World Geography
Fall 2015
Grand Canyon College Preparatory Academy
Mission Statement
Through community, parent, teacher, and student partnership, it is the mission of Grand Canyon Prep to empower
students to fulfill their promise by promoting lifelong learning and career potential through academic scholarship,
character development, and active citizenship.
World Geography
12:15- 1:45 Tuesdays and Thursdays
Classroom: # 3
Instructor: David Grago
Email: dgrago@cox.net
Office hours: 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Tuesday and Thursday
I will begin my 12th year teaching Japanese at Grand Canyon Prep. I also teach Japanese at the Nissan Technical
Center in Maricopa and have three years’ experience teaching at Arizona State University. In addition, I spent five years
with Continental Airlines as a Japanese Interpreter. I have lived in many countries (6 years in Japan), and have traveled
and surfed the globe extensively. I have a Bachelor in Japanese from the University of Hawaii and a Masters from
National University. I lead our tours to Japan and Grand Canyon. I also spend much of my time hiking and backpacking
Grand Canyon and completing marathon hikes of 20 to 50 miles both day and night.
Course Topics, Scope & Sequence:
Unit Theme
Unit Dates and
Duration
Unit Focus
Description
The World in
Spatial Terms:
C1
PO1
PO2
PO4
Places &
Regions
C2
PO1
Physical
Systems:
C3
PO1
PO3
Human
Systems
: C4
PO1
Environment
& Society: C5
PO1
PO2
Geographic
Applications:
C6
PO3
The
Geographer’s
World
6 Days
Studying Geography
Earth in Space
Weather & Climate
Landforms, Water and Natural
Resources
Human Geography
Human Systems
The US &
Canada
10 days
Natural Environments of North
America
The United States
Canada
PO1
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO2
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO2
PO3
PO6
PO7
PO2
Central & South
America
6 Days
Mexico
Central America and the
Caribbean
South America
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO5
PO8
PO1
PO2
PO3
PO4
P05
PO6
PO2
PO3
Europe
6 days
Natural Environments of Europe
Northern & Western Europe
Central Europe
Southern Europe and the
Balkans
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO8
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO2
PO3
Russia &
Northern Eurasia
6 days
Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus
Central Asia
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO8
PO1
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO2
PO3
Southwest Asia
6 days
The Persian Gulf and Interior
The Eastern Mediterranean
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO8
PO1
PO2
PO3
PO5
PO7
PO2
Africa
6 days
North Africa
West & Central Africa
East Africa
Southern Africa
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO8
PO1
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO2
PO3
South Asia
6 days
India
The Indian Perimeter
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO8
PO1
PO2
PO3
PO5
PO6
PO2
East & Southeast
Asia
6 days
China, Mongolia & Taiwan
Japan and the Koreas
Mainland Southeast Asia
Island Southeast Asia
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO8
PO1
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO6
PO2
The Pacific
World
6 days
Australia and New Zealand
The Pacific Islands
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO5
PO6
PO1
PO3
PO4
PO1
PO5
PO6
PO7
PO8
PO1
PO2
PO3
PO4
PO6
PO2
Course Textbook:
World Geography Today (Holt) Robert Sager & David Helgren
Course Requirements
Lesson Quizzes
Lesson Tests
Projects
Notebook – includes daily classwork and homework
Attendance and preparation
Final Exam
Grading policy:
 20%
daily participation & classwork
 20%
quizzes
 30%
tests
 20%
Homework
 10%
final exam
Grading scale:
90 – 100% A
80 – 89% B
70 – 79% C
50 – 69% F
Policies and Procedures
1. Daily Materials:
a. One 3-ring binder [1-11/2 inch] with dividers.
b. Filler paper.
c. Pencil Pouch with: pencils, eraser, highlighters.
NOTEBOOK SECTIONS/DIVIDERS
REFERENCE: [Binder section 1] Each student is responsible to create and keep his/her own reference section, ex:
worksheets, classwork, definitions, maps etc.
TEXT: [Binder section 2] Each student will receive a packet for each unit of the text as we progress through the year.
This section will consist of text packets.
HOMEWORK: [Binder section 3] Your completed homework will be filed here. This will allow you a perfect reference
and study guide for all quizzes and tests.
Note: Please be sure to notify the teacher if there is a problem with obtaining these materials.
Parents/guardians will be contacted if students are not on task due to lack of materials and frequently begging
classmates for supplies.
Policies:
1. WORK MISSED DUE TO ABENCE/S: All class-work, HW, quizzes and tests must be made up equal to that of
the number of days absent due to illness.
2. Cell Phones & Mobile Devices: All students will be required to place their mobile devices in a hutch
designated for each student upon entering the classroom and can retrieve the device upon exiting at the end of
class.
3. Each student will receive a new tablet designated for their use only. Both the student and his/her parent/s or
guardian understands that the tablets are to be used for CLASS-RELATED WORK ONLY. Any usage of the
tablet for any other reason, without the expressed permission from the teacher will result in usage privileges.
Parent Notification of My Expectations
Finally, this syllabus, and all the information contained in it, must be read and signed by both you and your parents
below and should be returned to me by August 18th, 2015. I hope that this will better create a mutual understanding
regarding my procedures and expectations in the hope that we may work together as a team throughout the semester. If
there are any questions or concerns you may have relating to this class, I encourage you to contact me anytime. I look
forward to meeting you all very soon!
Student’s signature ___________________________________
Date ______________
Parent/s signature ____________________________________
Date______________