Enhancing Geographic Consciousness with Curriculum Artifacts and Vignettes
2026-10-17 17:00 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | Conference Room: Reynolds Leadership Circle
Summary
This session is geared toward teachers and teacher educators who want to think more strategically about improving teachers’ abilities to plan a critically-oriented geography curriculum. With the goal of exploring and advancing notions of geographic consciousness, the session offers examples and insights from a Miller-funded geography education research project. The project sought to understand the extent to which two pedagogical tools (curriculum artifacts and vignettes) could improve secondary teachers’ geographic “knowledge work” and “curriculum thinking.”

Session participants will explore/ discuss sample curriculum artifacts and vignettes in consideration of their utility for both pre-service teacher education faculty and practicing educators. Findings will demonstrate the extent to which educators were able to use geographic (disciplinary) knowledge to both understand and challenge the logics of society and environment in their lessons (and therefore enhance students’ geographic consciousness).

Given the contentious political and environmental times we are living, positioning geography as a visible and critical component of the social studies is more important than ever. The session asks audience members to a) consider this positioning within teacher education and b) re/consider how we first prepare, and then later develop, geography teachers. Importantly, both require enhancing teachers’ abilities to recontextualize critical elements from the discipline for K12 classrooms.
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | Physical & Environmental Geography, Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction
Conference Room
Reynolds Leadership Circle
Meet the Presenter
Kelly León is an Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB). Previously she worked in teacher education at San Diego State and for 19 years, as a social studies/human geography teacher for a large urban school district, where she led efforts to reconceptualize and update her district’s required geography course. Kelly completed her undergraduate degree, bilingual teaching credential, and M.E.d in Policy Studies in Language & Cross-Cultural Education at San Diego State University and her PhD in Education for Social Justice at the University of San Diego. Her research interests include geography education, educational/social justice, and teachers’ knowledge work and curriculum-making

The Making of “My Maryland”: An Interactive State Atlas for Educators
2026-10-17 17:00 - 17:40 | Conference Room: Byrd
Summary
Computer mapping using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) has become the way all modern maps are made, and GIS has become much more accessible and easier to use. This session introduces a new interactive GIS atlas of Maryland designed to support geographic learning through inquiry and spatial thinking. Developed for middle school and high school classrooms, “My Maryland” provides students and teachers with a set of thematic maps focused on Maryland’s unique human and physical geography. Embedded with geospatial tools, the atlas includes map layers that highlight Maryland’s demographics, history, elections, infrastructure, and physical environment. Participants will explore the atlas to formulate geographic questions, analyze maps, and communicate claims based on evidence. In addition, opportunities for interdisciplinary connections and civic engagement will be offered. The session closes with a discussion of how to get started with creating a GIS atlas for your state.
Session Focus
Middle School/Junior High | Geospatial Technology | U.S. Focused
Conference Room
Byrd
Meet the Presenter
Todd Kenreich is a professor of secondary and middle school education at Towson University in Maryland, and he is the co-director of the Maryland Geographic Alliance.
His interests chiefly lie in the areas of geography education and global citizenship education. With a range of international experiences, Kenreich seeks to prepare cosmopolitan teachers who can help their students more deeply understand the world and their community. At Towson, he directs Global Citizenship in Education, a graduate certificate program for teachers. In 2008, he was named a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Japan. He has published articles in journals such as Theory and Research in Social Education, Journal of Geography, The Geography Teacher, and Social Studies Research and Practice. He edited Geography and Social Justice in the Classroom, a volume for the Routledge Research in Education book series.
Dr. Brandon J. Beck is an Assistant Professor of Secondary Social Studies and Africana Studies Affiliate Faculty at UMBC. After earning his Ph.D. from Clemson University in 2025, he joined UMBC to teach courses in social studies foundations and preservice teacher preparation. His research explores the history of Black education, community- based pedagogies, and the use of oral histories to foster reparative social justice. As a social studies education and history of Black education scholar, Dr. Beck draws on his experience as a former middle school department chair to advocate for culturally sustainable classrooms.
Cathy Cooper earned an M.A. in geography at The George Washington University, and then a Ph.D. in geography education from Texas State University. In 2009-2010, she served as a Grosvenor Scholar. For four years, she coordinated “Mapping Maryland,” an annual student map competition. Now she enjoys living in a retirement community in Easton, Maryland. The Eastern Shore provides many occasions and entertainments as well as enjoyable opportunities to practice “geographic exercises” around both physical and cultural lessons. She points out to friends the opportunities of being aware of “thinking geographically.” She enjoys reading articles in the NCGE journals as well as re-reading around some favorite chapters of geographers’ books. She enjoys the study of geography and enjoys sharing observations whether near at hand or farther afield.
Martin Schmidt teaches science at the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland. He developed an interest in GIS in his work since 1978 as a science teacher, and realized computer mapping is also an excellent tool for geography, social studies, and other disciplines. He helps teachers of any subject develop maps they can use with their students, and learn skills to create exactly the maps they want to engage students in studying our fascinating and varied Earth.

Reading the Ocean: Mapping, Memory and Power in Samoa
2026-10-17 17:00 - 17:40 | Conference Room: Lacy
Summary
Often relegated to the last few days of the school year, Oceania and the Pacific Islands rarely get much time or focus in geography classrooms. This presentation will focus on how educators can infuse their lessons on mapping, spatial thinking, and geospatial technology with indigenous mapping practices to highlight differing approaches to representing geographic features and developing mental maps of the world – whether that world is land or sea. Teachers will receive lessons and materials for use in AP Human Geography, as well as PreAP and on-level geography courses.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography | Spatial thinking and Geospatial Technology
Conference Room
Lacy
Meet the Presenter
Dr. Michelle Crane has recently completed her PhD in Geography Education through Texas State University. She teaches Geography, PreAP Geography and History, and Sociology at Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas. She also teaches Geography 1303 World Regional Geography at Texas A&M Texarkana. She is an avid traveler and frequently uses her travel experiences to enliven her classes and help engage her students in learning about the world.

Publishing in NCGE Journals
2026-10-17 17:00 - 17:40 | Conference Room: Cullen
Summary
The editors of the two NCGE journals – the Geography Teacher and the Journal of Geography – invite you to learn about the publication process for the journals and how you can become a successful author. Take half an hour to learn about preparing and submitting manuscripts, completing the publishing process as an author, and supporting the discipline as a reviewer. Attendees will be able to ask questions and solicit publication advice for the rest of the session.
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | Publishing
Conference Room
Cullen
Meet the Presenter
Dr. Injeong Jo is a Professor and Coordinator of the Online MAGeo in Geographic Education Program at Texas State University’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. Her research focuses on spatial thinking education, the use of geospatial technologies for teaching and learning, and teacher education. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Geography.

Dr. Gregory Chu, is widely recognized for his contributions to geography, with expertise in geographic information science, cartographic design, and educational strategies. He served as Department Chair and Professor at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and as a Program Director for Geography and Regional Science at the National Science Foundation. In addition to numerous scholarly publications, he is the author of two middle school geography textbooks, MyWorldInteractive and Contemporary World Cultures. As the editor of The Geography Teacher, Dr. Chu brings extensive experience and visionary leadership to advance the journal’s role as a vital resource for educators and scholars.
Dr. Mary D. Curtis is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in the College of Education where she coordinates the Social Studies teacher preparation program. Dr. Curtis is a geography educator with over 20 years of experience and service from local to international levels. She currently serves as the Vice Chair for the Association of American Geographers Geography Education Specialty Group and as Associate Editor for the Journal

Jody Smothers-Marcello has a long record of endeavors in geography education including serving as president of NCGE in 2002, editing The Geography Teacher for two terms, co-chairing the AP Human Geography Development Committee, and serving on the social studies-history standards committee for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). While teaching in the Sitka School District in Alaska, she was recognized with multiple state and national awards for her innovative teaching. She has also written a wide array of curricula and presented at numerous national professional development venues. Jody currently serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Geography.
