AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUBJECT/COURSE: World
Geography
IPG: Fifth Six Weeks
GRADE LEVEL: 9
MAJOR CONCEPT #1: Resources
Overarching Desire for a region’s resources by other nations contributes to exploitation and a legacy of problems that
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continue as modern nations try to take their places in the global community.
Guiding
Questions
 How have geography and history contributed to the struggle to control resources in specific areas of the
world?
 How has the struggle to control resources contributed to current problems in different areas of the
world?
 How has the struggle to control resources impacted economic systems in different areas of the world?
 How has wealth gained by a region’s resources affected the daily lives of people who live there?
 How have resources been used to develop that region’s economy?
 How can the uneven distribution of resources impact economic and social structure within a region?
MAJOR CONCEPT #2: Location and Place
Overarching The unique location of specific regions around the world determines the vegetation, climate, and
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population patterns of these areas.
Guiding
Questions
 How do the human and physical characteristics of a specific location change and, at the same time,
remain the same over different periods of history?
 How does a region’s specific location impact its physical environment and level of economic
development?
 How does a region’s physical location affect population that lives there?
© Austin Independent School District, 2009-2010
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AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUBJECT/COURSE: World Geography
IPG: Fifth Six Weeks
GRADE LEVEL: 9
MAJOR CONCEPT #3: Similarities and Differences
Overarching Different regions of the world share a variety of geographic and cultural similarities and differences.
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Guiding
Questions
 How is the physical environment between two specific regions both similar to and different from each
other?
 How is the physical environment of a location within a specific region similar to and different from the
physical and cultural environment of another location within that region?
 How are cultural and demographic patterns between and within regions similar to and different from
each other?
 What current problems found in one region are also found in other regions of the world?
MAJOR CONCEPT #4: Environment
Overarching Physical and human changes to the natural environment of a region have both helped and harmed people
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living in that area.
Guiding
Questions
 How have natural processes changed the physical environment in a specific region of the world?
 How have changes to the environment brought about by natural processes both helped and harmed
the people who live in that environment?
 Why do humans make changes to their natural environment?
 How have changes to the natural environment brought about by humans both helped and harmed the
people who live in that environment?
© Austin Independent School District, 2009-2010
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AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUBJECT/COURSE: World Geography
IPG: Fifth Six Weeks
GRADE LEVEL: 9
MAJOR CONCEPT #5: Conflict
Overarching Cultural and economic issues within a region lead to conflict that have global implications.
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Guiding
Questions
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How have religion, politics, and control of resources contributed to the conflicts in different parts of the
world today?
How have specific regions and nations attempted to resolve conflicts within their area of the world?
Why have external forces attempted to resolve conflicts within specific regions of the world?
How have economic and social structures been impacted by regional and international conflicts?
How has conflict led to the relocation of different groups of populations?
MAJOR CONCEPT #6: Cooperation
Overarching People within specific regions of the world face serious issues and cooperate to seek solutions to these
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problems.
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Guiding
Questions
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How has cooperation between nations in a region been used to develop solutions to political,
economic, and social issues within that region?
What role have external forces played in using cooperation to resolve problems within a specific
region of the world?
Why have cooperative efforts to resolve conflicts been successful in some regions of the world but not
in others?
© Austin Independent School District, 2009-2010
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