Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
Georgianna Lowen
Committee Member
James G. Monroe
Keywords
class activities, classroom techniques, cooperative education, Egypt, geography, geography instruction, global approach, Grade 9, history instruction, lesson plans, map reading, map skills, Mesopotamia, mythological country, oral presentations, secondary education, social studies, world history, written presentations
Abstract
This practicum was designed to incorporate the study of geography into a ninth grade world history with the aim of improving a student’s awareness of the influence of geography upon the historical development of ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. By means of a questionnaire and map tests prepared by the writer, it was determined that ninth grade world history students had little awareness of the influence of geography upon historical development in ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, and could not locate those places regarded as being historically significant in either of those two ancient civilizations.
During the course of implementation, students became acquainted with how to read maps. locate important sites, and describe how geographic features factor into determining the Location of those sites. Furthermore, through the preparation of both oral and written presentations, particularly the creation of a mythological country, students applied what they learned.
Analysis of post-test data indicate that, as a result of all the exercises connected with implementing this practicum, students came away with an adequate grasp of those rather consistent geographic variables which influence historical development.