YEAR 1
GEOGRAPHY
Geography &
HeavenlyFather’s Plan
Lesson 1: Geography & Heavenly Father’s Plan
Desired Result: The children will understand that
geography is an important part of Heavenly Father’s
plan.
Principle 1: We can express gratitude to the Lord for the earth with all its
geographic elements. It is the stage for our mortal life.
Principle 2: Geography is a description of the earth and the people who live
on it. The study of geography can be separated into three main categories:
mathematical, physical, and political.
Principle 3: Heavenly Father and Jesus use the language of geography to speak
to us and teach us about Themselves and the gospel.
Preparation & Materials
Prepare the following ONLINE materials:
Log into the online Library to print or display.
1-1a—Song: “All Things Bright and Beautiful” (Become familiar with this song.)
1-1b—Handout: Divisions of Geography activity instructions (Print one copy
for parent.)
 1-1c—Handout: Overview of Geographic Terms (Print one copy for parent.)


Prepare the following at-home materials:
 Prepare “The Divisions of Geography” according to instructions in handout
1-1b.
 “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” (Children’s Songbook, 231)
 Think of a time the Lord taught you something using a geographic term. See
example in the lesson.
 Gather several items to represent mathematical, physical, and political
geography: ruler, clock, map, globe, cup of dirt, thermometer, raincoat, plastic
animal, leaf, cup of water, plastic army or Indian figure, doll or item from another
country, food from a different country, etc.
 American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster (1828)
Vocabulary:
geography
mathematical
physical
political
1
1
GEOGRAPHY 1.1
LESSON
Attention Activity
I would like to begin today by reading the words to the song, “All Things Bright
and Beautiful. Listen to1-1a—Song: “All Things Bright and Beautiful” online or read
from the Primary Children’s Songbook, pg. 231, all 4 verses.
• What are some of the Lord’s creations mentioned in this song?
Write the answers on the board: flowers, birds, mountains, rivers, sunsets, sky, cold
wind, winter, summer, sun, fruit, garden, trees, meadows, rushes.)
All the things mentioned in this song are part of geography.
Principle 1: We can express gratitude to the Lord for the earth with all its
geographic elements. It is the stage for our mortal life.
Research
Let’s sing the chorus of this song together.
• Who is it that created all the things in the song? (Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ.)
Let’s turn to Abraham 3:24 in the Pearl of Great Price together. As we read this
verse listen and see if you can tell me why (the reason or purpose) Heavenly
Father and Jesus created the earth:
And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto
those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we
will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may
dwell [live].
Reason
• What does this verse teach us about the purpose of the earth or the purpose
of geography? (Heavenly Father and Jesus created the earth so we would
have a place to dwell or live while we continue to learn and grow.)
Relate
When we pray we can express our gratitude for our dwelling place.
• Think of the world around you. What are some of the things that involve ge-
ography you are grateful for? (Sunshine, mountains, the beach, your country,
stars, plants. etc.)
2
GEOGRAPHY 1.1
Write Principle 1 on the board: We can express gratitude to the Lord for the earth
with all its geographic elements. It is the stage for our mortal life.
Principle 2: Geography is a description of the earth and the people who live on
it. It can be separated into three main categories: mathematical, physical, and
political.
Research
• What is the study of geography?
Write on the board: Mathematical Geography.
Let’s open the dictionary and research what the word “geography” means in
Greek.
The Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary says:
GEOG’RAPHY, n. [G. the earth, and... to write, to describe.]
Matthew Fontaine Maury was a 19th-century American Christian geographer,
astronomer, and father of oceanography. He defined geography as “a description of the surface of the earth, and its inhabitants” (M.F. Maury, The Manual of
Geography, 1880, 137).
Matthew Maury divided the study of geography into three branches: mathematical, physical, and political.
Using the dictionary definition of geography (“the earth, and... to write, to describe”) and Matthew Maury’s definition of geography, (“a description of the
surface of the earth, and its inhabitants”), let’s write our own definition on the
board.
Write Principle 2: Geography is a description of the earth and the people who
live on it. It can be separated into three main categories—mathematical, physical, and political.
Reason
Place several items on the table to represent mathematical, physical, and political geography. Ideas may include a ruler, a clock, a map, a globe, a cup of
dirt, a thermometer, a raincoat, a plastic animal, a leaf, a cup of water, a plastic
army or indian figure, a doll or item from another country, scriptures, food from a
different country, etc.
Mathematical geography involves measurements, numbers, shapes, sizes, positions, and distances.
3
GEOGRAPHY 1.1
• Which of these items can we use to represent mathematical geography?
(Ruler, clock, map, globe.)
• Physical geography involves things in nature that we can see and feel. Which
of these items can we use to represent physical geography? (Cup of dirt,
plastic animal, raincoat, leaf, cup of water.)
Political geography involves the people and the man-made divisions of the
earth.
• Which of these items can we use to represent political geography? (Doll or
item from another country, army or plastic Indian figure, scriptures, food from
a different country.)
Relate
Activity: The Divisions of Geography
I have an activity that we can do that will help us learn and understand which
geographic terms fit into each of the three categories.
Use 1-1b—Handout: Divisions of Geography Instructions to carry out this activity.
Now we can see that there is order within the subject of geography. It can be
divided or organized into three main categories: mathematical, physical, and
political.
RECESS / BREAK
Principle 3: Heavenly Father and Jesus use the language of Geography to speak
to us and teach us about themselves and the gospel using the world around us.
Attention Activity
I speak a little __________. (Example: Spanish, German, French etc.)
Some of the words I know are “_______.” (Share some words you know in another
language.)
• Do you know any words from another language?
• Can you tell me any?
• What does that word mean?
4
GEOGRAPHY 1.1
I also know some words from a language other than _______.
Here are some of the words I know: lake, equator, archipelago, harbor, and
economics.
• Do any of you speak this language?
• What language is this? (Geography.)
• What are some of the words you know in this language?
This year we are going to learn to speak the language of geography.
Research
I know someone who speaks the language of geography perfectly. Turn with me
to 1 Nephi 2:8–10 in the Book of Mormon, and let’s read together:
8. And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it
emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth
thereof.
9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be
like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!
10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this
valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of
the Lord!
• Can anyone identify any words in the language of geography in these scriptures? (River, sea, valley, borders, mouth, waters, fountain.)
• Who is speaking to his sons using geographical terms? (Lehi.)
• Lehi is a prophet that speaks the words of the Lord, so who is actually speaking the language of Geography in these verses? (The Lord.)
Reason
I speak (my language) because I want to be able to communicate with people
who speak that language.
• Why does the Lord speak the language of geography?
Let’s look back at the verses we just read:
9 ...he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river,
continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!
10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this
valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of
the Lord!
• What does the Lord say to Laman? (He wants him to learn to be like a river
that is always flowing toward righteousness or goodness.)
5
GEOGRAPHY 1.1
• What does the Lord say to Lemuel? (He wants him to learn to be firm in keeping the commandments—like a valley.)
• Why do you think the Lord uses the language of geography to talk to these
young men? (The Lord knew that Laman and Lemuel were living by a river
and in a valley. He wanted to use things they could see and touch to teach
them.)
He was using the river and the valley to help them understand a gospel principle.
In this case, He is teaching continuous and steadfast obedience in choosing the
right.
Relate
Bear your own testimony of a time the Lord taught you something using geography. Example: “One night I was staring up at the sky and I thought of the song “I
am like a Star Shining Brightly,” and I felt the Holy Ghost prompt me, “You can be
like a star in your own home. You can shine brightly for your husband and your
children. The Lord used the geographical word “star” to teach me that night.
God uses the language of geography to speak to us and help us understand the
gospel using the world around us.
Write Principle 3 on the board: Heavenly Father and Jesus use the language of
geography to speak to us and teach us about themselves and the gospel.
Review & Testimony
Let’s review the principles we’ve discovered today in our activities:
Principle 1: We can express gratitude to the Lord for the earth with all its
geographic elements. It is the stage for our mortal life.
Principle 2: Geography is a description of the earth and the people who live on
it. It can be separated into three main categories—mathematical, physical, and
political.
Principle 3: Heavenly Father and Jesus use the language of geography to speak
to us and teach us about themselves and the gospel.
As prompted by the Spirit share your testimony of the principles you have taught.
Literature
Introduce Geography Literature: Each year in Geography we will use a book
6
GEOGRAPHY 1.1
to help us learn more about the continent we are studying. This year we are going to read the book Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis.
Pass out the books to the children.
This wonderful story takes place in China.
Locate China and the Yangtze River on a map of globe.
Each time we read let’s look for anything along the way that has something to
do with geography. As discover them, we will use a marking pencil to highlight
the things we learn about China’s geography from our reading.
In our reading we want to focus on geography, but as we come across gospel
principles we will highlight those as well. Every good piece of literature teaches
gospel principles such as: obedience, kindness, patience, learning, growth etc.
Record
Choose from the following according to time available and appropriateness
for each of your children. The recordings for this lesson should be stored in each
student’s geography notebook behind the title page. This notebook will be assembled during the next lesson.
All Children:
• Record the definition of geography.
• Record all or a portion of Abraham 3:24.
• Record the principles taught in this lesson.
Younger Children:
• Draw pictures of things you are thankful for related to geography.
• Think of a primary song related to geography. Talk about and record the
Lord’s message to you. (Example: The song “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam”
can remind us to cheer people as sunshine often cheers people up.)
Older Children:
• Look up the word “geography” in the Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary and sort
the various parts of the entire definition under mathematical, physical, and political geography. Record your findings.
• Find a song in the Hymn Book and look for a message from the Lord through
geography. Record your thoughts in your notebook.
• Make a list in your notebook of some of the elements of geography you are
grateful for and explain why. Label them mathematical, physical, or political.
7
GEOGRAPHY 1.1
Family Follow-up
For further exploration of the subject individually, as a parent, as a family, or as
guided by a parent during extra time:
• Select a family time when recording will be shared, such as mealtime, Family
Home Evening, or before family prayer.
• Practice playing the Divisions of Geography activity.
• Have each member of the family write 10 things they are grateful for on small
slips of paper. Place the papers in a gratitude jar. Take turns drawing a slip of
paper out and read it to everyone. Then use the handout as a guide to decide
whether the item listed falls under mathematical, physical, or political geography.
The
Family School
8
© 2012 by American Heritage School