An integration of human geography concepts and physical geography concepts into one course is proposed; and the conceptual framework, teaching strategies and materials, and difficulties of introducing an innovative course are discussed. (ND)

Discusses how instructors can design a local field trip for undergraduate students enrolled in an economic geography class. The purpose of the field trip is to help students observe and interpret familiar scenes in terms of geographical concepts such as central place theory, changing land use, and spatial competition. (RM)

An analysis of 14 introductory physical geography textbooks yielded 121 core concepts (basic concepts appearing in 7-10 books). The authors suggest that the trend toward overspecialization in introductory geography classes can be reversed if teachers agree to stress core concepts and their relationships to geography as a whole. (AM)

A survey of 2,092 high school seniors in 16 Georgia schools shows that geography is liked the least of social science subjects by the most students and liked the most by the fewest. Reasons are teacher attitudes and methods. Recommendations include better teacher training, more use of the inquiry approach, and more emphasis on social concepts and…

Teaching the geography of the United States to gifted elementary-level children in a way that challenges preconceived ideas about people and places is the focus of this article. Detailed student instruction is described, including thinking and writing activities that enable students to compare preconceived notions and reality. (CR)

Identifies teachers as primarily responsible for increasing geographic literacy, and suggests newspapers as a valuable source for geography lessons. Gives lesson plan ideas that include the use of the sports, news, travel, and weather sections of the paper. Lessons should enhance appreciation and knowledge of geography in everyday life. (RW)

Discusses the educational benefits of map usage in social studies classrooms. Recommends approaches to teaching map skills, including instruction in location, distance, scale, and direction. Presents activities which utilize neighborhood resources. Describes an activity in which students devise maps of their local community. (RW)

The paper suggests that the five fundamental themes of geography can serve as a good starting point for understanding how geography affects lives everyday in every way. Geography serves to remind people how interwoven geographic concepts are in individuals' lives. Ten activities are suggested to incorporate the five fundamental themes into a…

This monograph discusses the importance of maps and mapping techniques for students in elementary and secondary school geography classes. Maps are interpreted to include plotter print outs, space and aerial photographs, plastic three-dimensional relief models, spatial images on cathode ray tubes, and holographs (images produced by laser beams).…

Because economic geography is viewed as a field with too many different aspects for one person to master, teaching an introductory course in the subject poses the challenge of selecting an organizing theme. One specific approach, organized around higher level generalizations and theories, is the use of location theory. Coupling location theory…

This technical paper offers an alternative method to the traditional physical geography course which has as its primary objective the knowing of approved body of knowledge. The premise is that a discipline of physical geography does not now exist and that traditional physical geography consists of nearly independent topics treated without common…

Fourteen hundred entries of British works on geography in education comprise this bibliography intended for teachers at the elementary, secondary, and college levels, for students, and for research workers in all branches of education. The purpose is to provide a guide to extensive literature that records a century of progress and achievement in…

Describes uses of analogies in the college or high school geography classroom. For example, logically stated analogies of locational relationships can be used as test items or starting points for lectures. Analogous relationships between cultures can serve as subjects for research papers. (AV)

Music is a geographical and a temporal phenomenon which pervades every society. How music can be used to teach basic geographical concepts, to reflect the central themes of North American geography, and to explain the relationship between art forms and the tastes of a culture is discussed.

Described are two experiments which demonstrate meteorological phenomena in the geography classroom. Required materials, preparation, and instructional techniques to be used during the demonstrations are discussed. (Author/DB)