Course Description: Global Cultures, Issues and Geography offers a curriculum that enables students to explore how geographic features, human relationships, political and social structures, economics, science and technology, and the arts have developed and influenced life in countries around the world. Along the way, students are given rigorous instruction on how to read maps, charts, graphs, and how to create them. The course also emphasizes the perspectives of minority groups while allowing students from all backgrounds to better understand and appreciate how race, culture and ethnicity, and identity contribute to their experiences. Major topics in the course include identity, immigration, assimilation and distinctiveness, power and oppression, struggles for rights, regionalism, current events, culture and the media, and the formation of new cultures.
COURSE OUTLINE: Students will describe the nature of geography and the differences between physical and cultural geography through the study of western and non-western regions. Students will develop geographic literacy by understanding the six essential elements of geography including:
1. The World in Spatial Terms: Students will learn how to interpret maps and synthesize the content of maps in order to make conclusions about a region based on map study. 2. Places and Regions: Students will learn the concepts of geographic regions by discussing how humans interpret and understand their place in the world. They will discuss the difference between physical regions, perceived regions, formal regions, functional regions, and other forms of place. 3. Physical Systems: Students will develop a geographic literacy about major world landforms and will also study how those landforms contribute to history, culture, and regions. 4. Human Systems: Students will explore elements of cultural geography including comparative religions, arts, literature, philosophy and other forms of human expression that encompass cultural identity. Students will examine their own cultural identity as well as non-western cultural beliefs and practices. 5. The Environment and Society: Through the study of both physical and cultural geography and examining the history of a region, students will interpret how the presence of humans on the planet affects the physical geography. They will examine how the human footprint changes the physical world in which we live, but also how the physical world in which we live can dictate our cultural practices. 6. The Uses of Geography: Students will examine how geographers make use of geographic information to make predictions about the future and to interpret our world. In other words, student will learn why this information is important in understanding our world and what it means to be a human living in that world.
The course is arranged around these six essential elements, with students gaining an understanding of complex cultures (their history, geography, politics, literature, art, drama, music, dance, law, religion, philosophy, architecture, technology, science, education, sports, social structure, and economy) and the relationship between these various aspects of a nation’s cultural life. They will study the myths, legends and beliefs of various peoples as a means to interpret cultural values and will recognize how literature and art reflects peoples' inner lives, while developing a multicultural perspective that respects the dignity and worth of all people.
GENERAL GOALS/PURPOSES: Context of the Course- The theme of this course is "What does it mean to be human?" It explores the human condition across both Western and Non-Western cultures. In order to understand their own background and culture more thoroughly, students need to compare who they are through an international cultural lens. We find it critically important to encourage our youth to become knowledgeable global citizens.
Global Cultures, Issues and Geography will focus on several areas: Teaching the National Geographical Standards: which was established in 1994 and includes, but not limited to, using maps and other geographical representations, analyzing the special organizations of people, places, and environments in a special context, physical processes that shape the patterns of the earth surface, and the physical and human characteristics of places.
Teaching the concepts of Geography: which include climates, cooperation and conflict, cultures, economic activities and systems, government and citizenship, migration, patterns of settlement, physical characteristics and processes, and natural resources to name a few.
Teaching social science skills: analyzing graphic data and images, identifying main ideas and summarizing, drawing inferences and conclusions, distinguishing fact and opinion, comparing and contrasting, analyzing primary sources, researching and presentation skills.
Teaching the Humanities: the arts of literature, painting, music, sculpture, architecture, performing arts, and the discipline of philosophy. While the sciences explore the physical world, the social sciences make discoveries about the behavior and activities of people in various groups. The arts and humanities narrows that focus, probing the inner question: “What does it mean to be human?” This course will stretch student’s imaginations, increase their understanding of non-western cultures, enrich their experience, expand their written and research skills, and increase their distinctively human potential. Study of the literature, arts, health, and social sciences will cover cultural diversity, ways of life, human interests, and values
Course Description: Global Cultures, Issues and Geography offers a curriculum that enables students to explore how geographic features, human relationships, political and social structures, economics, science and technology, and the arts have developed and influenced life in countries around the world. Along the way, students are given rigorous instruction on how to read maps, charts, graphs, and how to create them. The course also emphasizes the perspectives of minority groups while allowing students from all backgrounds to better understand and appreciate how race, culture and ethnicity, and identity contribute to their experiences. Major topics in the course include identity, immigration, assimilation and distinctiveness, power and oppression, struggles for rights, regionalism, current events, culture and the media, and the formation of new cultures.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Students will describe the nature of geography and the differences between physical and cultural geography through the study of western and non-western regions. Students will develop geographic literacy by understanding the six essential elements of geography including:
1. The World in Spatial Terms: Students will learn how to interpret maps and synthesize the content of maps in order to make conclusions about a region based on map study.
2. Places and Regions: Students will learn the concepts of geographic regions by discussing how humans interpret and understand their place in the world. They will discuss the difference between physical regions, perceived regions, formal regions, functional regions, and other forms of place.
3. Physical Systems: Students will develop a geographic literacy about major world landforms and will also study how those landforms contribute to history, culture, and regions.
4. Human Systems: Students will explore elements of cultural geography including comparative religions, arts, literature, philosophy and other forms of human expression that encompass cultural identity. Students will examine their own cultural identity as well as non-western cultural beliefs and practices.
5. The Environment and Society: Through the study of both physical and cultural geography and examining the history of a region, students will interpret how the presence of humans on the planet affects the physical geography. They will examine how the human footprint changes the physical world in which we live, but also how the physical world in which we live can dictate our cultural practices.
6. The Uses of Geography: Students will examine how geographers make use of geographic information to make predictions about the future and to interpret our world. In other words, student will learn why this information is important in understanding our world and what it means to be a human living in that world.
The course is arranged around these six essential elements, with students gaining an understanding of complex cultures (their history, geography, politics, literature, art, drama, music, dance, law, religion, philosophy, architecture, technology, science, education, sports, social structure, and economy) and the relationship between these various aspects of a nation’s cultural life. They will study the myths, legends and beliefs of various peoples as a means to interpret cultural values and will recognize how literature and art reflects peoples' inner lives, while developing a multicultural perspective that respects the dignity and worth of all people.
GENERAL GOALS/PURPOSES:
Context of the Course- The theme of this course is "What does it mean to be human?" It explores the human condition across both Western and Non-Western cultures. In order to understand their own background and culture more thoroughly, students need to compare who they are through an international cultural lens. We find it critically important to encourage our youth to become knowledgeable global citizens.
Global Cultures, Issues and Geography will focus on several areas:
Teaching the National Geographical Standards: which was established in 1994 and includes, but not limited to, using maps and other geographical representations, analyzing the special organizations of people, places, and environments in a special context, physical processes that shape the patterns of the earth surface, and the physical and human characteristics of places.
Teaching the concepts of Geography: which include climates, cooperation and conflict, cultures, economic activities and systems, government and citizenship, migration, patterns of settlement, physical characteristics and processes, and natural resources to name a few.
Teaching social science skills: analyzing graphic data and images, identifying main ideas and summarizing, drawing inferences and conclusions, distinguishing fact and opinion, comparing and contrasting, analyzing primary sources, researching and presentation skills.
Teaching the Humanities: the arts of literature, painting, music, sculpture, architecture, performing arts, and the discipline of philosophy. While the sciences explore the physical world, the social sciences make discoveries about the behavior and activities of people in various groups. The arts and humanities narrows that focus, probing the inner question: “What does it mean to be human?” This course will stretch student’s imaginations, increase their understanding of non-western cultures, enrich their experience, expand their written and research skills, and increase their distinctively human potential. Study of the literature, arts, health, and social sciences will cover cultural diversity, ways of life, human interests, and values