Urges that college level geography students will develop greater appreciation of population projections when they are directly and systematically involved in making and using them. An exercise is described in which students are directed to make several population projections, compare their projections with published projections, and explain…

The interconnections between urban climates and human ecology are discussed, strengthening the notion that man is not yet free of environmental constraints, especially climatic ones. Student learning activities are suggested to allow students to become aware of this area of geography and its relation to environmental education. (Author/JR)

By analyzing nineteenth-century mental health data, college level geography students discover the concept of distance decay, which describes the decrease in intensity of a phenomenon with increasing distance from some central place. (RM)

The production of an American pencil is the result of complex interactions involving many people, places, and resources. Learning activities dealing with the making of a pencil that will help students learn about global interdependence are described. The activities can be adapted to fit any elementary grade level. (RM)

Intended for use in introductory college-level physical geography courses, this self-guided field exercise involves students in searching their immediate environment for examples of fourth-order landforms that are replicas of large landforms. (RM)

This collection of essays offers many ideas, observations, and descriptions of the state of Indiana to stimulate the study of Indiana's geography. The 25 essays in the collection are as follows: (1) "The Changing Geographic Personality of Indiana" (William A. Dando); (2) "The Ice Age Legacy" (Susan M. Berta); (3) "The…

Describes a learning activity involving correctly matching soils with environments. The activity is intended for use in college level physical geography courses. Information is presented on instructional objectives, outline of preparatory lectures, soil test exercise worksheets, procedures, laboratory setting, testing procedures, collecting and…

Classroom activities that geography instructors can use to help students analyze two aspects of a health care system--the amount of disease present and the use of facilities to help cure disease--are suggested. The spatial patterns of morbidity and hospital utilization patterns in Central Harlem are used as examples. (RM)

After a brief introduction to political redistricting, this article describes a learning activity to teach secondary or college level students about malapportionment and gerrymandering. The activity can be used in political geography, political science, or social studies courses. (RM)

Designed for students in grades 7 through 10, this teaching unit presents illustrative resource materials depicting the multi-factor nature of a geographic region. The unit focuses not only on climatic factors, but also on introducing other regional factors in an informal way. A blackboard summary of a class discussion of the different regions is…

Three hands-on activities that will actively involve secondary students in learning map skills and acquiring a global perspective are presented. Students make their own maps, use 16-inch diameter globes to investigate many topics, and devise a sequence for a randomly shuffled pack of slides. (RM)

Outlines learning activities for applying geography's five fundamental themes to studying Antarctica and points out the learning potential, for studying the economic, historical, and political geography of the continent. Groups activities for grades K-5, 6-8, and 8-12. Stresses cooperative learning in general, and includes a role play activity for…

Encourages geography teachers to use biographies to reveal a sense of place and life in a given geographical context. Highlights the life of John Mullett, a surveyor during the settlement of Michigan as a model for using biography in geography instruction appropriate for grades 6-12. Includes surveyor maps and sources of additional biographies.…

Six geography lessons which teach a global perspective to fifth graders are discussed. The lessons include examining maps made in countries other than the United States, brainstorming about another culture, taking an imaginary trip over a region just studied, participating in a simulation, and researching the making of a pencil. (RM)

By conducting a pedestrian survey, secondary or college level students answer the question "What is the best location for a new business requiring maximum pedestrian traffic?" They collect data on the number and types of people on streets in a commercial area of a city. (RM)