United States · Common Core State Standards
12th Grade Geography
This course investigates the complex relationships between human societies and the physical environment. Students analyze spatial patterns, demographic shifts, and geopolitical conflicts to understand how geographic factors influence global affairs and sustainable development.
The Geographer's Toolkit
Students master the technical skills of spatial analysis, moving beyond simple map reading to complex data visualization and GIS applications.
Exploration of how personal experience and cultural bias shape our internal maps and understanding of place.
Analyzing how GIS, GPS, and remote sensing are used to solve real world problems and the privacy concerns they raise.
Deconstructing the mathematical distortions in map projections and their political implications throughout history.
Physical Systems and Climate Dynamics
An examination of the Earth's natural processes and the accelerating impact of climate change on global ecosystems.
Investigating how lithospheric movement creates resources and hazards that dictate where civilizations thrive.
Analyzing the relationship between changing weather patterns and the movement of climate refugees.
Evaluating the health of global biomes and the geographic factors contributing to the current extinction crisis.
Human Populations and Movement
This unit covers demography, migration patterns, and the socio-economic impacts of a changing global population.
Studying the stages of population growth and the challenges of aging vs. youthful populations.
Examining push and pull factors that drive international migration and the resulting cultural landscapes.
Analyzing the rapid growth of cities and the geographic challenges of managing urban sprawl and infrastructure.
Political Geography and Conflict
Students investigate the creation of borders, the concept of sovereignty, and the geographic roots of international conflict.
Tracing the history of political boundaries from empires to modern nation states and stateless nations.
Analyzing how the uneven distribution of natural resources leads to territorial disputes and war.
Evaluating the tension between global organizations like the EU and local movements for regional power.
Economic Patterns and Development
An exploration of global trade, industrialization, and the geographic disparities in wealth and development.
Critiquing different methods of measuring human progress and quality of life across regions.
Tracing the path of consumer goods through the global economy and the impact on local labor markets.
Analyzing international efforts to balance economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.
Human-Environment Interaction
The final unit synthesizes previous learning to address how humans modify the environment and the consequences of those actions.
Comparing subsistence and commercial agriculture and their impacts on the land and society.
Examining the spatial distribution of energy resources and the transition from fossil fuels to renewables.
A concluding look at the human impact on the planet's systems and potential paths toward a sustainable future.