The mission of our National Geographic Learning (NGL) program is to inspire and encourage Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 students to learn about our Planet in an innovative and disciplinary way! Students will connect with each other and develop important skills, which will add depth and meaning to their understanding of the world. Students will also work in groups to create a multimedia project to showcase their growth and impact.
Humans impact their environment through their habits, actions, and choices. We pollute water with trash and contaminants harming aquatic creatures, introduce invasive species which may have no natural predators, and use dangerous pesticides which can have unexpected consequence further up the food chain. By disrupting the plants and animals we also impact the larger ecosystems.
In our National Geographic Writing Camp, students will learn the various ways humans have impacted, and continues to shape, our planet. Students will collaborate with their peers and work in groups. We will be learning about the history of the world and the physical transformations of our Planet within the last hundreds of years. Students will learn about the extinction of animals, such as dinosaurs and the Great Auk, and brainstorm ways to save our planet and our animals!
Teaching About the World (Perspective on Overpopulation) Course Example
Spatial – Students will look at where things happen on Earth in space and in different places. They will look at why certain countries have an overwhelming amount of population and why certain countries have fewer people.
Cultural – There is also a cultural component in National Geography, as student will tie their explanation of overpopulation to the ideas, customs and social behaviours of individuals and communities.
Political – Students will learn the various political viewpoints and laws that shape the issue of overpopulation.
Economic – Students will think about the economic distribution and consumption of resources.
Ecological – Students will conclude if overpopulation is an issue according to our current physical structure of the Earth and how our current population is interacting with the physical environment.
National Geographic Learning Framework (Attitudes): Students will engage in caring for the planet and others. They will be exercise curiosity and come up with creative ways to sustain the human population while taking good care of our planet and our home.
National Geographic Learning Framework (Skills): Students will use their growing vocabulary and language to talk about their observations and experiences. They will have a writing assignment to write about their learning process and solutions to this problem. Students are encouraged to use images, charts, and data to illustrate their point.
National Geographic Learning Framework (Knowledge): The human journey and our changing planet. Students will learn how populations are distributed, and why people move from one place to another. They will look at the different regions around the world and analyze Earth’s physical and cultural features, to conclude if our planet has the capacity to sustain the amount of people we currently have. If not, what are the ways we can resolve this issue?