History and Social Sciences - Global Learning: Virginia Standards of Learning

Standard(s) of Learning

WG.4
The student will locate and analyze physical, economic, and cultural characteristics of world regions: . . .South Asia. . ..

WG.12
The student will apply geography to interpret the past, understand the present, and plan for the future by

a)
using geographic knowledge, skills, and perspectives to analyze problems and make decisions;

b)
relating current events to the physical and human characteristics of places and regions.

Content

Describe how physical, economic, and cultural characteristics influence regional development. Use the regional information provided below. Mosaic at Afghanistan Mosque

Countries
•    Afghanistan
•    Pakistan
•    Nepal
•    Bhutan
•    Bangladesh
•    India
•    Sri Lanka

Physical Characteristics
•    Influence of mountains — Population, settlements, movement, climate
•    Mountains
Himalayas
Western and Eastern Ghats
•    Varied climate regions, ranging from tropical wet to humid subtropical
•    Natural hazards — Monsoons
•    Influence of water (rivers, seas, and ocean currents) on agriculture, trade, and transportation
•    Bodies of water
      - Arabian Sea
      - Indian Ocean
      - Bay of Bengal
      - Ganges River
      - Indus River
      - Brahmaputra River
•    Abundant arable land
      - Loess
      - Plateau of Tibet
      - Gobi Desert

Economic Characteristics
•    Varied economies in the region, ranging from subsistence/commercial agriculture to high-tech industrial manufacturing
•    Participation in global markets
•    Agricultural advancements and technology, enabling greater food production — ”Green Revolution”
•    Environmental degradation
•    Deforestation
•    Fishing
•    Rice, tropical crops

Cultural Characteristics
•    Areas of extremely dense and sparse population
•    Contrast between rural and urban areas
•    Religious diversity — Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity
•    Caste system in India
•    Respect for ancestors
•    Religious conflicts (Hindu vs. Muslim)
•    Cultural heritage
      - Silks
      - Batik
      - Wood and ivory carving
      - Unique alphabets
      - Jewels
•    Cultural landscape
      - Taj Mahal
      - Floating markets
      - Mosques, minarets
      - Temples and shrines
      - Terraced rice fields
•    Cities as centers of culture and trade
      - New Delhi

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)

Sample Resources

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.

Bangladesh – A Country Study. <http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/bdtoc.html>. The Library of Congress. This site provides extensive information on Bangladesh.

Hinduism. Minnesota State University. <http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religion/hinduism/hinduism.html>. This site offers a variety of information about Hinduism.

“The Himalayas: Two Continents Collide.” United States Geological Survey. <http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/himalaya.html>. This site gives information about one of the most dramatic and visible creations of plate-tectonic forces.

An Introduction to Buddhism. Shippensburg University. <http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/buddhaintro.html>. This site provides information on Buddhism.

Investigating al-Qaeda. BBC News. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2001/war_on_terror/>. This site is an ongoing chart of events related to al-Qaeda, with links to details about each event.

The Taj Mahal. Great Buildings. <http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Taj_Mahal.html>. This site is about the Taj Mahal from an architectural perspective.

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.

Pakistan – A Country Study. The Library of Congress. <http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/pktoc.html>. This site provides extensive information on Pakistan.

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.

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