Materials

• A display map of the U.S. in 1789
• Unlabeled outline maps selected from the following:
  - Formosa; Taiwan; Republic of China (change in place name)
  - Palestine; Israel; Occupied Territories (change in place name)
  - Congo; Zaire; Democratic Republic of Congo (change in place name)
  - Africa in 1914; Africa in the 1990s (changes in boundaries)
  - Europe before World War II; Europe after World War II; Europe since 1990 (changes in boundaries)
  - The former Soviet Union; Russia (changes in boundaries)
  - The Middle East before 1948; Middle East after 1967 (changes in boundaries)
  - Arabian Gulf v. Persian Gulf (perspectives of place names)Sea of Japan v. East Gulf (perspectives of place names)
  - Middle East v. North Africa and Southwest Asia (perspectives of place names)
  - Korea (disputed area)
  - Western Sahara (disputed area)
  - Tibet (disputed area)
  - Kashmir (disputed area)
  - A list of these places with an indication of the nature of their evolution

Instructional Activities

1. Review information from the previous sessions.
   
   
2. Ask students to describe what a political map of the United States looked like in 1789. Display a large 1789 U.S. map, and ask them to identify the differences between it and a present-day U.S. map.
   
   
3. Explain that countries’ boundaries change over time. Ask students what may cause countries’ boundaries to change. Ask students to identify some countries that have experienced boundary changes throughout history.
   
   
4. Ask students whether the actual physical shape of continents changes to any significant degree. Have them explain what causes international boundaries to change if the physical shape of the land does not change.
   
   
5. Provide students with unlabeled outline maps of the places listed above. NOTE: These are identified in the Curriculum Framework under Standard of Learning WG.1d, “Essential Knowledge” column. Ensure that each map is large enough for the following activity. Also provide students with the list of these places together with the indications of the nature of their evolution. Instruct students to identify the places listed and to reflect them on their maps, using titles, shading, keys, and/or lines. Provide students with atlases and other resource materials, in addition to their textbooks. NOTE: This activity may take more than one session.
   
   
6. Assign a teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or other reinforcement activity, using available teacher resources.