The Arctic is covered with ice and snow for most of the year. Animals that live in Alaska's arctic region must be able to survive long winters and very cold temperatures. Surprisingly, many animals live in the harsh, cold climate. This first-grade activity plan helps students learn about the animals of the far north. The plan gives six steps for…

Focuses on the Nile, the Rhine, and the Mississippi, the greatest rivers of Africa, Europe, and North America, respectively. Highlights the rich diversity of subjects associated with rivers including geography, history, literature, and art. Includes 12 learning activities for each river. (MJP)

The successful integration of ecology and social studies in this sixth grade program offers students a chance to become aware of themselves and their immediate surroundings, both in the classroom and in the community. This model and the suggested learning activities can be successfully adapted for use at any of the other elementary levels.…

Examines an interdisciplinary and creative process that uses travel journal entries as the basis for a short story. Included in the process is a delineation of geographic themes. Discusses possible uses of this approach in the classroom. Includes a sample short story. (MJP)

The objectives of this geography course for liberal arts students include the following: 1) to demonstrate cooperative action among sciences, by showing that physical and chemical phenomena occur at biological surfaces that usually exist in economic and cultural frameworks; 2) to show that laboratory principles of mass and energy exchange and…

In this lesson, student teams role-play policy experts who identify, evaluate, and choose countries that will participate in an international education and assistance program. Students evaluate political, economic, environmental, historical, and geographical issues. Teams will judge which countries should or should not receive aid and recognition.…

In this grade 4 interdisciplinary unit, students are instructed to consider water issues in the city of San Francisco (California). Using Internet and other resources, participants are required to prepare a detailed letter to a U.S. Congressional committee dealing with water issues, and possibly to testify before Congress. Students may represent…

The role of geography in the elementary school curriculum is examined in this paper, which is arranged in four parts. Part 1 briefly sketches the characteristics of geographic instruction at different periods in U.S. history. Intellectual development and social education are identified as two widely accepted goals for elementary education today.…

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)

An interdisciplinary focus on the teaching of African geography is presented in this module, arranged by three major topics. Topic I stresses the African view that water is the sustainer of life, presents a case study of the Nile River, and discusses the significance of rivers as natural boundaries that delineate political units. Topic II gives…

Asserts that, although international understanding is essential for survival, most high school students do not acquire the necessary skills and knowledge for competing in the global community. Finds that geographic knowledge can be integrated into literature courses and includes exemplary lesson plans. (CFR)

A land use unit using information from space programs is intended to help secondary teachers develop, plan, and implement land use programs in the social studies classroom. The subject of this unit is a flood control dam in Colorado. Interdisciplinary curriculum includes activities in mapmaking, environmental and mathematical studies, local…

Geography curriculum and examinations in European secondary schools are discussed. Intended as a research tool for use by educational planners and curriculum developers, the report compares geography teaching in 18 European countries by analyzing data from 1971 and 1974 questionnaires completed by educational officials of the Council of Europe.…

This instructional unit contains four classroom lessons dealing with energy for use in grades six and seven. The overall objective is to provide students with a comparative overview of two basic energy concepts: energy is a basic need in all cultures; and energy use affects the way people live. In the lessons, which can easily be integrated into…

This teaching package or unit is part of a sequence of materials developed by the Latin American Curriculum Project. Concepts, key ideas and facts introduced in earlier grades on socio-cultural patterns are reinforced by this multidisciplinary approach. The major topic emphasis is the history of the periods since the beginning of the Independence…