DOCUMENT RESUME ED 375 073 SO 024 578 AUTHOR Bednarz, Sarah Witham; And Others TITLE Geography for Life: National Geography Standards, 1994. INSTITUTION Department of Education, Washington, DC.; National Endowment for the Humanities (NFAH), Washington, D.C.; National Geographic Society, Washington, DC. REPORT NO ISBN-0-7922-2775-1 PUB DATE 94 NOTE 278p. AVAILABLE FROMNational Geographic Society, P.O. Box 1640, Washington, DC 20013-1640 (For fewer than 10 copies: $9 US, $16 Canadian, all other countries $20 US. For 10 or more copies: $8 US, $15 Canadian, all other countries $19 US. Postage and handling included). PUB TYPE Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials (090) Guides Non-Classroom Use (055) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PC12 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Elementary Secondary Education; *Geographic CoAcepts; *Geography; *Geography Instruction; *Map Skills; Social Studies IDENTIFIERS *Geographic Literacy; *National Geography Standards ABSTRACT These geography standards are subtitled "What Every Young American Should Know ane Be Able To Do In Geography", and constitute a set of voluntary penchmarks chat every school and school district may use as guidelines for developing their owncurricula. The standards for grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 specify theessential subject matter, skills, and perspectives that all students should have in order to attain high levels of competency. The standards provide every parent, teacher, curriculum developer, and businessand policy leader with a set of challenging expectations for all students. The purpose of standards for geography is tobring all student up to internationally competitive levels to meet thedemands of a new age and a different world. For the United States tomaintain leadership and prosper in the 21st century, the education system must be tailored to the needs of productive and responsiblecitizenship in the global economy. The guide is divided into 8 chapters:(1) "The Geographic View of Our World";(2) "The Components of Geography Education";(3) "Geographic Skills and Perspectives";(4) "The Subject Matter of Geography";(5) "National Geography Standards: Grades K-4";(6) "National Geography Standards: Grades 5-8"; (7) "National Geography Standards: Grades 9-12"; and (8) "Student Achievement in Geography." A conclusion discusses thinking geographically and the role of parents in geography education. Five appendices and a glossary complete the document. (DK) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** A U S. DEPARTMENT OI EDUCATION Office ot Educe natal Research and Improvmont EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Thu document has bowl rproducsd as lowed from the pinion or ospenastion Originatirsa it 0 Minor champs hive twee made to snowy* reproductionmeetly Points of stew ot opinions statd in this docu- ment do not necessarily rowels/int official OERI position or policy NATIONAL GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS '1994 Oo `C) O LIFE BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 Geography is the science of space and place on Earth's surface. Itssubject matter is the physical and human phenomena that make up the world'senvironments and places. Geographers describe the changing patterns of places in words, maps, and geo-graphics, explain how these patterns come to be, and unravel their meaning. Geography's continu- ing quest is to understand the physical and cultural features of places and their natural settings on the surface of Earth. P #94 Zu .-1111.11k= -4 n 'IA J A i...% ',', A i'40 :11,. , ,- tdiAtt- 94' * N.4`, . '**4 4(41):4 14 !4' ..., ? k.4 - '44 ti,,, ,, , i. ........ ,,.. ,4. it:. `,%: ,..., :. Aca r *.1 ..;%11,11rnpv114...1101 --711111= at Every Young American Should Know and Be Able to Do in Geography :1J kPHY :DE TJFE N TIONAL GEOGRAPHY STA D RDS 1994 GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION STANDARDS PROJECT Developed on behalf of the American Geographical Society Association of American Geographers 4 National Councl; for Geographic Education National Geograplac Society 1994 EARTI I SA1 T I I TIT CORPORATION 5 THE GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION By the year 2000, all students STANDARDS PROJECT ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Executive Director will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 National Geographic Society having demonstrated competency Rum I. SHIREY, Project Administrator National Council for Geographic Education over challenging subject matter NORMAN C. BETTIS, Project Co-chair Illinois State University including...geography, and every CHRISTOPHER L. SALTER, Project Co-chair school in America will ensure University of Missouri that all students learn to use ROGER M. DowNS, Writing Coordinator The Pennsylvania State University their minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, AUTHORS SARAH WITHAM BEDNARZ further learning, and productive Texas A&M University employment in our Nation's NORMAN C. BEI fIS Illinois State University modern economy. RICHARD G. BOEHM Southwest Texas State University Goals 2000: Educate America Act, ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA Section 102 National Geographic Society ROGER M. DOWNS The Pennsylvania State University This publication has been prepared by the JAMES F. MARRAN Geography Education Standards Project with New Trier High School grants from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the ROBERT W. MORRILL National Geographic Society. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University CHRISTOPHER L. SALTER The grants have been administered by the National University of Missouri Council for Geographic Education. Grantees undertaking such projects are encouraged COMMITTEE CHAIRS to express freely their professional judgment. This publicatio.-., therefore, does not necessarily repre- SAUL B. COHEN, Advisers sent positions or policies of the federal government Hunter CollegeCLINY and no official endorsement should inferred. SUSAN W. HARDWICK, Content Development California State UniversityChico All rights reserved. A. DAVID HILL, International Printed in the United States of America University of ColoradoBoulder ISBN #0- 7922 - 2775 -1 LYDIA LEWIS, Writing Copyright © 1994 National Geographic Society NATIONAL GFOGRAPIIIC RESEARCI I & EXPLORATION MICHAEL J. LIBBEE, Environmental Education 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-4688 Central Michigan University On behalf of the RAMSAY SELDEN, Oversight AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCHI.), Council of Chief State School Officers ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEC/GRAM IFRS NATIONAL COUNCII FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION THOMAS J. WILBANKS, Content Advisory NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY Oak Ridge National Laboratory (cover) Diego Ribero's1529 world map "Carta Planisferio."81111.10TECA AVOSTOI (A VATICANA 4 (right) Riverton, Wyoming.DAVID P. JOHNSON F C C a -" 1" aes 1,3 E'crrf COPYAVAILABLE a TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE 9 CHAPTER 1 The Geographic View of Our World CHAPTER 2 The Components of Geography Education 30 CHAPTER 3 Geographic Skills and Perspectives 41 CHAPTER 4 The Subject Matter of Geography 61 CHAPTER 5 National Geography Standards: Grades K-4 105 CHAPTER 6 National Geography Standards: Grades 5-8 143 CHAPTER 7 National Geography Standards: Grades 9-12 183 CHAPTER 8 Student Achievement in Geography 223 CONCLUSION Thinking Geographically 237 ...and the Role of Parents in Geography Education APPENDICES A: Genesis of the Natiol tal Geography Standards 243 B: Consensus Process 245 Committees and the Consensus Model 246 Members of the Geography Education Standards Project 247 Witnesses at Public Hearings 249 Reviewers of Drafts 251 C: Setting of the National Geography Standards 253 D: Time in the Classroom 254 E: Role of Geographic Information Systems 256 GLOSSARY 259 INDEX 270 101' I IARO's1 jg V it o. .! 4 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Preface The inclusion of geography as a core subject in Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Public Law 103-227) is the culmination of a decade of reform in geography education. There is now a widespread acceptance among the peopleof the United States that being literi to in geography is essential if students are to leave school equipped to earn a decent living, enjoy the richness of life, and participate responsibly in local, national, and interna- tional affairs. In response to this desire for a geographically literate society, edu- cators and parents, as well as members of business, professional, and civic orga- nizations, have built a national consensus regarding the study of geography and produced Geography for Life: National Geography Standards 1994. These geography standards identify what American students should learna set of voluntary benchmarks that every school and school district may use as guidelines for developing their own curricula. The standards for grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 specify the essential subject matter, skills, and perspectives that all students should have in order to attain high levels of competency. The standards provide every parent, teacher, curriculum developer, and business and policy leader with a set of challenging expectations for all students. The purpose of standards for geography is to bring all students up to interna- tionally competitive levels to meet the demands of a new age and a different world. For the United States to maintain leadership and prosper in the twenty- first century, the education system must be tailored to the needs of productive and responsible citizenship in the global eccaomy. Geography for Life: National Geography Standards 1994 is a vital contribution to the achievement of the