What’s in a Name? ​Exploring Place Names as Forms of Social and Geographic Storytelling
2026-10-17 09:10 - 09:50 (America/New_York) | Conference Room: Cullen
Summary
Explore the profound social, historical, and political meanings behind the names attached to places. Far from simple labels, place names, or toponyms, are power-laden expressions of a community’s identity, values, and ongoing struggles for recognition.
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | Human and Cultural Geography | Inquiry
Conference Room
Cullen
Meet the Presenter
Brian Smith is a full-time middle school teacher in Oak Ridge, TN where he teaches World History and Geospatial Technologies. He is also the Tennessee Geographic Alliance Executive Director.

Mapping Learning: Using Survey123 to Create Student-Generated Content Across Disciplines
2026-10-17 09:10 - 09:50 | Conference Room: Byrd
Summary
In this session, we’ll explore how Survey123 can be used to design authentic, student-generated content experiences across a range of subjects — from World Languages and Geography to History and Psychology — in both K–12 and higher education settings. Participants will walk away with concrete examples of classroom-ready Survey123 projects that challenge students to observe, collect, and analyze real-world data in ways that deepen geographic understanding and cross-disciplinary connections.
Whether you’re new to GIS tools or looking to expand your current practice, this session will show you how a simple form can become a powerful lens for inquiry-based learning — right at the fall line between traditional instruction and the student-centered classroom of the future.
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | Geospatial Technology | Inquiry
Conference Room
Byrd
Meet the Presenter
Shana Crosson is a former Social Studies teacher turned geospatial technology consultant at the University of Minnesota, now focusing on integrating geospatial technologies and spatial thinking across the curriculum in higher education and in K-12.
Jessica Bateman Winkelaar holds a PhD in Social Studies Education and has been a social studies educator since 1995. She has spent most of her career as a middle school teacher and is currently teaching seventh grade World Geography. She serves on the Steering Committee for the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education (MAGE).

Reawakening the Stealth Geography Approach in a Persistent Battleground: Elementary Education
2026-10-17 10:05 - 10:45 | Conference Room: Byrd
Summary
In the early 2000s, integrating geography and literacy at the elementary level garnered attention (Gandy, 2006; Holloway, 2015) in the wake of NCLB and the College and Career Readiness Standards. The need for such calls further intensified in the wake of recent nationwide science of reading initiatives and persistent standardized testing. Consequently, elementary teachers’ time constraints further marginalize elementary-level geography. As a result, a stealth approach that integrates Geography with literacy is required to provide meaningful geography instruction in elementary grades (Sekeres & Gregg, 2008). As noted in the Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education, “Geography should be taught wherever it is found – whether in math, science, social studies, literature, technology, or the arts” (Bednarz et al. 2013, p. 10)
This presentation will provide a threefold approach to address marginalization in elementary-level geography. First, reviewing previous scholarly advances in integrating geography and children’s literature offers a clear way forward. Second, examples of effective integration of literature with the Geography for Life Six Essential Elements will be demonstrated. Third, participants will receive an introductory list of elementary geography children’s books and additional resources to empower teachers and teacher educators to integrate elementary geography into quality children’s literature.
Session Focus
Early Childhood/Elementary | Geography for Life | Literacy
Conference Room
Byrd
Meet the Presenter
Jayson Evaniuck

Places of Service and Sacrifice: Teaching Through National Cemeteries
2026-10-17 10:05 - 10:45 | Conference Room: Lacy
Summary
National cemeteries are powerful geographic places, yet they are rarely used as instructional anchors in the classroom. This session presents a place based inquiry model that uses national cemeteries to help students explore space, movement, scale, and human impact through the study of Korean War veterans.
Through the Korean War Legacy Foundation’s Veterans Legacy Project, students research individual veterans buried in national cemeteries and construct geographic biographies that trace lives across multiple places. Students analyze maps, primary sources, and spatial data to connect local communities to global conflict on the Korean Peninsula. The inquiry culminates in student contributions to the Veterans Legacy Memorial, giving learning an authentic civic purpose.
Participants will explore classroom ready, modular instructional materials and engage in discussion about how this work fits into existing geography and social studies courses. While examples focus on the Korean War, the inquiry structure is intentionally transferable to other conflicts, service eras, and local contexts. Teachers will leave with adaptable materials and concrete strategies they can use immediately.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | America250 through a Geographic Lens | U.S. History
Conference Room
Lacy
Meet the Presenter
Allison Cecil is a National Board Certified Teacher and social studies educator at duPont Manual High School in Louisville, where she teaches AP Human Geography and Dual Credit courses in business and personal finance. She serves as an Assistant Chief Reader for the College Board AP Human Geography Exam. Allison develops inquiry-based curriculum and professional development focused on strengthening students’ geographic reasoning and evidence-based writing. Her recent projects include contributing as an author to History of Korea: Course Companion for IB History Paper 3 and leading classroom and community-based initiatives through the Korean War Legacy Foundation Veterans Legacy Project.

From Maps to Mandates: Teaching the Arab-Israeli Conflict with Primary Sources
2026-10-17 10:05 - 10:45 | Conference Room: Cullen
Summary
Explore the history and background of the Arab-Israeli conflict through primary source documents and teaching strategies that support critical analysis of texts. Major historical developments in the Arab-Israeli conflict will be discussed. Participants will develop content knowledge, experience student activities, and receive ready-to-use resources and links to digital resources with detailed lesson plans including primary source documents, maps, and all necessary student materials. Curricular resources emphasize informational texts with text-dependent and document-based questions to support close, analytic reading and evidence-based responses, new literacy strategies, and best practices in the use of technology in the classroom. Participants will be able to deliver rigorous, standards-based instruction, meeting state social studies content standards. High School World History and Global Politics teachers, and their colleagues who seek to enrich their general content knowledge, will benefit from this workshop.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography | World/International
Conference Room
Cullen
Meet the Presenter
Casey Finch is an Educator for Institute for Curriculum Services and presents at conferences and facilitates professional learning for educators in the Northeastern region of the United States. Prior to joining ICS, Casey spent 15 years teaching Social Studies. He taught in both public and private secondary schools in NH, CO, and MA. Most recently, Casey worked for CFR Education developing teaching and learning materials about global civics. Casey holds a B.A in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver.
Casey facilitates professional learning for the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and DC.

Yippy-Ki-Yay, Morphin’ Culture!: Teaching Holiday Traditions and Cultural Change Using Die Hard
2026-10-17 10:05 - 10:45 | Conference Room: Robins Family Forum Theater
Summary
The “Die Hard as a Christmas movie” debate offers an entry point for engaging students in learning about culture and its interpretation. [JE1.1]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 do not receive adequate geography education in their preservice education programs (Bednarz et al., 2013), we developed and taught a series of mini-lessons focused on cultural change to preservice teachers in a social studies methods course. Using Die Hard as a throughline, we developed lessons on (1) elements of culture, (2) folk and pop culture, (3) the impact of technology (e.g. film, home video, internet, etc.) and diffusion on culture, and (4) how virtual spaces are a cultural landscape. Though developed for preservice teachers, this session will address how the lessons can be easily adapted for middle and secondary classrooms. While the Die Hard debate is fun to have, we concluded with discussions about how cultural change is a normal, yet invisible, process.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography | Inquiry
Conference Room
Robins Family Forum Theater
Meet the Presenter
Jeff Eargle is a clinical associate professor at the University of South Carolina where he serves as the Secondary Social Studies Program Coordinator in the College of Education. He is the coeditor of the forthcoming two-volume book Teaching Holocaust Geographies in Middle and High School from Palgrave Macmillan.

Vernon Turner is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina, where he teaches social studies methods in the Department of Teacher Education. His work focuses on social studies education and teacher preparation, with particular attention to inquiry-based instruction and classroom practice. Prior to joining USC, he taught high school geography, including Advanced Placement Human Geography.

Bethany M. Sanders is a doctoral student in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina and a high school social studies teacher in the South Carolina public school system. She received NCGE’s K–12 Distinguished Teaching Award in 2024, and her doctoral studies focus on teaching geo-literacy in the secondary classroom.

Redistricting Education Amidst the "Gerrymandering Wars
2026-10-17 10:05 - 10:45 | Conference Room: Reynolds Leadership Circle
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 will demonstrate how they are both fundamentally geographical processes and shift the discussion from “which side wins” to “how these processes shape representation.” Participants will gain additional subject area expertise and explore easy-to-incorporate lessons and materials demonstrating geography’s critical role in democratic citizenship and social studies educators’ roles in supporting it.
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | GeoCivics
Conference Room
Reynolds Leadership
Meet the Presenter
Adam Dohrenwend is an Assistant Professor of Geography at James Madison University (JMU), where his research and teaching focus on electoral geography and political ecology. He regularly lectures on redistricting and gerrymandering, publishes on these and other electoral geography topics, and provides nonpartisan analysis to a variety of regional print and broadcast media outlets, including on this year’s redistricting referendum in Virginia.

Cultivating Civic Stewardship Through StoryMaps: Narrative Mapping of Coastal Displacement
2026-10-17 14:15 - 14:55 | Conference Room: Reynolds Leadership Circle
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 maps, and student-created counter-maps, educators will explore how students analyze human–environment interactions and connect global processes such as climate change, subsidence, and environmental decision-making to the loss of culture and displacement of entire communities.
The session demonstrates how StoryMaps and counter-mapping practices empower students to challenge dominant narratives of coastal loss, elevate community-centered perspectives of place, sovereignty, and stewardship, and make evidence-based claims using geospatial data. Participants will examine how to scaffold inquiry through printed large-format maps, spatial annotation, fieldwork simulations, and multimodal storytelling to deepen student engagement and geographic reasoning. Attendees will leave with classroom-ready lesson structures, research-informed strategies for narrative mapping, and practical approaches for integrating StoryMaps into human–environment and place-based geography units.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | Physical & Environmental Geography | Inquiry
Conference Room
Reynolds Leadership Circle
Meet the Presenter
Nicole Means is an Instructional Specialist and AP Human Geography teacher at West Feliciana High School in St. Francisville, Louisiana. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and serves as a Reader for the AP Human Geography Exam, bringing a strong focus on student thinking and real-world application into her work.
Throughout her career, Nicole has been awarded several teaching fellowships, including the National Geographic Grosvenor Fellowship and the Fulbright Distinguished Award, which have shaped her approach to designing place-based, inquiry-driven learning experiences. She is an avid traveler who sees the world as a field study and leads student travel experiences so students can engage with places beyond their own communities.
Her work connects students’ local experiences to broader regional and global patterns. She has conducted fieldwork in her community and across the greater Baton Rouge area, and more recently in southwest Louisiana, where she collaborates with Indigenous communities to explore environmental change, cultural landscapes, and displacement.

Demography 101: Understanding Population Trends through Hands-on Activities
2026-10-17 14:15 - 14:55 | Conference Room: Lacy
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 – simulations, group modeling and data analysis – that encourage student inquiry. As a group, we’ll model world population growth from the 19th century to the present and then the U.N. projections for the next 75 years, showing population distribution among world regions. We will create and analyze age-sex distribution graphs for different countries using new data sets, and will use interactive digital tools and data visualization to discuss the Demographic Transition Model and how it applies to current birth and death rates around the globe. Throughout the session, we will discuss ways to incorporate these activities into World Geography and AP Human Geography coursework. Receive lesson plans and background materials in an electronic format, plus maps and wall charts for the classroom.
Session Focus
APHG Educators | Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction
Conference Room
Lacy
Meet the Presenter
Carol Bliese is the Senior Director of Teacher Programs for the Population Education (PopEd) program at the non-profit organization Population Connection. The program provides teaching materials, professional development workshops, and ongoing support for current and future K-12 teachers that focuses on environmental topics around sustainability and societal topics around global citizenship. Carol manages the day-to-day functioning of PopEd’s workshop program, oversees the development of curriculum, and participates in short and long-term strategic planning. She facilitates teacher training workshops, in-person and online, throughout the U.S. and Canada and has led over 850 workshops in her almost 20 years with the program, including sessions for the National Council for the Social Studies, National Science Teaching Association, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the North American Association of Environmental Education, and the National Council of Geographic Education.

Environmental Cooperation: Forging a Peaceful Path in the Middle East
2026-10-17 14:15 - 14:55 | Conference Room: Cullen
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 meet challenges; and environmental cooperation as a path to peaceful coexistence. Participants will also experience and apply critical pedagogy around social and environmental activism in the Middle East by focusing on case studies of three environmental groups. This presentation is particularly suited to high school social studies and history teachers; it is aligned with the common core and the resources emphasize 21st century skills such as using technology, collaboration, building consensus, and analysis.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | Physical & Environmental Geography | World/International
Conference Room
Cullen
Meet the Presenter
Casey Finch, Educator with the Institute for Curriculum Services, presents at conferences and facilitates professional learning for educators in the Northeastern region of the United States. Prior to joining ICS, Casey spent 15 years teaching Social Studies. He taught in both public and private secondary schools in NH, CO, and MA. Most recently, Casey worked for CFR Education developing teaching and learning materials about global civics. Casey holds a B.A in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver.
Casey facilitates professional learning for the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and DC.

An Ecocentric Approach to Teaching Geography
2026-10-17 15:10 - 15:50 | Conference Room: Reynolds Leadership Circle
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 intertwined with other unjust ideologies. Geography curriculum and instruction, while often well-intentioned, can perpetuate anthropocentrism. Extractive/exploitative language, idealized views of the theory of environmental possibilism, and the sharp divisions between “human” and “physical” are just a few examples of how anthropocentrism is reinforced to our students in geography. This session encourages educators to take a more ecocentric approach in their classrooms—a necessary step towards a more sustainable future for us all. It opens space for us to share ideas of how we can introduce diverse perspectives in our classroom and work to foster our students’ passions to be stewards of the environment.
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | Geography for Life | Curriculum and Instruction
Conference Room
Reynolds Leadership Circle
Meet the Presenter
Jacie Lackey (she/her) is a social studies educator at Yukon High School in Oklahoma. She teaches a variety of classes including AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, and Sociology. She is also a first-year doctoral student in Educational Studies at the University of Oklahoma, where her research focuses on critical pedagogy of place and ecological social studies education.

Beyond the Map: Building "Geography Trunks" with Children’s Literature for Adolescent Inquiry
2026-10-17 15:10 - 15:50 | Conference Room: Byrd
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 by integrating culturally rich, award-winning children’s literature into adolescent inquiry.
Participants will go beyond simply exploring a curated “Geography Trunk”—they will learn the methodology to design and build their own. By analyzing a wide breadth and depth of cultural narratives, attendees will discover how to select texts that offer deep cultural experiences while illustrating how the Five Themes impact us all. Using visual literacy strategies, we will demonstrate how to transform these stories into vibrant tools for critical thinking. You will leave with a curated bibliography, a “Trunk” blueprint, and the tools to move your students beyond the definitions and into the heart of global citizenship.
Session Focus
Middle School/Junior High | Human and Cultural Geography | Inquiry
Conference Room
Byrd
Meet the Presenter
Kendra Miller is a middle school social studies teacher at Providence Christian Academy and an executive board member for the Tennessee Council for Social Studies. A seasoned presenter, she frequently shares her expertise at national, state, and local conferences within the social studies and education sectors.
Currently, Kendra is a PhD student at Middle Tennessee State University studying Literacy Studies with an emphasis on Literacy Instruction and Staff Development. Her work bridges classroom practice and academic research, focusing on the intersection of literacy and social studies education.

Place-Naming in Virginia: From early European settlement to the 21st century
2026-10-17 15:10 - 15:50 | Conference Room: Lacy
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 names, and also examine the renaming of major highways in Loudoun (but not neighboring Fauquier) County in 2021. Finally, we will learn how Virginia’s unique political structure creates the roads with names that change from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Session participants will receive access to the VGA John Smith Floor Map Teacher Guide developed with the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography | U.S. History
Conference Room
Lacy
Meet the Presenter
Maggie Creech, Director of History Education at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, holds a BA in History and Archaeology from The George Washington University and an MA in Archaeology from the University College of London. At VMHC, her talented team oversees a variety of award-winning student, teacher, and public learning opportunities for all ages. She has over fifteen years of experience in public history, archaeology, and education – and is passionate about the power of place and object-based learning to create past-present connections and build empathy. In 2024, Maggie won the Virginia Council for Social Studies “Friend of Education” Award.

Alex Northrup is the Director of the Innovation Lab at Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia, where he also teaches AP Human Geography, AP Environmental Science, and Field Studies. He is a table leader for the AP Human Geography exam reading and is active with the Virginia Geographic Alliance, including serving as an instructor for Chesapeake Bay Climate Institute. He recently presented about place-names in Virginia at the International Conference on Geographic Naming and Geographic Education in Seoul, South Korea.

Using AI to promote critical thinking inside and outside the classroom
2026-10-17 15:10 - 15:50 | Conference Room: Cullen
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 generative systems based on large-language models — hold potential for advancing teaching and learning in geography. At the same time these systems hold danger for undermining our work through cheating and the spread of misinformation. This session offers a variety of examples of how AI systems can be used to promote critical thinking in the geography classroom. Participants will be able to experiment with these activities on their own computers during the session, as well as share their own strategies with other participants. By the close of the session, participants will have a menu of activities they can use directly or customize for their teaching, as well as ideas for developing their own AI-based critical thinking activities.
Session Focus
Higher Education | Geospatial Technology, Physical & Environmental Geography, Human and Cultural Geography | Technology
Conference Room
Cullen
Meet the Presenter

Dr. Ken Foote is a professor in the Department of Geography, Sustainability, Community and Urban Studies at the University of Connecticut. Much of his work focuses on improving professional development for early-career academics and department leaders. His research focuses on historic preservation, heritage tourism, and the commemorative landscapes of the U.S. and Europe, especially the way events of violence and tragedy are interpreted and memorialized. Ken is a past president of the NCGE (2006) and a past president and fellow of the AAG (2010-11). He has received awards from the NCGE, AAG, University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS), and the Royal Geographical Society. He has taught at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Colorado Boulder and holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Chicago. Among his authored or co-authored and co-edited books are Shadowed Ground: America’s Landscapes of Violence and Tragedy, Teaching GIScience and Technology in Higher Education, Thriving in an Academic Career: An International and Interdisciplinary Guide for Early Career Faculty, and Contested Places, Contested Pasts: Sites of Public Memory and Commemoration in the Hungarian Landscape.

Teaching Geography with Purpose: Strategies, Resources, and Real Classroom Insights
2026-10-17 15:10 - 16:45 | Conference Room: Robins Family Forum Theater
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 importance of geography in their daily lives.
The workshop will feature a classroom teacher panel, where experienced educators share insights, challenges, and successful approaches from their own practice. Preservice teachers will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain valuable perspectives on effective geography instruction.
Participants will also engage in hands-on activities that model inquiry-based learning, map skills development, and the integration of technology and interdisciplinary connections. These activities are designed to be adaptable across grade levels and classroom contexts.
In addition, attendees will receive and explore a curated collection of ready-to-use resources, including lesson ideas, digital tools, and assessment strategies. Time will be provided for sharing ideas and collaborating with peers to build a supportive professional network.
By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with practical tools, fresh ideas, and increased confidence to design meaningful and engaging geography learning experiences for their future students.
Session Focus
Preservice Educators | Technology | Inquiry
Conference Room
Robins Family Forum Theater
Meet the Presenter
Julie Wakefield

Traversing India's and Nepal's historical religious geography
2026-10-17 16:05 - 16:45 | Conference Room: Reynolds Leadership Circle
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 of India and Nepal, primarily focusing on Hinduism and Buddhism, but also including elements about other religions in India.

This discussion will examine the religious architecture and sacred sites we visited, such as Varanasi along the Ganges River, Sarnath, the location of Buddha’s first sermon, and Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. and Kathmandu. Additionally, we will examine some of the religious ceremonies that the group had an opportunity to participate in. Participants in this session will receive a flash drive with an expanded PowerPoint slide show about the various historical religious geography
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | Human and Cultural Geography | World/International
Conference Room
Reynolds Leadership Circle
Meet the Presenter
Professor Wyndham Whynot earned his Ph.D. in History from Kent State University, where he specialized in modern U.S. history, with additional concentrations in European and Latin American history. For the past 20 years, he has taught courses in social studies, including history, American government, and geography, as a professor at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina.
He has published approximately twenty encyclopedia articles with ABC-CLIO, covering a range of country studies and biographical entries on notable historical figures. His current research focuses on a comparative analysis of STEM-related disciplines in ancient Mediterranean and American civilizations.
In addition to traveling to approximately 60 countries, Professor Whynot spent six years of his youth living in two European countries. He has also served in both the United States Army Reserves and on active duty in the United States Air Force.

From Plate Tectonics to Trade Routes: Geography Across Big History
2026-10-17 16:05 - 16:45 | Conference Room: Byrd
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 “thresholds” of complexity while aligning instruction to the National Geography Standards. Attendees will engage with classroom-ready materials and collaborate on ways to integrate spatial thinking into interdisciplinary history courses.
Join us to explore how teaching on geography’s “fall lines” can help students see the powerful connections between Earth’s evolution and the human story—and better understand the forces shaping our shared future.
Session Focus
Middle School/Junior High | Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction
Conference Room
Byrd
Meet the Presenter
Bennett Sherry is a senior content manager at OER Project, where he helps develop content for all courses, including the creation of a series of political and thematic world maps. Bennett holds a PhD in history from the University of Pittsburgh and has undergraduate teaching experience in world history, human rights, and the Middle East. Bennett writes about refugees and international organizations in the twentieth century.

Chelsea Katzenberg, Bridgette O’Connor, and Bennett Sherry

The “Rest of the Story”: Geographic Insights on the 1918 Spanish Flu
2026-10-17 16:05 - 16:45 | Conference Room: Lacy
Summary
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic killed 50 million people, far surpassing the 16 million lives claimed by World War I. The deadly virus attacked one-fifth of the world’s population and killed more people than any other illness in recorded history yet receives short shrift in curriculum about the Great War.

In this inquiry-based session, educators analyze a variety of primary sources to view the impact and legacy of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic through a geographic lens. The session offers insights into the geopolitics behind the pandemic’s notorious misnomer as the “Spanish Flu,” recent evidence pointing to the influenza’s origins, and how the pandemic’s transmission pathways were directly exacerbated by WWI global troop movements.

Educators will leave this session with a classroom-ready lesson (slide deck, activity handout, and annotated resource list) that will enable them to: 1) discover how places and regions commonly associated with the 1918 Influenza Pandemic are often erroneous, 2) deepen their understanding of the historical context and global impact of the pandemic, and 3) explain how the geography behind WWI contributed to conditions that catalyzed the global spread of the deadly pandemic.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | Geography for Life | World History
Conference Room
Lacy
Meet the Presenter
Jeannine Kuropatkin

Contours of Geography Education in the United States: Results from a National Survey of Teachers
2026-10-17 16:05 - 16:45 | Conference Room: Cullen
Summary
This session highlights the findings of a national survey of teachers (n=404) in the United States. To explore classroom practices in geography, a survey was designed and distributed to teachers working in public and private schools. Findings reveal which tools are frequently used to teach geography. Findings also focus on key topics and skills that are widely taught and those that are not widely taught. In particular, map making by students is a relatively infrequent activity in classrooms. This session seeks to spark conversation around the implications of the survey results for K-12 geography curriculum, instruction, and professional development. The session closes with an appeal for a more coordinated effort to conduct larger surveys of teachers as a regular barometer of the field of geography education.
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | Geography for Life | Curriculum and Instruction
Conference Room
Cullen
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.
Ken Carano is a professor of social science education in the division of education and leadership at Western Oregon University and programs coordinator for the Center for
Geography Education in Oregon. Prior to joining higher education, he taught high school social studies in Sarasota, Florida and spent time living in Suriname, South America as a Peace Corps Volunteer with his wife. Ken’s scholarship has long focused on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion on both a local and global scale.
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.
Tracy Edward is the sustainability coordinator at Frostburg State University where she taught geography for more than 20 years. She serves as a director on the board of the National Council for Geographic Education. She is active in the Mid-Atlantic Division of the American Association of Geographers as well as in the Maryland Geographic Alliance.

*****
Allison Ewing is an experienced educator with 19 years of teaching in the classroom. She currently teaches AP Psychology, AP African American Studies, and United States History at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence and student engagement across multiple disciplines. In addition to her classroom work, Ewing has served as the Coordinator for the Maryland Geographic Bee, supporting students in developing geographic literacy and critical thinking skills. Her dedication to teaching has been recognized with several prestigious honors, including the National Council for Geographic Education Distinguished Teacher K–12 Award in 2018 and the Chevron STEM Education Award in 2019. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher, reflecting her commitment to maintaining the highest standards of professional practice.
Ewing is passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences that empower students to think critically, engage with complex topics, and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Daniel Whalen is an educational leader with a 22-year career dedicated to fostering student engagement and spatial literacy. Currently serving as an Assistant Principal in Las Vegas, New Mexico, his passion for geography is deeply rooted in his own diverse geographic upbringing—from the industrial heart of Pittsburgh to the close-knit, multi- generational farming villages of upstate New York. Holding a BA in History from SUNY Albany and an MA in Educational Leadership from The George Washington University, Daniel brings a profound understanding of how community, environment, and a "sense of place" shape student identity and achievement. Over his 18-year tenure with Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, Daniel became a driving force in geographic and spatial science education. He spent a decade in the classroom teaching AP Human Geography and was instrumental in shaping the district's instructional framework, including co-authoring the AP Human Geography elective curriculum. Recognizing the critical importance of geospatial technologies, he later transitioned into Career and Technical Education (CTE). In this capacity, he pioneered pathways for students by developing and teaching comprehensive curricula for Homeland Security Science, Digital Cartography, and Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A dedicated advocate for geographic education at the national level, Daniel is thrilled to connect with fellow educators and leaders at the National Council for Geographic Education annual conference. He brings a wealth of assessment and mentorship experience to the geography community, having served as an AP Human Geography Reader since 2009 and a College Board Table Leader since 2023. As a Certified Geospatial Educator (GeoEdC) and a 2018-2019 American Geographic Society Fellow.
Daniel has consistently championed spatial education, supported by his leadership as Treasurer of the Maryland Geographic Alliance and his history of presenting on GIS integration at previous NCGE and Towson University conferences. Today, Daniel applies his geographer’s lens to school-wide administration, guiding educators to build innovative CTE pathways to graduation. In his administrative roles, he integrates character education and community-specific values into the curriculum—equipping students not just for the global workforce, but to lead and serve locally in Meadow City. Whether developing school-wide instructional strategies or serving as the energetic; voice celebrating student milestones, Daniel remains fiercely committed to elevating expectations, celebrating student success, and expanding access to high-quality geographic education.

Enhancing Geographic Consciousness with Curriculum Artifacts and Vignettes
2026-10-17 17:00 - 17:30 | 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.

APHG Happy Hour
2026-11-12 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for an informal, organic discussion facilitated by APHG educators for APHG educators. Each session will focus on a participant-driven conversation about each unit where you can share your insights, seek advice, and discuss the latest trends that support the implementation of the AP Human Geography curriculum without the constraints of a formal presentation.
Full details of Unit 4 discussion coming soon!

Learn more about APHG Happy Hour and Join the Discussion!

APHG Happy Hour
2027-01-14 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for an informal, organic discussion facilitated by APHG educators for APHG educators. Each session will focus on a participant-driven conversation about each unit where you can share your insights, seek advice, and discuss the latest trends that support the implementation of the AP Human Geography curriculum without the constraints of a formal presentation.
Full details of Unit 5 discussion coming soon!

Learn more about APHG Happy Hour and Join the Discussion!

APHG Happy Hour
2027-02-11 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for an informal, organic discussion facilitated by APHG educators for APHG educators. Each session will focus on a participant-driven conversation about each unit where you can share your insights, seek advice, and discuss the latest trends that support the implementation of the AP Human Geography curriculum without the constraints of a formal presentation.
Full details of Unit 6 discussion coming soon!

Learn more about APHG Happy Hour and Join the Discussion!

APHG Happy Hour
2027-03-11 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for an informal, organic discussion facilitated by APHG educators for APHG educators. Each session will focus on a participant-driven conversation about each unit where you can share your insights, seek advice, and discuss the latest trends that support the implementation of the AP Human Geography curriculum without the constraints of a formal presentation.
Full details of Unit 7 discussion coming soon!

Learn more about APHG Happy Hour and Join the Discussion!

APHG Happy Hour
2027-04-08 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for an informal, organic discussion facilitated by APHG educators for APHG educators. Each session will focus on a participant-driven conversation about each unit where you can share your insights, seek advice, and discuss the latest trends that support the implementation of the AP Human Geography curriculum without the constraints of a formal presentation.
Full details of “Preparing for the Exam” discussion coming soon!

Learn more about APHG Happy Hour and Join the Discussion!

APHG Happy Hour
2027-05-13 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for an informal, organic discussion facilitated by APHG educators for APHG educators. Each session will focus on a participant-driven conversation about each unit where you can share your insights, seek advice, and discuss the latest trends that support the implementation of the AP Human Geography curriculum without the constraints of a formal presentation.
Full details of “Wrapping up the Year” discussion coming soon!

Learn more about APHG Happy Hour and Join the Discussion!
