Essential Question: What essential map skills help us get information from maps?

In a Social Studies Skill Builder, students develop the basic map-reading skills they will need for success in this program.

Essential Question: What are thematic maps and what information do they show about regions and countries?

In this Visual Discovery activity students learn to read and analyze five types of thematic maps geographers use to represent the world.

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Essential Question: How do physical processes shape Earth's landscape?

In this Problem Solving Groupwork activity, students create rich-media presentations of for physical processes: tectonic movement, erosion, glaciation, and volcanic activity.

Essential Question: What are six forms of government found in the world today?

In this Social Studies Skill Builder, students analyze case studies to determine the form of government of contemporary countries, how these governments function, and what role citizens play in these societies.

Essential Question: How do different societies organize their economies?

In this Response Group, students debate where to place various countries' economies on a spectrum from market to command.

Essential Question: How does location influence where people live?

In this Social Studies Skill Builder activity, students play a fast-paced board game to explore how location influences life in the varied regions of Canada.

Essential Question: What can maps tell us about Latin America?

In this Social Studies Skill Builder activity, students work in pairs to complete a series of geography challenges to learn about the region's physical and human geography.

Why Teach This Lesson?

Essential Question: How can data reveal a country's level of economic development?

In a Social Studies Skill Builder, students graph and analyze demographic data to learn about the influence of colonialism and the level of economic development in Latin America

Essential Question: What are the six major periods in Mexican history?

In a Visual Discovery activity students analyze images to understand six major periods in Mexico's history.

Essential Question: What is unique about the way people live in Mexico City?

In this Writing for Understanding activity students take a "bus tour" to visit four aspects of life in Mexico City: its history, culture, neighborhoods, and environment. They write a postcard home about their tour.

Why Teach This Lesson?

Essential Question: What are the sources of conflict and cooperation in the rainforest?

In this Experiential Exercise students assume the role of representatives form different rainforest interest groups and meet to debate how the land and resources of the rainforest should best be used.

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Essential Question: What can maps tell us about Europe and Russia?

In this Social Studies Skill Builder activity, students work in pairs to complete a series of geography challenges to learn about the region's physical and human geography.

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Essential Question: How did democracy develop in ancient Greece?

In an Experiential Exercise, students learn about the roots of democracy, then use the principles of monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, and democracy to choose a favorite musical artist.

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Essential Question: What forces work for and against cooperation among nations?

In this Experiential Exercise activity, students analyze a population cartogram of European countries, then simulate travel in the Europe before and after the formation of the EU.

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Essential Question: What factors make a nation more successful or less successful?

In this Response Group activity, students analyze five audio slideshows using social science data, then they complete an in-depth reading and rank each of the five nations on a spectrum from "More Successful" to "Less Successful."

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Essential Question: What can maps tell us about Africa?

In this Social Studies Skill Builder activity, students work in pairs to complete a series of geography challenges to learn about the region's physical and human geography.

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Essential Question: In what ways do humans adapt to and modify their environment?

In a Response Group activity, students discover how people living in different parts of Africa adapt to and modify their environment.

Essential Question: In what ways are African cultures similar and different?

In this Writing for Understanding, students “tour” five African countries to learn about their language, religion, institutions, and arts

Why Teach This Lesson?

Essential Question: What was apartheid and how has South Africa changed since it ended?

In a Visual Discovery activity, students analyze images and complete readings on the history of South Africa during and after apartheid in order to understand how historical events influence the present.

Essential Question: What can maps tell us about Southwest and Central Asia?

In this Social Studies Skill Builder activity, students work in pairs to complete a series of geography challenges to learn about the region's physical and human geography.

Why Teach This Lesson?

Essential Question: How are major cultural elements of Southwest Asia similar and different?

In a Writing for Understanding activity, students take a cultural tour of six countries in Southwest Asia (Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran) and record information about four cultural elements (ethnic groups, language, religion, and major cultural sites) in order to learn about similarities and differences among the six countries.

Why Teach This Lesson?

Essential Question: How are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam similar and different?

In this Problem-Solving Groupwork activity, students create multimedia presentations using images and videos to present the major beliefs and practices of three major religions in Southwest Asia: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Essential Question: How might having a valuable natural resource affect a region?

In this Response Group activity, students analyze geographic data to answer a series of critical thinking questions about how oil has affected life in Southwest Asia and then take a "helicopter tour" of the ten nations.

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Essential Question: What can maps tell us about Monsoon Asia?

In this Social Studies Skill Builder activity, students work in pairs to complete a series of geography challenges to learn about the region's physical and human geography.

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Essential Question: How do ancient Chinese traditions influence family life in Asia?

In a Writing for Understanding activity, students assume the roles of visitors to China to learn about ancient Chinese traditions that influence modern Chinese family life.

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Essential Question: How does population density affect life in Japan?

This Experiential Exercise allows students to learn about how population density affects life in Japan as they use their bodies and varying amounts of floor space to simulate the population densities of Australia, the United States, and Japan.

Essential Question: How has Hinduism affected life in modern India?

In this Experiential Exercise activity, students learn about the origins and beliefs of Hinduism, then present and participate in interactive dramatizations about Hindu traditions to understand how they affect daily life in modern India.

Why Teach This Lesson?

Essential Question: How are cultures in Southeast Asia similar and different?

In this Visual Discovery activity, students look for key cultural traits in six videos depicting daily life in Southeast Asia.