AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUBJECT/COURSE: World Geography
IPG: Third Six Weeks
MAJOR CONCEPT #1: Freedom
GRADE LEVEL: 9
Overarching Citizens should remember the sacrifices made for freedom in the founding of a country and the values on
Idea
which a country was established.
Guiding
Questions
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Why is it important for the public to observe past sacrifices made for freedom?
How can the public observe past sacrifices and values on which their country was founded?
How are individual rights connected to freedom promoted in a society?
How do the values of a society influence the rights associated with freedom?
MAJOR CONCEPT #2: Location and Place
Overarching The physical geography and how humans adapt to and modify it determine the unique characteristics of a
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specific region.
Guiding
Questions
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How do landforms, climate and vegetation affect settlement in a specific region?
How does physical geography affect the economic and cultural situations of a specific region?
MAJOR CONCEPT #3: Environment
Overarching
Diverse environments provide various opportunities and limitations for human activity.
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Guiding
Questions
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What effect has a region’s diverse physical environment had on the settlement of that area?
How have humans adapted to the diverse physical and cultural environment of a particular region?
What effect has the blending of diverse cultures had on the cultural, political, and economic factors of a
specific region?
© Austin Independent School District, 2009-2010
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AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUBJECT/COURSE: World Geography
IPG: Third Six Weeks
GRADE LEVEL: 9
MAJOR CONCEPT #4: Resources
Overarching
Overuse of natural resources has had a detrimental impact on the global environment.
Idea
Guiding
Questions
 Why have some natural resources increasingly become scarce in the world?
 What are some of the effects of overusing natural resources on the global community?
 How can citizen participation help solve problems connected with the overuse of natural resources?
MAJOR CONCEPT #5: Ethics, Values, and Beliefs
Overarching
Ethics, values, and beliefs determine governmental policies of different societies.
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Guiding
Questions
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How do ethics, values, and beliefs shape the systems of government in different societies?
How can people use ethics, values, and beliefs as reforms in their societies to give democratic
systems of government a chance to flourish?
How can ethics, values, and beliefs hinder social and economic opportunities for members of different
societies?
© Austin Independent School District, 2009-2010
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