World Geography: 9-12

Course Description: In World Geography High School, students study people, places, and environments at local, regional, national, and international levels from the spatial and ecological perspectives of geography. The six social studies standards of essential content knowledge and four process skills are integrated for instructional purposes.

Standard Number: 1.0 Culture

Culture encompasses similarities and differences among people, including their beliefs, knowledge, changes, values, and tradition. Students will explore these elements of society to develop an appreciation of and respect for the variety of human cultures.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

• 1.1 understand the complex nature of culture and how cultures influence the characteristics of places and regions.
• 1.2 understand the relationship between physical environments and culture.
• 1.3 understand how cultural perspective impacts perceptions of places and regions.

Performance Indicators:

1.1 understand the complex nature of culture and how cultures influence the characteristics of places and regions.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe the components of culture;
• describe the location of major cultural attributes such as language, religion, political systems, economic systems, and population centers both regionally and globally;
• describe how human characteristics make specific regions of the world distinctive.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast the impact of various aspects of culture on the political and economic systems of various regions of the world.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze the role of cultural diffusion and interactions among Earth’s human systems in the ongoing development of Earth’s cultural landscapes;
• analyze the role culture plays in incidents of cooperation and conflict in the contemporary world.

1.2 understand the relationship between physical environments and culture.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe characteristics of physical environments that contribute to the growth and development of cultures.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast how cultures differ in their use of environments and resources.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze how communication, transportation and other forms of technology contribute to the development of a culture.

1.3 understand how cultural perspective impacts perceptions of places and regions.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• explain how information and experiences may be interpreted differently from people of diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• demonstrate how language, art, music, belief systems, and other cultural elements facilitate global understanding or cause misunderstanding.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze the role of various aspects of culture in unifying or fragmenting a society’s perception of places and regions.

Sample Task:

The students will explore the history of foods of different ethnic groups and the significance of how these foods perpetuate the group's cultural ideals. Assign groups of students differing ethnic groups both in contemporary and historical terms. The students will identify culinary dishes from around the world by creating a fictional menu. Menus can vary greatly reflecting traditional meals, or holiday meals. Students can delve a deeper understanding of cultural food by tracing where the food products originated and where they can found today. Students will share their menus with fellow classmates and then discuss how the menus differ and are similar to their own. To further supplement this activity, the students can prepare and serve the meals to their fellow students.

Standard Number: 2.0 Economics

Standard: Globalization of the economy, the explosion of population growth, technological changes and international competition compel students to understand, both personally and globally, production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Students will examine and analyze economic concepts such as basic needs versus wants, using versus saving money, and policy-making versus decision-making.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

• 2.1 understand fundamental economic concepts and their application to a variety of economic systems, regionally and globally.
• 2.2 understand the patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth’s surface.
• 2.3 understand the changes that occur in the nature, use, distribution, and importance of resources.

Performance Indicators:

2.1 understand fundamental economic concepts and their application to a variety of economic systems, regionally and globally.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe various types of economies and their methods of production and consumption (e.g., market economy, free enterprise, capitalism, communism, and socialism).

At Level 2, the student is able to

• apply basic economic concepts (e.g., exports and imports, tariffs, closed and emerging markets, debt and credit, gross domestic product, goods and services) in studying the various regions of the world.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• describe the spatial distribution of major economic systems and their relative merit or disadvantages in terms of productivity, welfare of workers, and standard of living.

2.2 understand the patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth’s surface.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe the spatial organization of contemporary economic trade networks;
• explain the major components of and reasons for world trade;
• explain the role of transportation and communication networks in the development of economic activities.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast primary, secondary, and tertiary economic activities in a geographic context;
• compare and contrast the interactions between domestic and global economic systems.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• evaluate the domestic and international impact of various economic agreements, both regionally and globally;
• evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of international economic patterns (e.g., international debt, investment of foreign capital, multi-national corporations, foreign-owned businesses).

2.3 understand the changes that occur in the nature, use, distribution, and importance of resources.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe the characteristics, location, and use of renewable and nonrenewable resources, regionally and globally;
• explain the relationship between the use, availability, and accessibility of resources and a country’s standard of living, including the role of technology in resource acquisition and use;
• describe world patterns of resource distribution and utilization.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast patterns of resource distribution and utilization.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze programs and the impact of policy decisions related to the use of resources, locally, regionally, and globally.

Sample Task:

The students will participate in a teacher created simulation of various types of economies. The teacher will use a variety of objects as rewards for classroom participation. The students would then have the ability to trade the objects among themselves or with the teacher thus establishing the relative worth of various objects and illustrating a barter economy. Later as the teacher moves into more modern economic systems, instead of objects the teacher could create paper money and assign worth to the paper money in the form of extra credit points or options such as skipping a question on the test. A certain amount of the paper money could be required for various activities thus introducing the students to the central concepts of market economy systems.

Standard Number: 3.0 Geography

Standard: Geography enables the students to see, understand and appreciate the web of relationships between people, places, and environments. Students will use the knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts within the six essential elements of geography: world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and the use of geography.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

• 3.1 understand the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic tools and technologies.
• 3.2 know the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment, both physical and human, locally, regionally, and globally.
• 3.3 understand the characteristics and uses of spatial organization of Earth’s surface.
• 3.4 understand the physical and human characteristics of place.
• 3.5 understand that common physical, biological, and cultural characteristics create regions.
• 3.6 understand how physical processes shape Earth’s natural landscapes and affect environments.
• 3.7 understand how physical systems and environments affect human systems.
• 3.8 understand how human systems modify the physical environment.
• 3.9 understand the nature, distribution and migration of human populations on Earth’s surface.

Performance Indicators:

3.1 understand the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic tools and technologies.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe the basic elements of maps and mapping;
• compare and contrast various types of maps, including thematic and topographic maps;
• explain the purposes and distinguishing characteristics of different map projections.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• explain the characteristics and uses of current geographic techniques in mapping such geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), and satellite-produced imagery.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using maps from different sources and different points of view;
• construct maps and other geographic representations using primary data.

3.2 know the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment, both physical and human, locally, regionally, and globally.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe the relative location of, size of, and distances between Earth’s major physical, biological, and human geographic features.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• describe the approximate locations of major political and economic cultures;
• describe the spatial dynamics of various contemporary events.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• describe and analyze the role of mental maps.

3.3 understand the characteristics and uses of spatial organization of Earth’s surface.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe concepts and geographic tools used to define and describe spatial organization such as absolute and relative location, distance, direction, scale, movement and region.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• analyze patterns of spatial organization including why some areas are more densely populated than others and the differences between rural, urban, and suburban patterns;
• explain factors that affect spatial organization of Earth’s surface such as transportation, migration, and communication technology.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• demonstrate the use of spatial organization, principles of location, and land use patterns in policies and decisions.

3.4 understand the physical and human characteristics of place.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• explain how physical, biological, and human characteristics and process define and shape a place.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast how physical processes and human movement and migration influence the character of various places regionally and globally.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze the symbiotic relationship between the physical and human environments and how it is reflected on Earth’s surface;
• analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using places for different activities based on their physical, biological, and human characteristics.

3.5 understand that common physical, biological, and cultural characteristics create regions.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe the criteria used to define a region including physical traits and formal, functional, and vernacular cultural regions.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast types of regions at the local, regional, and global level;
• compare and contrast how cultures influence the characteristics of regions and how human characteristics make specific regions of the world distinctive.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• explain how the concept of a region can be used to simplify the complexity of Earth’s surface;
• demonstrate ways in which regional systems are structured;
• explain connections within and among the parts of a regional system;
• evaluate factors that contribute to the dynamic nature of regions.

3.6 understand how physical processes shape Earth’s natural landscapes and affect environments.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe ways in which different types of physical processes create and shape patterns in Earth’s physical environments.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• predict the consequences of specific physical processes operating on Earth’s surface;
• explain how physical processes affect different regions of the world;
• explain and analyze the distribution of different physical processes (e.g., tectonic activity, different types of weather and climatic patterns, vegetation patterns);
• explain the distribution of Earth’s various ecosystems.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• evaluate the effects of various physical cycles;
• assess the dynamic and interactive nature of physical systems.

3.7 understand how physical systems and environments affect human systems.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe ways in which human systems develop in response to conditions in the physical environment.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast ways in which the physical environment affects life in different regions, regionally and globally;
• analyze the impact of natural hazards and disasters on human systems and in different regions, regionally and globally.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• evaluate the limits and opportunities of physical environments for human activities;
• assess changes in the physical environment, regionally and globally, that affect the capacity of the environment to support human activity.

3.8 understand how human systems modify the physical environment.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• explain effects of human activities on the physical environment, including global warming, deforestation, desertification, and urbanization;
• explain ways in which human-induced changes in the physical environment in one place can cause changes in other places;
• describe the impact of human activities on different ecosystems.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast ways in which technology influences the human capacity to modify the physical environment;
• explain and illustrate the role of human activity in increasing or decreasing certain biological components of various physical environments.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze the environmental consequences of human activities and predict the global impact of human changes in the physical environment.

3.9 understand the nature, distribution and migration of human populations on Earth’s surface.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• explain the characteristics of populations at a variety of scales including ethnicity, age distribution, gender, and life expectancy;
• explain how demographic concepts such as population distribution, population density, birth and death rate, fertility rate, and infant mortality are used to describe population characteristics of a country or region;
• identify and describe quality of life indicators such as life expectancy, literacy rate, and per capita gross domestic product;
• explain the causes and effects of human migration.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• explain how international migrations are shaped by "push and pull" factors;
• evaluate factors that influence patterns of rural-urban migration.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze and evaluate contemporary population issues;
• predict the impact of human migration and other population changes on Earth’s physical and human systems, regionally and globally.

Sample Task:

Students will explore the use of storm tracking technologies by researching and presenting how natural disasters are forecasted. The class will brainstorm different types of storm tracking technologies by listing them on a blackboard. Assign students the task of researching a first hand account of a natural disaster. Students will read the account to the class in a reader's theater approach. The class will explore whether the technology provided enough data to forecast the storm. Additionally, the class can conduct a web quest to document new technologies relevant to storm or natural disaster tracking.

Standard Number: 4.0 Governance and Civics

Standard: Governance establishes structures of power and authority in order to provide order and stability. Civic efficacy requires understanding rights and responsibilities, ethical behavior, and the role of citizens within their community, nation, and world.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

• 4.1 understand the nature, complexity, and influence of systems of governance.
• 4.2 understand the forces of cooperation and conflict that shape the divisions of Earth’s surface.
• 4.3 understand global development and environmental issues.

Performance Indicators:

4.1 understand the nature, complexity, and influence of systems of governance.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• explain the purposes and structure of various systems of governance, regionally and globally;
• compare and contrast different political systems, worldwide, with that of the United States and describe political leaders from selected contemporary settings.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• explain the relationship between a place’s physical, political, and cultural characteristics and the type of governance that characterizes that place.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze the impact of such geographic developments as human migration, economic global interdependence, transportation and communication routes, and technology on the characteristics of various contemporary systems of governance and civics.

4.2 understand the forces of cooperation and conflict that shape the divisions of Earth’s surface.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• identify social, political, and economic divisions at the local, state, national, and international levels;
• describe international and multinational organizations of cooperation;
• describe various factors involved in the development of nation-states.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• describe conditions and motivations that contribute to conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among groups, societies, and nations;
• explain factors that affect the cohesiveness and integration of countries;
• describe ideas and mechanisms that governments develop to meet the needs and wants of citizens, regulate territory, manage conflict, and establish order and security.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• explain the relationship between forces of cooperation and/or conflict and the control of Earth’s surface;
• analyze causes of boundary conflicts and internal disputes between culture groups;
• analyze the changes that occur in the extent and spatial organization of social, political, and economic entities.

4.3 understand global development and environmental issues.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• identify and describe current struggles over energy resources and environmental issues and how different governments resolve these problems.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• interpret governmental and international responses to various environmental issues.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• analyze the positions taken by different systems of governance on such issues as sustainable development and resource management.

Sample Task:

Students will examine the motivations, goals, and actions of countries against whose "state sponsored terrorism" the United States State Department has issued economic standards. The class will collectively create their own definition of terrorism. On the blackboard, the teacher will place this definition of terrorism in the center of a bubble, and draw subsequent bubbles with the student's thoughts (webbing.) In groups, research the different nations who allowed terrorist attacks to occur. Write an essay explaining the economic motivations of the terrorist cells contrasted with the official political position of the United States.

Standard Number: 5.0 History

Standard: History involves people, events, and issues. Students will evaluate evidence to develop comparative and causal analyses and to interpret primary sources. They will construct sound historical arguments and perspectives on which informed decisions in contemporary life can be based.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

• 5.1 understand the patterns of human settlement.
• 5.2 recognize that places change over time.

Performance Indicators:

5.1 understand the patterns of human settlement.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe reasons for similarities and differences in the population size and density of different regions;
• interpret changes in the location and size of human settlements.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• compare and contrast factors involved in the growth and development of cities;
• evaluate the causes and consequences of urbanization;
• compare and contrast the functions of cities today with settlements of earlier times.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• predict the consequences of such factors as population changes and economic growth or decline on the settlement patterns of an area, regionally and globally.

5.2 recognize that places change over time.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe how physical and human geographic factors impact a place and influence historic events and movements.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• describe ways in which the spatial organization of physical and human systems change over time.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• evaluate the impact of changes in land use on physical and human systems;
• evaluate the impact of historical events and patterns such as use of resources, exploration, colonization, and settlement of different regions of the world on various regions of the contemporary world.

Sample Task:

Students will learn about the historic and present conflict between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights through reading and discussing news articles. Students investigate, in small groups, the political, economic, and cultural importance of the Golan Heights for Israel and Syria. After groups present their information, each group will defend their points on view regarding the future of the ownership of the Golan Heights should be, supporting all ideas with information presented in class.

Standard Number: 6.0 Individuals, Groups, and Interactions

Standard: Personal development and identity are shaped by factors including culture, groups, and institutions. Central to this development are exploration, identification, and analysis of how individuals, and groups work independently and cooperatively.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

• 6.1 understand the impact of individual and group decisions on citizens and communities.
• 6.2 understand how groups can effect change at local, regional, and global levels.
• 6.3 understand how a geographic view is a significant tool in interpreting the present and planning for the future.

Performance Indicators:

6.1 understand the impact of individual and group decisions on citizens and communities.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• recognize that individuals can belong to groups but still retain their own identity
• apply geographic concepts to sharing and giving opinions in a group.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• explain the role of places and regions in shaping individual and group identity and in serving as symbols for unity or disunity;
• examine issues involving the rights, roles, and status of groups and individuals in various regions of the world.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• evaluate ways regional, ethnic, and national cultures influence individuals’ daily lives;
• assess the impact of people’s changing perceptions of geographic features and places.

6.2 understand how groups can effect change at local, regional, and global levels.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe ways family, groups, and community influence daily life and personal choices, regionally and globally;
• explain the impact of role, status, and social class on the interactions of individuals and social groups in various regions of the world.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• explore the causes, consequences, and possible solutions applied by governing bodies to persistent global issues such as health, security, resource allocation, economic development, and environmental quality.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• assess the role of multiple points of view in developing and determining policies dealing with such issues as the use and management of Earth’s resources, sustainable development, world health, and international conflict and cooperation.

6.3 understand how a geographic view is a significant tool in interpreting the present and planning for the future.

At Level 1, the student is able to

• describe effects of physical and human geographic factors on current policies and issues such as land use, urban planning, and conservation;
• describe the impact of contemporary patterns of consumption, production, and population growth on the future spatial organization of Earth.

At Level 2, the student is able to

• analyze a variety of contemporary issues in terms of Earth’s physical and human systems.

At Level 3, the student is able to

• integrate multiple points of view to analyze and evaluate contemporary geographic issues.

Sample Task:

The students will examine and compare notions of beauty in cultures around the world in order to provide an insight on how a sense of one's identity is impacted by a group standard. Assign students different ethnic groups in contemporary and historical societies with the task of defining this culture's standard of beauty practices and traditions. The students will create a pictorial collage displaying their findings. Students will explore documents such as books, magazines, and websites in order to gather information.