Tools for critical inquiry

EGT-eng-front_cover

Authors: Bob Sharpe, Kamilla Bahbahani, Niem Tu Huynh

Editors: Roland Case, Judy Wearing

Tools for Critical InquiryTools for Critical Inquiry is a project of The Critical Thinking Consortium (TC2). TC2 is a non-profit partnership of schools, school districts, teacher professional associations, and other educational organizations. Its aim is to promote thinking from primary to post-secondary education through partner-sponsored professional development, publications, and research.

For more information, contact:The Critical Thinking ConsortiumE-mail: mail@tc2.caWebsite: www.tc2.ca

Tools for Critical InquiryThis series introduces the core tools needed to inquire critically within a specific discipline and offers multiple strategies and exemplary lessons to support teachers in embedding thinking into teaching the subject matter. TC2 has published titles in both English and French that explore discipline-based thinking in history, geography, and archaeology.

Traductrice et auteure de l’édition française : Catherine Duquette

Éditrice de l’édition française : Romy Cooper

Auteurs de l’édition anglaise : Bob Sharpe, Kamilla Bahbahani, Niem Tu Huynh

outils d’enquête d’analyse critique

Enseigner la pensée géographiqueLes ressources pédagogiques « Outils pour la pensée géographique » sont des outils d’enseignement

créés par The Critical Thinking Consortium (TC2). Le consortium est un organisme sans but

lucratif regroupant des écoles, des conseils scolaires, des facultés d’éducation, des associations

professionnelles et des organismes œuvrant dans le monde de l’éducation. Son but est de

promouvoir le développement de la pensée critique à tous les niveaux d’études au

moyen d’ouvrages, de travaux de recherche et de formation professionnelle.

Pour en savoir plus

The Critical Thinking Consortium

Courriel : mail@tc2.ca

Site Web : www.tc2.ca

La pensée critique dans les disciplines

Nous offrons des publications en français qui expliquent la pensée critique en histoire et en géographie,

et qui offrent des leçons modèles pour enseigner aux élèves comment réfléchir à une variété de sujets

dans le curriculum d’histoire et de géographie.

Une ressource didactique pour

enseigner six concepts permettant

aux élèves de développer leur pensée

critique en histoire

Une ressource didactique

pour enseigner six concepts

permettant aux élèves de

développer leur pensée

critique en géographie

Un ensemble de neuf défis d’analyse critique pour encourager les élèves à penser de façon critique en histoire du Canada au XXe siècle, en s’appuyant sur un éventail d’événements et de personnages

Un ensemble de huit défis d’analyse critique pour encourager les élèves à penser de façon critique en géographie, en s’appuyant sur un large éventail de sujets et d’enjeux régionaux, nationaux et mondiaux

ISBN 978-0-8

6491-395-1

Enseigner la pensée géographique

Consult our website for

details of titles in this series

that are available in FrenchTeaches six portal concepts to nurture critical inquiry in archaeology

A collection of nine critical challenges

that encourage students to think

historically about twentieth-century

Canadian history

The CriticalThinking Consortium

Exemplars in Historical Thinking:20th Century Canada

AUTHORS Mike Bowman • Mike Clare • Tim Dingwall • Garfield

Gini-Newman • Jan Haskings-Winner • Anita Kyriakou

Charles Leskun • Linda Mowatt • Rick Olma

Larry O’Malley • Ian Pettigrew • Jennifer Watt

EDITORS Garfield Gini-Newman • Catriona Misfeldt

S E R I E S E D I T O RRoland Case

P r i m a r yi n t e r m e d i a t em i d d l e

s e n i o r

✔

A C R O S S T H E C U R R I C U l U m

A C R O S S T H E C U R R I C U l U m

Exemplars in H

istorical Thinking: 20th Century Canada

✔

Critical Challenges across the Curriculum is a project of the Critical thinking Consortium. tC2

is a non-profit partnership of school districts, faculties of education, teacher professional

associations, and other educational organizations. our aim is to promote critical thinking

from primary to post-secondary education through partner-sponsored professional

development, publications, and research.

For more information about TC2

The Critical Thinking ConsortiumUniversity of British Columbia6365 Biological Sciences RoadVancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4

TeL 604-822-9297 • fAx 604-822-6603

e-MAIL tc2@interchange.ubc.caWeBSITe www.tc2.ca

SCHOOl DISTRICTS AND SCHOOlSBalmoral HallBranksome HallCalgary Board of educationCampbell River School DistrictCentral Okanagan School DistrictComox Valley School DistrictDelta School DistrictDistrict School Board of Niagara

english Schools foundationfoundations for the future Charter Academy

Halton District School BoardLittle flower SchoolNanaimo School District

Okanagan-Similkameen School District

Peace Wapiti School DistrictPeel District School BoardSaskatoon Public SchoolsSouthridge SchoolSt. John’s SchoolSt. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School

Stratford HallTall Pines SchoolToronto District School BoardToronto french SchoolToronto Montessori Schools

Upper Canada District School BoardVancouver School DistrictYork House School

EDUCATIONAl ORGANIZATIONSAND ASSOCIATIONSBC Social Studies Teachers’ Association

BC Teacher-Librarians’ AssociationBegbie Contest SocietyCalgary Regional Consortium

Central Alberta Regional Consortiumedmonton Regional Learning Consortium

english Schools foundationLesPlan educational ServicesLibrary & Archives CanadaNorthwest Regional Learning Consortium

Ontario Association for Geographic and

environmental educationOntario Geography, History, Humanities

and Social Sciences Consultants’ Association

Ontario History, Humanities and Social Science

Teachers’ AssociationOntario Teachers’ federationPrairie Association of Christian Schools

Provincial Intermediate Teachers’ Association

Southern Alberta Professional Development

ConsortiumStatistics CanadaThe History education Network/ Histoire et Éducation en Réseau

COllEGES ANDUNIvERSITIESAntigua State CollegeSimon fraser UniversityUniversity of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia-Okanagan

The CriticalThinking Consortium

913029780864

9

ISBN 978-0-86491-302-9

ISBN 978-0-86491-317-3

9131737808649

ISBN 978086491317390000 >

Teaching Geographical Thinking

Teaching Geographical Thinking

Exemplars in G

eographical Thinking

Tools for Critical InquiryA P P L I C A T I O N S I N T E R D I S C I P L I N A I R E S

PRIMAIRE

MOYEN

INTERMÉDIAIRE

SECONDAIRE✔✔

Exemplars in Geographical Thinking

AUTHORS Jennifer Farrell-Cordon, Michael Fitzgerald, Usha James, Jane Kerr-Wilson, Amber Mitchell, Lisa Nellipuzha, Amy Parsons, Judy Wearing

EDITORS Usha James, Stefan Stipp, Judy Wearing

Tools for Critical Inquiry is a project of The Critical Thinking Consortium (TC2). TC2 is a non-profit

partnership of schools, school districts, teacher professional associations, and other educational

organizations. Its aim is to promote thinking from primary to post-secondary education through

partner-sponsored professional development, publications, and research.

Pour en savoir plus

The Critical Thinking ConsortiumCourriel : mail@tc2.caSite Web : www.tc2.ca

Tools for Critical InquiryThis series introduces the core tools needed to inquire critically within a specific discipline and offers

multiple strategies and exemplary lessons to support teachers in embedding thinking into teaching the

subject matter. TC2 has published titles in both English and French that explore discipline-based thinking

in history, geography, and archaeology.

THT (new cover)

Teaches six portal concepts to nurture

critical inquiry in history

TGT (English)

Teach

ing

aRch

aeO

LOg

icaL Th

ink

ing

Tools for Critical Inquiry

Author Judy WearingEditors catherine edwards Roland case

Tools for Critical Inquiry is a project of The Critical Thinking Consortium. TC2 is a non-profit partnership

of schools, school districts, faculties of education, teacher professional associations, universities and

other educational organizations. Its aim is to promote critical thinking from primary to post-secondary

education through partner-sponsored professional development, publications and research.

Teaching archaeological Thinking

consortium

thinking

criticalthe

consortium

thinking

criticalthe

School Districts and SchoolsBranksome HallBurnaby School DistrictCanadian Rockies Public Schools

Central Okanagan School DistrictChinook’s Edge School DivisionDelta School DistrictDistrict School Board of Niagara

Foundations for the Future Charter Academy

Grand Erie District School BoardHalton District School BoardKingsway College SchoolLittle Flower AcademyMontgomery County Public Schools

Northern Gateway School Division #10Northwest Territories Education, Culture and EmploymentParkland School Division #70Peace Wapiti School DivisionPeel School BoardPrairie Association of Christian

SchoolsPrairie Rose School DivisionRainy River District School BoardSaskatoon Public SchoolsSouthridge SchoolSt. Mildred’s Lightbourn School

Stratford HallTall Pines SchoolThames Valley District School BoardToronto French SchoolToronto District School Board

Toronto Montessori SchoolsUnited Synagogue Day SchoolVancouver School DistrictWaterloo Regional District School Board

Yellowknife Education District #1York House SchoolYork Region District School Board

Educational Organizations and AssociationsAlberta Teachers’ Association

BC Teacher-Librarians’ AssociationBegbie Contest SocietyCalgary Regional Consortium

Canadian Council for Geographic Education

Central Alberta Regional ConsortiumEdmonton Regional Learning Consortium

The History Education Network/ Histoire et Éducation en Réseau

Learning Network Educational ServicesLesPlan Educational ServicesLibrary and Archives of CanadaNorthwest Regional Learning Consortium

Ontario Association for Geographic and Environmental Education

Ontario Family Studies Leadership Council

Ontario History, Humanities and Social Science Consultants Association

Ontario History and Social Science Teachers’ AssociationOntario Teachers’ Federation

Provincial Intermediate Teachers’ AssociationScience Times CollaborativeSouthern Alberta Professional

Development ConsortiumStatistics CanadaSunshine Coast Teachers Association

UniversitiesAntigua State CollegeOntario Institute for the Study in Education/University of Toronto

Simon Fraser UniversityUniversity of British Columbia

9131977808649

ISBN 978-0-86491-319-7

Tools for Critical Inquiry

S e r i e S e d i t o r roland CaSe

For more informationThe critical Thinking consortium (Tc2)

#330 – 77 West 8th AveVancouver, British Columbia V5Y 1M8tel/fax: 604-639-6325email: resources@tc2.cawebsite: www.tc2.caThis resource was published with the generous support of the The Learning Education Network

consortium

thinking

criticalthe

Teaches six portal concepts

to nurture critical inquiry in

geography Teaches six portal concepts to nurture critical inquiry in archaeology

A collection of nine critical

challenges that encourage

students to think historically about twentieth-century Canadian history

The Critical

Thinking Consortium

Exemplars in Historical Thinking:

20th Century Canada

AUTHORS Mike Bowman • Mike Clare • Tim Dingwall • Garfield

Gini-Newman • Jan Haskings-Winner • Anita Kyriakou

Charles Leskun • Linda Mowatt • Rick Olma

Larry O’Malley • Ian Pettigrew • Jennifer Watt

EDITORS Garfield Gini-Newman • Catriona Misfeldt

S E R I E S E D I T O RRoland Case

P r i m a r yi n t e r m e d i a t em i d d l es e n i o r

✔

A C R O S S T H E C U R R I C U l U m

A C R O S S T H E C U R R I C U l U m

Exemplars in Historical Thinking: 20th Century Canada

✔

Critical Challenges across the Curriculum is a project of the Critical thinking Consortium. tC2

is a non-profit partnership of school districts, faculties of education, teacher professional

associations, and other educational organizations. our aim is to promote critical thinking

from primary to post-secondary education through partner-sponsored professional

development, publications, and research.

For more information about TC2

The Critical Thinking Consortium

University of British Columbia6365 Biological Sciences Road

Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4

TeL 604-822-9297 • fAx 604-822-6603

e-MAIL tc2@interchange.ubc.ca

WeBSITe www.tc2.ca

SCHOOl DISTRICTS AND SCHOOlSBalmoral HallBranksome HallCalgary Board of education

Campbell River School District

Central Okanagan School District

Comox Valley School DistrictDelta School District

District School Board of Niagara

english Schools foundationfoundations for the

future Charter AcademyHalton District School Board

Little flower SchoolNanaimo School District

Okanagan-Similkameen School District

Peace Wapiti School DistrictPeel District School Board

Saskatoon Public SchoolsSouthridge SchoolSt. John’s SchoolSt. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School

Stratford HallTall Pines SchoolToronto District School BoardToronto french School

Toronto Montessori SchoolsUpper Canada District School Board

Vancouver School DistrictYork House School

EDUCATIONAl ORGANIZATIONS

AND ASSOCIATIONSBC Social Studies Teachers’ Association

BC Teacher-Librarians’ Association

Begbie Contest SocietyCalgary Regional Consortium

Central Alberta Regional Consortium

edmonton Regional Learning Consortium

english Schools foundationLesPlan educational Services

Library & Archives CanadaNorthwest Regional Learning Consortium

Ontario Association for Geographic and

environmental educationOntario Geography, History, Humanities

and Social Sciences Consultants’ Association

Ontario History, Humanities and Social Science

Teachers’ AssociationOntario Teachers’ federation

Prairie Association of Christian Schools

Provincial Intermediate Teachers’ Association

Southern Alberta Professional Development

ConsortiumStatistics CanadaThe History education Network/

Histoire et Éducation en Réseau

COllEGES ANDUNIvERSITIESAntigua State CollegeSimon fraser University

University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia-Okanagan

The CriticalThinking Consortium

913029

7808649

ISBN 978-0-86491-302-9

ISBN 978-0-86491-393-7

A collection of eight critical challenges that encourage students to think geographically about a large range of local, national, and world issues in geography

Teaches six portal concepts to nurture

critical inquiry in history

Revised and expanded edition

© The Critical Thinking Consortium 2016

ISBN 978-0-86491-317-3 $26.95 • 153 pages • softcover

Teachers wanting to engage students in geographical thinking through critical inquiry will find Teaching Geographical Thinking—Revised and expanded edition a very welcome resource. It provides a solid framework of concepts, examples, and questions that clearly develop what critical inquiry means in geographical problem-solving.

This valuable resource is organized around:

• geographical importance

• evidence and interpretation

• patterns and trends

• interactions and association

• sense of place

• geographical value judgments

Each concept is discussed and illustrated with examples, questions and criteria to guide the interrogation and assessment of geographic problems. Most of the examples draw upon current and pressing geographic problems in Canada. The examples are followed by concise discussions of the portal concept’s key dimensions, and suggestions for practical teaching applications across the curriculum.

www.tc2.ca/shop

Teaching Geographical ThinkingRevised and expanded edition

Suitable for grades 4–12 (intermediate to senior)

NEW IN THIS EDITION! ; refined labels for the concepts

; reorganized text that is more user-friendly

; a new chapter, “Critical thinking and geographical thinking”

; expanded teaching activities that incorporate Internet resources and online mapping

; in-depth activities and support for map interpretation and appraisal

; an index listing all the critical challenges suggested in this publication

The Critical Thinking Consortium1580 West Broadway

Vancouver, BC V6J 5K8Phone: 604.639.6325

Email: mail@tc2.caWebsite: www.tc2.ca

TABLE OF CONTENTSBackground

1 Introduction to geographical thinking

2 Critical thinking and geographical thinking

3 Alternative frameworks for studying geography

Portal concepts

4 Spatial significance

5 Patterns and trends

6 Interrelationships

7 Geographical perspective

8 Evidence and interpretation

9 Ethical judgment

Teaching Geographical Thinking 114 The Critical Thinking Consortium

Comparing two regions

Region A: ________________________________ Region B: ________________________________

Landforms

Vegetation

Climate

Forestry

Mining

Fisheries

Populationconcentrations

Activity Sheet #9

Student activity sheets

Teaching Geographical Thinking 32 The Critical Thinking Consortium

Significant development opportunities

In this sample lesson, students assume the role of consultants giving advice to the government about future development in the St. Lawrence Lowlands of Ontario. Students examine three components of the economy—agriculture, industry and transportation—and help the government rank them in order of their importance to a sustainable future for the region.

Discuss criteria for deciding on significance. Introduce or review criteria for determining the relative significance of agriculture, industry and transportation to the St. Lawrence Lowlands:

• Magnitude of influence: How deeply felt or profound is its influence?

• Scope of influence: How widespread is its influence?

• Duration of influence: How long-lasting are the effects?

• Strategic value: How crucial is it to securing the objective of sustainable development?

Assess current significance. Provide students with a few general resources on agriculture, industry and transportation in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, including Activity in the St. Lawrence Lowlands (Activity Sheet #2). Invite students to compare the three components of the economy by recording the information they gather on Assessing relative significance (Activity Sheet #3) and then ranking each component’s current importance. Based on the evidence gathered, ask students to justify their ranking in light of the criteria.

Sample critical challenge

Teaching Geographical Thinking

106

The Critical Thinking Consortium

Activity Sheet #2

Activity in the St. Lawrence Lowlands

The Muskoka area of the St. Lawrence Lowlands.

Agriculture• 37% of Canadian agricultural production comes from this region.

• Fertile soil, hot summers and an abundant water supply (Great Lakes and groundwater) encourage farming.

• Land cover in the region is 38% cropland, 33% forest, and 19% other farmland.

• Top three categories of fertile land: over 50% of class 1 land in Canada is located here and even more Class 2 and Class 3 land.

• Over 25% of all farm revenue from Canada is from this region.

• This region has an increasing number of large automated farms and large-scale livestock farms.

Industry• Canada’s industrial powerhouse and heartland is located in this region.

• A large labour force and consumer market, proximity to a large population base in the United States and an abundant supply of

raw materials are factors for industry.

• The part of this region located in Ontario produces 40% of Canada’s goods, while the portion in Québec produces 22%.

Transportation• This region has superior rail, road and water transportation networks.

• The rail system is part of the Trans-Canada network and connects to rail in the U.S.

• The road system centres on the 401 freeway that traverses the region from Windsor to Montreal, with up to 12 lanes in the

Toronto area.• The water transport system centres on the Great Lakes waterway and the St. Lawrence Seaway.

• The Great Lakes contain 20% of the world’s fresh water (world’s largest supply).

• There is only a 200 m elevation change from west to east.

• Six canals with 19 locks allow ocean-going vessels to travel 3800 km inland to the head of Lake Superior.

• Over 200 million tons of cargo each year are transported through the region, made up of 29% iron ore, 21% wheat, 17% other

agricultural products, 14% mine products and 12% iron and steel.

PopulationProvincial population

1981

1991

2001

2011

Ontario

8.6 million 10.1 million

11.4 million 12.8 million

Quebec

6.4 million 16.9 million

17.2 million 17.9 million

Municipal population statistics (2011):

• City of Toronto—2.6 million; Metropolitan Toronto—5.6 million.

• City of Montreal—1.6 million; Québec City—.5 million.

Energy sourcesElectrical generation by fuel

• Ontario: nuclear—35% (down from 57% in 1999); hydroelectricity—30%; coal—25% (declining); natural gas—10% (rising).

• Quebec: hydroelectricity—94%; coal and nuclear—6%.

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Assessing significance

Rank order the factors using the following scale: 5 = significant influence 1 = limited influence

Agriculture

Industry

Transportation

Magnitude of 5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1

influence. Howdeeply felt or Explanation:

Explanation:

Explanation:

profound is (orwill be) its influence?

Scope of

5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

influence: Howwidespread is (or Explanation:

Explanation:

Explanation:

will be) its influence?

Duration of 5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1

influence: Howlong-lasting are Explanation:

Explanation:

Explanation:

(or will be) the effects?

The Muskoka area of the St. Lawrence Lowlands.

Source materialInternet sources

Teaching Geographical Thinking 99 The Critical Thinking Consortium

Internet resourcesThe websites listed below provide rich online resources including interactive mapping services, downloadable maps and geospatial data, images, lesson plans and other useful teaching and learning resources. These sites have wide-ranging thematic content and their URLs have remained fairly stable over time, although there is no way we can guarantee this. If a cited link is broken, use your favourite web search engine to locate a more current URL.

CANADIAN CONTENT

1. Natural Resources Canadahttp://www.nrcan.gc.ca/home http://www.rncan.gc.ca/accueil (French)

Atlas of Canadahttp://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/index.html http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/francais/index.html (French)

Earthquakes Canadahttp://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/http://www.earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/index-eng.php http://www.seismescanada.rncan.gc.ca/index-fra.php (French)

GPS-GIS toolkit for the general public: A selection of essential low-cost tools andtypical applications, by Pierre Sauvé, National Resources Canadahttp://webapp.geod.nrcan.gc.ca/geod/tools-outils/index.php

GeoGratis: Geospatial data available online at no cost and without restrictions,http://geogratis.gc.ca/geogratis/search?lang=en

National Air Photo Libraryhttp://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/geomatics/satellite-imagery-air-photos/9265

Map Archiveshttp://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/geography/atlas-canada/map-archives/16868

Toporama—Topographic Mapshttp://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/toporama/index.html

2. Statistics Canadahttp://www.statcan.gc.ca/start-debut-eng.htmlhttp://www.statcan.gc.ca/start-debut-fra.html (French)

Census Tract Profiles (2011)http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfmhttp://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-fra.cfm (French)

Maps and Geographyhttp://www.statcan.gc.ca/mgeo/index-eng.htm?MM

3. Can Geo Educationhttp://www.ccge.org/http://www.cgeducation.ca/fr/default.asp (French)

Teacher Resources http://www.ccge.org/resources/http://www.cgeducation.ca/fr/ressources/ (French) Canadian Atlas Online http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/intro.aspx?lang=Enhttp://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/intro.aspx?lang=Fr (French)

A

Teaching Geographical Thinking 1 The Critical Thinking Consortium

Introduction to geographical thinking

Thinking geographically is an important

and challenging objective involving six

foundational concepts that underlie almost

every issue or question in geography.

This chapter explains how a seemingly simple geographical event can be probed in revealing ways by framing questions around six key concepts. The chapter introduces each concept, explains its importance and suggests how teachers might support use of these concepts in their teaching.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GEOGRAPHICAL THINKING

A ship loaded with fertilizer from northwestern Russia arrived in Churchill on Wednesday, the first time the northern Manitoba port has received goods from Russia.

—CBC News, October 17, 20071

This seemingly simple news event was reported online and on the CBC national news. It raises a host of questions that lie at the heart of the study of geography. If we can help students learn to think about and make sense of this kind of issue, we will have gone a long way towards encouraging them to think geographically and to make geography a more meaningful part of their lives.

Why is this event newsworthy? In October 2007, it is likely that several other ships arrived in a new port for the first time. Yet the docking of a single Russian ship in a small northern port that is accessible for only 14 weeks of the year is a national news story. CBC news anchor Peter Mansbridge referred to the event as a milestone. But what makes it so important? Would the story have been news if the ship was from England or China rather than Russia? Is it important because the port of Churchill is in northern Manitoba? Or does the significance of the event lie in the fact that the ship was carrying fertilizer?

As it turns out, the key to this event’s importance is that it was the first time a trade ship had navigated the Arctic Ocean from Russia to Canada. Typically, goods are shipped to Churchill across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe, taking 15 days—almost twice the duration of the Arctic Ocean route from Russia. Another aspect of this event’s importance was its economic benefit; the group of Prairie farmers who arranged for the potash shipment claim to have saved $400,000 in transportation costs compared to the usual route through Montreal and Thunder Bay.

CHAPTER PREVIEW

Opportunities for geographical

thinking

The importance of geographical

thinking

Portals to geographical thinking

Overlapping entry points

Embedding thinking into the

geography classroom

1

1 “Churchill port welcomes first-ever Russian shipment,” Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | 4:42 PM CT, CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/churchill-port-welcomes-first-ever-russian-shipment-1.658756. See also a video clip of the CBC-TV report on “The National” by Marisa Dragani. Subsequent shipments from Russia point to the ongoing importance of this news; see http://portofchurchill.ca for further information on activities in the port.

Background

Teaching Geographical Thinking 25 The Critical Thinking Consortium

RUSSIA

U.S .A

DENMARK

CANADA

NORWAY

Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge

Lomonosov Ridge

Alpha-Mendeleyev Ridge

Bilateral boundaries

RUSSIA

U.S .A

DENMARK

CANADA

NORWAY

Unclaimed

North Pole

200-nautical-mile limit

North Pole

200-nautical-mile limit

MAP 1

MAP 2

Spatial significanceSpatial significance focuses on determining

and assessing the features of particular

geographical phenomena and their locations

that make them worthy of attention or

recognition.

This chapter discusses the concept of spatial significance, and what students need to understand about it. Suggested activities supported with sample student materials explain how to introduce various attributes of the concept and apply these to the study of almost any topic in geography.

OVERVIEW OF SPATIAL SIGNIFICANCE:

HEIGHTENED INTEREST IN THE ARCTIC

Control over the Arctic Ocean has become a much-debated issue. Under existing international law, countries can claim areas up to 200 nautical miles (371 kilometres) from their coastline. Map 1 shows the recognized claims of the five countries with coastlines surrounding the Arctic and the large unclaimed portion beyond the 200-mile limit.1

CHAPTER PREVIEW

Overview of spatial significance:

Heightened interest in the Arctic

Dimensions of spatial significance

Introducing the concept to students

Exploring spatial significance across

the curriculum

Sample critical challenge: Significant

development opportunities

1 S. Fick and A. Julie, “Slicing the Polar Pie,” Canadian Geographic, January/February 2008, 40-41.

4

MAP 1: Illustration of existing jurisdictions,Canadian Geographic, January/February 2008, 40.

Concepts in geographical thinking

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