Alaska Geography Standards and Key Elements

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

Alaska Geography Standards and Key Elements

(This chart can be used as a worksheet to consider the extent to which the district is currently addressing the standards.)

Standard

Key Element:
A student who meets this standard should be able to:

District Curriculum Notes

A. A student should be able to make a use maps, globes and graphs to gather, analyze, and report spatial (geographic) information.

(1) use maps and globes to locate places and regions.

(2) make maps, globes and graphs.

(3) understand how and why maps are changing documents.

(4) be able to use graphic tools and technologies to depict and interpret the worldís human and physical systems.

(5) be able to evaluate the importance of the locations of human and physical features in interpreting geographic patterns.

(6) be able to use spatial (geographic) tools and technologies to analyze and develop explanations and solutions to geographic problems.

B. A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about human and physical features of places and regions.

(1) know that places have distinctive geographic characteristics.

(2) be able to analyze how places are formed, identified, named, and characterized.

(3) be able to relate how people create similarities and differences among places.

(4) be able to discuss how and why groups and individuals identify with places.

(5) be able to describe and demonstrate how places and regions serve as cultural symbols, such as the Statue of Liberty.

(6) be able to make informed decisions about where to live, work, travel and seek opportunities.

(7) understand that a region is a distinct area defined by one or more cultural or physical features.

(8) be able to compare, contrast and predict how places and regions change with time.

C. A student should understand the dynamic and interactive natural forces that shape the earthís environments.

(1) be able to analyze the operation of earthís physical systems including ecosystems, climate systems, erosion systems, the water cycle, and tectonics

(2) be able to distinguish the functions, forces and dynamics of the physical processes that cause variations in natural regions.

(3) recognize the concepts used in studying environments and recognize the diversity and productivity of different regional environments.

D. A student should understand and be able to interpret spatial (geographic) characteristics of human systems including migration, movement, interactions of cultures, economic activities, settlement patterns, and political units in the state, nation and world.

(1) know that the need for people to exchange goods, services and ideas creates population centers, cultural interaction, and transportation and communication links.

(2) be able to explain how and why human networks, including networks for communications and for transportation of people and goods, are linked globally.

(3) be able to interpret population characteristics and distributions.

(4) be able to analyze how changes in technology, transportation, and communication impact social, cultural, economic, and political activity.

(5) be able to analyze how conflict and cooperation shape social, economic, and political use of space.

E. A student should understand and be able to evaluate how humans and physical environments interact.

(1) understand how resources have been developed and used.

(2) recognize and be able to assess local, regional, and global patterns of resource use.

(3) understand the varying capacities of physical systems, such as watersheds, to support human activities.

(4) be able to determine the influence of human perceptions on resource utilization and the environment.

(5) be able to analyze the consequences of human modification of the environment and be able to evaluate the changing landscape.

(6) be able to evaluate the impact of physical hazards on human systems.

F. A student should be able to use geography to understand the world by interpreting the past, knowing the present, and preparing for the future.

(1) analyze and evaluate the impact of physical and human geographical factors on major historical events.

(2) compare, contrast and predict how places and regions change with time.

(3) analyze resource management practices to assess their impact on future environmental quality.

(4) interpret demographic trends to project future changes and impacts on human environmental systems.

(5) examine the impacts of global changes on human activity.

(6) utilize geographic knowledge and skills to support interdisciplinary learning and build competencies required of citizens.

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Standard	Key Element: A student who meets this standard should be able to:	District Curriculum Notes
A. A student should be able to make a use maps, globes and graphs to gather, analyze, and report spatial (geographic) information.	(1) use maps and globes to locate places and regions.
	(2) make maps, globes and graphs.
	(3) understand how and why maps are changing documents.
	(4) be able to use graphic tools and technologies to depict and interpret the worldís human and physical systems.
	(5) be able to evaluate the importance of the locations of human and physical features in interpreting geographic patterns.
	(6) be able to use spatial (geographic) tools and technologies to analyze and develop explanations and solutions to geographic problems.
B. A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about human and physical features of places and regions.	(1) know that places have distinctive geographic characteristics.
	(2) be able to analyze how places are formed, identified, named, and characterized.
	(3) be able to relate how people create similarities and differences among places.
	(4) be able to discuss how and why groups and individuals identify with places.
	(5) be able to describe and demonstrate how places and regions serve as cultural symbols, such as the Statue of Liberty.
	(6) be able to make informed decisions about where to live, work, travel and seek opportunities.
	(7) understand that a region is a distinct area defined by one or more cultural or physical features.
	(8) be able to compare, contrast and predict how places and regions change with time.
C. A student should understand the dynamic and interactive natural forces that shape the earthís environments.	(1) be able to analyze the operation of earthís physical systems including ecosystems, climate systems, erosion systems, the water cycle, and tectonics
	(2) be able to distinguish the functions, forces and dynamics of the physical processes that cause variations in natural regions.
	(3) recognize the concepts used in studying environments and recognize the diversity and productivity of different regional environments.
D. A student should understand and be able to interpret spatial (geographic) characteristics of human systems including migration, movement, interactions of cultures, economic activities, settlement patterns, and political units in the state, nation and world.	(1) know that the need for people to exchange goods, services and ideas creates population centers, cultural interaction, and transportation and communication links.
	(2) be able to explain how and why human networks, including networks for communications and for transportation of people and goods, are linked globally.
	(3) be able to interpret population characteristics and distributions.
	(4) be able to analyze how changes in technology, transportation, and communication impact social, cultural, economic, and political activity.
	(5) be able to analyze how conflict and cooperation shape social, economic, and political use of space.
E. A student should understand and be able to evaluate how humans and physical environments interact.	(1) understand how resources have been developed and used.
	(2) recognize and be able to assess local, regional, and global patterns of resource use.
	(3) understand the varying capacities of physical systems, such as watersheds, to support human activities.
	(4) be able to determine the influence of human perceptions on resource utilization and the environment.
	(5) be able to analyze the consequences of human modification of the environment and be able to evaluate the changing landscape.
	(6) be able to evaluate the impact of physical hazards on human systems.
F. A student should be able to use geography to understand the world by interpreting the past, knowing the present, and preparing for the future.	(1) analyze and evaluate the impact of physical and human geographical factors on major historical events.
	(2) compare, contrast and predict how places and regions change with time.
	(3) analyze resource management practices to assess their impact on future environmental quality.
	(4) interpret demographic trends to project future changes and impacts on human environmental systems.
	(5) examine the impacts of global changes on human activity.
	(6) utilize geographic knowledge and skills to support interdisciplinary learning and build competencies required of citizens.