Intro to Geography
8th grade, Global Studies
High Yield Strategy: Cooperative Learning, Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback
Lesson 1-My Favorite Place
No state standard will be assessed for this lesson, leads into first geography standard:
8.8.3.1.2.1
Objectives:
I can share out my favorite places
I can get to know my classmates, practice public speaking and strategies for sharing out
Materials: Slideshow example of complete favorite places, directions for Musical Share, Music
ready to go, Favorite Places worksheet,
Process:
1. Teacher will introduce the idea of a favorite place. Teacher will use the example of Mall
of America because it a place nearly everyone has been before and has some emotions
around this place (love it, hate it, it’s okay once in a while).
2. Students will determine a place that is important to them personally. Students will be
given time to individually work on their worksheet “Favorite Places”-and Students will
reflect on why they love this place, what they like to do there, how it makes them feel
and who they like to be with when they go there.
3. Students will be taught how to do the strategy musical shares through a slideshow. I will
model the musical share strategy with another students. Teacher will play music as the
students walk around and pair up to share out their favorite place and two things they
wrote down about this place. This will be repeated several times. We will talk about
how it is important that everyone is included and how to ask a follow up question to
continue discussion or learn more. I will model expectations.
4. Reflect on how we did as a class following directions? Including everyone? Who found
out something interesting about a classmate? Acknowledge our success!
Reflection: This is a beginning of the year lesson. The strategies used for this assignment are
connected to social-emotional learning and culturally responsive teaching. The lesson’s intent is
to help students get to know one another, for the teacher to get to know the students, and to
experience my classroom as a safe place to share. This lesson is intentional in its effort to point
out that we have places that we all love and a point of commonality is that these places our
connected to our emotions. Students will brainstorm what they like to do in this place, who
they like to be with and how this place makes them feel. This lesson allows me to see student’s
individual difference and their connecting points around places they love. In CLR students are
validated and affirmed for something that it important to them, but they are building and
bridging to school culture to follow protocal and behavior expectations for how we share out
our reflections with others (musical shares). Many post -pandemic students are not going to
walk to talk in front of classmates. This activity allows them to share out in a safe and fun
manner.
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High Yield Strategy: Identifying Similarities and Differences
Lesson 2 (Why Study Geography)
State Standard: 8.8.3.1.2.1 Formulate questions about topics in geography: pose possible
answers, use geospatial technology to analyze and make decisions within a spatial context.
Objectives: I can distinguish between human and physical geography and describe how
geography can help us understand the world around us
Materials: copies of blank Venn Diagrams, colored pencils, rulers
Process:
1. Engage-show various images of famous people who have studied geography (i.e.
Michael Jordan, Prince Williams).
2. Engage-Tap into prior knowledge-students will play a paper matching game where they
distinguish if a picture represents physical or human geography (just guess, use logic)groups of 2-3. When groups are complete teacher will check their sorting.
3. Explain-Watch a video about what you can do with geography/Why Geography is
important. Have students write down 3-5 things they learned. Turn and talk to a partner
about what you noted. Class discussion about why they subject matter is important in a
real -world context.
4. Explain-Annotate an article that explains the differences between human and physical
geography AND gives real world examples.
5. Apply-Work with a partner to create a large Venn Diagram that illustrates with pictures
and words the difference between the two. The center of the diagram should include a
symbol that illustrates how human and physical geography intersection in the real
world. Students will use the article as reference to create diagram.
6. Reflect-Write a sentence that explains how your symbol illustrates the connection
between human and physical geography.
Reflection:
This lesson will use a gradual release model and the high yield strategies of compare/contrast.
The lesson begins with a hook to help get students interested in the topic and to tap into their
prior knowledge while also working with a partner. Collaborative work is intentional to engage
the students to allow them to talk out loud about their sorting choices in a low stress matching
game. Students will be asked to defend their thinking, introducing the idea of metacognition.
After modeling how to annotate an article and examples for the difference between human and
physical geography they are creating a Venn Diagram. This is a high yield strategy them
classifying examples and creating a symbol that shows how these two different disciplines
interact. Students need to write a sentence explaining how their thinking represents physical
and human geography working together. The compare/ contrast allows students to see both
the two disciplines in human geography as unique and in relationships with each other.
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Lesson 3: Latitude/Longitude
High Yield Strategy: Note Taking, Formative Assessment and Cooperative Learning
MN Standard:
8.8.3.1.1.1 Obtain and analyze geographic information from a variety of print and electronic
sources to investigate places or answer specific geographic questions; provide rational for its
use.
Materials: Access to Google Earth/Chrome books
Objective:
I can distinguish between latitude and longitude and use coordinates to find an exact location
on a map.
Process:
1. Engage-watch a parody about Latitude/Longitude. Rate it for fun! Have students assess
whether this is new information, something they are relearning, or have never learned in a class
before (prior knowledge!)
2. Explain-Slideshow on how the world is divided into Lat/Long/International Dateline, how to
determine exact location (note taking by students).
3.Explain-Discuss expectations for fill in blank Cornell notetaking during slideshow.
4. Review notes and write a summary of how to find an absolute location on a map by creating
an illustrated drawing.
5. Apply-Take a practice quiz on latitude/longitude (until they pass). Do the first quiz questions
together as a class, discussing how to find the correct city. Take this quiz until they pass (will be
differentiated). Use notes if stuck.
6. Create-Use Google Earth to create a trip of their dreams. Pick 10 locations throughout the
world you and your partner/group would like to go and use Google Earth to determine exact
coordinates (partner work).
Reflection: The high yield strategies in this lesson are note taking with purpose, formative
assessment and collaborative learning. The purpose of this lesson if for students for students to
learn (or relearn) geography vocabulary related to location and to master the concrete skill of
finding absolute location on a map. As students return to the classroom environment, I want
them to understand why and how they are taking notes as a tool to help them master
knowledge. The goal is not just writing down notes, but to own what info is new to them. I
want to show them their notes have a purpose and a key to remembering what they are
learning.
The collaborate part of this lesson has students using google earth to find exact locations of
places they would like to visit. This allows students to work together to share what they know
about using google earth. I will not teach them this skill!! I know there are many students in the
room who know who to do so. I want them to know that I value what they learned outside this
classroom during pandemic (or just over time). As a student demonstrates the skill, I will use
them to teach others.