Classroom projects that explore culture and globalization enhance the curriculum and help students see how geography directly connects to their lives. These authors contend that a project-based approach can supplement the teaching of an AP Human Geography course, and visualize this course as an essential tool for students to truly understand how…

In 2011, the author made the transition from teaching assistant to teaching artist. From 2007 to 2011 she was an assistant teacher at Marwen, an organization that provides free art classes for middle and high school students in the Chicago area. It was there that she began to realize how much she enjoyed helping people as a teacher, whether…

Ethnic music is a strong indicator of cultural identity. Central and Eastern European ethnic groups have historically been associated with folk music traditions, such as polka, and radio broadcasting patterns in the United States reflect continued demand for and support of this music. Data from the 2000 Census was used to generate maps of the…

The authors share a successful Fulbright Group Projects Abroad grant award. The purpose of the grant was to enhance American educators' experience and knowledge of South Africa, in particular, and sub-Saharan Africa more generally. Toward that end, participants experienced a multifaceted view of South Africa's geographical diversity, both physical…

This statistical brief provides a follow-up assessment of the changing demographic and economic landscape of the Midwest between 1980 and 1990. Latino population growth in the Midwest during the 1980s was modest, but since the region's other groups experienced minimal or negative growth, Latino growth accounted for over half the Midwest's total…

The Sampler provides ideas and lists resources for an interdisciplinary study of environment in terms of a person's immediate surroundings, distant sites, and facilities. Although it was developed for use by parents, teachers, youth group leaders, students, and interested individuals in the state of Illinois, many of the activities would be…

Emphasizing human geography, this collection of 10 papers is designed to constitute basic lecture topics for a college level course concerned with Native American human geography and to serve as a guide to published materials and primary data/documentary sources on Native Americans. Comprised of three sections, this publication includes an…

This paper examines the changing nature of metroregions and their schools. It discusses the influence of global neo-liberalism and resistance on processes of social differentiation through case studies of Chicago metroregion communities and schools. Using spatial theory, the paper argues that while the restructuring of metroregions creates…

Describes a college-level class that studies the geography of poverty in Illinois and uses these findings as a basis for classroom discussions and exercises concerning poverty. Empirical evidence suggest that poverty levels are higher in rural areas rather than in urban areas. Discusses possible reasons and implications. (MJP)