This newsletter presents practical information of interest to geography teachers at the elementary, secondary, and college levels. Typical issues contain practical teaching suggestions, reports of experimental programs, information about new teaching materials, fieldwork, syllabuses, viewpoints, and letters. This particular issue provides…

Richard Boyer and David Savageau's book "Places Rated Almanac" is described, and ways the book can be used in secondary and college geography classes are discussed. The book rates the quality of the following aspects of urban life: climate and terrain, housing, health care, environment, crime, transportation, education, and recreation.…

Reviews the tremendous transformation that human beings have wrought on the earth's surface from the Holocene to the present. Traces this transformation through various stages: the emergence and development of agriculture, agricultural impact and land degradation, ecological and political imperialism, industrialization, and environmental…

Outlines student involvement with a conservation project that aims to develop a Regionally Important Geological/Geomorphological Site network (RIGS) at a county level in the United Kingdom. Emphasis is placed on identifying, describing, evaluating, and documenting land forms of educational, research, historical, and/or aesthetic value. (MJP)

Investigates the concepts that could be used to develop geography lessons based on the ideology of indigenous people. Uses the Maori of New Zealand as an example and discusses how such concepts as "Maori Mind,""Maori Land,""Founding Ideologies," and "Cultural Artifacts" could be incorporated into an…

Considers the characteristics of beaches, rocky shores, coral reefs, and kelp forests. Discusses plants and animals that live in these habitats. Activities include life between the tides, reef buddies, sea forests, seaside adventure, and four copycat pages. (RT)

Discusses the development and implementation of small group work focusing on seminar presentations and term papers in a microclimatology class. The class utilized peer- and self-assessment strategies developed in conjunction with a university department of education. Responses both from teachers and students were positive. (MJP)

Presents the Middle East as a circumterral (rimmed by interpenetrating inland seas) rather than circumthallasic (lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea). Contends that, in a circumterral setting, domination by a single nation is made difficult by the weight of the land masses that project into the seas. (CFR)

Describes two basic types of software for beginning geology classes: general programs used to illustrate geologic phenomena (for example superposition) and programs written for specifically for geologic applications. (PR)

Provides instructional materials, tasks, and activities to supplement a unit on map reading. Presents a two-page color topographical map of Arthur's Pass (New Zealand). Includes learning activities covering reading grid references, estimating distances, cross-sections, and sketch mapping. Briefly discusses and illustrates digital terrain models.…

Briefly explains the 10 standard objective statements that characterize geography curriculum reform in China. The standards reflect a rigorous and scientific orientation incorporating mathematics, physics, geology, and demographics. No social education component is present. (MJP)

Techniques for making geography more relevant to elementary students are discussed. For example, the abstract ideas of latitude and longitude can be taught by having students "live" a grid system, i.e., evenly spaced letters and numerals posted on the classroom walls. An interdisciplinary approach is needed. (RM)

Provides an interesting overview of the philosophical changes initiated in geography over the last 50 years. Argues that dissatisfaction with environmental determinism and its variant of regional geography inspired a quantitative and theoretical revolution in the subject. Recent developments have questioned even the foundations of that revolution.…

Analyzes the causes and conditions of the major sources of conflict concerning the three major international river basins in the Middle East: the Tigris-Euphrates, the Nile, and the Jordan-Yarmuk. Investigates possible solutions. Includes maps and population statistics of the major countries involved in the conflict. (MJP)

Presents a lesson for teaching geography and science by concentrating on the oceans. Includes topography, wave dynamics, and ratio of ocean to land mass. Focuses on geographic themes of location, place, and region. Suggests that students will visualize and manipulate information as they are introduced to concepts in physics and earth science. (DK)