Essential Knowledge This column delineates the key content facts, concepts, and ideas that students should grasp in order to demonstrate understanding of the standard. This information is not meant to be exhaustive or a limitation on what is taught in the classroom. Rather, it is meant to be the principal knowledge defining the standard. The Curriculum Framework serves as a guide for Standards of Learning assessment development; however, assessment items may not and should not be verbatim reflections of the information presented in the Curriculum Framework.
STANDARD WG.2a The student will analyze how physical and ecological processes shape Earth’s surface by a) explaining regional climatic patterns and weather phenomena and their effects on people and places; Essential Understandings Essential Knowledge Climate is defined by certain characteristics. Climate patterns result from the interplay of common elements. Climatic regions have distinctive vegetation. Certain weather phenomena are unique to specific regions. Climate and weather phenomena affect how people live in different regions. Climatic characteristics Temperature Precipitation Seasons (hot/cold, wet/dry) Climatic elements Influence of latitude Influence of winds Influence of elevation Proximity to water Influence of ocean currents World climatic regions Low latitudes (e.g., tropical wet, tropical wet and dry, arid, semiarid, highland) Middle latitudes (e.g., semiarid, arid, humid continental) High latitudes (e.g., subarctic, tundra, icecap) Vegetation regions Rain forest Savanna Desert Steppe Middle-latitude forest Taiga Tundra
STANDARD WG.3c The student will apply the concept of a region by c) analyzing how cultural characteristics, including the world’s major languages, ethnicities, and religions, link or divide regions; Essential Understandings Essential Knowledge Cultural difference and similarities can link or divide regions. People closely identify with the cultural characteristics of their region of origin. Language Arab world: Arabic Hispanic America: Spanish Brazil: Portuguese Canada: French and English Switzerland: Multiple languages English: International language Ethnic heritage Former Yugoslavia: Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, Albanians Burundi and Rwanda: Hutus and Tutsis United States, Switzerland: Multiple ethnicities united in one country Korea, Japan: Predominantly single ethnicity Cyprus: Greeks and Turks Religion as a unifying force Hinduism Buddhism Judaism Christianity Islam Religion as a divisive force Conflicts between Hindus and Muslims in Pakistan and India Conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland Jews, Christians, and Muslims all claiming Jerusalem as their religious heritage site Conflicts between Sunni and Shi’a
STANDARD WG.5c The student will analyze the characteristics of the regions of the United States and Canada by c) explaining important economic characteristics; Essential Understandings Essential Knowledge The United States and Canada have a wide variety of natural resources. The abundance of natural resources helped the United States and Canada develop diversified economies. Economic characteristics Major exporters of technology, information systems, and foodstuff Highly developed infrastructures Highly diversified economies Rich supply of mineral, energy, and forest resources North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Multinational corporations A key center of world financial markets (New York Stock Exchange) Economic growth Disparity of income distribution Export of culture via the global marketplace (e.g., McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, entertainment, fashion) High literacy rate High standard of living Major natural resources Forestry Petroleum Minerals Fertile soil Water
STANDARD WG.9c The student will analyze the characteristics of the Sub-Saharan African region by c) explaining important economic characteristics; Essential Understandings Essential Knowledge The limited economic development of the Sub-Saharan economy can be traced to many historical factors. Colonial governments, for example, structured many national economies to become mineral or commodity exporters. These economies are dependent on imports for equipment, capital goods, consumer goods, and technology. Economic characteristics Large percentage of population engaged in agriculture (primary activity) Subsistence agriculture Nomadic herding Slash-and-burn agriculture Plantation agriculture Cash crops and food crops Poorly developed infrastructure Substantial mineral wealth (diamonds, gold, and other metals) Major exporters of raw materials Wide range of per capita incomes Productivity that lags behind population growth