GEOG 710 Seminar in Geography Education

Patrick Esposito
July 8, 2015
Critical Essay #1: South Carolina Geography Standards
The first indicator for the first standard for world geography standards
in South Carolina (WG-1.1) indicates that students need to be able to,
Analyze physical characteristics of the environment that result in
opportunities and obstacles for people. (2011, p. 74) The concept of
physical characteristics of the environment may need to be clearly defined
for students as, the part of the human environment that includes purely
physical factors (as soil, climate, water supply). (Merriam-Webster) One
other concept that may be unfamiliar or confusing would be that people
needs to be understood not only as an individual person, but also as
separate groups of people, and possibly as one collective group.
A group discussion and research activity could be used to show
students how physical characteristics of the environment can be both
opportunities and obstacles. First, I would split them into groups, assign each
group a general physical feature in the environment (e.g. a river, mountain
range, dessert, ocean, forest, etc.), and have them hypothesize three
possible opportunities and three possible obstacles that their feature might
create. We would then regroup as a class to discuss their hypotheses and
ensure they have all completed the task properly. Next, the groups will test
their hypotheses by doing research on two, specific, real world versions of
their previously assigned feature. The students will be asked to identify how
this feature is viewed as an opportunity, an obstacle, or both by the people it
affects in both separate cases. Finally, students will be asked to compare
and contrast the ways in which culture and other physical aspects of the
environment (climate, location, surroundings, etc.) affect the methods and
activities people use to cope with, or utilize, their assigned physical feature
in two different, specific, examples. They will then present their findings as a
group to the class.
The most important materials needed to teach this indicator would be
spatial representations such as maps, which would allow students to locate
and analyze their assigned physical features characteristics. An
encyclopedia, geographic information system, the internet, or other research
tools would be required to identify specific physical examples, the culture or
cultures that encounter them, and the detailed characteristics of both.
Presentation software and hardware would be helpful, such as a smartboard
or a projector, connected to a computer with presentation software.
This South Carolina state standard indicator, WG-1.1, aligns with the
National Geography Standard 15: How physical systems affect human
systems. The state indicator falls under this national standard as it deals

with the ways in which the earths physical systems and features affect
human activities and adaptations. In addition, the state indicator WG-1.1 is
listed almost verbatim as the first student performance statement
underneath National Geography Standard 15.

References
"Physical Environment." Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed July 8, 2015.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physical environment.