Summary The “Die Hard as a Christmas movie” debate offers an entry point for engaging students in learning about culture and its interpretation. As classroom practice shifts toward an emphasis on human geography and the use of geo-literacy skills, understanding how to engage students with complexity of geography is increasingly important. Because social studies teachers […]
Summary As the ongoing "gerrymandering wars" intensify, this session asserts redistricting's "place" in broader civics education. Mid-decade redistricting battles continue to erupt across the country, including right here in Virginia—but contrary to media narratives, these battles are not unprecedented. Exploring the history and mechanics of redistricting and gerrymandering through a nonpartisan and spatially-grounded lens, we […]
Summary This interactive workshop models how ArcGIS StoryMaps can be used to support geographic thinking and civic stewardship through narrative mapping in secondary classrooms. Participants will engage with a classroom-ready lesson centered on displacement in southwest Louisiana Indigenous communities, including Isle de Jean Charles and Pointe-au-Chien. Using curated photographs, community interviews, historical shoreline data, erosion […]
Summary Population dynamics have been in the news, especially related to falling birthrates and what that might portend for future generations, economics and the environment. This session engages participants with the latest data and projections from demographers and prognosticators but also puts the data into a historical context. The data is included in experiential activities […]
Summary This session examines some of the major environmental challenges in the Middle East, particularly around water resources, and the ways that Israelis, Jordanians, and Palestinians are cooperating to meet these challenges. Participants will develop pedagogic content knowledge about environmental challenges in the Middle East; regional cooperation among Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority to […]
Summary Human-led exploitation of our planet has resulted in an enormous environmental crisis. Anthropocentrism, the belief that the world was made for humans and everything in it is meant for human use, often goes unnamed in conversations about systemic issues. Yet, this pervasive worldview is at the root of our ecological crisis and is deeply […]
Summary Why do the Five Themes of Geography often feel like a flat checklist of definitions rather than a dynamic lens for understanding the world? Too often, geography instruction in the secondary classroom stops at memorization, leaving students disconnected from the human stories behind the maps. This hands-on workshop seeks to enliven the geographic experience […]
Summary This session will introduce the evolution of place-naming in Virginia. We will start with a hands-on activity using the John Smith Floor Map (large version created by the Virginia Geographic Alliance) to explore Native American and early European toponyms. We will look at the impacts of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars on Virginia place […]
Summary Promoting critical thinking among students is often at the top of our teaching goals. We want students to develop a careful, questioning approach to their work so they are critical of the sources they use to find answers and be cautious about the answers they reach. Innovations in artificial intelligence -- particularly the latest […]
Summary This interactive workshop is designed for preservice and new to the classroom teachers who want to build confidence and creativity in teaching geography. Participants will explore practical, engaging strategies for bringing geographic concepts to life in diverse classroom settings. The session emphasizes active learning, critical thinking, and real-world connections that help students understand the […]
Summary In 2024, I was part of an educational group run by GEEO that toured northern India and parts of central Nepal. This trip focused on visiting multiple religious sites associated with Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. As well as other Significant locations related to ancient Indian History. This presentation will explore the historical religious geography […]
Summary In this interactive session, explore how OER Project: Big History helps middle school students investigate 4.5 billion years of change through a geographic lens. From plate tectonics and biomes to trade routes, migration, and industrialization, participants will examine how physical landscapes shape human possibility. Presenters will model strategies for teaching Big History at key […]