Mapping the Middle East

What do you know about the Middle East? What would you like to know about the Middle East?

Today we completed our mapping of the Middle East (turned it in) and began notes about its physical geography.
In class, we mapped four major mountain ranges in this region and took notes about each range.
After talking about the Middle East's significant waterforms and resources, we completed a Guided Reading handout on the areas Climate and Vegetation. We will briefly review this at the beginning of class tomorrow.

a trip through Russia

Today we finished with World Geography midterm exams.

Already, we have begun our next unit: Russia!
We will be taking a brief tour through Russia - exploring its extreme physical geography and unique human geography!

We started on a mapping activity of Russia to gain an understanding of where we will be exploring. This map needs to be completed and turned in by Thursday.

We are also beginning a project about the Trans-Siberian Railroad. We will be working on this in class today, tomorrow, and Friday. Projects will be due by the end of class on Monday, March 26! More info to come!

MidTerm Preparations

Who is the symbolic head of Canada?

Today we explored some of the unique aspects of Canada's culture. In class, we practed peer teaching to learn about different parts of Canadian culture. Then we took a gallery walk to take notes on each topic.

In class, a review outline as well as some practice questions were handed out in order to prepare you for the mid-term. Remember, it is a cumulative exam covering Units 1-4. 2nd & 4th blocks will test tomorrow (Tuesday 20th) and 1st & 3rd blocks will test on Wednesday 21st.

Please email me for any questions concerning the exam.

Oh, Canada!

This week we've spent time mapping and learning the physical & human geographies of the U.S. and Canada.

In class today, we worked on a group assignment to create a gallery walk of Canadian Culture. We will share and take notes on each topic on Monday and review for our 9 weeks exam.

MidTerms --
Tuesday: 2 & 4 blocks
Wednesday: 1 & 3 blocks

A European Finale!

Today was our last day in Europe! We took our unit test and then began a mapping activity for our next unit - U.S. & Canada.

Please make sure your map of the U.S. is completed according to the provided rubric - color, key, and all!
Happy mapping!

Terra Australis Incognita

We've enjoyed a brief tour through the land down under - taking notes, participating in debates, and more. Yesterday we discussed Australia & New Zealand's unique physical geographies and today we highlighted the history and European colonization of these lands.

Tomorrow we will take a test over our unit on Europe. In class, a review guide was handed out to aid you in studying and preparing for the exam.

the European Union & other issues

BW: Which European sub-region do you think has the most cultural diversity? Why?

    Today we began class with a discussion on modern issues throughout Europe. We focused on the creation and development of the European Union and its results. After taking notes we watched a film by Discovery Education on European immigration issues. We used video notes to then analyze and interpret the film.
    Assigned homework: complete worksheet "Case Study: The European Union"

Remember, your postcard activity is due tomorrow and we will have our unit test over Europe on Thursday.


EQ: How can EU expansion pose potential problems?

Human Geography of Europe

This week our focus has been on the human geography of Europe. We are learning about the four sub-regions of Europe. In class today we are using the infographics we created yesterday to teach about an aspect of your assigned region. We are using a chart to take notes in class as we add to our knowledge of the four regions.

*Don't forget that the European map quiz is tomorrow!! We have been preparing for this for more than a week. Study study school's your buddy!!

Entering Europe

What are five landmarks in Europe?

Today we finished off our unit on Culture by taking a quiz on language, government, population, and economy.

We began our study of Europe by discussing some major landmarks and then analyzing several features from our atlas section. In groups, we interpreted graphs and maps to find out information about Europe.

Then we got started on our European Mapping Activity. An instruction sheet and 2 maps (physical & political) were given out. You are to correctly find, label, and color the features of both maps. A key must also be provided. We will take a map quiz over the major countries & landforms of Europe on Wednesday, February 29...so study, study school's your buddy!

Create-a-Culture Presentations

How is a country's population growth rate figured?

Today we presented our Create-a-Culture projects. Each group had 10 minutes to detail the culture they created. Each group will be graded per the rubric provided at the beginning of the project assignment.

After presentations, we completed a personal reflection and evaluation to be turned in by the end of class.

Then we spent the last few minutes of class organizing last week's notes on Culture to prepare for a quiz tomorrow!

How do we define culture?

Happy Monday!

I hope you enjoyed your long weekend!
I want to remind you to be prepared to share your Create-a-Culture projects with your group tomorrow in class!! Please make sure to turn in your Group Proposal sheet before you present your project. Each group will have 10 minutes to present. Your presentation should be organized, practiced, and informational. You will be demonstrating the various aspects of culture through this project.

After presentations, you will complete a personal reflection and evaluation regarding this project.

Also, please take a few minutes to look over your notes on culture. We will have a quiz at the beginning of class on Wednesday.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

See you tomorrow!

Mrs. Blagg





"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." -Theodore Roosevelt

Understanding Population

   This week we've continued with our unit on Culture. We discussed language families, types of government, and today we learned about population rates. We began class with a series of statements about population and its affects. With each statement we decided what our "stand" on the statement would be by going to a designated part of the classroom. We discussed varying viewpoints of each statement and then took notes along with a powerpoint about populaiton rates, densities, and distribution.
   Then we individually completed a handout on population pyramids according to the Census Bureau's website.
   The remainder of class was spend working in your groups for the Create-a-Culture project. Remember, your keynote/PPT and your typed papers must be organized in turned in tomorrow by the end of class. We will present our projects on Tuesday, Feb. 21 in class!

Change & Exchange

Today's discussion was about cultural changes and exchanges. We discussed cultural diffusion and how it affects food and religion. Then we completed a partner activity in which we mapped the major world religion and analyzed how those religions traveled.

The Create-a-Culture project was assigned today. Groups were formed and proposal sheets were handed out to record our brainstorm sessions. Your culture project proposal will be turned in for approval on Friday.

the Culture Behind Cave Art

  Our classroom was set up like an art gallery today. Each exhibit had an example of ancient cave art. As a class, we discussed the possible interpretations behind each art exhibit and what it tells us about that society's culture.
  Next we looked at modern examples of cultural expression.
  Then we created our own "cave art" in groups. Each group had to decide on shared characteristic to illustrate at least 6 of the 8 identifiers of culture.

{Please read Ch. 4 in your textbook for class tomorrow.}

Reviewing Climate Regions and Changes

Thursday - We worked on a partner project in class in which we created a climate map complete with latitudes, pictures, and a key. Then we used a worksheet to analyze weather in each region.

Friday - After our current world event research and discussion, we watched a film about climate changes and its effects. We completed a video notes handout as we watched the film and turned in our daily work logs before leaving for the weekend!

Finishing our 1st Unit

What type of climate region do we live in?

Our first test was given today over Unit 1 - Basics of Geography, Mapping Skills, Themes, and Climate.

After the test we turned in our homework - Extreme Weather Current Event.
We also completed a handout about climographs.

What was your favorite thing we learned about from our first unit?

Tomorrow we will begin our unit on Culture!

Climate Regions

  Today we reviewed what we have learned about weather and climate and we watched a film by the Discovery Channel about Extreme Weather. We completed a questions handout about the film as we watched.
  Then we took notes along with a presentation about the climate regions of the world and the basics of soil and vegetation.

*Remember your Extreme Weather homework is due tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will take our test over Unit 1!

Climate & Extreme Weather

How would you describe the type of weather you experience living in the Lexington area? 
   After finishing our ABC Book presentations, we began a new section on Climate and Weather. We completed a handout in class on the various types of landforms and then took notes along with a presentation about what causes climate patterns and extreme circumstance weather. We used our daily work logs to respond to a writing prompt.

   A research handout was distributed to be completed and turned in at the beginning of class on Wednesday. You will need to research a world current event about extreme weather and analyze it with our themes of geography.

   *Remember, we will take our test over Unit 1 (Basic Geography Skills and Mapping) on Wednesday, February 1.

Happy Friday!

  In our Friday tradition, we began class by selecting a current world news article and comparing the article to what we are learning in the classroom. Today you were asked to relate your article to our themes of movement and human-environment interaction. After reading and logging the information on our daily work logs, we took turns sharing our articles in class.
  We took our quiz today over the themes and latitude and longitude. After all quizzes were in, we took turns presenting our ABC Book of South Carolina projects.

Human Environment Interaction

  Today we took notes along with a presentation describing how and why we interact with our environment.
  We watched The Lorax - adapted from the Dr. Seuss book - to get a visualization of how we affect the world around us everyday. After watching we completed a worksheet in which we analyzed the positive and negative effects of that interaction. We also discussed the daily activities we take part in and if those activities are more helpful or harmful to our environments.

*Please remember that tomorrow we will take our first quiz.
*We will also present 4 pages from our ABC Books of South Carolina to the class before turning them in.