Social 8 (Geography) Course Outline 2008-09

Social 8 (Geography) Course Outline

Instructor: John Haberman

Classroom Phone Number: 507-342-7112 You can contact me with questions or concerns at anytime by e-mail at [email protected]

Textbook: EXPLORING OUR WORLD: PEOPLE, PLACES, AND CULTURES—EASTERN HEMISPHERE. Boehm, Armstrong, Hunkins. Glencoe: 2008. NY.

Course Description:

Geography is the study of our planet. This includes physical, political and cultural aspects of our world.

Course Subject: Geography, history, and current events of the eastern hemisphere.

Year-long goals:

Students will be able to: - Apply the 5 themes of geography. - Use geographic knowledge to solve real questions and problems

Learner Goals by Chapter and Section

The following is an outline of what will be covered in class, organized by unit, chapter and section. The really important things that students will understand after taking this course are right here. Unit 2: The United States and Canada (4 weeks)

Chapter 4 – The United States and Canada Section 1 – Major Landforms - The region rises in elevation from east to west. - Eastern lowlands and highlands. - Interior lowlands - Western mountains and plateaus. - Major bodies of water - Natural resources Section 2 – Climater Regions - Most people in the United State and Canada live in temperate regions. - The Far North - The Pacific Coast - The Great Plains - The East - Tropical Areas - Natural Hazards

Chapter 5 – History and Cultures of the United States and Canada Section 1 – History and Governments - History of the United States - Native America - Settlement of the United States - Independence - Governments of the US and Canada - Canadian democracy and American Democracy

Section 2 – Cultures and Lifestyles in the US and Canada - Diverse traditions - Arts, literature and music - Native American, and immigrant cultures

Chapter 6 – The US and Canada Today

Section 1 – Regions

- The United States and Canada have free market economies, and each country contains different economic regions that produce goods and services. - The U.S. Northeast has large urban areas and is a center of business and trade. - The South's rich soil meant that agriculture has always been important to its economy. - The Midwest relied on agriculture, and later it shifted into a focus on manufacturing. - The Interior West's scenery makes it a draw for tourists. - The Pacific Coast focuses on fruits and vegetables, fish, and timber. - In Canada, the fishing industry was important to the Atlantic Provinces, although in recent years over fishing has become a major concern. - Finance and business are important to the large cities in the Central and Eastern regions. - Ranching and farming, especially wheat, are keys to the economy of the West. - The Northern one-third of Canada has many mineral resources, including gold and diamonds.

Section 2 - Issues and Challenges

- The two countries are important trading partners. - While the United States has an international trade deficit, Canada enjoys a trade surplus. - The countries cooperated, in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. - They have also cooperated to address environmental issues faced by the region, including acid rain and the lowering water levels of the Great Lakes. - Both countries have made progress in cleaning up their air and water. Still, pollution remains a problem.

Unit 3: Latin America (4 weeks)

Chapter 7 – Physical Geography of Latin America Section 1 – Physical Features

- Latin America stretches from Mexico in North America to the southernmost tip of South America. - Geographers divide the region of Latin America into three subregions: Middle America, the Caribbean, and South America. - Mountains are prominent features in many parts of Latin America. - Some islands of the Caribbean were also formed by volcanoes, some of which are still active. - The Amazon Basin of South America is east of the Andes. It contains the Amazon River and the world's largest rain forest. - Latin America has vast natural resources, but not all countries benefit from them. - Brazil has products from its rain forest and mineral deposits. - Some Central American countries like Nicaragua and Guatemala have rich gold deposits but because of political conflict and lack of transportation cannot mine them.

Section 2 – Climate Regions

- Perhaps the best known feature of South America is its vast rain forest, located in a tropical wet climate. - Latin America also has a variety of other climate zones. - Most of Latin America lies in the Tropics, the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. - Middle America, most Caribbean islands, and north central South America have a tropical dry climate.

-Temperate climates are found mostly in the parts of South America that lie south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

- Climates tend to be drier and cooler at the higher elevations in some parts of the Andes.

Chapter 8 – History and Cultures of Latin America Section 1 – History and Governments

- Early peoples of Latin America include the Olmec of southern Mexico, the Maya of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and the Inca of South America. - The arrival of the Europeans in the 1400 and 1500s transformed the populations of these lands. - They also used Native Americans as workers to grow cash crops. - European landowners brought enslaved Africans for labor. - Most Latin American countries were ruled by Spain or Portugal from the 1500s to the 1800s. - Countries in Latin America fought for independence after two centuries of European rule. - Difficult economic and political reforms in the 1980s helped strengthen many Latin American countries, but these changes were often harsh and turned many Latin Americans against dictators.

Section 2 – Cultures and Lifestyles

- Latin America has a high population growth rate, but resources are limited in many areas. - Most people live in the moderate climates found along the coasts of South America or in the Mexico and Central America region. - Many people move to the cities to find work. Today most Latin Americans live in growing cities. - In South America, about 80 percent of people live in cities, but in Central America and the Caribbean, only about 65 percent are urban dwellers. - Latin America’s people include Native Americans, Europeans, Africans, Asians, and mixtures of these groups. - Spanish is the most widely spoken language in Latin America, although Brazilians mostly speak Portuguese. - Family life and religion are important to most Latin Americans. - The food, arts, holidays, and celebrations in each country blend the traditions of its diverse peoples.

Chapter 9 – Latin America Today Section 1 – Mexico

- Mexico is the second-largest country in Latin America by population and is the United State’s nearest southern neighbor. Its people and culture reflect the blending of Spanish and Native American populations over the centuries. - Sports, religion, and celebrations reveal the influences of both cultures. - Mexico is a federal republic like the United States. - The country has three economic regions: the North, Central Mexico, and the South. - In the North, farming and ranching are important activities, and the region also profits from rich mineral deposits. - Fertile soil benefits agricultural products while large industrial cities also prosper in Central Mexico. - In the central South, most people are subsistence farmers; the coasts along the South benefit from tourism. - While the country's economy is improving, Mexico still faces significant challenges from poverty, overcrowded cities, and environmental issues. Section 2 – Central America and the Caribbean

- In Central America, crops such as bananas, sugarcane, and coffee are produced for export, but political conflict has held back the economies of some countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. - Costa Rica and Panama are Central American countries that have had stable governments and better economic growth. - Many of the island countries of the Caribbean face political and economic challenges as well. Some islands benefit from tourism, but people in Cuba and Haiti endure poverty as well as political conflict. - Puerto Rico, compared to most Caribbean islands, has a high standard of living due to its status as a commonwealth of the United States.

Section 3 – South America

- South America's countries are diverse both politically and economically. - Brazil, the largest country in South America, has a high standard of living: it has valuable mineral resources and is one of the world's leading producers of food crops such as coffee, oranges, and cassava. - Argentina depends heavily on farming and ranching, and it is one of the most industrialized countries in South America. Despite its resources, Argentina's economy has struggled. - A few countries in South America, such as Venezuela and Colombia, have faced political and social conflict that hinders their economic development. Venezuela's wealth of oil does not translate into prosperity for its people. - Colombia has been weakened especially by illegal drug trade. - Other countries such as Chile have had strong economic growth in recent years.

Unit 5 Russia and Eastern Europe (4 Weeks)

Chapter 13 – Physical Geography of Russia Section 1 – Physical Features - Russia is a huge country with a location and landforms that greatly affect how people live. - Although Russia has plentiful resources, many of them are in remote Siberia and are difficult to obtain.

Section 2 – Climate and the Environment - Russia has a generally cool to cold climate because of its northern location. - As Russia’s economy expanded, the country’s environment was poorly cared for.

Chapter 14 – History and Cultures of Russia Section 1 – History and Governments - Strong leaders made Russia a vast empire, but widespread suffering eventually led to revolution. - The communist system controlled many aspects of people’s lives, but democratic ideas eventually took hold.

Section 2 – Cultures and Lifestyles - Russia’s many ethnic groups and a tradition of great achievements in the arts and sciences contribute to the country’s culture. - Russian lifestyles are influenced by the region’s cold climate and vast area, as well as the country’s changing economic system.

Chapter 9 – Russia Today Section 1 – A Changing Russia - The fall of communism led to great changes in Russia’s government, economy, and society. - Russia’s four economic regions differ in the resources and products they supply.

Assignment, questions 1-6 on page 412

Section 2 – Issues and Challenges - Russians face many challenges as they try to build a democracy and a market economy. - Although Russia remains a world power, other nations have questioned some of its actions.

Course Requirements: Students are expected to participate in class, and complete all reading and written assignments.

Homework:

There will be at least 1 homework assignment per week.

Major Assignments:

1) Unit tests:

2) 2 mid-terms and a final Rules and Guidelines for all of Mr. Haberman’s Classes

1) Treat everyone in the room with respect.

2) Students will be responsible for their own words and actions.

3) Shut off your phone and lay it on your desk where it can be seen.

4) Plagiarism or dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated! This includes turning in information from the Internet as your own work. Consequences of plagiarism include earning a score of “0” on the assignment, involvement of the principal and your parents, possible suspension and/or failure of the course.

5) If you are absent from class for any reason, excused or unexcused, it is your responsibility to check what you missed with me before or after class. If you miss a test, it must be made up promptly. You need to schedule the make-up test with me in person. It is your responsibility to schedule make-up tests.

Failure to follow the rules will result in the following consequences in roughly the following order: 1) Participation points will be lost. 2) Student will be kept after school to perform chores. 3) Parents of the student will be contacted. 4) Student will be written up for a detention.

Acceptance of late work causes the following problems:

1) The skills of organization, goal setting, time management and proper planning are not learned. 2) Irresponsible habits are reinforced. 3) It is unfair to students who inconvenience themselves to meet deadlines. 4) Keeping track of late work is an organizational hassle that wastes the teacher’s time.

Therefore, late work will not be tolerated. Assignments that are a day late will have one letter grade deducted, and I will not accept assignments after that. Obviously exceptions will be made for illness, injury and the like.