#worldgeochat Archive
#worldgeochat is a weekly chat focused on teaching geography and global studies. Chats vary between geography specific topics as well as general teaching and education topics. ALL are welcome in worldgeochat!
Tuesday November 1, 2016
Hi everyone! Ed, 7th grade world geography teacher in the suburbs of Chicago. Raiding my kids candy stash & ready to learn!
Hello and Ladonna 6-7 Social Studies in Mobridge, SD!
Doug from West Prairie in WC IL. HS geography and MS PE.
good evening, - michael from columbus, ohio -middle school teacher, in and out tonight :)
that I get to and tonight! Plus, I love my students!
Hello, ! Sam here from MA. Teaching 7th grade World Geography
Aimee from STL. MS world history.
Hey ... it's Ashley from deep south TX!
Joanne in Missouri rooting for my family/friends that are Cubs fans. Nothing like the culture of Chitown.
Chris from Illinois! 7th grade World Geography and one of the moderators!
Excited to have with us tonight!
Greeting from Utah! I am one of CultureGrams' content editors. Excited to be here with you folks tonight.
Hello all. Josh here, high school social studies here in Austin. Looking forward to tonight's with
Welcome in ! Glad you're joining tonight!
You must ASAP! You won't regret it.
Hi Ladonna! Glad you can male it!
It's a stressful time for us Sox fans! Right ?
Hello - David here, teacher candidate in Oregon.
HI & Glad you could join us!
I missed you earlier! Good luck with the double chat - not an easy skill!
- I live in deep south TX, but was raised a Cubs fan ... so this is an awesome time!
Decided to concentrate only on aren't you proud?
You must be one of the disciples! Glad you're here!
HI 7 Hope you all are doing well this week!
I wish I could say the same. As a Sox fan, this is quite painful!
- try being a Texans fan in deeply-rooted Cowboys territory ...
I don't live in Chicago anymore so I can be more generous. My family is split down the middle.
A1 Pictures, pictures, pictures! IT's a primary source that differentiated itself!
Q1 Music and art from throughout history. Also laws/ law codes.
A1: I love using photos, music, and interviews; it usually depends on the topic that we're examining
Hi,Linda Runion from Martinsburg WV. Sc.st.Gr6-12
A1 I like Culturegrams :) and CIA World Factbook.
I use a ton of images & & I along w/ teachers in our district have been including several primary source docs 2
i like to use speeches! in Africa my kids compare the speeches of Kwame Nkrumah to MLK & Ghandi.
We use the CIA World Factbook as a primary source quite a bit. https://t.co/xQvfibzzxA
A1 I like Culturegrams :) and CIA World Factbook.
Welcome in! I think might be our first 'r from West Virginia!
A1. CIA Factbook, World Bank, BBC, Gale Global Issues
Speeches are great! Especially when you can give Ss the text & visual at the same time!
A1: Agreed with . Especially in world geography, primary sources is extremely imprt.
A1 Oops, you said primary sources. So... agree with . Images, diaries, old postcards, maps, photos.
are great too - they can give a great firsthand account! Just need to find the right ones!
. Grateful we work together so that u shared that 1 with me! Great stuff! You know I'm a sucker 4 music!
WHOOPS! How could I forget pictures as a primary source?! YES! Current events all day
i ALWAYS use music. linking music and lyrics to culture is SO important. BOB MARLEY especially...
- but when you do ... it's MAGIC!
Do you do anything with Apartheid? I've got some great stuff for you if you do!
Isn't language a problem if one tries to do that?
You can use them to preview a lesson. Show the first minute or two and ask them to predict.
Now you're talking! EdPuzzle + Ted = AWESOME!!!
Interviews are great too! I used several transcripts of interviews w/ refugees for our Europe unit now
A1: Would be considered primary source? In a way, it's interviewing people in different areas
Absolutely it is! The best kind of Primary Source!!!
No. lagging behind re: social media in class. Worthwhile to provide examples/samples? Not 1:1 school.
3 years ago I had a Filipino student in class. It was awesome. He taught us so much.
Made use of Edpuzzle today for a digital text set on evaluating sources!
A1 I agree w what others have posted but also travel memoirs, diaries,
Some are - it depends. There was so much great stuff during the Arab Spring to give Ss real time primary source!
Great chance to evaluate bias.
POV, validity, etc are real problems with current primary sources; especially via social media.
Merri SoCal Sorry late spent great afternoon working w team on their PreK Global Citizens project so excited
Very true! But, as says - great lessons on bias!
We learn all locations of countries - also use regions and issues. B: connections with locations, Issues - make it relevant.
I see the Cubs are up 7-0 in game 6 tonight. You must be ecstatic.
A2. Conceptual. Allows to use current case studies. Drawbacks...Ss sometimes locationally challenged.
A2: used to do by region, but now we cover topics; loved the move because there's more freedom
Definitely! Need to know how to verify info. Too ez to create fake news & social media
A2 - I'm really interested in hearing answers to this - & I are helping our district rewrite 6-12 SS curricula.
A2: major issue is fitting in mapping bc Ss lack extended mapping skills coming into our course
A2: Culture is either regional or by country. We focus on how areas are affected by physical chars. (long story short)
A2 We do region currently - it's a bit rough b/c some countries get literally no time & others a lot - not easy to justify
A More Accurate World Map Wins Prestigious Japanese Design Award https://t.co/oZwHBRBJUl A friend just shared this. Awesome!
A2: We organize by region/culture. You must take them both into account. Ex: Covering ALL of Africa in a single unit is unfair
Our units are centered around regions. I would love to rethink this and organize units theatically instead
region. though it's broad it covers a lot. i also identify major ethnic groups & look at cultures within as well
CultureGrams' reports, photos, interviews, and video are all primary sources. Texts are written by natives from each country.
Agreed! Definite drawback
DM me - I'll forget to share otherwise!
Q2 Usu by region mixed with chronology. Pro = story. Some by issue. Pro = student ability to relate.
A2 Perhaps you choose based on what's relevant at the time? That's still hard to do.
So hard to cram everything into one single school year, right?!
A2 what a great ? !When I taught AP Human Geo it was thematic & Ss chose a Country they covered all year & became "expert"
I'd love to look at a thematic approach - gives Ts more flexibility & permission to adapt over time!
- that's a great idea!! I'm going to try that out next semester!
Yes, a history class needs chronology. My class is purely cultural based, so we jump between timelines constantly.
Exactly! Latin America is our last region & if we spend more than 2 weeks on it, its a win. Sad.
Theatrically sounds more fun than thematically. Haha!
Or even into 12 or 16. Probably impossible even then. Why teaching skills is so important.
All of Latin America in one unit? :( Bummer.
We would love to hear what specific themes you teach if you want to DM us later. Considering this approach in the product.
And that's not an easy thing for a JH student to do. Be in the past 1 week, the present the next...
A2 Concept advantage is not racing around the world. Dis/ some states get more att. ex. China, India, US etc. My fault not Ss.
. No doubt! I'm already at least a week behind schedule! Want to discuss everything! :)
Love the idea of student choice.
Big time - because all of Latin America is the same, right?
How do you get them up to speed?
And, the future every day. :)
Ken from Western Oregon Univ. Just arriving from playing ballet uber driver. Will look for the Qs
We focus on the Amazon Basin and the Andes Mountains. That's about it... :(
Themes similar to AP Human but add physical and more HEI. Population, Culture, Political, Econ, Urban
Quite a bit. Use platform to discuss them.
That sounds about right - throw in some migration and that's my unit!
No Mexico, Central America, or Caribbean?
Yes! Feel like I'm constant toggling btwn past & present. Need to have timeline in class
A1 maps, photos, music, conversations, humans
- this would work out awesome with Fantasy GeoPolitics too!
A3 I think asking the question, What time is it? is a terrific intro to culture, especially when one goes deep into answers.
Our daily 5 ? rumbles bring a current events quiz style game to every period! Love it!
- additional mapping labs where students focus on specific world regions
A3: have students create mixtape of songs representing independence & freedom for African independence movements
Not really. It's a shame :(
All gets tied in to "Latin America" - Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, & South America
Wow. My Ss are 11-12 and they are allowed to learn the geography of French Guiana. :)
Need more detail on this! https://t.co/K4yqUKNPpg
Our daily 5 ? rumbles bring a current events quiz style game to every period! Love it!
There's a great resource on the rainforest & development - well worth checking out!
A3: The Chowdown Showdown PBL ... Ss create fusion food trucks & pitch the ideas to investors!
A3 Any time I can get Ss to see the similarities between us & others, that's a GREAT Culture assignment!
A3 Love using to give students background about a country
A3 My fave culture lessons have been using social media (i.e. Skype, blogs, FB page) to connect w/ other cultural groups
A3 Was recommending today that Ss explore & look for things that interested them to do further research
and anything that get get ss out of their own microcosm to see others
PRobably the most real thing you can do to see culture!
ashamed to admit I'm a newbie.
James Gleick's new Time Travel: a History is terrific too.
If you've used the info they have on eating, dating, and playing is great for all ages!
A3ish I foresee Ss building some maps soon using
It's a good resource - give it a try & then get your district to subscribe!
A3 always good when Ss explored something they connect w like birthday, food, holidays, music etc... & compare discuss
2 Ss challenge each other put their top country on the line, I ask them 5 current events ?s Winner gets top country
Do share what you come up with on this! I'm curious!!!
Love that the site includes info about students our kids age! That is always a win!
A3B Hungry Planet & Material World also have a nice curriculum guide to c/c cultures
If ever in need of teaching activities, CultureGrams has over 75 lesson plans. Check out on our blog: https://t.co/PbszVDLGfa
I found it awesomely mindbending.
a great diversion right now ;)!
- no ... but looking at it, I think I just might!
Awesome! I had no clue this resource existed! Can't wait to share this w/ the teachers at my school!
a4: We find this SO difficult - teaching dif. types of gov'ts (theocracy, dictatorship) w/o putting emotion or quality
Hate to jet, , but I've got to go. I'll be looking for that archive
A4 making sure you use authentic voices of those cultures...poetry, music, stories
A4 another GREAT ? ! believe that busting myths (stereotypes) has to start on 1st day & then reminded thru out
Hi Laura! How are you feeling?
A4 By humanizing the "other." Bring in their voices via podcast, music, live person, photos. A source that will connect w/ Ss
A4 This is a tough thing - I spend the whole year preaching the danger of the single story, then fall victim at times!
A4 I think one of the best ways is showing that the people within countries borders are so diverse just like the US
i play a game called move your butt that promotes kids to get up & share something that cannot be seen.
Q4. DK if I do successfully. It requires constant effort.
A4: a huge discussion w/ Ss ... many Ss can relate bc of the stereotypes they experience as Mex-Am
exhausted 4 weeks to go! Eeks. Good baseball game on tonight though!
YES to all those! And is always willing to help find music from the world!
hahaha what an awesome idea! Love it
Speaking of cultures, my 9G Ss couldn't believe some cultures in the Amazon haven't had outside world contact yet!!!
Need to hear more about !
didn't know if it would work but each day & each period I have at least 2 Ss wanting to rumble. Gr8 4 current events
Q4 Try to use example from student experience. Start with big general Qs; ask for Ss who defy norm. (Over and over)
Yes. Divide up ethnicities and give Ss specific amount of time to write down as much as they know about group.
in our class Ss are almost whispering about election stuff like it is forbidden to talk about!
Getting in late today. Damn teaching getting in the way of ! ;)
My Ss want to talk about it all the time - & this year its been so hard to stay neutral!
some1 in middle of room & circle around. say something someone cant see. begin to delve into typifying people.
Oh believe me, I have it bookmarked, thanks Going to use it as resource to have Ss collab on a Google Doc on 11-14.
Awesome! Which podcasts do you use most frequently Ken?
A5 Would be great if there was a place to connect classrooms around the world for Skype or penpal-like connections
someone mentioned timelines - love the idea of keeping an interactive timeline (encourage Ss as well) for context w themes
A5A an app to correctly translate languages, so we make sure we have the correct context... (cont)
I didn't see the Google Classroom share icon! That is excellent!
Would love to have more primary source documents from across the globe
Have you seen ? They might have what you seek!
A5B (cont) remember being shocked to learn"Death to America" means something different in Persian. Closer to "frustration"
I love that has leveled primary source docs, would love to have something like that with a geography focus
no haven't seen but looks very cool! Thanks!!
A5 Time travel so we can connect visually with anyone in the world.
I will be talking about your site with all my fellow & Ts.
Yes, but still doesn't always capture the correct context
Ah, so long sought after by AI researchers. Probably impossible though. Idiom may be impossible to translate.
I didn't know that either! Funny - they never mention that on the news!!!
A5. I'd love to have textbooks from different countries to show how each region teaches an event
They have some geography texts.
Yes! Anyone have a good suggestion for this? I could keep the link on my class Canvas page as a resource!
Like that book we talked about years ago! History Lessons, right???
and hi Elllie! See you Monday! :)
Good read = "Was Lani Guinier Right" in Cole's book Universe/Teacup. Raises Qs about voting process/alts.
Yes! That would be AMAZING Ellie!
Similar with Trump thinking Putin called him brilliant. Russian language experts say Putin was ...
I learned it from a presentation at NCSS a few years ago. Completely changes the view!
Is PenPalNews still operating?
Not sure - has some great projects to try!
I wish I had been - which city?
seen him at 2 NCSS conferences. Think one I'm thinking was Seattle?
A6: you make it relevant ... I enjoy transforming lessons into PBL units bc of the real world connections!
A6 Talk about what interests Ss - playgrounds, schools, grocery stores - culture & place is so much more than a textbook!
A6 Using a variety of types of lessons, using as much multimedia as I can, buiding in new tech tools but also Ss conversation
chronozoomproject connected to ?havent been able to find working site?? It was cool.
If you can find a way to Take Action, you can have Ss SUPER engages in their learning!
A6 make them relatable to the Ss. Can do thru bringing in voices thru videoconferencing,other social media, music,photos, etc.
Adding it to the reading list!
A6 put learning into the Ss hands & have them explore problem solve make connections, create we are better together!
- I believe it ... Ss r examing the impact of social media on global protest mvts. & they are engaged!
i wear my ghanaian clothes or lederhosen during certain units! also region MUSIC playing @ beginning of class.
A6 Let them eat cake, or injera, or pancit, or pho, or... well, anything.
Time to go help w/ dinner. Thanks !!
Love when your site started including infographics! They could serve as good models for Ss to create their own
Does your Uber service deliver now as well???
-- Thanks for the chat and ideas -- Tweetdeck crashed, so I'll get caught up!
We often hear Ss think the anthems, infographics, and photos on CultureGrams are fun but how can we do better?
I use music each day too! We need to create a play list of all the songs Ts use!
let's PLEASE! great idea!!
Thanks for letting me sit in. Learning more each time
A nursery rhyme in the native language! Or a popular kid song sung by little kids! My Ss would LOVE that!
