For work reasons, I am reading Why Geography Matters, by Harm de Blij. I have only read the first three chapters so far, but definitely recommend it. Here is my draft of a lesson plan for the first third of chapter 1–please comment, if you are so inclined…
Chapter 1
In the first part of chapter 1, de Blij sketches out the boundaries of geography as a profession, explaining what it is that geographers do, why their work can be so varied and can cross the lines of so many disciplines, and what kinds of practical, real-world problems geographers might try to solve. This lesson focuses on the theme of the book, geographic literacy, and what it might mean to look at the world spatially.
1) Class discussion: Ask students to discern the theme of this book based on the title and first chapter. Ask students what the word literacy means, and then ask what geographic literacy is. What skills do students think are necessary in order to be geographically literate? Is geographic literacy something one can learn in a class, or is it something that one has to keep practicing throughout life in order to keep up with it? What do students think that it means to look at the world spatially? Encourage students to connect the idea of looking at the world spatially to the idea of using maps and globes. What kind of space are geographers interested in?
2) Geographic literacy quiz: Split the class into pairs (or very small groups). Give each pair a globe, map, or atlas, and have the partners quiz each other on world geography. Ask partners to assess each other’s geographic literacy.
3) Newspaper: Keep the class in pairs or small groups. Give each group a recent newspaper. Have the groups go through the newspaper, finding locations of world events on a globe or world map. If possible, find national and local events on a map as well. Then discuss the relevance of geographic literacy to understanding the events in the newspaper. In order to understand the newspaper, how important it is to be geographically literate?
4) Brainstorming: Have students reconsider the concept of literacy. They know that ordinary literacy means knowing how to read and write. De Blij has introduced them to the concept of geographic literacy. Are there other kinds of literacies? Ask students what kinds of literacy they might need in order to more fully understand what they read in the newspaper. Is there such a thing as historical literacy? or civic literacy? Have students make a list of other kinds of literacies they might think of, such as mathematical literacy, scientific literacy, computer literacy, and cultural literacy. Point out that basic literacy usually means the minimum amount of knowledge that a person needs in order to get by as an adult, living in the world in which we live. What literacies do students feel are necessary to function as an adult in your community? Encourage students to play with the idea of literacy and illiteracy a little, extending the concepts. For example, is there such a thing as sports literacy? Are there literacies associated with certain hobbies, such as knitting literacy or fishing literacy? If you move to a new town or school, are you culturally illiterate in the new environment at first?
5) Homework: Write an essay explaining what geographic literacy is. What does it consist of? According to de Blij, what would a person have to do in order to become geographically literate? Support your answer with examples from this chapter. If you wish, compare and contrast geographic literacy with one or more other kinds of literacy in order to make your point.
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