Each month we offer a challenge to MWW members to get involved doing geography; that is, taking an action that requires a geographic perspective or advocating on behalf of geographic education. 
1. Buy a re-plantable Christmas tree: I'd never heard of such a thing until fellow intern and green-queen extraordinaire Hilary told me her family does this every year. Although very few places in the United States actually market it, the idea is simple: Buy an evergreen with its root ball still attached, enjoy it for the holiday season; then return in to the nursery, plant it in your backyard, or donate it to a local park! Swanson's in Seattle, Washington is one such nursery that will take back the tree and re-plant it in Pipers Creek, a salmon habitat that needs conifers and other trees to maintain a healthy stream for the fish.
Here it is: Our quasi-definitive list of the "Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Geography Awareness Week."
1. I am here: Update your social network status with your latitude and longitude on TUESDAY, November 17th. Tell your friends to do the same!
2. I ♥ maps: Blab about maps in the official Geography Awareness Week Blog-a-thon.
3. Extra, extra: Read all about it with geography-themed newspaper games. Check 'em out here and here!
4. Bird's eye view: Try to identify Earth's landmarks from space with a daily Mystery Location Quiz.
5. Round 2: Play National Geographic's Expedition 2 game: You'll need a map.
Did you know that the holiday name "Hallowe'en" comes from the Old English phrase "All Hallows Evening?" " E'en is a shortened form of "even," which is an abbreviation of "evening."
We're kicking off Geography Awareness Week 2009 in style--that is high tops, sweat bands, and track suits.
Pair a geography lovin' b-ball coach with a giant map of Asia, rockin' satellite imagery from industry leader GeoEye, a map gallery showcasing student work, and plenty of chances to win cool prizes, and you've got one geo-tastic event.
The third annual World Ball Night at George Mason University, 4pm November 15, promises not to disappoint, and, let's be honest: What else do you have to do on a Sunday afternoon??
Top 5 reasons to go to World Ball Night
Last week, geography educators from across the nation traveled to Puerto Rico for the National Council for Geographic Education Conference in San Juan (of course, no need to remind our geo-savvy audience--unlike some other friends who will remain nameless-- that Puerto Rico is within the political territory of the United States). After attending two previous fall-season conferences in Oklahoma City and Dearborn, Michigan, the tropical climes of the Caribbean were a welcome change of pace. Luckily, we avoided any September hurricanes and enjoyed a relaxing, yet productive, trip. My five favorite Puerto Rico experiences:
1. Mo' mofongo, please
I've had many a plantain (a fruit similar to a banana but more tart in taste) in my life, but I'd never heard of "mofongo" prior to my trip to Puerto Rico. Mofongo is made from under-ripe plantains that are mashed, fried, and served in a mound, often with meat or seafood. It's a pretty distinct-tasting dish--some people love it, others aren't so keen. Luckily, I was in the first category. I had mofongo no less than 3 times during my trip to PR. Have you ever tried mofongo? You can also find it, sometimes called "fufu," on the nearby Caribbean islands of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and in parts of Africa, where it is believed to have originated.
2. My rainforest-castle on a cloud
On one day we took a trip to explore a different feature of Puerto Rico's physical geography: El Yunque National Forest, located in the northeastern part of Puerto Rico. It was quite a drive away from the coast along winding roads, through small towns and tropical fruit plantations. We climbed up a few thousand feet into a cloud forest, where we were treated to cool, fresh air and vistas of waterfalls--a nice transition from the hot, humid air at sea level! Did you know that El Yunque is the only tropical rain forest in the United States' National Forest System?
You may have noticed that the blog has been a bit sparse lately. There are two explanations: 1) We are in a period of transition between interns, who do the bulk of the writing. 2) Last week I was on vacation!
5 Ways to Beat the Heat [geographically]
|
Recent Comments