That's What You Think!
A Middle School Geography Lesson

Overview:

Using maps and prior knowledge, students will predict elements of the cultural landscape of Mexico. Then, students will take a virtual tour of Guanajuato, Mexico to test their predictions. This should stimulate discussion about geographic knowledge and stereotypes of places and about the information that can be infered from maps.
Objectives:

The student will be able to:

  1. Make and test a prediction about the cultural landscape of a city in Mexico.
  2. Analyze the source, correctness, and extend of his or her geographic knowledge of Mexico.
Standards:

National Geographic Standard 4.2: Analyze the human characteristics of places

Washington Geography EALR 2.2.2: Use observation, maps, and other tools to identify and to compare and contrast the patterns humans make on places and regions.
Materials: Computers with internet capabilities, Prediction Sheets (Landscape or Portrait format)
Time: 30 to 50 minutes
Assessment: Responses on Prediction Sheets, Class discussion
Accomodations: Partners and scribes could be used to help students with limited English or writing abilities
Background Information: Students gain geographic information about other countries and cultures from a variety of sources, including first-hand experience, the media, school, and even off-colored jokes and comments. Often, this knowledge is overgeneralized or just plain wrong. It is important for students to analyze the sources of their geographic "knowledge." Also, it is important for students to test their knowledge versus reality and to reflect upon any discrepancies between the two.
Procedures:
  1. Ask students, "Besides school, what are some ways that you can learn about Mexico?" --books, library, internet, go there, etc. "How could you learn about Mexico on accident or without even trying?" --news, movies, listening to people, jokes. "How do you know what to believe?" --consider the source, go and find out.

  2. Distribute and discuss the Prediction Sheet. Stress the importance of the "Why" sections--are their predictions based on the maps, previous studies, tv, stereotypes, movies, etc? For the "Observation" section, tell them to really look at the pictures and to think about what they see--colors, shapes, locations, decorations, etc.

  3. Have students read the facts and maps, then fill out the first two columns of the chart.

  4. Have students take the Virtual Tour of Guanajuato, Mexico and fill in the Observation column.

  5. Have students analyze the correctness of their predictions. In the final column, have them write down why they think some of their predictions were correct and some were incorrect.

  6. Discuss students' responses as a class, focusing on the "why" questions. Possible discussion questions:
    -When correct, what were your predictions based upon?
    -Why were you incorrect? -- faulty info., overgeneralization (regional variations), the tour showed just one area of Mexico, etc.
    -Why do the houses make sense compared to the maps?
    -Who predicted soccer & baseball? basketball? bullfighting?
    -What did you see that surprised you?
    -Does the Virtual Tour tell the "whole truth?" -- no, it is a small sample of Mexico.
Sources:

Fieldwork in the Geography Curriculum: Filling the Rhetoric-Reality Gap, by Gwenda A. Rice and Teresa L. Bulman.

"Teaching About Distant Places," by Vicki Harrington, found in Primary Sources: Research Findings in Primary Geography.

"Learning From Photographs," by Margaret Mackintosh, found in Primary Sources: Research Findings in Primary Geography.
Reflection:
Comments and Suggestions: Eric Shafer
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