Emphasizes that effective college geography teaching is absolutely dependent upon the dynamics and training of the instructor. Discusses the principles upon which effective instructors base their teaching, dismaying examples of current instruction, and the inverted rationale for improving geography teaching and attracting students to the program.…

Argues that learning about winds and ocean currents will help students understand the achievements of explorers in history in light of physical elements and technologies of their time. Presents a three-day lesson for teaching secondary geography units on locations and regions of winds and currents, and historic effects of winds and currents on…

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…

Illustrates the importance of studying the snow avalanche as a natural hazard. Describes the various kinds of snow avalanches, the types of triggering mechanisms that produce them, the typical avalanche terrain, and the geomorphic and the vegetative evidence for snow avalanching. Depicts methods of human adjustment to the avalanche hazard.…

Because of increased recreational use of alpine environments in the western United States, this lesson plan integrates the themes of location, place, and human-environment interaction in order to teach avalanche hazard awareness. Presents classroom activities and research topics to enhance student awareness of snow avalanche hazards. Provides…

Highlights instructional materials provided in ERIC's "Resources in Education" (RIE) and "Current Index to Journals in Education" (CIJE) on human-environment interaction and individualized instruction in geography. Each of the seven documents or articles is accompanied by a brief description and a method for obtaining…

Describes a community study project that uses history and the five fundamental themes of geography as a framework. The project involves organizing committees to study the need for a traffic signal in a small town. By studying various dimensions of the issue, the committees are able to demonstrate the need for a signal. (KO)

Suggests the use of picture books to teach the five fundamental themes of geography in the primary grades. Describes the use of maps which follow the paths of characters in children's literature. Discusses the use of four stories that are accompanied by maps and follow-up activities. Includes reproducible maps. (KO)

Maintains that regional atlases are an important educational tool that must be updated to remain current and valuable. Reports on a user survey among 123 Canadian geography teachers about content and design of atlases. Finds that teachers value simplicity and up-to-date information and not CD-ROM atlases. (CFR)

Presents a historical overview of the educational reform movement that produced the "Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary Schools" and the "Fundamental Themes of Geography." Describes the efforts that led to the identification of the five fundamental themes and their translation into ordinary language.…

Describes a lesson plan that uses Main Street images of three towns to encourage students to recognize and compare human and physical characteristics of places. The lesson teaches the geographic concepts of site (absolute location) and situation (relative location) as well as introducing students to urban geography. (MJP)