Social Studies HS Guide

Humans and Their Physical Environment

Unit 1

PACING

THEME(S)

● Con fl ict ● Compromise ● Progress

Full Year Course:

● Quarter One (about 6.5 weeks) ● First Trimester (about 4.5 weeks) ● One semester (3.5 weeks) ● One Trimester (Two weeks)

Semester Course:

UNIT OVERVIEW

The earth’s physical environment varies greatly from place to place. The interactions between physical systems and human systems create opportunities and challenges for people and places. The implications of these interactions affect both physical systems and human systems. UTAH STANDARDS Core Standard: Suggested Prioritized Standards are bolded and underlined. (Educators who are teaching geography as a semester course might choose to prioritize the bolded and underlined standards.) ● WG Standard 1.1: Students will describe the signi fi cant forces that in fl uence the physical environment, such as plate tectonics, erosion, climate, and natural disasters, and explain how the effects of physical processes vary across regions of the world. ○ Learning Intention #1: ■ Students will describe the signi fi cant forces that in fl uence the physical environment, such as plate tectonics, erosion, climate, and natural disasters. ○ Learning Intention #2: ■ Students will explain how the effects of physical processes vary across regions of the world. ● WG Standard 1.2: Students will identify patterns evident in the geographic distribution of ecosystems and biomes and explain how humans interact with them. ○ Learning Intention #1: ■ Students will identify patterns evident in the geographic distribution of ecosystems and biomes. ○ Learning Intention #2: ■ Students will explain how humans interact with ecosystems and biomes. ● WG Standard 1.3: Students will cite evidence of how the distribution of natural resources affects physical and human systems. ○ Learning Intention #1: ■ Students will cite evidence of how the distribution of natural resources affects physical systems. ○ Learning Intention #2: ■ Students will cite evidence of how the distribution of natural resources affects human systems. ● WG Standard 1.4: Students will use geographic reasoning to propose actions that mitigate or solve issues, such as: natural disasters, cooperation and con fl ict, pollution, climate change, and