Rose Hill High School
World Geography
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor Name: Joshua Shirley
Class Location: 215
E-Mail: jshirley@usd394.com
"The study of geography is about more than just memorizing places on a map. It's about understanding the complexity of our world,
appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. And in the end, it's about using all that knowledge to help bridge
divides and bring people together."
President Obama
COURSE INFORMATION
Course Description:
World Studies will help the student become educated in an increasingly global society, through the following topics:
Physical Geography: Students will locate major political and physical features of the earth from memory and
interpret maps and graphic representations to suggest solutions to problems.
Human Geography/Population Geography: Students will be able to analyze the characteristics of settlement
patterns, as well as explain the importance of economic growth and how GDP is used to measure it.
United States/ Canada: Students will be able to locate major landforms, bodies of water, and cities of Asia. They
will also be able to explain how this has helped shape the region’s history, culture, and economy.
Latin America: Students will be able to identify and locate major landforms, bodies of water, and cities of Latin
America. They will also be able to explain how location has helped shape the region’s history, culture, and
economy.
Middle East: Students will be able to identify and locate major landforms, bodies of water, and cities of the Middle
East. They will also be able to explain how location has helped shape the region’s history, culture, and economy.
Asia: Students will be able to identify and locate major landforms, bodies of water, and cities of Asia. They will
also be able to explain how location has helped shape the region’s history, culture, and economy.
Africa: Students will be able to identify and locate major landforms, bodies of water, and cities in Africa. They
will also be able to explain how location has helped shape the region’s history, culture, and economy.
International Fair: The international fair is a project designed to further geographical understanding of a country of
their choosing. They will be required to research and present geographical information about their country. This
project will account for 10% of the student’s grade in World Geography.
Class Timeline
Unit 1----Physical Geography, Human Geography/Population Geography (3-4 weeks)
Unit 2---- Europe (2 weeks)
Unit 3---- United States/ Canada (2 weeks)
Unit 4---- Latin America (2 weeks)
Unit 4---- The Middle East (2 weeks)
Unit 5---- Asia/ Oceania (3 weeks)
Unit 6---- Africa (2 weeks)
Project--- International Fair (1 week)
Final----- Exam (1 week)
Course Objectives:
1. Students will explore how human and physical features give places and regions their distinctive features.
2. Students will analyze how geography has influenced human population, cooperation, and conflict.
3. Students will analyze how geography has influenced a regions history, culture, and economy.
4. Students will identify and locate major landforms, bodies of water, and cities located on earth’s surface.
5. Students will develop academics skill in the areas of reading, writing, collaboration, and inquiry.
Required Materials and Supplies:
 World Geography Textbook
 Class Notebook- 2 inch, 3 ring (you should not need paper, notes will be provided with room to fill in
information)
 Pen/pencil
Method of Evaluation:
 Homework/Classwork (various handouts, worksheets, etc.) Ave. pts= 15
 Quizzes (multiple choice, short answer, essay) Ave. pts= 30
 Projects (various throughout the semester, plus a semester project) Ave. pts= 30-100
 Test (multiple choice, short answer, essay) Ave. pts= 80-100
Grading Scale:
A
100 – 90%
B
89 – 80%
C
79 – 70%
D
69 – 60%
F
59 – 0%
Late Work:
Please turn in all assignments on time. You are allowed a grace period until the Unit we are on is over. Any
homework turned in after the assigned due date is subject to points being deducted. All point deductions are left up
to the discretion of the instructor.
Format For Papers:
Font: Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri or similar READABLE fonts of similar size
Size: 12
Margins: 1 inch on all sides
Spacing: Single
Heading: Name of the paper or project on left, name and class period on right
Other Formatting: For multiple page papers, have page number on bottom
INSTRUCTOR POLICIES
In order to be successful in this class you will need to:
1. be positive, many things in life you cannot change but your attitude each day is one of them
2. come to class with all materials1
3. respect your peers, your instructor and yourself
4. no hats in the classroom
5. refrain from eating food in the classroom2
6. identify intended location and time in agenda before approaching the instructor to exit the class
7. turn off and put away cell phones
8. come in immediately if you have missed class and get the make-up work
1
2
materials- textbook, writing utensil, class notebook, agenda, and homework or project
this includes candy; gum is okay
Students are responsible for three things:
Their Thoughts
Their Attitude
Their Actions
DISCIPLINE POLICIES
Discipline problems are those that the instructor deems harmful to the success of the students in the classroom.
These actions will be those which go against the classroom social contract. If discipline problems do arise they will
be dealt with as follows:
First offense: Verbal Warning
Second offense: Removal from classroom
Third offense: Classroom Detention/ Parental Contact
Fourth offense: Referral to Administration
We will be watching educational videos which help enhance our students understanding of a subject. These
videos are PG, PG-13 in nature please sign below if you have read the syllabus and agree to allow your child
to participate in watching the videos. If you do not an alternative assignment will be assigned
_____ Yes I will allow my student to watch the educational videos
_____ No I request an alternate assignment for my student anytime these videos are to be shown
Parent Signature ________________________________
Student Signature________________________________