Geography Standard One

Students will develop a personal geographic framework, or "mental map,' and understand the uses of maps and other geo-graphics [MAPS].

A mental map is a person's internalized picture of a part of the Earth's surface. It helps make sense of the world by storing and recalling information about the patterns of the Earth's human and natural features. A well developed mental map is a great asset in understanding local, national, and world events. Students need to develop mental maps which reflect the relative location and knowledge of major landforms and climatic zones, human settlements, political divisions, and economic activities at local, state, national, and world scales. Students also need to develop the ability to create, use, and interpret maps and other geo-graphics crucial to analyzing and solving geographic problems.

The complexity of the standard will increase at each succeeding grade cluster:

• K-3:
  • Students will understand the nature and uses of maps, globes, and other geo-graphics.
• 4-5
  • Students will demonstrate development of mental maps of Delaware and of the United States which include the relative locations and characteristics of major physical features, political divisions, and human settlements.
• 6-8:
  • Students will demonstrate mental maps of the world and its sub-regions which include the relative location and characteristics of major physical features, political divisions, and human settlements.
• 9-12:
  • Students will identify geographic patterns which emerge when collected data is mapped, and analyze mapped patterns though the application of such common geographic principles as
    • Hierarchy (patterns at a detailed scale may be related to patterns at a more general scale)
    • Accessibility (how easily one place can be reached from another)
    • Diffusion (how people or things move in certain directions at certain speeds)
    • Complimentarity (the mutual exchange of people or goods among places usually occurs over the shortest possible distances)
  • Students will apply the analysis of mapped patterns to the solution of problems.