GEOGRAPHY AND GEOGRAPHY AND LITERATURELITERATURE LIBRARY WORKSHOPLIBRARY WORKSHOP

December 3, 2010December 3, 2010

Steve JenningsSteve JenningsAssociate Professor Associate Professor

Geography and Environmental StudiesGeography and Environmental Studies

GEOLITERACY

The role of geography is to develop The role of geography is to develop an understanding of the spatial an understanding of the spatial relationships that affect our lives relationships that affect our lives every day.every day.

One way method that has great One way method that has great impact on students is the impact on students is the combination of books and combination of books and geography.geography.

GEOLITERACY

What are the reasons for combining reading and geography?

1. Limited time in the classroom to cover all subjects.

2. The natural fit between books that describe places on the Earth’s surface and geography.

3. The chance to “travel” to far away places and times.

GEOLITERACY

Well written books commonly have strongly developed descriptions of the location of the book.

These books evoke a strong sense of time and place, filling in the spaces that might not be readily apparent from maps and photographs of the same region.

                                                   

                     

 

GEOLITERACY

Works of fiction such as the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Moby Dick, or Wuthering Heights gain a great deal of verisimilitude from the description of the book’s setting.

GEOLITERACY

Nonfiction books like Blue Highways or Travels With Charley are great descriptions of the geography of the U.S.

GEOLITERACY

Many excellent children’s books have the same characteristics. It is important to connect and excite students about interesting places and times.

Engaging students with reading is a way to hook students so that they learn a variety of skills and content.

RESOURCERESOURCE

An excellent resourceAn excellent resource

about geography and about geography and

how to develop a how to develop a

content rich curriculumcontent rich curriculum

is Phil Gersmehl’s book,is Phil Gersmehl’s book,

Teaching GeographyTeaching Geography..

THEMES

Using the terms in this book we can explore the relationship between books and geography.

These terms are similar to the five themes of geography with the deletion of Human-environment interaction, since Gersmehl believes Gersmehl believes that that theme is contained in all that that theme is contained in all the others.the others.

CORNERSTONESCORNERSTONES

The cornerstones of geographic The cornerstones of geographic inquiryinquiry

LocationLocation

ConditionsConditions

ConnectionsConnections

RegionRegion

LOCATIONLOCATION

It is important to know where It is important to know where something is on the Earth’s surface something is on the Earth’s surface because of its relationship to other because of its relationship to other things.things.

Location can be expressed as an Location can be expressed as an absolute location or a relative absolute location or a relative location.location.

LOCATIONLOCATION

Atlases are essential in every classroom just as dictionaries are.The ability to referto locations in anatlas is essentialin developing senseof place.

CONDITIONSCONDITIONS

Once a place is located on the Earth’s Once a place is located on the Earth’s surface the next step is to describe surface the next step is to describe the characteristics of that place.the characteristics of that place.

These characteristics are numerous These characteristics are numerous for any place. These include physical for any place. These include physical characteristics such as elevation or characteristics such as elevation or average temperature and cultural average temperature and cultural characteristics such as language and characteristics such as language and economic activity.economic activity.

CONDITIONSCONDITIONS

I have heard of a landI have heard of a land

Where the earth is red with promisesWhere the earth is red with promises

Where the redbud trees catch the lightWhere the redbud trees catch the light

And throw it in a game of sunbeams and shadowAnd throw it in a game of sunbeams and shadow

Back and forth to the cottonwood treesBack and forth to the cottonwood trees

CONDITIONSCONDITIONS

Comparisons of regions can befound in books.

CONDITIONSCONDITIONS

Environmentalconditions canbe the subjectthat helps to define the conditions inregions.

CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS

Each location is connected in some Each location is connected in some way to other locations. Sometimes way to other locations. Sometimes the connections are economic, other the connections are economic, other times they are defined by a belief times they are defined by a belief system or kinship links.system or kinship links.

Connections can be strong or weak, Connections can be strong or weak, but the connections are always but the connections are always there. No place is completely there. No place is completely isolated.isolated.

CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS

Immigration is acommon theme in books.

CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS

The travels of peoplethrough unknown landscan engage studentsand by supported by a variety of other resources.

CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS

Books geared for adults maybe a source of pictures and maps.

REGIONSREGIONS

Regions can be classified into three Regions can be classified into three broad categories.broad categories.• Formal regionsFormal regions• Functional regionsFunctional regions• Perceptual regionsPerceptual regions

Each of this types are widely Each of this types are widely recognized in the geography recognized in the geography community and have well defined community and have well defined characteristics.characteristics.

REGIONSREGIONSRetelling of familiar tales in regionalways is common.

Southwestern Pigs

REGIONSREGIONS

Cajun Pigs Hawaiian Pigs

CREATIVE CARTOGRAPHY

Another approach to geography is to ask the students to create maps of imaginary places.

This exercise helps students to think about the relationships between features and how to visualize the common kinds of arrangement of places on the Earth’s surface.

CREATIVE CARTOGRAPHY

Robert Louis Stevenson’s map of Treasureisland precededthe writing of thebook.

CREATIVE CARTOGRAPHY

While a mapmay be whimsicalthere still is a logical distribution of features

TECHONOLOGICAL SUPPORTTECHONOLOGICAL SUPPORT

TECHONOLOGICAL SUPPORTTECHONOLOGICAL SUPPORT

The path ofthe duckfamily inMake WayFor Ducklingshas beenmapped outin Lit Trips.

TECHONOLOGICAL SUPPORTTECHONOLOGICAL SUPPORT

By clickingon locationson the pathadditionalinformationpops up.

TECHONOLOGICAL SUPPORTTECHONOLOGICAL SUPPORT

Students who are interested in computer technology in the higher elementary grades can make their own Lit Trips.

Lit Trips may engage students who are more interested in electronic media and get them to read books.