3H ELL Human Geography, MYP Level 5
Sarah Schmidt de Carranza
Highland Park Sr. High, Room 2211
651-744-3854
[email protected]
highlandsr.spps.org/Schmidt.html
I.
Course Summary
In this one-year course, students will study geography and how it relates to human problems. This course focuses on
different themes in Geography and language. Students will study how geography influences life. Students will create
maps, research topics, complete projects, and create in-class presentations and essays. The International Baccalaureate
(IB) learner profile will be followed. Throughout the year, students will work individually and as a group while
learning about real world problems, simulations, readings, document analysis, debates, and other material.
II.
Units of Study
UNIT
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
Unit 1: Thinking Geography - Introduction and Physical
Geography
Unit 2: Population and Migration
Why does geography matter?
How does geography help us to understand our world?
How is the world’s population distributed ?
Why do people move?
How and why does a diverse landscape affect people and
their use of it?
How much should humans change the environment to get
what they want?
How does human interaction affect agriculture in
different regions?
Where does food come from?
How are we responsible for the Earth’s resources?
Who is responsible for deciding rights to land and
resources?
How are natural resources used?
How and why do we conserve natural resources?
How much should we interfere in the industrial and
economic development of nations?
Why is there an economic divide between places?
How is a state or nation defined?
Why is the world organized into geographical
boundaries?
Are geographical boundaries necessary?
How does geographical location affect culture?
When can culture cause conflict?
Why are cities appealing?
Why would people move to cities?
Why are cities necessary?
What is life like in a mega city ?
Unit 3: Agricultural and Rural Land Use
Unit 4: Natural Resource Allocation and Management
Unit 5: Industry and Economic Development
Unit 6: Political Geography
Unit 7: Cultural Geography
Unit 8: Urbanization
III.
Standards and IB MYP Aims
Include the district, state, and/or national standards and also the IB MYP aims for your subject area (See your “Subject Guide”).
Social Studies State Standards
•The student will use maps, globes, geographic information
systems, and other databases to answer geographic questions
at a variety of scales from local to global.
•The student will understand the regional distribution of the
human population at local to global scales and its patterns of
change.
•The student will describe and provide examples of the
primary factors behind the regional pattern of culture groups
in the United States and the world.
•The student will explain how the regionalization of space
into political units affects human behavior.
Middle Years Program (MYP) Humanities Aims
•An inquiring mind
•A respect for and understanding of others’ perspectives,
values and attitudes
•Awareness and understanding of people, cultures and events
in a variety of places at different times
•An understanding of the interactions and interdependence of
individuals, societies, and their environments
•An understanding of the causes and consequences of change
through physical and human actions and processes
•An understanding of contemporary humanities issues
•The student will analyze the patterns of location, functions,
structure, and characteristics of local to global settlement
patterns and the processes that affect the location of cities.
•The student will use regions and the interaction among them
to analyze the present patterns of economic activity in the
Unites States and around the world at various scales.
•The student will describe how humans influence the
environment and it turn are influenced by it.
WIDA Standards
Standard 5: English language learners communicate
information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic
success in the content area of Social Studies
Literacy Standards (Common Core)
9-10.3: Analyze in detail a series of events described in a
text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or
simply preceded them.
9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of
how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
Middle Years Program (MYP) Language Acquisition
Aims
• develop a respect for, and understanding of, diverse
linguistic and cultural heritages
• develop the student’s communication skills
necessary for further language learning, and for
study, work and leisure in a range of authentic
contexts and for a variety of audiences and purposes
• enable the student to recognize and use language as a
vehicle of thought, reflection, self-expression and
learning in other subjects, and as a tool for enhancing
literacy
• enable the student to understand the nature of
language and the process of language learning,
which comprises the integration of linguistic, cultural
and social components
• encourage an awareness and understanding of the
perspectives of people from own and other cultures,
leading to involvement and action in own and other
communities
• foster curiosity, inquiry and a lifelong interest in, and
enjoyment of, language learning.
9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as
the date and origin of the information.
IV.
Text/Resources
Different texts and readings will be provided by the teacher.
V.
Methodology
In MYP, teachers and students work together to develop a variety of skills, especially critical thinking and reflection.
Students take responsibility for their learning through individual and group work, answering unit and guiding
questions, and building on their self-advocacy.
VI.
Methods of Assessment
In this class, students will complete a variety of IB MYP assessments such as projects, papers, tests, presentations, etc. Students
will engage in a summative assessment(s) for each unit. Examples of summative assessment(s) can include: exams/tests, quizzes,
projects, research papers, essays, case studies, presentations and/or primary document analysis. IB MYP Criterion rubrics use an 8point international scale, with 8 representing “excellent achievement” and 1 representing “limited achievement.” This scale is
converted to a standard A, B, C, D, N scale and point value. Parents & guardians, please ask your student to share their rubrics
with you.
Students are evaluated IB MYP Criterion rubrics for this class:
Criterion A
Social Studies: Knowledge and
Understanding
Language: Comprehending spoken and visual
text
•
terms, content, concepts, descriptions,
explanations, and examples, study guides
•
listen for specific purposes and respond to show
understanding
interpret visual text that is presented with spoken text
engage with the text by supporting response with
evidence and examples from the text.
•
•
Criterion B
Social Studies: Investigating
•
formulate clear and focused research, and plan,
collect and record research information
Language: Comprehending written and visual
text
•
read for specific purposes and respond to show
understanding
interpret visual text that is presented with written text
engage with the text by supporting response with
evidence and examples from the text.
•
•
Criterion C
Social Studies: Thinking Critically
•
analyze, evaluate, interpret and synthesize
Language: Communicating in response to
spoken, written and visual text
•
•
interact and communicate in various situations
express thoughts, feelings, ideas, opinions and
information in spoken and written form
speak and write for specific purposes.
•
Criterion D
Social Studies: Communicating
•
communicate and structure information
including the documentation of sources in the
appropriate style and format
Language: Using language in spoken and
written form
•
organize thoughts, feelings, ideas, opinions and
information in spoken and written form
develop accuracy when speaking and writing in the
target language.
•
Please also refer to the “Highland Park Senior High School Grading and Assessment Policy” on the Highland Park Senior High
webpage for further information on the grading scale, make up work, retakes, and/or late work. Students can access scores,
grades, missing work, and/or attendance on the “parent/student portal” tab at www.highlandsr.spps.org.
VII.
Other Course Information
Students are expected to come prepared with materials and assignments each day. This includes bringing your iPad and
making sure it is charged. We will be using language skills to learn Human Geography every day. Students will be
expected to use their iPads and Google Drive to receive and turn in assignments on time. Students are expected to behave
in a respectful, responsible, and safe way at all times. Passes to leave class will be given only for an emergency. Students
are expected to use technology only in a safe and responsible manner to do class work. Students are expected to be on
task.
Students: I agree to follow the class expectations. Parents: I understand the class expectations and agree that my child
follow them.
Student Name:___________________________________________________________________
Student Signature:________________________________________________________________Date:_______________
Parent Name:_____________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature:__________________________________________________________________Date:_______________
Parent phone number: _____________________________________
Parent Language(s) Spoken:___________________________________