New Castle Community School Corp.

8323/4  GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF THE WORLD – 9^TH Grade

Year, 2 credits

Prerequisite:  None

Geography and History of the World is designed to enable students to use the geographic “way of looking at the world” to deepen their understanding of major global themes that have manifested themselves over time—for example, the origin and spread of world religions;  exploration;  conquest, and imperialism;  urbanization;  and innovations and revolutions.

In Geography and History of the Word, specific geographic and historical skills and concepts of historical geography are used to explore these global themes primarily but not exclusively for the period beginning in 1000 CE.  The skills are grouped into five sets, each representing a fundamental step in a comprehensive investigative/inquiry procedure.  They are:  forming research questions, acquiring information by investigating a variety of primary and secondary sources, organizing information by creating graphic representations, analyzing information to determine and explain patterns and trends, and presenting and documenting findings orally and/or in writing.

The historical geography concepts used to explore the global themes in Geography and History of the World include change over time, origin, diffusion, physical systems, cultural landscapes, and spatial distribution and interaction.  By using these skills, concepts and the processes associated with them, students are able to analyze, evaluate, and make predictions about major global developments. Geography and History of the World is designed to nurture perceptive, responsible citizenship, encourage and support the development of critical thinking skills and lifelong learning, and to help prepare Indiana students for employment in the 21^st Century.