WORLD GEOGRAPHY AND CULTURES COURSE TARGETS
TARGETS / NUMBER OF QUESTIONS OR POINTSLocation
Map Parts (TODALSS)
Map Projections
Thematic Maps
Geographic Inferences
Vegetation
Climate
Introduction to Geography
Target 1: Location
Concepts: I can use cardinal and intermediate directions to locate places
I can use an atlas to locate geographic information such as latitude and longitude
I can identify the the seven basic lines of latitude and longitude and explain their
significance.
Key Vocabulary: Cardinal, Intermediate, Latitude, Longitude, Absolute Location, Relative Location, Equator, Prime Meridian, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle, 180°
Target 2: Map Parts (TODALSS)
Concepts: I can create maps using TODALSS
I can interpret TODALSS for all maps
Key Vocabulary: Title, Orientation, Date, Author, Legend (Key), Scale, Source
Target 3: Map Projections
Concepts: I can explain the difference between map projections
Key Vocabulary: Projection, Distortion, Homolosine, Mercator, Azimuthal, Robinson
Target 4: Thematic Map
Concept: I can compare and contrast the similarities and differences of thematic maps (climate,
vegetation, physical, economic, population density)
Key Vocabulary: Thematic Map, Physical Map, Political Map, Climate, Economy, Population Density
Target 5: Geographic Inferences
Concept: I can make inferences about people and places using maps, photos, and other images
Key Vocabulary: Inference
Target 6: Vegetation
Concept: I can compare and contrast vegetation zones. (Vegetation Zones: Ice cap, Tundra, Highlands, Coniferous Forest, Mixed forest, Decideous forest, Temperate grassland, Chaparral, Desert scrub, Desert, Tropical grassland (savanna), Broadleaf evergreen forest)
I can describe and interpret the relationship of vegetation and climate.
Key Vocabulary: Tundra, Tropical, Temperate
Target 7: Climate
Concept: I can compare and contrast climate zones. (Climate Zones: Ice cap, Subarctic, Tundra, Highlands, Marine west coast, Humid continental, Mediterranean, Humid subtropical, Semiarid, Arid, Tropical wet and dry, Tropical wet)
I can describe and interpret the relationship of vegetation and climate.
Key Vocabulary: Arid, Tropical, Temperate
Local Geography
Five Themes of Geography
Local Physical Geography
US/Canada Physical Features
US/Canada Political Features
Target 1: Five Themes of Geography
Concept: I can identify push and pull factors of my local communities (Movement)
I can describe the physical and human features of a local community (Place)
I can identify the differences between functional and formal regions (Region)
I can identify and classify how humans interact with the environment (HEI)
Key Vocabulary: Location, Place, Movement, Human-Environment Interaction, Region, Physical Feature, Human Feature, Culture, Functional Region, Formal Region, Perception, Push Factor, Pull Factor, Modify Environment, Adapt to Environment, Depend on Environment
Target 2: Local Physical Geography
Concept: I can locate and describe the major Minnesotan ecosystems (coniferous, deciduous, prairie)
I can locate the major Minnesotan continental divides (Hudson Bay, St. Lawrence Seaway, and Gulf of Mexico).
I can describe and locate major physical features in my local community (Location, where is it)
I can analyze the impact of physical features on Minnesota cities such as Duluth, Minnepolis, and my community (Location, why is it there)
Key Vocabulary: Continental Divide, Ecosystem, Coniferous, Deciduous, Prairie, Lake, River, Flood Plain, Marsh, Bay, Bluff
Target 3: US/Canada Physical Features
Concept: I can locate and describe the major physical features of the U.S. (Great Plains, Rocky Mts., Appalachian Mts., Great Lakes, Mississippi R., Great Basin)
Target 4: US/Canada Political Features
Concept: I can locate the fifty U.S. states.
I can locate the thirteen Canadian provinces and territories.
Latin America
TARGETS / NUMBER OF QUESTIONS OR POINTSPhysical Features of Latin America
Ancient Civilizations
Urbanization
Target 1: Physical Features of Latin America
Concept: I can locate and describe the major physical features of this region (Amazon River [basin, source, mouths, tributary], Isthmus of Panama, Andes Mts.)
I can describe the major climate (tropical wet, tropical wet & dry), vegetation (broadleaf evergreen forest, tropical grassland), and economic zones (hunting & gathering, forestry, livestock raising, subsistence farming, commercial farming) that apply to Latin America.
I can summarize the six stakeholders in the Amazon rainforest and describe one probable solution to the land dispute in that region.
I can create a map to scale.
Key Vocabulary: Basin, source, mouths, tributary, isthmus, deforestation, subsistence farming, commerical farming, tropical wet, tropical wet and dry, broadleaf evergreen forest, tropical grassland, hunting and gathering, forestry, livestock raising, ecosystem, canal
Target 2: Ancient Civilizations
Concept: I can locate where the Aztec, Inca, and Maya civilizations settled.
I can analyze the significance of these three ancient civilizations to Latin America.
Key Vocabulary: Colonization, indigenous, conquest
Target 3: Urbanization
Concept: I can analyze the causes of population change. (Urbanization)
I can diagram the parts of a city.
I can analyze the effects of population change.
Key Vocabulary: Urbanization, urban, rural, urban sprawl, urban core, urban fringe, suburbs
Europe Unit
Physical Features of Europe
Government Systems
European Travel Project
Target 1: Physical Features of Europe
Concept: A) I can locate the major physical features of this region (Strait of Gibraltar, Iberian Peninsula, Italian Peninsula, English Channel, Scandinavian Peninsula, Mediterranean Sea, Alps, Ural Mts., Caucus Mts., Pyrenees, Northern European Plain)
B) I can describe how Italy is impacted by it’s location and major physical features.
Key Vocabulary: Strait, Peninsula, Channel, Sea, Highlands, Marine West Coast, Mediterranean, Deciduous Forest, Mixed Forest, Coniferous Forest, Chaparral, Gulf Stream
Target 2: Government Systems
Concept: A) I can classify and describe government systems (Republic, Democracy, Monarchy, Dictatorship, Totalitarianism, Constitutional Monarchy, Theocracy)
B) I can describe the European Union.
C) I can explain features that unite and features that divide the European Union in regard to economic cooperation, political cooperation, and cultural cooperation.
D) I can evaluate why border disputes occur.
E) I can analyze and classify different types of border disputes.
Key Vocabulary: Republic, Democracy, Monarchy, Dictatorship, Totalitariamism, Constituational
Monarchy, Theocracy, Anarchy, Centripetal forces, Centrifugal forces, Land locked, Border, Territorial Dispute, Positional Dispute, Functional Dispute, Resource Dispute
Target 3: European Travel Project
Concept: A) I can convert currency between the Euro/foreign currency and the dollar.
B) I can describe cultural characterisitics of a European country (food, history, transportation, language, art, architecture/landmarks, government, leisure activities, to do’s & taboo’s).
Africa Unit
Physical Features of Africa
Human Rights Issues
Standard of Living Indicators
Target 1: Physical Features of Africa
Concept: A) I can locate and describe the major physical features of this region (Sahara Desert,
Sahel, Kalahari Desert, Namib Desert, Okavango Delta, Oasis, Great Rift Valley, Nile River) 5C1
B) I can describe the Sahara Desert and the Sahel. 5C1
Key Vocabulary: Desert, Delta, Oasis, Arid, Nomadic Herding, Semi Arid, Savanna, Grassland
Target 2: Standard of Living Indicators
Concept: A) I can gather geographic information using print and electronic sources 5E1
Key Vocabulary: Life Expectancy, Literacy Rate, Gross Domestic Product, Standard of Living, Per Capita
Target 3: Human Rights
Concept: A) I can describe how water access, climate, germs, agriculture, and industrialization influenced Europe’s ability to colonize. 5D2
B) I can explain the process of how Africa was dividced by European colonial powers. 5D2
C) I can explain the role of colonization in fueling a conflict in Africa (Rwanda, South Africa, Congo, Nigeria). 5D2
D) I can demonstrate one action steop citizens can take to promote awareness of human rights violations.
Key Vocabulary: Human Rights, Colonization, Genocide, Epidemic, Apartheid, Industrialization
South Asia Unit
Physical Features
Monsoons
Economy and Land Use
Target 1: Physical Features
Concept: A) I can locate and describe the major physical features of this region (Himalayas, Mt. Everest, Plateau of Tibet, Ganges River, Indus River, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Deccan Plateau, Western Ghats, Bay of Bengal)
Key Vocabulary: Plateau
Target 2: Monsoons
Concept: A) I can identify what monsoons are and why they occur.
B) I can describe how monsoons impact the environment and people of Southern Asia.
Key Vocabulary: Monsoon, climate graph(climograph), orographic effect, atmospheric pressure, rain shadow, windward, leeward
Target 3: Economy & Land Use
Concept: A) I can describe and interpret the patterns of economies (Traditional, Command[direct], Free Market [indirect]).
B) I can describe and interpret the patterns of land use (hunting and gathering, subsistence farming, commercial farming, nomadic herding, livestock raising, commercial fishing, forestry, trade and manufacturing).
Key Vocabulary: Import, export, developed country, developing country, comparative advantage, economy, traditional economy, command economy, free market economy, open economy, closed economy, gross domestic product[GDP and four parts], natural resource, human resource, capital resource, subsistence farming, commercial farming, nomad/nomadic
East and Southeast Asia Unit
Physical Features
Globalization
Population Density
Target 1: Physical Features
Concept: A) I can locate and describe the major physical features of this region (Mekong River, Huang He River[Yellow River], Chang Jiang River [Yangtze River], Gobi Desert, Plateau of Tibet)
Key Vocabulary: Archipelago
Target 2: Globalization
Concept: I can explain how Minnesota is connected to the rest of the world through international trade and analyze the impact of Globalization.
Key Vocabulary: Globalization, economic interdependence, international trade, specialization, incentive
Target 3: Population Density
Concept: I can identify the patterns of population density in this region and how it impacts the way people live.
I can interpret a population pyramid and identify if population is growing, stable or in decline.
I can use a population pyramid to predict future needs of the country.
Key Vocabulary: population pyramid, population density, population, demography
Middle East Unit
Physical Features
Crude Oil
Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
Religions
Target 1: Physical Features
Concept: A) I can locate and describe the major physical features of this region (Persian Gulf, Suez Canal, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Dead Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Aden, Tigris River, Euphrates River, Mesopotamia, Arabian Peninsula)
Target 2: Crude Oil
Concept: A) I can describe where oil reserves are distributed globally.
B) I can explain the contrast between per capita GDP and the Human Development Index.
C) I can describe how OPEC works to control the price and flow of oil.
Key Vocabulary: Renewable resoruce, non renewable resource, oil reserves, crude oil, cartogram, OPEC,
Human Development Index (HDI)
Target 3: Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
Concept: A) I can describe why Israelis and Palestinians claim the same land.
B) I can explain the impact of this conflict on the region and cultural groups.
Key Vocabulary: Partition, Golan Heights, West Bank, Gaza Strip, Four Quarters of Jerusalem
Target 4: Religions
Concept: A) I can locate the regions where Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam are dominant.
B) I can compare and contrast the major world religions of Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.
Key Vocabulary: Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam