CONTENT STATEMENT
- Regions can be determined, classified, and compared using data related to various criteria including landform, climate, population, and cultural and economic characteristics
CONTENT ELABORATION
Building on student understanding of regions from grade five, students at this level will use multiple criteria to determine, classify, and compare regions. For example, students might use population data to identify urban regions in Asia. Students also can be challenged to compare regional criteria across continents and consider changes in regions over time.
Regions are human constructs used to identify and organize areas of Earth’s surface based upon shared characteristics. Regions can be determined based upon various criteria including:
Landform refers to the shape, form, or nature of physical feature of Earth’s surface (e.g., plains, hills, plateaus, mountains).
Climate includes long-term trends in weather elements and atmospheric conditions (e.g., average temperature, average rainfall).
Population includes data about the people who live in a selected area (e.g., population density, birth rates).
Culture is the learned behavior of people, including belief systems and languages.
Economics refers to the set of principles by which a society decides and organizes the ownership, allocation, and use of resources. Economic characteristics include natural resources, agricultural products, and levels of income.
EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING
Describe, classify, and compare regions within the Eastern Hemisphere using various criteria.