So, I'm a geography teacher

First year teacher, stuck with a subject that I didn't really want to teach, but it is what it is.

I'm looking for things to integrate into my lessons, whether it be acitivies, ideas or something else.

 

I figured there might be no where else better to start than my fellow Austrians.

Well, what's the scope of your class? Is it limited to just geography? I'm assuming not, but I just want to be sure.

Well, the topic is world Geography, but it should more accurately be called "Western Geography" due to the way the school year breaks down.  I will have to MAKE time to cover some of Europe [which I full intend to do].  Asia would be nice, but that feels like pie-in-the-sky.

Right now we're on the N. American continent and focusing on the United States for the next month or so.  From there it's Canada, S. America and then I'm making the jump across the pond to Europe.

who are you teaching?

I have never taken a class in Geography. What does it entail? Do you just learn names of geographical obejcts? Mountains, lakes, cities, capitals, states, etc?

Hm. I don't know what resources you plan on using for the class, but I think The World Factbook might be a useful tool. Maybe you can have your students research various countries and compare trends over time. Examine how the standard of living in X country has improved or gotten worse. Without getting into economics, you could still probably highlight the differences in standard of living between the countries with strong property rights and relatively free economies and the countries that have weak property rights and centrally planned economies.

If that's even too political for your taste or the school's, just having them research this sort of thing will help illuminate the truth to those that are searching for it.

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_humangeo.html here is a ap course

http://oedb.org/library/features/top-100-open-courseware-projects here is some open course that could give some ideas

http://www.harpercollege.edu/mhealy/geg101i/orientation.htm one example from the previus link

maybe the topics could be, geography and markets, or geography and enterprenourship. or geography and culture. geography and human adaptation. geography and ecology.

Why are certain countries placed in the place they are?

Or you can cheat and just teach them history instead. =)

I have never taken a class in Geography.

I am dismayed.

What does it entail? Do you just learn names of geographical obejcts? Mountains, lakes, cities, capitals, states, etc?

I am dismayed once more.

You should talk about terrain analysis, microterrain, surveying, and geology. Explain to them what a "military crest" is when you cover terrain features. Show them how to use a brunton pocket transit.

...

 

I want to give honest suggestions, but...I'm sorry, I gotta let this out.

 

Just play Risk and Axis and Allies the whole time.  Lord knows that was where I learned 99% of my geography.

You're not the only one, friend.

 

This might not be a bad idea actually o_o

NO.

HEARTS OF IRON 3 WILL PREVAILLL!!!!

VICTORIA II

EU3

THO I ONLY LIKE HOI NOT MUCH EU AND VICTORIA

I own all of those.

 

Anyone have any ideas how I could sneak some gaming into a lesson? =P

You can go to your computer lab to do "research".

Or you can put a projector on your computer and play with the kids. I dunno bring a bunch of laptops and have them play a game multiplayer(use tunngle).

1 game of hoi = ww2 history class

1 game of eu 3 = development of western civilization

1 game of victoria = industrial age