middle and high school students to the people and land of India. The three programs on the tape include: (1) "Listening to India," which exposes the listener to the…

This mini-unit seeks to fill the gap in textbooks that exists when teaching about modern France. Many textbooks end their coverage of France with the chapter on World War II. This unit offers high school students a unique introduction to France in the mid-1990s. The mini-unit includes a two-sided poster, teaching tips, and student pages. Student…

To complete Standard 2 of the California History-Social Science Framework, first-grade students must learn to use and construct maps and consider how location, weather, and physical environments affect the way people live. Students develop basic geographic skills by focusing first on their school and then on their neighborhood. The 6-year-old…

This geography lesson about Korea is aimed at students in grades 2-4 and requires two class periods to complete. The students read an article about Korea using the five fundamental themes of geography to guide them. They use the information from the article to write about Korea and compare it with their own community. The lesson cites educational…

A study examined geography texts to evaluate their adequacy for meeting the diverse needs of students and to recommend modifications that will address specific deficits. Four geography textbooks were selected based on consultations with publishers, teachers, and school administrators to be representative of geography textbooks adopted in the…

The world is made up of over 185 nation-states. This paper offers advice for geography teachers and students on how to focus their study of some nations in terms of their national images. The goals for studying national images are (1) to understand how national images are constructed and influence thought and behavior; (2) to test the linkage…

Defines raster technology in its relationship to geographic information systems and notes that it is typically used with the application of remote sensing techniques and scanning devices. Discusses the role of spreadsheets in a raster model, and describes a general approach based on spreadsheets. Includes six computer-generated illustrations. (MJP)

Many Web sites are useful in helping answer reference questions in geography and international studies. This paper describes Web sites which provide maps, gazetteers, and country information. Also included are Web guides which collect and organize numerous links to geographical and international sites. (Author)

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…

Illustrates a method to introduce students to foreign countries and cultures by having students choose a country in which they would like to live and give a class presentation about it. As a result, students become resource persons, research skills are refined, cross-cultural information reservoir is created, and history and geography become real.…

Analyzes John Wesley Powell's nineteenth-century survey of the U.S. intermountain west, and his subsequent report on the natural resources of the area based on both physical characteristics and cultural considerations. Discusses reactions to Powell's report. Maintains that the report is a useful classroom tool for illustrating the themes of…