This publication, intended for Spanish-speaking students in grades 6-10, has three main objectives. First, it serves as an introduction (or refresher) to basic geographic concepts. Second, it is an examination of the physical and political geography of Latin America. Third, it is designed to help students examine maps in a critical manner. The…

This unit is designed for students in grades 7-12 and can be adapted for individual settings. The unit provides student-centered instruction in geography through content specific teaching strategies. The unit is divided into five sections with lessons in each section. Sections include: (1) "Basic Perspectives"; (2) "Cultural Perspectives"; (3)…

This unit, developed for grades 6-12, is designed to help students grasp what life is like in a highland village in Guatemala. It is intended that students develop skills in geography and begin to discuss such ideas as rural poverty, migration to urban centers, land distribution, and agricultural methods. The unit involves the use of a set of…

This volume presents a framework for developing courses of study in geography at grade levels 7-12. Several sample courses illustrate how the framework may be used. Five fundamental themes in geographic education provide the basis for the framework. The suggested learning opportunities are designed to incorporate various levels of thinking. These…

This paper discusses a concept-based approach to teaching secondary geography. It is intended to help teachers in Australia write suitable geography programs and adopt teaching practices appropriate to the 1980s. A useful way to understand "concept" is to put the idea in a context with the definitions of other words such as fact,…

Analyzes John Wesley Powell's nineteenth-century survey of the U.S. intermountain west, and his subsequent report on the natural resources of the area based on both physical characteristics and cultural considerations. Discusses reactions to Powell's report. Maintains that the report is a useful classroom tool for illustrating the themes of…

Suggests a social studies unit on escaping geography. Examines escape from dangerous places including an airliner, hotel fire, or war zone or from a social situation such as a boring speech or party. Describes historic escapes such as the Underground Railroad and the Berlin Wall. Lists learning strategies such as awareness of space and cognitive…

Discusses the challenges of teaching high school geography in a way that enables students to develop an informed, spatial view of the world. Discusses the High School Geography Project and its effect on geography instruction. Suggests a map drawing exercise for students to demonstrate the importance of mental maps. (DK)

This unit, to be used with students in grades 6-10, has been designed to serve three purposes. First, the unit acts as an introduction to, or review of, fundamental geographic concepts and vocabulary. Second, it teaches students about the basic physical and political geography of Latin America. Third, students learn to examine maps with a critical…

Suggests that feature films produced in developing nations can serve as an aid to geographic instruction because they visually represent conditions of daily life. Uses two films, "Salaam Bombay" and "Sugar Cane Alley," to illustrate geographic understanding. Appendices include information on film distributors, background…

Maintains that misperceptions or incorrect mental images about relative location and size are common in geography. Reports on a study of 708 students ranging in age from junior high school through undergraduate school. Finds that misperceptions are widespread and exist across grade levels. (CFR)

Reports that students who might be bored or intimidated by economic geographic theory become enthusiastic when they can apply it to their own experiences. Describes a class project involving fieldwork and in-class analysis on delineating the retail trade area of a small Ohio city. Includes three maps and mathematical formulae for data analysis.…

This geography textbook assessment is a tool and a guide for teachers and curriculum administrators who are responsible for adopting classroom geography materials. The assessment's goal is to help teachers identify the geography textbooks that are most compatible with the content goals of the geography education reform movement as stated in "The…

Designed to accompany a series of 10 20-minute video programs, this teaching guide helps students to use geographical principles and concepts in order to better understand major historical development. The series uses the five basic geographic themes to enhance student understanding of significant events in U.S. history: location, place,…

Secondary students in Tasmania, Australia, can develop their skills in social studies and geography by solving the problems involving map use that this resource book provides. Several different types of maps are covered including: building plans, sketch maps, contours maps, world-grids, atlases, and urban maps. (DB)