The use of field classes and the need for university master planning are presented as a way to enhance learning. This field-oriented, goal-oriented approach to learning is proposed as a general model for university-level geographic education. This approach is presented for physical geography classes, but could also be applied to other subdivisions…

Students frequently struggle when scientific instruction seems divorced from personal experience, especially in the physical sub-disciplines, like climatology, where exercise books often present historical or abstracted case studies. In contrast I present a three-phase project involving student input on experimental design, data collection, and…

This paper represents an attempt to trace the development of the change in American attitudes toward resources and the environment and to analyze past, present, and future trends in resource development and environmental protection. (Author)

A diagrammatic climate key is presented as an attempt to simplify the teaching of climate classification. The chart emphasizes four critical temperatures in the Koppen classification and shows their relationships to various climate types. (Author)

Discusses the use of remote sensing techniques to obtain locational, estimated, and mapped information at the scales varying from individual fields and farms, to entire continents and the world. (AEM)

Briefly sketches the origin and persistence of the Midwest as a physical, city-centered circulation and settlement system drawing from physical, cultural, economic, and applied specialties within geography. Illustrates the coherence of the specialties within a regional-historical framework with basic geographic/scientific problems of scale,…

Introductory college physical geography courses can be made more relevant by starting with environmental problems of social concern and going on pertinent subject matter to explain the problems. The implications of a problems approach to teaching-learning processes are also discussed. (NH)

Suggests a teaching method (the Visual Response System, VRS) for use in teaching geography concepts to students in high school social studies classes. The purpose of the VRS is to increase the level of active student response to instructional material. A program based on VRS map skills is described. (DB)

Examines physical conditions that were major considerations in the selection of Port Valdez, Alaska, as the site for the marine terminal for the trans-Alaska pipeline. Topics discussed include rejected sites, advantages of Port Valdez, description and operation of Valdez terminal, and marine tanker access. (Author/DB)

Presents a method for teaching about climate in introductory physical geography and earth science classes. A classification scheme consists of four basic types: instability, inversion, subsidence, and frontal; four seasonal hybrids based on combinations of the basic types; and three topographic variants: highlands, rainshadows, and coasts. (KC)

Presents an aerial view of a portion of Saudi Arabia as an example of how graphs taken by "Landsat" can provide new information to geographers about topography. (Author/DB)

Often students are naive or have misconceptions regarding physical geography because of little or no exposure to the discipline; therefore it might be beneficial to relate content to their other experiences and interests. Students have an interest in some type of music, and by tapping into this, students can further explore geographic concepts.…

The Michigan Elementary Geography Test (MEGT) was completed by 1,689 fifth-grade students in 64 classrooms from 20 school districts in Michigan. This article provides representative questions from MEGT and presents data regarding student performance on these questions. (Author/RM)

Describes a teacher-developed lesson for high school students dealing with the origin of the Hawaiian Islands. The lesson, which consists of six steps and a homework assignment, is designed for a single class period of 45 minutes. (RM)

Arguing that place has a composite aspect that is the heart of geography, this article traces common cultural perceptions and geographical realities of the Midwest. Concludes that regional/cultural changes have shaped the Midwest reality into the heartland of the country through a new idea in place and perserverence. (TRS)