Geography II Manual EEEEECCCCCOOOOONNNNNOOOOOMMMMMIIIIICCCCC GGGGGEEEEEOOOOOGGGGGRRRRRAAAAAPPPPPHHHHHYYYYY MMMMMaaaaattttteeeeerrrrriiiiiaaaaalllll::::: Completed land form maps of North America, including islands, lakes, peninsulas, gulfs, isthmuses, straits, capes, and bays. Large, blank sheet. PPPPPrrrrreeeeessssseeeeennnnntttttaaaaatttttiiiiiooooonnnnn 11111::::: BBBBBaaaaasssssiiiiiccccc LLLLLaaaaannnnnddddd FFFFFooooorrrrrmmmmmsssss 1. Display the completed land form maps for North America. 2. Say, “On this large piece of paper, all the information on these separate maps may be placed. First, the continent of North America must be drawn.” 3. Lightly grid the paper and use the globe and/or atlas for the latitude and longitude lines to draw the continent. 4. After the continent has been drawn in, place the basic land forms from earlier research: islands, lakes, peninsulas, gulfs, isthmuses, straits, capes, and bays. 5. From the knowledge gained from the geography classified nomenclature and the use of the atlas, the child draws in the rivers, mountains, and volcanoes. The use of latitude and longitude are important. 6. Overlays in plastic or duplicate maps may be drawn to illustrate: a) Precipitation distribution b) Vegetation c) Altitude variation d) Climate Montessori Research and Development © 2004 241 Geography II Manual e) Plant distribution f) Animal distribution g) Mineral distribution h) Energy distribution i) Population distribution J) Major cities k) Transportation systems (air, land, water)\ 7. From this composite picture of the geography of a land, discuss: a) Where people live. b) How people live. 8. The information on the maps may be illustrated utilizing: a) Bar graph b) Line graph c) Pictograph d) Pie graph 9. To the question, “How do people live?”, the response to the question is a systematic review of the Fundamental Needs of People: Clothing, Shelter, Heat, Transportation, Lighting. A balance is established between the NEEDS of people and the RESOURCES of the land. Reckless misuse of resources can create an imbalance between NEEDS and RESOURCES. Later, this imbalance is rectified by lesser RESOURCES available to satisfy NEEDS. Because people have consciousness, reflective planning in the utilization of resources is important. Abdication of this responsibility can result in depletion of minerals, and endangering of plants and of animals. Montessori Research and Development © 2004 242 Geography II Manual Economic geography begins with the study of the land. A continent map indicating waterways with the country highlighted suggests the possible transportation by water that is available within a country, and from that country to other countries. The study of the land continues with types of maps that suggest much in terms of ways the land will influence the lives of the people that inhabit it: 1. Topography map 2. Precipitation map 3. Elevation map Graphs are useful to further understand the elements that influence the land in different parts of the country. 1. Temperatures during the year 2. Precipitation during the year How the land is used may be surmised from the study of the three maps and graphs. Research on a country produces information regarding: 1. Land use 2. Plant production 3. Animal production 4. Mineral production 5. Manufacturing This research, also, indicates information about the people involved with the production with charts, graphs, and pictographs. 1. Population distribution on the land. 2. Population distribution in employment. Montessori Research and Development © 2004 243 Geography II Manual From this information, the child can draw conclusions about how the Fundamental Needs of People are met in a particular country. The interrelationship of everything on earth is the goal. An extensive library with atlases is required for the research. Montessori Research and Development © 2004 244 Geography II Manual PPPPPAAAAARRRRRTTTTT 55555::::: IIIIIMMMMMAAAAAGGGGGIIIIINNNNNAAAAARRRRRYYYYY IIIIISSSSSLLLLLAAAAANNNNNDDDDD Montessori Research and Development © 2004 245 Geography II Manual IIIIIMMMMMAAAAAGGGGGIIIIINNNNNAAAAARRRRRYYYYY IIIIISSSSSLLLLLAAAAANNNNNDDDDD::::: FFFFFOOOOOUUUUURRRRRTTTTTEEEEEEEEEENNNNN PPPPPOOOOOIIIIINNNNNTTTTTSSSSS FFFFFOOOOORRRRR TTTTTHHHHHEEEEE SSSSSTTTTTUUUUUDDDDDYYYYY OOOOOFFFFF AAAAA CCCCCOOOOOUUUUUNNNNNTTTTTRRRRRYYYYY The following is an outline with questions to help the students research a country. 11111..... RRRRReeeeegggggiiiiiooooonnnnnsssss What are the basic geographical regions within your country? Are there any geographical features that are especially outstanding? 22222..... CCCCCllllliiiiimmmmmaaaaattttteeeee Does your country enjoy a variety of climates due to different geographical regions or features? Statistics are not necessary unless they are outstanding for some reason. 33333..... IIIIInnnnnvvvvvaaaaasssssiiiiiooooonnnnnsssss PPPPPaaaaasssssttttt aaaaannnnnddddd PPPPPrrrrreeeeessssseeeeennnnnttttt What people lived in your land in prehistoric times? Have there been any invasions or immigrations in historic time? Who and when? 44444..... LLLLLaaaaannnnnggggguuuuuaaaaagggggeeeeesssss,,,,, PPPPPaaaaasssssttttt aaaaannnnnddddd PPPPPrrrrreeeeessssseeeeennnnnttttt This is obviously related to point 3. Which invaders or immigrant peoples have had the most influence on the currently used language? How many dialects? Montessori Research and Development © 2004 246 Geography II Manual 55555..... TTTTTooooowwwwwnnnnnsssss aaaaannnnnddddd IIIIInnnnnddddduuuuussssstttttrrrrriiiiieeeeesssss Which are the most important towns and cities? For what reasons? What are the main industries? Are these industries related to either the regions or the climate or both? 66666..... CCCCCaaaaapppppiiiiitttttaaaaalllllsssss,,,,, PPPPPaaaaasssssttttt aaaaannnnnddddd PPPPPrrrrreeeeessssseeeeennnnnttttt Have there been different capital cities or towns in the past? Why were they changed? Is there any special reason for the present capital being located where it is? 77777..... NNNNNaaaaammmmmeeeeesssss ooooofffff TTTTTooooowwwwwnnnnnsssss Have the towns been named for famous people, geographical peculiarities, religious reasons? Can you give some specific examples? 88888..... IIIIInnnnnttttteeeeerrrrrnnnnnaaaaalllll DDDDDiiiiivvvvviiiiisssssiiiiiooooonnnnnsssss How have the internal divisions come about? Has the primary determinant been geographical, historical, religious, or political? 99999..... OOOOOllllldddddeeeeesssssttttt RRRRRoooooaaaaadddddsssss Did they link the oldest cities or religious centers? Were the roads patrolled or guarded? Are they in use today? (A small map may be useful.) Montessori Research and Development © 2004 247 Geography II Manual 1111100000..... HHHHHooooouuuuussssseeeeesssss How were the people’s houses made in prehistoric time and in historic time? Are they similar to those made today? Does the climate influence the materials used? 1111111111..... CCCCCooooossssstttttuuuuummmmmeeeeesssss,,,,, CCCCCuuuuussssstttttooooommmmm,,,,, CCCCCrrrrraaaaaffffftttttsssss Describe the native costume, if possible. (Pictures or drawings also.) Are there any special customs that are outstanding? Dances? Games? What are the common crafts of the people? Are there any extraordinary crafts? 1111122222..... FFFFFooooooooooddddd What are the staples in the diet of the common people? Are there any class or caste differences in diet? Are there any food taboos? 1111133333..... FFFFFaaaaauuuuunnnnnaaaaa,,,,, PPPPPaaaaasssssttttt aaaaannnnnddddd PPPPPrrrrreeeeessssseeeeennnnnttttt What animals inhabited your country in the past? Which ones have survived up to the present day? Have any animals been imported? Are there any animals nearing extinction? Montessori Research and Development © 2004 248 Geography II Manual 1111144444..... FFFFFlllllooooorrrrraaaaa,,,,, PPPPPaaaaasssssttttt aaaaannnnnddddd PPPPPrrrrreeeeessssseeeeennnnnttttt What plants grew in your country in the past? What plants growing in your country today are different or distinctive? Are there distinctive regions or belts of vegetation? Montessori Research and Development © 2004 249 Geography II Manual GGGGGEEEEEOOOOOGGGGGRRRRRAAAAAPPPPPHHHHHIIIIICCCCCAAAAALLLLL FFFFFEEEEEAAAAATTTTTUUUUURRRRREEEEESSSSS CCCCCAAAAARRRRRDDDDDSSSSS MMMMMaaaaattttteeeeerrrrriiiiiaaaaalllllsssss::::: 38 or more picture cards depicting geographical features Definition cards for the picture cards. Small name tags for the picture cards. 6 geographical feature models Tracing paper cut to the size of the picture cards Watercolors Paint brushes AAAAAiiiiimmmmmsssss::::: 1. To show the child that the physical world is composed of different identifiable features. 2. To help the child learn the 38 basic geographical features. There are more than 38 geographical features. 3. To prepare the child for the study of an Imaginary Island. PPPPPrrrrreeeeerrrrreeeeeqqqqquuuuuiiiiisssssiiiiittttteeeee::::: 1. Mastery of the names of the Geographical Feature Models. PPPPPrrrrreeeeepppppaaaaarrrrraaaaatttttiiiiiooooonnnnn::::: 1. Make sure that all of the 38 picture cards, definition cards, and name cards are complete and in good repair. Montessori Research and Development © 2004 250