Middle Level Social Studies (Grades 5–8) Subtest 1

Subarea III. Geography

0009

Understand geographic terms, concepts, sources, and research skills.

applying the five fundamental geographic themes of location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and region
demonstrating knowledge of the six essential elements of geography (i.e., the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and the uses of geography)
applying basic geographic terms and concepts (e.g., climate, habitat, natural resource, interdependence, assimilation, acculturation, cultural diffusion)
recognizing characteristics of maps and globes and using them to examine the spatial organization of people and places on Earth
demonstrating knowledge of geographic sources, tools, and technologies (e.g., computer maps, geographic information systems, global positioning systems, electronic databases, atlases, almanacs, encyclopedias) and using them to extract and present geographic information
interpreting, synthesizing, and using geographic information from a variety of maps and other visual formats (e.g., charts, tables, population pyramids, satellite images)

0010

Understand physical features, physical systems, and the interaction between the environment and human societies.

identifying and locating major landmasses, significant landforms, and important bodies of water in Minnesota, the United States, and other parts of the world on maps of different types and scales, including major physical and cultural features that played an important role in the history of Minnesota and the United States
recognizing various types of physical features (e.g., floodplains, plateaus, deltas, peninsulas, archipelagos) and describing major physical features of different world regions
identifying national boundaries and analyzing the cultural, historical, political, and economic factors that have influenced them
demonstrating knowledge of the physical systems that have created and shaped the features of Earth
recognizing the principal elements of climate and the processes that influence weather
recognizing the location, distribution, and uses of natural resources in Minnesota, the United States, and other parts of the world and the influence of natural resources on human populations
analyzing the effects of physical factors such as climate and topography on the development and character of societies
analyzing how human activity alters the environment and how environmental factors influence human societies
demonstrating knowledge of how geographic factors have influenced historical events and developments

0011

Understand human systems.

demonstrating knowledge of the characteristics of major cultural groups associated with particular world regions (e.g., language, belief systems, patterns of work)
comparing the ways in which human societies and cultures address human needs and concerns, and how data and experiences may be interpreted differently by people from diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference
demonstrating knowledge of factors that influence the establishment of human settlements and examining how human settlements in Minnesota, the United States, and other world regions have changed over time
analyzing the distribution of human populations, recognizing the reasons for population growth and decline, identifying the causes and effects of historical and contemporary migrations of human populations, and demonstrating knowledge of world population patterns and trends
examining how governmental and economic systems shape human societies and analyzing patterns of political and economic interaction among world regions
examining the roles and functions of basic social institutions (e.g., families, educational systems, religious communities) in maintaining social control; preserving and transmitting cultural values and norms; and adapting to social, economic, technological, and environmental change
analyzing how cooperation and conflict shape cultural interactions, create political divisions, and influence control of the earth and its resources