Themes to emphasize in the geography curriculum.

Themes to emphasize in the geography curriculum. There are major themes in geography, which all teachers should incorporate into the social studies. These themes assist students to organize information and relate relevant ideas. Teachers need to study and experiment with using a set of structural ideas to facilitate student learning. Otherwise, learning may comprise of isolated facts, concepts, and generalizations, which are difficult to remember, use, and to apply. Then too, what is taught may consist of trivia and the unimportant. These situations can be largely avoided if time is taken to select vital ideas, which stress a structure of knowledge. Geography teachers in the social studies need to meet together with university professors of the social sciences to identify salient ideas in the curriculum. The identified ideas may then become objectives for use in teaching and learning situations. A good set of guidelines to use here was developed cooperatively by the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE NCGE National Council for Geographic EducationNCGE National Centre for Guidance in Education (Ireland), 1994). ********** Place Geography in the Social Studies Place geography in the past might have stressed location and memorization of capitol cites of states and nations. When being a grade school and high school student, 1934-1946, the author remembers well when mimeographed outline maps within a unit of study, with heavy basal textbook use, were handed out to students. Capitol cities, states and nations, along with major rivers, were to be identified and labeled by the student. In fact in a college course entitled "Principles of Geography," the instructor handed out several outline maps, and we the students were to fill in different information or data thereon such as the location of bays, seas, oceans, major seaports, and capitol cities of nations, among other items. The author cannot say that this was all in vain, because there are a plethora of salient remembrances here on place geography. But, the study of place geography might have been enriched with meaningful characteristics. Thus, a study of the Dead Sea in the land of Palestine may be enriched with the use of AV materials containing vital facts, concepts, and generalizations such as: * It has no outlet and thus contains 26 per cent salt and other minerals. * It is receding at an annual rate of 300 yards since almost no water is received from the Jordan River Jordan RiverRiver, Middle East. It rises on the Syria-Lebanon border, flows through Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee), and then receives its main tributary, the Yarmuk River. . * It is a desert area with less than five inches of rainfall per year. * It had ancient civilizations nearby such as the ruins of a religious sect known as Qumran with its storerooms, scriptorium scrip��to��ri��um?n. pl. scrip��to��ri��ums or scrip��to��ri��aA room in a monastery set aside for the copying, writing, or illuminating of manuscripts and records. , communal kitchen and dining area, along the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. * It is the place where the Dead Sea scrolls Dead Sea Scrolls,ancient leather and papyrus scrolls first discovered in 1947 in caves on the NW shore of the Dead Sea. Most of the documents were written or copied between the 1st cent. B.C. and the first half of the 1st cent. A.D. were found. A multi-media approach in teaching needs to be used so that all students may benefit optimally in geographical learnings. Location Location describes the connections of the specific place, such as the Dead Sea, with other places and people. The Dead Sea has interesting connections with other places such as: * It is connected with the fresh water Sea of Galilee The Sea of Galilee or Lake Kinneret (Hebrew ים כנרת), is Israel's largest freshwater lake. It is approximately 53 km (33 miles) in circumference, about 21 km (13 miles) long, and 13 km (8 miles) wide; it has a total area of 166 in the north, 67 miles distant, the connector being the Jordan River. Water used for irrigation irrigation,in agriculture, artificial watering of the land. Although used chiefly in regions with annual rainfall of less than 20 in. (51 cm), it is also used in wetter areas to grow certain crops, e.g., rice. purposes from the Sea of Galilee has made the Jordan River almost without water as it empties into the Dead Sea. * The Sea of Galilee is excellent for fishing and used by tourists for commercial water transportation to nearby villages including the ancient site of Capernaum with its restored Jewish synagogue of the third century AD. * The Sea of Galilee is 660 feet below sea level whereas the Dead Sea is 1300 feet below sea level making the former much more hospitable for human endeavors. * It receives most of its waters from the melting snow of Mount Hermon Mount Hermon (; Arabic: جبل الشيخ, Jabal el-Shaiykh, Djabl a-Shekh, Hebrew: , located directly to the north, with an elevation of 14,000 feet above sea level. Teachers need to assist learners to perceive knowledge as being related and connections need to be made. Human Environment Interaction The Dead Sea area is very inhospitable as compared to the Sea of Galilee. Human beings, however, can modify their surroundings to make for a better life. The city of Jericho, located four miles northwest of the Dead Sea, is 800 feet below sea level and would be a desert if it were not fox several springs available for irrigation. With irrigation water from Elisa's fountain, Jericho is a beautiful garden spot. Humans over the centuries have built irrigation channels to send water to where it is needed. Jericho, an oasis, then has luscious bananas, grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes limesplural limites(Latin; “path”)In ancient Rome, a strip of open land along which troops advanced into unfriendly territory. It came to mean a Roman military road, fortified with watchtowers and forts. , and traditional vegetables including carrots, green beans green beansNoun, pllong narrow green beans that are cooked and eaten as a vegetable , spinach, and peas. The irrigation channels are built of concrete and serve their purposes well to provide water to where it is needed. Early in the latter part of the first century BC and the early part of the first century AD, ancients thought of a new approach to secure water, other than from local springs. Caesarea was built by Herod the Great in honor of Caesarea Augustus, ruler of the Roman Empire. Engineers of the Roman Empire devised aqueducts, which channeled water from a distance to the desired place. Cities, such as Caesarea might then be built in any area as long as water could be channeled to reach these distant places of human habitation HABITATION, civil law. It was the right of a person to live in the house of another without prejudice to the property. 2. It differed from a usufruct in this, that the usufructuary might have applied the house to any purpose, as, a store or manufactory; whereas . Caesarea, presently, has a beautiful, well-restored, excavated amphitheater. Amphitheaters were used to provide entertainment for people of their day. Caesarea is located along the Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea[Lat.,=in the midst of lands], the world's largest inland sea, c.965,000 sq mi (2,499,350 sq km), surrounded by Europe, Asia, and Africa.GeographyThe Mediterranean is c.2,400 mi (3,900 km) long with a maximum width of c. between Haifa and Tel Aviv Tel Aviv(tĕl əvēv`), city (1994 pop. 355,200), W central Israel, on the Mediterranean Sea. Oficially named Tel Aviv–Jaffa, it is Israel's commercial, financial, communications, and cultural center and the core of its largest . Regions as Defined By Geographers A region has homogeneous characteristics within that area of land such as the Dead Sea and Jericho being in a desert. A desert may be defined in terms of its characteristics such as having less than five inches of rainfall per year, among other criteria. The Middle East region on the planet earth can be located on a map and globe. Characteristics of the Middle East include the Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate is a climate that resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin. Outside the Mediterranean, this climate covers relatively small areas of the Earth, and generally occurs on the western coasts of continental landmasses, roughly between : * Rainfall is present from November to April only, with no rainfall, basically, from April to November. * Limited rainfall makes for desert situations, unless irrigation is possible or an area receives adequate rainfall for the six months, which must then last a calendar year. Thus, Jerusalem receives 25 inches annual rainfall amount and has moderate temperature readings due, in part, to being 2500 feet above sea level. Even then, the surrounding Judean Hills begin to look barren after the beginning of July. * Specific agricultural crops are grown in the Mediterranean region including olives, citrus fruits, dates, figs, almonds, sesame seeds, and pomegranates, as well as wheat and barley. * The Bedouin population uses donkeys and camels for transportation. Sheep and goats are raised for a supply of meat, along with some cattle. The kinds of livestock raised and used are adapted to semi-desert life. * Cities can be quite modern and sell state of the art equipment and machines. Cairo, Damascus, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Amman, Jeddah, and Riyadh are examples of modern cities, in whole or part. Characteristics such as those listed above separate the Mediterranean region from North and South America South America,fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. . and Australia, among others. When defining the Middle East as a region, there are homogeneous as well as heterogeneous characteristics. Thus. within that region, there are language differences such as Arabic and Turkish, the latter spoken in Turkey. Religious differences also are in the offing coming; arriving in the foreseeable future.visible but not nearby.See also: Offing Offing such as Islam being dominant (Sunni and Shiaa), Greek Orthodox Adj. 1. Greek Orthodox - of or relating to or characteristic of the Eastern Orthodox ChurchEastern Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Orthodoxfaith, religion, religious belief - a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he Christian, as well as Roman Catholic, among other less populous religions (Ediger, 1998). Human Interaction on the Planet Earth There is much human interaction within a region such as within the Mediterranean World. People do need to produce goods and services In economics, economic output is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Consumption of goods and services is assumed to produce utility (unless the "good" is a "bad"). It is often used when referring to a Goods and Services Tax. for human use and consumption. Interaction is then needed to provide/distribute food, clothing, and shelter. These may be produced locally or imported. Then too, there is much interaction among people from different regions and continents. Thus, people come to the Mediterranean world for a variety of purposes. For example, in normal times, many tourists come to the Holy Land to visit sites of religious significance including * The Church of the Annunciation This article refers to the basilica in Nazareth. For information on the church associated with the Blagoveschenskaya Tower in Russia, see Kremlin towers or Cathedral of the Annunciation. in Nazareth. * The walled city of Jerusalem. * The Church of the Holy Sepulcher Holy Sepulcher(sĕp`əlkər), church in Jerusalem, officially the Church of the Resurrection. It is in the east central part of the Christian quarter, on the supposed site of Jesus' tomb. Steps connect it with chapels of St. in Jerusalem. * The Dome of the Rock Dome of the Rock:see Islamic art and architecture. Dome of the Rockor Mosque of OmarOldest existing Islamic monument. It is located on Temple Mount, previously the site of the Temple of Jerusalem. , an octagonal oc��tag��o��nal?adj.Having eight sides and eight angles.oc��tago��nal��ly adv.Adj. 1. shaped Mosque, with a gold plaited plait?n.1. A braid, especially of hair.2. A pleat.tr.v. plait��ed, plait��ing, plaits1. To braid.2. To pleat.3. To make by braiding. dome, in Jerusalem. * The Western Wall, the only remnant of the ancient Jewish Temple Jewish temple: Jewish temple or The Jewish Temple, may refer to the original two ancient Jewish Temples in Jerusalem. The first one was destroyed by the ancient Babylonians in 586 BCE, and the second was destroyed by Rome in 70 CE. . * The Church of the Nativity The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (Arabic, كنيسة المهد) is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. in Bethlehem. * The rich history of the city of Hebron. * Famous Tombs such as of Christ; Mary, Absalom, son of King David: and Joseph, the son of the Patriarch Jacob. * Jacob's hand dug well in Samaria. People from the Mediterranean World visit other geographical regions on the planet earth. Some migrate to a different region in looking for Looking forIn the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. improved opportunities such as jobs, professions, safety factors from wars, and education. People are mobile and move to other nations and regions in order to satisfy basic needs (Ediger and Rao, 2001). Important Factors in Learning The geography teacher needs to master subject matter as well as use appropriate methods of teaching. Thus, he/she needs to engage students actively in ongoing learning activities. If students then are making relief maps, each needs to be thoroughly involved. Students here may work individually or within a committee, preferably meeting their unique learning styles. As a result of these activities, students should become increasingly interested in place located and other related information containing relevant concepts and generalizations. Placing the Dead Sea (1300 feet below sea level), the Sea of Galilee (660 feet below sea level) and the Jordan River as a connector, assists students to use knowledge in making a relief map. Second, students need to perceive purpose for learning. Mere busy work is not a purpose, but assisting students to see reasons for making a products map may clarify for learners in which regions specific farm crops are grown. The learning activity should help students to acquire information on why the agricultural products are grown in that particular area. information on citrus fruits and vegetables grown in the Middle East can be placed on a products map in pictorial form. Third, students should experience quality sequence in learning. Each idea gained should provide background information for the new objective to be achieved. With objectives to be achieved being related, the student should perceive connections in the geography curriculum. Thus. knowledge about agricultural products grown should provide necessary information on marketing and selling consumer items. Related knowledge and skills are retained for a longer period of time as compared to isolated learnings. Fourth, students should perceive meaning in teaching and learning situations. Learners who understand subject matter taught would be better able to apply what has been learned as compared to meaningless content acquired. Depth learning should be stressed. A variety of learning activities pertaining to a concept or to a generalization should help students to attach meaning in achieving objectives. Fifth, individual differences should be provided for in the multi-cultural geography curriculum. Students individually possess multiple intelligences (see Gardner). The strengths of each student must be respected/ accepted and used positively in the classroom setting. For example, a student who does not read well may work within a committee where there is a proficient reader. Those who need assistance in reading may receive this kind of help. Thus, the good reader may work harmoniously with other committee members in doing artwork, construction experiences, creative dramatics dra��mat��ics?n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)1. The art or practice of acting and stagecraft.2. Dramatic or stagy behavior: Cut the dramatics and get to the point. , and the making of models. which relate directly to the ongoing unit of study in geography. Sixth, classroom experiences need to stress problem-solving activities. Students may identify and secure information from multi-media sources on: * What caused the Great Rift Great Rift may mean: Great Rift Valley, a geographical and geological feature, approximately 6,000km in length, which runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in East Africa. along the Jordan River? * What causes folding such as that in the Judean Hills? * Why there is level land in the fertile triangle of the Plains of Esdraelen (20 X 20 x 30 miles in dimension) while the other surrounding land areas are hilly and mountainous. Conclusion A student centered geography curriculum needs to contain essential elements. These elements, among others, include quality, challenging objectives, which are attainable by learners. Learning opportunities need to assist students individually to attain the chosen objectives. Assessment results help to determine if the objectives have been achieved, as well as provide feedback to students and teachers for further learnings needed. References Edgier, M. (1998). The Holy Land. Kirksville, Missouri Kirksville is a city in Adair County, Missouri, United States. The population was 16,988 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Adair CountyGR6. Kirksville also anchors a micropolitan area that is comprised of Adair and Schuyler counties. : Simpson Publishing Company. Ediger, M. & Bhaskara Rao, D. (2001). Teaching Social Studies Successfully. New Delhi, India: Discovery Publishing House. Gardner, H. (1999). The Disciplined Mind. New York New York, state, United StatesNew York,Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of : Simon and Schuster. National Council for Geographic Education. (1994). Geography for Life. Washington, DC: NCGE. Dr. Marlow Ediger, Professor Emeritus, Truman State University CampusSituated in the southern part of the city of Kirksville, Truman's main campus is situated around a slightly wooded quadrangle. By long standing policy, the entire campus is officially "dry," meaning that alcohol is not allowed (though the president of the university has . Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Marlow Ediger, P.O. Box 417, North Newton, KS 67117.