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The 20th Century has seen a dramatic increase in the use of energy sources ranging from coal to petroleum to nuclear power. The world has already witnessed both positive and negative effects of this use, and our geographic landscape will be forever changed by them. The emphasis now is to look at the past and present effects and analyze what impact they will have on our geography in the twenty-first century.
Connection to the Curriculum, Standards, and Skills
Geography Standards
Standard 16: The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.Standard 17: How to apply geography to interpret the past.Standard 18: How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.
Alabama Course of Study: Social Studies Content Standards (Grade 7)
Grade LevelStandard 22: Evaluate the environmental effects of human actions on the four basic components of Earth's physical systems.Geographic SkillsStandard 30: Evaluate the geographic impact of using major energy sources in the twenty-first century.
Acquiring and organizing spatial information; analyzing geographic information; discovering problems within the environment; using geography to help predict and determine areas of future concern.
Purpose of the LessonGrade 7
Primary Geographic QuestionTo evaluate the geographic impact on the world, United States, and local communities, of using major energy sources in the twenty-first century using data from the past and present and predictions for the future.
What will be the geographic impact of using major energy sources in the twenty-first century for the world, the United States, and your local community?
What are similarities and differences in energy consumption and production between the United States and the rest of the world?
What geographic changes, both positive and negative, have occurred in the world and United States because of energy consumption and production?
What types of energy sources are produced in your community and what effects have they had, and do they have on geography?
How will the predictions for future energy consumption and production affect the geographic landscape as a whole?
What might the geographic impact of the use of alternative forms of energy sources be in the twenty-first century?
Materials
- Before completing the activities in this lesson, it will be necessary to present background information on types of energy sources, what they are used for, how they are obtained, etc. The entire lesson should require approximately five class days.
- Charts and graphs will be utilized and evaluated by students in group work.
- Brainstorming ideas about positive and negative effects on geography that they have analyzed will be revealed, and the effects on geography in the future will be discussed.
- Developing a plan for the future for energy sources that would have a positive impact on the geographic landscape.
Body of Lesson - Procedure & Assessment
- Charts and Graphs
- Blank Paper
- Poster Board
- World Maps (blank)
- Markers
Activity One
Secondary Question # 1: What are the similarities and differences in energy consumption and production of energy between the U.S. and the rest of the world?
Give each student a copy of the charts on world and U.S. energy consumption and production. Also, give each of them a blank world map.First, have the students make a legend using colors to indicate the amount of energy consumed by the nations shown on the graph.Instruct the students to use the charts and graphs to develop a list of similarities and a list of differences in energy consumption and production between the U.S. and the rest of the world using the blank paper they were given.
Assessing Student Learning: Activity One
Each student should develop at least three answers for each list. Ask each student to give one of the items from their lists to the rest of the class while the teacher writes them on the board to see how many were the same and how many were different. Maps should also be checked for accuracy and understanding of how to interpret graphs.Activity Two
- Secondary Question # 2: What geographic changes, both positive and negative, have occurred in the U.S. and the world because of energy consumption and production?
- Divide the class into 7 groups assigning each group a continent. Instruct each group to use the lists made in activity one, as well as the information given previously in class discussion, readings, etc. to brainstorm lists of both positive and negative effects on the geographic landscape of their particular continent.
- They should write their lists on the poster board with the markers provided by dividing the board into six areas, one for each of the six essential elements. They will present their findings to the class and their board should be placed in the room so that it is visible for the other activities.
Assessing Student Learning: Activity Two
Each group should have at least one positive and one negative effect on the geographic landscape for their continent in each of the essential element areas.Activity Three
- Secondary Question #3: What types of energy sources are produced in your community and what effects have they had, and do they have on geography?
- Have the class as a whole answer this question orally, making a list of the local energy sources on the board. Then have them to go back and list their effects on geography.
Assessing Student Learning: Activity Three
Each student should identify which of the six essential elements each of these effects is a part of with at least 80 percent accuracy before moving on to the next activity.Activity Four
- Secondary Question #4: How will the predictions for future energy consumption and production effect the geographic landscape as a whole?
- Divide the class into small groups. (May use the same as Act. 2) Have each group develop lists using the six essential elements as a guide of what possible effects there may be on the geographic landscape in the twenty-first century. Have them label each as positive or negative.
Assessing Student Learning: Activity Four
Each group should have at least two possible effects in each element. They should also be able to justify why they believe it to be a positive or negative effect.Activity Five
- Secondary Question #5: What might the geographic impact of the use of alternative forms of energy sources be in the twenty-first century?
- Using the same groups from Activity Four, as well as information from class discussions, readings, etc., have the groups discuss the alternative forms of energy sources such as wind power, solar power, synthetic fuels, etc.
- Using this information, the group should develop an alternative energy source all on their own that might be used in the mid-to-late twenty-first century when all the petroleum has been depleted. As part of their project, they should also describe its possible impact on geography using the six essential elements.
Assessing Student Learning: Activity Five
Each group will present their development to the class. They should have drawings, graphs, charts, etc. to explain their development. They should also have prepared a persuasive speech to try and "sell" their idea. They will also be evaluated on cooperativeness in their groups.
References
Brunner, Borgna. 1998 Information Please World Almanac. (1997). Houghton Mifflin Co., Wilmington, MA 565-571.Christensen, John W. Global Science. (1996). Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque, IA, 263, 266-268.
Energy. Exploring Your World: The Adventure of Geography. (1991). National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C., 194-203, 231-241.
Harper, Robert A. and Stoltman, Joseph P. World Geography. (1983). Steck-Vaugh Co., Austin, TX, 567.
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