Transcript What is the biggest issue facing the world today?

Around the World in 80
Lessons
World Geography - Global Issues
Jim Cairns ACS Cobham
January 2012
Aims of Session
If you had only one academic year to teach the
essentials of Geography
-what would you teach?
 Context & rationale behind course at ACS Cobham
 What does the course look like?
 Where can you find some good materials?
 What would you do?
Why…. “if you only had one
year”…?
Social Studies at ACS Cobham
Middle School: Grades 5-8
 Grade 5
Ancient History
 Grade 6
British History
 Grade 7
Global Issues
 Grade 8
American History
Social Studies at ACS Cobham
High School: Grades 9-12
 World History I (grade 9)
 HS Diploma Route (10-12)
 World History II
 Global Studies (0.5
credits)
 AP Route
 European History
 US History
 Economics
 Psychology
 Human Geography
 IB Route (Individuals &
Societies)
 History
 Information Technology
and Global Society
 Psychology
 Economics
 Business & Management
 Environmental Systems &
Society
 (Geography)
Geography in High School
Conclusion: for most students Grade 7 is their
only encounter with Geography
What’s so important about
Geography?
Geography inspires pupils to become global
citizens by exploring their own place in the
world, their values and their responsibilities to
other people, to the environment and to the
sustainability of the planet.
(UK Dept. for Education: National Curriculum
Statement on importance of Geography)
Important Geographical Concepts*
 Place Understanding real places –
physical/human characteristics
 Perception-v-reality
 Space
 Location and reasons for it
 Patterns, distributions
 Implications of above
 Scale –
 local, regional, national,
international, global
 Interdependence &
Interactions
 How human action & change in
one place affects people and
environments elsewhere
 Physical & Human Processes
 Understanding how things work
– atmospheric process to
population growth
 Cultural Understanding &
Diversity
 How values & attitudes affect
responses to issues
* taken from UK National Curriculum Geography – Programme of Study KS3
Some Important Geographical Skills
 Gathering, Manipulating &
Interpreting Geographical
Information –
 Maps
 Satellite imagery
 Statistical data
 Field Observations
 Analysis of issues




Identifying origins/causes
Assessing impacts
Examining solutions
Understanding perspectives &
alternative views
 Defending a
position/argument
 Finding reliable & compelling
evidence
 Understanding bias
 Understanding counter
arguments
 Research
 Setting hypothesis/essential or
leading question
 Reliable, accurate, & objective
sources of information
 Keeping track of sources
Critical Thinking
 Dealing with Issues
 Perspective
 Objectivity
 Accuracy
 Learning Outcomes
 Developing an Argument
 Supporting Evidence
 Defending a Position
Treat all Sources
with a degree of care!
So… how do we build a course
based on these concepts and
skills?
Rationale:
An issues-based approach
 Look at limited number of locations
around the globe
 Examine an issue that affects that
location
 Show students how to analyze and
assess an issue
 Raise essential/leading questions Find


reliable sources of information
Look at conflicting evidence and
differing viewpoints
Make judgments - assessments
 Culminating activity: Students find a
global issue that they feel passionate
about - present their assessment.
Some interesting/important
questions
 What can the world do about its
burgeoning population?
(currently 7 billion!)
 Should we do anything?
 Why are so many people in the
world
 Poor?
 Hungry?
 Sick?
 How can a developing country
improve its economy without
 Ruining its environment?
 Adversely affecting the lives
of indigenous people?
 Why do some countries seem to
suffer from frequent natural
disasters?
 Do wealthy nations cope better
than poor ones?
 Will the BRIC countries dominate
the world’s economy? (Brazil,
Russia, India, China)
 Will Global Warming mean the end
of the world?
 Is it real/dangerous/our fault?
 Can we do anything about it?
 What is the biggest issue facing the
world today?
What does the course look
like?
 Unit 1: Intro to Global
Issues
 Unit 2: Comparing
Disasters
 Unit 3: Africa: History and
Modern Issues
 Unit 4: China: Growth,
Population and
Environment
 Unit 5: India:
Independence and
Economic Change
 Unit 6: Israel & the
Palestinians- the struggle
for Peace
 Unit 7: South America:
Growth, Environment and
Indigenous People
 Unit 8: Personal Research
– a global issue.
http://cobham.acs-england.rubiconatlas.org/Atlas/Authentication/View/Login
What does the course look
like?
http://cobham.acs-england.rubiconatlas.org/Atlas/Authentication/View/Login
Sample Unit:
Comparing Natural Disasters
 Why do some parts of
the world suffer from
natural disasters?
 Do wealthy
countries/regions cope
better?
 Local Scale – fieldwork
investigation
 Lynmouth, Devon, 1952
Example Unit: Comparing
Natural Disasters
 Why do some parts of
the world suffer from
natural disasters?
 Do wealthy
countries/regions cope
better?
 Regional Scale –
 Hurricane Katrina 2005
Example Unit: Comparing
Natural Disasters
 Why do some parts of
 International Scale –
the world suffer from
natural disasters?
 Asian Tsunami 2004
 Do wealthy
countries/regions cope
better?
 Analysis
 Causes
 Effects
 Lessons Learned
Interpreting Geographical
Information
Google Earth Image of East and West Lyn Valleys
Interpreting Geographical
Information
3-D OS map view of East Lyn River
Interpreting Geographical
Information
Grade 7 Students examining an Ecocentric Bridge in East Lyn Valley
Data that raises Issues
Lakeview, New Orleans- 31 Aug 2005 - Google Earth alt 1150ft
Data that raises Issues
Lakeview, New Orleans- 2010(Google Earth)
Data that raises Issues
Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans- Aug 31 2005 (Google Earth)
Data that raises Issues
Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans 2010(Google Earth)
Hurricane Katrina
some of the issues
 Why was New Orleans so unprepared?
 Why were the poorest parts of the city worst hit?
 Was race an issue?
 How has the city recovered?
 Did human activity contribute to the disaster?
 How successful was the relief effort?
 Global Issues Wikispace
Using Statistical Data to
investigate Issues
www.worldmapper.org
Health Stats in Africa
China: The Population Issue
 Historical Background
 Rise of the communist
party
 Timeline activities
China: The Population Issue
 Historical Background
 Rise of the communist
party
 Timeline activities
 The One-Child Policy
 Data Response
Assignment
China: The Population Issue
 Historical Background
 Rise of the communist
party
 Timeline activities
 The One-Child Policy
 Data Response
Assignment
 Key Assignment
 Persuasive Essay ..or
 Team Debate
Some Essential Questions and Assignments
Key Question
Key Assignment
Do wealthy countries really cope much better with Natural Disasters
compared to developing nations?
Comparison of Natural Disasters
What is the biggest issue affecting a selected region or location in Africa? Web site
PowerPoint
Electronic publication
Could China’s One Child Policy be applied elsewhere?
Persuasive Essay or Debate
How do nations become independent?
Assessment of the impact of Mahatma
Gandhi
Comparison of events from Israeli and
Palestinian viewpoint
Debate on Land Rights
How do two sides in a complex conflict view events?
How can the rights of indigenous peoples be protected at the same time a Camisea Gas Pipeline Study (Peru)
country is trying to exploit its natural resources?
What is the biggest issue facing the word today and how do we address Select Issue - write an argument –
it?
defend a position.
Where can you find good
materials?
 Global Issues Wikispace
 Please feel free to visit my
wikispace
 Guest – access to all pages
and download resources
 Member – edit privileges
 Email me
 [email protected]
 Email exchange – let’s swap
good ideas
What would you do?