Grade 6 Geography
Scope & Sequence
Unit 1: The Geographer’s World
Chapter 1 – The Tools of Geography
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: absolute location, distortion, map projection, relative
location.
• understand the difference between absolute and relative
location.
• locate major parallels and meridians.
• use latitude and longitude to determine absolute location.
• measure distance using scale.
• identify continents and oceans for a given hemisphere.
• understand how Earth-sun relations cause seasons.
• understand the relative merits of five map projections
(Mercator, Eckert IV, Robinson, Goode’s Homolosine, and
Lambert Equal-Area).
• design a map with basic map components (title, legend, compass rose, grid system,
scale).
Chapter 2 – Seeing the World Like a Geographer
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: climate, economic activity, landform, physical feature,
population density, region, thematic map, vegetation.
• define the terminology specific to six types of thematic
maps: physical features, climate zones, vegetation zones,
population density, economic activity, and regions.
• analyze six thematic maps to gather information about
the world.
• define the 5 themes of geography
Unit 2: Canada and the United States
(Use Mapping Lab Materials)
Physical Geography of United States
 Political Map/Physical Map
 Demographic Data File
Physical Geography of Canada
 Political Map/Physical Map
 Demographic Data File
Seven Geographic Regions of U.S. and Canada
Chapter 3 – Settlement Patterns and Ways of Life in Canada
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: ecumene, plural society, rural, urban.
• analyze the characteristics of each of the five regions of
Canada.
• explain how location affects ways of life in those five
regions.
• evaluate the importance of location on ways of life around
the world.
Chapter 4 – The Great Lakes: The U.S. and Canada’s Freshwater Treasures
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: ecosystem, food chain, food web, freshwater,
watershed.
• evaluate the environmental health and management of
the Great Lakes freshwater ecosystem.
• examine the environmental challenges facing global
freshwater ecosystems and the impending crisis in freshwater
supplies.
Chapter 5 – Urban Sprawl in North America: Where Will It End?
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: metropolitan area, rural fringe, suburb, urban core,
urban fringe, urban sprawl.
• analyze the causes of, consequences of, and various solutions
to urban sprawl.
• identify the effects of urban sprawl policies implemented
in three North American cities.
• analyze the implications of global urban patterns and
international solutions to sprawl.
Chapter 6 – National Parks: Saving the Natural Heritage of the U.S. and Canada
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: conservationist, fauna, flora, topographic map.
• demonstrate an ability to read and use topographic maps.
• identify the features of national parks in North America that
make the parks special and worth preserving.
• identify the challenges to national parks in the 21st century.
Chapter 7 – Consumption Patterns in the U.S.: The Impact of Living Well
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: consumption, developed country, developing country,
gross domestic product (GDP), per capita.
• demonstrate an ability to read and interpret cartograms.
• identify current consumption patterns in the United States.
• compare U.S. consumption patterns with those of other
countries around the world.
• evaluate the effects and predict the future impact of growing
levels of consumerism.
Chapter 8 – Migration to the U.S.: The Impact on People and Places
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: emigrate, immigrate, migration stream, pull factor,
push factor, refugee.
• understand the primary reasons people emigrate from their
country of birth and immigrate to the United States.
• identify key ways in which migration impacts the United
States, immigrants, and the countries left behind.
• learn about other important migration streams around the
world.
Unit 3: Latin America
Introduce Latin America as a region, discuss culture regions, and preview
physical geography – (use Mapping Lab)
Physical Geography of Mexico
 Political Map/Physical Map
 Demographic Data File
 Geography of Mexico City
Chapter 9 – Spatial Inequality in Mexico City: From Cardboard to Castles
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: rural decline, spatial inequality, standard of living,
urbanization.
• identify causes and consequences of urbanization.
• explain how spatial inequality affects people living in
Mexico City.
• examine standard of living around the world to understand
that spatial inequality exists on a global scale.
• examine highlights of Mexican History: Aztecs, New Spain, Independence, Mexican
Revolution in order to gain context.
************************Expected Semester Break**************************
Physical Geography of Central America
 Political Map/Physical Map
 Demographic Data File
Chapter 10 – Indigenous Cultures: The Survival of the Maya of Mesoamerica
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: adaptation, indigenous peoples, traditional culture,
subsistence farming.
• create interactive dramatizations that demonstrate the ways
that indigenous peoples in the highlands of Guatemala and
Chiapas have preserved their traditional Mayan culture and
have also adapted to modern life.
• identify the successes and challenges of indigenous peoples
around the world in maintaining their traditional cultures in
the modern world.
Physical Geography of the Caribbean
 Political Map/Physical Map
 Demographic Data File
Chapter 11 – Dealing with Extreme Weather: Hurricanes in the Caribbean
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: El Niño, extreme weather, meteorology, natural
disaster, tropical cyclone.
• describe the weather conditions that cause a hurricane to
form and strengthen.
• identify ways in which people deal with hurricanes in
the Caribbean.
• analyze the relationship between an El Niño and extreme
weather around the world.
Physical Geography of South America
 Political Map/Physical Map
 Demographic Data File
Chapter 12 – Land Use Conflict in the Amazon Rainforest
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: biodiversity, carbon-oxygen cycle, deforestation,
sustainable development, tropical rainforest.
• teach the class about one of the groups that has an interest
in the preservation or use of the resources of the Amazon
rainforest.
• analyze and discuss a series of questions to help them understand
the competing viewpoints of these various groups.
• investigate ideas from around the world about how to
address land use conflict in the rainforest and determine
which would be most applicable to the Amazon region.
Chapter 13 – Life in the Central Andes: Adapting to a Mountainous Region
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: altitudinal zonation, snow line, terracing, tree line,
vertical trade.
• describe the physical characteristics of four elevation zones:
tierra caliente, tierra templada, tierra fría, and tierra helada.
• identify ways in which people of the central Andes have
adapted to life in each of the four elevation zones.
• analyze the impact of retreating mountain glaciers on people
living in mountainous regions around the world.
• briefly examine the Inca people and the adaptations they made to mountain life.
Unit 4 – Europe and Russia
(Use Mapping Lab Materials)
Physical Geography of Europe
 Political Map/Physical Map
 Demographic Data File
Chapter 14 – Supranational Cooperation in the European Union
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: centrifugal force, centripetal force, common market,
supranational cooperation.
• analyze a population cartogram of selected European
countries.
• experience the forces that unite and divide members of the
European Union.
• examine other examples of international cooperation.
Chapter 15 – Population Dilemmas in Europe
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: demography, dependency ratio, life expectancy,
replacement rate, total fertility rate.
• analyze population pyramids to examine population trends.
• explore three population dilemmas in Europe: negative population
growth, aging population, and declining workforce.
• investigate the relationship between population growth rates
and development levels throughout the world.
Chapter 16 – Invisible Borders: Trans-boundary Pollution in Europe
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance these key geographic
terms: acid rain, nuclear radiation, river system, transboundary
pollution.
• analyze images and maps to understand the causes, locations,
and impact of radioactive pollution, acid rain, and
industrial water pollution on Europe.
• investigate the sources and spread of acid rain worldwide.
Chapter 17 – Russia’s Varied Landscape: Physical Processes at Work
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: erosion, glaciation, physical processes, tectonic
movement, volcanic activity.
• identify and analyze geographic information about Russia
using relief maps, satellite images, and photographs.
• explain how physical processes such as tectonic movement,
volcanic activity, erosion, and glaciation can shape the
landscape.
• explain the relationship between tectonic movement and
volcanic activity around the globe.
Chapter 18 – New Nation-States from the Old Soviet Empire: Will They Succeed?
Objectives
Students will
• define and explain the importance of these key geographic
terms: ethnic group, nation, nationalism, nation-state, state.
• identify some major factors that affect whether a nation will
succeed or collapse.
• analyze some of the factors that may determine the success
of the nation-states that have developed out of the former
Soviet Union.
• examine other regions in the world where new nations
are forming.