Social Studies - World Geography
Lesson Plans

WG Strand 4: POLITICAL SYSTEMS

People organize themselves into distinctive groups. Geographers examine how the interactions between these groups influence the division and control of the earth's surface. Political systems have profound influences on the lives of people, including their access to resources, economic opportunities, and basic rights.

Possible Guiding Questions to Consider:

• How and why do people organize themselves into political entities?
• How do people distribute power and define roles?
• How do political structures interact on a global scale?
• Who holds the power at a variety of scales and how are decisions made?
• Why is power concentrated in certain parts of the globe?
• How do political systems protect or deny the rights of marginalized peoples?

WG Standard 4.2:

Students will describe and explain the role physical and human characteristics play in establishing political boundaries.

• How did the colonization of Africa shape its political and cultural geography?
  In this instructional task, students develop and express claims through discussions and writing which examine the effect of colonization on African development. This instructional task helps students explore and develop claims to answer the question: How does the history of colonization continue to affect the economic and social aspects of African countries today?

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