GeoLiteracy Online Resources, K-8

GeoLiteracy is an innovative approach for integrating geography and language arts developed by the Arizona Geographic Alliance. The GeoLiteracy project contains 85 classroom-ready lessons that include teacher instructions, answer keys, worksheets, student samples, maps, and assessments that mirror state-mandated tests. In 2003 GeoLiteracy was nationally recognized by the National Council for the Social Studies. The following resources may be of interest to educators who wish to learn more about GeoLiteracy.

Arizona Geographic Alliance
http://www.ngsednet.org/community/index.cfm?community_id=204

National Geographic-Roper Survey of Geographic Literacy
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/roper2006/

The Integration of Literacy and Geography
http://alliance.la.asu.edu/dorn/HindeTRSESummer07.pdf

GeoLiteracy Lessons and Presentations
http://alliance.la.asu.edu/internetclass/GeoLitLessonsTable.html
This site contains lessons, online video presentations, copyright free maps, assessment rubrics, and other resources.

Looking at Landmarks: Using a Picture Book to Guide Research http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=841
This lesson uses Ben’s Dream, a picture book by Chris Van Allsburg, to highlight 10 major landmarks of the world: the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Parthenon, the Sphinx, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, and Mount Rushmore. Using their research skills, students locate these famous landmarks, conduct further research on them, publish their findings, and share that information with the class.

Geocaching.com
http://www.geocaching.com/
Individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the Internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards.

Apple Learning Exchange: High Tech Treasure Hunt
http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=10692
Students can use this treasure hunt to discover their heritage while investigating the rich history of a local city or town. Using a combination of technologies, such as global positioning units, iPods, and digital cameras, students are engaged in learning activities that lead to finding hidden treasures, known as caches.

Apple Learning Exchange: Connecting World Regions, Geospatially http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=786&version=486&pageID=1997
Students will take a virtual field trip and use GPS units to navigate to the selected places within the region of study.

Dr. Christie’s GPS and Geocaching Guide for Educators
http://alicechristie.org/geocaching/
This site, developed by Dr. Alice Christie, Associate Professor of Technology and Education in the College of Teacher Education and Leadership at Arizona State, features lessons, podcasts, and user guides on geocaching.