These geography standards are subtitled "What Every Young American Should Know and Be Able To Do In Geography", and constitute a set of voluntary benchmarks that every school and school district may use as guidelines for developing their own curricula. The standards for grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 specify the essential subject matter, skills, and perspectives that all students should have in order to attain high levels of competency. The standards provide every parent, teacher, curriculum developer, and business and policy leader with a set of challenging expectations for all students. The purpose of standards for geography is to bring all student up to internationally competitive levels to meet the demands of a new age and a different world. For the United States to maintain leadership and prosper in the 21st century, the education system must be tailored to the needs of productive and responsible citizenship in the global economy. The guide is divided into 8 chapters: (1) "The Geographic View of Our World"; (2) "The Components of Geography Education"; (3) "Geographic Skills and Perspectives"; (4) "The Subject Matter of Geography"; (5) "National Geography Standards: Grades K-4"; (6) "National Geography Standards: Grades 5-8"; (7) "National Geography Standards: Grades 9-12"; and (8) "Student Achievement in Geography." A conclusion discusses thinking geographically and the role of parents in geography education. Five appendices and a glossary complete the document. (DK)