teks cluster: introduction to physical geography...teks cluster: introduction to physical geography...

TEKS Cluster: Introduction to Physical GeographyWG.4 Geography. The student understands the patterns and characteristics of major landforms, climates, and ecosystems of

Earth and the interrelated processes that produce them.Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.3, WG.9

Regions �WG.9(A) identify physical and/or human factors such as climate, vegetation, language, trade networks, political units, river systems, and religion that constitute a regionWG.9(B) describe different types of regions, including formal, functional, and perceptual regions

Patterns and Characteristics �WG.4(A) explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipitation, and

distribution of climate regionsWG.4(B) describe different landforms such as plains, mountains, and islands and the physical processes that cause their developmentWG.4(C) explain the influence of climate on the distribution of biomes in different regions

Physical Processes �WG.3(B) describe the physical processes that affect the environments of regions, including weather, tectonic forces, erosion, and soil-building processesWG.3(A) explain weather conditions and climate in relation to annual changes in Earth-Sun relationshipsWG.3(C) describe how physical processes such as hurricanes, El Niño, earthquakes, and volcanoes affect the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphereWG.4(B) describe different landforms such as plains, mountains, and islands and the physical processes that cause their development

© 2019 lead4ward.com v. 8.19.195 Anchoring standard

6 Anchoring standard © 2019 lead4ward.com v. 8.19.19

TEKS Cluster: Introduction to Physical GeographyRegions

Content Builder• A region is an area that has common characteristics that help distinguish it from other areas. There are

three distinct region types: – Formal: shares common characteristics such as language, religion, or nationality (e.g., Sub-Saharan

Africa, Latin America, East Coast of the United States, Rocky Mountain States) – Functional: linked together by a common central point (e.g., metropolitan areas [such as Houston or

Dallas], school districts, European Union). – Perceptual: linked together by perception of commonality (e.g., the South, the Middle East, New Eng-

land, Western Canada, Eastern Europe).• Identify physical systems that help define a region such as climate, vegetation (biomes), river systems,

physical features.• Identify human systems that help define a region such as language, trade networks, political units/coun-

tries, religion (e.g., oil production in the Middle East, common history/language in Latin America, common physical features in Rocky Mountains).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Allow students to define world regions based on physical and human characteristics (e.g., the region often

referred to as the Middle East/SW Asia can be characterized as both an Arab or Muslim region based on prevalent language or religious characteristics).

• Help students categorize formal, functional, and perceptual regions associated with their own communities to enhance their ability to list descriptive characteristics from their own experience. Transfer that skill to the examination of regions in other parts of the world.

• Have students use map and analytical skills to look critically at common regions that are often identified by multiple names (e.g., the Middle East would not be classified as the “east” in countries such as China or India making this designation more Eurocentric than Southwest Asia, but still referring to the same region).

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not understanding that a given area may be part of multiple physical or human regions• Not understanding that regional names and identities can vary depending on whether they serve func-

tional, perceptual, or formal purposes

Student Expectations �WG.9(A) identify physical and/or human factors such as climate, vegetation,

language, trade networks, political units, river systems, and religion that constitute a region (R)

WG.9(B) describe different types of regions, including formal, functional, and perceptual regions (S)

Academic VocabularyVocabulary Terms

formal regionfunctional regionperceptual region

StimulusSpeech/Journal/

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Newspaper ArticleGovernment Document

Secondary Source Text

Photograph/ Painting

Political Cartoon/Advert./Other Map Chart/Table

Graph Graphic Organizer Bulleted List of Facts Timeline


TEKS Cluster: Introduction to Physical GeographyPatterns and Characteristics

Content Builder• Identify how latitude and positioning on continents impact climate.

– High latitude climates (60-90⁰N&S) are cold and dry – Middle latitudes (30-60⁰N&S) have warm summers and cooler winters – Low latitudes 30⁰N-30⁰S will have hot and humid climates

• Explain how wind systems and ocean currents combine to impact climate zones. Oceans tend to produce seasonal rains based on winds coming off the ocean at various times in the year (e.g., the Indian Ocean has monsoonal flows).

• Explain how physical features such as mountains can impact climate zones. For example, rain is less such asly to fall on the leeward side of the mountain resulting in deserts such as the Sahara (Atlas Mountains), the Mojave Desert (Sierra Nevada Mountains), and the Gobi Desert (Himalaya Mountains).

• Describe the characteristics and patterns of major landforms (plains, mountains, and islands), climates, and ecosystems (biomes) on the Earth’s surface.

• Explain the relationship between the factors that affect a region’s climate and how climate impacts the distribution of biomes. Biomes are ecosystems of vegetation and animal life that exist in climate regions.

– Deserts have very limited precipitation. Most deserts are in the low latitudes, although some exist at higher latitudes. The Antarctic and Greenland are cold deserts.

– Forests include tropical rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, and taiga in high latitudes. – Savannas are grasslands at low-latitude, plains and prairies are mid-latitude grasslands, and steppes are

high-latitude grasslands. These biomes have few trees and are drier climates than forest biomes. – Tundra biomes exist in high latitudes and are extremely cold and dry with permafrost (frozen soil layers). – Aquatic biomes are divided into fresh water and saltwater.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Remind students of the difference between weather and climate.• Have students determine what effect elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position on the

continent (inland, seacoast, etc.), and mountain barriers have on climate. • Have students pose and answer questions by interpreting multiple special-purpose maps showing physical

features, climate, vegetation, and resources.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not being able to interpret topographical maps• Not being able to explain the effect of factors on the creation of climate regions (e.g., Why is much of Saudi

Arabia desert despite lying between two major bodies of water?)• Thinking that all deserts are hot

Student Expectations �WG.4(A) explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position

on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipi-tation, and distribution of climate regions (R)

WG.4(B) describe different landforms such as plains, mountains, and islands and the physical processes that cause their development (S)

WG.4(C) explain the influence of climate on the distribution of biomes in differ-ent regions (S)


biomesdistribution of climate regionsocean currents precipitationwind systems


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TEKS Cluster: Introduction to Physical GeographyPhysical Processes

Content Builder• Describe the physical processes and conditions that produce, maintain, and alter Earth’s physical systems.

– Weather (rivers/floods) – Tectonic Forces (mountains and valleys) – Erosion (elimination of arable land and soil) – Soil-building processes (island forming)

• Understand that latitude is a substantial factor in determining weather/climate as the Earth’s tilt and rela-tion to the Sun affect seasonal change.

• Describe how physical processes have shaped and continue to impact the physical environment of a place/region.

• Describe landforms and the associated physical process that created them. For example: – Forces such as heat, convection, and gravity probably cause tectonic plates to move; in turn, this move-

ment leads to mountain building, rift valleys, tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquakes. – The processes of weathering and erosion reduce landforms and, in turn, lead to soil-building.

• Describe how physical processes affect the lithosphere (land), atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water), and biosphere (biomes). For example:

– El Niño and hurricanes can drastically impact weather and speed up erosion. – Volcanoes can impact the atmosphere with the release of sulfuric gases as well as destroy biomes. – Earthquakes can change the physical appearance of the lithosphere as well as destroy or impact biomes.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students describe landforms such as plains, mountains, and islands and determine the physical pro-

cesses that caused their development.• Have students define and categorize the effects of physical processes into those that build landforms and

those that reduce landforms. Use a flow chart to show the effects of these processes and how one process causes another. Using pictures of landforms, have students determine what physical forces have been at work to create those landforms.

• Use a chart to show the relationship between physical processes and life on Earth (e.g., in the hydrosphere, wave action contributes to the creation of beaches and cliffs; ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream make northern areas such as Ireland warmer than would be expected given their latitude; plate tectonics lead to tsunamis and mountainous rifts such as the Ring of Fire in South Asia).

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not being able to identify the physical processes that contributed to a given landform’s formation• Thinking that weather only has a destructive impact on the biosphere (floods impacting life) and forgetting

about the impacts on the lithosphere (erosion)• Associating El Niño with the cause of increased hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean (El Niño impacts Pacific

storms, but not Atlantic storm creation, only their frequency to hit the U.S.)

Student Expectations �WG.3(B) describe the physical processes that affect the environments of

regions, including weather, tectonic forces, erosion, and soil-building processes (R)

WG.3(A) explain weather conditions and climate in relation to annual changes in Earth-Sun relationships (S)

WG.3(C) describe how physical processes such as hurricanes, El Niño, earth-quakes, and volcanoes affect the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydro-sphere, and biosphere (S)



atmosphereenvironmental conditionsenvironmentserosionhydrospherelithospherephysical processestectonic forces


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TEKS Cluster: Introduction to Human Geography

WG.7 Geography. The student understands the growth, distribution, movement, and characteristics of world population.Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.1, WG.2, WG.6, WG.8, WG.20

Population Patterns �WG.6(B) explain the processes that have caused changes in settlement patterns, including urbanization, transportation, access to and availability of resources, and

economic activities WG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that have influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of

culture groups today WG.7(B) explain how physical geography and push and pull forces, including political, economic, social, and environmental conditions, affect the routes and flows of human

migration WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distributionWG.6(A) locate and describe human and physical features that influence the size and distribution of settlements WG.7(A) analyze population pyramids and use other data, graphics, and maps to describe the population characteristics of different societies and to predict future

population trendsWG.7(D) analyze how globalization affects connectivity, standard of living, pandemics, and loss of local culture

Human Environment Interaction �WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the physical environment, including the influences of culture and technology WG.8(B) analyze the consequences of extreme weather and other natural disasters such as El Niño, floods, tsunamis, and volcanoes on people and their environmentWG.2(B) explain how changes in societies such as population shifts, technological advancements, and environmental policies have led to diverse uses of physical features

over time such as terrace farming, dams, and poldersWG.20(A) describe the impact of new information technologies such as the Internet, Global Positioning System (GPS), or Geographic Information Systems (GIS)




Content Builder• Explain how settlement follows predictable patterns that are affected first by physical factors (e.g., fertile river valleys, access

to water routes, mountains or other physical barriers for protection), then by human factors (e.g., access to transportation routes and flows, creation of new urban centers, etc.).

• Explain how the processes of urbanization, new modes of transportation, and access to and changes in economic activities have caused changes in settlement patterns.

– Urbanization: the movement of people from a rural lifestyle built around subsistence farming to larger scale farms and city life circa 8000 BCE as a result of improved technologies and farming techniques.

– Transportation: as technology improved, traditional barriers to human movement were removed, such as mountains and deserts.

– Resources/Economic Activities: access to natural resources often determined where people settled, what they produced, and how they traded over time. In many cases, lack of equitable access to resources has also resulted in conflicts and migrations.

• Define and categorize economic, social/cultural, political, and/or environmental push/pull factors. – A push factor is something that encourages a person to leave and go to a new place, group, religion, or lifestyle (e.g., natu-

ral disasters, economic needs, or cultural changes). – A pull factor attracts a person to move to another area (e.g., improved wage-earning capabilities, availability of new

resources, or more freedoms).• Explain the impact of physical geography and geographic features on human migration patterns. Traditionally, human migra-

tion patterns follow along water access (river or marine). Barriers (mountains and deserts) would often limit migration pat-terns until improvements in technology.

• Explain how physical geography and access to natural resources impacts patterns of human populations. For example, coun-tries such as Afghanistan with limited resources have seen little growth, while nations such as China and India which are large and contain numerous resources are growing steadily.

• Explain how globalization has impacted populations and migration movements around the world by looking at specific geo-graphic examples such as Japan, Latin America, and Europe.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to: • Have students identify and analyze the cause and effect relationship between geography and migration and settlement pat-

terns. • Use multiple maps showing population densities to help students locate and describe the location of settlements. Compare

these maps and locations to physical maps of the same regions to allow students to describe the impact of physical features on these settlement patterns. Analyze political, road or trade route, resource, and economic activity maps to show the rela-tionship between the physical and human geography of a region and settlement within that region. Students should be able to generalize that early settlements are along coastlines or navigable rivers; as density increases, settlement patterns shift to less desirable or less accessible land.

• Using population density and distribution maps, have students examine the maps for areas of dense population. Create a sentence to explain patterns they see emerge. Discuss changes in settlement patterns in a region/country over time.

• Make sure students have working definitions for the political, economic, geographic, and social (PEGS) categories of push/pull factors. Have them categorize push/pull factors leading to human migration according to PEGS causes and explain their relationship.

• Have students examine human migration routes and physical maps to determine how physical geography impacts where people go and settle (e.g., .early migrations across the Bering Strait and south through the Americas; the routes of the Silk Road and how geography affected those routes; the migration of the Mongols across Asia; and current routes and flows of immigrants from Mexico and Central America to the U.S.).

• Have students examine statistical models (graphs, charts) to describe the change over time in the growth of world population numerically. Examine population distribution maps from various time periods to describe the shifts in the location of popula-tion centers world-wide. An internet search for world population growth creates an accessible list of graphs, maps, and text articles on the subject. Use a visual such as “The World at Night” to prompt conversation about distribution patterns.

• Give students opportunities to create population pyramids, analyze data in population pyramids, and use data from multiple sources (maps, data sets, graphics) to infer and analyze population characteristics of selected countries and or regions.

• Brainstorm a list of examples of globalization that can be classified as affecting connectivity, standard of living, pandemics, or loss of local culture. Ask students to classify their examples as either beneficial or as challenges. Point out that these are examples of ways local cultures change (positively or negatively) as a result of internal and external forces (push/pull factors).

Student Expectations �WG.6(B) explain the processes that have caused changes in settlement pat-

terns, including urbanization, transportation, access to and availability of resources, and economic activities (R)

WG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that have influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of culture groups today (R)

WG.7(B) explain how physical geography and push and pull forces, including political, economic, social, and environmental conditions, affect the routes and flows of human migration (R)

WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distribution (R)WG.6(A) locate and describe human and physical features that influence the

size and distribution of settlements (S)WG.7(A) analyze population pyramids and use other data, graphics, and maps

to describe the population characteristics of different societies and to predict future population trends (S)

WG.7(D) analyze how globalization affects connectivity, standard of living, pan-demics, and loss of local culture (S)


human migrationpandemicspopulation pyramidsstandard of living


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Population Patterns

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not being able to connect why a group or individual moves to economic, social/cultural, politi-

cal, or environmental push/pull factors• Interpreting individual points on a population graph but not being able to articulate the mean-

ing of the data points



Content Builder• Understand how humans adapt to and modify their environment based on access to technology and their

specific cultural traditions (e.g., irrigation canals bring water from rivers to drier areas, air conditioning makes warmer regions more hospitable, jetties and breakwaters protect against sea surge).

• Analyze the economic, social/cultural, political, and environmental consequences of extreme weather/natural disasters on people and their environment. The development of technologies to protect against natural disasters (e.g., earthquake-resistance materials, polders to extend arable land for smaller nations, levees to control the flow of flood waters, early-detection systems for natural disasters).

• Analyze how technology has enabled societies to modify their environment to expand access to physical land (e.g., building islands off the coast of Dubai, construction of polders in the Netherlands, and terraced farming in the Andes and Philippines to extend living space to areas previously deemed uninhabitable).

• Understand how new technologies such as the Internet, Global Positioning System, and Geographic infor-mation Systems have assisted in modification of the environment.

– Global Positioning Systems have allowed engineers and geographers to ensure that countermeasures for natural disasters and modifications are placed in the correct location, even in remote, largely uninhab-ited areas or in the ocean.

– Geographic Information Systems have allowed for geographers to analyze real-time information to pre-dict areas prone for flooding/disasters and develop preventative measures.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to: • Explain the differences between adaptation to and modification of the physical environment using real-

world examples. Give students access to information from two or more places, regions, or environments. Have groups examine significant adaptations to and/or modifications of the physical environment in the regions. Using a Venn Diagram or other graphic organizer to capture their findings, have each group report their findings to the class.

• Point out how and why culture affects the degree of adaptation or modification.• Make sure students understand how and why available technology affects the degree of modification.• Have students identify how given places/regions are similar and how to note differences.• Have students examine current events for examples of extreme weather or other natural disasters; analyze

the economic, social/cultural, political, and environmental consequences. Ask students, “How do humans interact with the environment to address the effects of severe weather?”.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not being able to analyze the impact or consequences of extreme weather on the people/environment of

a region• Mixing up the difference between adapting (adjusting to) and modifying (changing) the environment

Student Expectations �WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the

physical environment, including the influences of culture and technol-ogy (R)

WG.8(B) analyze the consequences of extreme weather and other natural di-sasters such as El Niño, floods, tsunamis, and volcanoes on people and their environment (R)

WG.2(B) explain how changes in societies such as population shifts, technologi-cal advancements, and environmental policies have led to diverse uses of physical features over time such as terrace farming, dams, and polders

WG.20(A) describe the impact of new information technologies such as the Internet, Global Positioning System (GPS), or Geographic Information Systems (GIS)


extreme weatherGeographic Information Systems (GIS)Global Positioning Systems (GPS)


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Human Environment Interaction

TEKS Cluster: CultureWG.16 Culture. The student understands how the components of culture affect the way people live and shape the characteristics

of regions.Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.1, WG.2, WG.5, WG.17, WG.18

Elements of Culture �WG.16(B) describe elements of culture, including language, religion, beliefs, institutions, and technologies WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political, economic, social, and cultural elementsWG.16(C) describe life in a variety of urban and rural areas in the world to compare political, economic, social, and environmental changes

Comparing Cultures �WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion, land use, education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctiveWG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at different periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current

conditions WG.17(B) describe central ideas and spatial distribution of major religious traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism WG.17(C) compare economic, political, or social opportunities in different cultures for underrepresented populations such as women and ethnic and religious minorities WG.17(D) evaluate the experiences and contributions of diverse groups to multicultural societies WG.18(C) identify examples of cultures that maintain traditional ways, including traditional economies

Cultural Diffusion �WG.18(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war, trade, innovations, and diffusionWG.1(B) trace the spatial diffusion of phenomena such as the Columbian Exchange or the diffusion of American popular culture and describe the effects on regions of

contactWG.16(A) describe distinctive cultural patterns and landscapes associated with different places in Texas, the United States, and other regions of the world and how these

patterns influenced the processes of innovation and diffusionWG.17(B) describe central ideas and spatial distribution of major religious traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism WG.18(D) evaluate the spread of cultural traits to find examples of cultural convergence and divergence such as the spread of democratic ideas, language, foods, technology,

or global sports



TEKS Cluster: Culture

Content Builder• Culture refers to the way of life of a group of people. The culture one grows up in influences one’s thinking

about himself/herself and others. Some say that all knowledge is culturally constructed, meaning that one’s culture influences all other decisions and beliefs. Culture determines how people satisfy basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. It influences how knowledge and traditions are transmitted from one gen-eration to the next.

• Elements of culture include: – Institutions: celebrations, birth and death rituals, traditional clothing styles, role expectations (for par-

ents, children, etc.), and architecture – Language: an important cultural expression – Technologies: anything that makes work easier

• In thinking such as a historian/geographer, ESP (Economic, Social, and Political) categorization is critical in social studies to evaluate most events/topics in a historical context. The ESP lens helps develop categories and interpretations to explain characteristics of places and influences on historical events and individuals in those places and regions.

– Economic factors relate to money, taxes, industry, agriculture, jobs, availability of resources, etc. – Social/Cultural factors relate to population density, immigration, cultural diversity, lifestyle, language,

religion, and traditions. – Political factors relate to the functions and procedures of government, laws, and elected officials; factors

that deal with the topic of distribution of power and control of territory.• Compare and contrast the populations and cultures of rural versus urban populations, analyzing the politi-

cal, economic, and social factors that influence the culture of each population.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Connect the description of the elements of culture with how they affect the way people live and shape

the unique cultural characteristics of a region. Have students identify examples of the presence of each of these characteristics within a region and describe how that characteristic exhibits itself within the region.

• Have students define ESP terms based on their own personal ESP – What elements of culture define their personal cultural background? What rules/laws govern their lives? Have students use graphic organizers to develop their understanding.

• Use photos (e.g., veiling in a Muslim country or elements of a command economy in a communist country) or readings to help students analyze the impact of ESP systems on the cultural characteristics of a place.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not understanding how culture affects lifestyle in a given region (e.g., not understanding that veiling in

Muslim countries is an expression of cultural values often affecting lawmaking or political decisions)• Being able to define but not analyze ESP elements (e.g., because a society has a traditional economy, their

culture is also traditional)

Student Expectations �WG.16(B) describe elements of culture, including language, religion, beliefs,

institutions, and technologies (R)WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political, eco-

nomic, social, and cultural elements (R)WG.16(C) describe life in a variety of urban and rural areas in the world to com-

pare political, economic, social, and environmental changes (S)


character of a place elements of culturespatial distribution


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Elements of Culture



Content Builder• Understand how physical and/or human characteristics changed over time in a given region/place both through natural

processes and man-made events and how the past influences the modern world.• Describe and compare the cultural patterns created by language, religion, land use, education, and custom to determine

unique characteristics for a given region. Language, religion, and customs are the cultural characteristics that make many regions distinctive. Although English is a somewhat universal language, each individual cultural region has its own distinct language. Religious differences often separate one region from another. Traditional foods, clothing, family roles, architec-tural styles, and or artistic expression (music, literature, or art) offer significant distinctions from one region to another.

• Describe the defining characteristics of major religious traditions and how each tradition has spread. – Buddhism: approximately 400 million (although it could be a much larger number); beliefs in Nirvana, the Four Noble

Truths, the Eightfold Path, and reincarnation; Buddhist monks help pass on religious traditions and teachings. Bud-dhism began in India but is primarily practiced in East and SE Asia.

– Christianity: approximately 2.1 billion; beliefs include monotheism, Jesus as the Messiah, teachings of the Bible (Old and New Testament); Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Protestants are all Christians; priests and min-isters help pass on religious traditions and teachings. Christianity began in the Middle East and has spread worldwide.

– Hinduism: approximately 950 million; beliefs include karma and reincarnation; the Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita are sacred texts; Hindu priests pass along religious teachings. Hinduism began in India and is still centered primarily there.

– Islam: approximately 1.6 billion; a monotheistic religion, beliefs include the Five Pillars – Confession of Faith, Prayer, Charity, Fasting (during Ramadan), and Pilgrimage (to Mecca); the Qur’an is the sacred text; the Imam is a religious leader; there are two divisions within Islam – Sunni and Shi’a. Islam began in the Middle East and has spread world-wide.

– Judaism: approximately 15 million; beliefs include monotheism and Ten Commandments; the Torah (first five books) and Old Testament; rabbis are the spiritual leaders.

– Sikhism: approximately 24 million; beliefs include equality before God, monotheism, and reincarnation; the commu-nity is responsible for passing on religious traditions. Sikhism is predominantly found in Northern India.

• Economic, social, and political opportunities for women, ethnic and religious minorities, and underrepresented popula-tions vary widely from country to country. However, historically, these groups faced ESP discrimination and many currently experience forms of discrimination. When discrimination becomes “legalized” it advances to persecution and racism. Extreme examples lead to genocide and “ethnic cleansing” (e.g., the Muslim population in Bosnia).

• Evaluate the impact of diverse groups on societies by looking at how cultures “blend” together.• Traditional cultures are largely found in more remote regions of the world but are also in areas of denser populations

based on cultural traditions and values (e.g., regions in the Middle East and Central Asia).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to: • Examine photos, drawings, or maps of a given place/region at two different time periods to describe (and categorize)

changes in that place based on physical and human characteristics. This is an ideal objective to review modifications to the physical environment. Using the Time Slider dimension of Google Earth or Historical Aerials, students can visualize, describe, and evaluate physical and human characteristics and change in a region.

• Using a chart or other graphic organizer, have students describe critical elements of various religious traditions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism. These elements may include: date founded, sacred texts, approximate membership worldwide, places of worship, local religious leader, and/or religious traditions and practices.

• Create a map to illustrate the spatial distribution of religious traditions in the 21st century. The Maps of War website pro-vides an excellent 90-second animated presentation the genesis and spread of a majority of the major religious traditions and is an excellent visual for students to study.

• Using both historic and contemporary examples, have students evaluate how diverse groups contributed to multicultur-alism and diffusion of people and ideas within and among world regions. Using examples from their own experience, students can evaluate the experience of diverse groups in American culture and to what extent the contributions of that group have made American culture more multicultural.

• Remind students of the definition of tradition and how it might apply to cultures or groups when describing their way of life/how they meet basic needs. Have students identify how tradition might be viewed by other cultures and identify the need for bias reduction when analyzing traditional economies.

Student Expectations �WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion,

land use, education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctive (R)

WG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at different periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current conditions (R)

WG.17(B) describe central ideas and spatial distribution of major religious tradi-tions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism (S)

WG.17(C) compare economic, political, or social opportunities in different cultures for underrepresented populations such as women and ethnic and religious minorities (S)

WG.17(D) evaluate the experiences and contributions of diverse groups to multi-cultural societies (S)

WG.18(C) identify examples of cultures that maintain traditional ways, including traditional economies (S)


spatial distributionunderrepresented populations

BuddhismChristianityHinduismIslamJudaismSikhism


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Comparing Cultures

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not being able to describe physical and/or human characteristics over time or relate why

those changes occur• Not being able to determine patterns and distributions of cultural characteristics



Content Builder• Societies do not exist in isolation, with many cultures interacting with multiple cultures. This creates

diverse societies that are no longer defined solely by a specific set of cultural characteristics.• Societies interact with one another in a number of different ways, including war and trade.

– Wars have a tendency to increase rates of migration in societies resulting in either multicultural societies or societies that resist the efforts to blend the cultures together, increasing tensions and risks for civil war (e.g., Syria).

– Social interactions also result in conflicts, particularly in regard to religious interactions, referred to as cultural divergence (e.g., Judaism and Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism).

• As societies interact, cultural traditions spread around the world, becoming popular traditions in many regions and countries.

– Examples of cultural convergence include the popularity of futbol (soccer) in many non-European and Latin American countries, the spread of popular music styles to and from Asia (K-Pop, J-Pop, etc.).

– Cultural convergences can have positive and negative effects, particularly where religion is concerned. Some religious groups do not welcome other group’s traditions or outside economic and political entities (e.g., western foods in Muslim countries are often limited due to conflicts with halal [Muslim approved] foods).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Create sketch maps or flow charts that trace the movement of goods, ideas, technologies, diseases,

and people from one area to another. Have students draw conclusions about their impacts and how an exchange affected historical events.

• Through discussion and/or brainstorming, have students identify and describe cultural patterns (e.g., language patterns, religious patterns, customs, land use patterns, and/or other institutions) that are char-acteristic of Texas, the United States, and specific world regions. Describe how these patterns influence innovation and diffusion (e.g., English as an international language of business, the diffusion of American pop culture on music and dress, or the growing importance of technological innovation in modification of natural environments).

• Establish clear working definitions of the terms “migration,” “war,” “trade,” “innovation,” and “diffusion.” Divide the class into groups and assign each group a region. Have groups list examples of cultural changes in their region and the degree to which the new society felt the impact of the cultural change (e.g., impact of the Silk Road on Indian Ocean trade).

• Define the terms “cultural convergence” and “cultural divergence”. Have students evaluate the extent to which each of the examples in the standard (and other examples) has led to either convergence or diver-gence within and among world regions (e.g., the emerging popularity of soccer in countries around the world).

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not understanding the cause and effect relationship in analyzing change over time • Not understanding that cultural diffusions can be both positive and negative

Student Expectations �WG.18(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war,

trade, innovations, and diffusion (R)WG.1(B) trace the spatial diffusion of phenomena such as the Columbian Ex-

change or the diffusion of American popular culture and describe the effects on regions of contact (R)

WG.16(A) describe distinctive cultural patterns and landscapes associated with different places in Texas, the United States, and other regions of the world and how these patterns influenced the processes of innovation and diffusion (S)


WG.18(D) evaluate the spread of cultural traits to find examples of cultural convergence and divergence such as the spread of democratic ideas, language, foods, technology, or global sports (S)


cultural convergencecultural divergencecultural patternsdiffusionspatial diffusion

American popular cultureColumbian Exchangedemocratic ideas


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Cultural Diffusion

TEKS Cluster: Government SystemsWG.14 Government. The student understands the processes that influence political divisions, relationships, and policies.

Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.2, WG.13, WG.15, WG.18

Government Systems and Political Power �WG.14(B) compare how democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, republic, theocracy, and totalitarian systems operate in specific countriesWG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at different periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current

conditions WG.13(A) interpret maps to explain the division of land, including man-made and natural borders, into separate political units such as cities, states, or countriesWG.13(B) compare maps … to make inferences about the distribution of political powerWG.15(A) identify and give examples of different points of view that influence the development of public policies and decision-making processes at national and

international levelsWG.15(B) explain how citizenship practices, public policies, and decision making may be influenced by cultural beliefs, including nationalism and patriotism

International Relations and Conflict �WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations such as

China, the United States, Japan, and Russia and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU)WG.15(A) identify and give examples of different points of view that influence the development of public policies and decision-making processes at national and

international levelsWG.18(B) assess causes and effects of conflicts between groups of people, including modern genocides and terrorism



TEKS Cluster: Government Systems

Content Builder• Interpret political maps to explain the factors that influenced the creation of borders (natural and man-made) and

political divisions (cities, states, countries). – Political units can be of varying sizes, ranging from neighborhoods to countries. Political maps show the politi-

cal divisions of the earth but are representative of bias and history (some countries, such as Taiwan, are not recognized as independent).

– Natural vs. man-made boundaries: Physical features (e.g., rivers, mountains, or lakes) often serve as one way to create a nation’s borders. Man-made borders can be found using lines of latitude/longitude (North and South Korea).

• Use political and special purpose maps to examine and make inferences about distributions of political power in given countries/regions. In general, political power is determined by a combination of the size of the country, geography of the country, and strength of the economy.

• Use maps to analyze political distributions of power and geographic locations of populations. Compare these distributions among the types of governments (e.g., dictatorships, monarchies, and theocracies).

• Use maps to analyze and examine different points of view about contemporary issues facing various countries and regions.

• Explain how cultural belief, nationalism, and/or patriotism can influence citizenship practices and public policy. – Citizenship Practices: In democratic/republican/constitutional monarchy forms of government, as groups of

elected officials go through the decision-making process, they usually invite input from individuals and groups with differing points of view so as to make decisions that most citizens can agree with.

– Cultural beliefs regarding religion, government practices, or traditional ways have significant influence over public policy in a given time period or a given place.

– Nationalism/Patriotism often affects decision-makers’ points of view and ultimate decisions, particularly in regard to issues that could result in war and foreign affairs.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Examine maps of the Middle East or Europe before and after the Treaty of Versailles and the French and British

mandates in the Middle East to infer the impact of those political boundaries on later developments in the 20th and 21st centuries.

• Define and give historic or contemporary examples of democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, republic, theocracy, and totalitarian systems. Place each government system on a continuum – from those controlled by citizens to totalitarian systems – to compare the locus of power. Use a chart or other graphic organizer to compare how each system operates in specific countries.

• Using examples from the United States, have students identify groups or individuals that are responsible for making public policy or decisions at the national (e.g., Congress, cabinet departments, executive orders), and international (e.g., United Nations, NATO) levels. Discuss how differences of opinion impact these decisions. As the locus of decision-making moves further away from the individual, there is more likelihood in points of view varying more significantly (e.g., political parties, self-interest groups, economic differences, cultural difference, etc.).

• Identify examples of ways cultural beliefs influence citizenship, public policy, and decision-making (e.g., limiting voting rights for women until the 19th Amendment in the United States (1920); limited citizenship opportunities in many countries such as Ancient Greece or Switzerland; policies requiring veiling in some Muslim countries; forced “westernization” policies enacted by Ataturk in Turkey in the 1920s, etc.).

• Define “nationalism” and “patriotism.” How do these cultural beliefs influence citizenship, public policy, and decision-making? (e.g., extreme nationalism is generally accepted as one cause of World War I; answering the question, “How did this nationalism lead to conflict?” helps students understand how cultural beliefs impact poli-cies and decisions at the national/international level).

Student Expectations �WG.14(B) compare how democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, republic, theocracy,

and totalitarian systems operate in specific countries (S)WG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at

different periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current conditions (R)

WG.13(A) interpret maps to explain the division of land, including man-made and natural borders, into separate political units such as cities, states, or countries (R)

WG.13(B) compare maps of…political boundaries to make inferences about the distribution of political power (S)

WG.15(A) identify and give examples of different points of view that influence the development of public policies and decision-making processes at national and international levels (S)

WG.15(B) explain how citizenship practices, public policies, and decision making may be influenced by cultural beliefs, including nationalism and patrio-tism (S)


international levelnationalismtheocracytotalitarian


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Government Systems and Political Power

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not associating maps and graphs as tools that can show bias• Misunderstanding the difference between monarchies and dictatorships


TEKS Cluster: Government Systems

Content Builder• Analyze the physical and human geographic factors that can lead to conflicts over territories, particularly

with regard to control over key natural resources such as water and oil.• Analyze ways the international community attempts to resolve issues between international powers and

countries (e.g., the United Nations, NATO, and other organizations).• Assess the causes and effects of conflict between groups of people, including how genocide and terrorism

are extreme examples of cultural conflict. • One effect of conflicts (wars) is cultural change. By examining long-terms effects (e.g., such as how preju-

dice against a particular group can escalate to genocide or how terrorism can emerge as one way for a group to strike out/ back at another group), students can assess root causes or deep-seeded perceptions that lead to such violent effects/reactions.

• Deep seeded hatred of another group based on ethnicity, race, or religion is called racism. When that racism results in systematic efforts to eliminate a particular group through mass murder it is called geno-cide. In the 1990s, Hutus in Rwanda killed 800,000 Tutsis. Other genocides and politically motivated mass murders have occurred in Bosnia, Cambodia, Turkey, Latin America, Darfur, China, and the Soviet Union.

• Terrorist acts (e.g., suicide bombings or open attacks such as those on the World Trade Center on 9/11), are used by politically or religiously motivated groups trying to promote their agendas. The attacks are usually against innocent civilians and are intended to strike terror (hence the name) into a government or ruling authority to bring about change.

Instructional Implications• When you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Help students understand the concept of national power and sovereignty using China, the United States,

Japan, and Russia as case studies. Have students determine the degree to which specific human and physi-cal factors have extended that nation’s ability to control their own territory and, perhaps, create conflict with others.

• Using examples from the United States, have students identify groups or individuals that are responsible for making public policy or decisions at the national (e.g., Congress, cabinet departments, executive orders), and international (e.g., United Nations, NATO) levels. Discuss how differences of opinion impact these decisions. As the locus of decision-making moves further away from the individual, there is more likelihood in points of view varying more significantly (e.g., political parties, self-interest groups, economic differences, cultural difference, etc.).

• Using a graphic organizer, assess the causes and effects of historical and current conflicts between and among groups. (Historic examples may include the Crusades or the Conquest of the Americas by Europe-ans. Contemporary case studies may include the Palestinians and Israel; the conflict in Darfur; genocides such as the Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, the Rwandan genocide, ethnic cleansing in Bosnia; or acts of terrorism such as suicide bombings).

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not understanding the economic roots of conflict between nation states• Thinking the Holocaust was the only genocidal event in history

Student Expectations �WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of

territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations such as China, the United States, Japan, and Russia and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) (R)


WG.18(B) assess causes and effects of conflicts between groups of people, including modern genocides and terrorism (S)


genocidesinternational political relationssovereign nationsterrorism

ChinaEuropean Union (EU)JapanRussiaUnited Nations (UN)United States


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International Relations and Conflict

TEKS Cluster: Economic SystemsWG.10 Economics. The student understands the distribution, characteristics, and interactions of the economic systems

in the world.Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.8, WG.11, WG.12, WG.19, WG.20

Economic Systems and Development �WG.10(C) compare the ways people satisfy their basic needs through the production of goods and services such as subsistence agriculture versus commercial agriculture or

cottage industries versus commercial industriesWG.8(C) evaluate the economic and political relationships between settlements and the environment, including sustainable development and renewable/non-renewable

resourcesWG.10(A) describe the forces that determine the distribution of goods and services in traditional, free enterprise, socialist, and communist economic systems WG.10(B) classify countries along the economic spectrum between free enterprise and communism WG.10(D) compare global trade patterns over time and analyze the implications of globalization, including outsourcing and free trade zonesWG.11(A) understand the connections between levels of development and economic activities (primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary)

Economic Activity �WG.11(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure (technology, transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic

activitiesWG.12(A) analyze how the creation, distribution, and management of key natural resources affects the location and patterns of movement of products, money, and peopleWG.11(B) identify the factors affecting the location of different types of economic activities, including subsistence and commercial agriculture, manufacturing, and service

industriesWG.12(B) evaluate the geographic and economic impact of policies related to the development, use, and scarcity of natural resources such as regulations of water

Technology and Innovation �WG.19(A) evaluate the significance of major technological innovations in the areas of transportation and energy that have been used to modify the physical environment WG.19(C) analyze the environmental, economic, and social impacts of advances in technology on agriculture and natural resources WG.19(B) analyze ways technological innovations such as air conditioning and desalinization have allowed humans to adapt to placesWG.20(A) describe the impact of new information technologies such as the Internet, Global Positioning System (GPS), or Geographic Information Systems (GIS)WG.20(B) examine the economic, environmental, and social effects of technology such as medical advancements or changing trade patterns on societies at different levels

of development



TEKS Cluster: Economic Systems

Content Builder• Evaluate the economic/political relationship between settlement patterns, sustainable development, and the availability/use of renew-

able/non-renewable resources. – Renewable resources: resources in nature that can grow or produce again. However, people are using some renewable resources

(e.g., trees) at a faster rate than they can renew themselves. – Non-renewable resources: resources that can only be used once and then are gone. Fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, or natural gas) are

non-renewable resources,and people are currently using these resources at alarming rates. – Sustainable development: making wiser choices about the use of renewable and non-renewable resources so that we can meet

current needs and preserve resources for future generations. Recycling, conservation, and reducing carbon footprints are sustainable development efforts.

– Increased population and urbanization are decreasing many natural habitats for both plants and animals. The destruction of these habitats threatens many of earth’s biomes.

• All economic systems address three primary economic questions: what to produce, how/how much to produce it, and for whom to produce it for?

– Free Enterprise economies: decisions are made by producers/consumers – Command economies: decisions are made by central power

• Classify countries on an economic spectrum from free enterprise to communism.• Distinguish between how subsistence and commercial agriculture or cottage vs. commercial industry differ in the scale with which they

provide a way for people produce in order to meet basic needs (food) or produce goods. Goods are things people make and services are things people do for one another. How people make goods or produce food depends on the scale of production.

– Subsistence vs. Commercial Agriculture: Subsistence agriculture is agriculture to meet a specific farming community’s needs; commer-cial agriculture is farming meant to produce a surplus and sell for a profit.

– Cottage vs. Commercial Industries: Cottage industries refer to people or families who make products by hand in their homes to meet personal needs (weaving cloth for clothing) or to sell for some extra income. Commercial industries refer to manufacturing plants with the use of automated equipment and assembly-line techniques that produce large quantities of goods for sale.

• Compare global trade patterns (globalization) over time and how outsourcing and free-trade zones are part of current global trade pat-terns. Trade is one way people and countries address the unequal distribution of resources (natural and human). Due to the Internet, improved telecommunication networks, or trade agreements, the countries of the world are moving toward a global economy.

– Outsourcing is one way companies address access to resources (by hiring people/companies in other regions to do some of the work). – Free Trade Zones: Countries often put restrictions on imports through the use of tariffs (taxes on imports) or quotas. Free Trade Zones

are one example of countries working together to break down trade barriers. The North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) and the European Union are examples of free trade zones.

• Assess/evaluate how the presence of primary (basic production and extraction of an area’s natural resources and raw materials), second-ary (manufacture of goods from existing raw materials), tertiary (provision of services), and quaternary (management or information processing) economic activities helps determine levels of development in various countries/regions.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Help students understand the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources by brainstorming examples for different

regions. Define sustainable development and its relationship to dependence on the natural environment. Have students evaluate the wise use of renewable and nonrenewable resources using real-world examples (e.g., increased industrialization or clear-cutting of the rainforest).

• Use a graphic organizer to show the differences between economic systems, answering the basic economic questions of “What? How? and For Whom?” Use specific examples (e.g., United States, Great Britain, and either Russia or China). Explain that many economies are a mix of systems.

• Working in groups or individually, have students research the economy of a specific country. Create a continuum that ranges from traditional economies to communist economies. Have students place the name of their country on the continuum and defend their choice, citing specific examples of how that country’s economy answers the basic economic questions. Alternatively, students could form a “human” continuum and place themselves on the economic spectrum.

• Use visuals to help students determine the differences between subsistence and commercial agriculture. Discuss what technology was/is necessary to make commercial agriculture profitable. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of commercial agriculture. Differentiate between cottage industries and the factory system. Discuss issues related to commercial industries including pollution, working condi-tions, wages, etc.

• Use historic (NAFTA) and contemporary examples (GATT) of trade patterns to allow students opportunities to describe and compare how scarcity impacts trade. Students can also examine examples of outsourcing, (e.g., parts manufacturing in China, call centers in South Asia or Australia, or maquiladoras on the US/Mexico border) to explain the costs and benefits of globalization.

• Define and give specific examples of the four levels of economic activities (primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary) used by many economists and geographers. Give students opportunities to determine, using specific examples of countries and regions of the world, the degree to which the presence of these levels of economic activity relate to the level of economic development of the country/region.

Student Expectations �WG.10(C) compare the ways people satisfy their basic needs through the production

of goods and services such as subsistence agriculture versus commercial agriculture or cottage industries versus commercial industries (R)

WG.8(C) evaluate the economic and political relationships between settlements and the environment, including sustainable development and renewable/non-renewable resources (S)

WG.10(A) describe the forces that determine the distribution of goods and services in traditional, free enterprise, socialist, and communist economic systems (S)

WG.10(B) classify countries along the economic spectrum between free enterprise and communism (S)

WG.10(D) compare global trade patterns over time and analyze the implications of globalization, including outsourcing and free trade zones (S)

WG.11(A) understand the connections between levels of development and economic activities (primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary) (S)


commercial agriculturecommercial industriescottage industrieseconomic spectrumfree trade zoneslevels of economic

development (activities): primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary

outsourcing subsistence agriculturesustainable development

economic systems: traditional, free enterprise, socialist, communist


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Economic Systems and Development

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not being able to compare economic systems or not linking the system to how it addresses ways in

which people meet basic needs through production of goods



Content Builder• Identify how physical geography influences economic decisions and activities.• Determine the degree to which changes in climate, resources, and/or infrastructure affect the location of settle-

ments and economic activities. Students need opportunities to define and identify change over time. If time is limited, consider focusing on changes in infrastructure since that is the most noticeable and concrete.

• Analyze how natural resources are created, distributed, and managed as well as the cause-and-effect relationship between the availability of natural resources and the location of people (jobs), money (wealth), and products (goods/services). The availability (or lack) of natural resources impacts the economic development of regions and nations within regions.

– Creation of natural resources takes time. Some resources (nonrenewable) were created over millions of years and cannot be recreated. Many renewable natural resources take time to grow and replenish.

– Distribution of productive resources will probably always be inequitable. Natural resources cannot be easily relocated to new regions, resulting in potential limitations on economic activities.

– Resource management to protect and maintain valuable resources for current and future generations is critical. Countries often require permits or special permissions to extract raw materials. Many governments are institut-ing laws and restrictions from manufacturers to guard against pollution or to minimize environmental degrada-tion.

• Evaluate the impact of policies related to the development, use, and scarcity of natural resources. Reaching a delicate balance between regulation and economic growth is often difficult. Lack of regulation can have significant geographic effects (e.g., fertile lands can become over farmed and over grazed resulting in a natural disaster such as the Dust Bowl of the 1930s in the United States). Too much regulation can lead to lack of development and economic disaster for a region. Access to clean water is necessary for human life to thrive. In many less developed countries, only about one-fourth of the people have regular access to clean water within five miles of their homes.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Define natural resources. Have students interpret maps (e.g., physical, climate, resource, land use, etc.) to see

the relationship between where resources are located and the types of economic activities in a given region (e.g., climate and soil types affect agricultural production, including productivity and types of crops grown; availability of raw materials affects types of manufacturing industries, etc.).

• Using resource and land use and economic activity maps, have students analyze the relationship between where certain resources are located and how that impacts the types of economic activities in the area (e.g., the creation of silk as a natural resource and finished product in East Asia created desire for this product in areas where silk was scarce, leading to trade patterns such as the Silk Road). Help students understand the critical link between the availability of resources and access to the means of production as key elements in determining the levels of economic development in a region.

• Examine examples of international policies that may impact the development, use, or scarcity of natural resources (e.g., the restriction of water during times of drought, limits on clear-cutting forest land, requirements for planting trees to create renewable timber resources, preserving green spaces in urban areas, etc.). Provide opportunities to debate or discuss policies to refute or defend the effectiveness of their intended geographic or economic impact.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not associating terms (e.g., technology or transportation) in the context of “infrastructure”• When looking at maps, not being able to interpret the cause and effect relationship between the location of

resources and economic activity • Not being able to identify productive resources in a region

Student Expectations �WG.11(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure (tech-

nology, transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic activities (R)

WG.12(A) analyze how the creation, distribution, and management of key natural resources affects the location and patterns of movement of products, money, and people (R)

WG.11(B) identify the factors affecting the location of different types of eco-nomic activities, including subsistence and commercial agriculture, manufacturing, and service industries (S)

WG.12(B) evaluate the geographic and economic impact of policies related to the development, use, and scarcity of natural resources such as regula-tions of water (S)


commercial agriculturefactors of locationinfrastructurepatterns of economic activitiesregulationsscarcityservice industriessubsistence agriculture


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Economic Activity



Content Builder• Evaluate major technological innovations in transportation and energy used to modify the environment.

– Transportation: The wheel was probably the first advancement in transportation followed by the sail and steam engines.

– Energy: Early man discovered the use of fire as the first energy innovation. Using water and wind power (windmills) led to other advances. The innovation of steam power meant that factories could be located anywhere. The gasoline engine and hydroelectric power further improved energy sources, followed by nuclear energy after World War II. In recent years, the more widespread use of solar, wind power, and alternative sources is growing.

• Analyze how air conditioning and desalinization are examples of ways humans have adapted to places. Air conditioning makes hot climates much more bearable and desalinization (converting saltwater to fresh water) provides for this neces-sity in areas with little or no fresh water sources. These relatively recent technological innovations impact ways humans can modify their physical environment to make it more livable.

• Analyze and evaluate the economic, social, and environmental impact of technological advances in agriculture and man-agement of natural resources. Significant technological advances include better seeds, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, mechanization of farm production, computerized planting, harvesting, and distribution of agricultural products, use of GIS and satellite imagery to track weather, use of desalinization processes, advanced irrigation systems, clear cutting the rainforest, and strip mining of coal. Understanding that technological innovations can have both positive and negative economic, social, and environmental effects is critical to evaluating the impact of innovation.

– Agricultural advances such as the tractor, irrigation, improved fertilizers, computerized models for crop production and distribution have increased agricultural production but can lead to environmental degradation.

– Advancements in oil/gas field exploration, drilling, refining, and distribution technology increased oil production and profit. However, burning fossil fuels leads to pollution. Strip mining gets quick access to coal and mineral resources at the expense of the environment.

• Describe how the Internet, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are examples of new information technologies and what impact they have on lifestyles. These technologies allow people to connect glob-ally, to locate places with pinpoint accuracy, and to interpret and create maps/charts. These systems have revolutionized the abilities of humans world-wide to interact with one another. Communication apps allow real-time visual conversa-tions across global boundaries.

– Internet: The impact of the Internet is widespread and has led to the “shrinking” of the earth. Instant communication and real-time data allow for more advanced commercial economic activities.

– Global Positioning System (GPS): This innovation, originally intended for military uses, is widely available for individual use and can show someone’s exact position on Earth anytime, anywhere.

– Geographic Information Systems (GIS): These systems overlay real-time data for various geographic factors to plan for development or disaster.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students determine the need for various modifications and evaluate the degree to which an innovation contributed

(e.g., building dams to provide hydroelectric power and water to previously desert areas or the importance of steam power to transportation and industry). Use pictures from the text or Internet to illustrate the impact of technological innovation on modifications in various world regions.

• Make sure students understand that technological innovation does not refer only to the computer sciences.• Using air conditioning and desalinization as examples, have students analyze the impact of technological innovations on

the ability of humans to live in places that were previously less habitable. Generate a list of other innovations that have allowed humans to modify their environment to make places more livable (e.g., irrigation, wind or solar power, innova-tive ships that transport liquefied natural gas, etc.).

• Use a multi-column chart or other graphic organizer to identify technological innovations and impacts in agriculture and natural resource management. Determine the impact/effects (both positive and negative) of these innovations on the environment, the economy, and social structures/patterns.

• Have students describe the ways information technology impacts their own daily lives – how often do they use the inter-net, cell phone, GPS in their car or phone? Ask students to describe how these new technologies make their own lives easier and more connected with others in their community, across the state or country, or globally. Brainstorm how these systems provide information and create a more global society.

Student Expectations �WG.19(A) evaluate the significance of major technological innovations in the

areas of transportation and energy that have been used to modify the physical environment (R)

WG.19(C) analyze the environmental, economic, and social impacts of advances in technology on agriculture and natural resources (R)

WG.19(B) analyze ways technological innovations such as air conditioning and desalinization have allowed humans to adapt to places (S)

WG.20(A) describe the impact of new information technologies such as the Internet, Global Positioning System (GPS), or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (S)

WG.20(B) examine the economic, environmental, and social effects of technol-ogy such as medical advancements or changing trade patterns on societies at different levels of development (S)


desalinization Geographic Information Systems (GIS)Global Positioning System (GPS)Internet


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Technology and Innovation

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Confusing the general definition of technology (the use of tools to make work easier) with

20th century technology (e.g., computers) and forgetting that the wheel, the development of a process to make metal weapons, or irrigation are also significant examples of technological innovation

• Not being able to describe the environmental, economic, and social impacts of innovations or describing the innovation rather than the impact of that innovation

TEKS Cluster: The United States and CanadaWG.8 Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.

Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.1, WG.3, WG.4, WG.5, WG.6, WG.7, WG.9, WG.10, WG.13, WG.14., WG.15, WG.16, WG.17, WG.18, WG.19

Political �WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and

resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations such as ... the United States ...

WG.13(B) compare maps of voting patterns and political boundaries to make inferences about the distribution of political power

WG.14(B) compare how democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, republic, theocracy, and totalitarian systems operate in specific countries

WG.15(A) identify and give examples of different points of view that influence the development of public policies and decision-making processes at national and international levels

WG.15(B) explain how citizenship practices, public policies, and decision making may be influenced by cultural beliefs, including nationalism and patriotism

Economic �WG.19(A) evaluate the significance of major technological innovations in the areas

of transportation and energy that have been used to modify the physical environment

WG.5(B) interpret political, economic, social, and demographic indicators (gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy, literacy, and infant mortality) to determine the level of development and standard of living in nations using the levels as defined by the Human Development Index

WG.7(D) analyze how globalization affects connectivity, standard of living, pandemics, and loss of local culture

WG.10(B) classify countries along the economic spectrum between free enterprise and communism

Geographic – Physical �WG.9(A) identify physical and/or human factors such as climate, vegetation, language,

trade networks, political units, river systems, and religion that constitute a regionWG.3(B) describe the physical processes including weather/weathering, tectonic forces,

erosion, and soil-building that affect the physical environment of regionsWG.4(C) explain the influence of climate on the distribution of biomes in different regionsWG.9(B) describe different types of regions, including formal, functional, and perceptual

regions

Geographic – Human �WG.1(B) trace the spatial diffusion of phenomena such as the Columbian Exchange or

the diffusion of American popular culture and describe the effects on regions of contact

WG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that have influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of culture groups today

WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political, economic, social, and cultural elements

WG.7(B) explain how physical geography and push and pull forces, including political, economic, social, and environmental conditions, affect the routes and flows of human migration

WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distributionWG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the physical

environment, including the influences of culture and technology WG.5(B) interpret political, economic, social, and demographic indicators (gross

domestic product per capita, life expectancy, literacy, and infant mortality) to determine the level of development and standard of living in nations using the levels as defined by the Human Development Index

WG.6(A) locate and describe human and physical features that influence the size and distribution of settlements

WG.19(B) analyze ways technological innovations such as air conditioning and desalinization have allowed humans to adapt to places

Social (Culture) �WG.16(B) describe elements of culture, including language, religion, beliefs, institutions,

and technologies WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion, land use,

education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctiveWG.16(A) describe distinctive cultural patterns and landscapes associated with different

places in Texas, the United States, and other regions of the world and how these patterns influenced the processes of innovation and diffusion

WG.17(D) evaluate the experiences and contributions of diverse groups to multicultural societies

WG.18(D) evaluate the spread of cultural traits to find examples of cultural convergence and divergence such as the spread of democratic ideas, language, foods, technology, or global sports



TEKS Cluster: The United States and Canada

Content Builder• Have students analyze political maps of the United States and Canada, comparing and contrasting the orga-

nization of governments and populations. There are 50 states in the United States but only 10 provinces in Canada, resulting in a greater spread of ideas and political values in the U.S. compared with Canada.

• Compare and contrast the American and Canadian forms of government. – American Democracy: three branches of government – Congress, Judicial (Supreme Court), and Presi-

dent; Congressmen elected every two or six years and President elected every four years. – Canadian Democracy: three branches of government – Parliament (represented by Prime Minister),

Judicial (Supreme Court of Canada), and Executive (Governor General representative of the Queen of England); Senate is appointed, House of Commons elected by the people, Prime Minister is appointed by majority party in House of Commons.

• Look at how the United States makes policy in the United States (domestic policy) and internationally (for-eign policy) using current events from a variety of news sources. Identify potential bias in the news stories and how those biases might influence decisions by political leaders.

• The United States has fought numerous wars and settled treaties to establish its borders including the Revolutionary War, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Mexican-American War. Canadian and U.S. borders have also been defined by the Oregon Treaty in 1846 (setting the modern northern border).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a map to define the region.• Compare maps of patterns in the United States to help students apply the concept of divisions of power

at the local and federal level. Remind them that control of territory is one way a political entity (countries, states, local government) solidifies power.

• Have students create a graphic organizer showing the differences between American and Canadian govern-ments.

• Have students analyze physical and political maps of the United States and Canada and look at how physi-cal features and natural resources have shaped American and Canadian political boundaries.

• Have students look at the progression of American political suffrage (15th Amendment, 19th Amendment, and 26th Amendment).

• Have students create a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the differences between “nationalism” and “patriotism.”

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Assuming that the prime minister in Canda is elected by the citizens in the same way U.S. citizens elect the

American president.• Not understanding that Canadian provinces are similar to American states

Student Expectations �WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of

territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations such as … the United States … (R)

WG.13(B) compare maps of voting patterns and political boundaries to make inferences about the distribution of political power (S)

WG.14(B) compare how democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, republic, theocracy, and totalitarian systems operate in specific countries (S)




nationalismsovereign nations


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Political



Content Builder• Compare and contrast the economic conditions of the United States and Canada using the Human Development

Index (HDI). Students will need to understand why the U.S. is considered the baseline for analyzing national health using economic data (the United States is considered one of the wealthiest and consistent countries in the world).

• Look at ways that globalization has spread American culture around the world. Examples include K-Pop, J-Pop, fast food restaurants, and sports (baseball and football are now played in Europe and Asia).

• Transportation technology has played a critical part in the United States’ and Canada’s development. – Transcontinental Railroad: the railroad built in the 19th century connected the eastern United States to the

West, opening the American frontier for settlement. By the 1890s, it was said that the American frontier had closed.

– Steam-powered ships: these ships were critical for the development of trade and America’s interior along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in the central part of the U.S. Prior to the advent of steam powered ships, the Mississippi River was almost impossible to navigate upstream towards Canada, limiting trade to only from the north to the Gulf of Mexico.

• Technology has played a critical role in the development of America’s economy, particularly in regard to using natural resources.

– Nuclear and solar energy: the United States established several nuclear power plants around the country in the 1970s but pushed back on the plans after the Three Mile Incident and the Chernobyl meltdown. The U.S. is now one of the leading countries in the creation of solar and wind energy systems.

– Oil drilling and petroleum refining: the U.S. remains one of the largest importers of oil and gasoline despite also being one of the largest producers of oil with large reserves in the Arctic Circle. Environmentalists have fought against drilling in these natural areas, however, due to the fear of damaging the climate and environ-ment.

• The United States and Canada are both free enterprise nations; however, Canada has some socialist tendencies (public health care, regulation of costs and prices, etc.).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Define the terms gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy, literacy, and infant mortality. Explain the

concepts of level of development and standard of living as defined by the Human Development Index. Where do the United States and Canada appear on the index? Give students opportunities to interpret data individually to draw conclusions about the level of development and standard of living. Make sure students understand that more developed nations have higher standards of living.

• Have students brainstorm a list of examples of globalization, making sure to include specific examples that can be classified as affecting connectivity, standard of living, pandemics, and loss of culture. Contextualize this discussion by asking students to think of examples from their own experience, (e.g., the ability to buy products from interna-tional sources or communicate on the Internet with students from other parts of the world, or limits to travel due to outbreaks of communicable diseases (avian flu, SARS). Have students classify those examples as either benefits or challenges that they experience.

• Have students brainstorm 19th and 20th century technological innovations, particularly in the areas of transpor-tation and energy, and evaluate their impact on the ability for people to modify their physical environment (e.g., building dams to provide hydroelectric power and water to previously desert areas, the importance of steam power to transportation and industry).

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking the economies of the United States and Canada are the same rather than interdependent

Student Expectations �WG.19(A) evaluate the significance of major technological innovations in the

areas of transportation and energy that have been used to modify the physical environment (R)

WG.5(B) interpret political, economic, social, and demographic indicators (gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy, literacy, and infant mor-tality) to determine the level of development and standard of living in nations using the levels as defined by the Human Development Index (S)


WG.10(B) classify countries along the economic spectrum between free enter-prise and communism


connectivitydemographic indicatorsinfant mortalitylevel of developmentlife expectancyliteracypandemics standard of living

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)Human Development Index


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Economic



Content Builder• Identify the climate and vegetation zones found in the United States and Canada as well as how physical

features (e.g., the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians) influence those climate zones.• Identify the key river systems in the United States and Canada, particularly the Mississippi River, Missouri

River, Ohio River, and St. Lawrence River. • Identify the regions of the United States and Canada and the characteristics that define these regions.

– United States Regions: Rust Belt (Upper Midwest and western edge of Northeast; defined by manufac-turing), Sun Belt (Florida to Louisiana; defined by northerners resettling there), Great Plains (central part of the United States that includes Iowa, Dakotas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas).

– Canadian Regions: Quebec, Western Canada, Atlantic Canada, and Northern Canada.• Identify major physical processes that have/are shaping the United States and Canada.

– Plate Tectonics: The west coast of the United States and Hawaii are home to numerous tectonic plates meeting. The San Andreas Fault is the primary example of plate tectonics at play in the U.S.

– Weathering: The Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians are examples of mountains affected by weath-ering. The Appalachians are much less rocky and shorter, largely from the millennia of weathering.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a map to define the regions.• Use climate maps and vegetation maps to infer and explain the relationship between climate and biomes

in the region. What connections can be made between climate zones at low, middle, and high latitudes, landforms, bodies of water, and soils with the biomes that support and sustain plant and animal life?

• Allow students to define regions based on physical and human characteristics (e.g., the Rust Belt has snowy winters and wet and hot summers).

• Help students categorize the formal, functional, and perceptual regions associated with their own commu-nities to enhance their ability to list descriptive characteristics. Transfer that skill to the examination of the regions in the United States and Canada.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not understanding the differences between regions• Thinking that the Rockies and Appalachians are fully contained in the U.S. (rather than extending into

Canada)

Student Expectations �WG.9(A) identify physical and/or human factors such as climate, vegetation,

language, trade networks, political units, river systems, and religion that constitute a region (R)

WG.3(B) describe the physical processes including weather/weathering, tec-tonic forces, erosion, and soil-building that affect the physical environ-ment of regions (R)


WG.9(B) describe different types of regions, including formal, functional, and perceptual regions (S)


biomescharacter of a place

regions: formal, functional, perceptualAppalachian MountainsRocky MountainsSan Andreas Fault


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Geographic – Physical



Content Builder• Understand the term spatial exchange (diffusion) and trace how spatial diffusion affects regions of contact.

Trade, war, and technological innovations often lead to diffusion of people, ideas, or products. Diffusion often has multiple (and even conflicting) effects on the regions of contact.

• Columbian Exchange: The vast exchange of products, resources, ideas, diseases, and new technologies during the Columbian Exchange of the 16th century contributed to the rise of small European nations who used mercantilism to profit from colonial empires. The diffusion between the Americas and Europe, Africa, and Asia led to both positive and negative effects for all groups. The routes of the Columbian Exchange included the cross-ocean transfer of products, ideas, and technology from Europe to the Americas and from the Americas to Europe.

• Explain historical migration patterns in the United States and Canada throughout history. For example, with the development of air conditioning and refrigeration, people moved from the colder north to the south-ern and western states in the 1950s. In Canada, many people moved from the eastern parts of Canada (Quebec and Ontario) to Vancouver (British Columbia) due to better climate and better job opportunities.

• Examine current events in a variety of regions of the United States and Canada and examine how these events tell the story of the people and culture in the region; compare them to other regions in the U.S. and Canada.

• Analyze the economic data of specific regions in the United States and Canada and analyze what the infor-mation tells us about the cultural and social conditions in those areas e.g., looking at literacy and infant mortality rates in rural vs. urban populations will show that lack of access to education and medical care have a significant impact on the society).

• Analyze ways the U.S. and Canada have worked to modify and accommodate their environment to make living and subsistence more favorable (e.g., damming rivers for hydroelectric power and flood control; developing canals from interior states and provinces to the oceans for international trade/export, such as the Erie Canal).

• Analyze ways that citizens are currently struggling to combat issues with weather (e.g., soil and land ero-sion from hurricanes along the Gulf of Mexico and erosion of soil from frequent flooding and damaging droughts throughout the country).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Emphasize that diffusion and exchange are interchangeable terms meant to reflect that ideas, technolo-

gies, and goods are going between two distinct social and/or cultural groups.• Have students illustrate their understanding of movements of goods/ideas/people by creating maps

using tools such as Google MyMaps or National Geographic MapMaker to visually model the relationship between push-pull factors and current population trends.

• Have students work with economic data to draw simple and complex conclusions regarding social and economic conditions in the U.S. and Canada.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Misunderstanding the difference between push/pull factors• Not understanding economic data and graphs/tables

Student Expectations �WG.1(B) trace the spatial diffusion of phenomena such as the Columbian Ex-

change or the diffusion of American popular culture and describe the effects on regions of contact (R)


WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political, eco-nomic, social, and cultural elements (R)


WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distribution (R)WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the



WG.6(A) locate and describe human and physical features that influence the size and distribution of settlements (S)



phenomenaregions of contactspatial diffusion

American popular cultureColumbian Exchange


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Geographic – Human



Content Builder• Analyze cultural patterns of settlements in the United States and Canada, identifying where particular

groups settle. Key groups to consider include: – Hispanic migrants/immigrants: many of those immigrating from Central America settle in urban areas,

particularly in the southern and western regions of the U.S. due to its proximity to Mexico and increased numbers of people who speak/understand Spanish.

– Inuit/Eskimos: many of these Native American tribes live in the northern reaches of the United States and Canada and subsist in the frozen tundra on traditional hunting and fishing activities.

– Native Americans (United States): many Native Americans are still part of tribal communities often found on reservations (e.g., the Kickapoo in south Texas near Del Rio). Other tribes such as the Cherokee can still be found throughout Oklahoma as a result of resettlement efforts in the U.S. during the years following the Civil War.

• Key elements of common culture found in the U.S. and Canada include: language (Spanish and English in the U.S, French and English in Canada), religion (a majority of the U.S. and Canada are classified as Chris-tian), and beliefs (both countries have pride in their countries though Canada still maintains loose ties to the monarchy of England).

• Immigration and migration have resulted in the blending of cultures (cultural diffusion) in many parts of the U.S. and Canada. In many regions of the U.S., it is not uncommon to find multicultural communities. This results in some tensions between those who are native to the U.S. and immigrants as well as post-9/11 tensions between those of Middle Eastern ancestry and nativist Americans. A positive result is that customs from other regions of the world have been infused into American customs (e.g., Tex-Mex, foreign words in the common American vernacular).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students analyze their own communities and look at cultural and settlement patterns within the com-

munity.• Using current news article and historical events, analyze how culture develops and to what extent the

contributions of a group have made American culture more multicultural.• Have students create maps that show the distribution of various cultural groups in the United States and

Canada and analyze trends based on these maps.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that a majority of immigrants coming into the U.S. are Mexicans (but data shows that a majority

of immigrants are from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador)• Thinking that Native American tribes live in traditional housing (but many live in more modern arrange-

ments)


institutions, and technologies (R)WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion,

land use, education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctive

WG.16(A) describe distinctive cultural patterns and landscapes associated with different places in Texas, the United States…and how these patterns influenced the processes of innovation and diffusion (S)




cultural convergencecultural divergencecultural patternscultural traitsdiffusioninnovation

democratic ideasTexasUnited States


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Social (Culture)

TEKS Cluster: Latin AmericaWG.8 Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.

Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.1, WG.2, WG.4, WG.5, WG.7, WG.10, WG.11, WG.12, WG.13, WG.14, WG.15, WG.17, WG.18, WG.20

Political �WG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at

different periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current conditions

WG.13(A) interpret maps to explain the division of land, including man-made and natural borders, into separate political units such as cities, states, or countries



Economic �WG.10(C) compare the ways people satisfy their basic needs through the production

of goods and services such as subsistence agriculture versus commercial agriculture or cottage industries versus commercial industries

WG.11(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure (technology, transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic activities

WG.12(A) analyze how the creation, distribution, and management of key natural resources affects the location and patterns of movement of products, money, and people

WG.11(A) understand the connections between levels of development and economic activities (primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary)

WG.11(B) identify the factors affecting the location of different types of economic activities, including subsistence and commercial agriculture, manufacturing, and service industries

WG.12(B) evaluate the geographic and economic impact of policies related to the development, use, and scarcity of natural resources such as regulations of water

WG.20(B) examine the economic, environmental, and social effects of technology such as medical advancements or changing trade patterns on societies at different levels of development

Geographic – Physical �WG.4(A) explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position on a

continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipitation, and distribution of climate regions

WG.8(B) analyze the consequences of extreme weather and other natural disasters such as El Niño, floods, tsunamis, and volcanoes on people and their environment

WG.8(C) evaluate the economic and political relationships between settlements and the environment, including sustainable development and renewable/non-renewable resources

Geographic – Human �WG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that have

influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of culture groups today

WG.1(B) trace the spatial diffusion of phenomena such as the Columbian Exchange or the diffusion of American popular culture and describe the effects on regions of contact

WG.7(B) explain how physical geography and push and pull forces, including political, economic, social, and environmental conditions, affect the routes and flows of human migration

WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the physical environment, including the influences of culture and technology



Social (Culture) �WG.18(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war, trade,

innovations, and diffusionWG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion, land use,

education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctiveWG.17(D) evaluate the experiences and contributions of diverse groups to multicultural

societiesWG.18(D) evaluate the spread of cultural traits to find examples of cultural convergence and

divergence such as the spread of democratic ideas, language, foods, technology, or global sports



TEKS Cluster: Latin America

Content Builder• The history of Latin America has led to numerous political (human/geographic) changes over time. Origi-

nally populated by Native American tribes (the Inca, Maya, and Aztecs), imperial Spain conquered a great number of these tribes in the 16th century, resulting in a new colonial system in the region. These colonies eventually broke apart into individual nation-states in the 19th century, creating the national boundaries that we see today.

• Many of the borders in Latin America are defined by physical features (e.g., rivers and mountains). These borders have been hotbeds of contention in Latin America’s history. Many parts of the Andes Mountains in Peru, for example, still remain danger zones from mines laid during border wars in the late 20th century.

• Political structures in Latin America vary from nation to nation, with many having some form of democracy. Countries such as Venezuela, however, have adopted more communist policies and some have even devel-oped more authoritarian regimes. In the late 1990s, there was what has been referred to as the marea rosa, or “pink tide,” symbolizing a growing number of countries that found themselves moving toward more socialist/communist governments.

• Conflicts in Latin America remain hotbeds of political struggle and have evoked international conflicts. In Venezuela, for example, political strife over election results led to conflict and involvement from other democratic nations (e.g., the U.S.), the United Nations, Russia, and China.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a map to define the region (Central and South America) including physical and political boundaries.• Have students create maps showing political boundaries and identify nations based on where they fall on

the political spectrum.• Have students study current events, stories, and issues related to political events in Latin America. Have

students identify the decision-making processes being used and the various points of view.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Confusing the locations of the great Mesoamerican empires, often assuming the Maya, Inca, and Aztecs

were all in the same place• Thinking that Latin America is one country• Forgetting that the Caribbean nations are also included in Latin America

Student Expectations �WG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at






human characteristicsinternational level


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Political



Content Builder• Latin America’s economies are predominantly centered around two major industries: agriculture and

manufacturing. – Agriculture: found in Central America (coffee) and South America (ranching and farming in Argentina

and Brazil). In the Caribbean, agriculture still remains a key element of the economy, but is steadily being replaced by tourism and ecotourism.

– Manufacturing: a major part of Brazil and Mexico’s economies. In both Brazil and Mexico, production of automobiles remains a key manufacturing business for these nations. In other Latin American countries such as Honduras, textiles remain a critical industry.

• Destruction of the rainforests in Brazil have resulted in substantial shifts of agriculture and populations. As more and more rainforests are cleared to make way for farming and manufacturing centers, populations are move inland to escape the overcrowding of the larger cities on the coast.

• Tourism is becoming an increasingly substantial part of the economies of Latin America, with tourism accounting for nearly ten percent of their GDP. This is a tertiary economic activity as it involves the market-ing and sales of a service such as lodging, food, and tours. Because of the growing emphasis on ecotour-ism, there is a greater push in the region to require more management of natural resources (e.g., the waters of the Caribbean and the rain forests of Costa Rica and South America).

• Technology has played a significant role in the development of Latin America, particularly GPS which has allowed deeper exploration of previously unexplored regions of the Amazon rain forest and the rivers on the western coasts of Peru and Ecuador.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students find current news stories that relate to the deforestation of the Amazon and the expansion

of business and farming in Brazil, analyzing the potential economic and geographic (climate) impacts of this decision.

• Have students find examples of primary, secondary, and tertiary economic activities in Latin America and identify how these activities help or hinder the development of the country’s economy.

• Have students use resource/land use and economic activity maps to analyze the relationship between where certain resources are located and how that impacts the types of economic activities in the area. Help students understand the critical link between the availability of resources and access to the means of production as key elements in determining the levels of economic development in a region.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking of this region as being predominantly agricultural rather than a blending of primary, secondary,

and tertiary economic activities• Equating the destruction of the rainforest for the production of wood and homes rather than for farming

Student Expectations �WG.10(C) compare the ways people satisfy their basic needs through the pro-

duction of goods and services such as subsistence agriculture versus commercial agriculture or cottage industries versus commercial indus-tries (R)

WG.11(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure (tech-nology, transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic activities (R)


WG.11(A) understand the connections between levels of development and eco-nomic activities (primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary) (S)



WG.20(B) examine the economic, environmental, and social effects of technol-ogy such as medical advancements or changing trade patterns on societies at different levels of development (S)


commercial agriculturecommercial industriescottage industriesfactors of locationinfrastructurelevels of development

patterns of economic activities

regulationsscarcityservice industriessubsistence agriculture


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Economic



Content Builder• The Andes Mountains play a significant part in the geography and climate of South America. They serve

as a protective barrier to the inland from rain showers blowing off the Pacific Ocean, resulting in deserts to the immediate east of the mountains (Atacama Desert being the largest). In the far eastern reaches of South America, the continent is primarily composed of large rain forests and river basins.

• In Central America, the Andes and Rockies extend to meet in the western edges of the region, though the flow of rainfall is more frequent from the Atlantic side. There is a substantial lack of deserts and a great number of tropical rainforests.

• In central Mexico, the Sierra Madres create vast deserts in the north (the predominant weather patterns come from the west off the Pacific Ocean) but creates a mild climate for the capital city of Mexico City which rests high in the mountains.

• Mexico’s mountains are home to several volcanoes, particularly in the southern portion at the convergence of the Caribbean Plate and the North American Plate, often playing havoc on settlements in these regions.

• Years of El Niño often result in wet rain patterns over western and northern Mexico, while years of La Niña patterns have a significantly greater likelihood of drought. These effects can have damaging effects on settlements and can account for higher numbers of individuals emigrating.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a variety of special purpose maps showing physical features, climate, vegetation, and resources to

interpret and describe the effect of various factors on the creation of climate regions.• Have students study topographical maps and model the flow of air and ocean currents to evaluate and

assess the impact of physical geography on the climate.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that Mexico is all desert due to the Chihuahua Desert bordering Texas• Thinking that all of South America is the same as Brazil’s Amazon Basin

Student ExpectationsWG.4(A) explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position



WG.8(C) evaluate the economic and political relationships between settlements and the environment, including sustainable development and renew-able/non-renewable resources (S)


distribution of climate regionssustainable developmentwind systems


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Content Builder• Latin America’s classical civilizations (Maya, Aztec, and Inca) never really interacted or traded due to the

physical geography of the region (a striking difference from comparable empires in Europe and Asia). Despite advances in technology in transportation, many Latin American nations remain largely removed from one another.

• The interaction between Europe and Latin America greatly shaped the culture and society of Latin America: – Columbian Exchange: The vast exchange of products, resources, ideas, diseases, and new technologies

during the Columbian Exchange of the 16th century contributed to the rise of small European nations who used mercantilism to profit from colonial empires. The diffusion between the Americas and Europe, Africa, and Asia led to both positive and negative effects for all groups. The routes of the Columbian Exchange included the cross-ocean transfer of products, ideas, and technology from Europe to the Americas and from the Americas to Europe.

– Disease: One of the major effects of the trans-Atlantic trade was the spread of diseases (e.g., smallpox spread to Native American populations, creating a pandemic that within a century had reduced the population by nearly 85 percent. This depletion played a substantial role in the eventual evolution of slavery as well as the ease of colonizing the region by the Spanish).

• Economic and political instability in Latin America (push factors), particularly in the 20th century, resulted in large numbers of migrants out of various parts of Latin America. Many moved to the United States which offered more economic opportunities and more political freedoms (pull factors).

• The Inca developed terrace farming on the slopes of the Andes Mountains, a system of farming that uses cuts in the land to create steps in an effort to create arable land where none had existed.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students trace the exploration and colonization routes to Latin America using maps. Identify the loca-

tion of key civilizations (e.g., Maya and Inca) and use the terms “cultural diffusion” to explain the effects.• Have students create sketch maps or flow charts that trace the movement of goods, ideas, technolo-

gies, diseases, and people from one area to another. Draw conclusions about their impacts and how an exchange affected historical events.

• Using economic data on the countries in the region, have students identify push and pull factors for immi-grants.

• Have students identify ways that societies in Latin America adapt and modify their environment.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that the Aztecs, Mayans, and Inca traded with one another and other civilizations• Associating the Columbian Exchange with slave trade

Student Expectations �WG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that

have influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of culture groups today (R)

WG.1(B) trace the spatial diffusion of phenomena such as the Columbian Ex-change or the diffusion of American popular culture and describe the effects on regions of contact (R)


WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the physical environment, including the influences of culture and technol-ogy (R)




pandemics Columbian ExchangeEl Niño


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Content Builder• The arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century brought European social and cultural traditions to

Latin America. These cultures blended with the local traditions creating new cultures, often referred to as “mestizo” culture, though largely referred to today as Hispanic. In the Caribbean, the blending of Spanish, French, and African cultures resulted in new multicultural groups that would define the region even into the 21st century.

• Much of Latin America is tied to this blending of traditional and newer cultures, but the primary unifying cultural elements are language and religion:

– Language: The language primarily spoken is Spanish, stretching from Mexico south to the southern tip of Argentina in Tierra del Fuego. Other languages spoken in the region include Dutch, Portuguese, and French. Many of these languages have adapted local dialects (e.g., Creole in Haiti) when languages from multiple cultural groups combined to form new languages.

– Religion: The predominant religion is Catholicism; its roots date back to the Spanish missionaries (Jesu-its) who came over with the conquistadors. African religions have been found in the Caribbean islands as a result of the African slave trade.

• Popular sports such as futbol (soccer) have become increasingly popular in Latin America and spread throughout the world, including to the United States and Europe. Likewise, American baseball has become popular in nations such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Venezuela, with numerous players in Major League Baseball coming from these nations.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Look at language maps and trends around the Latin American region and compare those language regions

with colonial patterns. Ask students to analyze how historical colonization influenced modern culture pat-terns.

• Have students look at current stories about professional sports players from Latin America who are making an influence in sporting events around the world.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Assuming that Spanish is the only language spoken in the region

Student Expectations �WG.18(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war,

trade, innovations, and diffusion (R)WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion,





diffusion


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Social (Culture)

TEKS Cluster: EuropeWG.8 Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.

Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.1, WG.2, WG.5, WG.6, WG.7, WG.11, WG.12, WG.14, WG.15, WG.16, WG.17, WG.18

Political �WG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at different

periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current conditions

WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations ... and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU)

WG.14(A) analyze current events to infer the physical and human processes that lead to the formation of boundaries and other political divisions



Economic �WG.11(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure (technology,

transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic activities

WG.12(A) analyze how the creation, distribution, and management of key natural resources affects the location and patterns of movement of products, money, and people



Geographic – Physical �WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political, economic, social,

and cultural elementsWG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that have

influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of culture groups today

WG.2(B) explain how changes in societies such as population shifts, technological advancements, and environmental policies have led to diverse uses of physical features over time such as terrace farming, dams, and polders

Geographic – Human �WG.6(B) explain the processes that have caused changes in settlement patterns, including

urbanization, transportation, access to and availability of resources, and economic activities

WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distributionWG.5(B) interpret political, economic, social, and demographic indicators (gross domestic

product per capita, life expectancy, literacy, and infant mortality) to determine the level of development and standard of living in nations using the levels as defined by the Human Development Index


WG.7(A) analyze population pyramids and use other data, graphics, and maps to describe the population characteristics of different societies and to predict future population trends


WG.16(C) describe life in a variety of urban and rural areas in the world to compare political, economic, social, and environmental changes

Social (Culture) �WG.18(D) evaluate the spread of cultural traits to find examples of cultural convergence

and divergence such as the spread of democratic ideas, language, foods, technology, or global sports

WG.16(B) describe elements of culture, including language, religion, beliefs, institutions, and technologies

WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion, land use, education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctive

WG.16(A) describe distinctive cultural patterns and landscapes associated with different places in Texas, the United States, and other regions of the world and how these patterns influenced the processes of innovation and diffusion


WG.17(B) describe central ideas and spatial distribution of major religious traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism

WG.18(B) assess causes and effects of conflicts between groups of people, including modern genocides and terrorism



TEKS Cluster: Europe

Content Builder• Europe’s political history has seen Europe take on numerous different boundaries ranging from the Roman Empire

to the feudal systems of Europe to kingdoms to the modern, sovereign states. – Roman Empire: Beginning in 44 BCE, Rome unified much of Europe through a combination of conquest and

economic trade partnerships. As much of Europe came under Roman rule, the Romans built large networks of roads to facilitate the movement of troops and trade goods which helped Europe develop the potential for future economic and political growth.

– Medieval Europe: Europe begins to break away from a uniform Roman culture and leads to the development of smaller kingdoms that are more isolated from one another. Comprised of fiefdoms (castles became indepen-dent kingdoms which were unified after the Dark Ages into larger kingdoms but still retained their autonomy), these kingdoms led to the development of nationalist pride and cultures such as the French (Franks), the English (Anglo-Saxons), etc. By the end of the Medieval period, the Crusades once again opened up Europe to trade and the return of Europe as a central figure in the discovery and exploration of the world.

– Imperial Europe: Europe developed into new kingdoms that were constantly struggling with one another for power and influence over a growing and insatiable desire for resources and goods as a result of the Indus-trial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. These empires would not only explore abroad to find new resources, but they would also conquer and expand their territory in Europe through warfare and espionage. World War I brought about an end of the Imperial Age as the Treaty of Versailles broke apart the empires and gave new nations their own territories (e.g., Poland and Yugoslavia).

– Modern Europe: After World War II, Europe underwent its final border adjustments which have largely remained untouched (outside of the unification of Germany and the dissolution of the former Soviet republics of Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia) and led to alliances (e.g., NATO and the European Union).

• The European Union was created to unify Europe into a uniform economic and political structure to help facilitate immigration within Europe as well as to facilitate the development of advanced infrastructure projects that con-nect the regions of Europe regardless of physical geographic limitations.

• European nations have struggled in the recent decade with a resurgence in nationalist issues as a result of immigration, global security, and economic concerns. Examples include the violence in various parts of France, the vote to remove England from European Union (Brexit), and debates regarding Europe’s involvement in foreign affairs such as the Paris Accords (climate control) and the Iranian denuclearization deal.

• One major issue that is currently facing European nations is the large number of refugees from Southwest Asia (e.g., Syria). Terror attacks (e.g., Nice and Paris in France) have led to nationalist movements through Europe to call for an end to the acceptance of refugees and to begin deporting individuals who are not native to Europe. This has resulted in political debates and even a rise of right-wing political groups that are fighting for more isolationist policies.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a series of historical maps to analyze how Europe changed politically and geographically over time.• Have students analyze maps showing the location of key resources in Europe, looking at how the location of these

resources could result in conflicts between European nations as well as the expansion of European colonialism abroad.

• Have students analyze current news stories and events that address the rise of nationalist movements in coun-tries such as Italy and Greece. Identify the political processes at play and evaluate how groups will attempt to shape public policy.

• Have students compare previous nationalist movements (e.g., Serbia in the first decade of the 20th century with Bosnia in the 1990s) as well as current movements (e.g., Brexit or the creation of Macedonia as an independent nation).



WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations ... and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) (R)

WG.14(A) analyze current events to infer the physical and human processes that lead to the formation of boundaries and other political divisions (S)




nationalismsovereign nations

European Union (EU)United Nations (UN)


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Political

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that the European Union is political organization or is similar to the United

States or NATO



Content Builder• Europe’s settlements are predominantly found along major riverine or coastal waterways that facilitated

trade and allowed access to fresh supplies of water. European settlements are also found largely near areas of natural resources or agrarian farming.

• European cities have a more advanced and united infrastructure, particularly in regard to the development of public transit, in order to facilitate he movement of goods and workers across the continent quickly and efficiently.

• Due to Europe’s limited space and resources, European nations have taken initiatives to become more “green,” or climate conscious, with programs that focus on recycling or using renewable forms of energy.

• Major European urban areas are still largely found along rivers and coastal regions due to their access to trade and waterways that facilitated the mechanization of industry in the 19th century.

• European rivers were used to transport natural resources such as coal, lumber, and iron throughout the European continent. This further created more cities that served as waypoints for the transportation of goods and increased Europe’s urbanization.

• Much of Europe’s agricultural “bread basket” can be found in the central part of the continent and along the Mediterranean as these regions have a milder climate than the coastal regions of Europe which often have extended rainy winters that can prevent large crop yields.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students explore ways that European countries have attempted to protect land by reducing coal

extraction using renewable resources (e.g., wind turbines in the North Sea or geothermal energy in Iceland). Have students find current articles discussing these resources and the impact on jobs and the economies of Europe in the 21st century.

• Have students analyze maps and interpret how physical features help and hinder the production and transportation of natural resources in Europe. Analyze how rivers and mountains can help/hinder the flow of goods and products as well as the impact of national conflicts (e.g., closing borders).

• Have students use map overlays that show the location of key resources in Europe and compare those locations with an overlay looking at the GDP and per capita income. Analyze how access to natural resources can impact a nation’s economy. Have students write a brief summary as if they are preparing a summary finding for the European Union on ways to improve the economies of Europe.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not associating terms (e.g., technology or transportation) in the context of “infrastructure”• Not being able to assess how change over time impacts an area’s economics• Not being able to give examples of European natural resources• When looking at maps, not being able to interpret the cause and effect relationship between the location

of resources and economic activity







commercial agriculture infrastructureservice industriessubsistence agriculturesustainable development


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Economic



Content Builder• Identify the sub-regions of Europe based on their geographic commonalities as well as cardinal locations

on the continent. – Northern Europe: England, Ireland, Iceland, and the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway, and

Finland). They share climate zones (cold and wet much of the year as a result of the North Sea and Arctic air flows from the north).

– Central Europe: Germany, Denmark, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. These areas are often considered the “bread basket” of Europe with larger plains and more moderate climate zones compared to the northern region of Europe. This region typically more closely resembles the U.S. interior or Mid-west in regard to climate and economic activities.

– Western Europe: Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Andorra. These areas contain mostly humid, subtropical climates from the easterly flows off the Atlantic Ocean; northern France has a temperate climate.

– Southern Europe: Countries along the Mediterranean (Italy, Greece, Albania, etc.). These countries expe-rience warm, dry summers and cool, mild winters. These regions have smaller mountain chains, often found near the coasts and along fault lines in the region and are home to a majority of the volcanoes in Europe; they also have rich and fertile soil that is well-suited for farming.

– Eastern Europe: Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Much of this region has a temperate climate (with the exception of Romania and Hungary which are comprised of greater numbers of mountain ranges resulting in cooler climates due to the increased elevation). This part of Europe is most often clustered together due to their connection to the Soviet satellite rule in the Cold War era.

• Identify the major mountain chains in Europe and their influence on settlement in Europe. These mountain ranges are the Alps (found in southern France, Switzerland, and northern Italy) as well as the Pyrenees (found in the dividing political boundary of France and Spain and much of Andorra).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students label maps and identify the regions and physical features of the European sub-regions.

Create icons or symbols to represent the unifying factors (climate, physical features, and shared culture) that unify these sub-regions.

• Using maps of population density and physical features, have students identify how the physical features of Europe play a major role in the development of settlements and communities.

• Have students create graphic organizers that detail the specific characteristics of the regions of Europe using PEGS, PERSIA, or a similar modelling support.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that Europe is one giant region rather than comprised of sub-regions• Confusing the climate regions of Europe

Student Expectations �WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political, eco-

nomic, social, and cultural elements (R)WG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that


WG.2(B) explain how changes in societies such as population shifts, technologi-cal advancements, and environmental policies have led to diverse uses of physical features over time such as terrace farming, dams, and polders (S)


AlpsBaltic SeaDanube RiverMediterranean SeaNorth SeaRhine RiverRuhr River


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Content Builder• Most of Europe’s population lies in the coastal regions and along rivers. Europe’s largest cities are found on

major waterways. As discussed in previous subclusters, this is largely a result of the Industrial Revolution when waterpower was needed for powering new equipment and steam-powered engines. The rivers also serve as a primary mode of transportation.

• Europe’s population has plateaued according to most data trends (e.g., PopulationPyramid.net), though some growth still occurs because of migration (particularly immigration from Southwest Asia); recent nationalist movements are forcing these numbers down.

• European population pyramids will show countries that are experiencing population degradation. Most Eastern European countries are experiencing population drops post-Cold War as the ability to move between nations in Europe becomes easier. Many of these nations also went through economic crises fol-lowing the collapse of the Soviet Union.

• Europe’s population has steadily grown since the Industrial Revolution, though wartime changes in World War I and World War II saw large population shifts due to military and civilian casualties. Disease outbreaks also significantly impacted the population (e.g., the Spanish Flu in 1919 and the Bubonic Plague in the 14th century).

• Europe’s small size (smallest of the continents) means that coastal urban areas have had to work to find creative solutions to reclaim land for the development and expansion of urban areas (e.g., polders and Zuiderzee [land reclamation projects] in the Netherlands to create more living space and farmlands around Amsterdam).

• Europe generally has one of the highest economic and human growth and development indexes in the world. This has made Europe a natural location for immigrants looking to move from areas of the world that are facing more difficult economic hardships (e.g., Syria, Yemen, and parts of Africa), leading to increased urbanization and social tensions in various European nations.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use multiple maps showing population densities to help students locate and describe the location of settle-

ments. Have students compare these maps and locations to physical maps of the same region. Describe the impact of physical features on these settlement patterns. Analyze the impacts on cultures and societies that physical features have had and identify ways that humans have adapted to these physical factors to make their place more inhabitable. Analyze current events or historical accounts that show other ways Europe is adapting to its environment to help facilitate and manage the growth of its large populations.

• Have students manipulate population pyramids in various European countries/regions looking for trends and making predictions about the implications of the data.

• Have students look at the effects on population over time of events such as war, pandemics (e.g., the Span-ish Flu and the Bubonic Plague), and migration.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Assuming Europe’s civilization is rural and spread out due to preconceptions about Medieval Europe rather

than its extensive trend towards urbanization• Assuming that a country with a strong economy will have population growth rather than analyzing the data

Student Expectations �WG.6(B) explain the processes that have caused changes in settlement pat-


WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distribution (R)WG.5(B) interpret political, economic, social, and demographic indicators (gross

domestic product per capita, life expectancy, literacy, and infant mor-tality) to determine the level of development and standard of living in nations using the levels as defined by the Human Development Index (S)


WG.7(A) analyze population pyramids and use other data, graphics, and maps to describe the population characteristics of different societies and to predict future population trends (S)


WG.16(C) describe life in a variety of urban and rural areas in the world to com-pare political, economic, social, and environmental changes (S)


connectivitypandemics


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Content Builder• Europe represents a great example of cultural convergence in large part due to its location on the western

ends of the Silk Road during the Roman and Medieval periods and its role in developing the trade routes in the Atlantic during the colonization period. New cultural trends and traditions have found their way to Europe including the sport of futbol (soccer), various foods (especially with spices from India), and the integration of cultural traditions such as language and dress.

• Despite Europe’s central location and role in the development of trade and culture, issues regarding cultural divergence can still be observed. In France, for example, laws were passed to eliminate traditions of Muslim culture (e.g., Muslim women wearing the hijab in public). Many of these laws were passed as a direct response to acts of terrorism in Europe during the period of 2013-2018 and have escalated tensions between immigrants and native Europeans who fear that the immigrants will erode European values and beliefs.

• Genocide has been a significant part of European history, targeting specific racial or religious groups for persecution. Examples include:

– Spanish Inquisition: In the 15th century, Spanish rulers attempted to force the conversion of Muslim and Jewish citizens in Spain to Catholicism, resulting in torture and execution of thousands who did not want to follow the Catholic doctrine.

– The Holocaust: The systematic elimination of the Jews by the Nazi government in the 1930s-1940s would ultimately result in the deaths of six million people including Jews, gypsies (nomads of Romanian descent), and Hitler’s political opponents.

– Bosnian Genocide: In the 1980s and 1990s, the Bosnian Serbs began targeting the ethnic Croatians and Albanians living in Serb-controlled areas (e.g., Sarajevo) for extermination based on ethnic and religious ties under the leadership of Slobodan Milošević. The United Nations intervened in the 1990s and the U.S. launched a massive air campaign targeting Bosnian military and intelligence installations before finally removing Slobodan Milošević from power and sending him to The Hague for trial for war crimes.

• Europe has open borders and open trade as a result of the European Union, allowing the free movement of ideas and people across national boundaries with few limitations. The European Union’s unified cur-rency further enhances the perception that Europe is a single European nation rather than a collection of nations.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students use primary and secondary sources to analyze the causes and effects of genocide in

Europe’s history, looking newspaper articles, official government communiques, and contemporary histori-cal writings on the subject.

• Have students research and trace the origins of various European cultural traditions that reflect the conver-gence of cultures.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that the Holocaust is the only example of genocide• Thinking that soccer originated in Europe rather than a game adapted from Mesoamerica

Student Expectations �WG.18(D) evaluate the spread of cultural traits to find examples of cultural

convergence and divergence such as the spread of democratic ideas, language, foods, technology, or global sports (S)

WG.16(B) describe elements of culture, including language, religion, beliefs, institutions, and technologies (R)

WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion, land use, education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctive (R)






cultural convergencecultural divergencecultural patternsgenocidesterrorism

democratic ideas


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Social (Culture)

TEKS Cluster: Russia and Central AsiaWG.8 Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.


Political �WG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions

at different periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current conditions



Economic �WG.10(C) compare the ways people satisfy their basic needs through the

production of goods and services such as subsistence agriculture versus commercial agriculture or cottage industries versus commercial industries

WG.19(A) evaluate major technological innovations in transportation and energy used to modify the environment

WG.19(C) analyze the environmental, economic, and social impacts of advances in technology on agriculture and natural resources


Geographic – Physical �WG.4(A) explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents,

position on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipitation, and distribution of climate regions

WG.4(C) explain the influence of climate on the distribution of biomes in different regions


Geographic – Human �WG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions

that have influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of culture groups today

WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political, economic, social, and cultural elements

WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the physical environment, including the influences of culture and technology



Social (Culture) �WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion,



WG.18(C) identify examples of cultures that maintain traditional ways, including traditional economies



TEKS Cluster: Russia and Central Asia

Content Builder• Russia is comprised of two major mountain ranges that serve as divisions within Russia:

– The Caucasus Mountains: Located in south central Russia, these mountains serve as the dividing barrier between Russia and much of the former Soviet republics in north central Asia (Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan). They are often described as a southern dividing mountain range between the European and Asian continents.

– The Ural Mountains: Running north to south in western Russia, these mountains serve as the more tra-ditional divide between Europe and Asia. Beyond the Urals to the east, the Russian landscape is largely unsettled and remains mostly wilderness and tundra, making the Urals the division between Russia’s European connections and its Asian frontier boundaries.

• Russia’s political system has evolved from a monarchy under the Romanovs to a communist government under Lenin in the 20th century, followed by a shift to a federation comprised of smaller republics and provinces after the fall of the Soviet Union.

• Russia’s conflicts with the western world have resulted in constant changes to its political borders, particu-larly following the end of World War I, World War II, and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia sought to expand its boundaries in the 21st century by occupying the eastern regions of the Ukraine near Sevastopol, creating international tensions between the United Nations and Russia.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a map to define the region, including the Russian republics of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and

Kazakhstan. • Have students compare images of Russia before and after the fall of communism, analyzing how those

images reflect significant political changes to the various cultures.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Misidentifying Russia as a communist nation rather than a federation• Mistaking the locations of the Caucasus and Ural Mountains and/or their geopolitical significance







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Political



Content Builder• During the period of communist Russia (1919-1991), the economy was largely a command economy

designed to make Russia self-sufficient. This was a major shift from the cottage industries and small farms that had been present throughout much of Russia’s history. Large, communal farms and massive industrial complexes replaced smaller cottage industries, breaking apart many of the larger communal farms and industries into smaller corporations and privately owned businesses.

• Russia’s current economy is largely based on market economy principles, though there are some connec-tions to the command economy that remain in the current model. Russia still remains a significant player in the oil and gas markets, particularly with control of supplies to many eastern European nations.

• Russia’s technological innovations can be found in its ability to access resources from difficult regions of the world. Russia’s ability to collect oil from the waters and tundra around Siberia as well as diamonds from mines such as the Mirny Mine have made it a substantial economic player in the global economy.

• Russia has used technological innovations to improve transportation and electrical production. – Trans-Siberian Railroad: The Trans-Siberian Railroad stretches 5,700 miles from Vladivostok to Moscow

and allows for resources from the East to be transported and used or exported beyond Russia. – Nuclear Power: The Soviets developed one of the most extensive nuclear energy programs during the

1980s and obtain over 20 percent of its total electrical power from nuclear facilities today. These nuclear facilities are a major employer in Russia, employing roughly 200,000 people around the country.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students compare and contrast images from Russia and the Central Asian republics before the Soviet

Union, during the Soviet Union, and after the fall of the Soviet Union. Identify if these images reflect pri-mary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary economic activities. Compare and contrast the type of economic activity seen in the images and analyze how these images reflect the transition of the economies in the region.

• Have students create a graphic organizer identifying the technologies that have helped influence the eco-nomic development of Russia and the former republics. Identify the technological impacts on society, any geographic implications, and the economic developments.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that Russia is still a command economy rather than a market-based economy• Thinking that Russia is predominantly an agricultural country rather than a country engaged in all four

levels of economic activity



WG.19(A) evaluate major technological innovations in transportation and energy used to modify the environment (R)




commercial agriculturecommercial industriescottage industrieseconomic activities: primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary

environmental impactslevels of developmentsubsistence agriculture


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Economic



Content Builder• Russia and Central Asia is one of the largest regions in the world, spanning a land mass 1.8 times the size of

the United States. As a result, it contains a wide assortment of climate zones, ranging from deserts in the south to temperate zones in the southeast and colder climates in the mountains and the north.

• Russia’s cold climate zones create many areas of either permafrost or extremely short growing seasons. This has resulted in the need for crops that are better suited for the environment and a reliance on hunting and fishing rather than traditional, seasonal rotations of crops. In the west, there are large plains with rich soil, called chernozem, that are similar to the American Great Plains.

• Central Asia’s population is largely isolated in cities (e.g., Moscow and St. Petersburg in the west and south) due to climate zones making much of Central Asia difficult to inhabit. Most cities are west of the Urals and south of the Caucasus Mountains due to difficulties in travelling through the ranges.

• Russia’s vast size also results in a phenomenon known as continentality, or a large difference in climates caused by the distance from any substantial body of saltwater. As a result, Russia’s interior climate does not conduct a great deal of the Sun’s heat, facilitating its cold climate.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a variety of maps that illustrate the various climatology as well as physical features of the region. Have

students identify how physical geography influences climate patterns in the region.• Have students create a graphic organizer identifying the key geographic sub-regions of Russia and Central

Asia. Identify how key physical features and climate zones influence and shape the settlement of the region.

• Have students analyze population density maps and compare them with physical and climate maps of the region to look for trends and patterns of settlement. Have students write a brief analysis of how climate plays a critical role in the settlement of Russia and the Central Asia republics.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking of Russia as having only permafrost and tundra rather than realizing many parts of Russia are

quite fertile






continentality


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Content Builder• Russia has many significant physical features that have impacted its culture and society or have served as a

means of migration: – The Volga River: One of the largest rivers in Russia and served as a conduit for trade and migration, particu-

larly of the Vikings, who founded the Rus state in 862 CE. – The Aral Sea: Located in modern-day Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the Aral Sea has been diminishing in its

surface area due to diversion for various Soviet-era projects. The sea has lost a vast amount of its water, roughly 85 percent, since the 1960s and is in danger of being completely removed within the next several decades. The Aral Sea also is an example of the effects of Soviet industrialization with many areas of the exposed seabed now unusable because of contamination from nuclear residues, pesticides, and chemical runoff. This has led to a large resettlement of people from this region to neighboring nations as well as into Russia, creating cultural tensions.

– Strip Mining: During the Soviet Union’s reign, numerous mines were established to harvest earth metals needed to manufacture and produce nuclear weapons and advanced military technologies. Many of these mines were so-called “strip mines” which would destroy the earth’s surface and leave a permanent waste-land in its place, forcing people and wildlife to move out of the region.

• Russia and her neighboring nations have prospered greatly despite the collapse of the Soviet Union, thanks in large part to the mining of minerals and oil from the region. Despite this prosperity, however, many individuals in the region still live below the accepted poverty line, creating tensions between cultural groups.

• Russian life expectancy has seen a downward trend since the fall of the Soviet Union due to an increasing economic gap and the collapse of public healthcare systems that provided for most medical treatment during the Soviet Union’s reign.

• Several ongoing conflicts can still be seen in the region: – Chechnya: The region of Chechnya in southern Russia along the border with Georgia is a hotspot for

terrorism in large part due to the desire to be independent from Russian rule and strong ties to Muslim fundamentalist groups such as al-Qaeda.

– Georgia: The region of Georgia was the site of the first war post-Cold War when Russia attacked the Georgian forces in 2008. After shooting down a Georgian drone, the border dispute accelerated into a full-fledged conflict. Despite a ceasefire, tensions remain high in the region.

– Sevastopol: The port city on the Black Sea has been a point of contention between the post-Soviet Union Russia and the Ukrainian government. In 2014, Russian forces annexed the port city, creating an interna-tional incident. Despite calls from the Ukrainian government for the return of the Sevastopol port, Russia maintains control of the region using military forces. In 2014, a Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down by Russian forces, risking a European conflict. The occupation still as a profound effect on the region though no major military incidents have yet to result.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students analyze physical and political maps to see how borders have changed over time and how those

borders result in conflicts in various regions. • Have students research current events occurring in areas of conflict in Russia and the Central Asia republics.

Analyze why these conflicts could have global implications in the 21st century.• Using time-lapse satellite imagery, have students observe the decreasing size of the Aral Sea and research the

cause of the sea’s demise. Develop an action plan on how to curb the shrinking and analyze the effects on the region if the sea were to completely disappear.

Student Expectations �WG.1(A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that



WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the physical environment, including the influences of culture and technol-ogy (R)




environmental conditionsextreme weathergenocidesmigration patternsterrorism

ChechnyaChernozem


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Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not associating the struggles of Islamic fundamentalism occurring within Russia and

the Central Asia republics because of their geographic distance from Southwest Asia



Content Builder• Russian remains the prominent spoken language in the region, a holdover from the Soviet Union’s occupa-

tion in the middle part of the 20th century. Other languages exist, particularly outside of the European portions of Russia, and are often fusions of the traditional Cyrillic of Russian or local dialects of traditional native cultures. Estimates indicate roughly 120 ethnic groups in Russia and the Central Asia republics today.

• Russian educational programs were largely focused on the arts and sciences, producing some of the most important names in the field of study. Leo Tolstoy and Pyotr Tchaikovsky were both famous products of the Russian arts programs, particularly under Tsarist rule.

• Much of Russia is influenced heavily by the Russian Orthodox Church, though repression by the communist regime under Lenin and Stalin resulted in some loss of the deep connection to Russian Orthodoxy.

• Russian foods reflect the ability of people to adapt to harsh environments. Typically comprised of stews and breads that are made of hearty grains (e.g., black breads such as rye), these foods reflect the difficult climate of the Russian steppe.

• Many of the traditions of the Central Asian cultures remain (e.g., the supra in Georgia, a large family dinner in which many of a community’s extended family sit down for a nearly day’s long dinner). These cultures often keep their historical traditions of wine making, farming, and herding despite efforts by the Soviet Union to urbanize and industrialize the region during the middle part of the 20th century.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students research and compare the traditions in Russia and Central Asia with the traditions found in

the United States and/or Texas. Identify some universalities that can be found in many cultures around the importance of food, religion, and family.

• Have students analyze a linguistic map of Russia and compare it with other regions studied. Draw conclu-sions about the benefits such a diverse population offers as well as the challenges of managing and over-seeing such diverse language groups.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not associating the Soviet Union with Christianity due to the anti-religious movements of communist

Russia• Thinking of Russia as including only Russians rather than a wide variety of ethnic groups



WG.16(A) describe distinctive cultural patterns and landscapes associated with different places in Texas, the United States, and other regions of the world and how these patterns influenced the processes of innovation and diffusion (R)



diffusion


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Social (Culture)

TEKS Cluster: Southwest AsiaWG.8 Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.





WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations such as China, the United States, Japan, and Russia and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU)


Economic �WG.12(A) analyze how the creation, distribution, and management of key natural

resources affects the location and patterns of movement of products, money, and people

WG.19(C) analyze the environmental, economic, and social impacts of advances in technology on agriculture and natural resources

WG.19(B) analyze ways technological innovations such as air conditioning and desalinization have allowed humans to adapt to places

Geographic – Physical �WG.4(C) explain the influence of climate on the distribution of biomes in

different regionsWG.3(B) describe the physical processes that affect the environments of regions,

including weather, tectonic forces, erosion, and soil-building processesWG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political,

economic, social, and cultural elements

Geographic – Human �WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify

the physical environment, including the influences of culture and technology



WG.12(B) evaluate the geographic and economic impact of policies related to the development, use, and scarcity of natural resources such as regulations of water

Social (Culture) �WG.16(B) describe elements of culture, including language, religion, beliefs,

institutions, and technologiesWG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion,


WG.18(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war, trade, innovations, and diffusion



WG.17(C) compare economic, political, or social opportunities in different cultures for underrepresented populations such as women and ethnic and religious minorities




TEKS Cluster: Southwest Asia

Content Builder• The borders of Southwest Asia are often difficult to define and vary depending on what is being analyzed. Most

geographers tend to link North Africa with the region of Turkey to Iran and Saudi Arabia with Southwest Asia due to the cultural connections from the Islamic faith as well as the common desert to arid climate regions found throughout this zone. While often referred to as the “Middle East,” this term represents a historical European bias to the study of the region.

• The region of Southwest Asia was once part of English, French, and Ottoman rule. Consolidated under larger empires dating back to the foundation of the Islamic Caliphates (empires), these nations gained independence roughly 75 years ago and, therefore, still see some contentions regarding their political boundaries. The lack of resources such as water means great competition between nations that can often result in international conflict.

• Many of the countries in Southwest Asia exist as theocracies or monarchies. Theocracies (e.g., Saudi Arabia) may have monarchy-style political structures, but their power and legal systems follow the traditional religious values of the society. In nations such as Syria and Iraq (pre-US invasion in 2003), dictators run the country often with the use (or threat) of military force.

• The United Nations plays a significant role in maintaining the peace and stability in the region. Examples of con-flicts include:

– The Persian Gulf War: In 1990, Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi Republican Army invaded the neighboring nation of Kuwait to control and influence the supply of oil in the region. A coalition of UN forces and U.S. military troops attacked Hussein’s men and drove them from Kuwait.

– The Nation of Israel: After World War II, the United Nations created the nation of Israel from what had been Palestine, creating a Jewish homeland along the banks of the Mediterranean Sea. None of the Arab countries acknowledged the Jewish nation, resulting in several wars (Six Days War, Yom Kippur War) for Israeli indepen-dence. The United Nations and United States oversee the border disputes today and try to maintain peace in the region.

– Denuclearization of Iran: Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of the Iranian fundamental-ist government, the Iranians sought to enrich nuclear energy to fuel a nuclear weapons program and fill their energy needs. UN nuclear weapons inspectors went into Iran and were expelled, resulting in tensions between the Iranians and the international community. Today, the United Nations continues to work to help Iran main-tain its nuclear energy program while also preventing the development of nuclear arms.

– Syria: The conflict between Syria’s dictatorship government led by Bashar al-Asad and Syrian rebels has become a focal point of global humanitarian operations. The United Nations is working to prevent the contin-ued use of chemical and biological weapons used by Asad against the rebels in the region seeking to overthrow him from power.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a map to define the region (Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Leba-

non, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen).• Use images from current and historical events to identify the causes of conflict in the region (religious, political,

and economic).• Have students compare physical and political maps of the region to identify how physical features play a key role

in developing natural boundaries between countries. Ask students to consider how water boundaries in a region known to be limited in water supplies can further enhance conflicts between nations over boundaries.

• Have students create a graphic organizer identifying how the United Nations remains involved in current affairs in Southwest Asia. Identify the cause of the involvement, the degree to which the UN is involved (humanitarian, military, etc.), and explain the impact the UN has had on the region.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that all nations in Southwest Asia are Muslim



WG.13(A) interpret maps to explain the division of land, including man-made and natural borders, into separate political units such as cities, states, or countries (R)

WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations such as China, the United States, Japan, and Russia and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) (R)



international relationssovereign nations

Persian Gulf WarUnited Nations (UN)


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Political



Content Builder• The major natural resource found in Southwest Asia is a large supply of oil. Six of the fourteen members of

OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) are found in Southwest Asia. Ease of access to the oil (drilling through sand is easier than drilling through the jungles of Africa, off the shores of Venezuela, or the tundra of Russia) makes the business extremely profitable even with fluctuating oil prices in the global markets.

• Irrigation was critical to the development of the early economy of Southwest Asia. Water is a limited resource in the region and, therefore, must be diverted to manage the growing population of the region. The main rivers are the Tigris, the Euphrates, and the Nile.

• Lack of access to water has also led many nations in the region to pursue exploration of desalinization (the removal of salt from ocean water to serve as a fresh water supply). Desalinization plants are extremely expensive to build and maintain, limiting their use to a limited number of countries (e.g., the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait).

• The location of Southwest Asia made it a substantial trading center throughout history, dating back to the Silk Road and then as a major sea trader in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. This led to the development of more advanced systems of measurement such as the use of Arabic numerals (borrowed from the Indian cultures) and the creation of the astrolabe (sea navigation tool) and the lateen sail.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Using resource/land use and economic activity maps, have students analyze the relationship between

where certain resources are located and how that impacts the types of economic activities in the area. Help students understand the critical link between the availability of resources and access to the means of production as key elements in determining the levels of economic development in a region.

• Using air conditioning and desalinization as examples, have students analyze the impact of technological innovations on the ability of humans to live in places that were previously less habitable. Generate a list of other innovations that have allowed humans to modify their environment to make places more livable (e.g., irrigation, wind or solar power, innovative ships that transport liquefied natural gas, etc.).

• Use a multi-column chart or other graphic organizer to identify technological innovations and impacts in agriculture and natural resource management. Determine the impact/effects (both positive and negative) of these innovations on the environment, the economy, and social structures/patterns. Use specific exam-ples (identified in Content Builder) to help students see the concrete relationships between innovation in agriculture and natural resource use/management (e.g., desalinization projects in areas where water is a scarce resource have contributed to the social, economic, and environmental impact of people being able to live and farm in new, previously uninhabitable areas).

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that proximity to saltwater means access to fresh drinking water

Student Expectations �WG.12(A) analyze how the creation, distribution, and management of key natural

resources affects the location and patterns of movement of products, money, and people (R)




desalinization


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Economic



Content Builder• Southwest Asia contains two major climate zones: desert and semiarid, due to the dry winds coming north

from the Sahara and travelling east towards Southwest Asia. These winds can sometimes pick up large amounts of sand from the Sahara Desert in the west, creating what are known as Sirocco winds, and carry the dust into northern Turkey, generating fierce thunderstorms and weather events in the Mediterranean Sea. Mountains along Turkey’s coastline also create a rain shadow over the northern regions of Southwest Asia from winter storm systems travelling south from Russia.

• The rapid growth of the population (roughly 2.3 percent annually) has resulted in the degradation of vital areas for farming. This process, often referred to as desertification, has seen an increasing amount of land once usable for farming or habitation becoming barren. This is particularly common in North Africa, west of the Nile, as water diverted for farming and irrigation is now being redirected in greater amounts toward city centers (Alexandria and Cairo).

• As a result of the arid climate, many communities are limited mostly to large cities along vital bodies of water or atop valuable underground aquifers. By most estimates, roughly 60 percent of those living in the region live in cities; the majority of people living outside the city are nomadic herders.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Using maps, have students identify the effects of weather patterns and climate on the development of

geographic climate zones. Identify key mountain ranges and bodies of water to assess their impact on the development of the region’s climatology.

• Use climate maps and vegetation maps to infer and explain the relationship between climate and biomes in the region. What connections can be made between climate zones at low, middle, and high latitudes, landforms, bodies of water, and soils with the biomes that support and sustain plant and animal life?

• Have students brainstorm contemporary issues facing Southwest Asia (e.g., lack of water, increasing population, and degradation of inhabitable living space). Ask students to consider some possible solutions to these problems and create a visual report of these solutions to present to a governing body such as the United Nations.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking of the region as a vast desert rather than mostly semi-arid (with the exception of Saudi Arabia’s

Arabian Desert)• Thinking of the Middle East as nomadic farmers rather than city-dwelling populations

Student Expectations �WG.4(C) explain the influence of climate on the distribution of biomes in differ-

ent regions (S)WG.3(B) describe the physical processes that affect the environments of




biomes erosionphysical processessoil-building processestectonic forces

Arabian DesertAtlas MountainsdesertificationSirocco winds


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Content Builder• As a result of the difficult conditions in Southwest Asia, people have adapted to the environment in a

number of ways: – Air conditioning has helped the region develop a functional urban setting complete with unique experi-

ences regardless of outside temperatures (e.g., an indoor ski resort was developed in Dubai, complete with lodging facilities, that visitors can travel to despite outside temperature being over 100 degrees.

– Desalination plants convert water from the seas surrounding the region to water for domestic use. – The country of Dubai created islands to allow it to expand its tourist trade by constructing hotels

removed from the major part of the city. These islands allow the government in the small nation to offer separate quarters for non-Muslim visitors without the strict restrictions of the religious authorities.

– Irrigation improved farming yields in many parts of Southwest Asia, bringing water miles away from the Tigris and Euphrates. In a region where rainfall totals are often less than a foot a year, this access to water is critical to sustaining populations and crops.

• Southwest Asia has benefitted from the oil boom of the 20th century, yet the effects are not widespread. In nations such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, most of the money goes to foreign workers who live in the region but do not invest back in the region, resulting in widespread differences between the rich and poor. Other regions have substantially larger problems (e.g., famine in Yemen and war in Syria) which prevent them from being able to take advantage of the economic potential in the region.

• Despite the economic challenges in the region, the percentage of individuals possessing basic literacy skills is higher than many other nations in the world. Contributing to this is Islam’s requirement to read and write Arabic, boosting the percentage of those who are literate.

• The lack of major resources (besides oil) in Southwest Asia has resulted in settlements that are primarily found in areas with access to fresh water.

• Southwest Asia remains a region that still benefits greatly from the oil trade as there is an influx of foreign workers who live in the cities, further driving up their population numbers and improving GDP as workers spend money at local establishments and encourage tourism.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Using multiple maps showing population density, have students locate and describe the location of settle-

ments. Compare these maps and locations to physical maps of the same regions. Describe the impact of physical features on these settlement patterns. Analyze political, road or trade route, resource, and eco-nomic activity maps to show the relationship between the physical and human geography of a region and settlement within that region. Generalize that early settlements are along coastlines or navigable rivers; as density increases, settlement patterns shift to less desirable or less accessible land.

• Explain the differences between adaptation to and modification of the physical environment using real-world examples in the region. Give students access to information from two or more places, regions, or environments. Have groups examine significant adaptations to and/or modifications of the physical envi-ronment in given regions; use a Venn Diagram or other graphic organizer to capture their findings. Have each group report their findings to the class.

• Have students analyze current issues and events in the region and how humans interact with their environ-ment. Make predictions and draw conclusions using primary and secondary sources on how the interac-tions between humans and their environment could have both positive and negative effects.

Student Expectations �WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the






regulationsscarcity


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Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that the region’s rich resources of oil translate to an economic boom for

all citizens• Thinking that the region has lower literacy scores



Content Builder• Much of the region of Southwest Asia is ruled by Muslim law (Sharia) and, therefore, limits what can be done by

specific groups. Examples include: – Women are not allowed to operate a vehicle or be outside without a veil (hijab) or in some cases, without

the accompaniment of a male family member. Women are also largely excluded from political participation or higher education.

– Individuals from other parts of the country who are not Muslim are required to pay a tax (similar to the zakat, or alms, of the Muslim faith) and forbidden in many nations (e.g., Saudi Arabia) from openly displaying sym-bols of their faith (crosses/crucifixes, Bibles, etc.).

– Food must be considered clean (halal) and, therefore, many products found widely in western society are banned (e.g., pork). Pepsi is the only soda considered halal; therefore, other beverages may be sold only with adjustments to their manufacture.

• Islam is openly practiced in Southwest Asia. Numerous mosques can be found in many cities. While attendance at a mosque is not a mandatory requirement, many Muslims do attend prayer at local places of worship. Daily calls to prayer often shut down major cities as vendors close their stores to participate.

• Radical and fundamentalist Islam has become a major force in the region, particularly with the growing number of foreign workers in the area. Groups such as al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, and ISIS have increasingly attacked targets in Southwest Asia in an effort to reduce the influence of non-Muslim nations in the economics and politics of the region. In some cases, key political leaders (e.g., the Saudi royal family) have been the targets of these groups.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Through discussion and/or brainstorming, have students identify and describe cultural patterns (e.g., language

patterns, religious patterns, customs, land use patterns, and/or other institutions) that are characteristic of the region. Describe how these patterns influence innovation and diffusion.

• Have students create a graphic organizer and compare and contrast the social experiences in Texas with those in the Middle East. Look for similarities and differences and identify how culture plays a key role in shaping those differences.

• Have students create a graphic organizer to analyze the major fundamentalist groups and locate them on a map. Look at how the issues of scarcity and political boundaries have influenced the creation of these groups. Analyze their effects on the understanding of Southwest Asia.

• Working in regional groups, have students generate a list of economic, social/cultural, or political opportunities open to women, ethnic or religious minorities, and/or underrepresented populations. Using a group-sharing strategy such as jigsaw grouping or a gallery walk, have student groups share their findings so all students have an understanding of ESP opportunities in all world regions. Using a spectrum from equal opportunity to no opportunity, students representing each region can compare regions and cultures by placing themselves/their region on a continuum in response to statements of various examples of ESP opportunity (e.g., women and minorities can own businesses, women and minorities can attend university, women have freedom outside the home, ethnic minorities have equal access to professional jobs, ethnic minorities can vote, women and/or ethnic minorities have full citizenship rights, etc.).

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Falsely associating Islam with terrorism, instead of connecting terrorism with the radical groups such as

al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, and ISIS


institutions, and technologies (R)WG.17(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion,


WG.18(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war, trade, innovations, and diffusion (R)






diffusion genocidesmigrationspatial distributionterrorismunderrepresented populations

HalalIslamic traditionsSharia


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Social (Culture)

TEKS Cluster: Sub-Saharan AfricaWG.8 Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.


PoliticalWG.2(A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at





Economic �WG.10(C) compare the ways people satisfy their basic needs through the

production of goods and services such as subsistence agriculture versus commercial agriculture or cottage industries versus commercial industries



Geographic – Physical �WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political,

economic, social, and cultural elementsWG.3(B) describe the physical processes that affect the environments of

regions, including weather, tectonic forces, erosion, and soil-building processes

WG.4(C) explain the influence of climate on the distribution of biomes in different regions

Geographic – Human �WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distributionWG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify









WG.17(C) compare economic, political, or social opportunities in different cultures for underrepresented populations such as women and ethnic and religious minorities


WG.18(C) identify examples of cultures that maintain traditional ways, including traditional economies



TEKS Cluster: Sub-Saharan Africa

Content Builder• Sub-Saharan Africa’s physical geography played a significant role in migration and settlement patterns.

Deep, thick jungles of the interior and large rivers throughout the continent prevent groups from moving and settling, leaving many parts of sub-Saharan Africa isolated before the advent of the airplane and train.

• The earliest empires in Africa were found in the east (Ethiopia and Egypt) and in the west (Mali) which extended across large sections of land. The empires were ruled by kings who exerted complete and total power over their large empires and maintained extensive collections of wealth to fuel the kingdom.

• The imperialist expansion of Africa opened up much of the interior of Africa during the 19th century and clustered otherwise-isolated tribes together as part of colonial control. These political divisions evolved into national boundaries during the period of revolution in the 1960s, dividing many parts of African cul-tural and tribal groups and prompting internal conflict for years.

• Many African countries created republics not unlike those of their western counterparts; however, nine countries maintain a monarchy more in line with their historical governments.

• Many of Africa’s current political issues are a direct result of European imperialism and have substantially limited the ability of the African continent to advance politically, socially, and economically (e.g., Rwanda and Darfur [South Sudan] in the 20th century).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a map to define the regional borders. Identify types of national and political governments.• Using a physical map of Africa, have students look for ways that physical geography has impacted the

migrations of people and ideas in Africa.• Have students use photos and images to examine and analyze the differences and impacts of European

imperialism in Africa. Use the images to look for how Africans are subjected to European rule and how Africans managed their empires.

• Looking at current political events, have students analyze how political boundaries have influenced the events.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that Africa is a country rather a continent• Confusing sub-Saharan Africa with North Africa







Bantu migrationBerlin Conferencestateless society


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Political



Content Builder• Much of sub-Saharan Africa continues to grow in population; its economies have largely decreased over

the past decade as a result of political instability in the region (e.g., internal conflicts and growing inflation). • Much of Africa’s economy relies on production from natural resources (e.g., diamonds, coffee, gold,

uranium, and cash crops). This reliance on primary economic activity in much of the interior of Africa has resulted in an economy that has become stagnant.

• Much of Africa’s resources are controlled by a few businesses/corporations or by warlords who use force and fear to manage their workforce. Cities in South Africa and along the Gold Coast (West Africa) are home to more advanced economic activity such as trade and manufacturing; however, a majority of Africa still exists on subsistence farming in the interior of the continent.

• As a result of the deteriorating economic conditions and lack of economic aid in sub-Saharan Africa, many parts of the continent are subject to famine and medical pandemics (e.g., famine in East Africa, spread of Ebola in West Africa, and the continent-wide spread of HIV/AIDS).

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use examples (e.g., farmers in Lesotho and contract farmers in Ethiopia) and visuals to help students

determine the differences between subsistence and commercial agriculture. Discuss what technology was/is necessary to make commercial agriculture profitable. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of com-mercial agriculture, particularly those ventures that impact developing countries or other corporate farm-ers (e.g., Dole bananas or pineapples). Differentiate between cottage industries and the factory system developed during the Industrial Revolution. Discuss issues related to commercial industries including pollution, working conditions, wages, etc.

• Define and give regional examples of the four levels (primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary) of eco-nomic activities used by many economists and geographers. Give students opportunities to determine the degree to which the presence of these levels of economic activity relate to the level of economic develop-ment in the region.

• Define economic activities (e.g., agriculture, industrial/manufacturing, service industries, etc.) and brain-storm examples in the region. Which factors influence of the location of these activities? Have students interpret maps (e.g., physical, climate, resource, land use, etc.) to see the relationship between where resources are located and the types of economic activities in a given region (e.g., climate and soil types affect agricultural production including productivity and types of crops grown; availability of raw materials affects the types of manufacturing industries, etc.).

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking of Africa as a nation of tribal communities and are exclusively agrarian• Thinking Africa is sparsely populated/agrarian rather than home to some of the largest cities in the world/

urban






commercial agriculturecommercial industriescottage industrieseconomic activities: primary,

secondary, tertiary, quaternary levels of developmentservice industriessubsistence agriculture

blood diamonds


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Economic



Content Builder• Africa is home to numerous volcanoes in the east along the collision of the African plate and Arabian plate.

Mountains are also found in the eastern part of the continent where these plates converge. • Africa’s east coast also experiences monsoons from the Indian Ocean, bringing heavy rains or typhoons

that flood interior lowlands and erode the soil and beaches.• The interior of Africa’s continent is largely comprised of tropical and humid, subtropical climate zones,

meaning that it receives large amounts of rain and has very high temperatures.• The thick jungles of Africa’s interior are difficult to navigate, making settlements more sporadic and often

located along major river systems such as the Congo, the upper Nile River, and the Senegal River.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students define and categorize the effects of various physical processes into those that build land-

forms and those that reduce landforms. Use a flow chart to show the effects of these processes and how one process causes another. For example, physical forces such as heat, convection, and gravity probably cause tectonic plates to move; in turn, this movement leads to mountain building, rift valleys, tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquakes. The processes of weathering and erosion reduce landforms and, in turn, lead to soil-building. Using pictures of landforms, have students determine what physical forces have been at work to create those landforms.

• Use climate maps and vegetation maps to infer and explain the relationship between climate and biomes in the region. What connections can be made between climate zones at low, middle, and high latitudes, landforms, bodies of water, and soils with the biomes that support and sustain plant and animal life?

• Use a graphic organizer such as PERSIA or PEGS to help students identify the ESP systems in place in a given region at a given time. Ask “How do these elements help create the unique characteristics of this place?” Use photos or readings to help students analyze the impact of ESP systems on the cultural characteristics of a place.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that Africa is predominantly a dry desert or savannah (e.g., the Serengeti)• Thinking that Africa does not have significant tectonic events rather than understanding that there are over

a dozen active volcanoes in East Africa


nomic, social, and cultural elements (R)WG.3(B) describe the physical processes that affect the environments of




biomes erosionhumiditysub-tropicaltectonic forcestropical

Congo RiverSahelSenegal RiverSerengetiUpper Nile River


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Content Builder• Africa’s sub-Saharan region is substantially below average on the Human Development Index, largely a

direct result of internal conflicts and pandemics that have impacted the region in recent decades.• The population of sub-Saharan Africa has continued to climb despite pandemics, famine, and conflicts.

As a result of the rapid population growth (Africa is now the second most populous continent after Asia), the ability to maintain and manage these populations has decreased, directly influencing the HDI. Life expectancies for adults in many countries fails to go beyond 65 years, compared with the global average of 74 years of age.

• Over-farming in the regions bordering the deserts of Africa has resulted in continued desertification near the Saharan Desert. This has also had a major impact in the region of Sudan, resulting in famine in east Africa in Ethiopia’s poorer rural communities as well as much of Somalia.

• Nigeria is the sixth leading exporter of oil in the world, extracting over two million barrels of oil at great cost to the environment from oil spills and fires which have increased the rate of sickness in the region.

• Much of Africa’s technology to transport supplies from the interior (e.g., railroads and steamboats) was brought over by European imperialists, leaving many African nations unable to use (or at least maintain) these transportation tools after the end of colonization. This has resulted in internal conflicts over control of these routes.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Define the terms gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy, literacy, and infant mortality. Explain

the concepts of level of development and standard of living as defined by the Human Development Index. Where do the countries in this region appear on the index? Give students opportunities to interpret data to draw conclusions about the level of development and standard of living. Make sure students understand that more developed nations have higher standards of living.

• Use multiple maps showing population densities to help students locate and describe the location of settle-ments. Compare these maps and locations to physical maps of the same regions so students can describe the impact of physical features on these settlement patterns. Analyze political, road or trade route, resource, and economic activity maps to show the relationship between the physical and human geogra-phy of a region and settlement within that region. Generalize that early settlements are along coastlines or navigable rivers; as density increases, settlement patterns shift to less desirable or less accessible land.

• Give students opportunities to create population pyramids, analyze data in population pyramids, and use data from multiple sources (maps, data sets, graphics) to infer and analyze population characteristics.

• Have students examine statistical models (graphs, charts) to describe the change over time in the growth of this region. Examine population distribution maps from various time periods to describe the shifts in the location of population centers worldwide. An internet search for world population growth creates an accessible list of graphs, maps, and text articles on the subject. Use a visual such as “The World at Night” to prompt conversation about distribution patterns.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking of Africa as a nation of tribal communities• Thinking Africa is sparsely populated rather than home to some of the largest cities in the world

Student Expectations �WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distribution (R)WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the







demographic indicators infant mortalitylevel of development life expectancypopulation trendsrenewable resourcesstandard of livingsustainable development

Gross Domestic Product per capitaHuman Development Index


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Content Builder• Africa is home to a diverse and wide assortment of ethnic and cultural groups. These ethnic groups began

as isolated tribal communities and, as such, have not always existed peacefully.• Two major religious groups in Africa are Christians and Muslims. Christians are found predominantly in

South Africa and West Africa where Europeans colonized; Islam is primarily found in the east in Somalia where Muslim traders brought the religion with them. In Ethiopia, a large Christian sect called the Coptic Christians have called the region home and are among the earliest Christian followers in Africa.

• During the 1990s, the Hutus and Tutsi groups were engaged in a genocide in Rwanda that required inter-national involvement to finally bring the violence to a close. Roughly 70 percent of the Tutsi population were killed by the Hutus during the decade; women and children were also maltreated during the intense conflict.

• In Darfur, Arab militias served as hired guns for the government who set out to systematically murder the Darfurians, burning villages and torturing women and children. As a result of the violence, over 2.8 million people have been displaced and another 400,000 killed in the violence. This has had a significant impact on the neighboring countries of Darfur who have seen large spikes in their populations.

• South Africa is still recovering from the severe mistreatment of native Africans in the 20th century. Apart-heid segregated black Africans from white residents (Afrikaans). During the 1980s, the political leader Nelson Mandela led a struggle for change to end Apartheid; finally, in the 1990s, the practice was ended, though its impacts can still be seen in cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Create a graphic organizer that explores and tracks the development and outcomes of the genocides and

ethnic violence in Africa. Have students research a solution to each of the problems and create a visual or written report for the United Nations to explore a potential resolution to these conflicts.

• Create a map to illustrate the spatial distribution of religious traditions in 21st century Africa. The Maps of War website provides an excellent 90-second animated presentation on the genesis and spread of major religious traditions and is an excellent visual for students to study.

• Have students explore current events in the region and analyze how the cultures of sub-Saharan Africa impact those events today.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Not recognizing that major religions (e.g., Christianity and Islam) are part of African culture








genocidesspatial distributionterrorismtraditional economiesunderrepresented populations

apartheidBuddhismChristianityCoptic ChristianDarfur

Hinduism IslamJudaism RwandaSikhism


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Social (Culture)

TEKS Cluster: South AsiaWG.8 Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.

Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.1, WG.2, WG.3, WG.4, WG.5, WG.7, WG.10, WG.11, WG.14, WG.17, WG.18




WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations ... and international organizations such as ... the United Nations (UN) ...

Economic �WG.11(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure

(technology, transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic activities

WG.10(D) compare global trade patterns over time and analyze the implications of globalization, including outsourcing and free trade zones


Geographic – Physical �WG.3(B) describe the physical processes that affect the environments of

regions, including weather, tectonic forces, erosion, and soil-building processes

WG.4(A) explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipitation, and distribution of climate regions

WG.4(B) describe different landforms such as plains, mountains, and islands and the physical processes that cause their development

Geographic – Human �WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political,

economic, social, and cultural elementsWG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distributionWG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify











TEKS Cluster: South Asia

Content Builder• One of the most significant physical features of South Asia is the Himalayan Mountains, separating the

region from direct, frequent contact with the rest of Asia. The Silk Road that passed through central and southwest Asia became the primary mode of trade for centuries between South Asia, the western world, and China.

• Beginning in the 12th century, Muslim traders (followed by the Portuguese in the 15th century) began to open up trade through the Indian Ocean, further connecting the subcontinent of South Asia with the rest of the world. These trade routes were dependent on the flow of the monsoon rains and winds.

• Much of the region has been controlled by various Indian empires throughout history: the Mauryan, the Gupta, and the Mughal dynasties. During the reign of these empires, the regions were stabilized and peaceful trade ensued, bringing prosperity to the region.

• Since the 19th century, the region was controlled by the British Empire. This unified many countries under the English flag, but created tensions among many of the cultures, particularly with the fall of the British Empire in the 20th century. Political boundaries separating new nations favored the country of India and created tensions, particularly between Pakistan and India, in the modern region of Kashmir. This region remains a hotbed of conflict and has required efforts by the United Nations to maintain the peace between the nuclear nations of India and Pakistan.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a map to define the region (India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh).• Have students use maps to track major trade routes from South Asia to the rest of world, identifying and

analyzing the impacts of the region’s physical features on trade and migration patterns.• Have students examine current events between the nations of Pakistan and India and how physical fea-

tures and history play a role in the political conflicts of the region. Use this research to determine possible courses of actions for establishing lasting peaceful relations. Students should also research current political issues in the region (e.g., the rise of terrorism in parts of India and Sri Lanka) and consider possible solu-tions that international organizations such as the United Nations can take to prevent further conflicts.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that South Asia is only the nation of India rather than including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan,

and Nepal• Thinking the Himalaya Mountains are in China rather than India/Nepal




WG.14(C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and resources, conflict/war, and international relations of sovereign nations ... and international organizations such as ... the United Nations (UN) ... (R)


international relationsmigration patterns sovereign nations

Himalaya MountainsKashmirSilk RoadUnited Nations (UN)


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Political



Content Builder• India has the second highest population in the world and is also home to one of the world’s most diverse

economies. While over half of the workforce remains in the primary economic activities of agriculture (tea, cotton, rice cultivation), India has seen a substantial increase in industry and services (secondary and tertiary economic activities) in many of its largest cities. Despite India’s workforce being primarily agrar-ian, over 30 percent of the GDP comes from the industrial services and 50 percent comes from tertiary (service) economic activities.

• Technology is a critical part of the Indian economy. Engineering and pharmaceutical research are critical parts of the economic markets of India. As a result of India’s vast technological resources and low-cost labor force, many businesses from around the world have outsourced their labor to the region in an effort to capitalize on a growing infrastructure and a cheap labor force.

• Much of South Asia’s economy outside of India comes from primary economic activities such as agriculture and mining. The Maldives has seen a significant increase in tourism in recent decades as has the small nation of Nepal which has benefitted by an increased tourism industry boosted by those wishing to climb the Himalaya Mountains. Tourism has been negatively impacted, however, by natural disasters such as monsoons and heavy snows as well as violence in the region (terrorism in Sri Lanka and conflicts between Pakistan and India). Pakistan’s economy is developing and is mostly focused on secondary economic activi-ties such as manufacturing of maritime, medical, and automotive products.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students analyze maps showing GDP growth in various regions of India and compare those with maps

showing major urban and physical geographic features. Analyze how the GDP growth compares to the loca-tion of major urban areas. Have students do a quick write evaluating the relationship between GDP and advanced economic activities found in urban centers.

• Have students research key industries in South Asia (e.g., pharmaceutical research, industrial production, tourism, agriculture) and present their conclusions about the implications of these economic activities on the future of South Asia.

• Have students research current issues related to global outsourcing including the effect on free trade zones and trade. Use a graphic organizer to show the positives and negatives of outsourcing.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking India is a highly developed nation because of the large cities and service industry rather than

recognizing this represents only a small fraction of the workforce• Associating Pakistan with Afghanistan as a poor, sparsely populated region with limited economic activity






climateeconomic activities: primary,

secondary, tertiary, quaternaryfree trade zonesglobalizationlevels of developmentoutsourcing

ecotourism


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Economic



Content Builder• The Himalaya Mountains are the result of the collision of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates converg-

ing and pushing the surface to form the mountains. The mountains are among the tallest in the world, exceeding 30,000 feet in elevation at many of its peaks. The mountains serve as a buffer from the mon-soonal winds from the Indian Ocean and, therefore, see a great deal of snowfall and high winds throughout the year.

• There are two major river systems that run through South Asia: the Ganges River and the Indus River. Both originate in the Himalaya Mountains to the north and flow south toward the Indian Ocean (the Ganges in the east and the Indus in the west). These rivers provide vital water supplies to the region; they served as the initial locations of human civilization in the region and provided a network for trade and access to fresh water. During the monsoons, these rivers often flood causing great destruction, but also rebuilding the soil around the river and creating new, rejuvenated soil.

• The Maldives are a collection of islands south of India in the Indian Ocean. These islands are coral islands (as opposed to islands made from volcanic eruptions under water as seen in the Pacific Ocean) and are well-known for their beaches and coral reefs.

• The climates of India are directly impacted by the monsoonal flows of the Indian Ocean. Much of India and Sri Lanka have a climate that is typically tropical while in the northwest the weather is typically dry and arid.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students define and categorize the effects of physical processes into those that build landforms and

those that reduce landforms. Use a flow chart to show the effects of these processes and how one process causes another. For example, physical forces such as heat, convection, and gravity probably cause tectonic plates to move; in turn, this movement leads to mountain building, rift valleys, tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquakes. The processes of weathering and erosion reduce landforms and, in turn, lead to soil-building. Using pictures of landforms, have students determine what physical forces have been at work to create those landforms.

• Use a variety of special purpose maps showing physical features, climate, vegetation, and resources to interpret and describe the effect of various factors on the creation of climate regions.

• Use a map to identify and describe the plains, mountains, and islands in the region (e.g., Himalaya Moun-tains, Ganges River, Maldives, etc.). What are the physical processes that created these landforms?

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Assuming that India is either completely jungle or completely desert due to its association with Pakistan• Mixing up the Ganges River with the Indus Rivers

Student Expectations �WG.3(B) describe the physical processes that affect the environments of


WG.4(A) explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipi-tation, and distribution of climate regions (R)



distribution of climateelevationerosionprecipitationtectonic forces

Arabian PlateEurasian PlateGanges RiverIndus RiverMaldives


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Content Builder• India’s population has seen a steady increase in the past decades (between two and three percent

increases per year) resulting in its growth to the second largest country in the world as of 2018. Much of this population lives in urban cities along the coasts and rivers, resulting in overcrowded cities and heavily polluted waters in the Ganges and Indus rivers. In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 14 of the 15 most polluted cities in the world can be found in India, endangering the respiratory health of the residents as well as threatening access to clean water supplies for the growing population.

• India is heavily dependent on the monsoons for its annual rainfall. This has resulted in increased use of technology to monitor temperature changes in the Pacific Ocean related to El Niño, which can lead to extensive droughts in India.

• Changes in global climate patterns have brought about an increasing number of cyclones of intensifying strength in the Indian Ocean, resulting in catastrophic damage to urban and rural areas from flooding and winds. Soil erosion is also becoming a problem in the islands of the Maldives and Sri Lanka as the cyclones consistently remove the shoreline and increased water levels threaten to submerge the islands.

• Despite a large industrial complex in India, much of South Asia remains fairly low on the Human Develop-ment Index due to the threat of disease and illness from the overcrowding of cities and lack of basic medi-cal care in many parts of South Asia. Literacy rates are also substantially lower because of a lack of public education outside of the cities.

• India has an advanced rail network connecting its major cities and transports roughly 18 million people per day. This massive railroad project has become increasingly important as a means of combatting the unhealthy levels of pollution found in India.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a graphic organizer such as PERSIA or PEGS to help students identify the ESP systems in place in a given

region at a given time. Ask “How do these elements help create the unique characteristics of this place?” Use photos or readings to help students analyze the impact of ESP systems on the cultural characteristics of a place.

• Give students opportunities to create population pyramids, analyze data in population pyramids, and use data from multiple sources (maps, data sets, graphics) to infer and analyze population characteristics in this region.

• Have students examine statistical models (graphs, charts) to describe the change over time in the growth of this region. Examine population distribution maps from various time periods to describe the shifts in the location of population centers world-wide.

• Have students analyze ways that the Maldives is trying to prevent the erosion of their islands from the increasing storms in the Indian Ocean.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that El Niño is a North American phenomenon and has no impact on India• Thinking that the most polluted cities are found in China rather than in South Asia


nomic, social, and cultural elements (R)WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distribution (R)WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the






population pyramids El Niño


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Content Builder• India has historically been a nation divided between Hinduism and Buddhism; aside from Pakistan, most

of South Asia follows a similar pattern. Hinduism was brought to India by the Aryans around 1800 BCE and was a means of establishing a social order that supported the Aryan leadership. The caste system, which created a tiered social hierarchy, was based on another overriding belief: karma. How one conducted one-self in life often reflected how they would return to the world when resurrected in the next cycle.

• Buddhism became popular in parts of India around 230 BCE and spread to China around that same time. Buddhism was a counter to Hinduism’s strict caste system and focused on equality of all.

• Islam was a major part of Indian history during the Mughal Empire and can be seen in the architecture of the Taj Mahal, which served as a mausoleum for the ruler’s wife. Islam, such as Buddhism, was considered popular due to the way it challenged the caste system by emphasizing equality in the eyes of their god, Allah.

• Sikhism is commonly found in northern India and southern Pakistan. It blends the Hindu concepts of time and space (as well as the caste system) with the monotheism of Islam. Its customs (e.g., prohibition of cutting hair and intoxication) have made the religion a unique culture in India. Sikhs have sought their own independent nation, leading to persecution by the Indian government in the 1990s.

• India has adopted many western traditions due to the British Empire as well as globalization, manifesting in the city of Mumbai and the idea of “Bollywood” (large movie productions similar to America’s Hollywood).

• Sri Lanka has found itself the focus of Islamic fundamentalists who are fighting against a growing Christian population. This was evidenced in 2019 with the Easter attacks against several Christian churches that resulted in numerous deaths.

• India and Pakistan have been in a state of conflict since the end of British rule in 1948. Islamic fundamen-talists have attacked Indian villages in the Punjab region of northern India, heightening tensions between the two nuclear powers. China and the United States have played a significant role in trying to de-escalate the rising tensions between the two nations.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Have students research the various religions of South Asia and create a four-part Venn diagram to show

the similarities and differences among the religions. Have students complete a quick write that summarizes how these differences can have positive and negative impacts on the region.

• Have students create maps to analyze the distribution of religions in South Asia.• Have students research current issues related to terrorism and conflict in the region and develop a written

response to prevent further violence and maintain peace in the nuclear region.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that South Asia is only Hindu• Thinking that Sikhism is an extension of Islam rather than its own religion






caste systemgenocideskarmaspatial distributionterrorism

BollywoodBuddhism HinduismIslam SikhismTaj Mahal


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Social (Culture)

TEKS Cluster: East and Southeast AsiaWG.8 Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.

Connected Knowledge and Skills WG.1, WG.2, WG.4, WG.5, WG.6, WG.7, WG.10, WG.11, WG.14, WG.15, WG.16, WG.17, WG.18



WG.1(B) trace the spatial diffusion of phenomena such as the Columbian Exchange or the diffusion of American popular culture and describe the effects on regions of contact



Economic �WG.10(B) classify countries along the economic spectrum between free

enterprise and communismWG.11(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure

(technology, transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic activities

WG.10(D) compare global trade patterns over time and analyze the implications of globalization, including outsourcing and free trade zones

Geographic – Physical �WG.4(A) explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents,

position on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipitation, and distribution of climate region


WG.4(B) describe different landforms such as plains, mountains, and islands and the physical processes that cause their development

Geographic – Human �WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political,

economic, social, and cultural elementsWG.6(B) explain the processes that have caused changes in settlement patterns,

including urbanization, transportation, access to and availability of resources, and economic activities

WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distributionWG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify








WG.18(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war, trade, innovations, and diffusion




TEKS Cluster: East and Southeast Asia

Content Builder• East/Southeast Asia is home to a variety of governments:

– Japan has a constitutional monarchy with a ceremonious emperor at its head, but the actual power falls to the parliament. The emperor lost any power or influence after the World War II as a result of the peace agreement with the allies, though much of the emperor’s power was stripped by the shoguns during Japan’s feudal period.

– China has a communist-led government, though it self-identifies as a republic. The government leader-ship is comprised of a president and vice president who serve as the chief of state elected by voting party members (roughly 2900 voters). The government was formed in 1949 after the fall of nationalist China at the end of World War II, which was a direct break with the Chinese dynasties ending with the Qing in 1911.

– North Korea has a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by Kim Jong Un. Though declared a communist nation, the rule of the leadership is absolute with total control of the media and what outside visitors can see and do.

– Vietnam is a communist state with a president selected by the national assembly, similar to China, as a result of the decolonization of Vietnam and the subsequent Vietnam War with the United States.

• Many political and cultural ideologies spread throughout Asia, particularly the idea of communism. Com-munism originated in the Soviet Union and spread to much of Asia during the Cold War period as Russia sought to extend its sphere of influence.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a map to define the region. East Asia includes Japan, South Korea, China, Mongolia, and North Korea.

Southeast Asia includes Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar.• Have students create a graphic organizer that looks at the countries of North Korea, Vietnam, China, and

Japan to compare their political systems, including how power changes hands, how leaders are elected, and who has voting influence in the government system.

• Have students compare the historical empires/dynasties of China and Japan and use imagery and artifacts to evaluate how political systems have evolved over time.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that a communist government is the same as a dictatorship



WG.1(B) trace the spatial diffusion of phenomena such as the Columbian Ex-change or the diffusion of American popular culture and describe the effects on regions of contact (R)




communist stateconstitutional monarchydictatorshipnationalismspatial diffusiontotalitarian


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Political



Content Builder• China has transitioned from a command economy to a market-based economy in the last 30 years,

decentralizing many of its economic businesses, including agriculture and industrial manufacturing. This has been a direct response to China’s desire to take a greater role in global trade, sparking some economic conflicts with large economic countries such as the United States (tariffs). This shift to free market policies has resulted in increased numbers of factories and has driven pollution up to dangerous levels in many Chinese cities.

• Much of Southeast Asia is linked together in the AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area), which allows for free trade between Southeast Asian nations and promotes combining economic power to have more influence in global trade.

• Conflicts over control of international waters between nations (e.g., Japan, China, Taiwan, and the Philip-pines) have prompted difficulties in maintaining free trade as nations (e.g., China) threaten to close off major shipping lanes.

• Japan and China’s high-speed rail systems have promoted greater economic growth in their countries.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Working in groups or individually, have students research the economy of a specific country. Create a con-

tinuum that ranges from traditional economies to communist economies. Have students place the name of their country on the continuum and defend their choice, citing specific examples of how that country’s economy answers the basic economic questions. Alternatively, students could form a “human” continuum and place themselves on the economic spectrum.

• Have students research and explore the importance of trade agreements such as ASEAN/AFTA and identify how those trade agreements have positively and negatively impacted the region economically.

• Using a T-chart or other graphic organizer, have students brainstorm changes within transportation, com-munication, and technology on one side and detail the impact of that change on economic development on the other side.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking free trade agreements are limited to Europe and America• Thinking China has a command economy

Student Expectations �WG.10(B) classify countries along the economic spectrum between free enter-

prise and communism (S)WG.11(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure (tech-




economic spectrum free trade zonesglobal trade patternsglobalizationinfrastructureoutsourcing

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)tariffs


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Economic



Content Builder• In East/Southeast Asia, several rivers have played especially significant roles in the economic and cultural

development of the region: – The Yangtze River runs along the northern border of China with Mongolia and is the longest river in Asia.

The river is navigable by ocean vessels up to 1,000 miles from its mouth. – The Yellow River runs in the southern part of China and serves as a primary mode of trade in southern

China and supplies fresh water for numerous communities. – The Mekong River flows through much of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand and is a vital source of trade and

resources for the Vietnamese people. • The rivers in the region are prone to flooding, particularly the Yellow River, which accumulates large

amounts of sediments and loess (a mossy soil) causing small dams to form along the river each season. The flooding wipes out not only human features, but also large amounts of soil is eroded making the land unusable for farming.

• Hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean, called typhoons, are a frequent event in Southeast and East Asia, particu-larly in the Philippines and in Japan. These storms can have devastating effects on the economy and can flood coastal regions at the loss of much vegetation and life.

• Earthquakes are a frequent occurrence along the Pacific Ocean due to the Ring of Fire, with the most severe of these earthquakes sparking tsunamis (giant ocean waves) that travel hundreds of miles before colliding with the islands of the Pacific. One example of this extreme event occurred in 2011 in the Fuku-shima Prefecture of Japan when a massive tsunami wave struck a nuclear power plant and nearly caused it to melt down.

• Volcanoes are found largely in the islands of Southeast Asia, with frequent eruptions disrupting life and trade in the region.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a variety of special purpose maps showing physical features, climate, vegetation, and resources for stu-

dents to interpret and describe the effect of various factors on the creation of climate regions.• Use a map to identify and describe the plains, mountains, and islands in the region (Yangtze, Yellow,

Mekong, Gobi Desert, etc.). What are the physical processes that created these landforms?• Have students research current events related to the impact of natural phenomenon such as tsunamis,

typhoons, and volcanoes and their impact on the physical processes and lives of the people living in East and Southeast Asia.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Confusing the Yellow River with the Yangtze River


on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipi-tation, and distribution of climate region (R)




distribution of climatetsunamityphoon

Mekong RiverRing of FireYangtze RiverYellow River


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Content Builder• East Asia is one of the most well-developed regions of the world, with China and Japan ranking 86th and 19th

respectively. Reasons for high life expectancy include low red meat diets, active lifestyles, and advanced public education systems that have substantially increased literacy rates in these nations. High levels of production and service industries in the case of Japan have seen healthy rises of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which has increased the per capita GNI (Gross National Income) in these nations, a significant factor of the HDI.

• Unlike East Asia, Southeast Asia ranks substantially lower on the Human Development Index. War and conflict have plagued the region for many years, making countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia lower on the index than many of their eastern counterparts.

• Population trends in China and Japan are substantially different from one another. While China’s population main-tains a slight growth, Japan’s is seeing a steady decline.

• Humans have had to adapt and modify their environment to achieve their needs. Examples include: – The Three Gorges Dam was built by the Chinese to help mitigate the flood waters of the Yangtze River. The dam

produces electricity for much of China and also has expanded the width of the river to enable larger ships to navigate the river, at the expense of cultural sites and citizens living in the area who were forced to move due to the flooding.

– Japan has engineered many of its cities using technologies that are built to withstand powerful earthquakes, be taller, and include smaller living spaces. This is largely a result of the small amount, three percent, of livable land in Japan; much of the interior of the main islands are mountainous and not easily inhabitable by large popula-tions.

– The intervention of western culture, particularly Europeans and later Americans after World War II, has resulted in the spread of culture and traditions such as American pop music. J-Pop (Japanese pop music) and K-Pop (Korean pop music) have modeled themselves after American musical traditions and have spread around the world.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Use a graphic organizer such as PERSIA or PEGS to help students identify the economic, social, and political (ESP)

systems in place in a given region at a given time. Ask “How do these elements help create the unique characteristics of this place?” Use photos or readings to help students analyze the impact of ESP systems on the cultural character-istics of a place.

• Have students research and compare the aspects of the Human Development Index for countries in the region. Ana-lyze the information and look for patterns and conclusions as to why these countries are successful or struggling.

• Use multiple maps showing population densities to help students locate and describe the location of settlements. Compare these maps and locations to physical maps of the same regions to allow students to describe the impact of physical features on these settlement patterns. Analyze political, road or trade route, resource, and economic activ-ity maps to show the relationship between the physical and human geography of a region and settlement within that region. Generalize that early settlements are along coastlines or navigable rivers; as density increases, settle-ment patterns shift to less desirable or less accessible land.

• Have students analyze the population pyramids for countries in the region and look for trends. Have students deter-mine what might be causing the population to grow or decrease over time based on the population pyramids.

• Have students research ways that the region has adapted and modified the environment to meet their needs. Stu-dents should look at how these modifications have improved life for the citizens in the region but also their negative impacts as well. Have students complete a quick write that evaluates whether the modification was worth the cost.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that pop music only spread from America to other countries and failing to recognize that culture spreads

two ways


nomic, social, and cultural elements (R)WG.6(B) explain the processes that have caused changes in settlement pat-


WG.7(C) describe trends in world population growth and distribution (R)WG.8(A) compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the







globalizationinfant mortalitylevel of developmentlife expectancypopulation pyramids standard of living

Gross Domestic Product per capitaHuman Development Index


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Content Builder• Wars have shaped Southeast and East Asia throughout history, particularly in the 20th century. Wars

fought in Vietnam and Korea saw large movements in population as refugees fled from the violence. • Cambodia was the site of massive political turmoil and conflict under the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Many

Cambodians subsequently fled to nearby Laos and Vietnam to escape persecution.• Much of urban life in cities such as Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong contain similar elements as western cul-

ture with clubs, gaming, and shipping. American music, such as American pop music, has become a staple in the region and even developed its own adaptations for Japanese and Korean popular music.

• Many Asian cultures have strong familial ties, resulting in many communities that have large, extended families living in the same home or in the same area.

Instructional ImplicationsWhen you teach this subcluster, remember to:• Using a T-chart or other graphic organizer, discuss and list the PEGS characteristics of urban areas vs. rural

areas. Discuss what changes occur as the setting/people shift from urban to rural. Compare the character-istics and evaluate the changes that occur in urban settings when compared with rural settings within the same region or among world regions.

• Have students research the effects of war and conflict in the region to analyze how these events impacted the societies of neighboring nations.

Learning from MistakesStudents may make the following mistakes:• Thinking that the Vietnam War and Korean War were only American affairs and not thinking about their

impacts on Asian nations



WG.18(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war, trade, innovations, and diffusion (R)



J-PopKhmer RougeKorean WarK-PopVietnam War


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Social (Culture)

teks cluster: introduction to physical geography...teks cluster: introduction to physical geography...

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