Creating a Standards-Based High School Geography Course (PART 2)
Presenters: Patrice Callahan, Sharon Shelerud, and Thor Topp
Audience: High School
How do you create a geography course that will aling with the MN Geography Standards? This session will provide a working model of just how to do that. In this session, we will explain how a year long Geography Course was aligned with the MN Standards. Suggested time to be spent on each Standard will be given, as well as a minimum of one lesson for each Standard. We will also show you how to align lessons with each Benchmark of each Standard and demonstrate example lessons for as many Benchmarks as time allows. This session is a must for any educator who is trying to figure out, "just how am I supposed to teach geography, anyway?"

Declining Population and a Need for Resources: Issues Facing Modern Japan
Presenter: Mary Mohr-Scinocca
Audience: Middle and High School
This is a presentation on Japan's declining population and resources. This information is used as the foundation and introduction to a lesson surrounding the ownership of disputed territory between Korea and Japan. The lesson includes all the background information to set-up your own academic controversy.

Critical Maps in the Historical Geography of Minnesota
Presenter: David A. Lanegran
Audience: Intermediate, Middle and High School
Maps have played a critical role in the development of the image and landscape of Minnesota. This session will examine a series of maps that illustrate how the spatial image of the state evolved. The content will connect with several history and geography standards required for American History, Minnesota History and Human Geography These maps will appear in an historical cartography that will be published by the Minnesota Historical Society in 2008.

Geography Action! Hands-on Africa Adventures
Presenter: Michelle Leba
Audience: Primary and Intermediate
Want some ideas on how to engage students in learning about Africa ? Want a chance to look at picture books, maps, and other resources to use when teaching Africa in the elementary school classroom? If so this is the place for you. Learn more about National Geographic's Geography Action! Program which is focusing on Africa this year.

Making Population Real (Part 1)
Presenter: Erin Bowley, Population Reference Bureau
Audience: High School
Population shapes political systems, helps determine economic vitality, and affects Earth's natural resources. This session introduces hands-on activities for students to understand and master key population concepts, demonstrate research skills, and create charts and graphs. Group activities will highlight population concepts, available resources, graphing and mapping exercises.

GEOTechnologies PART 2: Internet Map and Image Servers
Presenter: Sara Damon
Audience: Intermediate, Middle and High School
Discover the treasure trove of map and image data available over the Internet. Explore classroom applications of such sites such as the National Map and U.S. Census Bureau’s American Factfinder.

Natural Forces
Presenter: Jill Ehlen
Audience: Intermediate and Middle School
This lesson is an introduction to forces of nature for intermediate through middle school age students. Reading/writing strategies using graphic organizers, small group activities, differentiation, and cooperative learning activities will be part of this lesson.  Teachers will be given a copy of the complete lesson which lists the state and national standards it incorporates along with free NGS maps/posters. 

Geographic Resources for Electronically Active Teachers (GREAT)
Presenter: Fred Kunze
Audience: Intermediate, Middle and High School
The GREAT session in the computer lab will demonstrate Internet and computer based resources for classroom teachers who have a Geography emphasis. The session will be held in a computer lab, and you will be provided a CD which contains Geographic resources.

A Living History of Giovanna Garzoni
Presenter: Janet Rith-Najarian
Audience: Primary, Intermediate, Middle and High School
Character reenactment of the life of Giovanna Garzoni, a Renaissance Italian artist and natural scientist who lived and worked in Firenza in the 1600's. This Living History presentation includes a slide presentation on the landscapes of Tuscany and the geology of the minerals used for paints and pigments of the Renaissance, demon-strations of Florentian bookbinding techniques for making artist sketch books, and instruction in methods of scientific illustration.