Connecticut Geographic Alliance

The Newsletter of the Connecticut Geographic Alliance Endowed by the National Geographic Society Education Foundation
Volume 21, Issue 3		Spring 2009

Contacting CGA Connecticut Geographic Alliance University of Connecticut Geography Department CLAS Building U-4148 Storrs, Connecticut 06269-4148 Phone: 860-486-0374 Fax: 860-486-1348 Email: Thomas.Brodnitzki@uconn.edu Co-coordinators William DeGrazia Educator 203-375-8882 BDGeoTC@aol.com Thomas Brodnitzki Geography Teacher, Metropolitan Learning Center, Bloomfield Adjunct Instructor, Department of Geography, University of Connecticut 860-485-8105 TBrodnitzki@mlc.crec.org Rita Courtois, Administrative Assistant RitaCourtois@yahoo.com Please contact Rita by email to update your snail mail or email address. CGA Website: www.CTGeoAlliance.org Newsletter Changes in Store for 2009-2010 In an effort to save money (not to mention many trees), the Connecticut Geographic Alliance will no longer be mailing paper copies of its newsletter to more than 3,000 people. Instead, the three editions of On The Road will be available for viewing online on the CGA’s website (www.CTGeoAlliance.org) in September, January, and May. Please note: If you wish to continue receiving the newsletter via postal mail, please contact Rita Courtois (P.O. Box 275, Vernon CT 06066-0275 or RitaCourtois@yahoo.com). We will add your name to the snail mail list. If you would like to be added to our email list for notices, newsletters, etc., please contact Rita with your information by email as well. Newsletter Contributors Thanks are extended to several CGA members who contributed information for this edition of On the Road including Bill DeGrazia, Joyce Crebase, Kathleen Ryan, Tom Brodnitzki, Elena Gibbons Serapiglia, John Meyers, and Rita Courtois. Coordinators’ Corner Submitted by Tom Brodnitzki, CGA Co-coordinator Advancing Geography Education…and calling all Geography advocates! 2009 is trending to be a year of transition for the Alliance. As Tom Lewis and Sheila Spellacy move on from their more active roles within CGA, I am inspired to follow their and other members’ lead as they helped to build and cultivate an active Geography network across the state. Despite difficult economic times for all: individuals, departments, school programs and districts, as well as the National Geographic Education Foundation and the Alliance, I am confident that our members will continue to advocate for the continuation and expansion of Geography Education across the state of Connecticut. As we move toward the close of the school year and the upcoming summer, I would like to ask all members to consider the power you have to promote Geography Education. It is my belief that if our membership can make a strong statement about the importance of Geography Education in our 21st century globalized world, we can add to the efforts of the My Wonderful World campaign and its support of the pending “Teaching Geography is Fundamental” legislation in Congress. Some simple things that everyone can do or continue to do include… Continue to teach your Geography related courses with inspiration and enthusiasm. Continue to infuse Geography related concepts into your other Social Studies classes. Develop Geography related interdisciplinary connections with other classes & teachers. Share the My Wonderful World campaign (www.mywonderfulworld.org) with students and parents sharing the importance of Geography Education as a 21st century skill. Advocate for the expansion of Geography content within your school district. Promote the teaching of Advanced Placement Human Geography at the high school level and be trained to teach A.P. Human Geography yourself. Mentor a new or experienced teaching colleague in the many applications of Geography in the classroom. Invite colleagues to join CGA, NCGE, or other Geography related organizations. Identify community partnerships to complement Alliance programs and advocate for Geography. Identify potential business partnerships or sponsors to assist with Alliance program implementation. Contact your Congressional Representative and Senators and ask them to support the “Teaching Geography is Fundamental” legislation (H.R. 1240 and S. 749) -- visit www.MyWonderfulWorld.org for contact information and assistance. If all of us do just one thing (or more), the Connecticut Geographic Alliance will continue to be a strong network leading the state in the promotion and expansion of Geography Education *My Wonderful World* Campaign The National Geographic-led My Wonderful World campaign, backed by a coalition of national business and non-profit organizations, continues to promote Geographic Education among students, parents, and teachers around the country. To date, more than 80,000 people have signed up to show their support of this important initiative. The MWW goal is to reach the 100,000-supporter mark by Geography Awareness week in November 2009. If you haven’t already signed up, visit www.MyWonderfulWorld.org to do so. Please also encourage your colleagues, family members, friends, and the parents of your students to visit the site to see some simple ways to give kids the power of global knowledge. The campaign is still working hard to support the proposed “Teaching Geography is Fundamental” (TGIF) legislation that was slated to be part of revisions to No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Despite the fact that this process has slowed, support for the TGIF bill continues to grow. The bill has been reintroduced in the 111th Congress as H.R. 1240 and S. 749. There are currently seventy-one co-sponsors for the House version of the bill including Connecticut Representatives Christopher Murphy, Joe Courtney, and John Larson. The Senate version of the bill currently has ten co-sponsors including Senator Chris Dodd. Connecticut educators are encouraged to contact the offices of Senator Joe Lieberman and Representatives Rosa DeLauro and James Himes to ask for their support for the TGIF legislation. It is the hope of the campaign that constituents across the country can educate lawmakers about the importance of Geography Education. May 19, 2009 CGA’s 18th Annual High School Geographic Challenge, University of Connecticut, Storrs May 19-20, 2009 National Geographic Bee, Washington, D.C. July 5-17, 2009 PIER Summer Institute, “Latin America and the Cold War,” Yale University, New Haven July 6-10, 2009 Advanced Placement Human Geography summer institute, Taft Educational Center, Watertown July 27-28, 2009 “Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies” summer institute, Webster Hill School, West Hartford August 3-6, 2009 Alliance Summer Geography Institute, “Teaching the New Europe: Geography of a Changing Continent,” Mark Twain House, Hartford September 15, 2009 CGA Steering Committee Meeting, Welles-Turner Memorial Library, Glastonbury, 5:00 p.m. September 24-27, 2009 National Council for Geographic Education Annual Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico October 29, 2009 Geography Action! 2009 Kickoff Event, Yale University, New Haven October 30, 2009 Connecticut Council for the Social Studies Fall Conference, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain November 6-7, 2009 NESTVAL Annual Meeting, Salem State College, Salem, Massachusetts November 13-15, 2009 National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, “Dreams and Deeds,” Atlanta, Georgia March 22-25, 2010 NERC 2010, “Beyond Borders: Creating Connections ~ Changing the World,” Sturbridge, Massachusetts Summer Advanced Placement Human Geography Institute Teachers who wish to explore the possibility of teaching the Advanced Placement Human Geography course are encouraged to attend a College Board-sponsored workshop this summer. Ken Keller, Danbury High School APHG teacher, will lead this workshop at the Taft Educational Center in Watertown from July 6 through July 10. The registration deadline is June 1. The workshop will cover the key topics of the course. Participants will evaluate teaching materials and engage in discussions and activities related to the key topics. Those attending will also participate in a local cultural landscape field study as part of their training. The CGA may be able to offer financial support for Connecticut teachers wishing to attend this workshop. Contact CGA co-coordinator William DeGrazia (BDGeoTC@aol.com) for details. Additional information regarding the workshop, tuition, and registration can be found at http://www.taftschool.org/tec/default.aspx. Teaching & Learning with Monarch Butterflies Contributed by Joyce Crebase, CGA Teaching Consultant Experience the excitement of teaching and learning with Monarch butterflies! Learn how to raise and care for Monarch caterpillars and butterflies and how to incorporate interdisciplinary ideas into your curriculum while learning about migration, diffusion, and more. It is time for the Monarch butterflies to leave their winter habitat in Mexico and begin their spring journey north. We will see these beautiful orange and black butterflies in the summer and fall here in Connecticut. Come learn about these fascinating beings and how you can use them in your classroom to enhance your teaching of all subject areas. “Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies” is a two-day combination of classroom and field experiences with live caterpillars and butterflies. Participants learn the life cycle, ecology, and conservation of Monarch butterflies as well as how to use live Monarch caterpillars and butterflies to engage students in their learning in all subject areas. You will come away with all the materials you need for implementation of this material in the classroom. Included are lessons in science, social studies, math, reading, writing, and more. It is a very interdisciplinary approach. It is also fun with skits, field experience identifying and collecting Monarch eggs and caterpillars, watching a butterfly create and emerge from its chrysalis, lab ideas, and so much more. The connection with Mexico is apparent since that is where Monarchs from Connecticut spend the winter after migrating more than 2,000 miles to get there. Many Spanish teachers have found this a valuable tool. Each spring a group of our graduates travels to Mexico for a week to see the millions of Monarchs clustered there waiting to begin the journey north. The workshop is geared toward K – 8 teachers. Others who are interested may attend as well. It will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on July 27 and July 28 at the Webster Hill School in West Hartford. The total cost of the workshop is $99. Workshop applications can be found on the Monarch Teacher Network website www.MonarchTeacherNetwork.org. Click on Registration Form then download and print the application. The Connecticut Geographic Alliance is offering fifteen grants of $99 each for the “Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies” workshop this summer for Connecticut teachers. They are offered on a first come, first served basis. To apply for a grant, send your completed application and a check for $99 to EIRC. Then send a copy of your application to CGA with a note that you are applying for one of the Monarch Institute grants. If you receive a mini-grant, the registration fee will be refunded after the completion of the workshop. More than 1,200 teachers from New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ontario, and Manitoba have participated in this workshop. Here are a few quotes from those teachers: “What I learned will forever change the way I approach my teaching,” “ What a great way to start the year!” and “The writing in my room is phenomenal!” For questions about the workshop, please email Joyce Crebase at crebase@sbcglobal.net. Joyce is a staff member at the Institute and a CBA member. You can also call Erik Mollenhauer at EIRC at 856-582-7000 X 110 or email him at erikm@eirc.org. Mark Your Calendars for the Geography Action! Kickoff 2009 The 2009-10 Geography Action! program will focus on Europe. It launches in September and is geared for participation throughout the 2009-10 school year. The Connecticut Geographic Alliance will sponsor its annual Geography Action! Kickoff Event at Yale University on October 29, 2009. This program is intended to give teachers ideas, materials, and resources to help them implement the year’s theme in their classrooms. Additional information about the 2009 theme and the Kickoff event will be available in the fall edition of the newsletter and on the CGA website (www.CTGeoAlliance.org). We hope to see many of you on October 29! Send Us Your Good News If you or a colleague has achieved a notable moment in geography education, please send the news to Bill DeGrazia at BDGeoTC@aol.com for inclusion in a future CGA newsletter. Alliance Summer Geography Institute “Teaching the New Europe: Geography of a Changing Continent” August 3 through August 6, 2009 The CGA will present its annual Alliance Summer Geography Institute in early August 2009 at the Mark Twain House on Farmington Avenue in Hartford. The multidisciplinary program entitled “Teaching the New Europe: Geography of a Changing Continent” is a collaboration between the CGA and the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and is sponsored by the CGA and the National Geographic Society Education Fund. Dates: Aug 3–6, 2009; 9:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. Location: Mark Twain House, Hartford Featured speakers: William Berentsen, Professor of Geography, University of Connecticut Jay L. Bruns III, Formerly of the U.S. State Department and U.S. National Economic Council Stephen Coelen, Managing Director, World Institute for Strategic Economic Research Mohammad Niamat Elahee, Professor of International Business, Quinnipiac University Topics include: U.S. Foreign Policy and Europe Analysis: CT’s $6bn exports to Europe Challenges of Economic Cooperation Dynamics of Political Integration Legacy of Chernobyl Geography of Climate Change Policy Level: Teachers of Grades 5 through 12 CEUs: 2.0 upon completion of workshop Cost: FREE -- Space limited $50 refundable deposit requested to reserve your place in the workshop Deadline: Please register by June 1, 2009 Contact: John Meyers, World Affairs Council of Connecticut (jmeyers@ctwac.org or 860-241-6118) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Teaching the New Europe: Geography of a Changing Continent” 2009 Alliance Summer Geography Institute -- Registration Form Name: ________________________________________________ Social Security # (last four digits for CEUs): ________________________ Home Address: ____________________________________________ Home Phone: ______________________ School: _______________________________Title/Grade ____________ Email Address: _________________________________________ Mail the registration form and $50 refundable fee (payable to “Connecticut Geographic Alliance”) to: Rita Courtois, Administrative Assistant Connecticut Geographic Alliance P.O. Box 275 Vernon CT 06066-0275 PIER Summer Institutes Planned Yale University’s Programs in International Educational Resources (PIER) will sponsor several institutes during July 2009. The PIER institutes are intensive, interdisciplinary programs which include lectures and seminars by leading scholars and experts from Yale and other institutions, films, workshops, field trip and site visits, hands-on cultural activities, teaching resource and strategy sessions, and sessions on technological resources for teaching about different areas of the world. “Latin America and the Cold War” The first Yale-Georgetown Summer Institute for Latin American Studies July 5 through July 17, 2009 What defines Latin America during the Cold War period? Apart from looking at very obvious manifestations of Cold War politics in Latin America, the program will look at less obvious ones, as well as the period’s effects on politics, the economy, and culture in the region today. Focusing on the Cold War and its legacies, the first Yale-Georgetown Summer Institute for Educators will explore the geography, politics, histories, and economics of the Cold War era. Experts on the Cold War will share their expertise during this dynamic, intensive, interdisciplinary week. The program will be complemented by a three-day field study to Washington, D.C. (July 11-14), and will include site visits to various museums, Latin American embassies, governmental and non-governmental organizations related to the Cold War. On the last three days, participants will take part in the NCSS-PIER Conference. The registration fee for the New Haven program is $250, and includes all texts and materials. The field study to Washington D.C. is an additional $200. Applications can be downloaded at http://www.yale.edu/macmillan/pier/institutes/lais_2009.htm This workshop is sponsored by the Council on Latin American & Iberian Studies, the MacMillan Center, Georgetown University’s Center for Latin American Studies, and the U.S. Department of Education through a Title VI National Resource Center grant. It is also co-sponsored by the Connecticut Geographic Alliance. Please contact Elena Gibbons Serapiglia, PIER Director, for more information at 203-432-5605 or elena.serapiglia@yale.edu. Other PIER Summer Institutes http://www.yale.edu/macmillan/pier/institutes.htm The Teaching of Africa (African Studies) – July 5-17 Understanding Medvedev’s Russia (European Studies) – July 5-17 Health and Conflict in the Middle East (Middle East Studies) – July 5-17 NCSS-PIER Conference "Innovative Approaches to Teaching World History and World Cultures" – July 15-17 Fulbright-Hays GPA to Russia (European Studies) – July 2-August 3 Connecticut High School Geographic Challenge Contributed by Kathleen Ryan, Geographic Challenge Chairperson The 18th annual High School Geographic Challenge is planned for Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Sponsored by the Connecticut Geographic Alliance and the National Geographic Society Education Foundation, this is a challenging competition for high school students to test their geographic knowledge, understandings, and skills through a variety of team activities. It is the only statewide geography competition for high school students. Students who were involved in the middle school Geographic Bee find the Challenge an exciting way to keep up their interest in geography. Participants compete as a team against others from across the state in a daylong series of events. The activities, questions, and challenges require thinking and problem-solving skills similar to those found on standardized tests. The theme for the 2009 Challenge is “Mapping the Americas,” mirroring the year’s Geography Action! theme. Fifteen teams of up to five students each are registered to compete on May 19 including students from Danbury High School, E.O. Smith High School (Storrs), East Catholic High School (Manchester), Hamden High School, Housatonic Valley Regional High School (Falls Village), Manchester High School, Metropolitan Learning Center (Bloomfield), Naugatuck High School, Norwich Free Academy, and Staples High School (Westport). Good luck to all competitors and their coaches. Results of the always lively competition will be posted on the CGA’s website (www.CTGeoAlliance.org) and will appear in the fall newsletter. Connecticut Geographic Bee News Hopkins Student Bridges the Competition Contributed by Bill DeGrazia, Connecticut Geographic Alliance Co-coordinator & Connecticut Geographic Bee Coordinator Robert Chu, an eighth grader from Woodbridge and the Hopkins School in New Haven, took top honors at the Connecticut state-level Geographic Bee held April 3, 2009 on the campus of Central Connecticut State University. Robert won $100, a “National Geographic Atlas of the World” and an all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. to compete in the national finals of the 21st annual National Geographic Bee on May 19-20. The Bee is a program of the National Geographic Society and the state-level competitions were sponsored by Google™ and Plum Creek. Robert, 14, crossed rivers using Google maps, knew Sable Island was part of Nova Scotia, and that “The Land of the Morning Calm” was South Korea. He took first place by answering this championship round question: Florence Nightingale, recognized as the founder of modern nursing, reduced death rates dramatically during which war that shares its name with a Ukrainian peninsula? His answer, Crimean War, allowed Robert to best the second place finisher, eighth grader Patrick Quinn of Wilton and St. Luke’s School. All 102 contestants were praised for their geographic knowledge by Dr. Carl R. Lovitt, Provost at Central Connecticut State University, Bee Coordinator Bill DeGrazia, and final round moderator Brad Drazen of WVIT-TV 30. Darius A. Mostaghimi, a seventh grader from the Walter C. Polson Middle School in Madison, finished in third place. Joining the top three finishers were eight more students who had perfect scores in the preliminary rounds. A tiebreaker round was held to obtain ten finalists. The other perfect geographers in the preliminary rounds were Dash Krempel of Chester, Matteo Bruni of Westport, Matthew Kahn of Newington, Dylan Gray of Hamden, Miles Buroker of Trumbull, Jonathan Muhlrad of Old Greenwich, Michael Borecki of Darien, and James Whittemore of Greenwich. Robert will now compete against fifty-four of the nation’s best geography whizzes for a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in The National Geographic Society and a trip to the Galapagos Islands. The National Geographic Bee finals will be moderated by Alex Trebek of Jeopardy©, who will accompany the winner on their voyage to the Galapagos. Remember, it is never too early to think about next year’s Bee. Information about the Bee, including registration, can be found at www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/. New DVDs Available for Loan from the CGA The Alliance has copies of two DVDs produced by the Arizona Geographic Alliance: “Integrating Geography with Reading and Writing” and “Integrating Geography with Mathematics.” In addition, we also have a copy of a DVD about the Peters Map Projection. If you are interested in borrowing one of these DVDs, please email CGA Co-coordinator William DeGrazia at BDGeoTC@aol.com and we will ship them out to you as soon as possible. Ecology Kits Available Teachers! Looking for a way to blend mapping, computer, and other technology skills with environmental studies? The CGA has five ecology kits available for loan to Connecticut schools. Two are Amphibian Kits, two are Terrestrial Kits, and one is a Water Kit. Each kit has equipment for collecting and observing samples, performing various tests, and books for identifying specimens. These kits are valued at up to $600 but the CGA requests only that borrowers pick up the kits on the University of Connecticut’s Storrs campus and provide a security deposit (which will be refunded after the kits are returned in good condition). For additional information on these kits, please contact the CGA office at 860-486-0374. NCGE Annual Meeting The National Council for Geographic Education will hold its 94th Annual Meeting from September 24 through September 27 at the International San Juan Resort and Casino in Puerto Rico. The 2009 theme is “Crossroads of Culture.” More information about the conference, field trips, hotel accommodations, and flight discounts for the September event can be obtained through the NCGE website (www.ncge.org). NERC 2010 Conference Information "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~Margaret Mead The Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies will host the 41st annual Northeast Regional Conference on the Social Studies (NERC) from March 22 through March 25, 2010, at the Sturbridge Host Hotel. The theme for NERC 2010 is “Beyond Borders: Creating Connections ~ Changing the World.” Presentation proposals are currently being accepted through May 30, 2009. For additional information about the conference or the theme or to find out how to submit a presentation proposal, visit http://www.masscouncil.org/node/168 or contact Janna Bremer, NERC Coordinator, 508-543-3875 or bremerj@comcast.net. NCSS Annual Conference The National Council for the Social Studies will hold its 89th Annual Conference from November 13 through November 15, 2009 at the Georgia World Congress Center and Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme of the conference is “Dreams and Deeds.” To date, confirmed speakers include peace educator Maya Soetoro-Ng, author Greg Mortenson (Three Cups of Tea), and Lincoln scholar Eric Foner. Atlanta highlights include the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, the Georgia Aquarium, the Atlanta History Center and CNN Headquarters. Additional information about the conference and lodging can be found on the NCSS website (www.ncss.org). 2009 NESTVAL Annual Meeting The Department of Geography at Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts will host the 2009 Annual Meeting of the NESTVAL (New England-St. Lawrence Valley) geographical society on November 6 and November 7. The theme will be “Climate Change in the Northeast.” NESTVAL is a division of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) whose membership includes people from all over the world. The NESTVAL division’s membership includes faculty and people from private industry from New England and the maritime region of Canada. NESTVAL is seeking to expand its membership ranks and this conference would be an excellent opportunity to see what the organization offers. The coordinator for this event is Dr. Stephen Young. Questions regarding the conference, workshop proposals, etc. can be directed to Dr. Young at syoung@salemstate.edu. GIS Educators Day Information Contributed by Lyn Malone, World Views: Spatial Technologies for Education The Northeast Arc Users Group and the New England Regional Geography Alliances will sponsor a “GIS Educators Day” on Sunday, October 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, Nashua, New Hampshire. Are you a GIS Educator or would you like to become one? Whether you are a beginner or veteran GIS user, at the GIS Educators Day conference you will be able to receive hands-on training from nationally recognized GIS educators, discover data resources and GIS lessons for your classroom, review successful GIS projects from across the region, learn how other schools have successfully implemented GIS programs, and learn how to use GIS to address your own community’s issues. Participants will also be able to network with other GIS educators from the New England region and take home free software and resource materials. Online registration will be available soon at http://northeastarc.org. For more information, please contact Lyn Malone (lmalone@worldviewsgis.com or 401-245-4395). Climate Change Kids Site The Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Change Kids Site is a website designed to educate children about climate change and global warming (http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/). The site presents the potential causes and effects of climate change along with explanations of the greenhouse effect and the global climate system. In addition, the website describes several methods for reducing global warming and includes a glossary of relevant terms, online games, and links to other websites designed to inform children about global warming and other environmental issues. World Environment Day 2009 Adapted from the United Nations Environment Program website (www.unep.org) World Environment Day, commemorated each year since 1972 on June 5, is one of the main ways the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The World Environment Day slogan for 2009 is “Your Planet Needs You – UNite to Combat Climate Change.” It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests. This year’s host is Mexico, which reflects the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets. Mexico is also a leading partner in UNEP's Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the support of its President and people, has spearheaded the pledging and planting of some 25% of the trees under the campaign. Accounting for around 1.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts. For more information, please visit http://www.unep.org. Geography Club Activities Geography is an important discipline at all levels of education. At the elementary level, students are naturally curious about the world around them. Teachers or others who work with these students are always looking for ways to build on this natural curiosity and excitement for learning new things. Often there isn’t time during the instructional day to dig deeper and spend time on geography projects and in-depth lessons. One way to answer this need is to sponsor and form a Geography Club at school. The Curriculum & Instruction Committee of the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) provides support for such clubs in elementary schools. An overview for setting up a club and many activities are available at www.ncge.org/resources/geoclub. Activities for the previous three years can be found on the site. Activities include a map activity, a main feature, and questions for students to research. The activities are aligned with the National Geography Standards. Glossopedia – Online Research Library Online research libraries are very valuable tools for Internet users of all ages. However, much of the current Internet data is geared toward adults and very little has been appropriately written and illustrated for children. Glossopedia is an investigative learning resource – a digital encyclopedia of cultural and biological diversity. Designed for children 8 to 12 years old, it enables exploration of subjects and includes video animation, text, mapping, and audio to stimulate children’s thinking. All content has been aligned with education standards for earth science, biology, geography, cultural studies, and language and it is complementary to any curriculum. Glossopedia is free, safe, and child-specific. Visit http://globio.org to explore its many features. Geospatial Careers Information http://www.geospatialcareers.net This wonderful site is for students and others interested in learning about careers in geospatial technologies. It features career information and profiles of people who use geospatial technologies. Since people with skills in geospatial technologies are needed in a wide variety of fields, this site was developed to encourage and assist those interested in exploring career options. It is sponsored by the NH Space Grant Consortium in partnership with NH GRANIT and the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. They have done a wonderful job with this and it will be an excellent addition to career presentations, GIS-based workshops, and more. Test Your Geography Knowledge “Test Your Geography Knowledge” is a great website with online geography quizzes. They range from the broad and basic (identifying the continents and oceans) to the specific (identifying the provinces of China). Visit http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/index.html. Visit CGA on the Web The website for the Connecticut Geographic Alliance is www.CTGeoAlliance.org. Visit the site for information regarding workshops and summer institutes for educators as well as useful classroom lesson plans and a calendar of important upcoming CGA events. Defining Regions of the United States National Geographic Xpeditions Activity http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons Overview -- In this lesson, students will think about how the regions of the United States are defined and characterized. They will map the regions from memory and will compare maps to see that regions are human constructions that do not generally have clearly defined boundaries. They will consider how their own region is defined and will conclude by writing essays explaining how the creation of regions can help us to organize and understand the country's geography and can also contribute to stereotypes. Connections to the Curriculum -- Geography, language arts Connections to the National Geography Standards Standard 4: "The physical and human characteristics of places" Time -- Two hours Materials Required Computer with Internet access Blank Xpeditions outline maps of the United States, one for each student Click here Markers or colored pencils Writing materials Objectives -- Students will: list and map regions of the United States; compare maps to see if they have defined regions in the same way; list words that describe the regions on their lists; discuss and debate the characteristics of their own region; and write essays explaining how regional definitions help us to organize and understand the country and world and how these definitions can contribute to stereotypes. Geographic Skills Organizing Geographic Information Answering Geographic Questions Analyzing Geographic Information S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e Opening -- Have students name some regions of the United States and list those regions on the board. Development Give students blank outline maps of the United States, and ask them to label the regions they have listed, using their best judgment as to the regional boundaries. Have students compare maps. Do all the regions look the same, or have they been drawn differently? Why are there differences? Read to the class the geographic definition of a region: places that have "one or more common characteristics that give them a measure of unity and make them distinct from surrounding areas." Point out that regions are created by people to more easily define places that share similar characteristics. As students have discovered, the actual geographic boundaries of a region can be difficult to describe and are frequently open to debate. Ask students to list words that they think define each of the regions on the list. Their lists might include types of food, music, or accents. Discuss their lists as a class, and ask students whether they think these regional definitions are accurate or if they represent stereotypes that are not necessarily correct. Closing -- Have students discuss and debate the region that they live in. How do they define their own region? What stereotypes do they think people from other regions have about their region? Suggested Student Assessment -- Ask students to write essays answering the following questions: How do regional definitions help us organize and understand the country and the world? How do they contribute to stereotypes? Extending the Lesson -- Have students collect and look through travel brochures for destinations in their own region. Ask them to report on the ways the brochures portray the region. Do students think this is a fair portrayal or do the brochures present any inaccurate stereotypes? Why do students think the creators of the brochures have portrayed the region in this way? Related Links National Geographic: MapMachine (http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/map-machine) National Geographic: Xpeditions Activity – Geographic Groceries (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/04/groceries.html) National Geographic: Xpeditions Atlas (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/)