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The Geography of Home

“Whenever I am living abroad, people always say the same thing, insisting that I am très Américain. Sometimes it’s the words I use, or the way I talk. But back in America, a strange thing happens. People say I have a British accent; they insist I have a European quality.”

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

For those who have lived abroad, the sense of belonging to one place is elusive. This article is a great look at personal geographies and how individuals negotiate belonging to multiple communities. Increasingly, people live in many places throughout their lives; some cultures are intensely connected to particular places but some are highly mobile.

Questions to Ponder: What does it mean to belong in a place? What are some barriers to belonging? Are some places easier to belong to?

Tags: place, culture.

See on www.csmonitor.com

September 6, 2013 0

MOOC on Water

“Water is an essential theme in social studies, science, and geography. Whether teaching about natural or human systems, water is part of the story. This course, framed around California’s Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI), focuses on ocean and freshwater topics and strategies for teaching environmental topics in Grades 4-8. Resources and support are provided for how to use EEI to implement Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy.”

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

This new MOOC on water resources in California is project supported by National Geographic Education and Annenberg Learner. This is a course is designed to span the disciplines and create an awareness in students about environmental issues that impact them.

Tags: consumption, California, water, environment, resources, environment depend.

See on www.youtube.com

September 6, 2013 0

Maps 101: Geography News Network

“Introducing Geography News Network. Global culture, science, history and political stories have become a key component of Maps101 through weekly stories and associated lesson plans. This year sees the addition of 5 brand new authors bringing engaging stories from a range of perspectives.”

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

I am delighted to announce that I will be one of the new authors that will be writing for Maps 101’s newest educational platform: the Geography News Network. Many schools and districts across the country have subscriptions to this online service that provides thousands of supplemental materials and lesson plans for geography, earth science, history and social studies teachers. If your school district does not currently have a subscription, you can sign up for a free trial subscription.

See on www.maps.com

September 5, 2013 0

The Great Language Game

Challenge yourself to identify some seventy languages by their sound alone. Learn more about how languages sound and where they’re spoken.

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

This is a great game that let’s you first listen to and then attempt to identify the language that is being spoken. What’s even better, you have “three lives” and after the game is complete, you will be provided with the more information about the languages that you were not able to identify.

Tags: language, culture, trivia, games.

See on greatlanguagegame.com

September 5, 2013 0

Debating the U.S. Response to Syria

Students will:

Analyze the issues that frame the current debate on U.S. policy towards Syria.
Consider the role of the U.S. public, the president, and Congress in the decision of whether to use military force.
Work cooperatively within groups to integrate the arguments and beliefs of the options into a persuasive, coherent presentation.
Explore, debate, and evaluate multiple perspectives on U.S. policy towards Syria through a role-play activity.

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

You want resources for teaching the most important geopolitical issue right now? This set of resources from the Choices Program is just what you are looking for.

Tags: Syria, MiddleEast, conflict, political.

See on www.choices.edu

September 4, 2013 0

National Geographic Found

“FOUND is a curated collection of photography from the National Geographic archives. In honor of our 125th anniversary, we are showcasing photographs that reveal cultures and moments of the past. Many of these photos have never been published and are rarely seen by the public. We hope to bring new life to these images by sharing them with audiences far and wide. Their beauty has been lost to the outside world for years and many of the images are missing their original date or location.”

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

How have I not found National Geographic FOUND until now? The curators post approximately 2 pictures a day that generally have never been published before; the result is an archive that is a wonderfully eclectic treasure trove. There are simply too many great teaching images to share them individually. Pictured above is the Sutherland Falls which thunders down a 1,904-foot drop from Lake Quill in New Zealand (January 1972, Photo by James L. Amos). I consider National Geographic FOUND as a must see and will include it in my list of best scoops (filed under the tag zbestofzbest).

Tags: perspective, National Geographic. images, zbestofzbest.

See on natgeofound.tumblr.com

September 4, 2013 0

What Pollution? Hong Kong Tourists Pose With Fake Skyline

Picture this: Tourists visiting one of your city’s most prominent attractions are unable to see it because of smog, haze and a bevy of other airborne pollutants. What’s the solution?

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

Pollution is becoming ubiquitous in our urban environments. If your primary concern is the environment, it is clear that this situation in Hong Kong must be changed. But what if the environment is not the concern of policy makers? What economic and planning arguments could you make in favor of a more sustainable course?

Tags: pollution, China, development, economic, megacities, East Asia, industry, sustainability, urban ecology.

See on www.huffingtonpost.com

September 4, 2013 0

Space archaeologist unlocks secrets of ancient civilizations

Dr Sarah Parcak uses satellite technology to unearth Egypt’s ancient settlements, pyramids and palaces lost in the sands of time.

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

The uses of geospatial technologies are NOT limited to studying geography, but it is the bedrock of many research projects that involve spatial thinking (as demonstrated in this CNN article and the TED talk below). Geographic principles and geographers can be very important components of interdisciplinary research teams.

Tags: spatial, remote sensing, geospatial, Egypt, historical.

See on edition.cnn.com

September 3, 2013 0

Picture quiz – do you know your world cities?

Some city skylines are so iconic they are instantly recognisable.

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

This is a quiz that leaves out the most obvious contenders (London, Paris, NYC etc.) in a gallery of cities around the world – it’s harder than you might expect. Can you recognize the city just from a skyline?

Tags: urban, landscape, place, trivia.

See on www.theguardian.com

September 1, 2013 0