July 2006 Archives

The George Lucas Educational Foundation’s Edutopia has a great blog, Spiral Notebook, packed with "original, creative, practical, and sometimes unusual advice" for teachers.

A recent post focused on the need for geography. “Without Geography, You Are Nowhere — So Where in the World Is Geography in Our Schools?" has lots of insight, geography info, and links to great sites, plus a nice mention of My Wonderful World. Check it out and see what you can add to your (virtual) reference shelf.

The word is spreading! Without geography, we’re nowhere.

Conflict with neighbor Israel has kept Lebanon in the news recently. Get a sense of what the country—and its people—are like with these great sites.

Start with the BBC’s country profile of Lebanon. It’s got the usual info (population, history overview, major religions), plus a lot more: in-depth news, feature articles, video clips, and more. You can even hear the Lebanese national anthem.

And don’t miss these sites:

The Goldman Environmental Prize was created in 1990 to recognize leaders in the grassroots environmental movement.

Each year, one Goldman Prize winner is selected from each region of the world: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America.

This year’s winners (announced on April 24) include a man who moved to end corruption and illegal forestry in Liberia and a 26-year-old lawyer who transformed how the Danube Delta is seen in the eyes of the Ukrainian government. Meet all of the recipients—and be sure to watch the inspiring videos about each. Their stories showcase the importance of learning about an interconnected globe.

Photo of Liberian activist Silas Siakor courtesy The Goldman Environmental Prize

What will the Earth's population be in 20 years? And where will all those people live?

Researchers at Columbia University's Center for Climate Systems Research and Population Action International wanted to know the answers to those questions, so they set out to get them. The result is a high-resolution map of projected population change in 2025.

See the map

Download a full-size PDF of the map

Learn more about the mapping project

Image courtesy Population Action International

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake set off a deadly tsunami that washed over the Indonesian island of Java today, leveling buildings and strewing debris. (See article.)

In December 2004, a British schoolgirl’s geography lessons helped save her family from the tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people. (See article.) Want to know more yourself? Here are some sites that explain the how, why, and where of tsunamis.

This week, newspapers carried reports of India and China’s decision to reopen an ancient Himalayan Silk Road route to trade after nearly 50 years. (See article.)

The Silk Road—actually a complex network of roads—evolved in the second century B.C. as traders moved goods between East Asia and Europe. Eventually the pathways carried more than textiles, spices, and gold. Religions (especially Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity) and diseases (smallpox, measles, and plague) took to the roads as well.

Take a trip on the virtual Silk Road:

Studying geography brings similarities among people into light.  For one, everyone has to eat.  People around the world have developed unique tastes for food based on what their native environment provides.

                                                                       A great way to explore geography this summer is to try out a new global recipe.

To find global recipes, check out these sites: