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George Mason University
Department of Geography
and Geoinformation Sciences
Fall Semester 2013
Geography for Teachers
GGS 520-001
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Francis H. Dillon, III
Class Location: Nguyen Engineering Bldg,
Rm1107
Meeting Time: Mon., Wed., 4:30-7:10 pm
Office: Exploratory Hall, Rm 2220
Office Hours: Wed., 7:15-8:15 pm
Blackboard Page: https://mymasonportal.gmu.edu
Email: [email protected]
Course Overview: The study geography represents a distinct “way of knowing.” As
such it is associated with a specific set of skills and knowledge that present the
educator with a unique instructional challenge. This course is designed to provide the
student with an overview of the basic concepts of cultural and physical geography as
represented in the Five Fundamental Themes of Geography, the National Geography
Standards, and the Virginia Standards of Learning that relate to geography. The course
is intended for teachers who have little or no previous experience as a student of
geography. This is a content oriented course focused primarily on basic geographic
knowledge and the professional literature relating to the teaching of geography. To a
lesser degree the course will also address specific teaching strategies for integrating
geography into classroom instruction and instructional resources.
Course Objectives:
Based upon student reading, class discussion, and practical exercises, the student will
be able to:
1. Identify and explain the Five Fundamental Themes in geographic learning.
2. Describe and explain the purpose and uses of the National Geography Standards
and the skills specified in those standards.
3. Explain and apply geographic based inquiry including
a) Formulating a geographic question
b) Gathering geographic information
c) Presenting geographic information
d) Analyzing geographic information
e) Developing and testing geographic generalizations
4. Demonstrate the use of geography as a vehicle for interdisciplinary study.
5. Demonstrate geographic thinking through the integration of a geographic
perspective into a specific learning exercise.
Required Text:
1. Philip J. Gersmehl, Teaching Geography, 2nd edition, Guilford Press, 2008.
2. Geography for Life: National Geography Standards, 2nd ed., GENIP, 2012. 1
(Available from NCGE $20.00+S&H)
3. Curriculum Framework for World Geography, Virginia Department of Education,
2008. (Available online at
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/History/curriculum_framework_2008/G
eo-CF-08.pdf)
Optional Text:
1. Hardwick and Holtgrieve, Geography for Educators, Prentice-Hall, 1996. A copy of
this text is on reserve in the Johnson Center Library.
2. An atlas, preferably Goode’s World Atlas, 21st edition, Rand McNally, which will be
used in class. Used copies of Goode’s are frequently available in the GMU
bookstore, however, any good world atlas by Nystrom, Hammond, or Rand McNally
will suffice.
Student Requirements: As a graduate level course, the student assessment will focus
on critical reading and writing as well as application of concepts. Students will be
expected to complete three reviews of articles from the professional literature related to
teaching geography (Annex A), a reflective essay on the application of a geographic
perspective to learning (Annex B), a book review (Annex C), and a lesson plan
illustrating the application of geographic skills in specific content areas (Annex D).
There will be no written exams in this class.
Grading Scheme and Policy:
Letter grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C, F will be assigned for completion of this course
based on the cumulative score of all assigned work. Rather than assign individual letter
grades for the individual projects listed below, they will be evaluated on a percent basis
from which the final, total, score will be determined. As a graduate level course the
following grading scale will be used: A = 100-97, A- = 96-94, B+ = 93-91, B = 90-85, B= 84-82, C = 81-70, F =  69. A grade of incomplete must be requested in writing in
advance, no later than 11/20, and can only be approved with a passing grade average.
Article Reviews 30%
Book Review 15%
Reflective Essay 20%
Participation 10%
Lesson Plan 25%
Annex A: Article Reviews from the Professional Literature
Annex B: Reflective Essay
Annex C: Book Review
Annex D: Lesson Plan
Annex E: Teaching Geography CD Activities
1
Books available from the National Council for Geographic Education may be ordered online at
www.ncge.org or by phone: (202) 360-4237 • Fax: (202) 234-2744
Lesson
1
2
Date
8/28
9/42
Topic
Introduction: What is Geography?
Thinking Geographically
Tentative Class Schedule
As of: 25 August 2013
Homework
See Annex E
Reading Assignment
Gersmehl Introduction, Chap 1
Gersmehl Chap 2-3; Skills of a
geographer
(http://education.nationalgeographic.com/educ
ation/geographic-skills/?ar_a=1)
3
9/11
Fundamental Themes in Geography
See Annex E
Gersmehl Chap 4-5;
(http://geography.about.com/od/teachgeograp
hy/a/5themes.htm)
4
9/18
Geography Standards: National and State
5
9/25
Maps: Language of Geography
6
7
10/2
10/9
Regions
Climate
8
10/16
Landform Processes
9
10/23
Population Geography
10
11
12
10/30
Patterns of Urban Development
Political Geography
11/13 Economic Geography and Resources
Article Review #2 due
Lesson Plan learning
objectives due
See Annex E
See Annex E
See Annex E
See Annex E
13
11/20
Article Review #3 due
11/6
Student Assessments
Article Review #1 due
See Annex E
See Annex E
1st Reflective Essay due
See Annex E
See Annex E
Gersmehl Chap 6;
Standards pp. 11-45; Va SOL
Curriculum Framework WG
Standards pp. 61-68; VA SOL WG.1
Standards pp. 69-74; VA SOL WG.3
Standards pp. 75-78, 92-97; VA SOL
WG.2
Standards pp. 75-78, 92-97; VA SOL
WG.2
Standards pp. 79-84; VA SOL WG.5,
6
Standards pp. 87-88; VA SOL WG.11
Standards pp. 90-91; VA SOL WG.10
Standards pp. 85-86, 98-100; VA SOL
WG.7, 9
Standards pp. 223-241; Gersmehl
Chap 7-10
11/27
14
15
2
No Class - Thanksgiving
Geography Teaching Resources
12/11 Lesson Plan presentation and discussion
12/4
Lesson Plan due
Book Review/2nd Reflective Essay due
The last day to “Add” is 9/3; you must be enrolled in the course on that day to receive a grade.
Annex A
Article Reviews from the Professional Literature
Each student will submit three reviews of articles related to the teaching of geography selected from
scholarly or professional journals, including ERIC documents. The purpose of these reviews is to
acquaint you with the professional literature that relates to the teaching of geography. I recommend
articles from the Journal of Geography (NCGE), which you will find in the periodical section of
Fenwick Library. If in doubt about any article that you wish to review, please consult with me in
advance.
Reviews are due as indicated in the class schedule. There is flexibility but every effort should be
made to adhere as closely as possible to the schedule. At all costs avoid submitting the reviews at
the end of the course.
A review is not a summary of the article; it is an analysis of what the author is saying. A brief
summary of the main points of the article is appropriate; but then you must comment on what you
learned from the article. Evaluate the insights you gained from reading the article. Ask yourself if you
would recommend this article to a colleague and why. It is not necessary to agree or disagree with
the author; the most important point to consider is how this article contributes to your understanding
of the challenges of incorporating geography throughout the curriculum.
The format for the review will be two to five pages maximum, double-spaced with one-inch margins
and using 10 or 12-pitch font. Your name, student number, and a bibliographic entry for the article
you are reviewing will appear at the top of the first page. References in the body of the review should
be cited in the APA style.
The reviews will be graded on the following grounds.
 Mechanics – including following the format, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
 Organization and Logic – including cohesive, logical development of your point.
 Intellectual Rigor – including support for your statements, no vague generalities.
Think about what you have read before you write. Look for new insights or new ways of thinking
about old problems. Challenge your own presumptions; describe how these authors changed your
perspective. Three or four well-supported ideas are better than five pages of vacuous rubbish.
Annex B
Reflective Essay
Each student will submit an essay based upon your thinking about the teaching of geography. The
essay will be submitted twice during the semester, as indicated in the course calendar. The purpose
of the essay is to document your thoughts about:
• the nature of geography,
• teaching children to process spatial information,
• and how a geographic perspective can be applied in your setting as a teacher.
In preparation for this essay you should consider keeping an informal journal to aid in reflecting upon
the points listed above. The reason for submitting this essay twice is to capture any changes in your
thinking over the course of the semester.
This is not intended to be a formal research paper or study. You will certainly want to include your
reaction to the readings and class work in formulating the main ideas for your essay. The first
submission should be 4-5 pages in length, with the final version 8-10 pages. The format should be
double spaced with one-inch margins and using 10-12 pitch fonts.
Annex C
Book Review
Each student will read and prepare a review of a book with a readily apparent geographic
perspective. You may select any book from the list below. Should you want to review another book,
please discuss that with me in advance. The review should focus on how this book has influenced
your thinking about the nature of geography. You may also wish to comment on how this book may
be useful in your teaching. The review should be 2-3 pages in length and follow the same general
format of the article reviews. The review will be evaluated in the same manner as the article reviews.
You should also be prepared to share your impression of the book you read with your classmates.
During the last portion of the semester I will ask individuals to present a short (5 minute) talk about
the book you read including any recommendation.
1. Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, Norton, 1997.
2. William H. McNeill, Plagues and Peoples, Anchor Books, 1976.
3. Andro Linklater, Measuring America: How an Untamed Wilderness Shaped the United States and
Fulfilled the Promise of Democracy, Walker and Company, 2002.
4. Alfred W. Crosby, Ecological Imperialism: The Biological Expansion of Europe, 900-1900,
Cambridge University Press, 1993.
5. _______________, The Columbian Exchange (Contributions in American Studies, No. 2 Series):
Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003.
6. Susan E. Hanson, 10 Geographic Ideas That Changed the World, Rutgers University Press, 1997.
7. Dava Sobel, Longitude, Walker and Co., 1995.
8. George Demko, Why in the World: Adventures in Geography,
9. Clive Ponting, A Green History of the World, Penguin, 1991.
10. Charles Mann, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, Vintage, 2012.
11. Harm de Blij, Harm de Blij’s Geography Book, Wiley, 1995.
12. _________, Why Geography Matters, Oxford University Press, 2005.
13. Mark Kurlansky, Cod: The Biography of the Fish That Changed the World, Viking Penguin, 1998.
14. _____________, Salt: A World History, Walker and Company, 2001.
15. Sidney Mintz, Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History, Viking Penguin,
1990.
16. David Laskin, The Children’s Blizzard, Harper Collins, 2004
17. David McCullough, Path Between The Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914,
Simon & Schuster, 1978
18. ______________, 1776, Simon & Schuster, 2006
19. Steven Johnson, The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic and How it
Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World, Riverhead Trade, 2007.
20. Robert D. Kaplan, Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power, Random
House, 2011.
21. _____________, The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and
the Battle Against Fate, Random House, 2012.
Annex D
Lesson Plan
Each student will prepare a lesson plan that demonstrates your ability to identify a geographical
learning objective and develop an effective lesson leading to a demonstrable student learning
outcome. This lesson must explicitly incorporate content and skill standards contained in the National
Geography Standards. The lesson design must incorporate practice in the following skills (see
Chapter 3, Geography for Life: National Geography Standards, pp. 41-59):
a) Formulation of a geographic question, derived by students on their own or through guided
practice.
b) Acquisition of geographic information from maps, charts, or tables.
c) The organization of geographic information through the selection and design of maps, charts,
and tables based upon types of data.
d) The analysis of geographic information through the appropriate use of quantitative methods,
comparisons of maps, and the application of evaluation and explanation.
e) Arrive at an answer to the initial question based upon valid generalizations and the application
of relevant geographic models and theories.
Obviously, maps must be employed throughout the lesson for purposes other than simply location.
In lesson 9 you will submit your learning objectives and identify which of the geographical skills the
lesson will teach. The learning objective must specify (1) the learning task, (2) the necessary
conditions for performing the task, and (3) the performance measures to assess effective learning.
The lesson must be based upon the Virginia Standards of Learning for World Geography. The lesson
design may also incorporate SOL’s in other content areas and may be adapted from previously
prepared work. The lesson activity may cover one or more class periods. To standardize all lesson
plans, use the format at Appendix 1 to this Annex. Be prepared to explain and discuss your lesson in
a small group setting at the end of the course.
Appendix 1 to Annex D
Lesson Plan Format
Name:
Student Number:
Date:
Lesson Title
1. Overall Lesson Objective: Include a description of the geographic content, themes, and skills
you will address during the lesson.
2. Subject and Class Description: Content area and grade level.
3. Geography Standards Supported by this Lesson:
a) National Geography standard statement
b) Virginia standard for World Geography (i.e. WG. xx)
c) Other relevant Virginia SOL
4. Learning Objectives: Please be specific. Good learning objectives are the key to effective
lessons.
a) Learning Task (What must the student DO?)
b) Necessary Conditions (What does the student need to complete the task?)
c) Performance Measures (How can you tell if the student knows how to do the task?)
5. Geographic Skills: Include the specific geography skills you will teach (see National Geography
Standards).
6. Materials: List all materials to be used in the activity
6. Procedures:
a) Teacher:
b) Student:
7. Evaluation: How will you determine if your students have mastered the geographic skills that you
described in your learning objectives?
Annex E
CD Based Tasks
Each student will complete at least one of the following activities from the Teaching Geography CD
that accompanies the textbook for each lesson. Each activity is keyed to a particular lesson, so every
effort should be made to complete these activities as preparation for that lesson. Be prepared to
discuss your reaction to the activity in class.
The activities can be accessed from the main page of the CD using the regional maps as indicated
below.
Lesson Number/Title
2 – Thinking
Geographically
3 – Fundamental
Themes in Geography
5 – Maps: Language of
Geography
6 – Regions
7 – Climate
8 – Landform
Processes
9 – Population
10 – Patterns of Urban
Development
11 – Political
Geography
12 – Economic
Geography
CD Regional Area
North America
CD Activity Title
Comparison of Map Patterns
North America
Spatial Thinking
Spatial Thinking
Africa
Maps and Tools
Maps and Tools
North America
Europe
Africa
South America
South America
Africa
Maps and Tools
Spatial Thinking
Oceania
East Asia
Europe
Europe
Northern Eurasia
East Asia
Europe
Oceania
Europe
East Asia
South Asia
Erie Canal
Geographic Diffusion
Comparing Places
Isoline Maps
Choosing Map Symbols
Map Projections
Trade Flowlines
Placenames in Switzerland
Language Regions
EcoRegions
Altitude Zones in the Andes
Seasonal Precipitation
Climagraphs
Slope and Terrain
Caves and Rice
Population Pyramids
Migration to Germany
Locating a Fort
Moscow: Onion Ring Urban Form
Tokyo Mosaic Urban Form
Borders in History
Law of the Sea
Changing Technology: Iron and Steel
Tea Farms
Making Bricks in Dhaka