World Geography
Tracks: 1, 2, and 3
Offered: Quarter course to complete the Related Arts semester; Freshmen Year – Grade 9
Course Outline:
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A course of study aimed at developing and improving basic skills in world geography. This
course will help students learn to use maps and other geographic representations. Students will
understand how culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions.
Students will see how human actions can modify the physical environment and how these new
physical systems affect human systems. Students will determine how patterns and networks of
economic interdependence on Earth’s surface affects all.
GOALS
In the quarterly World Geography program the primary goals are to help students learn:
1. How to use maps and other graphic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire,
process, and report information from a spatial perspective.
2. How to use mental maps to organize information about people, places, and environments in a
spatial context.
3. The physical and human characteristics of places
4. That people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity.
5. How culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions.
6. The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth’s surface.
7. The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement.
8. How human actions modify the physical environment.
9. How physical systems affect human systems.
OBJECTIVES
In the quarterly World Geography program enhances a variety of student skills. Through
this program, the students learn to:
1. Understand the themes and elements associated with the study of geography.
2. Understand the purpose and uses of globes and map projections.
3. Describe how to use maps, graphs, and charts.
4. Identify the most commonly used geographic terms.
5. Develop critical thinking skills such as sequencing and categorizing information and
understanding cause and effect.
6. Develop critical thinking skills such as drawing inferences and conclusions and making
predictions.
7. Develop critical thinking skills such as distinguishing fact from opinion and making
comparisons.
COURSE OUTLINE
Unit 1: The Americas
A. The United States
1. The United States: states and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
B. Canada
1. Canada: provinces and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
C. Latin America
1. Mexico
a. Mexico: states and capitals
b. Physical Features and Climate
c. The People
d. Economy and Environment
2. Central America and the Caribbean
a. Central America and the Caribbean: countries and capitals
b. Physical Features and Climate
c. The People
d. Economy and Environment
3. South America
a. South America: countries and capitals
b. Physical Features and Climate
c. The People
d. Economy and Environment
Unit 2: Europe
A. The British Isles
1. The British Isles: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
B. Western Europe
1. Western Europe: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
C. Southern Europe
1. Southern Europe: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
D. Northern Europe
1. Northern Europe: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environments
E. Eastern Europe and the Balkan Countries
1. Eastern Europe and the Balkan Countries: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
F. Russia and the Independent Republics
1. Russia and the Independent Republics: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
Unit 3: Africa and the Middle East
A. West Africa
1. West Africa: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
B. Southern Africa
1. Southern Africa: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
C. Central and Eastern Africa
1. Central and Eastern Africa: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
D. North Africa and the Middle East
1. North Africa and the Middle East: countries and capitals
2. Physical Features and Climate
3. The People
4. Economy and Environment
Unit 4: Asia and the Pacific
A. Central and East Asia
1. China
a. China: provinces and capitals
b. Physical Features and Climate
c. The People
d. Economy and Environment
2. Japan and the Koreas
a. Japan and the Koreas: states and capitals
b. Physical Features and Climate
c. The People
d. Economy and Environment
B. South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific
1. South Asia
a. South Asia: countries and capitals
b. Physical Features and Climate
c. The People
d. Economy and Environment
2. Southeast Asia
a. Southeast Asia: countries and capitals
b. Physical Features and Climate
c. The People
d. Economy and Environment
3. The Pacific World
a. The Pacific World: countries and capitals
b. Physical Features and Climate
c. The People
d. Economy and Environment
Unit 5: Geography and Today’s World
A. Geography Today
B. Environmental Issues
C. The Condition of Human Geography
D. The Global Economy
ASSESSMENTS
Maps
Quizzes
Tests
Project
countries and capitals, physical features, climate, etc.
knowledge of geography terms, places, and people
understanding of how the maps and terms connect
culmination of understanding
MATERIALS
Textbook
Lewinski, Marcel. World Geography. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service, Inc.,
2001.
Supplements
The World Blank Map Forms: Maps of Continents and Countries. Monterey, CA: Evan-Moor
Publishing, 1993.
Map Skills: Latin America. St. Louis, MO: Milliken Publishing Company, 1993.
Map Skills: The World. St. Louis, MO: Milliken Publishing Company, 1994.
Map Skills: Africa. St. Louis, MO: Milliken Publishing Company, 1992.
Map Skills: Europe. St. Louis, MO: Milliken Publishing Company, 1993.
Maps! The World and the United States. Riverside, CA: Teacher’s Friend Publications, 1999.
Any other supplements from workbooks and the Internet.