Fall Newsletter 2014
September 2014
In This Newsletter
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GeoBee Sign-Ups!
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Integrating Social Studies Workshop
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Geography Awareness Week
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RACE at History Colorado
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Night With a Geographer
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APHG Teachers Visit South Korea
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Grosvenor Fellow from Colorado
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ESRI ConnectEd
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What Geographers Do
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Upcoming Events
Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop
Geospatial Lesson Plans
Teaching with Primary Sources
Workshop 11/8
Teaching with Primary
Sources (TPS) Workshop
The Colorado Geographic
Alliance is working with the Library of Congress
Teaching with Primary Sources Western
Region (TPS), as well as Alliances in Arizona,
Nevada, and Oregon on a project to develop
workshops and Colorado-based model lessons
using primary sources to teach geography at
any grade level. The Library of Congress
website (loc.gov) has a treasure trove of
primary sources, including maps, images, and
text documents, that can enrich teaching in all
areas of social studies, including
geography. The TPS program also has a
teacher-tested workshop on teaching with
primary resources that is used throughout the
United States and that we are fine-tuning to be
used to teach geography in Colorado.
The first workshop will be held in Denver at
Metropolitan State University on Saturday,
November 8th from 8 am to 5 pm. Breakfast
and lunch will be provided, along with all
materials. We suggest you bring your own
COGA Extras
Food Miles - How Far Does YOUR
Food Travel?
computer. Participants will be paid a stipend of
$100 following completion of the pre-survey
and the initial post-survey.
Space is limited. If you are interested in
attending, please sign up by e-mailing COGA
the following form, located here under
Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop!
Learn more about the Library of Congress!
GeoBee Sign-Ups are September
15th!
The Ultimate
Test of
Geographic
Knowledge!
Each year,
thousands of
schools in the
United States
participate in the National Geographic Bee
using materials prepared by the National
Geographic Society. The contest is designed
to encourage teachers to include geography in
their classrooms, spark student interest in the
subject, and increase public awareness about
geography. Students in grades four through
eight are eligible, so have your school sign up
for a registration reminder today! School
registration begins on September 15, 2014 for
the 2015 GeoBee.
Get a sign-up reminder!
Also - a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to one
of the Top 10 finalists of last year's GeoBee,
Pranit Nanda! Pranit is from Aurora, Colorado,
and competed in Washington, D.C. with some
amazing kids! See the finalists See the 2014
finalists here!
Integrating Social Studies
Workshop, 10/4
Are you a fourth grade teacher or do you know
one? Maybe you are interested in learning
more about teaching social studies in your
classroom. COGA is participating in the
Integrating the Social Studies Across Colorado
History Teacher Workshops this fall and
winter. COGA is partnering with History
Colorado, the Center for Education in Law and
Democracy (CELD), and the Colorado Council
for Economic Education (CEE) to produce
engaging activities and lectures about the
social studies. This workshop will be offered
on October 4, 2014 and January 10, 2015. For
more information and to register, go
to: http://www.historycolorado.org/events/integr
ating-social-studies-across-colorado-historyteacher-workshop-0.
Geography Awareness Week:
11/16-11/22
The Future of
Food
Food is
something we all
need, and it is a
great way to connect people and educate
about different places. This year, Geography
Awareness Week (GAW) will be focused on
food - where food grows, how it is processed,
and who is involved from farm to fork.
Celebrated every year during the third week of
November, GAW's mission is to promote geoliteracy through active learning. See National
Geographic Education's GeoWeek
resources here!
40 Maps that Explain Food in America
RACE: Are We So Different? at
History Colorado
Food - Where it Comes From, How
it's Grown, and What We Need to
Change
Geography Awareness Week 2014 is focusing on
food- and at the perfect time. Learn about the Future
New Exhibit at History Colorado 9/20/141/4/15
COGA is partnering with History Colorado to
encourage teachers, students, and the general
public to attend the upcoming exhibit RACE:
Are We So Different? A project of the American
Anthropological Association, RACE seeks to
help people of all ages understand race and
racism through a scientific framework. This
exhibit links race with history, scientific history,
and findings in contemporary science that
challenge foundations of race and racism.
Regardless of your background, come explore
how you see yourself and others.
See more about RACE!
Night With a Geographer in
Pueblo
Mark your calendars:
10/2/14, 1/15/15, and 4/9/15
Ever wondered how the Colorado Fuel and
Iron Company became so prominent on the
Pueblo skyline? In 2003 - instead of throwing
away decades of company history - the CF&I
Archives were donated to the Bessemer
Historical Society, and the public can now
examine over 100,000 photographs, more than
150 films, 30,000 maps and drawings,
hundreds of ledgers, thousands of personnel
records, and internal publications such
as Camp and Plant, The Industrial Bulletin, and
The Blast.
(http://www.steelworks.us/index.php/archives2)
The Colorado Geographic Alliance and the
Steelworks Center of the West are sponsoring
a series of talks entitled "Night with a
Geographer" that will offer geographic analysis
on topics of interest to Coloradans and provide
of Food with NatGeo!
visitors with a chance to explore portions of the
museum and archives. Mark your calendars for
Thursday, October 2, 2014; January 15 2015;
and April 9, 2015. Programs will begin at 7:00
pm with a tour, followed by geography
presentations at 7:30 pm.
The inaugural lecture will occur at the
Steelworks Center of the West, 215 Canal
Street, Pueblo, with Brandon Vogt, Assistant
Professor of Geography at the University of
Colorado Colorado Springs and Stephen
Hodanish, Senior Meteorologist at
NOAA/National Weather Service, Pueblo
discussing "The Colorado Lightningscape".
Reservations are requested. Please contact
the Steelworks Center of the West at (719)
564-9086 to leave your name and the number
of people in your party. You may
contact info@steelworks.us or coga@uccs.edu
for more information.
COGA News
APHG Teachers Experience
South Korea
Robert Gilliam of Colorado Springs and
Unity Hartman of Denver Tell of Their
Adventures in South Korea
COGA has lesson plans for YOU!
Need resources for teaching geography in the
classroom? COGA offers elementary, middle, and
high school plans, as well as AP Human Geography
plans. See COGA's lesson plans here!
Giant Traveling Maps
The National Geographic Society has developed
several giant traveling maps designed for use in
schools and other educational settings. These maps
are available during the school year, usually for a
period of two weeks. Each map comes with a trunk
of activities designed to engage students more fully
in understanding the physical and human geography
of the area represented on the map. Maps are
designed to be used by students in grades K through
8, although preschoolers, high school students, and
families can all enjoy the resource. For more
information about the giant traveling maps please go
to the following web site:
http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/specialevents/giant-traveling-maps/
As part of its mission to instill and nurture spatial
awareness and geographic literacy, the Colorado
Rob's experience: Thank you to COGA for the
opportunity to attend the fifth International
Conference on Geographic Naming and
Geographic Education in Seoul, South
Korea. This conference was organized by the
Northeast Asian History Foundation with the
main focus on Geographic Education for a
Harmonious Global Society. The 15 delegates
participated in an eight-day field study
experience in and around Seoul, the
southeastern region of the peninsula, and the
DMZ. We gained direct experience with the
Korean people and their culture, the current
Korean geopolitical situation, and the territorial
and geographical naming issues persistent on
the peninsula. A place that once existed only
in my perception now offers a real and
practical case study to the topics required by
the AP Human Geography
curriculum. Through this experience, I have a
deeper understanding of the implications of
associations and the changing
interconnections among places in the Korean
peninsula. It was a life changing experience.
Unity's experience: One of the reasons that the
Korean Delegation works with American high
school teachers is to build relationships
between Americans and Koreans and to raise
awareness of Korean people and their
international concerns. Encroachment and
territorial concerns among Korea, both North
and South, China, and Japan are of deep
interest to the Korean people. Some of the
specific concerns that teachers are asked to
teach about in addition to a focus on Korean
people, culture, and history are naming issues
and territorial concerns. The delegation asked
us to support mapping companies that name
the East Sea rather than the Sea of
Japan. Dokdo is more than a rock that
humans don't live on. It is a national park filled
with life, beauty, science, nature, and natural
resources. The North and South divide is a
large concern and there are talks of unification.
Pictures of the DMZ in our textbooks can't give
the same feeling as being there in
person. There are concerns of active
landmines, human rights issues, and people
escaping from N. Korea and migrating into S.
Korea or other countries. In conclusion,
Korean people have a rich history and culture
and would like for American students to care
Geographic Alliance (COGA) will sponsor, in whole
or in part, visits of giant traveling maps. COGA funds
available for giant traveling map rentals are limited.
Please confer with the staff of COGA about the
availability of funding before making a map
reservation.
The grant request for maps can be found here.
about them, learn more about them, and to
lobby on Korean peoples' behalf
Read their full stories and see more
photos here!
2014 Grosvenor Fellow from
Colorado Springs
APHG Meeting Recap
Kathryn Zimmann
On June 12, 2014 COGA convened a unique
meeting of experienced Advanced Placement
Human Geography (APHG) instructors from across
Colorado. In addition to the Coloradoans, a
delegation of teachers from New Mexico and a
teacher from Singapore who was visiting family in
Colorado attended. Led by Rick Gindele, David
Palmer, and David Valdez, all expert APHG
teachers, the nineteen participants had lively
discussions of best practices in an APHG
classroom. Another resource that COGA offers is
the APHG test bank which is available on the COGA
website for $10. Take me to the test bank!
It's an Election Year - are you
registered to vote?
Making your voice heard is an important part of civic
involvement. In Colorado, 16- and 17-year-olds can
pre-register to vote in future elections. Educators
have the opportunity to model good behavior and be
sure that they are not part of the under-registered
population. Geography provides an excellent
framework for discussion of electoral issues.
Middle School ESL
Teacher
Congratulations to
Colorado teacher and
2014 Grosvenor
Teacher Fellow
Kathryn Zimmann! Kathryn lives in Colorado
Springs, Colorado, and teaches English to
non-native English-speaking students. Kathryn
has music education and ESL degrees, and is
a professional harpist. She enjoys traveling,
and encourages her global students to share
their stories and cultures with others. Much of
her focus is based on her international
students and the richness they bring to their
schools. This is a wonderful honor, and the
recipients of the fellowship spend around two
weeks on the flagship National Geographic
Explorer conducting research, with
destinations including Iceland, Greenland, the
Canadian Maritimes, and Antarctica.
Congratulations, Kathryn!
See Kathryn and the rest of the Fellows on
expedition!
ESRI ConnectEd - A Resource for
the Classroom!
2014 NCGE in Memphis, TN
This summer, educators and others interested in
geographic education from all over the world
convened in Memphis, TN for the 99th Annual
National Conference on Geography Education.
Attendees explored the rich geographic history of
Tennessee, while sharing lesson plans and research
interests that center around geo-literacy. Next year is
On May 27th, one of
COGA's outstanding
partners, Esri, Inc.,
announced participation in ConnectED. The
bottom line is that you andyour students now
have easier access to Esri platforms to explore
opportunities in geographic information
science. Check out the links below, and let
COGA know how we can support your efforts
the 100th Annual National Conference on Geography
Education, and will be held in Washington, D.C. Sure
to be an inspiring and educational meeting of the
minds!
Remember- if you are a member of COGA, then your
NCGE membership is discounted! Join NCGE!
to incorporate geospatial technology in the
classroom.
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ConnectED is an initiative of the White
House and US Dept of Ed, to increase
digital learning.
o See ConnectED info here
Esri is one of ten ConnectED "partner
companies." Esri's offer applies to any
US public, private, religious,
independent, charter, magnet, or
Department of Defense school, or
home school, in any US state or
territory. Other companies have
different conditions in their offers.
Requests for an ArcGIS Online
Organization must use Esri's
ConnectED request form (at the above
address), come from schools (or
districts), and be accompanied by a
letter from a school or district official.
The subscription includes 500 named
users.
Educators and students can learn to
use ArcGIS Online
at http://esriurl.com/k12gis,
"01.InstructionDocs".
Educators seeking a geomentor, and
GIS users willing to mentor educators,
should
see http://www.geomentor.org and the
maps at http://esriurl.com/usk12gis,
and sign up (being sure to log in when
signing up).
What Geographers Do
John O'Loughlin is a Professor of Geography
at CU Boulder, where he researches the
spatial analysis of conflict, climate and
environmental change and conflict, as well as
political geography. In addition to his positions
at CU Boulder, John serves National
Geographic's Committee on Research and
Exploration.
Recent research projects include studies on
public opinion in contested areas of the former
Soviet Union. Current events in Ukraine are
changing the political map of Europe, and
challenging the geopolitical settlement agreed
to after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The
goal of this research, which began on May 15,
2014, is to record and analyze the attitudes of
residents in the de facto regions and in the proRussian regions. O'Loughlin received a NSF
grant for the project "Attitudes and beliefs in
Russian-supported 'de facto' states and
Eastern Ukraine in the wake of the Crimean
annexation". View details about the NSF grant
here!
More information about his research can be
found on his website.
Teachers Test Geospatial Lesson
Plans
During the month of June 2014, COGA worked
with five pre-service and three in-service
teachers who were learning about integrating
geospatial technology into the classroom. The
group worked together for a week at the
beginning of summer to explore technologies
such as Google Earth and GPS and think
about how they might use these technologies
in their classrooms. The participants wrote
lesson plans that will be available on the
COGA website. For two days later in the
month the teachers were able to test some of
their lesson plans during the MobilExxon
Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp for
middle school students. Information gathered
during this workshop was assessed in order to
know more about how students and teachers
can use geospatial technology. This workshop
was funded by The Gay & Lesbian Fund for
Colorado. Learn more about the summer
science camp which explored Mars through
GIS.
Colorado Geographic
Alliance
VISION:
Changing our understanding and
experience of the world
MISSION:
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
To instill and nurture spatial awareness
and geographic literacy
VALUES:
Inspiring passion for Earth and its
inhabitants
Connecting people with geography
Honoring inclusivity and diversity
Read COGA's blog!
Exploring physical and human
environments
Developing spatial perspective
CONTACT COGA
Colorado Geographic Alliance
coloradogeographicalliance@yahoo.com
University of Colorado Colorado
Springs
Department of Geography and
Environmental Studies
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
719-255-5217
Ideas for upcoming newsletters? Great
topics, links, or
upcoming events you'd like COGA to
share with geography
educators? Let us know! We're here to
connect...
coga@uccs.edu
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