STATE GOAL 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on

society, with an emphasis on the United States.

Why This Goal Is Important: The need for geographic literacy has never been greater or more
obvious than in today's tightly interrelated world. Students must understand the world's physical
features, how they blend with social systems and how they affect economies, politics and human
interaction. Isolated geographic facts are not enough. To grasp geography and its effect on
individuals and societies, students must know the broad concepts of spatial patterns, mapping,
population and physical systems (land, air, water). The combination of geographic facts and
broad concepts provides a deeper understanding of geography and its effects on individuals and
societies.

A. Locate, describe and explain places, regions and features on the Earth.
EARLY LATE MIDDLE/JUNIOR EARLY HIGH LATE HIGH
ELEMENTARY ELEMENTARY HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL
17.A.1a Identify 17.A.2a Compare the 17.A.3a Explain how 17.A.4a Use mental 17.A.5 Demonstrate
physical physical character- people use geographic maps of physical how maps, other
characteristics of istics of places markers and features to answer geographic
places, both local and including soils, land boundaries to analyze complex geographic instruments and
global (e.g., locations, forms, vegetation, and navigate the Earth questions (e.g., how technologies are used
roads, regions, bodies wildlife, climate, (e.g., hemispheres, physical features have to solve spatial
of water). natural hazards. meridians, continents, deterred or enabled problems (e.g., land
bodies of water). migration). use, ecological
concerns).
17.A.1b Identify the 17.A.2b Use maps 17.A.3b Explain how 17.A.4b Use maps
characteristics and and other geographic to make and use geo- and other geographic
purposes of representations and graphic instruments and
geographic instruments to gather representations to technologies to
representations information about provide and enhance analyze spatial
including maps, people, places and spatial information patterns and
globes, graphs, environments. including maps, distributions on earth.
photographs, software, graphs, charts,
digital images and be models, aerial
able to locate specific photographs, satellite
places using each. images.

B. Analyze and explain characteristics and interactions of the Earth’s physical systems.
EARLY LATE MIDDLE/JUNIOR EARLY HIGH LATE HIGH
ELEMENTARY ELEMENTARY HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL
17.B.1a Identify 17.B.2a Describe 17.B.3a Explain how 17.B.4a Explain the 17.B.5 Analyze
components of the how physical and physical processes dynamic interactions international issues
Earth’s physical human processes including climate, plate within and among the and problems using
systems. shape spatial patterns tectonics, erosion, soil Earth’s physical ecosystems and
including erosion, formation, water cycle, systems including physical geography
agriculture and and circulation variation, productivity concepts.
settlement. patterns in the ocean and constructive and
shape patterns in the destructive processes.
environment and
influence availability
and quality of natural
resources.
17.B.1b Describe 17.B.2b Explain how 17.B.3b Explain how 17.B.4b Analyze
physical components physical and living changes in trends in world demo-
of ecosystems. components interact in components of an graphics as they relate
a variety of ecosystem affect the to physical systems.
ecosystems including system overall.
desert, prairie, flood
plain, forest, tundra.
C. Understand relationships between geographic factors and society.
EARLY LATE MIDDLE/JUNIOR EARLY HIGH LATE HIGH
ELEMENTARY ELEMENTARY HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL
17.C.1a Identify ways 17.C.2a Describe how 17.C.3a Explain how 17.C.4a Explain the 17.C.5a Compare
people depend on and natural events in the human activity is ability of modern tech- resource management
interact with the physical environment affected by geographic nology to alter methods and policies
physical environment affect human activities. factors. geographic features in different regions of
(e.g., farming, fishing, and the impacts of the world.
hydroelectric power). these modifications on
human activities.
17.C.1b Identify 17.C.2b Describe the 17.C.3b Explain how 17.C.4b Analyze 17.C.5b Describe the
opportunities and relationships among patterns of resources growth trends in impact of human
constraints of the location of resources, are used throughout selected urban areas migrations and
physical environment. population distribution the world. as they relate to increased urbanization
and economic geographic factors. on ecosystems.
activities (e.g.,
transportation, trade,
communications).
17.C.1c Explain the 17.C.2c Explain how 17.C.3c Analyze how 17.C.4c Explain how 17.C.5c Describe
difference between human activity affects human processes places with various geographic factors that
renewable and the environment. influence settlement population distributions affect cooperation and
nonrenewable patterns including function as centers of conflict among
resources. migration and economic activity (e.g., societies.
population growth. rural, suburban,
urban).

D. Understand the historical significance of geography.

EARLY LATE MIDDLE/JUNIOR EARLY HIGH LATE HIGH
ELEMENTARY ELEMENTARY HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL
17.D.1 Identify 17.D.2a Describe 17.D.3a Explain how 17.D.4 Explain how 17.D.5 Analyze the
changes in geographic how physical and why spatial processes of spatial historical development
characteristics of a characteristics of patterns of settlement change have affected of a current issue
local region (e.g., places influence change over time. human history (e.g., involving the
town, community). people’s perceptions resource development interaction of people
and their roles in the and use, natural and geographic factors
world over time. disasters). (e.g., mass
transportation,
changes in agricultural
subsidies, flood
control).
17.D.2b Identify 17.D.3b Explain how
different settlement interactions of geo-
patterns in Illinois and graphic factors have
the United States and shaped present
relate them to physical conditions.
features and
resources.