Download E01 5 Themes Project

Mr. Lerch
World Geography
Thursday, August 25, 2011
World Geography E01 (Geography Skills) Project Comparing and Contrasting Macedonia with Another Country
Using the Five Themes of Geography
Directions
This project is an important way to assess your understanding of E01 and the TSWs
associated with it. The goal of this project is that you use your knowledge in some way, not
just know it. I will assess you in other ways throughout this unit, but this project is the major
method of assessment. It is a summative assessment, which means it is for a grade.
So what exactly will I be assessing? I will be assessing your ability to use your knowledge of
the five themes of geography to explain similarities and differences between Macedonia and
a second country. I have designed tasks that require you to demonstrate your knowledge of
the five themes and your skill to compare and contrast similarities and differences between
the two countries.
You will be working in pairs. Although you are working with another person, I expect you to
both contribute equally to satisfying the B level tasks that are listed. I expect you to
demonstrate success orientations as you work. This means demonstrating
kindness/politeness, concern for others, group interaction, aesthetic appreciation, independent
endeavor, responsibility and trustworthiness.
Even though you are working together, you should be able to tell me what your individual
contributions to the project were. I will certainly be asking you questions about what you
did, why you did it, and what you learned from your participation.
If you successfully complete all of the tasks associated with obtaining a B, then you may
attempt an A level task of your choice. Remember that to obtain an A, your work must be
noteworthy, "show me you know it," and demonstrate higher order thinking skills associated
with comparing and contrasting two countries.
Background Material
Feel free to use your textbook, class notes, and any other helpful material to assist you with
this project. Here is some background material that may be a help to you as you begin your
projects.
1. Location - Every point on Earth has a specific location that is determined by an
imaginary grid of lines denoting latitude and longitude. Parallels of latitude measure
distances north and south of the lined called the Equator. Meridians of longitude
measure distances east and west of the line called the Prime Meridian. Geographers
use latitude and longitude to pinpoint a place’s absolute or exact location.
To know the absolute location of a place is only part of the story. It is also important
to know how that place is related to other places- in other words, to know that place’s
relative location. Relative location deals with the interaction that occurs between and
among places. It refers to the many ways- by land, by water, even by technology- that
places are connected.
The theme of location is the basis of geographic education. It asks the question
“Where is it?” Every day we are faced with opportunities to answer such a question.
As we watch the news or read the newspaper, we organize the information we hear in
many ways. One category always exists- location. Everything happens somewhere.
2. Place - All places have characteristics that give them meaning and character and
distinguish them from other places on earth. Geographers describe places by their
physical and human characteristics. Physical characteristics include such elements as
animal life. Human characteristics of the landscape can be noted in architecture,
patterns of livelihood, land use and ownership, town planning, and communication
and transportation networks. Languages, as well as religious and political ideologies,
help shape the character of a place. Studied together, the physical and human
characteristics of places provide clues to help students understand the nature of places
on the earth.
Place is a theme of geography that conjures up a mental picture of a place with people
going about their everyday lives in the familiar environment. Place is the personality
of geography.
3. Human/Environment Interaction - How do people affect the environment? How
does the environment affect people? Looking at the effect that each has on the other is
another important part of studying geography. The environment means different
things to different people depending on their cultural backgrounds and technological
resources. In studying human/environment interaction, geographers look at all the
effects-positive and negative- that occur when people interact with their surroundings.
Sometimes a human act, such as damming a river to prevent flooding or to provide
irrigation, requires consideration of the potential consequences. The construction of
Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, for example, changed the natural landscape, but
it also created a reservoir that helps provide water and electric power for the arid
Southwest. Studying the consequences of human/environment interaction helps
people plan and manage the environment responsibly.
4. Movement - People interact with other people, places, and things almost every day of
their lives. They travel from one place to another, they communicate with each other;
and they rely upon products, information, and ideas that come from beyond their
immediate environment.
When considering the theme of movement as a way to study geography, one should
ask these five ‘W’ questions: who, what, where, when, and why do things, people,
and information move? Also, how do they move? There are patterns of movement
that make our lives in the United States predictable and orderly. Sometimes these
patterns are interrupted and people feel a ripple effect from the system breakdown.
Many countries, however, do not have a pattern of movement to depend on and this
can worsen things such as famine or wartime relief efforts.
Students should be able to recognize where resources are located, who needs them,
and how they are transported over the earth’s surface. The theme of movement helps
students understand how they themselves are connected with, and dependent upon,
other regions, cultures, and people in the world.
Movement is very important to the study of geography because it can contribute to the
development of the human characteristics of a place, such as cultural traits,
governmental practices, and tolerance of diversity.
5. Regions - A basic unit of geographic study is the region, an area on the earth’s
surface that is defined by certain unifying characteristics. The unifying characteristics
may be physical, human or cultural. In addition to studying the unifying
characteristics of a region, geographers study how a region changes over time. Using
the theme of regions, geographers divide the world into manageable units for study.
Regions can change over time due to changes in climate, economic conditions,
accessibility of trade routes, and many other factors. Geographers study how regions
change to predict the needs of the people and the effects on the environment. The
theme of regions is important in terms of our learning to manage the differences and
similarities that allow our world to function as a unit.
Tasks
1. Minimum Tasks for a B – For each theme (there are five) you must write a
comparative thesis that begins with "Although" or "Despite." You can work together
drafting these important thesis statements, but make sure you both contribute to their
syntax and diction. Then provide evidence backing up your thesis.
Use some or all of the following sites to create maps that help explain important
geographic features of your countries. In your report, take snapshots of the maps you
decide to include as evidence.
• www.ifitweremyhome.com/index/MK
• http://www.breathingearth.net/
• http://measureofamerica.org/maps/
• http://show.mappingworlds.com//world/
• http://horn.wfp.org/main.html
• http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/15/interactive-infographic-of-theworlds-best-countries.html
a. Identify and compare the specific and relative locations of the capitols of your
countries. When it comes to identifying a relative location, be creative but
make sure that the location to which the capitol is relative is significant.
b. Identify and compare the physical and human characteristics of your countries.
Include a climate graph showing precipitation and temperature for your capitol
cities.
c. Identify and compare at least three significant positive and three significant
negative instances of human/environment interaction in your countries.
d. Identify who, what, where, when, and why do things, people, and information
move in your countries.
e. Describe and compare at least one region that your respective countries are
part of. What is the common factor holding the region together?
2. Tasks for an A
a
Prepare a food dish from each country that is closely connected to the country.
Along with preparing food, prepare an explanation for how geography has
influenced its creation, preparation, and/or how and when it is served. Make
sure there is enough for all of us to try some!
b
Create a newspaper that highlights important geography-theme related stories
involving both countries. Your newspaper should include:
1. a total of two “stories” per person chronicling important
geography-theme related events focusing on facts, with pictures
included as support. These can be fictional but should be based in
fact.
2. one editorial per person, written as a persuasive essay (thesis, well
written supporting paragraphs, conclusion)
3. hand-drawn artwork that illustrates main points of the articles
4. a map detailing the areas of greatest involvement
5. at least two other items per student:
_____political cartoon
_____art criticism
_____advertisement
_____tourism section
_____classified ads section
_____letter to the editor regarding an issue in the articles
_____another feature of your choice
c Combine the best features of both countries to create a new, third
country. As part of your creation, identify important characteristics of
the five themes, and create a map showing the physical geographic
regions, prominent features such as major rivers, mountain ranges,
deserts, etc. found in your country, and natural resources (use symbols to
label your country’s natural resources). Include an explanation of what
effect the presence of these natural resources may have on the five
themes.
Timeline
I am thinking that project would be presented during the first three days of the week of
September 5.