Students explore the characteristics of the physical environment of communities, including their own community, in order to describe and explain variations in the physical environment, including climate, landforms, natural resources, and natural hazards. They also explore these characteristics to identify and compare how people in different communities adapt to the physical environment in which they live. They also look at the journals of Christopher Columbus.

In this lesson, students investigate people's historic relationship with whales and compare it to people's attitude toward whales today.

Students can plan the first attempted flight around the world in 1924. They will have to map out the route, plan what items they will carry, and deal with problems which will develop during the voyage.

In this activity, students use a story map to follow the historic route of the Buncombe Turnpike and learn more about its economic and cultural impact on western North Carolina. Students will also see how the landscape has transformed in the nearly 200 years since the creation of the Turnpike.

In this activity, students study the geography of Greece and how it affects where people live and work. Students will then use art supplies to create a 3-D model of a Greek coastline.

In this lesson, students take on an environmental project. They interview long-time residents of the town/neighborhood about the state of the local environment and then choose an environmental problem on which to focus and take action.

This inquiry engages students in exploring world geography through the compelling questions "Where are we?" This question sparks students' intellectually curiosity through the study of geographic location and the impact of humans on their environment. Working with evidence from sources, students should understand that, although we can be in different places, our impact on Earth is worth considering.

This lesson will address the physical and human characteristics of the local community. Students will build geographic vocabulary as well as use map skills.

Students review the types of communities, examine physical and human characteristics of place, and compare the characteristics of communities.