9th+World+Geography+I

**2015-2016**

 * Cody Shilling | cshilling@chinquapin.org**

__ Goals for the Class: __ I have 2 overarching goals for the whole year.
 * Class Syllabus:**
 * 1) Everyone will become more knowledgeable and informed about the world we live in.
 * 2) You will become better thinkers and writers because of this class. I aim to get you to think in ways you haven’t and improve your abilities to express your new thinking.

__ My Expectations: __
 * 1) Everyone in here will treat everyone with respect. Period. This means working with your partner, being prepared for class, being considerate and constructive when giving criticism, plus more. This includes the next point.
 * 2) Being open to learn. We will learn about topics and subjects that often times are considered sensitive and difficult to talk about. I expect you all to be both mature and respectful as well as open to learning.
 * 3) You think and you show it for this class. You will be learning a large amount of material in just one semester in this class. You will also be asked to thing and make connections and explain yourself in great detail. I expect you to rise to the challenge.

__ Notes about the Class: __ Homework and assignments will be posted on the homework calendar and the Google Classroom page.

__ How Will I Know if I'm Academically Successful? __ Grades in my class will be based on a point system (point amounts may change depending on the specific assignment):
 * Homework/daily assignments are worth up to 5 points.
 * Quizzes/bigger assignments are worth up to 15 points.
 * Projects/tests will be worth up to 25 points.

At the end, I will add up all the points you have earned and your grade will be the percentage of points earned over the total amount possible. Say we have 200 total possible points. If you had earned, 160 points, your average would be 160/200, or 80%.

Some work I will be grading on effort. Some I will be grading on skill. I will always let you know ahead of time how I will be grading an assignment. If I forget to, remind me. Ask me.

Timeline for Returning Graded Work:
 * Daily writing, homework || 3 days ||
 * Weekly writing, quizzes || 1 week ||
 * Major writing, projects, tests || 2 weeks ||

Late work. If you turn something in late, it will be 20% off per day (aside from excused absences). After one school week, I will not accept it.

__ Plagiarism: __

Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas and not giving credit to them, thus making it seem like your original thoughts. It is highly dishonest and disrespectful, and as such is not allowed in this class (or at all in school). If it happens, there will be serious consequences. Don’t let it happen.

__ Class Procedures: __

If there are any discipline issues with someone not following any of the class rules, you will earn the following consequences:


 * 1) The first time – a warning from me. Can include a look, a reminder to focus, or tap on the desk as I walk by.
 * 2) The second time – I will talk to you individually and you will fill out the reflection sheet. It will also go on the infractions list.
 * 3) The third time – Goes to the Dean. I will also be calling home and let your parents know of the unacceptable behavior and how you and I plan to improve the situation.

__ Electronic Devices: __

I do not have a problem with listening to music, as long as the activity calls for it. It is not appropriate while taking a quiz/test, whenever Cody or a classmate is talking, etc. You must ask beforehand, just so you and I are on the same page.

Other than for music, electronic devices are not allowed without my explicit permission. The first time there’s an issue, I'll give a warning. Then it goes to Diana in the front office.

__ Rough Class Schedule: __

Each unit, we will study a particular region of the world using that region to study particularly important issues in the world. This is a rough timeline and is likely to change over the semester.
 * Unit 1 || Latin America – Poverty and Wealth || 2 weeks ||
 * Unit 2 || Sub-Saharan Africa – Demographics || 2 weeks ||
 * Unit 3 || North Africa and South East Asia – Religions of the World || 3 weeks ||
 * Unit 4 || South and Southeast Asia – The effects of Technology on our Lives || 2 weeks ||
 * Unit 5 || East Asia – Environmental Issues and Urbanization || 2 weeks ||
 * Unit 6 || Europe and North America – International Organizations || 2 weeks ||
 * Unit 7 || Central Asia – Energy || 2 weeks ||

**Previous Years:**

 * Full SemesterThemes:**


 * Where am I?
 * How do I get to Point A?
 * What is on the other side of the world?

Text: //Don't Know Much About Geography// (Davis); Harper Collins, 1992.


 * Units: **

Each unit will be a study of a variety of items, both practical and rhetorical, trivial and philosophical: borders of countries, locations of cities, major mountain ranges, rivers; trivia; cultural differences, similarities. What makes up a continent? What is the difference between an ocean and a sea? Why is tequila only made in one part of the world? How many countries are there today? How many were there 30 years ago? What is so ironic about Greenland and Iceland? And so forth. Each unit will be divided into the following lands:

o **The Americas ** o **Africa ** o **Europe ** o **The Middle East ** o **Asia ** o **Australia and the Pacific Isles **


 * Activities **


 * Map identification (cities, countries, mountain ranges, bodies of water, etc.)
 * Navigating throughout world with itineraries
 * Write up on various locations throughout the world through research; put together a brochure or an article with information, pictures, layout, etc.
 * “In The News” An informative way of describing world events and pinpointing them to their locations in the world (using internet, newspapers)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif';">Quizzes, quizzes, quizzes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif';">Tackling cultural ignorance through research
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif';">Movies related to various countries

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">People are lost. Americans have a hard time identifying or naming a country in Africa, never mind the Middle East. Geography not only orients us as to where we are, but helps us understand the world and connect events to place. Geography is about the weather, politics, the economy, sports, culture, religion, etc. This is why Geography is so important: it's not just about knowing where you are, but also about the people that are connected to the places and how they live.