Educators and students plan a service learning project.
# Key Method Educators help students take the area of interest they identified during exploration and turn their interests into a concrete project proposal. # Method Components Educators and students must create a plan that includes an investigation of the community problems that they might potentially address and a proposal for their service learning project. The following planning components and steps are suggested as a way to help students organize their interests and create a plan for their service learning project that they will develop into a proposal. ### ### Components for planning the Service Learning Project 1. Investigate service learning opportunities 2. Prepare and submit a service learning project proposal **Suggested Investigation Steps** Have students follow the steps below in planning the service learning project: 1. Research * Develop lists of possible service topics of interest to students. * Narrow down student lists of possible service topics by eliminating any that are less interesting to them. * Identify main areas of interest and conduct general and then more specific research. * Describe the problem or need students plan to address and why it is important, based on their research. 2. Field Observation * Identify a local organization—or a larger organization with a local presence—that addresses the topic on which they want to focus. * Arrange to do an onsite observation or volunteer with the organization for at least an hour. Students record their observations in a notebook. * Write a brief description of their observation, reporting on questions they had, what they learned about how the problem is addressed, what they did during the observation, and how this will help address the identified need. 3. Interview * Select someone from the organization—or someone otherwise connected with the organization or the problem being addressed—for an interview. * Write interview questions, practice their questions with another student, and otherwise prepare for the interview. * Conduct the interview and write a summary of the interview, listing the most important takeaways for their project. **Suggested Proposal Steps** Have students follow the steps below in preparing and submitting their service learning project proposal: Project Proposal * Write the proposal(s) (as a whole class or in small groups, depending on how the projects will be carried out) following the project proposal guidelines on page 7 of the National Geographic Service Learning Workbook ([](http://media.nationalgeographic.org/assets/file/service-learning-workbook.pdf)). * Share proposal(s) with peer review groups. * Submit proposal(s) to the teacher for review, feedback, revision as needed, and approval. Students will use the National Geographic Service Learning Toolkit: Service Learning Workbook for this competency.
High-quality service learning approaches have positive impacts on students’ social-personal development, academic achievement, citizenship, and career awareness. Service learning impacts are likely to be maximized if they contain the following elements (excerpted from original list in resource): * Students assuming a high degree of responsibility for program planning and implementation and their behavior while working in the community; * Students having more direct contact with community members; * Programs containing high-quality reflection activities that go well beyond summarizing the service experience and capturing feelings; * Educators playing a strong mediating role in helping students to understand the meaning of their experiences and making explicit connections to curriculum; * Schools explicitly tying service learning to academic areas in which students are expected to become proficient. * Billig, Shelley H. “Support for K-12 Service-Learning Practice: A Brief Review of the Research.” *Educational Horizons*, vol. 80, no. 4, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL: THE CASE FOR A RADICAL OVERHAUL OF TEACHER CERTIFICATION, 1 July 2002, pp. 184–189., [](http://www.jstor.org/stable/42927126)<http://www.jstor.org/stable/42927126>. Accessed 1 Aug. 2016.\ “While disagreement about the definition of service-learning persists, there is general consensus that its major components include ‘active participation, thoughtfully organized experiences, focus on community needs and school/community coordination, academic curriculum integration, structured time for reflection, opportunities for application of skills and knowledge, extended learning opportunities, and development of a sense of caring for others.’” * Bhaerman, Robert D., et al. “The Role of Service-Learning in Educational Reform.” *The Role of Service-Learning in Educational Reform*, Simon & Schuster Custom Pub., Needham Heights, MA, 1998, p. 4.
These toolkits provide step-by-step instructions, along with background rationale, for designing and implementing service learning projects. * National Geographic Society. Service Learning Toolkit. [](http://nationalgeographic.org/media/service-learning-toolkit/)<http://nationalgeographic.org/media/service-learning-toolkit/> * RMC Research Corporation. K-12 Service-Learning Project Planning Toolkit. Scotts Valley, CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, 2006/2009. [https://www.ffa.org/sitecollectiondocuments/lts\_servicelearningtoolkit.pdf](https://www.ffa.org/sitecollectiondocuments/lts_servicelearningtoolkit.pdf) * Although not specifically about service learning projects, this resources lists thoughtful strategies for developing authentic project-based learning experiences that are relevant to the service learning planning process. Edutopia. “Empowering Students to Change the World.” (2015). [](http://www.edutopia.org/blog/empowering-students-change-the-world-chase-mielke) <http://www.edutopia.org/blog/empowering-students-change-the-world-chase-mielke> * Although your service learning project should meet the interests of your students and the needs of your community, here are some service learning project examples to get the ideas flowing. The Good Character Service Learning Primer: Project Examples. [](http://www.goodcharacter.com/SERVICE/primer-10.html) <http://www.goodcharacter.com/SERVICE/primer-10.html> * AMLE. “Service-Learning: The Time Is Now.” <http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/212/Service-Learning-The-Time-Is-Now.aspx>
Following are the items you must submit to earn this micro-credential and the criteria by which they will be evaluated. To earn this micro-credential, you must receive a “Passing” evaluation for each of the questions in Parts 1, 3, and 4, and a “Met” for Part 2, per the criteria listed.
Written responses and artifacts to demonstrate competence
Activity description is clear with sufficient detail to know what the students did to complete the planning process for a service learning project.
Submission does not meet passing requirements.
Activity evaluation process and evidence are clear, appropriate, and sufficient to evaluate the competencies.
Student reflections clearly demonstrate how the activities helped them build skills toward preparing a service learning project proposal that would be approved for implementation. The reflections also show real thought about what the whole purpose of the activity is: service to others and their community.
Teacher reflections will be specific and convincing in describing how implementing these activities with students has affected the teachers practice.
Student work includes two work examples that clearly demonstrate a thorough examination of community needs and student areas of interest was conducted using a combination of needs/interest assessments, field observation, and community organization interviews. Evidence indicates that students identified one or more possible service learning projects.
Student work includes two work examples that indicate students conducted one but not all of the investigations (needs/interest assessments, field observation, and community organization interviews). Evidence indicates that students identified one possible service learning project.
Student work includes a list of possible service learning projects but does not include evidence of the needs assessments or other investigations having been conducted.
Activity Description: What kinds of activities did you and your students engage in to become more proficient at planning a service learning project and preparing a project proposal? Please describe the learning activities and strategies you usedeither from the suggested investigation steps or your own strategies.
Activity Evaluation: How do you know your students increased their proficiency in service learning project planning by engaging in the activities? What formative and summative evaluation methods did you use? What evidence did you collect during the planning process that demonstrates these learning gains? In what ways does the proposal(s) your students prepared and submitted demonstrate their proficiency in planning a service learning project?
Please submit the following work examples: 1. Two work examples demonstrating your students’ service learning project investigation. These items might include: * List of possible service learning projects generated by students; * Research report—outcome of student research on one or more community problems or areas of interest to be addressed by possible service learning projects; * Report or other demonstration of contact with a community organization, such as a write-up of an interview, a report from an observation at the organization, or an article in a school newspaper. 2. One service learning project proposal prepared and submitted by students—either a whole-class or small-group project.
For two students whose service learning project proposal was submitted, submit student-created reflections on their experience of the project planning and proposal submission activities and the process itself. Use the following questions as a guide: - In what ways did the service learning project planning process deepen your understanding of the purpose for service learning and increase your interest in participating in a project? - To what extent did participating in the service learning project planning activities prepare you to carry out your project?
Provide a reflection on what you learned during this activity, using the following questions as a guide: - What was the impact of engaging your students in the process of planning a service learning project? - How will experiencing these activities inform or influence your teaching practiceeither in future service learning processes, in project-based learning activities, or in general teaching practice? How might you modify the activities in the service learning planning process?
Educator nurtures student reflection through all phases of a service learning project.
# Key Method Teacher leads students in activities that help students understand the service learning experience and to think about its meaning and connection to them, their society, and what they have learned in school. # Method Components Allowing students the time to process and reflect on their experiences adds value to their service learning experience. Reflection should occur during all phases of the project and should include modalities in addition to writing, such as discussion, movement, art, music, or film. Challenge students to be innovative and creative. Reflecting on the project as a whole helps students be better prepared for future projects and reinforces the content learning that supported their project. ### Components for Nurturing Students in Reflection 1. Set the tone for reflection 2. Guide student reflection 3. Provide diverse methods for documenting reflection **Suggested Strategies for Setting the Tone** * Schedule adequate time for reflection throughout the service learning experience—from planning through conducting the project. * Move students away from what they are currently doing, signaling a shift in tone. * Scaffold reflective practice by using sentence frames such as “What I enjoyed most about brainstorming ideas for our project was \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_” or “When we were doing \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ I realized \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.” * Provide enough wait time to allow students to reflect before responding to questions or prompts. Give students opportunities to respond in whole-class, small-group, or individual student settings. * Model reflective thinking by responding first to some sentence frame prompts or share your reactions. **Suggested Steps for Guiding Reflection** (Note: Have students work through these steps for each component in the process: research, planning, and carrying out the service learning project.) * Have students work individually to complete the Self-Evaluation Rubric in the Service Learning Workbook: [](http://media.nationalgeographic.org/assets/file/service-learning-workbook.pdf) Discuss in small groups if your class is comfortable sharing, using specific examples as much as possible. * Place students in small groups to discuss what worked well and what could be improved. If students conducted projects in small groups, keep those groups together for this discussion. * Ask each small group to write down advice they would give other students undertaking this process. * As a whole class or in small groups, provide a list of reflective questions appropriate to the step in the process you are working on. Adapt questions from “The 40 Reflection Questions” Edutopia: or adapt them as appropriate: + What are two things you learned? + What is the most interesting thing you learned? + What do you know now that you did’t know before? + What will you tell your parents tonight if they ask what you learned? + Draw something that represents the most important thing you learned. Write a short description. At the end of the project: * In small groups, have students discuss what they would like to do next. Would they like to apply their learning to another project? Would they like to continue with the service work they started? What might they do differently or additionally if they were to continue? * As a whole class, discuss whether this service learning project could be a model for other students to follow. How might they introduce or facilitate this? Brainstorm ideas. **Ideas for Documenting Reflection** * Encourage students to think of a variety of ways to document their reflections. * Provide students with examples, such as: * Poems * Sticky notes on a wall or poster responding to reflection questions * Reflective essays * Personal journals * Drawings, cartoons See examples of various reflection methods in “Reflection Activities” at .
* Reflection—for students and teachers alike—is an essential component of the service learning experience. Reflection allows participants to examine the process and their roles in it as they work through each step. It facilitates testing and iteration in any project and leads to better experiences and results for all. * According to the “Importance of Students Reflection” article, “Reflection is a process of examining and interpreting experience to gain new understanding.” Reflection facilitates learning about individual values in the context of social issues. It challenges students to assess their own biases or stereotypes, and it fosters “a sense of connection to the community” that is more likely to lead to continued service. Students should be provided with a variety of reflection activities to accommodate learning styles and interests. * “Importance of Student Reflection” *Welcome* to Writing@CSU, Writing@CSU, [writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/service\_learning/refben.cfm](https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/service_learning/refben.cfm). Accessed 9 July 2017.
* National Geographic, Service Learning Toolkit. [](http://nationalgeographic.org/media/service-learning-toolkit/)<http://nationalgeographic.org/media/service-learning-toolkit/> * ASCD, Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind, Chapter 12: Learning Through Reflection. <http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108008/chapters/Learning-Through-Reflection.aspx> * University of Hawaii, Reflective Thinking: RT. <http://www.hawaii.edu/intlrel/pols382/Reflective%20Thinking%20-%20UH/reflection.html>
Following are the items you must submit to earn this micro-credential and the criteria by which they will be evaluated. To earn this micro-credential, you must receive a “Passing” evaluation for each of the questions in Parts 1 and 3 as well as a “Met” for Part 2, per the criteria listed.
Activity description is clear with sufficient detail to know what the students did to process and reflect on their service learning planning and implementation experiences.
Documentation of student reflection shows that reflection activities took place during the research, planning, and implementation phases of the service learning project. Student reflection shows levels of self-assessment and metacognition appropriate for grade level/age.
Documentation of student reflection shows that reflection activities took place during either planning or implementation, but not both. Student reflection shows levels of self-assessment and metacognition appropriate for grade level/age.
Documentation of student artifacts shows little evidence of thoughtful reflection activities. Student reflection shows levels of self-assessment and metacognition that are below expectations for grade level/age.
Activity Evaluation: How do you know your students increased their capabilities in reflection and self-assessment? What formative and summative evaluation methods did you use? What evidence did you collect during student reflection activities that demonstrates these learning gains? In what ways does student documentation of their reflection demonstrate their proficiency in this skill?
Activity Description: What kinds of activities did you and your students engage in to set the tone for reflection, guide student reflection, and document student reflection?
Please submit work examples from two students (journals, essays, drawings, video, poems, or other products) that demonstrate progress toward students’ skills in self-reflection on the service learning planning and implementation process.
This activity focuses on nurturing students skills in reflection. Now, its time for you to reflect on your experience with the activity. Provide a reflection on what you learned during this activity, using the following questions as a guide: - What did you learn about your own reflection practices during this activity? - In what ways did students reflection throughout the steps in planning and implementing a service learning project impact the (a) process, (b) outcome, and (c) students experiences overall? To what extent will you use student reflection in other classroom projects?
Tying Service Learning to Curriculum Goals
Teachers lead students in aligning service learning to student learning goals and outcomes.
# Key Method Teachers and students evaluate the ways in which service learning activities align with course learning goals and standards, and teachers guide students in determining how course learning objectives could be met through service learning applied to real-world problems. # Method Components Learning is what distinguishes service learning from a service project. Service learning can be integrated in most aspects of the curriculum and can serve as a vehicle to address learning standards. In fact, service learning projects often lend themselves to a multidisciplinary approach. As students and teachers work together to design a successful service learning project, they must first address how this experience will help them meet established learning goals for the course or the school—and how it will meet their own learning needs. **Learning Goals and Standards** In any service learning, it is important to keep the learning goals and standards that you want to address foremost in the planning process. Most service learning lends itself to the language arts and social studies standards listed below, but specific standards in science, math, foreign language, history, literature, physical education, and many other subject areas can also be addressed through service learning. Identifying standards early ensures that your service learning experience will provide an authentic outlet for the application of your content standards. * Common Core Language Arts + CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W. 3.2, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2, 8.2, 9-10.2, 11-12.2 + CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W. 3.4, 4.4, 5.4, 6.4, 7.4, 8.4, 9-10.4, 11-12.4 + CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W. 3.7, 4.7, 5.7, 6.7, 7.7, 8.7, 9-10.7, 11-12.7 * Social Studies + 10: Civic Ideals and Practices National Geographic Society.*Service Learning Toolkit: Educator Guide. p. 4.* [](http://nationalgeographic.org/media/service-learning-toolkit/)*[](http://nationalgeographic.org/media/service-learning-toolkit/)* Before working through the steps in the components of introducing a service learning project listed below, read the rationale for aligning service learning goals with curriculum found in the Issue Brief: The Impact of Service Learning: A Review of Current Research, at [http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/issuebrief\_servicelearning.pdf](http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/issuebrief_servicelearning.pdf). ### Components of aligning a service learning project to learning goals and standards Addressing this competency involves you in looking at the alignment of a service learning project to class learning goals and required standards in three steps. First, you identify for yourself what standards and/or learning objectives you would like to address through a service learning project. Second, you bring students into the process by having them work in groups to solicit their ideas. And, finally, you work together with students to put your ideas together in a class plan. **Step One: The Teacher’s List** Identify learning objectives for the course that can be addressed through a service learning project—ensuring that the service learning experience will provide an authentic outlet for the application of your content standards. The “K-12 Service-Learning Project Planning Toolkit” (link in Resources below), includes a set of indicators that are key criteria for ensuring a well-planned, curriculum-aligned service learning project. These include: Indicators: 1. The service-learning has clearly articulated learning goals. 2. The service-learning is aligned with the academic and/or programmatic curriculum. 3. The service-learning helps participants learn how to transfer knowledge and skills from one setting to another. **Suggested Strategy:** * Write down the learning objectives for your lessons in the coming semester or school year. Note especially those that are longer-term objectives that you will most likely work on throughout the year/semester. * Identify two or three objectives (or standards you need to meet) that you think are especially adapted to a unit involving service learning. * As you shorten your list, think about the factors, such as time, support, time of year (important for projects that involve work outdoors), possibilities of funding, etc. that impact which objectives are most likely to be possible to address through service learning. * Although you won’t finalize any project ideas until the student participation phases of this suggested strategy, you know your students better than anyone—and you might want to consider at this point how you might need to differentiate any project to meet the diverse needs of your students. **Step Two: Getting Students Involved** Involve students in assessing how course learning objectives might be met by service learning activities addressing real-world problems. **Suggested Strategy:** * Introduce students to the idea of service learning. * Have students review the learning objectives for your course/subject. * Have students work in small groups—perhaps assigning one learning objective or standard to each group—to come up with ideas for applications of the service learning concept to course learning objectives. * Have students chart their group's ideas and present them to the whole class. * As a class, use the ideas to generate suggestions for potential community **issues or problems** that would allow them to learn and apply course objectives. For example, ask: how does the community issue of too few recreation opportunities for teens relate to our class learning objectives for civics? Or: What problems do you see in our town that relate to what we are studying this year about sustainable ecosystems? **Step Three: Coming to Consensus** Come to consensus on which learning objectives/standards to work toward addressing through a service learning project. **Suggested Strategy:** * Compare your list of learning outcomes/standards with the students’ lists. * Discuss the students’ ideas/lists of possible community issues or problems to address through service learning. * Have students work again in their groups to prepare “pitches”—short presentations in which they advocate for a potential service learning project. Each group should be able to state why this project would be important, what the goals would be, and how the project would address the class learning objective(s).
* *“Studies have shown that with strong integration, students’ test scores in the subject matter area with which service learning is integrated can increase significantly (Billig and Klute 2003; Billig, Klute, and Sandel 2003; Meyer, Billig, and Hofschire 2004; Santmire, Giraud, and Groskopf 1999). In these studies, curriculum integration meant that service-learning was planned and implemented with specific learning objectives in mind. The learning objectives were tied to the content standards or the specific areas of knowledge and skills that students are meant to acquire."* Billig, S. H. and Klute, M. M. (2003). The Impact of Service-Learning on MEAP: A Large-Scale Study of Michigan Learn and Serve Grantees. Presentation at National Service-Learning Conference, Minneapolis. * Billig, S.H., Klute, M.M., and Sandel, K. (2003). Antioch’s Community-Based School Environmental Education (CO-SEED): Evaluation Report. Denver: RMC Research Corporation. * Meyer, S. J., Billig, S. H., and Hofschire, L. (2004). The Impact of K–12 School-Based Service-Learning on Academic Achievement and Student Engagement in Michigan. In M. Welch and S. H. Billig (Eds.), *Advances in Service-Learning Research*: Vol. 4. *New Perspectives in Service-Learning: Research to Advance the Field* (61–85). Greenwich, Conn.: Information Age. * Santmire, T., Giraud, G., and Grosskopf, K. (1999). Further Attainment of Academic Standards Through Service-Learning. Paper presented at The National Service-Learning Conference, San Jose, Calif. * *“Research studies of service-learning, an educational method that intentionally connects community service to classroom learning, demonstrate that service-learning programs can have positive impacts on youth in three general areas: academic engagement and achievement; civic attitudes and behaviors; and social and personal skills. The studies also demonstrate that students gain the maximum benefit when their service-learning experience includes a direct tie to the curriculum, planning and design of service projects by students, structured reflection on the service experience in the classroom, and continuity of service for at least one semester. This issue brief offers some of the most compelling evidence to date on how service-learning positively affects youth.”* Corporation for National and Community Service. (2007). Issue Brief: The Impact of Service Learning: A Review of Current Research. [http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/issuebrief\_servicelearning.pdf](http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/issuebrief_servicelearning.pdf)
* National Geographic Society. (2016). Service Learning Educator Guide. <http://nationalgeographic.org/media/service-learning-toolkit/> * National Geographic Society. (2016). Service Learning Student Workbook.[](http://media.nationalgeographic.org/assets/file/service-learning-workbook.pdf) <http://media.nationalgeographic.org/assets/file/service-learning-workbook.pdf> * RMC Research Corporation. (2006/2009). K-12 Service-Learning Project Planning Toolkit. Scotts Valley, CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. [https://www.ffa.org/sitecollectiondocuments/lts\_servicelearningtoolkit.pdf](https://www.ffa.org/sitecollectiondocuments/lts_servicelearningtoolkit.pdf) * Kaye, Cathryn B. (2009). Service Learning: The Time is Now[](http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/212/Service-Learning-The-Time-Is-Now.aspx) <http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/212/Service-Learning-The-Time-Is-Now.aspx>
Activity description is clear with sufficient detail to know which strategies were used and how these strategies worked to reach the goal of aligning service learning goals with learning objectives/standards.
Student reflections clearly demonstrate how the activities helped them build skills toward preparing for a service learning project. The reflections also show real thought about the purpose of the activity: service to others and the community.
Work examples demonstrate clearly that the three steps of the process were conducted in a thorough and thoughtful mannerthat both the teacher and the class spent significant time and effort considering how class learning outcomes could be met by addressing community issues and problems through service learning.
Work examples indicate that the three steps of the process were carried out, but there was clearly less emphasis on either the teacher work or the class work OR it was not clear that consensus was reached in step three.
Work examples indicate that ultimate alignment of service learning goals/projects with learning outcomes was not accomplished by combining teacher and student work.
Activity Evaluation: How do you know your students increased their proficiency in aligning service learning goals with class learning objectives/standards? What formative and summative evaluation methods did you use? What evidence did you collect during the process that demonstrates these learning gains? In what ways did any product you required (such as the group presentations suggested) demonstrate their proficiency?
Activity Description: If you used the suggested strategy for working through this micro-credential, in what ways did the strategy help you and your students become proficient at aligning service learning to class learning objectives/standards? Describe how the strategy did or did not help with this process. If you did not use the suggested strategy, describe what methods/strategy you did use and the outcome(s) you experienced.
Please submit the following work examples: 1. The list you developed during Step One: The Teacher’s List 2. An example of the ideas and suggestions students generated during Step Two: Getting Students Involved 3. An outline or detailed description of one of the student presentations in Step Three: Coming to Consensus
Submit the reflections of two students involved in the process of aligning service learning goals with learning outcomes. Use the following questions as a guide: - In what ways did this process deepen your understanding of the purpose of service learning and increase your interest in participating in a project? - In what ways, if any, do you think a service learning project can tie what you learn in school to solving real-world problems in your community?
Provide a reflection on what you learned during this activity, using the following questions as a guide: - What was the impact of engaging your students in the process of aligning service learning goals with learning outcomes? - How will experiencing these activities inform or influence your teaching practice, either in future service learning processes, in project-based learning activities, or in your general teaching practice? How might you modify the suggested activities in this module?
Geographic Thinking: Creating Geographic Inquiry Questions
Educators guide students to create complex geographic inquiry questions that can drive deep research and learning in Geography.
# Key Method Educators help students develop open-ended geographic questions that can further investigation or research by outlining the components of a quality geographic inquiry question, providing students opportunities to develop questions, and evaluate the question against clear criteria. # Method Components Educators and students create open-ended geography questions that promote analysis of space, place, and interconnections between both the human world and the natural world. ### What are the components of a Geographic Inquiry lesson plan or activity? 1. Clear teacher guidance on criteria for quality geographic inquiry questions 2. Opportunities for students to develop questions based on specific topics 3. Opportunities for students to refine and evaluate questions ### Suggested strategy for conducting a Geographic Inquiry activity The following steps are suggested as ways to ensure that students develop quality geographic inquiry questions and evaluate and refine those questions against set criteria. **I - Clear teacher guidance on criteria for quality geographic inquiry questions** *Use these steps to introduce the criteria for quality geographic inquiry questions using familiar examples.* 1. Explain that a geographic inquiry question is a complex, open-ended geographic question that can drive research and discussion. Geographic inquiry addresses three main questions: * Where is it? * Why is it there? * Why care? 2. Clarify that quality geographic inquiry questions must be complex and require deeper research or discussion. Complex questions: * Require students to look at connections among different perspectives, such as spatial, cultural, political, economic, historical, ecological, or geological relationships. * Cannot be answered quickly or with a simple internet search. 1. Begin with local examples, such as the school. For example, what geographic questions might they ask about the school? Model some simple examples, such as: * *Where is the school located?* * *Why is it located there?* * *What is located near the school?* * *What does this location have in common with the location of other schools in your town?* * *What is different about the locations of the schools?* * *Why does school location matter in a community?* 2. Give students additional practice differentiating geographic inquiry questions from non-geographic queries. Examples of geographic inquiry and non-geographic inquiry questions: * Where is the best location for a new middle school in our community and why? (example) * How has gold mining shaped the history of our community? (example) * How has human activity affected elk and pronghorn migration in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem? What can be done to mitigate this impact? (example) * Where were the most important battles of WWI fought? (non-example) * Which state in the United States has the highest per capita GDP? (non-example) See more exemplar questions on worksheet 1 of the Geo-Inquiry Student Workbook, which is in the resources section. **II - Opportunities for students to develop questions based on specific topics** *Use ideas from this list to help students draft their own geographic inquiry questions.* 1. Explore topics for geographic inquiry using the following methods: * Survey newspapers, news websites, and television news to identify interesting and contested topics * Invite guest speakers to discuss local or global issues with students in class * Create a survey for the school or surrounding area to identify the issues that matter most to the local community 2. Once students have accumulated a list of issues, put them into small groups and have them share what they selected. Have each team pick a few topics and respond to the following questions: * What is the topic or issue? * What do you know about this topic? * What are some need-to-knows you can ask about this topic? 3. Have students craft questions around their topics that meet the criteria for complexity. Teachers may want to provide question stems that emphasize complex relationships and location. Stems could include: * What role did/does … play in …. * How does … affect …. * Where should … and why? * Why might … occur in [one location] but not [a different location]? * How can … develop a plan to … Teachers can also use the “Geo-Inquiry Tubric” to provide question stems. The Tubric can be found as Worksheet 45 in the National Geographic Geo-Inquiry Student Workbook. **III - Opportunities for students to refine and evaluate questions** *Use ideas from this list to help students evaluate and refine their geographic inquiry questions.* 1. Consider the purpose of inquiry in your class. * If students are conducting additional research, collecting data from the field, developing projects, or taking action in the community, then they will need questions that lead to these results. * Ask students to review their questions with the next steps and end product in mind. * Further refine your students’ Geographic Inquiry Question by asking the following questions: What is the Geographic Inquiry Question you most want to answer? Why is this Geographic Inquiry Question interesting to you? What is the local issue or topic related to this Geo-Inquiry Question? Summarize the information you have about this issue or topic. 1. Have students work in pairs or small groups to evaluate their question against the criteria for a quality geographic inquiry question: * Is the question tied to a specific place? * Can the question be answered with only a few words? * Can the question be answered with a simple internet search? * Will the question require multiple information sources? * Does the question cut across multiple geographic perspectives? Teachers may want to use the Geo-Inquiry Flow Chart (Worksheet 46) in the National Geographic Geo-Inquiry Student Workbook
“Studies have shown a positive impact on learning when students participate in lessons that require them to construct and organize knowledge, consider alternatives, engage in detailed research, inquiry, writing, and analysis, and communicate effectively to audiences” * Barron, Brigid and Linda Darling-Hammond. “Teaching for Meaningful Learning: A Review of Research on Inquiry-Based and Cooperative Learning.” Edutopia. <https://backend.edutopia.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf> “When children want to know something, they're more likely to learn it and remember it. Babies play longer with toys in which they've shown a prior interest and explore these toys more; their interest allows them to learn more than they otherwise would. When older students are intrigued by unexpected or mysterious descriptions in their reading, they're more likely to remember that content later, and to more deeply understand what they read.” * Engel, Susan. “The Case for Curiosity.” Education Leadership. 70.5 (2013) 36-40. <http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb13/vol70/num05/The-Case-for-Curiosity.aspx>
* National Geographic Society. “The Geo-Inquiry Process.” <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/geo-inquiry/> The Educator Guide and Student Resource Packet on this site provide activities and resources to support the development of quality Geographic Inquiry Questions. Resources referenced above are from the Student Workbook. * Rothstein, Dan and Luz Santana. “Teaching Students to Ask Their Own Questions.” Harvard Education Letter. Vol. 27, no. 5, September/October 2011. [http://hepg.org/hel-home/issues/27\_5/helarticle/teaching-students-to-ask-their-own-questions\_507](http://hepg.org/hel-home/issues/27_5/helarticle/teaching-students-to-ask-their-own-questions_507) Provides guidance on Question Formulation Technique (QFT) when helping students develop questions. * National Geographic Society. “Asking Geographic Questions.” <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/geographic-skills/1/> This site outlines the critical geography skill of asking geographic questions at grades 4, 8, and 12, as described by the National Geography Standards. * National Council for Social Studies. “College, Career, and Civic Life: C3 Framework For Social Studies State Standards.” <https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf> The NCSS C3 framework underscores the importance of inquiry and questioning across Social Studies disciplines in Dimension 1 of the Inquiry Arc (pp. 23-27). Appendix A shows examples of geographic inquiry compared to inquiry from other Social Studies disciplines (pp. 66-68). Appendix E provides scholarly rationale for using questioning and inquiry in Social Studies classrooms (pp. 82-91). * NGSS Lead States. “Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States” (2013). [https://www.nextgenscience.org/ ](https://www.nextgenscience.org/) The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) emphasize student inquiry as a key skill. Appendix F outlines the Science and Engineering Practices central to learning science and engineering at all grade levels and across all topics. The first practice is “asking questions (for scientists) and defining problems (for engineers).”
To earn the micro-credential, you must earn passing scores on each prompt in Part 1 and Part 3 and a “Yes” for each section of Part 2.
Educator response includes all relevant information necessary to establish context.
Educator response includes a description of lesson activities that teach students the criteria for geographic inquiry questions, give students guidance in developing these questions, and provide opportunities for students to refine and evaluate their questions.
Educator response includes an accurate definition or description of geographic inquiry and a description of why it is important in the context of the teacher’s class.
Educator response includes a thoughtful consideration of the impact of the lessons and activities on the abilities of students to develop quality geographic inquiry questions.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show clear teacher guidance on criteria for quality geographic inquiry questions, opportunities for students to develop questions based on specific topics, and opportunities for students to refine and evaluate questions.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show some but not all of the following elements: clear teacher guidance on criteria for quality geographic inquiry questions, opportunities for students to develop questions based on specific topics, and opportunities for students to refine and evaluate questions.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show few or none of the following elements: clear teacher guidance on criteria for quality geographic inquiry questions, opportunities for students to develop questions based on specific topics, and opportunities for students to refine and evaluate questions.
Student questions are geographic in nature, cannot be answered simply, require additional research, and encompass multiple geographic perspectives. There is clear evidence that students have gone through a process to ensure that questions meet these criteria.
Student questions meet some but not all of the following criteria: are geographic in nature, cannot be answered simply, require additional research, and encompass multiple geographic perspectives. There is some evidence that students have gone through a process to ensure that questions meet these criteria.
Student questions meet few or none of the following criteria: geographic in nature, cannot be answered simply, require additional research, and encompass multiple geographic perspectives. There is little or no evidence that students have gone through a process to ensure that questions meet these criteria.
Please begin by briefly describing the subject area and grade level you teach. This will provide context for the rest of your submission.
What activities and resources did you use to conduct the lessons in this submission and why did you choose these activities and resources? In your answer, please be sure to include how this lesson fits into any larger related units or projects in your class.
What does geographic inquiry mean to you and why is it important in your classroom?
Please submit the following evidence: * Lesson plans, resources, or activities that show the processes you used to guide quality question development, refinement, and evaluation. * At least two student work samples that meet the criteria for a quality geographic inquiry question and show the question development and evaluation processes.
How well did your lessons and activities meet your goals? What might you do differently next time and why?
Educator leads students in sharing and celebrating their service learning experiences.
# Key Method Educator helps students gain skills in telling the stories of what they have learned and celebrating the results of a service learning project. # Method Components Communicating service learning outcomes is a powerful way to demonstrate the impact of the experience on students, the school, community organizations, and the population served. It also builds support for future projects and nurtures new partnerships. Importantly, reporting on and demonstrating the results of students’ service learning provides students with a way to not only tell the story of their experience but also celebrate the outcomes. Communicating project outcomes can take many forms. But no matter what methods you choose, careful planning up front will help you and your students collect the documentation you need and plan the content of their demonstrations. Parameters for communicating outcomes should include demonstration of both the academic learning objectives as well as the service objectives. ### Components for Effective Communication of Outcomes 1. Documenting service learning 2. Planning demonstration content 3. Delivering/demonstrating the outcomes **Suggested Strategies for Documenting Service Learning** * If possible, ask students to consider how they want to demonstrate their learning and the results of the service learning project before their service begins so they can collect the documentation they need during the project (photos, video, etc.). * Work together with students to make lists of documentation they should collect during the project. Consider: + What they want to save: photos, news articles, class work. + What they should create: journals, reflection logs + What they should ask for: letters of support, notes from parents, comments from administrators or other school personnel * Assign a pair of students to complete the activity log on page 9 of the National Geographic Service Learning Workbook ( [](http://media.nationalgeographic.org/assets/file/service-learning-workbook.pdf)) while you are conducting the service learning project. This log will help students keep a record of all their activities during the project. * Keep digital and hard copies of all documentation in a safe place in the classroom or elsewhere in the school. * Assign a small group—or take volunteers—who will be in charge of keeping track of all project documentation. **Suggested Steps for Planning Demonstration Content** 1. Have students work individually to write some short responses in the following sections in the National Geographic Service Learning Workbook: * Project Description (page 8) * Reflection (page 10) * Ask Yourself (pages 11-13) (Note: Give students plenty of time to write their responses to these questions. Let them know you will work on a final set of responses in small groups or as a whole class, depending on how your projects were organized.) 2. Follow up the individual activity with a group discussion of responses. Have small groups develop a more complete set of responses to the questions to present to the class. 3. Complete the content preparation by working together to respond to the prompts in the Next Steps (What Now?) section of the workbook (page 15). If projects were conducted by small groups, have each small group complete this step; if the project was a whole-class experience, do this step with the whole class. 4. Have students determine how they want to present their results. When this decision is made, students can work to decide how the content they have prepared will be best communicated (which content to focus on, the order of presentation, who will present, etc.). 5.Encourage students to think of their presentation(s) as telling the story of their experiences. Make sure they include reflections on the experience and the impact on those who were served rather than just a retelling of the activities they engaged in. 6.Require students to only use their initials on any presentation files (no matter the medium) submitted to you. Although anonymity will obviously not be maintained for presentations given in a class or public session, anything submitted for possible publication online or submitted as evidence for this micro-credential should keep the students’ identities private. **Suggested Options for Delivering/Demonstrating the Outcomes** * Have students consider how they want to communicate the outcomes of their service learning in the early planning process of the project(s). Provide them with a variety of possibilities for presentations. Some suggestions might be: * TEDTalk: TEDTalks are brief, engaging, live presentations involving multimedia. Students can create a TED Talk and present it to parents, other students, and community members. * Video: Students can shoot video during their service experience. Be sure to get permissions from any people shown in videos, particularly if posting online. * Website: Students can use a free web platform such as Weebly or Webnode to create a web page about their experience. This may be a good choice if the audience is unable to gather for a live presentation. Again, be cautious about privacy issues related to student participants as well as service recipients. * Written presentation: Students can write a detailed case study of their experience with service learning. * Poster session: Students can create poster displays that use text, images, and artifacts to reflect on their service learning experience. Have students set their poster presentations up in one room and designate a time when visitors can tour the displays and ask students questions about their projects. * Authentic product: Students may present a product, such as an invention, a published book, or the launch of a website designed for a community partner. Students can determine what product best demonstrates their learning. * Culminating event: Students can plan and host a culminating event where they demonstrate their learning and service outcomes via some sort of presentation or launch. The event also serves to signal closure and to recognize the student and their community partners in a celebratory manner. No matter which method of demonstrating outcomes is selected, make sure you also plan a celebration—for and with students and any community organization service. If possible, include the entire school, parents, or the community at large.
* “Demonstration and celebration of learning and impact are important parts of your service-learning project that can provide you, your students, and your community partners with a meaningful conclusion to the project and an opportunity to think ahead to the future. In an effective demonstration and celebration, students show influential others how they impacted the community and how they themselves have changed as a result of their service-learning activities. A high-quality demonstration and celebration event recognizes and rewards students’ sense of efficacy and motivation to serve and reinforces community members’ commitment to your program. It provides a public forum for students to display their knowledge, which encourages them to synthesize what they have learned through service, provides an authentic context for assessment, and builds community members’ expertise with respect to the community problem.” RMC Research Corporation. K-12 Service-Learning Project Planning Toolkit. Scotts Valley, CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, 2006/2009. [](http://www.servicelearning.org/filemanager/download/K-12_ServiceLearning_Project_Planning_Toolkit.pdf)[https://www.ffa.org/sitecollectiondocuments/lts\_servicelearningtoolkit.pdf](https://www.ffa.org/sitecollectiondocuments/lts_servicelearningtoolkit.pdf) (Accessed 7/10/2017) * “Celebration...is the recognition that learning has taken or is taking place. It may be simple or highly orchestrated, but is not necessarily a culminating activity as service-learning is an ongoing activity (Disney Channel). Recognition is very important as it helps students understand the value of their contribution and fosters the development of a lifelong commitment to community involvement. (National Service-Learning Clearinghouse).” Celebration does not have to be the final step in any service-learning model—celebration can happen at any point during the service-learning program especially if the program is long term (Disney Channel). Recognizing the small steps of accomplishment demonstrates the value of the program and instills energy and excitement.” Frasco, Jenny. Learning to Give: Service Learning Celebration Concept. <http://www.learningtogive.org/resources/service-learning-celebration-concept>. (Accessed 7/1/2017)
* K-12 Service-Learning Project Planning Toolkit Chapter 5: Demonstration/Celebration (p. 48) [https://www.ffa.org/sitecollectiondocuments/lts\_servicelearningtoolkit.pdf](https://www.ffa.org/sitecollectiondocuments/lts_servicelearningtoolkit.pdf) This overall guide to planning and implementing service learning projects includes ideas for documenting and celebrating the end of a project. * National Youth Leadership Council: Service-Learning April Digest[](https://nylc.org/2017/04/04/service-learning-april-digest/) <https://nylc.org/2017/04/04/service-learning-april-digest/> * I’m Special: Our Service Learning Project (video)[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPYqZFYExw) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPYqZFYExw>
Activity description is clear with sufficient detail to know that students were thoughtful and careful in making decisions about how to demonstrate the project outcomes.
Activity evaluation process and evidence are clear, appropriate, and sufficient to evaluate the skills students developed and demonstrated.
Activity description is clear with sufficient detail of the what and why of the celebration event(s).
Student reflections clearly demonstrate how the activities helped them understand their experiences during the project. The reflections also show real thought about what the whole purpose of the activity is: service to others and their community.
Teacher reflections are specific and convincing.
One example of methods students used to communicate/demonstrate the results of the service learning project and one example of how the project was celebrated were submitted. Both clearly and consistently reflect the students’ experience and the impact on those who were served rather than just a retelling of the activities they engaged in.
Two examples of methods students used to communicate/demonstrate the results of the service learning project were submitted. Both examples are more strongly leaning toward retelling of activities, with some focus on students’ experiences and impact on those served.
Two examples of methods students used to communicate/demonstrate the results of the service learning project were submitted, but one or both simply retell the activities they engaged in.
Activity Description: Communication: What steps did you and your students take to determine the best ways to document and demonstrate the results of your service learning project(s)? What types of demonstration methods did you students select?
Activity Evaluation: How did you assess your students’ active participation in and contribution to the process of selecting methods of documenting and demonstrating outcomes? What formative and summative evaluation methods did you use? What evidence did you collect during the planning process that demonstrates these learning gains?
Activity Description: Celebration: How did you celebrate your service learning project—during the project and/or at its conclusion? Why did you decide to celebrate in this way? Describe students’ involvement in planning and carrying out celebration activities.
Please submit two examples of methods students used to demonstrate/communicate and celebrate the outcome(s) of their service learning project(s). Examples can be links to web pages or file-sharing services, or attachments (videos up to 5 minutes long or no more than 5 annotated photos, for example).
Submit two students’ reflections on their experiences in the documenting, demonstrating/communicating, and celebrating phases of the service learning project. Use the following questions as a guide: - In what ways did the process of documenting project results and presenting your story about the service learning project impact your overall experience in the project? - How important do you think celebration at the end of the service learning project is? Explain.
Provide a reflection on what you learned during this activity, using the following questions as a guide: - What was the impact of the storytelling aspect of the service learning project on you and your students? - How has experiencing these activities informed or influenced your teaching practice—either in future service learning processes, in project-based learning activities, or in general teaching practice? How might you implement this instructional strategy differently next time?
Geographic Thinking: Integrating Geographic Inquiry into Your Curriculum
Educator creates plans for complex, student-driven geographic inquiry that integrates with their subject-area learning expectations.
# Key Method Educator creates units, projects, or lesson sequences that emphasize geographic inquiry as they teach, practice, and assess disciplinary expectations aligned to their curriculum. Teachers should plan backward from the dual goals of implementing geographic inquiry and ensuring students demonstrate mastery of key skills and knowledge. *Please note that this micro-credential can be earned before students conduct geographic inquiry activities in class.* # Method Components Geography is the study of places and the interactions that shape the humans and natural features of those places. Geographic inquiry emphasizes student investigation of phenomena across disciplines by asking: *Where is it? Why is it there? Why care?* Geographic inquiry should be student-driven, drawing on student interest to develop questions, student guidance to identify or select sources and conduct analysis, and student presentation to develop and communicate their conclusions. However, geographic inquiry cannot exist in a vacuum. Teachers must identify the knowledge and skills central to their curriculum that students will develop and demonstrate over the course of the inquiry. **What are the components of integrating geographic inquiry into your curriculum?** 1. Identify the curricular knowledge and/or skills that will be integrated into the geographic inquiry, and determine where they fit into your long-term instructional plans. 2. Determine the evidence of student learning that you can use to assess student growth on the identified curricular knowledge and/or skills. 3. Select resources, activities, and tools that will support student inquiry and student learning. **Suggested strategy for integrating geographic inquiry into your curriculum** *Note: These are general recommended planning strategies. To effectively integrate geographic inquiry into a curriculum, many teachers will choose to follow their school or district’s unit and lesson planning procedures.* **I - Identify the curricular knowledge and skills that will be integrated into the geographic inquiry** 1. Consider the scope and sequence of your curriculum to identify the units and topics that lend themselves to geographic inquiry. Geographic inquiries are: * Focused on a place: Geographic inquiry asks students to see the patterns and interactions of different features in a given place or region. Choose a topic that can be focused on a specific place or places. * Drawn from interdisciplinary perspectives: Students should be investigating how different human and natural systems interact. The topic students focus on should be able to be viewed through two or more of the following perspectives: Spatial, Cultural, Political, Economic, Historical, Ecological, Geological. * Student-driven: Students should play a role in directing the inquiry by developing their own inquiry questions or supporting questions, identifying their resources, or shaping their own conclusions and presentations. While the teacher can set firm parameters, there should be some room for students to follow their own inquiry path. * Based on investigation: Students will investigate their question by analyzing resources. Choose a topic that will lend itself to collecting data in the field or drawing upon data-rich resources. In a more complex investigation, students may be asked to identify their own resources. * Rooted in data and spatial visualization: Because geographic inquiry is based on patterns and trends in a given place, students should be able to show the results of their inquiry with maps, charts, or graphs that help them draw conclusions and communicate their findings to others. Consider topics that lend themselves to mapping and graphing. * Capped by communication and/or action: Students should draw clear conclusions based on their evidence and communicate them formally to a real or simulated audience. If the students are investigating a current or future problem, their communication may include student action or a call to community action on an issue. 2. Identify the content and skills—including state standards—that will be met through geographic inquiry activities. 3. Define the scope of the inquiry and the time required. While some small-scale geographic inquiry activities can be conducted in one or two class periods, more in-depth investigations may take several weeks. 4. Based on the identified knowledge, skills, and scope above, outline the guidelines for the geographic inquiry. What topics will it address? What skills should it exhibit? **II - Determine the evidence of student learning that you can use to assess student growth on the curricular knowledge and skills** 1.Identify what student understanding of the key content and mastery of the core skills would look like. These may come from a careful examination of your state standards or grade-level expectations * Are there certain facts that students cannot move on without learning? * Are there processes they must understand? * Are there types of writing, forms of argumentation, or presentation skills that they must demonstrate? 2. Use these required elements to set the non-negotiable elements for your inquiry. Students may have a strong voice in determining some details of the inquiry, but all students must demonstrate these elements as a part of the inquiry. **III - Select resources, activities, and tools that will support student inquiry and student learning** 1. Identify the resources that will engage students with the inquiry and provide them with opportunities to build knowledge and skills. * Use an engaging reading, image, video clip, or discussion question as an “entry event” that will both hook student interest and frame the topic for the inquiry. 2. Identify opportunities to scaffold and practice key skills such as collecting and recording data from field observations, creating maps and graphs, drawing conclusions from visual or statistical evidence, and writing argumentative thesis statements. 3. Prepare possible data sources and collection tools that will be related to the topic and age-appropriate. For example, the US Census Bureau has resources designed for varied ages, while the CIA World Factbook and the World Bank website contain global datasets that would be appropriate for middle school and high school students, respectively. If it is likely that students will conduct field research, you may want to be ready to use survey or GIS apps and be prepared for students to collect other data such as temperature or water and soil pH.
*"In this era of such global challenges as ethnic and religious conflict, growing populations in poverty, increasing competition for limited natural resources, and degradation of the environment, it is essential that all members of society be prepared to make these decisions. Geography education helps prepare people for these tasks."* * Bednarz, S. W., Heffron, S., & Huynh, N. T. (Eds.). (2013). A road map for 21st century geography education: Geography education research (A report from the Geography Education Research Committee of the Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education Project). Washington, DC: Association of American Geographers.[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/road-map-project/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/road-map-project/> *"One significant marker of the relevance of geographical analysis is the growing number of scientists from other disciplines who employ geographical concepts and techniques in their work, including archaeologists, economists, astrophysicists, epidemiologists, biologists, geologists, landscape architects, and computer scientists. Their collective work has engendered a transdisciplinary geographical science."* * National Research Council. (2010). *Understanding the Changing Planet: Strategic Directions for the Geographical Sciences.* Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. <https://doi.org/10.17226/12860>. *"Geographers and others using geographic knowledge and perspectives, in fact, are engaged in valuable research and teaching on matters ranging from environmental change to social conflict. The value of these activities derives from geography's focus on the evolving character and organization of the Earth's surface, on the ways in which the interactions of physical and human phenomena in space create distinctive places and regions, and on the influences those places and regions have on a wide range of natural and human events and processes."* * National Research Council. (1997). *Rediscovering Geography: New Relevance for Science and Society*. (pp. 16–17). Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. <https://www.nap.edu/read/4913/chapter/1>
* National Geographic Society. “The Geo-Inquiry Process”[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/geo-inquiry/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/geo-inquiry/> The Geo-Inquiry Process is a complex, project-based, student-centered process for implementing authentic and rigorous geographic inquiry. The resources on this page support implementation of the full Geo-Inquiry Process, but portions of the Educator Guide and selected resources from the Student Resource Packet can support more limited or alternate geographic inquiry lessons. * National Geographic Society. “Mapmaker Interactive.”[](http://mapmaker.nationalgeographic.org/) <http://mapmaker.nationalgeographic.org/> This interactive mapmaking tool allows students to create and view their own maps from a variety of datasets. Students can use the maps for research and presentation. * United States Census Bureau. “Statistics in Schools: Data Access Tools.”[](https://www.census.gov/schools/resources/data-tools.html) <https://www.census.gov/schools/resources/data-tools.html> Teachers and students can use the US Census Bureau’s website to access a variety of population statistics. Many statistics are available by census-tract, county, or congressional district for a very local view. This “Data Access Tools” site provides links to some of the more student-friendly data tools. * Central Intelligence Agency. “CIA World Factbook.”[](https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/) <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/> The CIA world factbook holds useful data—including demographic, economic, energy, and development statistics—for every country in the world. * The World Bank. “Databank.”[](http://databank.worldbank.org/data/home.aspx) <http://databank.worldbank.org/data/home.aspx> The Databank holds complex economic and development data on countries around the world. Teachers or students can create reports and customized datasets using the online interface. * National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “National Centers for Environmental Information.”[](https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/) <https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/> This site houses several tools that can be used to access historic weather and climate data for locations throughout the United States. * National Council for Social Studies. “College, Career, and Civic Life C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.”[](https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf) <https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf> The NCSS C3 framework underscores the importance of inquiry and questioning across Social Studies disciplines in Dimension 1 of the Inquiry Arc (pp. 23–27). Appendix A shows examples of geographic inquiry compared to inquiry from other Social Studies disciplines (pp. 66–68). Appendix E provides scholarly rationale for using questioning and inquiry in Social Studies classrooms (pp. 82–91). * NGSS Lead States. “Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States” (2013).[](https://www.nextgenscience.org/) <https://www.nextgenscience.org/> The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) emphasize student inquiry as a key skill. Appendix F outlines the Science and Engineering Practices central to learning science and engineering at all grade levels and across all topics. The first practice is “asking questions (for scientists) and defining problems (for engineers).” * McTighe, Jay, and Wiggins, Grant. “The Understanding by Design framework whitepaper.”[](https://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/UbD_WhitePaper0312.pdf)[](https://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/UbD_WhitePaper0312.pdf) [https://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/UbD\_WhitePaper0312.pdf](https://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/UbD_WhitePaper0312.pdf) The Understanding by Design framework provides guidance on planning units and instructional activities with performance assessment as the goal. This “backwards planning” model encourages planners to determine acceptable evidence of knowledge and skill before designing projects, assessments, and instructional activities.
To earn this micro-credential, you must earn passing scores on each prompt in Part 1 and Part 3 and a “Yes” for each section of Part 2.
Passing submissions must contain a clear description of how geographic inquiry is relevant to the teacher’s practice and the curriculum.
Passing submissions should identify standards or expectations met by geographic inquiry and how the teacher chose to integrate geographic inquiry into those expectations.
Passing submissions show thoughtful consideration of the possibilities and challenges of integrating geographic inquiry into the curriculum.
Long-term curriculum planning document shows clear opportunity for geographic inquiry—including student investigation of questions Where is it? Why is it there? Why care? (or their equivalents) and formal opportunities to draw and present conclusions. The geographic inquiry in these documents has clear and strong links to course expectations and/or standards.
Long-term curriculum planning document shows some opportunity for geographic inquiry—such as student investigation of questions Where is it? Why is it there? Why care? (or their equivalents) and formal opportunities to draw and present conclusions. However, the geographic inquiry in these documents is either not complete or is not clearly linked to course expectations and/or standards.
Long-term curriculum planning document shows either little or no opportunity for geographic inquiry or no clear link between geographic inquiry and course expectations and/or standards.
Lesson document clearly and explicitly shows students learning, practicing, or demonstrating course standards or grade-level expectations as they engage in geographic inquiry.
Lesson document shows limited opportunities for students to learn, practice, or demonstrate course standards or grade-level expectations as they engage in geographic inquiry or shows limited geographic inquiry integrated into course activities.
Lesson document shows either no opportunities for students to learn, practice, or demonstrate course standards or grade-level expectations as they engage in geographic inquiry or no geographic inquiry integrated into course activities.
What does geographic inquiry mean to you and why is it relevant in your classroom?
How did you choose to integrate geographic inquiry into your curriculum? Which learning goals did you focus on and why?
Please submit the following evidence: * At least one long-term planning document, such as a curriculum map or unit plan, that shows how geographic inquiry has been integrated into the broader curriculum, including standards or grade-level expectations * At least one lesson document, such as a lesson plan, assignment, activity, or assessment, that demonstrates how students will be asked to acquire and demonstrate required knowledge and skills as they complete the geographic inquiry
What elements of implementing these plans are you most excited about and why? What is one question or concern that you will have as you implement these plans and why?
Geographic Thinking: Taking Multiple Geographic Perspectives
Educator guides students to understand and investigate systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives.
# Key Method Educator presents systems, issues, and questions to students across multiple geographic perspectives and encourages students to use a "geographic lens" to develop complex understandings of issues from multiple geographic perspectives. # Method Components Geography is the study of places and the interactions that shape the humans and natural features of those places. Geographic thinking skills apply across disciplines and grade levels in any situation where students seek to understand the importance of patterns, interactions, and systems in a place and among places. To think geographically, educators and students must ask questions about systems and issues from multiple perspectives. Geographic thinking across perspectives is a powerful tool that can help students at all grade levels and across disciplines to develop a more nuanced and complex understanding of the world. **What are the components of taking multiple geographic perspectives?** 1. Clear educator definitions of geographic perspectives 2. Opportunities for students to understand educator-presented systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives 3. Opportunities for students to identify and investigate their own systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives **Suggested strategy for taking multiple geographic perspectives** *Note: These strategies are not required for successful completion of the micro-credential. Many educators will want to integrate the skills and deliverables from this micro-credential into a broader lesson or project.* **I - Clear educator definitions of geographic perspectives** 1.Explain that geographic thinking is more than just memorizing locations and finding places on maps. It is, rather, understanding the human and natural characteristics of a place, how those characteristics interact, and how those interactions create patterns or reveal issues. 2. Describe how thinking geographically fits into your classroom, particularly if the connections are not obvious. For example, in ELA, a student’s understanding of “setting” for both fiction and non-fiction texts is critical. 3. Introduce and define the varied geographic perspectives: * Spatial – The “where” of a topic * Cultural – The “group beliefs and behaviors” of a topic * Political – The “rules and control” of a topic * Economic – The “goods, services, and trade” of a topic * Historical – The “past events” of a topic * Ecological – The “human-environment connection” of a topic * Geological – The “physical connections” to a topic 4. Provide an example of looking at a place – such as a school or local city – from each perspective. Provide statements about the place based on the perspective. Note that these are not statements about an issue yet, just a place. An example: Alice Deal Middle School * Spatial – The school is at 39 degrees north, 77 degrees west in northwest Washington, DC. It is six miles northwest of the US Capitol and close to Connecticut Avenue. The nearest Metro stop is Tenleytown. * Cultural – The school has 1,477 students; 47% of students identify as white, 29% as black, 14% as Hispanic/Latino, 5% as mixed, and 4% as Asian. Five percent are English Language Learners. Seventy percent of students come from the surrounding neighborhood, 30% from outside of the school boundary. * Political – The school is part of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). The principal reports to the chancellor, who reports to the mayor and the School Board. The District of Columbia government is subject to some oversight by the US Congress. * Economic – The school student population is 12% “economically disadvantaged.” The surrounding neighborhood is residential with some retail. Many local residents are professionals in service and government professions. * Historical – Deal Middle School was built in 1930. It is one of the top performing middle schools in Washington, DC. In the early 2000s, it eliminated its honors program to reduce segregation in the school and became an International Baccalaureate school. * Ecological – The school has an Energy Star rating of 1 and is on the honor roll for the DCPS Recycles program. It is in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in a region that was once woodland. * Geological – Washington, DC is between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The school is located on one of the highest points in Washington, DC, so it is safe from flooding. The soil is rich and the land is stable, though the soil in the area can become muddy in heavy rains. 5. Work with students to identify resources – including map types, data sets, and texts – that might provide information about each perspective. **II - Opportunities for students to understand educator-presented systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives.** 1. Select an engaging topic or theme that is related to your class’ current study. 2. Identify 1-3 related resources that portray systems or issues related to that topic in a given place and time. The resources should address the topic from multiple perspectives, but are unlikely to address all of the perspectives listed above. The resources can include articles, maps, or datasets. Choose the two or three perspectives from the list above that are most relevant to the systems or issues described in the text. 3. Ask students to review the resources to identify and summarize the features of the place based on the two or three focus perspectives. Encourage fact-based observational statements, such as: * "Ecological: There is very little rainfall across the Sahel region most of the year." 4. After students have created several statements across the focus perspectives, ask questions that lead students to draw conclusions across perspectives. Consider using the question template: * "How does [Perspective A] impact [Perspective B] in [Location]?" Encourage students to reference the resources directly to support their answers. * Note: If students are looking at interaction between locations or regions, draw conclusions about each region first, then ask how [Perspective A] and [Perspective B] impact the interactions between [Location A] and [Location B]. **III - Opportunities for students to identify and investigate their own systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives.** 1. Ask students – individually, in small groups, or as a class – to create multiple perspective questions based on the topics your class is studying. Use this question template as a starting point: * "How does [Perspective A] impact [Perspective B] in [Location]?" 2. Have students identify and select one or more resources that will help them understand and address their questions. 3. Ask students to draw and present their conclusions, including the evidence from their sources that led them to these conclusions.
*"Besides social and cultural trends or environmental ones, the world must be understood in economic terms: international transactions, emerging powers, highly competitive global market for trade, labor conditions, and strengthening alliances between political and economic power."* * Demirci, A., Miguel González, R., & Bednarz, S.W. (Eds.) *Geography Education for Global Understanding*. (2018) Springer International Publishing.[](https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319772158) <https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319772158> *"A geographically proficient thinker answers geographic questions by using a range of tools and perspectives to acquire data, organize it (often times using maps and other spatial representations), observe, and seek meaning in the patterns of phenomena that occur in specific places, at a range of geographic and time scales. If done well, the outcome illustrates spatial and temporal patterns in th*e real world." * Bednarz, S.W., Heffron, S., & Huynh, N.T. (Eds.). (2013). A road map for 21st century geography education: Geography education research (A report from the Geography Education Research Committee of the Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education Project). Washington, DC: Association of American Geographers.[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/road-map-project/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/road-map-project/> *"The systematic analysis of social, economic, political, and environmental processes operating in a place provides an integrated understanding of its distinctiveness or character."* * National Research Council. *Rediscovering Geography: New Relevance for Science and Society*. (1997) Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.[](https://www.nap.edu/read/4913/chapter/1) <https://www.nap.edu/read/4913/chapter/1>
* National Geographic Society. “The Geographic Perspective.” <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/geographic-perspective/> This cartoon is a useful image in showing how geographers view the world and how geographers use varied perspectives. * National Geographic Society. “Moving Toward a Modern Grid” and “Energy Sustainability in the Klamath Basin.”[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/moving-toward-modern-grid/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/moving-toward-modern-grid/>[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/energy-sustainability-klamath-basin/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/energy-sustainability-klamath-basin/> These activities encourage students to role-play varied stakeholders who view energy challenges from different perspectives. * Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP). “Geography for Life: National Geography Standards - Second Edition” (2012) National Council for Geography Education.[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/national-geography-standards/?ar_a=1) [https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/national-geography-standards/?ar\_a=1](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/national-geography-standards/?ar_a=1) The Geography for Life National Geography Standards emphasize using a geographical perspective as a “frame of reference for asking and answering questions, identifying and solving problems, and evaluating the consequences of alternative actions.” * National Council for Social Studies. “College, Career, and Civic Life C3 Framework For Social Studies State Standards.”[](https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf) <https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf> The NCSS C3 framework recognizes that geographic thinking incorporates spatial understanding of varied perspectives and disciplines. The skills outlined in Dimension 2: Geography (pp. 41-44) highlight the way students can visualize and analyze cultural, environmental, and economic characteristics of places. * NGSS Lead States. “Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States” (2013)[](https://www.nextgenscience.org/) <https://www.nextgenscience.org/> The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) include crosscutting concepts that transcend disciplines. Appendix G outlines these concepts, including the ability to recognize relationships and patterns, including patterns in datasets and maps.
Passing submissions must contain a clear description of how multiple geographic perspectives are relevant to the educator’s practice and the curriculum.
Passing submissions must describe lesson activities that teach students a clear definition of multiple perspectives; provide opportunities for students to understand educator-presented systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives; and provide opportunities for students to identify and investigate their own systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives.
Passing submissions show thoughtful consideration of the impact of the lessons and activities on the abilities of students to take multiple geographic perspectives.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show clear and accurate educator definitions of geographic perspectives; opportunities for students to understand educator-presented systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives; and opportunities for students to identify and investigate their own systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show some, but not all of the following elements: clear and accurate educator definitions of geographic perspectives; opportunities for students to understand educator-presented systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives; and opportunities for students to identify and investigate their own systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show few or none of the following elements: clear and accurate educator definitions of geographic perspectives; opportunities for students to understand educator-presented systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives; and opportunities for students to identify and investigate their own systems, issues, or questions across multiple geographic perspectives.
Student work shows conclusions or statements about a location that are accurate, are drawn across two or more geographic perspectives, and reference specific supporting details in resources.
Student work shows conclusions or statements about a location that meet most, but not all of the following criteria: are accurate, are drawn across two or more geographic perspectives, and reference specific supporting details in resources.
Student work shows conclusions or statements about a location that meet few or none of following criteria: are accurate, are drawn across two or more geographic perspectives, and reference specific supporting details in resources.
Why are multiple geographic perspectives important to your classroom and your curriculum?
What activities and resources did you use to conduct the lessons in this submission and why did you choose these activities and resources? In your answer, please be sure to include how this lesson fits into any larger, related units or projects in your class.
Please begin by briefly describing the subject area and grade level you teach. This will provide context to assessors for the rest of your submission.
Please submit the following evidence: * Lesson plans, resources, or activities that show the processes you used to guide student understanding of multiple geographic perspectives and student use of multiple geographic perspectives to analyze systems, issues, or questions. * At least two student work samples that demonstrate student use of multiple geographic perspectives to understand systems, issues, or questions. Please remember that all identifying information about students – including student names and student faces in images – must be removed from your evidence.
How well did your lessons and activities meet your goals, and what strategy did you use to measure your lesson’s effectiveness? How might you differentiate and/or modify this lesson in the future?
Geographic Thinking: Understanding Problems at Multiple Scales
Educator guides students to understand geographic issues and problems at local, regional, and global scales.
# Key Method Educator defines the geographic concept of “scale” to students and encourages students to understand and analyze how issues and problems manifest themselves across local, regional, and global scales. # Method Components One of the most important skills in geographic thinking is the ability to understand and consider issues at multiple scales. The ability to “zoom in” and “zoom out” to understand how global issues manifest themselves locally and how local problems relate to global patterns is central to developing a rich understanding of the world. This geographic thinking skill is useful across disciplines and is as relevant to students in Kindergarten considering litter on their playground and connecting it to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch as it is to PhD students investigating global patterns of mosquito-based diseases to apply mosquito control measures in individual cities. **What are the components of understanding problems at multiple scales?** 1. Clear educator definition of scales and "multiple scales." 2. Opportunities for students to consider a problem at multiple scales and identify the common elements across scales as well as key features of the problem at each scale. **Suggested strategy for understanding problems at multiple scales** *Note: These strategies are not required for successful completion of the micro-credential. Many educators will want to integrate the skills and deliverables from this micro-credential into a broader lesson or project.* **I - Clear educator definition of scales and "multiple scales"** 1. Probe students for their prior knowledge about “scale.” How would they define the word? What does it mean to them? Listen for misconceptions or simplifications. * Consider posing the statement “Think Globally, Act Locally” and asking students to pair-share about what the statement means to them. 2. Provide students with geographic definitions of “scale” and differentiate between the many meanings of the word. * In **cartography,** scale refers to the proportions of objects on a map to their actual size. A map might have a scale of 1 inch:100 miles, meaning that one inch on the map represents 100 miles on the Earth. Scale on a map might also be presented as an absolute ratio or fraction, such as 1:1,000 or 1/1,000. This notation means that the map is one one-thousandth actual size. You may want to note that in cartography, as the fraction representing the scale grows *smaller* the area being mapped grows *larger*. * Students may also hear scale used to refer to the **measure** of a phenomenon. For example, the Richter Scale measures the intensity of an earthquake. Therefore, researchers may discuss a “large scale” earthquake – referring to an intense, rather than a widespread – earthquake. Similarly, the pH scale measures acidity. * When talking about issues or problems, scale usually refers to the **scope** of the problem and the scope of examination. Large-scale problems, like poverty and ocean pollution, are often widespread across areas or common around the world. **This is the definition we will be using for this geographic thinking skill.** We often talk about three different loosely-defined scales for examining problems: + **Local:**The student’s community. This can be as small as the classroom or neighborhood or as large as a county or metropolitan area. + **Regional:** Larger than the local community, a region should be an area with a few shared features that are central to the issue or problem. For example, if investigating water access, the entire American Southwest shares a similar desert climate and limited supplies of fresh river water. Similarly, the countries of the European Union face a regional challenge in addressing migration. + **Global:** Many issues and problems affect people and places all over the world. While the impacts vary across different regions, issues such as global climate change or international trade can be viewed as phenomena that affect the entire planet. **II - Opportunities for students to consider a problem at multiple scales and identify the common elements across scales as well as key features of the problem at each scale.** *Note that we are using “problems or issues” to describe the phenomena that students are investigating. “Problems” are phenomena that pose a specific danger or challenge to a stakeholder. “Issues” are phenomena that might be more mixed in their results, may benefit one stakeholder and disadvantage another, or might have an unknown impact.* 1. Provide a simple example of a problem or issue that can be considered at multiple scales related to the focus of your curriculum. Describe the problem or issue at each scale: Local, Regional, and Global. *Note that the problem or issue is not identical at each scale. While a problem or issue might have commonalities across scales, there might be features that are unique to each scale. Consider plastic waste management:* * Locally, the National Geographic World Headquarters in Washington, DC wanted to find a way to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated by employees and guests at its cafeteria. The cafeteria used about 400 plastic straws each month. * Regionally, in the Washington, DC Metro area, much of the plastic debris that ends up in the Anacostia and Potomac rivers comes from litter or unsecured trash that is blown by wind or washed into storm drains.[1] * Globally, over 90% of the plastics entering the ocean from rivers come from just ten river systems in the world, eight of them in East or South Asia.[2][](#_ftn2) One common problem is that plastic does not degrade over time. Therefore, wherever it is thrown, it remains, creating an environmental challenge. At a local scale, plastic pollution might be unsightly or have a small impact on local wildlife. However, at a global scale, it has a major environmental impact as a killer of marine life. Show students that because problems have varied features at different scales, solutions may also vary based on the desired scale of impact: * At National Geographic’s headquarters, the cafeteria eliminated the use of plastic straws and utensils. The cafeteria team also removed all plastic drink bottles and yogurt containers from their coolers, replacing them with paper, glass, or metal containers. * Washington, DC and some of its suburbs have tried to reduce plastic pollution in local rivers by charging $0.05 for each plastic bag at stores. The profits from the “bag tax” go to river cleanup.[3][](#_ftn3) * Globally, policies made by a few countries to improve waste management along just a few rivers could drastically reduce the amount of plastic waste flowing into the oceans. 2. Ask students to consider a problem or issue that your class is considering at multiple scales, including identifying a resource that they can use to learn more about the problem or issue at that scale. Students should: * Describe the problem at each level (Local, Regional, Global) * Identify commonalities across all three levels * Identify a feature that is unique or interesting about the problem at each of the three levels, with particular attention to the local level * Identify a resource that would be a good source of information or data about the problem at each level 3. To extend, have students brainstorm possible actions that could address the problem or issue at each level. Ask students to consider how the local and regional solutions might affect the problem at the global level. Ask them what impacts and consequences global action might have at local and regional levels. (See Resources section for citations)
* "A geographically proficient thinker answers geographic questions by using a range of tools and perspectives to acquire data, organize it (often times using maps and other spatial representations), observe, and seek meaning in the patterns of phenomena that occur in specific places, at a range of geographic and time scales. If done well, the outcome illustrates spatial and temporal patterns in the real world." * * Bednarz, S.W., Heffron, S., & Huynh, N.T. (Eds.). (2013). A road map for 21st century geography education: Geography education research (A report from the Geography Education Research Committee of the Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education Project). Washington, DC: Association of American Geographers.[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/road-map-project/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/road-map-project/> *"It is impossible to talk about place without reference to scale, and it is impossible to talk about interdependencies between places without considering a variety of different scales. From the earliest times of theory development, geography has been deeply concerned with interdependencies among scales, from global to local. This body of experience is highly relevant for basic and applied science. Relationships between microscale and macroscale phenomena and processes are receiving research attention in many fields of science and are central to knowledge-based questions about such societal concerns as global change."* * National Research Council. *Rediscovering Geography: New Relevance for Science and Society*. (1997) Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.[](https://www.nap.edu/read/4913/chapter/1) <https://www.nap.edu/read/4913/chapter/1>
* National Geographic Society. “Mapping Biodiversity.”[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/mapping-biodiversity/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/mapping-biodiversity/> This activity opens by asking students to consider the scale at which they should conduct research on biodiversity. * Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP). “Geography for Life: National Geography Standards - Second Edition” (2012) National Council for Geography Education.[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/national-geography-standards/?ar_a=1) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/about/national-geography-standards> The Geography for Life National Geography Standards, particularly Geography Standard 1, emphasizes the centrality of scale to geographic thinking. * National Council for Social Studies. “College, Career, and Civic Life C3 Framework For Social Studies State Standards.”[](https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf) <https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf> The NCSS C3 framework recognizes that geographic thinking incorporates a spatial understanding of varied perspectives and disciplines. The skills outlined in Dimension 2: Geography (pp. 41-44) highlight how local and global problems are interconnected. * NGSS Lead States. “Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States” (2013)[](https://www.nextgenscience.org/) <https://www.nextgenscience.org/> The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) include crosscutting concepts that transcend disciplines. Appendix G outlines these concepts, including the ability to consider scale, particularly how changes in scale can change the ways systems work. **From Method Components Section** [1]<https://doee.dc.gov/node/10252> <https://doee.dc.gov/service/purpose-and-impact-bag-law> [2] <https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/stemming-the-plastic-tide-10-rivers-contribute-most-of-the-plastic-in-the-oceans/> [3] <https://www.epa.gov/dc/steps-taken-reduce-trash-anacostia>
Passing submissions must describe lesson activities that teach students the definition of “scale” and “multiple scales,” and provide opportunities for students to consider a problem at multiple scales.
Passing submissions must contain a clear description of how scale and multiple scales are relevant to the educator’s practice and the curriculum.
Passing submissions show thoughtful consideration of the impact of the lessons and activities on the abilities of students to develop understand problems at multiple scales.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show clear educator definition of “scale” and “multiple scales,” and include opportunities for students to consider a problem at multiple scales.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show some or an unclear educator definition of “scale” and “multiple scales,” and include some limited opportunities for students to consider a problem at multiple scales.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show a limited or inaccurate educator definition of “scale” and “multiple scales,” and few or no opportunities for students to consider a problem at multiple scales.
Student work shows that students have considered a problem at multiple scales and identified the common elements across scales as well as key features of the problem at each scale.
Student work shows that students have been exposed to a problem at multiple scales, but have not necessarily considered the implications and features of the problem at each scale.
Student work shows that students have not considered a problem at multiple scales with any depth.
Why is understanding problems at multiple scales important to your classroom and your curriculum?
Please submit the following evidence: * Lesson plans, resources, or activities that show the processes you used to guide student understanding of problems at multiple scales. Evidence should include the educator’s definition of “scales” and “multiple scales.” * At least two student work samples that demonstrate student understanding of a problem at multiple scales, identifying the common elements across scales as well as key features of the problem at each scale. Please remember that all identifying information about students – including student names and student faces in images – must be removed from your evidence.
Geographic Thinking: Geographic Storytelling to Inspire Action
Educators work with students to create compelling resources that not only provide evidence-based analysis of geographic data but also inspire others to take action to improve the world.
# Key Method Educators guide students to articulate a conclusion, identify powerful story elements, select storytelling tools, organize information, and communicate effectively to an audience so that they can accurately convey the results of their inquiry and inspire others to action. # Method Components Geographic thinking encourages students to investigate phenomena across all disciplines by asking: *Where is it? Why is it there? Why care?* Presenting a powerful story based on conclusions can push this inquiry one step further by asking *What can I do now?* For students, telling a compelling geographic story that inspires action requires a capability to articulate a conclusion, identify powerful story elements, select storytelling tools, organize information, and communicate effectively to an audience. Educators can guide students through this process by providing structured and scaffolded opportunities to make decisions about how to tell the story and what action they hope to inspire. Note that while many of these storytelling tips and processes are effective for any evidence-based call to action, this micro-credential focuses on stories that are geographic in nature. ### **What are the components of storytelling to inspire action?** 1. Articulating conclusions and goals 2. Identifying key evidence and storytelling tools 3. Organizing information 4. Communicating effectively ### **Suggested strategy for storytelling to inspire action** ***Note**: These strategies are not required for successful completion of the micro-credential. Many educators will want to integrate the skills and deliverables from this micro-credential into a broader lesson or project.* ### ### **I - Articulating conclusions and goals** 1. Before students begin to create a presentation or story, they must clarify the message they wish to communicate. Review the following questions with students before they form a thesis or summary of their argument: * What question or phenomena were you investigating * What sources and data did you use to investigate? * What did you learn from your research? * Based on your evidence, how would you answer the question you were investigating? Educators should guide students through the above questions, then ask them to revise and refine their answer to the question they were investigating until they have a short, clear statement. 2. Ask students to consider the action they will call for based on their conclusions. Be sure they can articulate the answers clearly and succinctly: * What action do you propose based on your investigation * What evidence from your research suggests that this action is necessary? * What impact do you believe this action will have and why 3. Finally, students should identify their audience. * Who will be able to take this action? What can this person or group do to help? 4. Students should practice combining the answers to all of these questions in a short “elevator pitch” so that they can tell their story efficiently. ### **II - Identifying key elements and storytelling tools** 1. Ask students to identify the evidence that best supports their conclusion. Consider: * Which evidence shows the issue or problem most clearly? * What is the best way to present this evidence? (Consider types of charts, graphs, maps, infographics, etc.) * Is the evidence accurate and honest? Does it account for any bias, outliers, or alternate explanations? How did it relate to your expectations? 2. Encourage students to consider what other elements will be critical to helping the audience understand and care about their topic. * What background information might the audience need to know to understand your inquiry and why it is important * Are there anecdotes, images, sounds, or analogies that would make the information more personal or relevant to the audience? 3. Help students select a storytelling tool that best fits their presentation and audience. Tools can include various forms of presentation technology, film, audio, and print media. * Encourage students to compare the advantages and disadvantages of several tools before choosing one. 4. If necessary, encourage students to collect and curate additional story elements—including images, video, and audio—that might help tell their story. ### **III - Organizing information** 1. Begin by asking students to create an outline of their presentation. The outline should not be too detailed but should contain a beginning, middle, and end and should locate the evidence within the larger structure of the argument and appeal for action. 2. Introduce the storyboarding process to students. Encourage them to think of their story—no matter the format—as a series of “scenes.” Each scene should have a purpose. Give students concrete tips for effective storytelling structure, including: * Start with a bang: Use a colorful anecdote, surprising fact, or pivotal moment to grab attention. * Simplify data: Make facts and data understandable and relatable. Use analogies, comparisons, or metaphors (as big as a 747, as small as a penny). * Clarify and edit: Cut extra information, even if it required a lot of research. Keep the story and message as clear as possible. Refer back to the “elevator speech” exercise earlier in the process. * End with a call to action: The audience should walk away with a clear sense of what they should do next. ### **IV - Communicating effectively** 1. As students prepare their story, they should be given opportunities to draft, practice, and revise based on feedback. 2. Encourage students to consider the voice and emotion in their presentations. They should think carefully about the intended audience and be sure they: * Make them care: Be clear about why the inquiry and action matter to you and why it should matter to them. Use questions and anecdotes to make it personal. Example: *Can you imagine leaving behind your home, your friends, and almost everything you own? That is what the 25 refugee families who recently moved to this town have done. That is why our class wanted to find out...* *We think of Salmon Brook as a stream that runs through the park in our town. But did you know that it is also a critical highway for life? Three fish species depend on a steady flow of clean water in this stream to...* * Speak in headlines: Use short and to-the-point statements, particularly when giving a talk or interview. Flowery language may sound good on a page, but it can lose its way when spoken or read aloud. Example:*Read the following statements aloud. Which is easier to understand as a listener?* *Using nitrate and nitrite color test tabs, we conducted repeated tests on the water in Copper Creek both upstream and downstream from the Central Avenue storm drain. We tested in varied weather conditions over four weeks and determined that the creek water downstream from the storm drain had consistently higher levels of nitrates and nitrites than the water above the drain. Based on these readings, we concluded that the stormwater runoff was adding nitrogen pollutants to the creek water.* *Or* *Nitrates and nitrites can be very harmful to some freshwater life. We wanted to see if the stormwater runoff from Central Avenue added these pollutants to Copper Creek. We used color test strips to test for nitrates and nitrites. We tested the creek water downstream from the drain and compared it to the water upstream from the drain. We tested eight times over four weeks. We tested after rains and on dry days. Every time, we found that nitrate and nitrite levels were higher below the drain.* * Use memorable language: Choose powerful, colorful, and detailed words and pictures to bring the audience into the story. Use comparisons. Example:*Which is more memorable?* *Each week, our school throws away 4,500 pounds of trash at lunch.* *Or* *Each week, the trash from our lunches is as heavy as a mini-van.* * Practice narration: Practice speaking with the proper emotions. Choose words or phrases to emphasize. *Consider taking video of yourself practicing your presentation several times. Try smiling in different places in the presentation or emphasizing different words.* 3. Create a class-wide presentation rubric highlighting the elements of effective presentation, including elements such as tone and pace of presentations. Provide a chance for students to review each other’s presentations and give constructive feedback based on the rubrics.
*Building knowledge in geography can enhance understanding in many aspects of students’ lives—from world politics, economics and trade, and climate change, to land and resource use in their own communities. Knowing geography empowers students—tomorrow’s leaders—to better understand and interact in our world.* * Schell, E. M., Roth, K. J., & Mohan, A. (Eds.). (2013). A road map for 21st century geography education: Instructional materials and professional development (A report from the Instructional Materials and Professional Development Committee of the Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education Project). Washington, DC: National Council for Geographic Education. Retrieved from <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/road-map-project/> *The value of effective argument extends well beyond the classroom or workplace, however. As Richard Fulkerson (1996) puts it in Teaching the Argument in Writing, the proper context for thinking about argument is one “in which the goal is not victory but a good decision, one in which all arguers are at risk of needing to alter their views, one in which a participant takes seriously and fairly the views different from his or her own” (pp. 16–17). Such capacities are broadly important for the literate, educated person living in the diverse, information-rich environment of the twenty-first century.* * Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2010). *Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and the Technical Subjects: Appendix A.*Retrieved from <http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/>
* National Geographic Society. “National Geographic Learning Framework.”[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/about/learning-framework) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/about/learning-framework> The National Geographic Learning Framework helps students develop the mindset of a National Geographic Explorer. This includes the ability to communicate and inspire action. * National Geographic Society. “Connecting the Geo-Inquiry Process to Your Teaching Practice.”[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/professional-development/courses/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/professional-development/courses/> This online course provides direction for teachers to conduct geographic inquiry in their classroom and provides examples of expert storytelling by National Geographic Explorers. * National Geographic Society. “The Geo-Inquiry Process.” <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/geo-inquiry/> The Educator Guide and Student Resource Packet on this site provide activities and resources to help choose effective storytelling tools and organize effective presentations. Many activities in the strategies detailed above are adapted from the Student Workbook. * Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP). (2012). “Geography for Life: National Geography Standards” (2nd Ed.). National Council for Geography Education.[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/national-geography-standards/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/national-geography-standards/> The Geography for Life National Geography Standards outline how geographically informed people can apply geography to plan for the future. * National Council for Social Studies. “College, Career, and Civic Life C3 Framework For Social Studies State Standards.”[](https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf) <https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf> The NCSS C3 framework underscores the importance of communication of conclusions and taking informed action in social studies disciplines in Dimension 4 of the Inquiry Arc (pp. 59–62). Appendix A shows examples of communication in geographic inquiry compared to inquiry from other social studies disciplines (pp. 66–68). Appendix E provides scholarly rationale for students to form and advocate for evidence-based conclusions in social studies classrooms (pp. 82–91). * NGSS Lead States. (2013). “Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States.”[](https://www.nextgenscience.org/) <https://www.nextgenscience.org/> The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) emphasize student inquiry as a key skill. Appendix F outlines the Science and Engineering Practices central to learning science and engineering at all grade levels and across all topics. The seventh process, ”engaging in argument from evidence,” emphasizes that students should understand how their collected data answers their research questions and how those answers fit into the larger context of society.
Passing submissions must contain a clear description of how geographic storytelling and action are relevant to the teacher’s practice and the curriculum.
Passing submissions should identify standards or expectations met by geographic inquiry and research and how the teacher chose to integrate geographic storytelling and action into those expectations.
Passing submissions show thoughtful consideration of the impact of the lessons and activities on the abilities of students to develop a compelling geographic story that will inspire action.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show clear teacher guidance on processes you used to structure and scaffold the processes of articulating conclusions, organizing evidence, and communicating effectively. Activities maintain a clear focus on the purpose of the storytelling—inspiring action.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show clear teacher guidance on some, but not all, of the following processes: articulating conclusions, organizing evidence, and communicating effectively. Activities provide some context and purpose for storytelling but are not action-oriented.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show little or no guidance on the following processes: articulating conclusions, organizing evidence, and communicating effectively. Activities do not provide a context or purpose for storytelling.
Student work shows that students were able to articulate conclusions, organize evidence, and communicate effectively as they developed geographic stories that inspired action.
Student work shows that students were able to complete some, but not all, of the following steps: articulate conclusions, organize evidence, and communicate effectively as they developed geographic stories that inspired action.
Student work shows little evidence that students were able to articulate conclusions, organize evidence, and communicate effectively as they developed geographic stories that inspired action.
What does geographic storytelling to inspire action mean to you, and why is it relevant in your classroom?
How did you choose to integrate geographic storytelling into your curriculum? Which learning goals did you focus on and why?
Please submit the following evidence: * Lesson plans, resources, or activities that show the processes you used to structure and scaffold the processes of articulating conclusions, organizing evidence, and communicating effectively. * At least two student work samples that show students went through thoughtful processes to articulate conclusions, organize evidence, and communicate effectively as they developed geographic stories that inspired action.
Geographic Thinking: Planning for Geographic Research and Data Collection
Educators help students plan and organize their geographic research and data collection by creating supporting “Need-to-Know” questions and identifying sources of information aligned to those questions.
# Key Method Educators guide students through the process of unpacking geographic inquiry questions to identify supporting “Need-to-Know” questions required to answer the broader inquiry question. Educators then assist students in identifying the types of data necessary to answer these questions and support their inquiry. Finally, educators help students identify sources and methods that will provide reliable information and data. Educators model and scaffold this process to ensure that students can replicate the process in pursuit of their own research. # Method Components Geographic thinking investigates the interaction of certain factors in a given place. It emphasizes student investigation of phenomena across disciplines by asking: *Where is it? Why is it there? Why care?* Educators conducting geographic inquiry should investigate a complex geographic inquiry question. Whether the educators formulate this question themselves or guide students to create their own question, the inquiry question should be compelling and require additional research. Preparing to investigate a complex geographic inquiry question is a critical skill for students. To efficiently and effectively collect evidence and form an answer, they will need to break the question into its component pieces. They will have to identify necessary background information and make a plan to collect needed data. ### **What are the components of planning for geographic research and data collection?** 1. Unpacking the geographic inquiry question to identify necessary background information and critical data. 2. Creating Need-to-Know questions for further research. 3. Identifying the types of sources and data collection necessary to answer the geographic inquiry question. ### **Suggested strategy for planning geographic research and data collection** Note: These strategies are not required for successful completion of the micro-credential. Many educators will want to integrate the skills and deliverables from this micro-credential into a broader lesson or project. ### **I - Unpacking the geographic inquiry question** *Before students begin to unpack a question and research sub-questions, educators should remind students that the ultimate purpose of the investigation is to answer the main geographic inquiry question. The following steps will break a complex process into simpler components, but educators should be mindful that students do not begin to see the process as a checklist of factual acquisition and recall.* *The complex and compelling inquiry question is the question worth asking, investigating, and—in some cases—using as a basis for student action. It should remain central to all conversations.* 1. Display the geographic inquiry question students will be investigating for the entire class. This question may have been formulated by the educator or the students. If students are working on varied questions individually or in small groups, educators should select a sample question such as: * Why are the trees on Maple Street losing their leaves in the spring this year? If they are dying, how can we save them 2. Circle or highlight the nouns or noun phrases to identify the key people, places, and things being investigated. * Why are the TREES on MAPLE STREET, but NOT ON OTHER STREETS, losing their LEAVES in THE SPRING this year? If they are dying, how can we save them? 3. Next, underline the verbs or verb phrases to identify the key interactions or processes that will need to be investigated. * Why are the TREES on MAPLE STREET, but NOT ON OTHER STREETS,losing their LEAVES in THE SPRING this year? If they are dying, how can we save them? ### **II - Creating Need-to-Know questions based on the unpacked inquiry questions** 1. Use the following question template to brainstorm *Need-to-Know* questions: * What do we need to know about \_\_\_\_\_ to answer our inquiry question? 2. Insert each unpacked noun or verb into the blank and have students respond with questions for further investigation. Educators may want to model the first question, then allow students to add their own *Need-to-Know* questions to the list. Example: What do we need to know about TREES to answer our inquiry question? * What do trees need to grow? * What kinds of things cause trees to lose their leaves in the spring What do we need to know about MAPLE STREET to answer our inquiry question? * What kinds of trees are on Maple Street? * How old are the trees on Maple Street? * Does Maple Street have all the things trees need to grow? Educators should note that this process is holistic—many questions will contain several key terms and may be dependent upon previous questions. They should also note that questions may be repetitive, and there may be more questions than students can reasonably answer. ### **III - Identifying the types of sources and data collection necessary to answer the *Need-to-Know* questions and the inquiry question** 1. Review the list of *Need-to-Know*questions to eliminate redundant questions or questions that are not central to answering the inquiry question. 2. Categorize the *Need-to-Know* questions into two categories: * Background Information: Questions about broader topics that can be addressed by research online, in libraries, or through conversations with experts. Often, background information is general in nature. Example: *What kinds of things cause trees to lose their leaves in spring?* * Data to Collect: Questions that require specific information about the place and situation examined by the inquiry. Students will need to “dig” to find this specific data, either in databases or through their own data collection. Some data may prove very difficult to find. 3. Identify sources and research questions categorized as “background information” first. Students should evaluate the resources they choose for accuracy, currency, and reliability. Ask students to summarize their findings, with a focus on answering the *Need-to-Know*questions as they relate to the inquiry questions. * At this stage, students may wish to refine their geographic inquiry question slightly, based on a more complex understanding of the context and background. 4. After students have compiled and shared background research, revisit the “data to collect” questions. * Eliminate questions that no longer seem relevant. * Identify the most important questions and refine them to include specific measures and the specific type of data needed. Example: *How did the local rainfall totals this winter and spring compare to seasonal averages?* * This step may include combining questions or creating hypotheses that will be tested with data. It also presents an opportunity to break larger groups into smaller teams to investigate varied hypotheses or collect varied types of data. 5. Create a data collection plan. For each refined “data to collect” question, identify: * The type of data students need (including the unit of measurement) * Why students need this data and how it relates to the inquiry question * How students will collect the data (such as field collection, additional research, or community surveys) * Tools students will need to collect data (such as physical tools, online databases, or survey and spreadsheet software) 6. Before students begin additional data collection and research, reflect on their expectations, hypotheses, and assumptions. * How does their research relate to the inquiry question? * What do they expect to find? * What does it mean if their findings match their expectations? What does it mean if their findings do not match expectations? This might be a good time to warn students against “confirmation bias” in research. If they have too many preconceived notions of what they will find, they are likely to find exactly what they are looking for. Be sure that students choose varied sources for research and evaluate those sources for authority and bias.
*Furthermore, with innovations in geographic technologies and tools, interactive and hands-on instruction is more possible than ever, providing teachers and students with easy access to current geographic data, representations, and images that enrich learning experiences around geographic concepts. Information about places and events is readily available, along with virtual field trips, web-based geographic information systems (GIS), and interactive mapping programs. However, students need to learn how to find, organize, analyze, and use this information with guidance from knowledgeable and skilled educators.* * Schell, E. M., Roth, K. J., & Mohan, A. (Eds.). (2013). A road map for 21st century geography education: Instructional materials and professional development (A report from the Instructional Materials and Professional Development Committee of the Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education Project). Washington, DC: National Council for Geographic Education. Retrieved from <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/road-map-project/> *Teachers reflected upon who should ask the questions during the inquiry process. Some teachers arrived at the same conclusions as Smith (2005) that independent exploration and questioning of geographic data makes using the program more motivating to the student, as it encourages students to be “inquisitive” and “open-minded.” So paying attention to the “geographic drive” is fruitful.* * Bryant, Lara M.P., & Favier, T. (2015). Professional development focusing on inquiry-based learning using GIS. In O. Muñiz Solari et al. (Eds.), *Geospatial technologies and geography education in a changing world: Advances in geographical and environmental sciences*. Japan: Springer. Retrieved from [https://ilo-ow.publication-archive.com/download/36/2860 [pdf]](https://ilo-ow.publication-archive.com/download/36/2860) *Geographic skills are used by students to manage and apply the content of geography. These skills include learning to use geography’s tools and analytical concepts noted above and other skills that enable students to analyze things geographically. In this process it is essential that students learn to ask geographic questions; to acquire information from primary and secondary sources; to learn the skills of observation and speculation; to gain the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate geographic information; and to develop and test geographic generalizations. Geographic skills also include the abilities to employ statistical analysis and use GIS and other computer-based applications noted earlier.* * National Assessment Governing Board. (2018). *Geography framework for the 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress*. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from[](https://www.nagb.gov/content/nagb/assets/documents/publications/frameworks/geography/2018-geography-framework.pdf) <https://www.nagb.gov/content/nagb/assets/documents/publications/frameworks/geography/2018-geography-framework.pdf>
* National Geographic Society.“Connecting the Geo-Inquiry Process to Your Teaching Practice.”[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/professional-development/courses/) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/professional-development/courses/> This online course provides direction for teachers to conduct geographic inquiry in their classroom. * National Geographic Society. “The Geo-Inquiry Process.” <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/geo-inquiry/> The Educator Guide and Student Resource Packet on this site provide activities and resources to support planning for geographic research and data collection. Many activities in the strategies detailed above are adapted from the Student Workbook. * Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP). (2012). “Geography for Life: National Geography Standards” (2nd Ed.). National Council for Geography Education.[](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/about/national-geography-standards) <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/about/national-geography-standards> The Geography for Life National Geography Standards outline how geographically informed people can ask questions to understand more about the way physical and human phenomena are distributed across the Earth’s surface. * National Council for Social Studies. “College, Career, and Civic Life C3 Framework For Social Studies State Standards.”[](https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf) <https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf> The NCSS C3 framework underscores the importance of refining inquiry to create supporting questions and determine appropriate sources in the social studies disciplines in Dimension 1 of the Inquiry Arc (pp. 23–27). Appendix A shows examples of geographic inquiry compared to inquiry from other social studies disciplines (pp. 66–68). Appendix E provides scholarly rationale for using questioning and inquiry in social studies classrooms (pp. 82–91). * NGSS Lead States. (2013). “Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States.” [](https://www.nextgenscience.org/) <https://www.nextgenscience.org/> The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) emphasize student inquiry as a key skill. Appendix F outlines the science and engineering practices central to learning science and engineering at all grade levels and across all topics. The third process, “planning and carrying out investigations,” emphasizes the planning investigations that will provide relevant data.
Passing submissions should identify standards or expectations met by geographic inquiry and research and show how the teacher chose to integrate geographic inquiry and research into those expectations.
Passing submissions must contain a clear description of how geographic inquiry and research are relevant to the teacher’s practice and the curriculum.
Passing submissions show thoughtful consideration of the impact of the lessons and activities on the abilities of students to plan for geographic research and data collection.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show clear teacher guidance on creating Need-to-Know questions or similar investigations. Plans also show clear modelling and guidance on identifying sources for background information and planning for geographic data collection.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show some, but not all, of the following elements: clear teacher guidance on creating Need-to-Know questions or similar investigations, clear guidance on identifying sources for background information, and support in planning for geographic data collection.
Submitted lesson plans or activities show few or none of the following elements: clear teacher guidance on creating Need-to-Know questions or similar investigations, clear guidance on identifying sources for background information, and support in planning for geographic data collection.
Student work shows that students were able to break a broad inquiry into more manageable Need-to-Know questions, identify sources for background information, and plan for collection of relevant geographic data.
Student work shows that students were able to complete some, but not all, of the following steps: break a broad inquiry into more manageable Need-to-Know questions, identify sources for background information, and plan for collection of relevant geographic data.
Student work shows little evidence that students were able to complete the following steps: break a broad inquiry into more manageable Need-to-Know questions, identify sources for background information, and plan for collection of relevant geographic data.
How did you choose to integrate geographic inquiry and research into your curriculum? Which learning goals did you focus on and why?
What does geographic inquiry and research mean to you, and why is it relevant in your classroom?
Please submit the following evidence: * Lesson plans, resources, or activities that show the processes you used to guide students to develop Need-to-Know questions (or similar investigations into key ideas) and prepare for research and data collection. * At least two student work samples that show students successfully developing Need-to-Know questions (or similar investigations into key ideas), using these questions to identify sources for background information, and creating plans to collect geographic data.