7th Grade Geography Standards
7.G.1.1 Explain how environmental conditions and human response to those conditions influence modern societies and regions (e.g. natural barriers, scarcity of resources and factors that influence settlement). (day 1)
The student will understand:
For example: The response to the need of oil in the United States prompted drilling off the
Gulf of Mexico and eventually led to the Gulf oil spill.
The student will know:
For example: The Three Gorges dam along the Yangtze River was created to help alleviate flooding
along the river, but has generated a variety of additional challenges. In order to create this
engineering feat, communities were uprooted and moved and cultural/historical artifacts were lost.
Other examples include: Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Western North Carolina, the building of the Panama Canal
7.G.1.2 Explain how demographic trends (e.g. population growth and decline, push/pull factors and urbanization) lead to conflict, negotiation, and compromise in modern societies and regions. (day 2)
The student will understand:
For example: Bosnia (ethnic cleansing), Increased Muslin Population in Europe, Darfur, genocide.
For example: More and more people of Islamic faith are migrating to Europe in search of greater economic opportunity and political freedom. What these immigrants are finding upon their arrival is discrimination, lack of cultural understanding and legal decisions aimed at making them integrate into European society.
The student will know:
o Population distribution
o Urbanization
For example: Western Europe’s population explosion during the Industrial Revolution in the mid 1600s was due, in part to improvements in health care, migration of families to areas where factories/jobs were located, and the ability of families to sustain more children.
Another example: The development of the modern nation of Israel is an example of conflict, compromise, and negotiation. In the sixty plus years of Israel’s existence, there has been war between Israel her neighbors. There have been times of negotiation and compromise.
7.G.1.3 Explain how natural disasters (e.g. flooding, earthquakes, monsoons and tsunamis), preservation efforts and human modification of the environment (e.g. recycling, planting trees, deforestation, pollution, irrigation systems and climate change) affect modern societies and regions.
The student will understand:
The student will know:
For example: Tsunami of 2004 impacted nations around the world and in the region. NGOs from a wide variety of nations sent supplies, resources and, human capital to assist in the search and rescue phase immediately following the disaster and the search and recovery phase that occurred later on. Additionally, people and resources were sent to help with medical needs and the rebuilding of infrastructure in the countries impacted.
7.G.2.1 Construct maps, charts, and graphs to explain data about geographic phenomena (e.g. migration patterns and population and resource distribution patterns).
7.G.2.2 Use maps, charts, graphs, geographic data and available technology tools (i.e. GPS and GIS software) to interpret and draw conclusions about social, economic, and environmental issues in modern societies and regions.
The student will understand:
- Physical features of a place may influence the settlement patterns of modern societies and regions.
- Human response to environmental conditions may have unintended consequences.
For example: The response to the need of oil in the United States prompted drilling off the
Gulf of Mexico and eventually led to the Gulf oil spill.
The student will know:
- Environmental condition is the state of the environment of a place at a particular time such as: pollution, erosion, deforestation, depopulation, climate, glaciation, desertification, etc.
- Ways in which humans may respond to environmental conditions such as: building dams, planting trees, creating policies and laws to deal with the issue of pollution, redeveloping and area in order to encourage repopulation, etc.
- Natural barriers aid and deter societal development.
For example: The Three Gorges dam along the Yangtze River was created to help alleviate flooding
along the river, but has generated a variety of additional challenges. In order to create this
engineering feat, communities were uprooted and moved and cultural/historical artifacts were lost.
Other examples include: Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Western North Carolina, the building of the Panama Canal
7.G.1.2 Explain how demographic trends (e.g. population growth and decline, push/pull factors and urbanization) lead to conflict, negotiation, and compromise in modern societies and regions. (day 2)
The student will understand:
- Rapid population growth may lead to internal conflict over scare resources.
- Nations with populations that exceed its capacity to care for its people may develop strategies to overcome this issue (i.e. China’s one child rule)
- Populations settle in areas where there are sufficient resources in which to meet their needs.
- Changing demographic trends i.e. ethnic make-up, may cause internal conflict among a nation’s population or may cause different groups to compromise in order to achieve common goals.
For example: Bosnia (ethnic cleansing), Increased Muslin Population in Europe, Darfur, genocide.
For example: More and more people of Islamic faith are migrating to Europe in search of greater economic opportunity and political freedom. What these immigrants are finding upon their arrival is discrimination, lack of cultural understanding and legal decisions aimed at making them integrate into European society.
The student will know:
- The factors that explain population growth and decline in areas i.e. the lack of arable/fertile land, the relocation of industry, war (refugee population) and political strife, access to health care, and environmental conditions (weather, climate, landforms)
- Key terms including but not limited to:
o Population distribution
o Urbanization
For example: Western Europe’s population explosion during the Industrial Revolution in the mid 1600s was due, in part to improvements in health care, migration of families to areas where factories/jobs were located, and the ability of families to sustain more children.
Another example: The development of the modern nation of Israel is an example of conflict, compromise, and negotiation. In the sixty plus years of Israel’s existence, there has been war between Israel her neighbors. There have been times of negotiation and compromise.
7.G.1.3 Explain how natural disasters (e.g. flooding, earthquakes, monsoons and tsunamis), preservation efforts and human modification of the environment (e.g. recycling, planting trees, deforestation, pollution, irrigation systems and climate change) affect modern societies and regions.
The student will understand:
- Various NGOS (local, national and international) and government agencies respond to natural disasters.
- Natural disasters may have positive and/or negative consequences.
- Preservation efforts may cause positive and negative changes.
- Human modifications to the environment may have positive and negative implications.
The student will know:
- Strategies and steps that various non-governmental organizations and governmental agencies may undertake in order to response to environmental disasters.
For example: Tsunami of 2004 impacted nations around the world and in the region. NGOs from a wide variety of nations sent supplies, resources and, human capital to assist in the search and rescue phase immediately following the disaster and the search and recovery phase that occurred later on. Additionally, people and resources were sent to help with medical needs and the rebuilding of infrastructure in the countries impacted.
7.G.2.1 Construct maps, charts, and graphs to explain data about geographic phenomena (e.g. migration patterns and population and resource distribution patterns).
7.G.2.2 Use maps, charts, graphs, geographic data and available technology tools (i.e. GPS and GIS software) to interpret and draw conclusions about social, economic, and environmental issues in modern societies and regions.