Describes how by designing a playground, the fifth-grade students at Good Shepherd School in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) learned in a hands-on manner that geographic knowledge has practical applications in the real world. Explains that the geography concepts utilized in this activity follow the objectives of the Geography Education Standards…

Focuses on the storyline strategy which uses the components of a story (setting, characters, and plot) to organize concepts in a lesson. Provides a lesson on the Kiribati new year celebration using the storyline strategy. Offers alternative ideas for a storyline unit on Kiribati. (CMK)

Studied the participation and performance of upper secondary school teachers in Japan through surveys completed by 360 Geography teachers. Findings suggest that the importance of developing problem-solving skills is widely recognized among these teachers. Implementing training in such skills is much more difficult. Developing effective teaching…

Discusses the five main tasks of delivering a regional geography course that engages the students in active study of foreign language texts: (1) planning the syllabus and scheduling; (2) selection of texts; (3) study guides and class activities; (4) student recruitment; and (5) course evaluation. (CMK)

Examines a case study relating to the delivering of an environmental law module at Staffordshire University (England) and describes the practices that were implemented to facilitate interdisciplinarity and learning of environmental law. Concludes that the changes to the environmental law course at Staffordshire demonstrate the possibility to…

Focuses on the ways in which teaching and research have been made compatible in the Department of Geography at the University of Durham (England), such as achieving balance between research, teaching, and administration, the use of research groups, and taking a long-term view in reconciling the demands of research and teaching. (CMK)

Introduces the topic for the next Clip and Save Art Print series: unique regions of the North American continent. Includes three paintings, with background information, on this topic. Discusses the format and use of the Clip and Save Art Prints. (CMK)

Provides background information on Emily Carr, who is considered one of Canada's greatest painters. Includes a reproduction on her artwork titled "Vanquished" and presents ideas for activities. Explains that "Vanquished" reflects the collapse of the North American Indian civilization along the coast of British Columbia. (CMK)

"Who would ever use this stuff?" Middle school mathematics teachers often respond to such questions by emphasizing connections and the need for students "to recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside mathematics" (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2000, p. 64). This article describes how, within this framework, the bicentennials…

There are perhaps 10,000 technicians in the United States who work in the field known as cultural resource management (CRM). The typical field technician possesses a bachelor's degree in anthropology, geography, or a closely allied discipline. The author's experience has been that few CRM field technicians receive adequate undergraduate training…

One special difficulty in teaching world geography is overcoming the scale differential between individual students' direct experiences and the immense size and complexity of the world. An innovative framework of operational principles, or maxims, has been suggested, and an application of the framework is described. Students search out examples in…

GeoScape is a landscape design consisting of colored gravel, strategically placed flagstone and boulders, and two vertical features that simulate the geology of fictitious regions. Employs "hands-on", inquiry-based, and cooperative learning techniques to help students develop problem solving and critical thinking skills. Explains the construction,…

Teacher preparation has been called the "bete noire" of geography education in the United States (Boehm et al., 1994). Despite progress in other areas of geography, teacher education remains a significant issue affecting the quality of geography instruction nationwide. It is a multifaceted, multidimensional problem tied inextricably to…

At the beginning of the twentieth century, English-Canadian schools have attempted to create citizens of good character who were loyal to a Canadian nation defined by its role in the British Empire. Because of the country's experience in World War I, Canadians refined their identity in the 1920s, keeping it distinct from its relationship with…

This study critically examines the discourses of Japan as employed by young people in the United States. In particular, it analyses the free writings of US middle school students that were collected at three schools with different community environments (rural, urban, and suburban). The study identifies the features and styles of the discourse(s)…