Economic map of the world.

• Position: Atlas

ATLAS POLITICAL MAPS OF THE WORLD

Maps Help Explain Economic, Political and Social Relationships Between Countries and Regions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

* How many U.S. cities are located on or very close to major bodies of water? What do you think is the reason for that?

* What physical features on the Earth's surface would you have to take into account when using mileage scales?

TEACHING OBJECTIVES

To help students understand how to use maps and how maps help illustrate the world's geographic, economic, political and cultural diversity.

CLASSROOM STRATEGIES

CRITICAL THINKING/DISCUSSION: Link events in the news to the maps. Find Iraq and Afghanistan on the Middle East and Asia maps. Ask what the maps say about why the U.S. wants Pakistan's aid in the search for Afghan-based terrorists. (Pakistan borders Afghanistan; ethnic groups share the border.) Kuwait and Qatar, from which the U.S. has directed military operations against Iraq, are close by.

CLUES TO HISTORY: Maps also offer clues to history and culture. Two examples:

* Iceland: Tell students that the Icelandic spoken today is virtually identical to the language spoken by Norwegians a thousand years ago. What does the Europe map suggest as a possible reason for this similarity? (Iceland's location, 900 to 1,000 miles from mainland Europe, kept it relatively isolated from outside cultural and linguistic influences for centuries.)

* Africa: The borders students see on the Africa map are mostly the creation of Europeans, who carved up the continent into their colonies in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The result? Divisions of some ethnic groups across national borders and putting people from different ethnic groups in the same country, in many cases heightening ethnic rivalries that continue to this day.

FOREIGN GOODS: Give students five minutes to make lists of foreign-made goods they or their families own. (Clothing, cameras, TVs and computers are possible examples.) Identify as many countries of origin as possible and locate on a map. Check The World in Focus to find economic information about each country. Ask students why Americans buy so many foreign products. (Most foreign workers earn less than American workers, making many of the goods they produce less expensive. Most clothing, camera, TVs and radios are foreign made.)

Upfront Quiz 2

MULTIPLE CHOICE/FILL IN ECONOMIC MAP PAGES 12-13

OPEN BOOK TEST DIRECTIONS: Circle correct letter or fill in the blank.

1. Which Western...