National Geographic Education: Political Borders

Details

Activity Description

This is the first of several lessons in the Beyond Borders unit. Why are the borders of countries located in certain places? Students think about regions and borders in an artificial continent, based on a set of physical and cultural features of the area.

Screenshot of the Political Borders activity

The overall theme of this teacher-tested unit is using maps to understand borders and their impacts in Europe. The materials will help your students to use maps to think about how borders intersect physical and human geographical features, and how those intersections can lead to cooperation and/or conflict. The educator resources provided in the unit include maps, multimedia, and case studies that will enable students to develop skills in map analysis and apply that analysis to specific situations. Other parts of the unit will invite you and your students to explore similar cases in Europe and your own community.

Preparation

1. Review site tabs labeled Directions, Objectives, Preparation, and Background & Vocabulary
2. Study the two activities for this lesson. Be sure to select Expand Directions for more detailed instructions.
3. If it is necessary, modify to meet your students needs.
4. Check the Preparation tab for list of materials, resources, maps, and technology required. Print the handout if desired.

How-To

1. Activity 1: Drawing Political Borders
   • Activate students' prior knowledge and introduce vocabulary.
   • Introduce the activity and its purpose.
   • Have students work independently to draw political borders.
   • Have students work in small groups to revise political borders.
   • Have a whole-class discussion about political borders.
   • Perform an informal Assessment
   • Extend the learning by having students create a name for their country and label landforms and features of the country.
2. Activity 2: Comparing Political Borders
   • Have small groups present and compare borders.
   • Discuss factors that impact borders.
   • Brainstorm other factors that shape country borders.
   • Have students record ideas to refer to later in this unit.
   • Perform an informal Assessment
   • Extend the learning by asking students the questions found in this section.

Teacher Tips

• Reinforce vocabulary list as these words may be included in the GED Social Studies test.
• Select Expand Directions (under the Directions tab) to show all the directions for each activity.

More Ways

• Check Tips & Modifications in Expanded Directions under the Directions tab, right side. There are two suggestions you may want to use.
• You can also use an Interactive Whiteboard or a Document Camera for this activity.
• The National Geographic Web site has lessons and activities for all grade levels on the main subjects of geography, science, and social studies. But often included in the learning objectives are other subjects such as mathematics, the arts, language arts, so they cover many disciplines. Explore it to find more lessons and activities to use with your students.

Program Areas

• ASE: High School Equivalency Preparation

Documents

• Political Borders.png - Screenshot of the Political Borders activity

Subjects

• Social Studies
  • World History

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