Boost Critical Thinking in Geography

Most of the curriculum for middle school social studies focuses on geography. It’s an important concept and lays the groundwork for the rise of early civilizations and the shift from hunters and gatherers to farming settlements -- a BIG concept for world history and the rise of civilizations.

But how do we get students to start thinking critically about how geography impacts civilizations? 

One way I’ve found to deepen the learning around geography is through playing Geography Clash. Think Clash Royale and Clash of Clans but... with physical features.

After studying the various geographic elements of a certain region, we discussed the benefits of each type. For example, in Ancient China, why did major cities locate on the coasts? How did the mountains affect security? How did the desert influence defense measures? 

Once students begin to think deeper about each geographic element, it’s time to CLASH.

Teams work in groups and are given a blank map of a region. In this example, we were studying Ancient China. 

Students get to pick only a few geographic features to include and then defend why they chose those features. For example, one group included mountains to form a natural barrier for defense. Another group included more rivers for trading. 

You can create your own challenges to get students thinking about which geographic features are best and then change regions to extend their thinking. 

Eventually, students will be able to transfer their knowledge to new civilizations and see the connection between how geographic features affect the development of societies. 

You can checkout Geography Clash here for Intro to Physical Features and Ancient China. 

How do you take student learning deeper when you teach geography? Let me know in the comments!