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INTRODUCTION to WORLD GEOGRAPHY BUNDLE
Give your students a solid background in the basics of World Geography with the Introduction to World Geography Bundle.
- 4 Google Slides lessons with notetaking guides: Mapping Skills, Standard of Living, and 5 Themes of Geography.
- 20 Daily Openers with student worksheets
- Activity Packet (print, digital, editable, and answers)
- Intro Diagnostic Activity
- 3 Quizzes: Mapping Skills and 5 Themes of Geography vocabulary quiz, topography map quiz, standard of living analysis quiz
- Unit Project: Create an Island Project
- Unit Test: regular multiple choice, modified version with fewer choices, answer key and study guide
PLANNING this MINI-UNIT
Mapping Skills is the first mini-unit or topic taught in the “Introduction to World Geography” unit. This topic covers map projections, mapping tools, the earth-sun relationship and climate zones.
Pacing
Teachers should plan three to five days to teach this unit on a traditional schedule with one-hour class periods. However, for those on a block schedule with 1 1/2 hour classes, teachers should plan for 2-3 days. An effective way to structure this unit includes:
Openers
The “Introduction to World Geography” has 20 openers that review the following topics: Mapping Skills, Grid-System and the Earth-Sun Relationship, 5 Themes of Geography and Standard of Living. There are 5 openers directly related to Mapping Skills for this mini-unit. CLICK HERE for more information on openers for the “Introduction to World Geography Unit.”
OPENER TOPICS
Mapping Skills
- Travel
- Political and Physical Maps
- Mapping Tools
- Country Counts
- Mapping Fun Facts
Grid System and Earth-Sun Relationship
- The Earth’s Grid-System
- The Tropical Region
- Solstice and Equinox
- Time Zones
- Fun Facts
5 Themes of Geography
- Movement
- Location
- Place
- Region
- Human Interaction with the Environment
Standard of Living
- Economy
- Standard of Living Comparison
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Understanding Population Patterns
- Literacy Rates
Google Slides
GOOGLE SLIDES: After the opener, begin the 
Google Slides lesson. Students can take notes on paper using the note-taking guide provided with the Google Slides lesson, or they may take notes digitally with the electronic version (also included with the Google Slides).
TEACHING TIPS
⭐️ TEACHER TIP: I post a PDF version of the Google Slides to Google Classroom so that students can review their notes if they are absent. Click “File, Download, PDF” on the Google Slide to do this.
⭐️ TEACHER TIP: Some teachers post Google Slides in their Google Classroom and digital note-taking guides for students to complete as homework.
⭐️TEACHER TIP: When pressed for time, I will edit the note-taking guides to include answers for some boxes or delete boxes and slides entirely. Teachers should feel free to modify the lesson to meet their student’s needs and individual learning targets.
Activities
Note-Taking Guides
This Mapping Skills Note-Taking Guide should be paired with Google Slides (see above). Teachers can walk students through these notes or post lecture notes on their chosen platform and have students record the information.
Student Worksheets & Activities
There is one activity that pairs nicely with the Mapping Skills notes. The “Where I’ve Been Map” is a two-sided document with a blank map of the world on one side and a blank map of the United States on the other. Students are tasked with coloring in each state or country one of two colors: Where I have been or Where I want to go. Additionally, there are 3 critical thinking questions, and for an extra challenge, students much draw the following grid lines: Equator, Prime Meridian, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn. Both the note taking guides and these activities also have digital versions
UNIT: Introduction Diagnostic Activity
Prior to teaching your geography unit on the United States and Canada, discover what your students already know about the geographic region.
This activity asks students to name countries, place physical features on a map and answer critical thinking questions.
WHAT COMES WITH THE DOWNLOAD:
1. Teacher tips and lesson plans for the activity
2. Student Worksheet
3. Answer Key
Helpful Videos
Break up direct instruction by showing a video that reviews concepts they just learned.
Key Terms & Vocabulary
Mapping
Tools
- Title
- Key/Legend
- Compass
- Scale
Types
of Maps
- Political Maps
- Physical Maps
- Special Purpose Maps
- Mercator Projection
- Peters Projection
- Winkel-Tripel Projection
Grid
System
- Latitude
- Longitude
- Equator
- Prime Meridian
- Tropic of Cancer
- Tropic of Capricorn
Climate
- Solstice
- Equinox
- High Latitudes
- Middle Latitudes
- Low Latitudes
LEARNING TARGETS
- Students can identify 3 map projections and argue the pros and cons of using each one.
- Students can create a map that accurately includes the following mapping tools: title, key/legend, compass, and scale.
- Students can accurately locate the following lines on a world map: Latitude, Longitude, Equator, Prime Meridian, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn.
- Students can explain how the tilt of the earth’s axis affects climate.
- Students can compare the three different climate zones: low latitudes, middle latitudes, and high latitudes.
- Students can explain how elevation, wind, and ocean currents may affect climate zones.
Take me to the Introduction of World Geography products on Teachers Pay Teachers
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