National Geography and Oklahoma Academic Standards Connections

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Description: This resource is designed to show how Geography can be used to supplement instruction in each subject area included in the Oklahoma Academic Standards. This resource includes a selection of each applicable Oklahoma Academic Standard and its alignment to the relevant National Geography Standard(s). The goal of the National Geography Standards is to enable students to become geographically informed through knowledge and mastery of three things: (1) factual knowledge; (2) mental maps and tools; (3) and ways of thinking. Contact us at okage@ou.edu to receive free resources and for more ideas about how to use Geography in your classroom.

This packet includes standards from the following revisions:
Computer Science (2023)
English Language Arts (2021)
Mathematics (2022)
Science (2020)
Social Studies (2019)
Fine Arts (2023)
Personal Financial Literacy (2019)
World Languages (2021)
Health and Safety (2023)
Physical Education (2023)

Grade level(s): Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Becca Palczynsky and Grace Gierach

Using the Oklahoma Giant Map to Understand the Heavy Consequences of Light Pollution

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Description: This lesson is designed as a template to introduce the Giant Traveling Map of Oklahoma and provide examples of how this map may be used to enrich instruction in a variety of subjects including Science, Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Social Studies. The content presented in this lesson was selected as an illustrative example of how all subjects are used to understand a particular issue which impacts communities differently around the world and in Oklahoma. These lesson materials were developed in support of OKAGE’s Geo-Inquiry project efforts. To sign up to participate in a dark sky Geo-Inquiry project with OKAGE, visit http://okageweb.org/event-registration-1 or contact us at okage@ou.edu.

Grade level(s): Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Becca Palczynsky

Mapping STEM in Oklahoma - Giant Map Edition

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Description: The purpose of this lesson is to allow students to explore the connection between Geography and other curriculum areas by utilizing the OKAGE Giant Map Program. Students will identify key geographic features and landmarks on the Giant Map then make connections between these features and other curriculum areas. 

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Amber DeWinter

Wichita Mountains Geo-Inquiry Project: A Closer Look at the Impacts of Preservation and Conservation

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Description: This unit is designed to allow students to take a closer look at a local ecosystem and compare and contrast the benefits of preservation and conservation. Students will develop their own preservation and/or conservation plan for this local ecosystem while focusing on the ecological, economic, and political impact of this plan. Our hope is to empower learners to understand how government policy can drive both positive and negative outcomes. Furthermore, students can interact with a local environment, complete a hands-on learning experience, then compare what they learned to other environments at the regional or global scale.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Amber DeWinter

Using the Geo-Inquiry Process to Understand Wildland Urban Interface - Advanced Level

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Description: Students will utilize the Geo-Inquiry process to understand the meaning, causes, effects, economic impacts, and environmental consequences of the Hochatown Wildland Urban Interface.

Grade level(s): High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: LeaAnn Wyrick

Using Science, Math, Social Studies, English Language Arts, and Geography to Understand What Really Happened to the Grid During the Last Snowstorm

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Description: Join the Oklahoma Alliance for Geographic Education and the State Department of Education for a professional development session titled “Using Science, Math, Social Studies, English Language Arts, and Geography to Understand What Really Happened to the Grid During the Last Snowstorm!”

We know the snowstorm of February 2021 exposed the sensitivities of the grid systems. What happened in Texas can and does happen elsewhere, for various reasons. The public view and the industry view differ. So, the question for us is: "What really happened?" During this presentation, we will highlight how elements from all subject areas can be used to explain the causes of this incident as well as understand implications for future service interruptions due to extreme weather events.

Kylah McNabb is a renewable energy specialist, policy advisor, and educator. She currently is the Principal of Vesta Strategic Solutions, LLC, in OKC. Prior to that, Kylah served as a Renewable Energy Specialist, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, 2008-2017, and as an Energy Policy Advisor, Oklahoma Secretary of Energy & Environment, 2016-2017. Kylah will share her unique insights and data regarding the recent events. Her perspective will not only include what did happen but also, what did not happen!

Watch the recording of the session here.

Grade level(s): Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS
Produced By: Kylah McNabb

An Exploration of the Archaeology of Jerusalem

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Description: These readings are meant to supplement Dr. Rangar Cline’s discussion on his archaeological research in Jerusalem for the 2021 OKAGE workshop on the city’s significance in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. View the presentation here.

Visit Dr. Cline’s website here for more information on his research.

Watch the recording of this session here.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: GFL
Produced By: Rangar Cline, Ph.D.

Jerusalem: A Center for Peace or Conflict? 2021 Update

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Description: Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is considered a holy city by three religions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity. For centuries it has also been a spiritual center. Just like the dove, it is associated with peace and its name is even thought to be derived from the phrase “of peace.” Students will identify Jerusalem’s religious significance to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They will also learn about the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and explore what it is like for people on both sides of the conflict.

Watch the recording of this session here.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Teresa Potter

OKAGE Online Professional Development Session 6: Understanding Disasters from a Local, Regional, and Global Perspective

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Description: This lesson covers disaster preparedness and recovery and how these strategies differ across local, regional, and global scales. Impacts upon disaster response as they relate to existing socioeconomic inequities along with complicating factors due to COVID-19 will also be discussed. Additionally, the issue of climate change will be explored as it relates to disaster frequency and intensity.

Watch the recording of this session here.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Heather Braucher, and Dr. Mark Shafer with the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program

Gridiron Geography - 2020

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Description: Using the Big 12 Football schedule as a guide, your students will learn about the geographical and historical significance surrounding the participating teams' campuses, home cities or towns, home states, mascots, players, and more!

Grade level(s): Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: GFL
Produced By: Dr. Steve Stadler, Brenda Chapman, Deji Duggar, Jeff Woolsey, Johnnie Keel, Ann Kennedy, Pam Merrill, Clayton Canon, Becca Palczynsky, and Taylor Woodard.

Online PD Session 2: Climate Change - 2020 Update

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Description: Students will understand the causes and effects of climate change. They will also be able to determine the difference between mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change. In this lesson, students will apply adaptation strategies to real-world climate change scenarios.

Watch the recording of this session here.

Grade level(s): Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: J. Scott Greene, Ph.D.; Angela Trent

Online PD Session 1: Introducing Places, Landscapes, and Regions

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Description: When geographers look at a particular place or landscape, they look at its spatial organization. Geographers focus on the built environment or look of human places and ask what processes or activities are happening in those areas. All positive and negative human actions on any landscape or place create various unique spatial patterns. When thinking about the look of places, density, concentration and pattern represent how any space is organized. When examining large or small places, we encounter areas that have similar or common characteristics, which help create regions. Once a region is recognized, we can look at various similarities closely, then study, discuss and interact with various unique topics or issues within that area.

Watch the recording of this session here.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: GFL
Produced By: Gary Gress, Ph.D.

Feed the Need: Taking a Closer Look at Food Insecurity in Oklahoma

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Description: Students will gain an understanding of food insecurity and hunger in Oklahoma. Students will examine the worldwide humanitarian crisis and the humanitarian relief efforts by the United Nations to address hunger around the world. Learners will create and engage in a service project stemming from this lesson. This is a tiered lesson which may be adjusted for desired level of difficulty.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: LeaAnn Wyrick

The Peoples Forum: What Does Sovereignty Mean for the World's Indigenous Peoples?

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Description: The objective of this lesson is to introduce students to the concept of sovereignty and its necessity to assure the survival of the Earth’s most unique, as well as threatened, cultures. Through a simulated conference among representatives of various indigenous groups, students will investigate eight case studies of conflict and cooperation between indigenous groups and governments whose exercise of authority endangers their lands, political rights, and social rights. A review of the goals of the United Nations’ Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People serves as a catalyst for student-created resolutions to address the problems from these eight case studies through mock deliberation and debate.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Pam Merrill

Gridiron Geography - 2019

Click on the image above to download the lesson. This lesson will open in a Google Drive folder instead of a zipped file due to its size.

Description: Using the Big 12 Football schedule as a guide, your students will learn about the geographical and historical significance surrounding the participating teams' campuses, home cities or towns, home states, mascots, players, and more!

Grade level(s): Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: GFL
Produced By: Ginny Rohr, Jeff Woolsey, Janet Hall, Darren Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Courtney Moore, and LeaAnn Wyrick.

Oklahomans on the Move

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Description: Students will use the Giant Traveling Map of Oklahoma to explore the state’s population distribution—past and present.

Grade level(s): Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS
Produced By: Clayton Canon

The (not so) Great Pacific Garbage Patch Part 2

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Description: The students will analyze causes and possible solution to ocean debris with an emphasis on plastics.

Grade level(s): Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Janet Hall

The (not so) Great Pacific Garbage Patch Part 1

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Description: The students will analyze causes and possible solution to ocean debris with an emphasis on plastics.

Grade level(s): Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Janet Hall

Lions, Tigers and Bears: The Dilemma of Ecotourism

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Description: The objective of the lesson is to investigate the role and effectiveness of wildlife preserves, utilizing a micro-case study from Kenya and making connections to a variety of ecosystems through an online global tour of significant wildlife preserves. Using the essential and supporting questions, students will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of current environmental protection efforts in order to make recommendations regarding a proposed wildlife preserve in Antarctica.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Pam Merrill

Developing Critical Literacy Skills While Examining Controversial Topics

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Description: Students will be exploring and showcasing an area of development taking place in their local area and how it is impacting their community.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL   
Produced By: Teresa Potter