How well do you know your states? Are you on a nickname basis? Let's find out.
Simple. Fun. Educational. Geographic. What more do you need? Well, more than 10 questions would be nice.
Join Scoop.it for Free
Share ideas that matter on the social web and experience
the benefits of curating the world's best content.
I don't have a Facebook, a Twitter or a LinkedIn account
Already have an account: Login
Global news with a spatial perspective: Interesting, current supplemental materials for geography students and teachers. http://geographyeducation.org
Curated by
Seth Dixon
|
Scooped by Seth Dixon onto Geography Education |
Scoop.it!
Seth Dixon's comment,
February 15, 2012 9:59 AM
I missed one the first time around...ironically about the state that is the closest to where I live!
Sign up to comment
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
 Your new post is loading...
Scoop.it!
You may have heard that the highest-paid employee in each state is usually the football coach at the largest state school. This is actually a gross mischaracterization: Sometimes it is the basketball coach. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
What to Expect When No One's Expecting: America's Coming Demographic Disaster [Jonathan V. Last] on Amazon.com. *FREE* super saver shipping on qualifying offers. Look around you and think for a minute: Is America too crowded?
Seth Dixon's insight:
I have yet to read this book, but the title alone says that it could be an intriguing supplemental text for a unit on population (or an 'opposing viewpoint' to consider). For those that have read the book, please comment below. Tags: USA, declining population, population, demographics, models. 
Monica S Mcfeeters's curator insight,
April 28, 7:36 PM
I really wasn't sure where to put this scoop. There may be a time when the GMOs affect our fertility as many think GMOs are affecting herds fed GMOs. The physical environment might affect this as well. The social and economic challenges may impact fertility and plain selfishness and putting industrial needs over human needs could affect it as well. It looks like an interesting book so I thought I would make note of it. 
Tara Cohen's comment,
May 1, 2:58 PM
I ordered this book from Amazon because I thought it would be a great fit for AP Human. I read the first 20 pages last night and was blown away. It totally covers all the information in the Demography Unit and the author has a sense of humor. Only 20 pages in, but I give it two thumbs up!
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Via Emma Lafleur
Seth Dixon's insight:
Questions to ponder: How much do you agree with the author's assertion that geography explains the foreign affairs of the U.S.? Is there any environmental determinism in this argument? 
Emma Lafleur's curator insight,
April 17, 11:55 AM
This is a great article that explains how America's location affects American's worldview. As it states in the article, America's neighbors are Canada and Mexico, niether of which are hostile towards us, and fish. Therefore, the US had a lot of room to grow and have its system of compromise. This then translates to our foreign policy where we try to make compromises around the world but the world do not have the same benefit that we do. Even though we have been attacked, we are too far away to be affected in such a way that would tear the country apart. We are safe when compared to the rest of the world because of our location, and that security affects how we react with the rest of the world. 
Mary Patrick Schoettinger's curator insight,
April 18, 9:39 AM
There are so many facets to geography and the United States has certainly benefitted from all of them; from location to abundant natural resources to cultural histories. I think this is a good introduction to the topic. 
Louis Culotta's comment,
April 18, 12:41 PM
I would think that the united states treats Canada a lot better at than in Mexico because of the border issues that exist because of people trying to smuggle drugs or people into America from Mexico continues to be abig problem with the US goverment.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Terror in the United States have evolved since 1970: once the tool of left-wing radicals, then right-wing radicals, terrorist attacks are now uncommon, often unsuccessful, and not nearly as deadly.
Seth Dixon's insight:
While terrorism is being discussed in the media as a rising trend in the United States after the Boston Marathon, the statistics don't show that analysis to be true. This resources compiles maps, charts and graphs so you can evaluate the historical terrorist patterns for yourself. Tags: terrorism, statistics, USA, media. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
For the most part in American culture, intellectual struggle in school children is seen as an indicator of weakness, while in Eastern cultures it is not only tolerated, it is often used to measure emotional strength. 
E. Erny-Newton's comment,
March 21, 9:43 AM
This is what psychologist Carol Dweck highlights in her research : fixed mindset vs growth mindset ; some people tend to see achievements as based on innate abilities -they have a fixed mindset. Others see them as the fruit of effort and work -they have a growth mindset.Those two groups react very differently to setbacks : fixed minsets will give up, while growth mindsets will see an opportunity to improve.
E. Erny-Newton's comment,
March 21, 9:43 AM
For more on that, see : http://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/february7/dweck-020707.html
E. Erny-Newton's curator insight,
March 21, 9:46 AM
What is described here is what psychologist Carol Dweck highlights in her research : fixed mindset vs growth mindset ; some people tend to see achievements as based on innate abilities -they have a fixed mindset. Others see them as the fruit of effort and work -they have a growth mindset.Those two groups react very differently to setbacks : fixed minsets will give up, while growth mindsets will see an opportunity to improve.For more on that, see http://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/february7/dweck-020707.html ou en français : http://owni.fr/2011/02/07/apprendre-est-un-etat-d%E2%80%99esprit/ Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
WASHINGTON -- With their economies and housing markets gaining strength, some of the nation's biggest boom-to-bust cities in the Sun Belt are starting to become magnets again, attracting a growing number of people primarily from the northern part... Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Two opposing groups battle to define the word jihad on public buses and subways.
Seth Dixon's insight:
This New York Times video highlights two current media campaigns that are in their own struggle to shape the meaning(s) of the word jihad for the American public. While the definition of "Holy War" is often quoted, it also means a struggle. When you hear the word jihad, who's jihad do you think of first? The cultural context within which a word is used might not be the same context in which the message is received and interpreted. This disconnect can be a part of cultural conflicts and misunderstandings.
Tags: Islam, perspective, religion, culture, USA. 
Kimberly Hordern's comment,
April 30, 8:07 AM
It is sad that these people are feeling the negative connotations of people who commit crimes under their own definition of the word jihad. When in actuality the word means to Islamic followers a personal struggle.
Conor McCloskey's comment,
April 30, 10:27 AM
Islamic cultural has been isolated and generalized in American society after September 11th, 2001. Because of this, the Islamic religion is often misunderstood or misrepresented. There are extremist factions of every religion, even Christian, though sometimes our culture forgets that. This video is about a Muslim organization that is trying to take back the definition of “jihad” in American society. Since 9/11, the world has been synonymous with violence, though many Muslims do not believe their struggle for a better life with God is a violent struggle.
Cultures are multilayer. While some Muslim’s believe jihad is a holy war, others see it as a personal struggle. American culture has a lot to learn about the Muslim cultures through out the world, including the differences between the extremist and non-extremist factions. Extremist factions tend to get the most press coverage and attention from outsiders because they are by name extreme. It would be interesting to see how this relationship with jihad would differ if September 11th never happened. 
Zakary Pereira's comment,
April 30, 4:31 PM
Before seeing this video I had always thought of a Jihad as a religious war started by radical Muslims. After watching I felt bad personally that I had confused this word with something that many people hold as just a goal or a personal struggle for them. I do not know if it is because post-9/11 there was much anti-Islam and anti-muslim sentiment in the US (still are today) and that the word became a radical term in the United States, I don’t know. I agree with Conor and saying that the reason many people know Jihad as a religious war is because of the media attention that radical Islamists receive when they bomb/hurt/kill and that is hurting the image of Muslims and Jihad in America.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
The Pew U.S. Religious Landscape Study religion map diagrams which religions have the highest populations in each state.
Seth Dixon's insight:
The geography of religion, even in an era of secularization, is still a powerful indicator of many patterns of human geography. What is the religious profile of your state? What is the spatial distribution of the religious tradition with which you identify? What explains those spatial patterns? Tags: USA, culture, diffusion, religion, Christianity. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
The Ultimate Language Resource on the Web.
Seth Dixon's insight:
Having never lived in the South, I will defer to others on accuracy and quality of this dictionary and sayings, although I have heard this one enough understand this entry: Fixin v. aux. Getting ready to: "I'm fixin to leave." Tags: language, culture, unit 3 culture, USA. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Seth Dixon's insight:
The highway system (and the widespread usage of air conditioning) in the later half of the 20th century dramatically changed the population settlement patterns of the United States and reshaping our cities.
Tags: transportation, urban, planning, density, unit 7 cities. 
Lauren Jacquez's curator insight,
April 8, 9:30 PM
Very Interesting HUGGERS...we didn't always have highways to cruise on! Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
I Have a Dream Speech Martin Luther King's Address at March on Washington August 28, 1963. Washington, D.C. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring fro...
Seth Dixon's insight:
There is much to glean from Martin Luther King's famous I Have a Dream speech as a fantastic rhetorical device. This speech has a profound impact on the the psyche of the America culture and it has endured as a pivotal moment in history. As we celebrate his life and legacy this Monday, it is an appropriate time to contemplate that the ending of segregation (a spatial division of races) has reshaped the United States. Many streets in the United States bear the name "Martin Luther King Jr." to memorialize both the man and the Civil Rights movement. This streets, as this YouTube video suggests, are often in poor, crime-ridden and violent neighborhoods. This video highlights the irony between the historical memory of Martin Luther King Jr. and places of memorialization that bear his name. This video echoes much of what the authors of the fantastic book "Civil Rights Memorials and the Geography of Memory" say (in fact one of the authors is shown in this video). Questions to ponder: If Martin Luther King Jr. represents non-violence, then why are streets bearing his name often in 'violent' neighborhoods? Where should Martin Luther King be memorialized in the United States? Only in the South? Only in predominantly African-American communities? What does the geography of the spaces where he is memorialized say something about the United States?
Tags: historical, culture, landscape, place, race, unit 3 culture, USA, urban, poverty, unit 7 cities, book review. 
Cindy Riley Klages's curator insight,
January 20, 10:38 AM
Teachers: How great would it be to use the actual speech? Can you say, "primary source?" Here's an idea: Print it out and let students close read this important speech, too. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Home-made music video of Billy Joel's "Allentown".
Seth Dixon's insight:
Many teachers use Billy Joel's classic song and music video Allentown as a teaching tool to introduce the topic of deindustrialization in the Rust Belt of the United States. This alternative music video version adds some useful teaching images to help students contextualize the lyrics. Another song to consider using is Telegraph Road by Dire Straits; the song follows a town as it industrialized and as it later deindustrialized. Tags: labor, industry, economic, unit 6 industry and video. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
The National Rifle Association gives members of Congress a grade ranging from A to F.
Seth Dixon's insight:
Since the Newtown CT tragedy, gun control and second amendment rights have been prominent in the minds on many Americans. Your ideological position on what should be done in th future might be in part a product of geography. How do most people feel about the second amendment where you live? What about your local geography might influence those opinions? 
Eliana Oliveira Burian's curator insight,
December 28, 2012 6:29 AM
And you? What's your opinion about Gun Control Legislation? 
Jim Bob's comment,
December 28, 2012 10:07 PM
Looks like there is enough people to finally have gun licensing stiffened.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
|
Scoop.it!
An infographic of the etymology and cultural origins of the names that made the United States of America.
Seth Dixon's insight:
I would dispute the accuracy of some of the alleged linguistic origins of the state names, so take this with a grain of salt (still it's a clever concept for an inforgraphic and shows some interesting patterns). As with all long infographics on this site, you can "scroll down" on the image by putting the cursor in the top right-hand corner of the image and sliding on the translucent bar. Tags: language, USA, infographic, toponyms, historical, colonialism. 
Francisco Javier 's curator insight,
May 12, 8:52 PM
The Names Behind The States | @scoopit via @APHumanGeog http://sco.lt/... 
Aulde de Barbuat's comment,
Today, 7:08 AM
quite interesting, thanks. Unhappily, the link seems broken..Do you happen to have another one?
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
"This week's Boston Marathon bombing fit with the norm of U.S. terrorist events and threats in one important way: it occurred in a major city. American concerns about terrorism, however, seem to ignore that pattern...There’s a divide on people’s thoughts about terrorism. People that live in places most likely to be hit by terrorism seem the most sunny about the country’s anti-terror prospects and efforts. And those in rural places, are more concerned and pessimistic."
Seth Dixon's insight:
This article cites data from the PEW Reseach Center that implies that city dwellers seem to feel less dread about terror threats than their suburban and rural counterparts, despite the fact they live in the primary target zone (see full size infographic here--note that the data was assembled before the Boston Marathon attack). Question to Ponder: Why are the Americans most vulnerable to terrorist attacks the least concerned with terrorism? Tags: terrorism, statistics, USA, infographic, urban. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Put away that old Rand McNally map — it's time for a new way to see what America really looks like.
Seth Dixon's insight:
There is a great series of maps in this NPR article that show that internal political divisions do not always line up with actual regional interactions. The map of the United States shows the what money flows within regions that do not always follow state borders (see Wisconsin, Idaho and Pennsylvania). The map of Great Britain shows the connections based on telephone calls.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Provo, Utah, and Burlington, Vermont, represent opposite ends of the U.S. religiosity spectrum.
Seth Dixon's insight:
The majority of the most religious metros are concentrated in the South or Utah. This particular weekend, many of the rythmns of urban life in Utah cities are remarkably visible as the LDS church holds it's semi-annual General Conference. On the opposite side of spectrum, 5 of the 10 least religious metros are in New England; the west coast is the other center of diminished religiosity (with a mini-center in Colorado). Questions to ponder: What cultural patterns help to partially explain the levels of religiosity in the United States? What other factors explain the patterns of religiosity in your in your local area? Tags: USA, culture, religion, Christianity. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Try the Population Bracketology game from @uscensusbureau! Weekly data visualization from the U.S. Census Bureau compares populations for US states and metro areas.
Seth Dixon's insight:
Get into the spirit of March Madness by challenging your knowledge on the sizes of Metropolitan Statistic Areas and state population (just think electoral college). I got a 56 on my first stab (59 for the states)...what did you get? 
Jamie Strickland's curator insight,
March 20, 8:34 AM
Although I've never been very good at brackets, I have a better shot with this one! Neat way to engage students with population data! 
Kristen McDaniel's curator insight,
March 29, 9:51 AM
Try bracketology for geography while you're waiting for games to start! :) Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Drug Testing Index; A map of the U.S. depicting overall drug test positive rates Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Infographics on the distribution of wealth in America, highlighting both the inequality and the difference between our perception of inequality and the actua...
Seth Dixon's insight:
This video does have a political bent that may or may not reflect your views, but it nicely lays out data that graphically represents the economic differences that we see in the United States today. Our perception is as skewed as what is and what we think it should be. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
"The nation's fertility rate has slipped below replacement levels partly because of the recession and a decline in immigration. That's raising concern about the nation's future."
Seth Dixon's insight:
During this recent recession, fertility rates in the United States have dropped with many speculating that the financial investment in child-rearing caused this shift. The big question is this: will birth rates bounce back when the economy fully recovers or is the United States population going to follow the example of Western Europe? What would the impact be for both of these scenarios? Tags: USA, declining population, population, demographics, models, unit 2 population. 
Brett Sinica's comment,
April 23, 3:11 PM
These stats are hard to take in, because it seems like even though birth rates are considered to be dropping, the country’s total population continues to rise, and fast. Immigration probably plays a major role in the adding of new citizens, though just because birth rates are decreasing it shouldn’t necessarily mean a bad thing. With a slow increase of people, there could possibly be drops in the unemployment rate, or even poverty level at a big stretch. With fewer people in the country, it could mean less competition among others, leaving more options for people to pursue. It says at the end of the article that, “there are no cases of peace and prosperity in the face of declining populations.” This may hold true to an extent, but look at China for example. Their population is the largest in the world, containing roughly 20 of the 30 most polluted cities and being the top consumer of energy. Though the country has an unemployment level which is half of ours, they must put in place family planning methods such as the “one-child policy” to hope for better population control. If I know the United States, I highly doubt they would ever resort to such measures, unless the government wants uproars. So maybe I’m optimistic about the birth rate drops, but it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Maybe we should rid of the self-checkouts and automated answering machines and slowdown in technology so we don’t find ourselves in a situation that’d become too hard to handle.
Meg Conheeny's comment,
April 26, 2:48 PM
This decline in birth rates is largely due to the recession; people don’t want to have children because they can’t afford the care. We need to have a balance in our population. Having one age group, like elderly people, dominating over other generations can be a problem. Even though the birth rates are decreasing, our population is still growing at a steady rate. Immigrants trying to make a home for themselves and their families in the United States contribute in a big way to our population increase.
I think that when and if the economy bounces back, families will start to feel comfortable with their finances and the birth rate will spike. Yet, if the birth rate does get back to normalcy and the immigrants continue to come to this country maybe our population will see too much of an increase and overpopulation could be a problem. But I doubt our country will ever adopt the “one-child policy” currently in use in China, we will find some other way to control our population, whatever that may be. 
Brianna Simao's comment,
April 30, 10:45 PM
The recession is a huge factor as to why the birth/fertility rate is dropping. It costs a lot of money to have a child and most people can’t afford to care for themselves never mind another baby. Even though the birth rate has been decreasing over the years, the population is still increasing due to immigration. With the birth rate decreasing the level of poverty could potentially decrease as well because there will not be an economic burden. I don’t think there should be too much of a concern about the birthrate dropping because once the economy returns to normal I’m sure people will want to expand their family. I do agree to a certain extent with the statement in the article: “Population growth leads to human innovation, and innovation leads to conservation ... There are no cases of peace and prosperity in the face of declining populations.” Overpopulation, like in China, causes many issues, not just economically.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Readers Nick and Riela have both written to ask how and when English colonists in America lost their British accents and how American accents came
Seth Dixon's insight:
This is a great question about cultural divergence and the answer has it's roots in understanding class and place. Tags: language, culture, unit 3 culture, USA, UK, historical. 
Jess Pitrone's comment,
April 29, 9:06 PM
I think that language and accents are part of what defines a region. Although it isn’t a physical geographical characteristic, an accent can help you to identify where you are in the world, or within a particular nation. As Americans, we hear British accents as something completely different then our own, but in reality, they aren’t that different. As the article says, even though there are distinct General American accents and the BBC English accent, there are still parts of Great Britain and part of the US that share the rhotic and non-rhotic accents.
Accents are part of the culture that defines a geographical area. I would say that accent can be both a over-arching part of culture, like, for example, the General American accent that defines the whole nation culturally, or a small part of regional culture, like, for example, the specific Boston accent. 
John Peterson's comment,
April 30, 10:38 AM
This article brings up an interesting point on how accents within a given language can be hard to determine, and they can change drastically over time for no apparent reason. In colonial times, because most colonial settlers were English, they would obviously have similar accents to those of the British. While this is the case, over time with exposure to their own practices as well as other societies and their accents, they may have begun to slowly form their own accents. While it is obvious that “American” and “British” accents are inherently different, this was not always so. What caused this shift and when did it occur? It is hard to say, especially with how accents have continued to develop even within the classification of American or British accents. It is hard to determine what is a truly American or British accent because of the numerous regional accents that are present in today’s society. As a result, it is even more difficult to determine when the initial change in accents occurred in our past.
Max Krishchuk's comment,
April 30, 10:47 AM
This is a great question because no one has really dwelled on the question. I like that the people talked about the rhotacism aspect of it because I had never known that before. This is very important because that is the exact way that the British and American languages are different. I think that it is very important to understand this subject because it shows the exact way that we speak differently from British people. I like that the people who discussed the question talked about the history that is involved, or the lack of the history that is involved. The people who truly want to study this question have to read books on this subject because it seems like there is not that much information on it. American speech sounds more modern and middle class to me, while the British language sounds like it is for the upper class.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
30-second animation of the changes in U.S. historical county boundaries, 1629 - 2000. Historical state and territorial boundaries are also displayed from 178...
Seth Dixon's insight:
I love this time-lapse animation of all the county and state-level boundary changes in United States history. Would you like to see this in greater detail? Would you want to download the data and create your own visualization of this? The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries has all of this data as GIS shapefiles, Google Earth KMZ files and PDFs for the whole country as well as for each individual state. This project sponsored by The Newberry and the National Endowment for the Humanities has tremendous potential for use in the classroom for history and geography teachers alike. Tags: historical, USA, borders, time lapse, mapping, edtech. 
Sam Capron's curator insight,
January 30, 3:01 PM
What I find to be the most interesting aspect of this animation is that each fluctuation of the border has a story behind it. You could teach a really interesting class on just those small changes, and why they took place. 
Betty Klug's curator insight,
April 27, 3:50 PM
I love animation maps. Great for getting students interested in learning. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Amazon.com: How The States Got Their Shapes: Season 1, Episode 10 "Mouthing Off": Amazon Instant Video
Seth Dixon's insight:
Many have raved about the TV show airing on the History Channel "How the States got their Shapes." For Amazon Prime users, season 1 is now free to stream. I'm looking forward to watching this.
Tara Cohen's comment,
January 14, 11:33 AM
We show this episode in class to demonstrate standard language, dialects, divergence, isogloss, etc. Once you purchase it through Amazon it remains in your library with unlimited use. It's short enough to show in one class period and the kids really enjoy it.
Seth Dixon's comment,
January 14, 10:01 PM
Great ideas Tara. I think that each episode will be filled with applicable teaching materials.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Seth Dixon's insight:
This interactive dot distribution map of the United States 2010 census data has many great applications. The conversation can focus on the symbology of the map (for example, this could lead to a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of dot distribution maps) or notice how certain physical landforms are visible for either their high or low population density. One of the advantages of this map is that it uses census data at the block level. This means that the user can visualize distinct scale-dependent patterns. Sharp divisions (e.g.-urban vs. rural) might have less of a distinct edge as you zoom in. UPDATE: This map now includes Canadian census data as well as the United States. Tags: cartography, technology, mapping, visualization, population, density.
Sam Capron's curator insight,
February 6, 10:22 PM
It is interesting in this map that you can see the growing megalopolis on the eastern coast, as well as the blending of rural and urban locations. 
Charlie Koppelson's curator insight,
February 7, 2:40 PM
This map is very useful in examining the distribution of people and geography in North America. It's easy to see that our once rural based country is completely dominated by cities, most of which are near the coast. It's fun to play around with as you can see where mountain ranges are as well as other topographic changes just by the concentrations of people, or lack there of. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
|
