Geography and History of the World Semester 1

Enrollment Message

Students need access to a webcam or video recording device.

Course Description

In this course, students will embark on an in-depth exploration of geography, cultural, and historical dynamics. Through engaging activities, students will learn to identify and define these themes, create visual representations of their real-world applications, and develop essential map-reading skills. The course will also cover the diffusion of major world religions, the impact of population dynamics, and the legacies of colonialism and imperialism. Understanding geography and history is crucial as it helps students comprehend the interconnectedness of societies, recognize patterns of human behavior, and appreciate the diverse cultures that have shaped our world. By examining how geography influences cultural interactions and historical events, students will be better equipped to navigate and contribute to an increasingly globalized society.

• Counts as a Social Studies requirement for the General Diploma
• Fulfills the Geography History of the World/World History and civilization graduation requirement for all diplomas

Course Goals

Upon completion of the course, students will…

• identify and define the five themes of geography - Location, Place, Human-Environment Interaction, Movement, and Region and understand how these themes help us analyze and interpret the world around us.
• create visual representations illustrating how the five themes of geography apply to specific real-world examples.
• locate locations around the world using absolute and relative location.
• interpret different types of maps including political, physical, thematic, and topographical maps.
• locate, identify, and define key components of a map such as legend, scale, compass rose, and title.
• identify and describe elements of culture such as language, religion, food, clothing, music, art and rituals.
• analyze agricultural hearths, exchanges of crops among regions, and evaluate the impact of agriculture on the development of cultural hearths in various regions of the world.
• compare and contrast the agricultural practices of various cultural hearths and their role in shaping human history.
• describe how agricultural activities have transformed the physical environment of cultural hearths and influence land use patterns focusing on urban development.
• design a virtual tour that explores various cultural hearths modifications to their physical environment and its impact on the region.
• identify key events, figures, and factors that contributed to the diffusion of these religions across different regions.
• trace and map the historical development and diffusion of major world religions from their points of origin to different regions and continents.
• analyze the emergence and growth of fundamentalist, secular, and modernist movements within the world's major religions from 1980 to the present day.
• compare and contrast the ideologies and goals of fundamentalist, secular, and/or modernist movements in different major religions, examining their impact on societies and global interactions.
• identify and map areas of high and low population density on maps, understanding the factors influencing population clustering in different regions.
• compare and contrast the effects of push and pull factors on migration within and between regions, examining similarities and differences in migration trends.
• analyze how population growth or decline has impacted the physical environment, such as urbanization, deforestation, land use changes, and resource depletion.
• predict the potential impact of current population trends on the future of the community, considering how demographic shifts may influence social dynamics, infrastructure needs, economic growth, and public services.
• create a family immigration story detailing the push and pull factors from their family's past, presented in the form of a slides presentation.
• summarize and explain the reasons behind exploration, colonization, and imperialism for mother countries.
• identify and analyze how colonialism and imperialism have persisted in various forms in the modern era, including economic, political, and cultural dimensions.
• compare and contrast different regions and how exploration, conquest, and imperialism impacted their human and physical geography.
• create an online tri-fold poster presentation assessing the implications of continued colonial legacies on global relations, power dynamics, and socio-economic inequalities.
• investigate the factors that contributed to the growth and development of urban centers, including economic, social, political, and environmental influences.
• compare and contrast the location and growth patterns of towns and cities over different time periods, analyzing changes in urban planning, infrastructure, and population distribution.
• describe the global trend toward urbanization, emphasizing the increasing concentration of populations in urban areas and the declining rural population.
• develop an analysis of population data across different time periods to interpret demographic shifts, migration patterns, and the impact of those to the landscape of the city.

Indiana Academic Standards

• Geography and History of the World

Units of Instruction

• Unit 1 Themes and Characteristics of Geography
• Unit 2 Cultural Hearths
• Unit 3 World Religions
• Unit 4 Population Characteristics, Distribution, and Migration
• Unit 5 Exploration and Colonization
• Unit 6 Urban Growth

Grading/Evaluation

Indiana Online does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue transcripts or diplomas. A final score reported as a percentage of total points earned will be sent to students upon completion of a course. Your school of record can also access this score within the Student Information System, Genius. The final score will be shown as a percentage in Canvas and Genius. The student’s school of record will determine the letter grade based on their specific grading scale.

Students must complete at least 70% of the course and take all parts of the final exam(s) to have a score reported to their school of record. Failure to meet these requirements will result in a score of 0 reported to the school of record.

Assessments

Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, teacher-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments. The course includes the minimum number of assessments

• 5 Discussions
• 15 Assignments
• 11 Quizzes

The assessments for this asynchronous course are weighted as follows

Teacher Contact Response Time

Students can use email or the private message system within Genius or Canvas to access highly qualified teachers when they need teacher assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside Canvas. The Teacher Information page of their course may describe additional communication options.

The teacher will respond to student inquiries (email, text, call) within one business day. Assignments will be graded and posted within two business days.

Expectations for Academic Conduct 

Student Handbook 

It is your responsibility to read the student handbook to understand all aspects of taking an online course including expectations for academic conduct. Contact your teacher if you have any questions. 

Assistance for Students with Accommodations

Indiana Online supports an inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that hinder your full participation, such as inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, reasonable accommodations can be arranged.

Technology

Technology Requirements 

Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube. Please review the Indiana Online’s Technology Requirements.

Technical Skills Needed 

Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to

• download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• download and install software
• use a messaging service similar to email
• communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• open attachments shared in messages
• create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• save a file as a .pdf
• copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• insert images or links into a file
• search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• use presentation and graphics programs
• follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• create and maintain usernames and passwords

Technical Questions?  Please contact the Indiana Online Helpdesk.