| WG.4 |
The student will distinguish between developed and developing countries and relate the level of economic development to the standard of living and quality of life. |
| WG.12 |
The student will apply geography to interpret the past, understand the present, and plan for the future by |
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a) |
using geographic knowledge, skills, and perspectives to analyze problems and make decisions; |
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b) |
relating current events to the physical and human characteristics of places and regions. |
Describe how physical, economic, and cultural characteristics influence regional development. Use the regional information provided below.
Countries
• Mexico and Central America
- Mexico
- Belize
- Guatemala
- El Salvador
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Costa Rica
- Panama
• South America
- Colombia
- Venezuela
- Guyana, Suriname
- French Guiana
- Ecuador
- Peru
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Paraguay
- Argentina
- Uruguay
- Chile
• Caribbean
- Cuba
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Dominican Republic
- Puerto Rico (U.S.)
Physical Characteristics
• Major mountain ranges — Andes, Sierra Madres
• Rain forests
• Coastal desert — Atacama
• Reversed seasons south of the equator
• Amazon River Basin
• Grasslands: pampas, llanos
• Tropical climates predominant
• Volcanoes and earthquakes
• Archipelagoes
• Vertical zonation (tierra caliente, tierra templada, tierra fria)
Economic Characteristics
• Diverse economies
• Subsistence farming
• Plantation agriculture
• Slash-and-burn agriculture
• Cash crops and food crops
• Haciendas
• Cattle ranges, gauchos
• Deforestation
• Destruction of rain forests
• Oil resources, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Mexico
• Heavy smog, pollution — Mexico City
• Disparity of income distribution
• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) — Mexico, Canada, United States
• Diverse mineral resources (e.g., copper in Chile, iron ore in Venezuela and Brazil)
Cultural Characteristics
• Indian civilizations
• African traditions
• Influence of European colonization
• Predominance of Roman Catholic religion
• Rigid social structure
• Mestizos
• Location of settlements: coastal in South America
• Megacities, squatter settlements
• Rapid population growth
• Out-migration
• Cultural heritage
- Music — African influences, calypso, steel drum bands, reggae
- Traditional dances
- Spanish, Portuguese languages
• Cultural landscape
- Pyramids, cathedrals
- Haciendas, ejidos (communal land)
- Machu Picchu
- Tikal
• Cities as centers of culture and trade
- Mexico City
- Rio de Janeiro
- Buenos Aires
- Santiago
Explain the following practical applications of how geography enables students to be informed, active citizens in their communities:
• Recycling programs
• Conversion of land from agricultural use
• Water sources (e.g., dams, reservoirs, wells, pipelines, ocean)
• Airport expansion
• Air quality
• Boundaries (e.g., school zones)
• Bicycle paths
• Mass transit
• City planning and zoning laws
• Energy use
• Location and size of public buildings (e.g., schools, recreation centers, hospitals, and libraries)
• Selection of locations for new stores and businesses
Explain that current events are shaped by the physical and human characteristics of the places and regions where they occur.
Use the following examples to explain how physical and human characteristics influence current events of places and regions:
• How physical characteristics influence current events:
- Natural hazards (e.g., flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes, drought)
- Climate, vegetation
• How human characteristics influence current events:
- Population distribution
- Geographic patterns of ethnic diversity
- A sense of place (emotional attachment to specific locations)
- Geographic patterns of trade and interdependence (e.g., oil)
- Geographic patterns of wealth and poverty (developed and developing nations)
Below is an annotated list of Internet resources recommended for this organizing topic. Copyright restrictions may exist for the material on some Web sites. Please note and abide by any such restrictions.
Countries in Latin America & the Caribbean. University of Texas at Austin. <http://lanic.utexas.edu/subject/countries/>. This Web site provides access to information about the countries studied in this organizing topic.
Flags of Latin America. Discovery Channel School. <http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/flagslatinamerica/>. This site provides a sample lesson plan on Latin America, as well as access to many other geography lesson plans (click “Geography” in the menu at left).
Outline Maps — Education Place. Houghton Mifflin, 2002. <http://www.eduplace.com/ss/ssmaps/>. This site permits visitors to print a variety of maps related to this organizing topic.
Subject Access: World Geography, Languages, and Regional Information. Discovery Channel School. <http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/world/geog.html>. This site provides links to many Web sites on geography.
The World Factbook 2002. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. <https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html>. This site contains searchable information on all countries.
Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments for the 2001 History and Social Science Standards of Learning: History and Social Science Released Items for Virginia and United States History. Virginia Department of Education 2003/04. <http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/Release2003/History/VA-RIBs_g11wgeo-1.pdf>.
Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments for the 2001 History and Social Science Standards of Learning: World Geography Test Blueprint. Virginia Department of Education, 2003/04. <http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/HistoryBlueprints03/2002Blueprint9WG.pdf>. This site provides assessment information for the course in World Geography. |
