Geography Syllabus
8th Grade Geography Syllabus
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
World Geography is designed to help students understand how events or actions of people are influenced by physical and cultural geography. This course involves the study of the five universal themes of geography including human/environment interactions, location, movement, place, and regions. The regions of the world will be studied over the three trimesters of the school year. The topics and major assignment for each trimester are:
* Fall - The study of North and South America. The students will need to interview an immigrant and write a five part essay covering topics discussed in the interview.
* Winter - The study of Europe and Africa. The students will research and complete a History Day project.
* Spring - The study of Asia, Australia, and the Pacific region. The students will research indepth one country or culture and create a magazine that includes student created articles, maps, and travel information.
Each student will also participate in History Day as part of the course requirement for the winter trimester. Students, who do well in our school History Day fair in late February, will advance on to the regional competition, and possible advance on to state and national events.
Major key knowledge and applications students will be exposed to in this course are:
1. Analyze and interpret the causes and effects of the ever-changing distribution and migration of human populations on the Earth's surface.
2. Compare and contrast how physical and cultural geography has influenced and will continue to influence regional and world issues of the past, present and future.
3. Apply the five basic themes of geography to examine a current event or issue.
4. Interpret and convey the interdependence of world peoples to one another and to their environments through charts, maps, timelines and graphs.
5. Understand the relationship between place, religion, culture, ethnicity and race.
6. Identify how the physical environment is modified by and modifies human activities.
7. Develop a mental map of Minnesota and the world.
Students are expected to come to class prepared daily. This includes bring to class classroom materials they are responsible to bring. These items are:
- pencil or pen for assignments and note taking
- notebook or binder with paper
- color pencils when needed to complete map work or projects
- textbooks that are assigned by the History teacher
- daily planner to log assignments and use materials found in its reference section
o materials for projects such as History Day or other class projects
COURSE EXPECTATIONS:
Students are expect to be respectful to their peers and teachers at all times in class. Planners are necessary to receive a pass to leave the classroom.
All students are held responsible for assignments and are expected to turn in all work on time to receive full credit. When a student is absent it is their responsibility to ask the teacher when they return to ask for and collect any missed work or assignments.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS USED:
World Explorer: Eastern Hemisphere (2001), Prentice Hall, New Jersey
World Explorer: Western Hemisphere (2001), Prentice Hall, New Jersey
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