Teaching Geography- Finding Your Way

Teaching Students Geography- Where in the world are we?

About forty years ago, I was teaching a middle school social studies class about Vietnam and the ongoing war. A few of them talked about being against it and several  students  were offering opinions about  whether the US  should be involved . I pulled down my trusty wall map of the world and held out my pointer and asked if any student could locate Vietnam on the map. Not one of them could.  Geography doesn’t get the classroom attention it should.  That is probably true for social studies in general as it is not a subject that is a component of many state assessment tests.  As a result students are woefully behind in the subject. With the advent of GPS devices and computer programs like MapQuest, students today don’t even need to know how to read a road map. They simply obtain the turn by turn directions or the voice in GPS tells them where to go.

The teaching of geography need not be boring. There are a number of excellent web sites with lesson plans, downloadable maps, and activity sheets for practically all grade levels. Here are a few suggestions.

National Geographic   (http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education)

Here you will find a wealth of information and materials for classroom use. Lessons are broken down by grade level and come complete with student objectives, a list of materials required and a link to the National Geography Standards. Take a look at the “most popular” link.( Hint-  it deals with the Middle East.)

Smithsonian- ( http://smithsonianeducation.org/educators)

This is another outstanding site that is filled with resources, lessons, plans and links to standards. Not just for geography only, this site also provides information for professional development for teachers.

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)www.education.noaa.gov

This government  agency web site , run by the US Department of Commerce has a great color photos and ideas  for teaching about weather, climate change, ecosystems, and a great deal more.

Rand McNally (www.randmcnally.com/edcuation).

Yes, the company that makes many of the maps in your classroom also has a web site for teachers. While this is a commercial site and wants you to purchase maps and such for your students, you can still obtain much useful information.

(photo credit- NOAA)