We believe that Christian people should make a positive contribution within a local community and global society. In our Social Studies program, students will examine historical and current events, as well as global, environmental and social justice issues. Based on the developmental levels, needs and concerns of the students, our Social Studies program utilizes a broad range of teaching strategies, learning activities and resources. Our Social Studies program will provide opportunities for students to think critically, appreciate the diversity of humanity, and function as a responsible individual within our changing world.

Standard 1: Understands the characteristics and uses of
maps, globes, and other geographic tools and technologies

Benchmark 1. Knows the purposes and distinguishing characteristics of different map projections, including distortion on flat-map projections

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the purpose of different map projections
    2. Knows the distinguishing characteristics of different map projections
    3. Understands distortion on flat-map projections

Benchmark 2. Uses thematic maps (e.g., patterns of population, disease, economic features, rainfall, vegetation)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the concept of a thematic map
    2. Uses maps that depict patterns of populations
    3. Uses maps that depict patterns of disease
    4. Uses maps that depict patterns of economic features
    5. Uses maps that depict patterns of rainfall
    6. Uses maps that depict patterns of vegetation

Benchmark 3. Understands concepts such as axis, seasons, rotation, and revolution (Earth-Sun relations)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that the Earth rotates (spins) on a tilted axis
    2. Knows that the Earth revolves around the Sun in an orbit
    3. Understands that the seasons are affected by the tilt of the Earth’s axis         and its revolution around the Sun

Benchmark 4. Knows the advantages and disadvantages of maps, globes, and other geographic tools to illustrate a data set (e.g., data on population distribution, language-use patterns, energy consumption at different times of the year)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the advantages of using maps to illustrate a data set
    2. Knows the disadvantages of using maps to illustrate a data set
    3. Knows the advantages of using globes to illustrate a data set
    4. Knows the disadvantages of using globes to illustrate a data set
    5. Knows the advantages of using various geographic tools to illustrate a         data set
    6. Knows the disadvantages of using various geographic tools to illustrate a         data set
    7. Knows the advantages and disadvantages of using maps to illustrate         data on population distribution
    8. Knows the advantages and disadvantages of using globes to illustrate         data on population distribution
    9. Knows the advantages and disadvantages of using maps to illustrate         language-use patterns
    10. Knows the advantages and disadvantages of using globes to illustrate         language-use patterns
    11. Knows the advantages and disadvantages of using maps to illustrate          energy consumption at different times of the year
    12. Knows the advantages and disadvantages of using globes to illustrate           energy consumption at different times of the year

Benchmark 5. Knows the characteristics and uses of cartograms
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the characteristics of a cartogram
    2. Understands the use of cartograms

Benchmark 6. Knows how maps help to find patterns of movement in space and time (e.g., mapping hurricane tracks over several seasons, mapping the spread of influenza throughout the world)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the mapping of hurricane tracks over several seasons as a
        useful application of mapping patterns of movement through space and         time
    2. Understands that mapping the spread of influenza throughout the world         is a useful application of mapping patterns of movement through space             and time

Benchmark 7. Knows the characteristics and purposes of geographic databases (e.g., databases containing census data, land-use data, topographic information)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the characteristics of geographic databases
    2. Knows the purposes of geographic databases
    3. Knows that geographic databases may contain census data
    4. Knows that geographic databases may contain land-use data
    5. Knows that geographic databases may contain topographic information

Standard 2: Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment

Benchmark 1. Knows the location of physical and human features on maps and globes (e.g., culture hearths such as Mesopotamia, Huang Ho, the Yucatan Peninsula, the Nile Valley; major ocean currents; wind patterns; land forms; climate regions)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the location of physical features on maps
    2. Knows the location of human features on maps
    3. Knows the location of physical features on globes
    4. Knows the location of human features on globes
    5. Knows the location of Mesopotamia on a map
    6. Knows the location of Huang Ho on a map
    7. Knows the location of the Yucatan Peninsula on a map
    8. Knows the location of the Nile Valley on a map
    9. Knows the location of culture hearths on a map
    10. Knows the location of major ocean currents on a map
    11. Knows the location of major wind patterns on a map
    12. Knows the location of major land forms on a map
    13. Knows the location of major climatic regions on a map
    14. Knows the location of Mesopotamia on a globe
    15. Knows the location of Huang Ho on a globe
    16. Knows the location of the Yucatan Peninsula on a globe
    17. Knows the location of the Nile Valley on a globe
    18. Knows the location of culture hearths on a globe
    19. Knows the location of major ocean currents on a globe
    20. Knows the location of major wind patterns on a globe
    21. Knows the location of major land forms on a globe
    22. Knows the location of major climatic regions on a globe

Benchmark 2. Knows how mental maps can reflect attitudes and perceptions of places (e.g., how personal interests emphasize some details at the expense of others)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows how mental maps can reflect one’s attitudes of places
    2. Knows how mental maps can reflect one’s perceptions of places
    3. Knows that in mental maps, personal interests may emphasize some         details at the expense of others

Benchmark 3. Knows the relative location of, size of, and distances between places (e.g., major urban centers in the United States)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the relative location of various places in the United States
    2. Knows the relative size of various places in the United States
    3. Knows the relative distance between various places in the United States
    4. Knows the relative location of major urban centers in the United States
    5. Knows the relative size of major urban centers in the United States
    6. Knows the relative distance between major urban centers in the United         States

Benchmark 4. Knows the factors that influence spatial perception (e.g., culture, education, age, gender, occupation, experience)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that one’s culture may influence their spatial perception
    2. Knows that one’s education may influence their spatial perception
    3. Knows that one’s age may influence their spatial perception
    4. Knows that one’s gender may influence their spatial perception
    5. Knows that one’s occupation may influence their spatial perception
    6. Knows that one’s experience may influence their spatial perception

Standard 3: Understands the characteristics and uses of
spatial organization of Earth's surface

Benchmark 1. Understands distributions of physical and human occurrences with respect to spatial patterns, arrangements, and associations (e.g., why some areas are more densely settled than others, relationships and patterns in the kind and number of links between settlements)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the distribution of physical occurrences with respect to         spatial patterns
    2. Understands the distribution of physical occurrences with respect to         arrangements
    3. Understands the distribution of physical occurrences with respect to         associations
    4. Understands the distribution of human occurrences with respect to         spatial patterns
    5. Understands the distribution of human occurrences with respect to         arrangements
    6. Understands the distribution of human occurrences with respect to         associations
    7. Understands why some areas are more densely settled than others
    8. Understands relationships in the kind and number of links between         settlements
    9. Understands patterns in the kind and number of links between         settlements

Benchmark 2. Understands patterns of land use in urban, suburban, and rural areas (e.g., land uses that are frequently nearby and others not frequently adjacent to one another, dominant land-use patterns in city centers and peripheral areas)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the patterns of land use in urban areas
    2. Understands the patterns of land use in suburban areas
    3. Understands the patterns of land use in rural areas
    4. Knows land uses that are frequently near each other
    5. Knows land uses that are generally not near each other
    6. Knows the dominant land-use patterns in city centers
    7. Knows the dominant land-use patterns in peripheral areas

Benchmark 3. Understands how places are connected and how these connections demonstrate interdependence and accessibility (e.g., the role of changing transportation and communication technology, regions and countries Americans depend on for imported resources and manufactured goods)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands how places are connected
    2. Understands how the connections between places demonstrates         interdependence
    3. Understands how the connections between places demonstrates         accessibility
    4. Understands the role changing transportation technology in the         connection between places
    5. Understands the role changing communication technology in the         connection between places
    6. Knows that the dependence of Americans on others regions and         countries for imported resources connects places
    7. Knows that the dependence of Americans on others regions and         countries for manufactured goods connects places

Benchmark 4. Understands the patterns and processes of migration and diffusion (e.g., the spread of language, religion, and customs from one culture to another; spread of a contagious disease through a population; global migration patterns of plants and animals)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the patterns migration
    2. Understands the processes involved in migration
    3. Understands the patterns of diffusion
    4. Understands the processes involved in diffusion
    5. Understands the spread of language from one culture to another
    6. Understands the spread of religion from one culture to another
    7. Understands the spread of customs from one culture to another
    8. Understands the spread of a contagious disease in a population
    9. Understands the global migration patterns of plants
    10. Understands the global migration patterns animals

Standard 4: Understands the physical and human characteristics of place

Benchmark 1. Knows the human characteristics of places (e.g., cultural characteristics such as religion, language, politics, technology, family structure, gender; population characteristics; land uses; levels of development)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the cultural characteristics of different places
    2. Knows the religious characteristics of different places
    3. Knows the lingual characteristics of different places
    4. Knows the political characteristics of different places
    5. Knows the technological characteristics of different places
    6. Knows the characteristics of family structure of different places
    7. Knows the gender characteristics of different places
    8. Knows the population characteristics of different places
    9. Knows the land use characteristics of different places
    10. Knows the levels of development of different places

Benchmark 2. Knows the physical characteristics of places (e.g., soils, land forms, vegetation, wildlife, climate, natural hazards)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the characteristics of soil in different places
    2. Knows the characteristics of land forms in different places
    3. Knows the characteristics of vegetation in different places
    4. Knows the characteristics of wildlife in different places
    5. Knows the characteristics of climate in different places
    6. Knows the characteristics of natural hazards in different places

Benchmark 3. Knows how technology shapes the human and physical characteristics of places (e.g., satellite dishes, computers, road construction)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows how technology shapes the human characteristics of places
    2. Knows how technology shapes the physical characteristics of places
    3. Knows that satellite dishes shape places
    4. Knows that computer technology shapes places
    5. Knows that road construction shapes places

Benchmark 4. Knows the causes and effects of changes in a place over time (e.g., physical changes such as forest cover, water distribution, temperature fluctuations; human changes such as urban growth, the clearing of forests, development of transportation systems)
                  
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows physical changes that can occur in a place over time
    2. Knows human changes that can occur in a place over time
    3. Knows that forest cover can change over time
    4. Knows that water distribution can change over time
    5. Knows that temperatures can fluctuate over time
    6. Knows that urban growth changes a place over time
    7. Knows that forest clearing changes a place over time
    8. Knows that the development of transportation systems changes a place         over time

Standard 5: Understands the concept of regions

Benchmark 1. Knows regions at various spatial scales (e.g., hemispheres, regions within continents, countries, cities)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows regions within the hemispheres
    2. Knows regions within continents
    3. Knows regions within countries
    4. Knows regions within cities

Benchmark 2. Understands criteria that give a region identity (e.g., its central focus, such as Amsterdam as a transportation center; relationships between physical and cultural characteristics, such as the Sunbelt's warm climate and popularity with retired people)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands that a region’s central focus gives it an identity
    2. Understands that Amsterdam as a transportation center gives the region         an identity
    3. Understands that relationships between physical and cultural                  characteristics gives a region an identify
    4. Understands that the Sunbelt’s warm climate and its popularity with         retired people gives the region an identity

Benchmark 3. Knows types of regions such as formal regions (e.g., school districts, circuit-court districts, states of the United States), functional regions (e.g., the marketing area of a local newspaper, the "fanshed" of a professional sports team), and perceptual regions (e.g., the Bible Belt in the United States, the Riviera in southern France, the Great American Desert)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that some regions are formal regions
    2. Knows that some regions are functional regions
    3. Knows that some regions are perceptual regions
    4. Knows that school districts are formal regions
    5. Knows that circuit-court districts are formal regions
    6. Knows that the states of the United States are formal regions
    7. Knows that the marketing area of a local newspaper is a functional         region
    8. Knows that the "fanshed" of a professional sports team is a functional         region
    9. Knows that the Bible Belt in the United States is a perceptual region
    10. Knows that the Great American Desert is a perceptual region
    11. Knows that the Riviera in southern France is a perceptual region

Benchmark 4. Knows factors that contribute to changing regional characteristics (e.g., economic development, accessibility, migration, media image)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that economic development contributes to changing regional         characteristics
    2. Knows that accessibility contributes to changing regional characteristics
    3. Knows that migration contributes to changing regional characteristics
    4. Knows that media images contribute to changing regional characteristics

Benchmark 5. Understands the influences and effects of particular regional labels and images (e.g., Twin Peaks in San Francisco, Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the South, the rust belt, "developed" vs. "less-developed" regions)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the influences of particular regional labels
    2. Understands the influences of particular regional images
    3. Understands the effects of particular regional labels
    4. Understands the effects of particular regional images
    5. Understands the regional label and image of Twin Peaks in San         Francisco
    6. Understands the regional label and image of Capital Hill in Washington,         D.C.
    7. Understands the regional label and image of the South
    8. Understands the regional label and image of the rust belt
    9. Understands the regional labels and images of “developed” regions vs.         “less-developed” regions

Benchmark 6. Understands ways regional systems are interconnected (e.g., watersheds and river systems, regional connections through trade, cultural ties between regions)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that regional systems are interconnected by watersheds
    2. Knows that regional systems are interconnected by river systems
    3. Understands regional connections through trade
    4. Understands cultural ties between regions

Standard 6: Understands that culture and experience
influence people's perceptions of places and regions

Benchmark 1. Knows how places and regions serve as cultural symbols (e.g. Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco; Opera House in Sydney, Australia; the Gateway Arch in St. Louis; Tower Bridge in London)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows how places serve as cultural symbols
    2. Knows how regions serve as cultural symbols
    3. Knows how the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco serves as a cultural         symbol
    4. Knows how the Opera House in Sydney, Australia serves as a cultural         symbol
    5. Knows how the Gateway Arch in St. Louis serves as a cultural symbol
    6. Knows how Tower Bridge in London serves as a cultural symbol

Benchmark 2. Knows how technology affects the ways in which culture groups perceive and use places and regions (e.g., impact of technology such as air conditioning and irrigation on the human use of arid lands; changes in perception of environment by culture groups, such as the snowmobile's impact on the lives of Inuit people or the swamp buggy's impact on tourist travel in the Everglades)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows how technology affects the ways in which culture groups perceive         places
    2. Knows how technology affects the ways in which culture groups use         places
    3. Knows how technology affects the ways in which culture groups perceive         regions
    4. Knows how technology affects the ways in which culture groups use         regions
    5. Understands the impact of air conditioning on the human use of arid         lands
    6. Understands the impact of irrigation on the human use of arid lands
    7. Understands the impact of the snowmobile on the lives of Inuit people
    8. Understands the impact of the swamp buggy on tourist travel in the         Everglades

Benchmark 3. Knows the ways in which culture influences the perception of places and regions (e.g., religion and other belief systems, language and tradition; perceptions of "beautiful" or "valuable")

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the ways in which culture influences the perception of places
    2. Knows the ways in which culture influences the perception of regions
    3. Knows how religion and other belief systems influence the perception of         places
    4. Knows how religion and other belief systems influence the perception of         regions
    5. Knows how language influences the perception of places
    6. Knows how language influences the perception of regions
    7. Knows how traditions influence the perception of places
    8. Knows how traditions influence the perception of regions
    9. Knows ways that culture influences the perception of "beauty"
    10. Knows ways that culture influences the perception of "value"

Standard 7: Knows the physical processes that shape
patterns on Earth's surface

Benchmark 1. Knows the major processes that shape patterns in the physical environment (e.g., the erosional agents such as water and ice, earthquake zones and volcanic activity, the ocean circulation system)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the erosional agents that shape patterns in the physical         environment
    2. Knows that water shapes patterns in the physical environment
    3. Knows that ice shapes patterns in the physical environment
    4. Knows that earthquake zones shape patterns in the physical                  environment
    5. Knows that volcanic activity shapes patterns in the physical environment
    6. Knows that the ocean circulation system shapes patterns in the physical         environment

Benchmark 2. Knows the processes that produce renewable and nonrenewable resources (e.g., fossil fuels, hydroelectric power, soil fertility)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the processes that produce renewable resources
    2. Knows the processes that produce nonrenewable resources
    3. Knows the processes that produce fossil fuels
    4. Knows the processes that produce hydroelectric power
    5. Knows the processes that produce fertile soil

Benchmark 3. Knows the consequences of a specific physical process operating on Earth's surface (e.g., effects of an extreme weather phenomenon such as a hurricane's impact on a coastal ecosystem, effects of heavy rainfall on hill slopes, effects of the continued movement of Earth's tectonic plates)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the effects of a hurricane on a coastal ecosystem
    2. Knows the effects of heavy rainfall on hill slopes
    3. Knows how the continued movement of tectonic plates affects the         Earth’s surface
    4. Knows the effects of extreme weather phenomena

Standard 8: Understands the characteristics of ecosystems
on Earth's surface

Benchmark 1. Understands the distribution of ecosystems from local to global scales (e.g., the consequences of differences in soils, climates, and human and natural disturbances)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the distribution of ecosystems on a local scale
    2. Understands the distribution of ecosystems on a global scale
    3. Understands how differences in soil affect the distribution of ecosystems         on a local scale
    4. Understands how differences in soil affect the distribution of ecosystems         on a global scale
    5. Understands how differences in climate affect the distribution of         ecosystems on a local scale
    6. Understands how differences in climate affect the distribution of         ecosystems on a global scale
    7. Understands how human disturbances affect the distribution of         ecosystems on a local scale
    8. Understands how human disturbances affect the distribution of         ecosystems on a global scale
    9. Understands how natural disturbances affect the distribution of         ecosystems on a local scale
    10. Understands how natural disturbances affect the distribution of         ecosystems on a global scale

Benchmark 2. Understands the functions and dynamics of ecosystems (e.g., interdependence of flora and fauna, the flow of energy and the cycling of energy, feeding levels and location of elements in the food chain)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the functions of ecosystems
    2. Understands the dynamics of ecosystems
    3. Understands the interdependence of flora and fauna in an ecosystem
    4. Understands the flow of energy in an ecosystem
    5. Understands the cycling of energy in an ecosystem
    6. Understands the feeding levels in a food chain
    7. Understands the location of elements in a food chain

Benchmark 3. Understands ecosystems in terms of their characteristics and ability to withstand stress caused by physical events (e.g., a river system adjusting to the arrival of introduced plant species such as hydrilla; regrowth of a forest after a forest fire; effects of disease on specific populations)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands ecosystems in terms of their characteristics
    2. Understands ecosystems in terms of their ability to withstand stress         caused by physical events
    3. Understands how a river system adjusts to the arrival of introduced         plant species
    4. Knows how river systems adjusted to the arrival of the introduced plant         species hydrilla
    5. Understands the regrowth of a forest after a forest fire
    6. Understands the effects of disease on specific populations

Benchmark 4. Knows changes that have occurred over time in ecosystems in the local region (e.g., natural wetlands on a flood plain being replaced by farms, farmlands on a flood plain being replaced by housing developments)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows instances of natural wetlands on a floodplain being replaced by         farms
    2. Knows instances of farmlands on a floodplain being replaced by housing         developments

Benchmark 5. Knows the potential impact of human activities within a given ecosystem on the carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen cycles (e.g., the role of air pollution in atmospheric warming or the growing of peas and other legumes, which supply their own nitrogen and do not deplete the soil)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the potential impact of human activities on the carbon cycle         within a given ecosystem
    2. Knows the potential impact of human activities on the nitrogen cycle         within a given ecosystem
    3. Knows the potential impact of human activities on the oxygen cycle         within a given ecosystem
    4. Understands the role of air pollution in atmospheric warming
    5. Knows that peas and other legumes supply their own nitrogen and do         not deplete the soil

Benchmark 6. Understands the life cycle of a lake ecosystem from birth to death (including the process of eutrophication)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that lakes go through a life cycle
    2. Understands the process of eutrophication in lakes

Standard 9: Understands the nature, distribution and migration of human populations on Earth's surface

Benchmark 1. Understands demographic concepts and how they are used to describe population characteristics of a country or region (e.g., rates of natural increase, crude birth and death rates, infant mortality, population growth rates, doubling time, life expectancy, average family size)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands demographic concepts
    2. Understands how demographic concepts are used to describe population         characteristics of a country
    3. Understands how demographic concepts are used to describe population         characteristics of a region
    4. Understands the concept of rate of natural increase
    5. Understands the concept of crude birth rate
    6. Understands the concept of crude death rate
    7. Understands the concept of infant mortality
    8. Understands the concept of population growth rates
    9. Understands the concept of doubling time
    10. Understands the concept of life expectancy
    11. Understands the concept of average family size
    12. Understands how the rate of natural increase is used to describe         population characteristics of a country
    13. Understands how the rate of natural increase is used to describe         population characteristics of a region
    14. Understands how the crude birth rate is used to describe population         characteristics of a region
    15. Understands how the crude death rate is used to describe population         characteristics of a country
    16. Understands how the crude death rate is used to describe population         characteristics of a region
    17. Understands how infant mortality is used to describe population         characteristics of a country
    18. Understands how infant mortality is used to describe population         characteristics of a region
    19. Understands how the population growth rate is used to describe         population characteristics of a country
    20. Understands how the population growth rate is used to describe         population characteristics of a region
    21. Understands how doubling time is used to describe population         characteristics of a country
    22. Understands how doubling time is used to describe population         characteristics of a region
    23. Understands how life expectancy is used to describe population          characteristics of a country
    24. Understands how life expectancy is used to describe population          characteristics of a region
    25. Understands how the average family size is used to describe population         characteristics of a country
    26. Understands how the average family size is used to describe population         characteristics of a region
    27. Understands how the crude birth rate is used to describe population         characteristics of a country

Benchmark 2. Knows the factors that influence patterns of rural-urban migration (e.g., urban commuting, effects of technology on transportation, communication and people's mobility, barriers that impede the flow of people, goods, and ideas)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that urban commuting influences patterns of rural-urban         migration
    2. Knows that transportation technology influences patterns of rural-urban         migration
    3. Knows that communication influences patterns of rural-urban migration
    4. Knows that people’s mobility influences patterns of rural-urban migration
    5. Knows that barriers impeding the flow of people influence patterns of         rural-urban migration
    6. Knows that barriers impeding the flow of goods influence patterns of         rural-urban migration
    7. Knows that barriers impeding the flow of ideas influence patterns of         rural-urban migration

Benchmark 3. Knows the ways in which human movement and migration influence the character of a place (e.g., New Delhi before and after the partition of the Indian subcontinent in the 1940s and the massive realignment of the Hindu and Muslim populations; Boston before and after the large-scale influx of Irish immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century; the impact of Indians settling in South Africa, Algerians settling in France, Vietnamese settling in the United States)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows ways in which human movement influences the character of a         place
    2. Knows ways in which human migration influences the character of a         place
    3. Understands the character of New Delhi before and after the partition of         the Indian subcontinent in the 1940s and the massive realignment of the         Hindu and Muslim populations
    4. Understands the character of Boston before and after the large-scale         influx of Irish immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century
    5. Understands the impact of Indians settling in South Africa
    6. Understands the impact of Algerians settling in France
    7. Understands the impact of Vietnamese settling in the United States

Standard 10: Understands the nature and complexity of
Earth's cultural mosaics

Benchmark 1. Knows the distinctive cultural landscapes associated with migrant populations (e.g., Chinatowns in the Western world, European enclaves in Japan and China in the 19th century, Little Italy sections of American cities from the beginning of the 19th century to the present)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the distinctive cultural landscapes associated with Chinatowns in         the Western world
    2. Knows the distinctive cultural landscapes associated with European         enclaves in Japan and China in the 19th century
    3. Knows the distinctive cultural landscapes associated with Little Italy         sections of American cities from the beginning of the 19th century to the         present

Benchmark 2. Knows ways in which communities reflect the cultural background of their inhabitants (e.g., distinctive building styles, billboards in Spanish, foreign-language advertisements in newspapers)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that distinctive building styles reflect the cultural background of a         community’s inhabitants
    2. Knows that foreign-language billboards reflect the cultural background of         a community’s inhabitants
    3. Knows that foreign-language advertisements in newspapers reflect the         cultural background of a community’s inhabitants

Benchmark 3. Understands the significance of patterns of cultural diffusion (e.g., the use of terraced rice fields in China, Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines; the use of satellite television dishes in the United States, England, Canada, and Saudi Arabia)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands that the use of terraced rice fields in China, Japan,         Indonesia, and the Philippines represents a pattern of cultural diffusion
    2. Understands that the use of satellite television dishes in the United         States, England, Canada, and Saudi Arabia represents a pattern of         cultural diffusion
    3. Understands the concept of cultural diffusion

Standard 11: Understands the patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface

Benchmark 1. Understands the spatial aspects of systems designed to deliver goods and services (e.g., the movement of a product from point of manufacture to point of use; imports, exports, and trading patterns of various countries; interruptions in world trade such as war, crop failures, and labor strikes)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the spatial aspects of systems designed to deliver goods
    2. Understands the spatial aspects of systems designed to deliver services
    3. Understands the movement of a product from point of manufacture to         point of use
    4. Understands the import patterns of various countries
    5. Understands the export patterns of various countries
    6. Understands the trading patterns of various countries
    7. Understands interruptions in world trade caused by war
    8. Understands interruptions in world trade caused by crop failures
    9. Understands interruptions in world trade caused by labor strikes

Benchmark 2. Understands issues related to the spatial distribution of economic activities (e.g., the impact of economic activities in a community on the surrounding areas, the effects of the gradual disappearance of small-scale retail facilities such as corner general stores and gas stations, the economic and social impacts on a community when a large factory or other economic activity leaves and moves to another place)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the impact of economic activities on the surrounding areas         of a community
    2. Understands the effects of the gradual disappearance of small-scale         retail facilities
    3. Understands the effects of the gradual disappearance of corner general         stores
    4. Understands the effects of the gradual disappearance of corner gas         stations
    5. Understands the economic impact on a community when an economic         activity leaves and moves to another place
    6. Understands the social impact on a community when an economic         activity leaves and moves to another place
    7. Understands the economic impact on a community when a large factory         leaves and moves to another place
    8. Understands the social impact on a community when a large factory         leaves and moves to another place

Benchmark 3. Understands factors that influence the location of industries in the United States (e.g., geographical factors, factors of production, spatial patterns)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands how geographical factors influence the location of industries         in the United States
    2. Understands how factors of production influence the location of         industries in the United States
    3. Understands how spatial patterns influence the location of industries in         the United States

Benchmark 4. Understands the primary geographic causes for world trade (e.g., the theory of comparative advantage that explains trade advantages associated with Hong Kong-made consumer goods, Chinese textiles, or Jamaican sugar; countries that export mostly raw materials and import mostly fuels and manufactured goods)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the theory of comparative advantage
    2. Knows that the theory of comparative advantage explains trade         advantages associated with Hong Kong-made consumer goods
    3. Knows that the theory of comparative advantage explains trade         advantages associated with Chinese textiles
    4. Knows that the theory of comparative advantage explains trade         advantages associated with Jamaican sugar
    5. Knows countries that export mostly raw materials
    6. Knows countries that import mostly fuels and manufactured goods

Benchmark 5. Understands historic and contemporary economic trade networks (e.g., the triangular trade routes of the 16th and 17th centuries; national and global patterns of migrant workers; economic relationships under imperialism such as American colonies and England in the 18th and 19th centuries, or Belgium and the Congo in the 20th century)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands historic economic trade networks
    2. Understands contemporary economic trade networks
    3. Understands the triangular trade routes of the 16th and 17th centuries
    4. Understands national patterns of migrant workers
    5. Understands global patterns of migrant workers
    6. Understands economic relationships under imperialism, such as         American colonies and England in the 18th and 19th centuries
    7. Understands economic relationships under imperialism such as Belgium         and the Congo in the 20th century

Benchmark 6. Understands historic and contemporary systems of transportation and communication in the development of economic activities (e.g., the effect of refrigerated railroad cars, air-freight services, pipelines, telephone services, facsimile transmission services, satellite-based communications systems)
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands how historic systems of transportation contributed to the         development of economic activities
    2. Understands how historic systems of communication contributed to the         development of economic activities
    3. Understands how contemporary systems of transportation contribute to         the development of economic activities
    4. Understands how contemporary systems of communication contribute to         the development of economic activities
    5. Understands how refrigerated railroad cars have affected the                  development of economic activities
    6. Understands how air-freight services have affected the development of         economic activities
    7. Understands how pipelines have affected the development of economic         activities
    8. Understands how telephone services have affected the development of         economic activities
    9. Understands how facsimile transmission services have affected the         development of economic activities
    10. Understands how satellite-based communications systems have affected         the development of economic activities

Benchmark 7. Knows primary, secondary, and tertiary activities in a geographic context (e.g., primary economic activities such as coal mining and salmon fishing; secondary economic activities such as the manufacture of shoes and the associated worldwide trade in raw materials; tertiary economic activity such as restaurants, theaters, and hotels)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows primary economic activities in a geographic context
    2. Knows secondary economic activities in a geographic context
    3. Knows tertiary economic activities in a geographic context
    4. Knows that coal mining is a primary economic activity
    5. Knows that salmon fishing is a primary economic activity
    6. Knows that shoe manufacturing and the associated worldwide trade in         raw materials are secondary activities
    7. Knows that restaurants are tertiary economic activities
    8. Knows that theaters are tertiary economic activities
    9. Knows that hotels are tertiary economic activities




Standard 12: Understands the patterns of human
settlement and their causes

Benchmark 1. Knows the causes and consequences of urbanization (e.g., industrial development; cultural activities such as entertainment, religious facilities, higher education; economic attractions such as business and entrepreneurial opportunities; access to information and other resources)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the causes of urbanization
    2. Knows the consequences of urbanization
    3. Understands the relationship between industrial development and         urbanization
    4. Knows that cultural activities contribute to urbanization
    5. Knows that the availability of entertainment contributes to urbanization
    6. Knows that the availability of religious facilities contributes to                  urbanization
    7. Knows that opportunities for higher education contributes to urbanization
    8. Knows that economic attractions contribute to urbanization
    9. Knows that business opportunities contribute to urbanization
    10. Knows that entrepreneurial opportunities contribute to urbanization
    11. Knows that access to information contributes to urbanization
    12. Knows that resource accessibility contributes to urbanization

Benchmark 2. Knows the similarities and differences in various settlement patterns of the world (e.g., agricultural settlement types such as plantations, subsistence farming, truck-farming communities; urban settlement types such as port cities, governmental centers, single-industry cities, planned cities)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the similarities in various settlement patterns of the world
    2. Knows the differences in various settlement patterns of the world
    3. Knows how agricultural settlement types are similar in different parts of         the world
    4. Knows how agricultural settlement types are different in different parts         of the world
    5. Knows that plantations represent one type of agricultural settlement         pattern
    6. Knows that subsistence farming represents one type of agricultural         settlement pattern
    7. Knows that truck-farming communities represent one type of agricultural         settlement pattern
    8. Knows how urban settlement types are similar in different parts of the         world
    9. Knows how urban settlement types are different in different parts of the         world
    10. Knows that port cities represent one type of urban settlement pattern
    11. Knows that governmental centers represent one type of urban         settlement pattern
    12. Knows that single-industry cities represent one type of urban settlement         pattern
    13. Knows that planned cities represent one type of urban settlement             pattern

Benchmark 3. Knows ways in which both the landscape and society change as a consequence of shifting from a dispersed to a concentrated settlement form (e.g., a larger marketplace, the need for an agricultural surplus to provide for the urban population, the loss of some rural workers as people decide to move into the city, changes in the transportation system)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows ways in the landscape changes as a consequence of shifting from         a dispersed to a concentrated settlement form
    2. Knows ways in which society changes as a consequence of shifting from         a dispersed to a concentrated settlement form
    3. Understands a larger marketplace as a consequence of the shift from a         dispersed to a concentrated settlement form
    4. Understands the need for an agricultural surplus to provide for the urban         population as a consequence of the shift from a dispersed to a         concentrated settlement form
    5. Understands the loss of some rural workers as people decide to move         into the city as a consequence of the shift from a dispersed to a         concentrated settlement form
    6. Understands changes in the transportation system as a consequence of         the shift from a dispersed to a concentrated settlement form

Benchmark 4. Knows the factors involved in the development of cities (e.g., geographic factors for location such as transportation and food supply; the need for a marketplace, religious needs, or for military protection)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the geographic factors involved in the development of cities
    2. Understands transportation as a geographic factor involved in the         development of cities
    3. Understands the food supply as a geographic factor involved in the         development of cities
    4. Understands the need for a marketplace as a factor involved in the         development of cities
    5. Understands that religious needs are factors in involved in the         development of cities
    6. Understands that the need for military protection is a factor involved in         the development of cities

Benchmark 5. Knows the internal spatial structures of cities (e.g., the concentric zone model and the sector model of cities; the impact of different transportation
systems on the spatial arrangement of business, industry, and residence in a city)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the concentric zone model of cities
    2. Understands the sector model of cities
    3. Understands the impact of different transportation systems on the         spatial arrangement of business in a city
    4. Understands the impact of different transportation systems on the         spatial arrangement of industry in a city
    5. Understands the impact of different transportation systems on the         spatial arrangement of residence in a city

Standard 13: Understands the forces of cooperation and
conflict that shape the divisions of Earth's surface

Benchmark 1. Understands factors that contribute to cooperation (e.g., similarities in religion, language, political beliefs) or conflict (e.g., economic competition for scarce resources, boundary disputes, cultural differences, control of strategic locations) within and between regions and countries

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands factors that contribute to cooperation within and between         regions
    2. Understands factors that contribute to cooperation within and between         countries
    3. Understands factors that contribute to conflict within and between         regions
    4. Understands factors that contribute to conflict within and between         countries
    5. Knows that similarities in religion contribute to cooperation within and         between countries
    6. Knows that similarities in religion contribute to cooperation within and         between regions
    7. Knows that similarities in language contribute to cooperation within and         between countries
    8. Knows that similarities in language contribute to cooperation within and         between regions
    9. Knows that similarities in political beliefs contribute to cooperation within         and between countries
    10. Knows that similarities in political beliefs contribute to cooperation within         and between regions
    11. Knows that economic competition for scarce resources contributes to         conflict within and between countries
    12. Knows that economic competition for scarce resources contributes to         conflict within and between regions
    13. Knows that boundary disputes contribute to conflict within and between         countries
    14. Knows that boundary disputes contribute to conflict within and between         regions
    15. Knows that cultural differences contribute to conflict within and between         countries
    16. Knows that cultural differences contribute to conflict within and between         regions
    17. Knows that control of strategic locations contributes to conflict within         and between countries
    18. Knows that control of strategic locations contributes to conflict within         and between regions

Benchmark 2. Knows the social, political, and economic divisions on Earth's surface at the local, state, national, and international levels (e.g., transnational corporations, political alliances, economic groupings, world religions)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows social divisions on Earth’s surface at the local level
    2. Knows political divisions on Earth’s surface at the local level
    3. Knows economic divisions on Earth’s surface at the local level
    4. Knows social divisions on Earth’s surface at the state level
    5. Knows political divisions on Earth’s surface at the state level
    6. Knows economic divisions on Earth’s surface at the state level
    7. Knows social divisions on Earth’s surface at the national level
    8. Knows political divisions on Earth’s surface at the national level
    9. Knows economic divisions on Earth’s surface at the national level
    10. Knows social divisions on Earth’s surface at the international level
    11. Knows political divisions on Earth’s surface at the international level
    12. Knows economic divisions on Earth’s surface at the international level
    13. Understands transnational corporations as an economic division on the         Earth’s surface
    14. Understands political alliances as a political division on the Earth’s         surface
    15. Understands economic groupings as an economic division of the Earth’s         surface
    16.  Understands world religions as a social division on the Earth’s surface

Benchmark 3. Understands the various factors involved in the development of nation-states (e.g., competition for territory and resources, desire for self-rule, nationalism, history of domination by powerful countries)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands competition for territory as a factor involved in the         development of nation-states
    2. Understands competition for resources as a factor involved in the         development of nation-states
    3. Understands the desire for self-rule as a factor involved in the         development of nation-states
    4. Understands nationalism as a factor involved in the development of         nation-states
    5. Understands the history of domination by powerful countries as a factor         involved in the development of nation-states

Benchmark 4. Understands the reasons for multiple and overlapping spatial divisions in society (e.g., postal zones, school districts, telephone area codes, voting wards)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the reasons for multiple spatial divisions in society
    2. Understands the reasons for overlapping spatial divisions in society
    3. Understands that postal zones contribute to multiple spatial divisions in         society
    4. Understands that postal zones contribute to overlapping spatial divisions         in society
    5. Understands that school districts contribute to multiple spatial divisions         in society
    6. Understands that school districts contribute to overlapping spatial         divisions in society
    7. Understands that telephone area codes contribute to multiple spatial         divisions in society
    8. Understands that telephone area codes contribute to overlapping spatial         divisions in society
    9. Understands that voting wards contribute to multiple spatial divisions in         society
    10. Understands that voting wards contribute to overlapping spatial         divisions in society

Benchmark 5. Understands the factors that affect the cohesiveness and integration of countries (e.g., language and religion in Belgium, the religious differences between Hindus and Muslims in India, the ethnic differences in some African countries that have been independent for only a few decades, the elongated shapes of Italy and Chile)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands that language affects the cohesiveness and integration of         Belgium
    2. Understands that religion affects the cohesiveness and integration of         Belgium
    3. Understands that religious differences between Hindus and Muslims         affect the cohesiveness and integration of India
    4. Understands that ethnic differences affect the cohesiveness and         integration of some African countries
    5. Understands that the long shape of Italy affects the cohesiveness and         integration of the country
    6. Understands that the long shape of Chile affects the cohesiveness and         integration of the country

Benchmark 6. Understands the symbolic importance of capital cities (e.g., Canberra, a planned city, as the capital of Australia; The Hague as both a national capital of the Netherlands and a center for such global agencies as the World Court)


Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that Canberra, the capital of Australia, is a planned city
    2. Understands the symbolic importance of Canberra, the capital of         Australia
    3. Knows the Hauge as a national capital of the Netherlands
    4. Knows the Hauge as a center for such global agencies as the World         Court

Standard 14: Understands how human actions modify

Benchmark 1. Understands the environmental consequences of people changing the physical environment (e.g., the effects of ozone depletion, climate change, deforestation, land degradation, soil salinization and acidification, ocean pollution, groundwater-quality decline, using natural wetlands for recreational and housing development)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands that ozone depletion is an environmental consequences of         people changing the physical environment
    2. Understands that climate change is an environmental consequences of         people changing the physical environment
    3. Understands that deforestation is an environmental consequences of         people changing the physical environment
    4. Understands that land degradation is an environmental consequences of         people changing the physical environment
    5. Understands that soil salinization is an environmental consequences of         people changing the physical environment
    6. Understands that soil acidification is an environmental consequences of         people changing the physical environment
    7. Understands that ocean pollution is an environmental consequences of         people changing the physical environment
    8. Understands that the decline of groundwater quality is an environmental         consequences of people changing the physical environment
    9. Understands the environmental consequences of using natural wetlands         for recreational and housing development

Benchmark 2. Understands the ways in which human-induced changes in the physical environment in one place can cause changes in other places (e.g., the effect of a factory's airborne emissions on air quality in communities located downwind and, because of acid rain, on ecosystems located downwind; the effects of pesticides washed into river systems on water quality in communities located downstream; the effects of the construction of dams and levees on river systems in one region on places downstream)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the effect of a factory’s airborne emissions on air quality in         communities located downwind
    2. Understands the effect of a factory’s airborne emissions on air quality on         ecosystems located downwind, because of acid rain
    3. Understands the effects of pesticides washed into river systems on         water quality in communities located downstream
    4. Understands the effects of the construction of dams and levees on river         systems in one region on places downstream

Benchmark 3. Understands the ways in which technology influences the human capacity to modify the physical environment (e.g., effects of the introduction of fire, steam power, diesel machinery, electricity, work animals, explosives, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, hybridization of crops)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands how the human capacity to modify the physical                   environment has been affected by the introduction of work animals
    2. Understands how the human capacity to modify the physical                   environment has been affected by the introduction of steam power
    3. Understands how the human capacity to modify the physical                  environment has been affected by the introduction of diesel machinery
    4. Understands how the human capacity to modify the physical                  environment has been affected by the introduction of electricity
    5. Understands how the human capacity to modify the physical                  environment has been affected by the introduction of fire
    6. Understands how the human capacity to modify the physical                  environment has been affected by the introduction of explosives
    7. Understands how the human capacity to modify the physical                  environment has been affected by the introduction of chemical fertilizers         and pesticides
    8. Understands how the human capacity to modify the physical                  environment has been affected by the introduction of crop hybridization

Benchmark 4. Understands the environmental consequences of both the unintended and intended outcomes of major technological changes in human history (e.g., the effects of automobiles using fossil fuels, nuclear power plants creating the problem of nuclear-waste storage, the use of steel-tipped plows or the expansion of the amount of land brought into agriculture)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the environmental consequences of the unintended         outcomes of major technological changes in human history
    2. Understands the environmental consequences of the intended outcomes         of major technological changes in human history
    3. Understands the environmental consequences of automobiles using         fossil fuels
    4. Understands the environmental consequences of nuclear power plants         creating the problem of nuclear-waste storage
    5. Understands the environmental consequences of the use of steel-tipped         plows
    6. Understands the environmental consequences of the expansion of the         amount of land brought into agriculture

Standard 15: Understands how physical systems
affect human systems

Benchmark 1. Knows the ways in which human systems develop in response to conditions in the physical environment (e.g., patterns of land use, economic livelihoods, architectural styles of buildings, building materials, flows of traffic, recreation activities)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that patterns of land use develop in response to conditions in the         physical environment
    2. Knows that economic livelihoods develop in response to conditions in the         physical environment
    3. Knows that architectural styles of buildings develop in response to         conditions in the physical environment
    4. Knows that the use of certain building materials develops in response to         conditions in the physical environment
    5. Knows that the flow of traffic develops in response to conditions in the         physical environment
    6. Knows that recreational activities develop in response to conditions in         the physical environment

Benchmark 2. Knows how the physical environment affects life in different regions (e.g., how people in Siberia, Alaska, and other high-latitude places deal with the characteristics of tundra environments; limitations to coastline settlements as a result of tidal, storm, and erosional processes)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows how people in high-latitude places deal with the characteristics of         tundra environments
    2. Knows how people in Siberia deal with the characteristics of tundra         environments
    3. Knows how people in Alaska deal with the characteristics of tundra         environments
    4. Knows how coastline settlements are limited as a result of tidal         processes
    5. Knows how coastline settlements are limited as a result of storm         processes
    6. Knows how coastline settlements are limited as a result of erosional         processes

Benchmark 3. Knows the ways people take aspects of the environment into account when deciding on locations for human activities (e.g., early American industrial development along streams and rivers at the fall line to take advantage of water-generated power)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that people take aspect of the environment into account when         deciding on locations for human activities
    2. Understands that early American industrial development along streams         and rivers at the fall line to take advantage of water-generated power

Benchmark 4. Understands relationships between population density and environmental quality (e.g., resource distribution, rainfall, temperature, soil fertility, land form relief, carrying capacity)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the relationship between population density and resource         distribution
    2. Understands the relationship between population density and rainfall
    3. Understands the relationship between population density and                  temperature changes
    4. Understands the relationship between population density and soil fertility
    5. Understands the relationship between population density and land form         relief
    6. Understands the relationship between population density and carrying         capacity

Benchmark 5. Knows the effects of natural hazards on human systems in different regions of the United States and the world (e.g., the effect of drought on populations in Ethiopia compared with populations in Australia or the southern part of the United States)

Knowledge/skill statements
1. Knows the effects of natural hazards on human systems in different regions of the United States
2. Knows the effects of natural hazards on human systems in different regions of the world
3. Knows the effect of drought on populations in Ethiopia compared with populations in the southern part of the United States
4. Knows the effect of drought on populations in Ethiopia compared with populations in Australia

Benchmark 6. Knows the ways in which humans prepare for natural hazards (e.g., earthquake preparedness, constructing houses on stilts in flood-prone areas, designation of hurricane shelters and evacuation routes in hurricane-prone areas)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands earthquake preparedness
    2. Understands the construction of houses on stilts in flood-prone areas
    3. Understands the designation of hurricane shelters
    4. Understands the designation of evacuation routes in hurricane-prone         areas




Standard 16: Understands the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources
          
Benchmark 1. Understands the reasons for conflicting viewpoints regarding how resources should be used (e.g., attitudes toward electric cars, water-rationing, urban public transportation, use of fossil fuels, excessive timber cutting in old growth forests, buffalo in the western United States, soil conservation in semiarid areas)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the conflicting attitudes towards electric cars
    2. Understands the conflicting attitudes towards water-rationing
    3. Understands the conflicting attitudes towards urban public transportation
    4. Understands the conflicting attitudes towards the use of fossil fuels
    5. Understands the conflicting attitudes towards excessive timber cutting in         old growth forests
    6. Understands the conflicting attitudes towards buffalo in the western         United States
    7. Understands the conflicting attitudes towards soil conservation in         semiarid areas

Benchmark 2. Knows strategies for wise management and use of renewable, flow, and nonrenewable resources (e.g., wise management of agricultural soils, fossil fuels, and alternative energy sources; community programs for recycling or reusing materials)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows strategies for the wise management of renewable resources
    2. Knows strategies for the wise management of flow resources
    3. Knows strategies for the wise management of nonrenewable resources
    4. Knows strategies for the wise use of renewable resources
    5. Knows strategies for the wise use of flow resources
    6. Knows strategies for the wise use of nonrenewable resources
    7. Knows strategies for the wise management of agricultural soils
    8. Knows strategies for the wise management of fossil fuels
    9. Knows strategies for the wise management of alternative energy         sources
    10. Knows community programs for recycling materials
    11. Knows community programs for reusing materials

Benchmark 3. Knows world patterns of resource distribution and utilization (e.g., petroleum, coal, iron ore, diamonds, silver, gold, molybdenum)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows world patterns of resource distribution
    2. Knows world patterns of resource utilization
    3. Knows the world pattern of petroleum distribution
    4. Knows the world pattern of petroleum utilization
    5. Knows the world pattern of coal distribution
    6. Knows the world pattern of coal utilization
    7. Knows the world pattern of iron ore distribution
    8. Knows the world pattern of iron ore utilization
    9. Knows the world pattern of diamond distribution
    10. Knows the world pattern of diamond utilization
    11. Knows the world pattern of silver distribution
    12. Knows the world pattern of silver utilization
    13. Knows the world pattern of gold distribution
    14. Knows the world pattern of gold utilization
    15. Knows the world pattern of molybdenum distribution
    16. Knows the world pattern of molybdenum utilization

Benchmark 4. Understands the consequences of the use of resources in the contemporary world (e.g., the relationship between a country's standard of living and its accessibility to resources, the competition for resources demonstrated by events such as the Japanese occupation of Manchuria in the 1930s or the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1991)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the relationship between a country’s standard of living and             its accessibility to resources
    2. Understands the competition for resources, demonstrated by such             events as the Japanese occupation of Manchuria in the 1930s
    3. Understands the competition for resources, demonstrated by such             events as the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1991

Benchmark 5. Understands the role of technology in resource acquisition and use, and its impact on the environment (e.g., the use of giant earth-moving machinery in strip-mining, the use of satellite imagery technology in the search for petroleum, rates of resource consumption among countries of high or low levels of technological development)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the role of technology in resource acquisition
    2. Understands the role of technology in resource use
    3. Understands the impact of resource technology on the environment
    4. Understands the use of giant earth-moving machinery in strip-mining
    5. Understands the use of satellite imagery technology in the search for         petroleum
    6. Understands the rate of resource consumption among countries of low         levels of technological development
    7. Understands the rate of resource consumption among countries of high         levels of technological development

Benchmark 6. Understands how energy resources contribute to the development and functioning of human societies (e.g., by providing power for transportation, manufacturing, the heating and cooling of buildings)


Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands how energy resources contribute to the development of         human societies
    2. Understands how energy resources contribute to the functioning of         human societies
    3. Understands that energy resources provide power for transportation
    4. Understands that energy resources provide power for manufacturing
    5. Understands that energy resources provide power for the heating and         cooling of buildings

Benchmark 7. Understands how the development and widespread use of alternative energy sources (e.g., solar, wind, thermal) might have an impact on societies (in terms of, e.g., air and water quality, existing energy industries, and current manufacturing practices)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands how the development and widespread use of solar power         might impact societies in terms of air quality
    2. Understands how the development and widespread use of solar power         might impact societies in terms of water quality
    3. Understands how the development and widespread use of solar power         might impact societies in terms of existing energy industries
    4. Understands how the development and widespread use of solar power         might impact societies in terms of current manufacturing practices
    5. Understands how the development and widespread use of wind power         might impact societies in terms of air quality
    6. Understands how the development and widespread use of wind power         might impact societies in terms of water quality
    7. Understands how the development and widespread use of wind power         might impact societies in terms of existing energy industries
    8. Understands how the development and widespread use of wind power         might impact societies in terms of current manufacturing practices
    9. Understands how the development and widespread use of thermal         energy might impact societies in terms of air quality
    10. Understands how the development and widespread use of thermal         energy might impact societies in terms of water quality
    11. Understands how the development and widespread use of thermal         energy might impact societies in terms of existing energy industries


    12. Understands how the development and widespread use of thermal             energy might impact societies in terms of current manufacturing                 practices

Standard 17: Understands how geography is used to
interpret the past

Benchmark 1. Knows how physical and human geographic factors have influenced major historic events and movements (e.g., the course and outcome of battles and wars, the forced transport of Africans to North and South America because of the need for cheap labor, the profitability of the triangle trade and the locations of prevailing wind and ocean currents, the effects of different land-survey systems used in the U.S.)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows how physical geographic factors have influenced major historic         events
    2. Knows how human geographic factors have influenced major historic         events
    3. Knows how physical geographic factors have influenced major historic         movements
    4. Knows how human geographic factors have influenced major historic         movements
    5. Knows geographic factors that influenced the course and outcome of         battles and wars
    6. Understands the forced transport of Africans to North and South America         because of the need for cheap labor
    7. Understands the profitability of the triangle trade and the locations of         prevailing wind and ocean currents
    8. Understands the effects of different land-survey systems used in the         U.S.

Benchmark 2. Knows historic and current conflicts and competition regarding the use and allocation of resources (e.g., the conflicts between Native Americans and colonists; conflicts between the Inuit and migrants to Alaska since 1950)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows historic conflicts regarding the use of resources
    2. Knows historic conflicts regarding the allocation of resources
    3. Knows contemporary conflicts regarding the allocation of resources
    4. Knows contemporary conflicts regarding the use of resources
    5. Knows the historic competition of resource use
    6. Knows the historic competition of resource allocation
    7. Knows the contemporary competition of resource use
    8. Knows the contemporary competition of resource allocation
    9. Understands the resource-related conflicts between Native Americans         and colonists
    10. Understands the resource-related conflicts between the Inuit and             migrants to Alaska since 1950

Benchmark 3. Knows the ways in which the spatial organization of society changes over time (e.g., process of urban growth in the United States; changes in the internal structure, form, and function of urban areas in different regions of the world at different times)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the process of urban growth in the United States as a         change in the spatial organization of society
    2. Knows that the spatial organization of society changes when the internal         structure of urban areas change
    3. Knows that the spatial organization of society changes when urban areas         change in form
    4. Knows that the spatial organization of society changes when the         functions of urban areas change

Benchmark 4. Knows significant physical features that have influenced historical events (e.g., mountain passes that have affected military campaigns such as the Khyber Pass, Burma Pass, or Brenner Pass; major water crossings that have affected U.S. history such as the Tacoma Strait in Washington or the Delaware River near Trenton, New Jersey; major water gaps, springs, and other hydrologic features that have affected settlement in the U.S. such as the Cumberland Gap, the Ogallala Aquifer, or the artesian wells of the Great Plains)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows mountain passes that have affected military campaigns, such as         the Khyber Pass
    2. Knows mountain passes that have affected military campaigns, such as         the Burma Pass
    3. Knows mountain passes that have affected military campaigns, such as         the Brenner Pass
    4. Knows major water crossings that have affected U.S. history, such as         the Tacoma Strait in Washington
    5. Knows major water crossings that have affected U.S. history, such as         the Delaware River near Trenton
    6. Knows major hydrologic features that have affected settlement in the         U.S., such as the Cumberland Gap
    7. Knows major hydrologic features that have affected settlement in the         U.S., such as the Ogallala Aquifer
    8. Knows major hydrologic features that have affected settlement in the         U.S., such as the artesian wells of the Great Plains

Standard 18: Understands global development
and environmental issues

Benchmark 1. Understands how the interaction between physical and human systems affects current conditions on Earth (e.g., relationships involved in economic, political, social, and environmental changes; geographic impact of using petroleum, coal, nuclear power, and solar power as major energy sources)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the relationship between physical and human systems         involved in economic changes
    2. Understands the relationship between physical and human systems         involved in political changes
    3. Understands the relationship between physical and human systems         involved in social changes
    4. Understands the relationship between physical and human systems         involved in environmental changes
    5. Understands the geographic impact of using petroleum as a major         energy source
    6. Understands the geographic impact of using coal as a major energy         source
    7. Understands the geographic impact of using nuclear power as a major         energy source
    8. Understands the geographic impact of using solar power as a major         energy source

Benchmark 2. Understands the possible impact that present conditions and patterns of consumption, production and population growth might have on the future spatial organization of Earth
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands the possible impact that present conditions and patterns of         consumption might have on the future spatial organization of Earth
    2. Understands the possible impact that present conditions and patterns of         production might have on the future spatial organization of Earth
    3. Understands the possible impact that present conditions and patterns of         population growth might have on the future spatial organization of Earth

Benchmark 3. Knows how the quality of environments in large cities can be improved (e.g., greenways, transportation corridors, pedestrian walkways, bicycle lanes)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that greenways improve the quality of environment in large cities
    2. Knows that transportation corridors improve the quality of environment         in large cities
    3. Knows that pedestrian walkways improve the quality of environment in         large cities
    4. Knows that bicycle lanes improve the quality of environment in large         cities

Benchmark 4. Understands why different points of view exist regarding contemporary geographic issues (e.g., a forester and a conservationist debating the use of a national forest, a man and a woman discussing gender-based divisions of labor in a developing nation)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Understands why a forester and a conservationist might have different         point of view when debating the use of a national forest
    2. Understands why a man and a woman might have different point of view         when discussing gender-based divisions of labor in a developing nation
    3. Knows there are different points of view regarding contemporary         geographic issues