Grades 9, 10, 11, 12

Course Skills

Course Content

Concepts and Processes

Spatial Relationships

Data Analysis

Source Analysis

Scale Analysis

Thinking Geographically

Population and Migration Patterns and Processes

Cultural Patterns and Processes

Political Patterns and Processes

Agriculture and Rural Land-Use Patterns and Processes

Cities and Urban Land- Use Patterns and Processes

Industrial and Economic Development Patterns and Processes

Analyze geographic theories, approaches, concepts, processes, or models in theoretical and applied contexts.

Analyze geographic patterns, relationships, and outcomes in applied contexts.

Analyze and interpret quantitative geographic data represented in maps, tables, charts, graphs, satellite images, and infographics.

Analyze and interpret qualitative geographic information represented in maps, images (e.g., satellite, photographs, cartoons), and landscapes.

Analyze geographic theories, approaches, concepts, processes, and models across geographic scales to explain spatial relationships.

Identify types of maps, the types of information presented in maps, and different kinds of spatial patterns and relationships portrayed in maps.

Identify types of maps, the types of information presented in maps, and different kinds of spatial patterns and relationships portrayed in maps.

Explain the geographical effects of decisions made using geographical information.

Define major geographic concepts that illustrate spatial relationships.

Explain how major geographic concepts illustrate spatial relationships.

Define scales of analysis used by geographers.

Explain what scales of analysis reveal.

Describe different ways that geographers define regions.

Identify the factors that influence the distribution of human populations at different scales.

Define methods geographers use to calculate population density.

Explain the differences between and the impact of methods used to calculate population density.

Explain how population distribution and density affect society and the environment.

Describe elements of population composition used by geographers.

Explain ways that geographers depict and analyze population composition.

Explain factors that account for contemporary and historical trends in population growth and decline.

Explain theories of population growth and decline.

Explain how different causal factors encourage migration.

Describe types of forced and voluntary migration.

Explain historical and contemporary geographic effects of migration.

Explain the intent and effects of various population and immigration policies on population size and composition.

Explain how the changing role of females has demographic consequences in different parts of the world.

Explain the causes and consequences of an aging population.

Define the characteristics, attitudes, and traits that influence geographers when they study culture.

Describe the characteristics of cultural landscapes.

Explain how landscape features and land and resource use reflect cultural beliefs and identities.

Explain patterns and landscapes of language, religion, ethnicity, and gender.

Define the types of diffusion.

Explain what factors lead to the diffusion of universalizing and ethnic religions.

Explain how historical processes impact current cultural patterns.

Explain how the process of diffusion results in changes to the cultural landscape.

For world political maps:

Define the different types of political entities.

Identify a contemporary example of political entities.

Explain the processes that have shaped contemporary political geography.

Describe the concepts of political power and territoriality as used by geographers.

Define types of political boundaries used by geographers.

Explain the nature and function of international and internal boundaries.

Define federal and unitary states.

Explain how federal and unitary states affect spatial organization.

Define factors that lead to the devolution of states.

Explain how political, economic, cultural, and technological changes challenge state sovereignty.

Explain how the concepts of centrifugal and centripetal forces apply at the state scale.

Explain the connection between physical geography and agricultural practices.

Identify different rural settlement patterns and methods of surveying rural settlements.

Explain how economic forces influence agricultural practices.

Describe how the von Thünen model is used to explain patterns of agricultural production at various scales.

Explain the interdependence among regions of agricultural production and consumption.

Identify major centers of domestication of plants and animals.

Explain how plants and animals diffused globally.

Explain the advances and impacts of the second agricultural revolution.

Explain the consequences of the Green Revolution on food supply and the environment in the developing world.

Explain how agricultural practices have environmental and societal consequences.

Explain challenges and debates related to the changing nature of contemporary agriculture and food-production practices.

Explain geographic variations in female roles in food production and consumption.

Explain the processes that initiate and drive urbanization and suburbanization.

Explain how cities embody processes of globalization.

Identify the different urban concepts such as hierarchy, interdependence, relative size, and spacing that are useful for explaining the distribution, size, and interaction of cities.

Explain the internal structure of cities using various models and theories.

Explain how low-, medium-, and high-density housing characteristics represent different patterns of residential land use.

Explain how a city's infrastructure relates to local politics, society, and the environment.

Identify the different urban design initiatives and practices.

Explain the effects of different urban design initiatives and practices.

Explain how qualitative and quantitative data are used to show the causes and effects of geographic change within urban areas.

Explain causes and effects of geographic change within urban areas.

Describe the effectiveness of different attempts to address urban sustainability challenges.

Explain how the Industrial Revolution facilitated the growth and diffusion of industrialization.

Explain the spatial patterns of industrial production and development.

Describe social and economic measures of development.

Explain how and to what extent changes in economic development have contributed to gender parity.

Explain different theories of economic and social development.

Explain causes and geographic consequences of recent economic changes such as the increase in international trade, deindustrialization, and growing interdependence in the world economy.

Explain how sustainability principles relate to and impact industrialization and spatial development.

Describe geographic concepts, processes, models, and theories.

Explain geographic concepts, processes, models, and theories.

Compare geographic concepts, processes, models, and theories.

Describe a relevant geographic concept, process, model, or theory in a specified context.

Explain the strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of different geographic models and theories in a specified context.

Describe spatial patterns, networks, and relationships.

Explain spatial relationships in a specified context or region 0of the world, using geographic concepts, processes, models, or theories.

Explain a likely outcome in a geographic scenario using geographic concepts, processes, models, or theories.

Explain the significance of geographic similarities and differences among different locations and/or at different times.

Explain the degree to which a geographic concept, process, model, or theory effectively explains geographic effects in different contexts and regions of the world.

Identify the different types of data presented in maps and in quantitative and geospatial data.

Describe spatial patterns presented in maps and in quantitative and geospatial data.

Explain patterns and trends in maps and in quantitative and geospatial data to draw conclusions.

Compare patterns and trends in maps and in quantitative and geospatial data to draw conclusions.

Explain what maps or data imply or illustrate about geographic principles, processes, and outcomes.

Explain possible limitations of the data provided.

Identify the different types of information presented in visual sources.

Describe the spatial patterns presented in visual sources.

Explain patterns and trends in visual sources to draw conclusions.

Compare patterns and trends in visual sources to draw conclusions.

Explain how maps, images, and landscapes illustrate or relate to geographic principles, processes, and outcomes.

Explain possible limitations of visual sources provided.

Identify the scales of analysis presented by maps, quantitative and geospatial data, images, and landscapes.

Explain spatial relationships across various geographic scales using geographic concepts, processes, models, or theories.

Compare geographic characteristics and processes at various scales.

Explain the degree to which a geographic concept, process, model, or theory effectively explains geographic effects across various geographic scales.