Understanding Our World through Geography. activities Good Apple, 1204 Buchanan, Box 299 ...

212 Pages·1999·5.46 MB·English

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 394 877
SO 026 091
Aten, Jerry
AUTHOR
TITLE
Understanding Our World through Geography. activities
To Improve Geography Skills and Promote Ecology.
REPORT NO
ISBN-0-86653-592-6
PUB DATE
91
NOTE
234p.
AVAILABLE FROM
Good Apple, 1204 Buchanan, Box 299, Carthage, IL
62321-0299.
PUB TYPE
Classroom Use
Teaching Guides (For
Guides
Teacher)
Classroom Use
Guides
(052)
Instructional Materials (For Learner)
(051)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC10 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Area Studies; *Ecology; Elementary Education;
*Geographic Concepts; *Geography; *Geography
Instruction; Global Education; *Maps; *Map Skills;
*Social Studies
ABSTRACT
This book focuses on improving geography skills and
knowledge of basic concepts for grades 4-8, through a variety of
activities and resources. The book is divided into six s.:,ctions that
combine to make it convenient for use. The sections include: (1) "Map
Reading Skills";
(2) "Geography Concepts and Definitions";
(3)
(5) "Geowords"; and
(4) "A Planet in Peril";
"Peoples of the Florid";
(6) "Map Section." The messages of conservation and ecology are
empowering to students as they address the future of the planet.
(EH)
***********************************************************************
*
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
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EDUCATION
U S DEPARTMENT OF
Office of Educafionai Research vie improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
RESOURCES
ed as
This document has been repro
TO THE EDUCATIONAL
ecewed from the person or org, aation
(ERIC)
INFORMATION CENTER
originating if
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality
Points of view or opinions staled in this
represent
doci ment do not necessarily
official OERI position or policy
Understanding Our World
Through Geography
by
Jerry Aten
illustrated. by Marilynn Barr
Cover by Jeff Van Kanegan
Copyright ® Good Apple, 1991
ISBN No. 0-86653-592-6
Printing No. 9876
Good Apple
1204 Buchanan, Box 299
Carthage, IL 62321-0299
The puv;hase of this book entitles the buyer to reproduce the student activity pages
for classroom use only. Any other use requires written permission from Good Apple.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
Simon & Schuster Supplementary Education Group
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Message to the Teacher
Grasslands
iv
61
Ecosystems
MAP READING SKILLS
63
1
Mapping an Ecosystem
Picture This
64
2
Using Map Symbols
Erosion
65
4
Richter Scale
Using a Compass
66
5
Greenhouse Effect
Jefferson Middle School
67
6
Which Way...USA?
Plateaus
68
8
View from the Top
Mountains
69
10
The World's Mountain Systems
North Isn't Up!
.71
11
Hurricanes
A Walk Around Town
72
12
Oceans
Reading a Road Map
73
13
Landforms in the Ocean
A Day at the Zoo
75
14
Ocean Currents
Midtown, Montana
76
17
Garden City
Deep-Sea Data
77
18
Parallels
Deserts
78
19
Kinds of Deserts
Northern or Southern Hemisphere?
79
20
Life in the Desert
Meridians
81
21
Adapting for Comfort
The Hemispheres
82
22
Pinpointing Major Cities
Forests
83
23
Plotting the World's Major Cities
Kinds of Forests
.24
84
.
.
Hiding in the Forest
Challenge Around the World
85
25
Leafy Projects
Measuring Distances with Latitude
86
and Longitude
Minerals
87
27
Reading a Mineral Map
Distances Between Major Cities
.28
88
Mineral Dig
Cities on the Same Longitude
89
30
Longitude and the Time of Day
Maps
90
.31
Mercator's Cylinder Projection/Conic 91
Comparing Time Zones
32
Polar Projection/Interrupted rrojection 92
Changing Times
33
Hidden Map Words
International Date Line
93
36
Major Rivers
Night and Day
94
37
Rivers of the World
Where Bedtime Never Comes
95
38
Great Rivers/Great Cities
Our Changing Year
96
40
Anatomy of a River
GEOGRAPHY CONCEPTS AND
97
DEFINITIONS
Hidden Rivers
98
41
Clouds
Cities
99
42
The World's Largest Cities
Faults
100
44
Profile of a City
Droughts
46
101
Continental Divide
City Landmarks
104
47
Locating the World's Great Cities
Continental Drift
106
48
Cities in the News
Food Chains
50
107
Latitude/Longitude
Glaciers
108
52
The World's Largest Outdoor Lab
Rain Forests
109
54
Precipitation
Anatomy of a Rain Forest
56
111
Water Cycle
Islands
113
57
Rainfall Around the World
Lakes
114
58
Ring of Fire
Soil
115
59
Erosion and Conservation
Eclipses
116
60
Climate
117
Changing Climates
118
Our Major Climates
119
Climates Around the World
120
Population
122
People Counting
123
Demographic Dilemmas
124
Comparing Continents
125
The Population of Asia
127
Energy
128
A Slice of Energy
129
"Wave" of the Future
130
Searching for Nature's Treasures
131
Nature's Treasures
132
Nature's Wonders
133
PEOPLES OF THE WORLD
135
Language
136
Money
138
Money Changers
140
Ethnic Flavor
141
Clothing
142
Beliefs and Religions
143
Mapping the Major Religions
145
Celebrations
146
Homes
147
People in Hiding
150
A PLANET IN PERIL
151
Create a Button
152
Private Investigations: What Can I Do... ? 153
...
In My Home?
154
...
In My Backyard?
156
...
At the Grocery Store?
158
...
In My Community?
160
In My School?
162
.
Let's Save Our Planet Poster
163
Planet Earth: Now Hear This
164
A Final Note
165
Going Beyond
167
GEOWORDS
168
MAP SECTION
185
Outline Maps
World
186
North America
187
South America
188
Asia
189
Africa
190
Europe
191
Australia
192
Antarctica
193
Political Boundary Maps
North America
194
South America
195
Europe
196
Asia
197
Africa
19E
ANSWER KEY
19c.
MESSAGE TO THE TEACHER
Year after year of national testing continues to show less than satisfying results of student
knowledge and understanding of basic geography skills. The results might well be even
more dismal if the adult population were tested. Because the United States is a powerful
nation offering continued assistance to others all over the world, we have become
internationalists. Yet we are very weak when it comes to knowing even our own country.
With our planet in peril, there is an almost obligatory wave of support for placing more
emphasis on a knowledge of our earth. At the very base of that knowledge must lie
an adequate grasp of geography skills and concepts. That is, in reality, what this book
is all about. You will find an obvious "save-the-planet" and "you-can-make-a-difference"
theme woven into many oc the activities and projects. Yet the main focus remains on
improving geography skills and knowledge of basic concepts.
The book is divided into several sections that combine to make it a convenient resource
for the teacher. The first part includes activities that will enrich and reinforce a number
of map reading skills. Becoming familiar with the use of a compass, learning directions,
examining different kinds of maps, ;earning about latitude and longitude, time zones
and developing proficiency in reading various kinds of maps are the objectives of this
first section of the book.
The next section examines a number of concepts and definitions that are most important
in developing an understanding of geography. Each term begins with a brief explanation,
followed by activities that get students involved in further investigation. Some of the
activities are research-based; others employ the discovery method; still others require
map reading skills. Many of the activities were designed to improve student writing
potential. Investigating the causes for the phenomena of nature that are so much a part
of our environment and daily routine are the main focus of this major section of the
book.
"Peoples of the World" compares the basic essentials of living that are common to all
of us, regardless of where on earth we live. Multicultural topics include clothing, language,
homes, food, money, crafts and celebrations. These subjects are the focus of the puzzles
and activities contained in this section.
There is also a section containing outline maps that can be used by the teacher in a
variety of ways according to personal preference. Several suggestions are provided that
can be used to determine student proficiency in reading maps.
A Planet in Peril culminates the entire book with a "where-do-we-go-from-here?" theme
that gives students food for thought and leaves them with reflections on the future of
our planet.
There is a card game, too, that can be used as a review of all terms and concepts that
are investigated throughout the book and a complete answer key for teacher convenience.
t;
iv
0A1309
MAP READING SKILLS
PICTURE THIS
When we look at a map we are in reality looking at a picture of part of the earth itself.
When we look at a photo we are looking at a much smaller representation of a subject
that is out there in the real world. The image produced by the film in the camera creates
a nearly perfect idea of the subject in our minds. That is why old photos are so treasured
by family members and friends. Often the main reason for taking a photograph is to
record an event that is frozen in time to be treasured later or to create a mood or aesthetic
response in others who view the photo. In this respect, taking pictures is a form of
art expression.
A mapmaker, on the other hand, is concerned with creating a picture of a part of the
earth that will accurately inform the reader of the precise location of all that is included
in the subject.
Look at the picture below and jot down
all that you see on the lines to the right.
How did you identify the various subjects
Assume you have been asked to reproduce
in the picture you drew?
the drawing in the frame below. Draw your
own version of the subjects in the picture,
being as accurate as you can.
PICTURE THIS
Now look at this picture below and list all
that you see on the lines to the right.
v^
87
$'
The subjects you see in the picture above are the kinds of things that mapmakers represent
when they draw maps to portray the real world. Since accuracy is much more important
to mapmakers than it was to you in the picture you drew, they resort to symbols that
represent subjects in the real world. They must then let the reader know what those
symbols represent. The explanation of their meanings is called the key or legend. In
the box below, create your own version of the picture above. Use symbols of your choice,
but be as accurate in their placement as you can. Make a key to the right of your
picture.
Key
Explain the meanings of your symbols.
USING MP SYMBOLS
When mapmakers create maps, they attempt to show a portion of the real world as
accurately as possible, pinpointing the proper locations of the subjects that are included
in their representation. To do this, they use symbols that represent the subjects in the
real world. For example, a common symbol for charting the location of mountains is
the use of the symbol /VVVV\
This symbol can be made simply and shows some relevance
.
toward what it represents in the real world. To be remembered, however, is that this
symbol is not universal and has meaning only if it is properly defined in the map key.
Below are some other symbols that are sometimes used by mapmakers. Look at each
symbol and decide what you think each might represent. Write your response in the
blank space beside each symbol. Share your choices with other members of you* class.
What Symbol Could Mean
Symbol
1.
4
4
4
4 4"
4\
2.
3.
4.
5.
0.
00
...,
0 0 0
0
_ 0
6.
Now try your hand at your own symbols that are simple and easy to draw, but will
serve the purpose of depicting the following:
What Symbol Could Mean
Symbol
School
Church
Picnic Area
=_-
Shelter
Hospital
Bike Route
Railroad Crossing