Download Six Elements of Geography

Six Elements,
Eighteen Standards
of Geography
(from Geography for Life)
National Standards

Six Elements
World in Spatial Terms
 Places and Regions
 Physical Systems
 Human Systems
 Environment and Society
 Uses of Geography


Eighteen Standards
I. The World in Spatial Terms

Geography studies the relationships
between people, places, and
environments by mapping information
about them into a spatial context.
The student knows and
understands:

How to use maps and other geographic
representations, tools, and technology to
acquire, process, and report information
from a spatial perspective
The student knows and
understands:

How to use mental maps to organize
information about people, places, and
environments in a spatial context
The student knows and
understands:

How to analyze the spatial organization of
people, places, and environments on
Earth’s surface
Activity: Mental Mapping
Show aerial photos of crop patterns
 Draw the world in 30 seconds

Sketch six circles roughly in the right places
and roughly proportionate sizes of the
continents (exclude Anarctica).
 Which is the largest continent?
 Which is the smallest continent?

The World in 30 Seconds
II. Places and Regions

The identities and lives of individuals and
peoples are rooted in particular places and
in those human constructs called regions.
The student knows and
understands:

The physical and human characteristics of
places
The student knows and
understands:

That people create regions to interpret
Earth’s complexity
The student knows and
understands:

How culture and experience influence
people’s perceptions of places and regions
Activity: Regions

Compare geographic characteristics of
regions of the world at similar latitudes

Example: Gulf Coastal plain in the New
Orleans area, Nile River Valley in Cairo area,
and Yangtze River in Shanghai area
Examine photographs to determine the
physical and human characteristics of a
town
 Examine religions in your community.

III. Physical Systems

Physical processes shape Earth’s surface
and interact with plant and animal life to
create, sustain, and modify ecosystems.
The student knows and
understands:

The physical processes that shape the
patterns of Earth’s surfaces
The student knows and
understands:

The characteristics and spatial distribution
of ecosystems on Earth’s surface
Activity: Earth/Sun Relations
Relate seed and garden catalog
descriptions of growing seasons to the
U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness
zone maps
 Examine how water can change a place
 What ecosystems are found in your state?

IV. Human Systems

People are central to geography in that
human activities help shape Earth’s
surface, human settlements and structures
are part of Earth’s surface, and humans
compete for control of Earth’s surface.
The student knows and
understands:

The characteristics, distribution, and
migration of human populations on Earth’s
surface
The student knows and
understands:

The characteristics, distribution, and
complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics
The student knows and
understands:

The patterns and networks of economic
interdependence on Earth’s surface
The student knows and
understands:

The processes, patterns, and functions of
human settlement
The student knows and
understands:

How the forces of cooperation and conflict
among people influence the division and
control of Earth’s surface
Activity: Student Population




Develop a census questionnaire featuring
population characteristics of interest to students
(number of sisters and brothers, favorite sport,
types of pets, etc.). Collect data from students
in two classes. Describe and compare the two
populations.
Discuss The Great Migration. Why were the
impacts on the North and the South?
Look at Population Pyramids
Have students examine clothing labels and
denote all countries represented
V. Environment and Society

The physical environment is modified by
human activities, largely as a
consequence of the ways in which human
societies value and use Earth’s natural
resources, and human activities are also
influenced by Earth’s physical features
and processes.
The student knows and
understands:

How human actions modify the physical
environment
The student knows and
understands:

How physical systems affect human
systems
The student knows and
understands:

The changes that occur in the meaning,
use, distribution, and importance of
resources
Activity: Natural Hazards
Collect data on the occurrence of natural
hazards in the student’s state and
elsewhere in the U.S. over a period to
create a map
 What impact will the dam on the Yangtze
River have on surrounding communities?
 How did hurricane Katrina impact the city
of New Orleans?
 Examine who controls oil and how is it
distributed.

VI. The Uses of Geography

Knowledge of geography enables people
to develop an understanding of the
relationships between people, places, and
environments over time—that is, of Earth
as it was, is, and might be.
The student knows and
understands:

How to apply geography to interpret the
past
The student knows and
understands:

How to apply geography to interpret the
present and plan for the future
Activity: Past Community
With interviews, maps, and pictures create
a booklet of the history of your community
 Why did the Vietnam War fail?
 Propose an alternative solution to an
environmental problem

Resources

Geography for Life (1994). Washington,
D.C.: National Geographic Research &
Exploration: Author.