tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4630465671276242822024-03-14T01:34:18.554-04:00TEACHING GEOGRAPHY<img src="http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhayesboh/graphics/appleworld.jpg" align="left" hspace="10"><big>Welcome to the Massachusetts Geography Alliance blog space.</big><br><br>This is place where we can exchange ideas about geography teaching and learning. Geography educators are invited to share teaching ideas,
quirky map images, and helpful links.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-26338601163261867142018-05-17T07:04:00.002-04:002018-05-17T14:00:36.303-04:00Geography on Nightside<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9jzl0pGoF14/Wv1fxufiEcI/AAAAAAAAIZo/gWhX_EarmygjppUgBwN2Z4Q7vWwWNvzzwCLcBGAs/s1600/nightside-award.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="540" height="207" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9jzl0pGoF14/Wv1fxufiEcI/AAAAAAAAIZo/gWhX_EarmygjppUgBwN2Z4Q7vWwWNvzzwCLcBGAs/s400/nightside-award.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(l-r) Dan Rea, Vernon Domingo, James Hayes-Bohanan<br />
May 15, 2018</td></tr>
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Boston broadcast journalist Dan Rea has had a lifelong passion for geography. Starting in 2011, he has occasionally devoted an hour of his popular call-in program <b><i><a href="https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/featured/nightside-with-dan-rea/">Nightside with Dan Rea</a></i></b> to a discussion of geography with geographers.<br />
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During <b><a href="https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/featured/nightside-with-dan-rea/content/2018-05-16-listen-wherehas-geography-class-gone-5-15-18/">the most recent visit</a></b>, Bridgewater State University geographers Vernon Domingo and James Hayes-Bohanan presented him with the Friend of Geography Award on behalf of the Massachusetts Council on the Social Studies.<br />
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Unable to show the award on the radio, of course, Dan decided to show the award to his audience during his <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/217878851601220/videos/1631498670239224/">Facebook Live appearance</a></b> today.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-15726044074652590912017-06-24T13:02:00.001-04:002017-06-24T13:02:06.585-04:00Perils of Ignorance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3UcoQZ8ui0o/WU6NcHYhQwI/AAAAAAAAHdE/GyAdwfQeYf8wMLbyTg7Tbp4rNSgAFgFIQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-24%2Bat%2B12.03.11%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1570" height="424" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3UcoQZ8ui0o/WU6NcHYhQwI/AAAAAAAAHdE/GyAdwfQeYf8wMLbyTg7Tbp4rNSgAFgFIQCLcBGAs/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-24%2Bat%2B12.03.11%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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What does this map represent? The more you know about geography, the more difficult it is to hazard a guess. But few could guess what it actually represents: some of the places chosen by 1,746 adults in the United States who were asked to locate North Korea on a map.</div>
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North Korea.</div>
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Only 36 percent put a dot inside the country, with the other 64 percent of answers encompassing a few million square miles of error. In this recent study, <b><a href="http://heyre-more-likely-to-prefer-diplomacy.html/?mc=aud_dev&mcid=fb-nytimes&mccr=JuneMC48&mcdt=2017-06&subid=JuneMC48&ad-keywords=AudDevGate">as reported by Kevin Quealy</a></b> in the <i>New York Times</i>, respondents were asked not only to find North Korea on a map, but also to respond to various diplomatic and military responses to recent provocative actions there. </div>
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Not surprisingly, those least likely to know where the place is were the most likely to be willing to attack it militarily. The article includes links to similar studies that have demonstrated similar tendencies. With care, classroom exercises could explore similar relationships between geographic awareness and the willingness to engage diplomatically.</div>
James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-47743255754756030022017-04-05T13:39:00.001-04:002017-04-05T13:39:57.246-04:00Congratulations Massachusetts Geo Bee WinnerThe Massachusetts Geographic Alliance congratulates Theodore Batty for his success as the 2017 winner of the Massachusetts Geography Bee. Theodore is a 6th grader at the Jenkins School in Scituate. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l7sqYrEEfbg/WOUgG2E6-NI/AAAAAAAAHMY/vJc79fQR-1M8AxqYXWakDw8ebPq8Mz4OgCEw/s1600/2017MAGeoBeewinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l7sqYrEEfbg/WOUgG2E6-NI/AAAAAAAAHMY/vJc79fQR-1M8AxqYXWakDw8ebPq8Mz4OgCEw/s400/2017MAGeoBeewinner.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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Theodore will be representing Massachusetts in the national finals of the National Geography Bee on May 14th in Washington, DC.</div>
James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-12942068955529549322016-12-28T11:30:00.001-05:002016-12-28T17:21:02.489-05:00Geography Day on Beacon Hill - April 19, 2017<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-au15jNmJIro/Uml49O1RfXI/AAAAAAAADYs/BooAH_C6PvciSs8QQdZGKqopIBs3wfIzQCPcB/s1600/earthview-nurseshall-med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-au15jNmJIro/Uml49O1RfXI/AAAAAAAADYs/BooAH_C6PvciSs8QQdZGKqopIBs3wfIzQCPcB/s1600/earthview-nurseshall-med.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EarthView in Nurses Hall, Massachusetts State House<br />
Photo Credit: Ashley Costa Harris<br />
Bridgewater State University Geography '13<br />
This image appears on the first page of the <b><a href="http://nationalgeographic.org/standards/national-geography-standards/">National Standards</a></b> for geography education.</td></tr>
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The Massachusetts Geographic Alliance and Bridgewater State University will be returning to Beacon Hill on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 to celebrate and promote geographic education.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2MqjsYF6rJk/WGQ6jXxqpJI/AAAAAAAAG48/ghwteDN7keUw93ufVmQtAKYCBeYEftb6gCLcB/s1600/redsox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2MqjsYF6rJk/WGQ6jXxqpJI/AAAAAAAAG48/ghwteDN7keUw93ufVmQtAKYCBeYEftb6gCLcB/s200/redsox.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sox are required when <br />entering EarthView</td></tr>
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The highlight of the visit will be EarthView, a 20-foot inflatable globe of the earth that will be in Nurses Hall from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Project EarthView is a joint endeavor of the Department of Geography and the Center for the Advancement of STEM Education at BSU. By bringing people <i>inside</i> a physical globe of the earth, the project allows people to understand the planet and their connection to it in a different light. Since acquiring the globe in 2008, the BSU team has reached more than 80,000 students -- mostly middle-school students -- throughout Massachusetts and beyond.<br />
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Visits to the State House and other public venues serve to <b><a href="http://bsc-earthview.blogspot.com/2011/04/state-house-coverage.html">remind everyone</a></b> of the importance of geography education, during a period in which it is shockingly absent from high-school curricula.<br />
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Geography Awareness Day on Beacon Hill will take place on Patriot's Day, in the middle of April vacation week, and in the lead-up to <b><a href="http://www.earthday.org/">Earth Day</a></b>. It is a reminder that geography is an integrative discipline that brings together global thinking and scientific literacy, in ways that learners can apply to daily life. In geography, after all, the "real world" is a big part of what we do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsAnRfLBMmE/WGPnWIRlMYI/AAAAAAAAG4s/QSkXNIg8D2AIICiin_gR5Eb6Bpv89s8ZACLcB/s1600/geography-venn.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsAnRfLBMmE/WGPnWIRlMYI/AAAAAAAAG4s/QSkXNIg8D2AIICiin_gR5Eb6Bpv89s8ZACLcB/s1600/geography-venn.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hand-painted EarthView globe is also a great example of <b><a href="http://stemtosteam.org/">STEM to STEAM</a></b> <br />
thinking -- bringing Art to STEM education.</td></tr>
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During the day, geography students, geography educators, and geography professionals will be visiting the offices of legislators to discuss the importance of geographic literacy, and ways that the Commonwealth can promote it. Whether they can attend or not, friends of geography are encouraged to <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator">invite their representatives and senators</a></b> to spend a few minutes in Nurses Hall with this beautiful and educational work of art.<br />
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More details at the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/718150191681928/">Facebook event</a></b>.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-84687076531844362932016-03-30T07:50:00.002-04:002016-03-30T07:50:27.625-04:00Geography Bee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dSVOTJxVvWo/Vvu74STDD_I/AAAAAAAAGDA/oGXMoU4rBmQsAtXtZhzS3CgNwptjmoULA/s1600/MA-final.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dSVOTJxVvWo/Vvu74STDD_I/AAAAAAAAGDA/oGXMoU4rBmQsAtXtZhzS3CgNwptjmoULA/s200/MA-final.jpeg" width="160" /></a></div>
The Massachusetts round of the National Geographic Geography Bee will be held Friday, April 2 in Chicopee. Congratulations to the <b><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/massachusettsstatebee/qualifiers">2016 qualifiers from throughout the state</a></b>, including defending Massachusetts champion Inwook (Lucy) Chae of Newton Centre.<br />
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The winner will go on to the national championships in Washington, DC on May 22-25. Although Soledad O'Brien will be asking the questions in that final event, the Bee is the work of 10,000 geography educators throughout the United States who use the contest as a way to build enthusiasm for learning about the world through geography.<br />
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Bridgewater State University geography student Jason Covert has once again prepared a map of the Massachusetts participants -- 100 students from many parts of the Bay State.<br />
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<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-57405623858402712622016-01-25T07:43:00.006-05:002016-01-25T07:45:01.185-05:00Musical ThemesJust for fun this morning, two items that illustrate <b><a href="http://maps.unomaha.edu/workshops/career/fivethemes.html">geography themes</a></b> with popular music lyrics.<br />
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First is <b>place</b>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2CvsQzL1IzM/VqYTulJeEGI/AAAAAAAAF5Y/bhRi603YLPc/s1600/music-neighborhood.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2CvsQzL1IzM/VqYTulJeEGI/AAAAAAAAF5Y/bhRi603YLPc/s640/music-neighborhood.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">©John Atkinson on </span><a href="http://wronghands1.com/2016/01/22/rock-n-roll-neighbourhood/">Wrong Hands</a></h2>
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Then <b>movement</b>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2HAl5hUL0jw/VqYS6H1MNNI/AAAAAAAAF5Q/ItnandLcBc4/s1600/music-travel-guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2HAl5hUL0jw/VqYS6H1MNNI/AAAAAAAAF5Q/ItnandLcBc4/s400/music-travel-guide.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <b><i>SIC: </i></b>Georgia is spelled as pronounced in the song.</td></tr>
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<b>Activity</b>: Add your own places and/or modes of transport.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-594279074389776342016-01-16T11:33:00.000-05:002016-01-21T08:01:50.691-05:00Geography on Nightside: The PodcastThanks to all of the MassGEO members and friends who tuned in to the recent <b><a href="http://massgeo.blogspot.com/2016/01/geography-on-nightside.html">appearance</a></b> of geographers <b><a href="http://webhost.bridgew.edu/vdomingo/">Vernon Domingo</a></b> and <b><a href="http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhayesboh/">James Hayes-Bohanan</a></b> on <b><i><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/show/nightside-with-dan-rea/">Nightside with Dan Rea</a></i></b> last Monday night.<br />
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If you missed it, you can hear the entire program -- including some quizzes, banter, and serious discussion about the politics of geography education -- on Dan's <b><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/audio/nightside-with-dan-rea/nightside-where-in-the-world-did-geography-class-go/">podcast of the show</a></b>.<br />
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Friends of geography who live in Massachusetts can do their part by contacting legislators in support of the <b><a href="http://massgeo.blogspot.com/2015/11/beacon-hill-update.html">bills we discussed on air</a></b>.<br />
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<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-91571426722235390432016-01-08T06:41:00.003-05:002016-01-16T07:53:15.250-05:00Map Thief Author @ State House<b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Map Thief</span></i></b><span class="x_apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">by Michael Blanding</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><b>Thursday, January 21, 2016—Noon to 1:00 pm</b><br /><b>State Library of Massachusetts—Room 341, Massachusetts State House</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F6zfP5_0M3g/Vo-mBgNUYiI/AAAAAAAAF04/cUKcuJTAEa0/s1600/mapthief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F6zfP5_0M3g/Vo-mBgNUYiI/AAAAAAAAF04/cUKcuJTAEa0/s200/mapthief.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The January Author Talk at the Massachusetts State Library should be of special interest to geographers. A</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">ward-winning investigative journalist and best-selling author Michael Blanding, who will be speaking about his recent book</span><span class="x_apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Blanding-Map-Thief-Gripping/dp/B00N4EEIIE/">The Map Thief</a></b></i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In this engrossing book, Blanding delves into the world of the antique map trade and tells the story of E. Forbes Smiley III, a map dealer who stole countless rare maps from libraries and universities around the world. In addition to detailing the downfall of this once esteemed map dealer,<span class="x_apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The Map Thief</i><span class="x_apple-converted-space"> </span>also reveals the history of the explorers and mapmakers who created the priceless maps that Smiley stole, giving the reader an even better understanding of the great loss to society when such cultural heritage items go missing.<br /><br />Mr. Blanding’s talk is free and open to the public, and copies of the book<span class="x_apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The Map Thief<span class="x_apple-converted-space"> </span></i>will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Please<span class="x_apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="color: #034485; text-decoration: none;"><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SJ5HPLZ" target="_blank">register online</a>. (LINK REPAIRED 1/16)</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lr_HylfWdHU/Vo-yVefKdlI/AAAAAAAAF1I/rSXVLQThm_w/s1600/statelibrary-ma1826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lr_HylfWdHU/Vo-yVefKdlI/AAAAAAAAF1I/rSXVLQThm_w/s320/statelibrary-ma1826.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The State Library is located near the top of the State House. In the same area, geographers will be interested to find the Commonwealth's official 50-foot scale -- made of wood installed along a hallway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Arrive early to clear security as you enter the building. </span>James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-81064070300959258112016-01-01T13:34:00.001-05:002016-01-04T17:05:52.515-05:00Geography on Nightside<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday Evening, January 11</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9pm-10pm on AM1030 CBS Radio</span></b><br />
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Bridgewater State University <b><a href="http://www.bridgew.edu/geography">geography</a></b> professors <b><a href="http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhayesboh/">James Hayes-Bohanan</a></b> and <b><a href="http://webhost.bridgew.edu/vdomingo/">Vernon Domingo</a></b> will return to the airwaves with popular talk-radio host and geography enthusiast Dan Rea. This will be the fourth time in recent years that geography has been the focus of an hour-long discussion on Dan Rea's <i><b><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/show/nightside-with-dan-rea/">Nightside</a></b></i> program.<br />
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The program is an opportunity to engage a call-in audience in a discussion of the importance of geographic education, whether it be to promote a better-informed citizenry or a better-prepared workforce.<br />
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We know that Dan and many of those who call in are very fond of maps, so despite the limitations of radio, we plan to bring in a few for discussion, and look forward to the calls from the program's vast and varied listening audience.<br />
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One example might be this early map of what came to be the International Dateline, which took quite a zig and zag around the Philippines.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dz19FcWVD1A/Vorqw_oO3cI/AAAAAAAAFzM/BLPN7tADPyI/s1600/philippines-dateline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dz19FcWVD1A/Vorqw_oO3cI/AAAAAAAAFzM/BLPN7tADPyI/s640/philippines-dateline.jpg" width="465" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: <b><a href="http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/in-1844-the-philippines-skipped-a-day-and-it-took-decades-for-the-rest-of-the-world-to-notice">Atlas Obscura</a></b></td></tr>
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The program is timely, as the Massachusetts Legislature considers -- for the third time -- an <b><a href="http://massgeo.blogspot.com/2015/11/beacon-hill-update.html">Act Relative to Geography Education</a></b> that the MGA has been supporting for several years.<br />
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Geographers are especially encouraged to call during the Monday evening broadcast. If you are going to call, please dial early in the hour, as this hour goes by very quickly! The number is 617-254-1030.<br />
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Listen on 1030 AM in Massachusetts and throughout much of eastern North America, or listen live via <b><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/show/nightside-with-dan-rea/">WBZ streaming</a></b>.<br />
<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-2727190199235308932015-11-20T13:55:00.000-05:002016-01-01T12:58:33.347-05:00Geography on Nightside Radio -- Monday January 11, 9pm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rrrZpJaGdEQ/Vk9sjA5ZiVI/AAAAAAAAFtU/Prpq9fhLo4I/s1600/worldmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rrrZpJaGdEQ/Vk9sjA5ZiVI/AAAAAAAAFtU/Prpq9fhLo4I/s400/worldmap.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.0545px;">Bridgewater State geographers Vernon Domingo and James Hayes-Bohanan have been invited back to the CBS radio program Nightside with Dan Rea to talk about geography education and our efforts to improve it in Massachusetts.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.0545px;">Broadcast throughout eastern U.S. and Canada on AM 1030.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.0545px;">This is a call-in show -- join us at (617) 254-1030!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.0545px;">We will be on-air from 9pm to 10pm on Monday, January 11, 2016.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.0545px;">FB users can get this <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1659439724328791/">must-hear radio</a></b> on their events calendar as a reminder.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.0545px;"><b>THIS APPEARANCE WAS ORIGINALLY TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN EARLY DECEMBER, BUT WAS RESCHEDULED BECAUSE OF BREAKING NEWS THAT DAY. </b></span>James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-38106041465208007372015-11-18T08:05:00.003-05:002015-11-18T08:05:59.587-05:00Beacon Hill UpdateMassachusetts Geographic Alliance continues to advocate for geography education on Beacon Hill. The Joint Committee on Education is currently considering two bills -- a Senate and a House version that are very similar and likely to be consolidated if the bill moves forward. The Joint Committee has advanced similar bills in two previous sessions, but both times the bills failed to reach votes on the floor, as they were allowed to die in technical committees.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IRC4sTuU39w/VkxzglQDH7I/AAAAAAAAFrM/TtPNKgV7K3s/s1600/statehouse-flags-earthview-cover-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IRC4sTuU39w/VkxzglQDH7I/AAAAAAAAFrM/TtPNKgV7K3s/s640/statehouse-flags-earthview-cover-crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EarthView has been a big part of our advocacy work on Beacon Hill. Shown here during an April 2014 visit.<br />It will return on Earth Day, April 20, 2016.</td></tr>
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The bill calls for three measures in support of geography education. One would simply be to declare a Geography Day for the state, acknowledging the importance of this field of study. The second would be to ensure that a geographer is part of the governance infrastructure that oversees social studies in the curriculum statewide. Third and most importantly, the bill would create a commission -- comprising educators, government officials, and geography-related professionals -- to make recommendations regarding the status of geography education in the Commonwealth. The commission would have 12 to 18 months to hold hearings around the state, to gather information from other states, and to bring real rigor to the process of deciding how to improve geographic literacy in Massachusetts. It has the potential to make Massachusetts a national leader in geography education.<br />
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In its two versions -- <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S291">S291</a></b> and <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H491">H491</a></b> -- the bill currently enjoys support from both major parties, both chambers, and all regions of the state. If your legislators is among the sponsors, please thank them.<br />
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The chief sponsors are Sen. Anne Gobi and Rep. Todd Smola, who happens to be the only professional geographer in the Legislature. Other sponsors include (in no particular order):<br />
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<b>S291: </b>Joan B. Lovely, Marc R. Pacheco, Claire D. Cronin, Jennifer E. Benson, Angelo L. D'Emilia, James M. Murphy, Louis L. Kafka, James J. O'Day, Keiko M. Orrall, William F. Galvin, Harriette L. Chandler, Thomas P. Kennedy, Tom Sannicandro<br /><b>H491: </b>Michael D. Brady, Louis L. Kafka, Angelo L. D'Emilia, James M. Murphy, Ellen Story, James J. O'Day, William C. Galvin, Keiko M. Orrall</blockquote>
In any case, please ask your legislator to contact members of the <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J14">Joint Committee on Education</a></b> in support of the bills, and consider contacting members directly as well.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-12117881313736976562015-02-17T06:08:00.004-05:002015-02-17T06:59:29.110-05:00Where Did Geography Class Go? (Nightside with Dan Rea)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On February 16, members of Massachusetts Geographic Alliance were pleased to return to the airwaves as guests on Dan Rea's program <i><b><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/show/nightside-with-dan-rea/">Nightside</a></b></i> on CBS affiliate WBZ-AM1030. Broadcast veteran Rea is, as he says, a "huge fan of geography" and has been supporting our efforts to promote geographic literacy and education for several years now.</div>
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For the latest conversation, Dr. Kathy Babini, Social Studies Coordinator for Plymouth Schools, joined Dan and Bridgewater State University professor James Hayes-Bohanan in the studio.</div>
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Early in this evening's program, the <i>Nightside</i> producer played the audio of a very fun geography video -- Yakko's World,</div>
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This has inspired many to attempt their own renditions -- mistakes and all -- including a <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk0WAQjWNSM">reverse-karaoke</a></b> version by the blogger known as snolygoster. Notice at 0:42, 1:06, and 1:50 in his video that he divides his arrow in two -- very clever!</div>
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Stewart Clamen has posted Yakko's <b><a href="http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/clamen/misc/tv/Animaniacs/Nations.html">lyrics</a></b> and <b><a href="http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/clamen/misc/tv/Animaniacs/Nations-etc.html">corrections</a></b> to the lyrics, including corrected names, countries that were omitted in the original, and countries that have been created. Note that these pages include a link from each name in the lyrics to the country or territory's profile in the CIA Factbook, but those links have expired. Since Clamen's update, two additional countries have been created: Timor-Leste (East Timor) and South Sudan.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AKEtdsb7HXo/VOMjd3tkn7I/AAAAAAAAE6E/GXWAaiwNJ1o/s1600/Mt_Rushmore_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AKEtdsb7HXo/VOMjd3tkn7I/AAAAAAAAE6E/GXWAaiwNJ1o/s1600/Mt_Rushmore_3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our appearance was on President's Day.</td></tr>
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<i>Nightside</i> is a call-in show with an audience spanning 34 states (by AM radio) and beyond (by streaming audio). One of the first calls was from very close to home, though, from the director of the <b><a href="http://spellman.org/">Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History</a></b>. A partner of Massachusetts Geographic Alliance, the Spellman Museum is a great place for people of all ages to learn geography through stamps. In addition to the second-largest collection of stamps in the United States, the museum provides an ever-changing series of educational exhibits that can be organized around any theme.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lSAtT8YR8VI/VOLPc_jcZaI/AAAAAAAAE50/nJv3x2MAFVc/s1600/what-can-i-do.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lSAtT8YR8VI/VOLPc_jcZaI/AAAAAAAAE50/nJv3x2MAFVc/s1600/what-can-i-do.png" height="67" width="400" /></a></div>
Our conversation touched on the kinds of work that are available to those who pursue geography as a college major. We mentioned just a few; the Career Services office at the University of Tennessee <b><a href="http://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/geography/">lists many more geography careers</a></b>, along with ideas about how to prepare for each.<br />
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<a href="https://malegislature.gov/Content/Images/img_statehouseDome.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://malegislature.gov/Content/Images/img_statehouseDome.png" /></a></div>
At the end of the program, we briefly mentioned our most recent legislative effort. Once again a variety of Massachusetts legislators -- from both houses and both parties -- are supporting A Bill Relative to Geography Education. If passed, it would establish a commission to study ways to improve geography education in the Commonwealth. MGA is grateful to <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/People/Profile/AMG0">Sen. Gobi</a></b> and <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/People/Profile/TMS2">Rep. Smola</a></b> for re-introducing this legislation. At the time of this writing, it appears as docket items, rather than bills. The Senate version is SD 1066 and the House is HD 259. There is still time for friends of geography to <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/People/Search">encourage their legislators</a></b> to support both versions of the bill.<br />
<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-72592030160444259772014-12-20T09:21:00.001-05:002014-12-20T09:21:49.562-05:00Geography: What It Is!From the students in Dr. Anne Mosher's <b><a href="http://geocuse.syr.edu/">senior seminar at Syracuse University</a></b> comes a terrific introduction to our field. It was made by undergraduate geographers for other undergraduates and high school seniors considering their department, but it is suitable for K12 levels and our discussions with the general public as well.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://prezi.com/embed/is310c-7pljx/?bgcolor=ffffff&lock_to_path=0&autoplay=0&autohide_ctrls=0&features=undefined&token=undefined&disabled_features=undefined" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="550"></iframe>James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-878287537408885322014-10-15T11:14:00.001-04:002014-10-15T11:14:57.646-04:00Busy Week for Geography!Last week was a busy one for geography education in Massachusetts -- especially on local CBS affiliates!<br />
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On Tuesday the 7th, news anchor <a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/personality/paula-ebben/"><b>Paula Ebben</b></a> dedicated her Eye on Education feature to Family Geography Night that had taken place <b><a href="http://bsu-earthview.blogspot.com/2014/10/north-andover-october-2-3.html">the previous week at North Andover Middle School</a></b>.<br />
<script src="http://CBSBOS.images.worldnow.com/interface/js/WNVideo.js?rnd=684698;hostDomain=video.boston.cbslocal.com;playerWidth=620;playerHeight=349;isShowIcon=true;clipId=10665023;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=News;advertisingZone=CBS.BOSTON%252Fworldnowplayer;enableAds=true;landingPage=;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript;controlsType=overlay" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://video.boston.cbslocal.com/" title=""></a><br />
This award-winning night has been organized by MGA member Robert Poirier each of the past six years, and in 2011 is was <b><a href="http://bsu-earthview.blogspot.com/2011/10/congratulations-north-andover.html">recognized by the Massachusetts Senate</a></b> for educational excellence. As shown in the <b><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/10/08/eye-on-education-geography-teacher-brings-world-to-his-students/">video above</a></b>, many teachers and other volunteers commit their time to an evening of truly engaged learning involving both students and their families.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Prd5VYmTSX0/VD6FRR5jVXI/AAAAAAAAEeU/4rQwxlRiw9Y/s1600/the-finger-lakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Prd5VYmTSX0/VD6FRR5jVXI/AAAAAAAAEeU/4rQwxlRiw9Y/s1600/the-finger-lakes.jpg" /></a></div>
Then on Thursday evening, MGA members Vernon Domingo and James Hayes-Bohanan visited the studios. They were able to thank Paula Ebbens in person for her support of geography while waiting to go on air with Dan Rea. The two had been on <b>Nightside with Dan Rea</b> once before, and were <b><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/10/13/nightside-bridgewater-state-university-geography-professors-vernon-domingo-and-james-hayes-bohanan/">glad to be back on this program</a></b>, which is heard throughout eastern North America because of the night-time range of strong AM radio signals.<br />
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Be sure to <b><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/10/13/nightside-bridgewater-state-university-geography-professors-vernon-domingo-and-james-hayes-bohanan/">listen to the entire hour</a> </b>(the play button is in a black box just below the program description. The many interesting calls from listeners included one from a graduate of our department now teaching in Florida. Brenda reminded us and the rest of the audience that geography is both a physical science and a social science.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-93SdLzS10A8/VD6IZPLHlNI/AAAAAAAAEeg/4TUFvCp5qEU/s1600/Why-Geography.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-93SdLzS10A8/VD6IZPLHlNI/AAAAAAAAEeg/4TUFvCp5qEU/s1600/Why-Geography.png" height="264" width="400" /></a></div>
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Geography is, in fact, at the intersection of <b><a href="http://microsites.bridgew.edu/case">STEM Education</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CIEBSU">Global Education</a></b>. This is one reason that geography is a vital discipline for 21st-century learning. It is a subject that informs and enriches understanding of many related fields. Geographers are, in fact, especially well prepared for making interdisciplinary connections.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gDwwCHzW8pk/VD6KKNspfQI/AAAAAAAAEes/jf6nVANTDY8/s1600/geography-hub.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gDwwCHzW8pk/VD6KKNspfQI/AAAAAAAAEes/jf6nVANTDY8/s1600/geography-hub.gif" height="640" width="528" /></a></div>
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As Dan Rea made very clear during the discussion, however, we cannot rely on a sprinkling of geography in the courses to substitute for a sound education in geography itself.<br />
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The discussion included current efforts toward that end in the Massachusetts Legislature. Thanks to broad, bipartisan, and bicameral effort that includes the Legislature's <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/People/Profile/TMS2">only geographer</a></b>, the body is considering <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S200">An Act Relative to Geography Education</a></b>. The Joint Committee on Education and Senate Committee on Ways and Means have approved the measure, but it is currently <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S2248/History">awaiting approval</a></b> by technical committees. The bill provides an opportunity for Massachusetts to declare its support of geographic literacy through an annual Geography Education Week. More importantly, it would create a fixed-term Geography Commission to examine the ways to improve geography education throughout Massachusetts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yRNCT-hMdYA/VD6O9G8bAZI/AAAAAAAAEe4/cl_8zQqu40k/s1600/earthview-statehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yRNCT-hMdYA/VD6O9G8bAZI/AAAAAAAAEe4/cl_8zQqu40k/s1600/earthview-statehouse.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many legislators have become aware of the gaps in geography education through MGA State House visits with EarthView. </td></tr>
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<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-91054267377836860602014-04-10T19:38:00.002-04:002014-04-10T19:38:20.327-04:00The Question Machine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EKpvRwdE8j0/U0cbALW_tUI/AAAAAAAAD0A/3wI50aY9IoI/s1600/kendavis-globelady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EKpvRwdE8j0/U0cbALW_tUI/AAAAAAAAD0A/3wI50aY9IoI/s1600/kendavis-globelady.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">EarthView is a question-generating machine!</span></b></td></tr>
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When Kenneth C. Davis -- of <i><b><a href="http://dontknowmuch.com/">Don't Know Much About Geography</a></b> </i>fame -- toured <b><a href="http://bsu-earthview.blogspot.com/">EarthView</a></b> during the <b><a href="http://massgeo.blogspot.com/2014/04/nerc-45.html">NERC45</a></b> conference, he soon realized that he was asking questions faster than they could be answered.<br />
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It was then that he described the beauty of EarthView as a tool for engaged learning so perfectly. On the outside of EarthView, people sometimes ask what it is <i>for</i> or how it can be used. Once inside, however, they ask about the Earth, and will do so for as long as they are able.<br />
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During the <b><a href="http://massgeo.blogspot.com/2014/04/geography-policy-forum.html">policy forum</a></b> on geographic literacy the prior evening, one educator mentioned the value of having students work with multiple maps of the same area. EarthView offers a similar cognitive workout by depicting something familiar in a very different way.<br />
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The questions -- and exclamations of the sheer joy of learning -- were plentiful on the part of the Moran Middle School students who were attending NERC. Seeing the Earth in so many new ways was a thrill for these young geographers. They describe their experience as <b><a href="http://bsu-earthview.blogspot.com/2014/04/moran-middle-school-at-nerc.html">guest bloggers on BSU EarthView</a></b>.<br />
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<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-90824792871933441072014-04-08T23:29:00.002-04:002014-04-08T23:29:38.066-04:00Geography Policy Forum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vF3h9KyIsO8/U0S6TNveUTI/AAAAAAAADzg/HuVUFrV1IBI/s1600/Ukraine_Full-1024x535.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vF3h9KyIsO8/U0S6TNveUTI/AAAAAAAADzg/HuVUFrV1IBI/s1600/Ukraine_Full-1024x535.png" height="334" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Washington <i>Post</i> blog <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/07/the-less-americans-know-about-ukraines-location-the-more-they-want-u-s-to-intervene/">The Monkey Cage</a></b></td></tr>
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This evening's Policy Forum at NERC 45 began with a consideration of this map. It represents the answers given by two thousand adults in the United States when they were asked to locate Ukraine on a map of the world. Although the most common answers are actually in Ukraine and the most common wrong answers are in Eastern Europe, the MCSS participants were astonished spatial distribution.<br />
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Not only are large errors -- averaging 1800 miles -- common, but as reported today on the Washington Post blog, the greater the error, <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/07/the-less-americans-know-about-ukraines-location-the-more-they-want-u-s-to-intervene/">the greater the likelihood that a survey participant favors military intervention</a></b>. That is, Americans are most likely to support a war in a place whose location they do not know.<br />
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This was an excellent point of departure for the policy forum on geography education that was organized as part of the Northeast Regional Conference (<b><a href="http://massgeo.blogspot.com/2014/04/nerc-45.html">NERC 45</a></b>) of the National Council on Social Studies. After discussing some of the compelling reasons to improve geographic literacy -- both for employment and for effective civic participation -- the discussion turned to ways to promote geography on several tracks. The first of these is the continued expansion of public outreach programs such as <b><a href="http://earthviewglobe.org/">EarthView</a></b> and <b><a href="http://massgeo.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-about-organizing-family-geography.html">Family Geography Nights</a></b>. Integration of these tools into professional development programs for teachers also has great potential to expand the reach of geography both in Massachusetts and throughout New England.<br />
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Finally, the group discussed ways to encourage Massachusetts legislators to approve <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S200">Senate Bill 200</a></b>, a no-cost, non-partisan bill that would recognize the importance of geography education and establish a commission to investigate ways to provide for its sustained improvement.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-83925204221185679552014-04-08T11:13:00.000-04:002014-04-08T22:11:48.848-04:00NERC 45<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">42° 06' 51" N</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: ; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>72° 05' 22" W</b></span><span style="background-color: ; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: ; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: ; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the location of the Sturbridge Host Hotel -- and the gathering point of social studies educators from throughout New England. </span></span><span style="background-color: ; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">The 45th annual Northeast Regional Conference of the National Council on Social Studies is taking place in Sturbridge, a very convenient and convivial location. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KD7JZ4fIjWo/U0Px1ine_DI/AAAAAAAADzI/SkjEu-C4oqY/s1600/nerc2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KD7JZ4fIjWo/U0Px1ine_DI/AAAAAAAADzI/SkjEu-C4oqY/s1600/nerc2010.jpg" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EarthView has been part of NERC since 2010.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: ; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Massachusetts geographers are pleased to be playing many roles in NERC 45, including a keynote presentation, various workshops, a policy forum and of course a visit from EarthView.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: ; line-height: 20px;"><b><a href="http://bsu-earthview.blogspot.com/2014/04/nerc-45-sturbridge-april-7-9.html">EarthView at NERC</a></b> is currently featured on the EarthView blog. EarthView is a a joint project of the Massachusetts Geographic Alliance, <b><a href="http://www.bridgew.edu/content/department-geography">Bridgewater State University Department of Geography</a></b> and the BSU <b><a href="http://microsites.bridgew.edu/case">Center for the Advancement of STEM education</a></b>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: ; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: ; line-height: 20px;">The policy forum is being held at the hotel at 7pm on Tuesday evening (April 8) and is open to all. It brings together educators and professionals from fields that rely heavily on geographically-educated employees. This blog will carry highlights of the forum and information about future forums that would be required by the passage of <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S200">Massachusetts Senate Bill 200</a></b>.</span></span>James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-4512788884558446452014-04-04T08:24:00.003-04:002014-04-05T16:55:54.159-04:00MassBee!Friday the Massachusetts round of the National Geography Bee took place at the Worcester Academy -- a central location in our state with a famous geographer among its alumni. Read all about this year's <a href="http://bsu-earthview.blogspot.com/2014/04/massachusetts-geography-bee-worcester.html"><b>Massachusetts Bee</b></a> on the EarthView blog.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zAXT5STA3Fc/Uz1yIqiW_zI/AAAAAAAADxU/NUzkRVBm8RQ/s1600/geogbee-2014-ma.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zAXT5STA3Fc/Uz1yIqiW_zI/AAAAAAAADxU/NUzkRVBm8RQ/s1600/geogbee-2014-ma.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geography Bee entrants. Map: Jason Covert, BSU</td></tr>
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Thanks to Dr. Boellstorff at Bridgewater State for preparing a large map of the state, on which entrants could show their home towns.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p7og_yF0XpI/U0AJDrgkUGI/AAAAAAAADxk/afYrJRNQj08/s1600/geobee-2014-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p7og_yF0XpI/U0AJDrgkUGI/AAAAAAAADxk/afYrJRNQj08/s1600/geobee-2014-map.jpg" height="410" width="640" /></a></div>
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The field was so crowded with excellent competitors that an extra round was included to find 10 finalists among the 29 who had perfect scores so far.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R22OYfk2YTw/U0AKOyxbx9I/AAAAAAAADxw/TeAac3mKDNk/s1600/geobee-2014-finalists.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R22OYfk2YTw/U0AKOyxbx9I/AAAAAAAADxw/TeAac3mKDNk/s1600/geobee-2014-finalists.jpg" height="216" width="640" /></a></div>
In the end, as <b><a href="http://www.telegram.com/article/20140405/NEWS/304059853/1116">reported by the Worcester <i>Telegram & Gazette</i></a></b>, the correct answer to a question about a 15th-century whaling station at Belle Isle in Canada allowed Nicholas Rommel of Lexington to advance to the National Geography Bee in Washington, DC. There he will meet journalist Soledad O'Brien, who will be hosting the national competition for the first time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9myG_la0I3o/U0AMxOaHIlI/AAAAAAAADx8/sKKu_GG9hUo/s1600/belle_isle_map_with_traffic_patterns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9myG_la0I3o/U0AMxOaHIlI/AAAAAAAADx8/sKKu_GG9hUo/s1600/belle_isle_map_with_traffic_patterns.jpg" height="420" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The winning answer had to do with the establishment of a whaling station in Labrador -- <b>NOT</b> at the island of the same name in what is now Detroit. It is purely coincidental that the Isle is home to <b><a href="http://www.detroitboatclubcrew.com/">Detroit Boat Club Crew</a></b>. Green and red arrows indicate traffic patterns for small boats around this island, which is both part of the United States and NORTH of Canada!</td></tr>
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<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-40872758119969990112014-02-01T16:40:00.000-05:002014-02-01T21:53:34.574-05:00Geography Education and The Five College Center for East Asain Studies <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Geography can serve as a platform to teach other disciplines.
On Saturday February 1, 2014, the Five College Center for East Asian Studies hosted
a workshop for educators from all corners of New England at Smith College in
Northampton, MA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Darrin Magee of
Hobart and William Smith Colleges presented an overview of China’s environmental
challenges to 25 teachers. These educators teach in both public and private
schools and serve the needs of students in grades K-12.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span>
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<span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Key items discussed during the lecture included a brief
introduction to the environmental challenges faced by China’s people and
leaders, with a focus on water pollution, water scarcity and air pollution. Dr.
Magee incorporated small group discussion time in which the participants were
invited to brainstorm ideas about bringing China environmental issues into the
primary and secondary school classroom through curriculum modules and class
projects.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With a central focus on water resources, participants
were able to examine more deeply issues connected to water resources in China including
scarcity, quality, and connections to food and energy security. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As a first year teacher, I seek out opportunities to
deepen my understanding of pedagogy and curriculum development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Events like this workshop and the networking
possibilities that stem from it allow for the collaborative opportunities from
which many educators benefit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listening to others share their ideas about the
Six Essential Elements of Geography as they relate to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>environmental education, political systems,
anthropology, and chemistry helped me to see other ways of teaching China that
could spiral into other disciplines, thus allowing for more collaborative efforts
at my school.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The Five Colleges for East Asian Studies offers many
opportunities to educators</span><i><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"> throughout the year. Aside from gleaning
information from a lecturer attendees also received handouts, resource lists,
and a SPICE curriculum unit. If you would like to know more about this
workshop, or other resources, contact the Five College Center for East Asian
Studies at <a href="mailto:fcceas@fivecolleges.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1f3d99; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">fcceas@fivecolleges.edu</span></a> or 413-585-3751.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Resource page, click <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xC7CGoJj3XOTwK49gPyoVnuZ2Jc7UhUhgVekIma9Dv0/edit" target="_blank">here</a></em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Mrs. Eakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859220768535974925noreply@blogger.com0Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States42.318095700000008 -72.637234142.306354200000008 -72.6574041 42.329837200000007 -72.617064100000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-76694485459112076632013-11-13T23:41:00.003-05:002013-11-13T23:43:07.409-05:00Pumpkin Globe Gallery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">Thanks to teacher DeeDee Chang of Mansfield for sharing these very creative pumpkin globes created by her students at</span> <a href="http://www.stmarymansschool.org/"><span style="color: blue;"><b>St. Mary's Catholic School</b></span></a><span style="color: blue;">. Pumpkins are round, of course, and come equipped with meridians to help guide creative cartographers in the recreation of a globe in a fun new context! </span><span style="color: blue;">And the whole thing is just in time for Geography Awareness Week approaching in just a few days!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">The artists pose with their work.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Creative textures give each globe a unique look!</span></div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-27287471043668079532013-10-24T15:58:00.001-04:002013-11-01T11:24:16.862-04:00SENATE Bill 200 Update<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S200">https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S200</a></span><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.0pt;">Submitted by Sen. Brewer <i>for</i>The Massachusetts Geographic
Allliance</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-au15jNmJIro/Uml49O1RfXI/AAAAAAAADYo/-Uscia4SaxE/s1600/earthview-nurseshall-med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-au15jNmJIro/Uml49O1RfXI/AAAAAAAADYo/-Uscia4SaxE/s400/earthview-nurseshall-med.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annual visits of <b><a href="http://bsu-earthview.blogspot.com/search?q=state+house">EarthView at the State House</a></b><br />
have helped to increase legislative interest <br />
in geography education.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The Massachusetts Legislature is currently considering a no-cost bill to
create a commission to evaluate the status of geography education in the
Commonwealth. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.0pt;">Geographic
literacy is essential to our national security. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.0pt;">It
is also vital to our understanding of international markets, global and local
environmental problems, geotechnologies, transportation planning, and global
cultural understanding. It is readily apparent that the United States – and
even Massachusetts as an education leader – is falling behind in all of these
areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.0pt;">For this reason, the
Massachusetts Geography Alliance has worked with legislators of both parties
and both chambers to introduce a Bill Relative to Geography Education. With 18
co-sponsors led by Sen. Stephen Brewer and Rep. Todd Smola (the Legislature’s
only professional geographer), we are closer than we have ever been to genuine
reform in geography education. During the final weeks of this legislative
session, the MGA calls on supporters of geography to contact legislators to
discuss the importance of geographic education as a pathway to greater global
understanding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.0pt;">The next steps in this process are:</span></b></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Joint
Education Committee hearing on October 31 from 10 am to 1 pm </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Feel free to join us!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Senate
Committee on Ways & Means</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">House
Committee on Ways and Means</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Vote by
Full Legislature</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.0pt;">The Commission will include educators at all levels and employers in the
Geotechnology (GIS/GPS/Satellite) and Green industries. The Commission will
hold hearings statewide to:</span></b></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Evaluate
the status of geographic literacy in the Commonwealth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Compare
this status to other states and countries</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Evaluate
the status of geography at each grade level, K-12</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Evaluate
the relationship between teacher preparation and the implementation of
geography standards</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />Check the S200 information page to see whether <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S200">your senator or representative is a bill sponsor</a></b>. If so, please write or email your thanks. If not, please contact <b><a href="https://malegislature.gov/People/Search">your local legislators</a></b> to encourage them to consider this important, no-cost bill.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<br /></div>
James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-62761508949764213132013-08-19T12:59:00.000-04:002013-08-19T12:59:01.602-04:00<h2>
Fascinating Earth Globes on Boston Common</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VieM9V-q_bA/UhJK1ij8k1I/AAAAAAAAAKg/bJSoGMxADIM/s1600/DSC04559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VieM9V-q_bA/UhJK1ij8k1I/AAAAAAAAAKg/bJSoGMxADIM/s320/DSC04559.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In mid-August, Bostonians and visitors to Boston were greeted to an intriguing sight of more that 30 earth globes (5ft in diameter and colorful). Positioned on Boston Common and at Copley Square, these globes illustrate very effectively the theme of global sustainability (or not) and the actions that we can take to create a more livable world. As geography teachers, we regularly use globes in the classroom and this public globe project provokes us to think in new ways about what and how we teach geography.<br />
It seems that the globes will be there until the middle of October - a treat for all. Here is the link to the article in the Boston Globe. <br />
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<a href="http://www.boston.com/2013/08/14/globes/3NInpdkFzebUYBGOFpfWgN/story.html"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.boston.com/2013/08/14/globes/3NInpdkFzebUYBGOFpfWgN/story.html</span></a></div>
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We'll all have our favorites; here are two of mine: one about Green Roof impacts and the other concerning our dwindling water resources.</div>
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Vernon Domingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262811931395941027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-21217383902203916612013-07-29T11:46:00.000-04:002013-09-23T07:26:40.887-04:00Going to the Hill<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CsX0tXbr0Hk/UfaNookGh7I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/WpYTMBpKAY0/s1600/DSC0445888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CsX0tXbr0Hk/UfaNookGh7I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/WpYTMBpKAY0/s320/DSC0445888.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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On Tuesday July 23<sup>rd</sup>, eight members of the MGA
steering committee went to the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill and
they paid visits to offices of their state senators and representatives, urging
them to actively support the Geography Education bill (S.200) that is now in
the Joint Committee on Education. Legislators were urged to either write
letters of support or to appear personally at the bill's hearing on Thursday
October 31<sup>st</sup>. This is part of the strategic push to get the bill
passed this year so that the public hearings on geographic education can occur
next spring. This is an exciting time for geography education as we are within
striking distance of having a geographic education commission - the first ever
for our state. We encourage you to contact your state representatives (<a href="https://malegislature.gov/">https://malegislature.gov/</a>) and request
their support. We need more geography in our schools as geography is THE
subject that teaches about the variety of cultural and physical places that
make up our world. Geography teaches those spatial thinking skills that are so
essential for jobs ranging from map making to environmental planning. The
National Geographic Society Education Foundation provides excellent material on
Geo-literacy and why we need it to become involved citizens in the 21<sup>st</sup>
century. <a href="http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/geoliteracy/?ar_a=1">http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/geoliteracy/?ar_a=1</a></div>
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Vernon Domingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262811931395941027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463046567127624282.post-18168765251569252982013-04-08T10:23:00.001-04:002013-04-08T10:23:25.059-04:00Geography BeeMassachusetts Geographic Alliance member Dr. Vernon Domingo was featured on a recent NECN report about the very successful Geography Bee held last week. Although the report is introduced with the erroneous notion that this competition is about obscure facts, the report itself does a nice job of highlighting the importance of geography education.<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></span><iframe frameborder="0" height="275" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=204907520727924288475.0004cad4f99398d2c6ebc&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=42.236652,-71.279297&spn=2.236681,5.20752&z=7&output=embed" width="475"></iframe>
<small>View <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=204907520727924288475.0004cad4f99398d2c6ebc&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=42.236652,-71.279297&spn=2.236681,5.20752&z=7&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">EarthView Experience</a> in a larger map</small><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Thanks to the efforts of the original sponsors, appearances of <a href="http://bsu-earthview.blogspot.com/"><b>EarthView</b></a>, and the many calls of support from MGA and other friends of geography, a new bill was filed in February (<b><a href="http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S200">S200</a></b>) with EIGHTEEN sponsors! The bipartisan group is also geographically diverse, as indicated by the State House domes above. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sen. Stephen Brewer, D-Barre</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sen. John Keenan, D-Salem</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sen. Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sen. Katherine M. Clark, D-Melrose</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sen. Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sen. Marc R. Pacheco, D-Taunton</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Smola, R-Palmer</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. James Murphy, D-Weymouth</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Christine Canavan, D-Brockton</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Louis Kafka, D-Stoughton</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. William Galvin, D-Canton</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Jennifer Benson, D-Lunenburg</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Angelo D’Emilia, R-Bridgewater</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. James O’Day, D-West Boylston</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Tom Sannicandro, D- Ashland</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Denise Andrews, D-Orange</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Stay tuned for news about hearings, which should be coming soon.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever has happened with S200 by late spring, members of the legislature and the Patrick administration will be invited to a special geography program at the State House when <b>EarthView returns to Nurse's Hall on Monday, May 6</b>. Mark your calendars!</span></div>
James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0