World Geography and Cultures (with Country Studies)

Would you like to travel to many countries and see the world while enjoying the comforts of your own home?  If so, you have come to the right course!  This course is structured in such a way to introduce the general principles of geographic study while regularly diving deep into sundry cultures.  This is illustrated by the weekly outline:

Week 1 - Geography and World Overview
Week 2 - Asia Overview 
Week 3 - East Asia Focus: Korea
Week 4 - South Asia Focus: India
Week 5 - West Asia Focus: Israel
Week 6 - Africa Overview
Week 7 - Africa Focus: Tanzania
Week 8 - Europe Overview
Week 9 - Europe Focus: Ireland
Week 10 - South America Overview
Week 11 - South America Focus: Peru
Week 12 - North America Overview
Week 13 - North America Focus: Panama
Week 14 - Oceania Overview
Week 15 - Oceania Focus: Papua New Guinea
Week 16 - Review of World Geography

The course includes a weekly live class that will be engaging, with group discussions and plenty of pictures from around the world.  Students should use video and audio during the live class, which helps encourage smoother discussions and more engagement. Parents may request an exception to this requirement.   Students will have a quiz and graded homework assignment to complete during the week, which will reinforce and expand upon the classroom discussions.  Additional enrichment assignments will be offered, but not graded.  

In this class students will learn about the physical world, human interactions with their surroundings, and systems that humans have developed in various regions.  Of course, much time will be allotted to the study and understanding of maps (one of a geographer’s primary tools).  The course is centered around the six essential elements of the National Geographic Standards that were created by the National Council for Geographic Education.  These elements are 1) The World in Spatial Terms, 2) Places and Regions, 3) Physical Systems, 4) Human Systems, 5) Environment and Society, and 6) The Uses of Geography.  So, as we move from region to region, students will gain an understanding of key physical characteristics (like landforms and climate) while also exploring the cultures and histories that make people groups unique. 

I recommend this class for the 8th grade level (or higher).  Students in younger grades (6th and 7th) should do fine if they are somewhat advanced.