Geography

The student uses geographic tools to answer geographic questions. The student is expected to:

Pose and answer geographic questions, including: Where is it located? Why is it there? What is significant about its location? How is its location related to the location of other people, places, and environments?;

Pose and answer questions about geographic distributions and patterns for various world regions and countries shown on maps, graphs, charts, models, and databases;

Compare various world regions and countries using data from geographic tools, including maps, graphs, charts, databases, and models;

Create thematic maps, graphs, charts, models, and databases depicting aspects such as population, disease, and economic activities of various world regions and countries.

The student understands the factors that influence the locations and characteristics of locations of various contemporary societies on maps and globes and uses latitude and longitude to determine absolute locations. The student is expected to:

Locate various contemporary societies on maps and globes using latitude and longitude to determine absolute location;

Identify and explain the geographic factors responsible for patterns of population in places and regions;

Explain ways in which human migration influences the character of places and regions;

Identify and locate major physical and human geographic features such as landforms, water bodies, and urban centers of various places and regions;

Draw sketch maps that illustrate various places and regions;

Identify the location of major world countries such as Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Russia, South Africa, Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Iran, India, Pakistan, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Japan, North and South Korea, Indonesia, and Australia.

The student understands how geographic factors influence the economic development, political relationships, and policies of societies. The student is expected to:

Identify and explain the geographic factors responsible for the location of economic activities in places and regions;

Identify geographic factors such as location, physical features, transportation corridors and barriers, and distribution of natural resources that influence a society's ability to control territory;

Explain the impact of geographic factors on economic development and the domestic and foreign policies of societies.

The student understands that geographical patterns result from physical environmental processes. The student is expected to:

Describe and explain the effects of physical environmental processes such as erosion, ocean currents, and earthquakes on Earth's surface;

Identify the location of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources such as fresh water, fossil fuels, fertile soils, and timber;

Analyze the effects of the interaction of physical processes and the environment on humans.

The student understands the impact of interactions between people and the physical environment on the development and conditions of places and regions. The student is expected to:

Identify and analyze ways people have adapted to the physical environment in various places and regions;

Identify and analyze ways people have modified the physical environment such as mining, irrigation, and transportation infrastructure;

Describe ways in which technology influences human interactions with the environment such as humans building dams for flood control.