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SO 020 987

St. Peter, Patrice

Text Assessments in Geography: Interpretive Analysesof Standard Geography Textbooks, 7-12.

Geographic Education National Implementation Project,Washington, DC.

Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education.89

73p.

National Council for Geographic Education, I6ALeonard Hall, Indiana University of Pennsylvania,Indiana, PA 15705 ($6.00).Book/Product Reviews (072)

MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS.Geography; *Geography Instruction; InstructionalMaterial Evaluation; *Secondary Education; SocialStudies; *Textbook Evaluation; Textbook Research;Textbooks

This publication is designed to provide guidance tosecondary teachers, curriculum developers, and geographic educatorsresponsible for selecting appropriate text materials in geography andthe social sciences. The most common's used geography textbooks forgrades 7 through 12 are reviewed. The reviews identify majorcomponents of sound geography texts which include: (1) scope; (2)sequencing of skills and activities; (3) ancillary features; (4)readability levels; (5) content properties; (6) instructionalproperties; and (7) physical properties. A table of bibliographicdata is included, as is an appendix evaluating the instructional,physical, and content properties of the reviewed textbooks. (DB)

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TEXT ASSESSMENTS IN GEOGRAPHY:

INTERPRETIVE ANALYSES OF

STANDARD GEOGRAPHY TEXTBOOKS, 7-12

PATRICE ST. PETER

MINNESOTA ALLIANCE FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION

PUBLISHED BY

THE GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION

NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT (GENIP)

1990

2

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

TEXT ASSESSMENTS IN GEOGRAPHY;

INTERPRETIVE ANALYSES OF

STANDARD GEOGRAPHY TEXTBOOKS, 7-12

by Patrice St. PeterMinnesota Alliance for Geographic Education

GENIP, 1989

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

I. Selected Bibliography 1

The Eastern Hemisphere: America's Origins(Ginn and Company)World Geography: People and Places(Merrill Publishing Company)Global Geography (Teachers College Press)World Geography (McDougal, Littell & Company)World Geography: The Earth And Its People(Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers)World Geography (Glencoe Publishing Company)World Geography: A Physical And

Cultural Study (Scott Foresman and Company)People On Earth: A World Geography(Scott Foresman and Company)Geography (Houghton Mifflin Company)World Geography (D.C. Heath and Company)World Geography (Allyn and Bacon, Inc.)Global Insights: People And Cultures(Merrill Publishing Company)World Geography (Scholastic, Inc.)World Neighbors (Macmillan Publishing Company)Our World And Its People (Allyn and Bacon, Inc.)World Geography (McGraw-Hill School Division)World Geography: A World View(Silver Burdett & Ginn)World Geography Today(Holt, Rinehart and Winston)Essentials Of Geography(Random House School Division)Exploring A Changing World(Globe Book Company, Inc.)Exploring The Non-Western World(Globe Book Company, Inc.)

II. Introduction 3

III. Book Reviews

The Eastern Hemisphere: America's Origins(Ginn and Company) 6

World Geography: People and Places(Merrill Publishing Company) 7

Global Geography (Teachers College Press) 9

World Geography (McDougal, Littell & Company) 11

World Geography: The Earth And its People(Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers) 12

World Geography (Glencoe Publishing Company) 14

World Geography: A Physical AndCultural Study (Scott Foresman and Company) 15

People On Earth: A World Geography(Scott Foresman and Company) 17

Geography (Houghton Mifflin Company) 18

World Geography (D.C. Heath and Company) 20

World Geography (Allyn and Bacon, Inc.) 21

Global Insights: People And Cultures(Merrill Publishing Company) 22

World Geography (Scholastic, Inc.) 24

World Neighbors (Macmillan Publishing Company) 25

Our World And Its People(Allyn and Bacon, Inc.) 27

World Geography (McGraw-Hill School Division) 28

World Geography: A World View(Silver Burdett & Ginn) 3l

World Geography Today(Holt, Rinehart and Winston) 32

Essentials Of Geography(Random House School Division) 35

Exploring A Chancing World(Globe Book Com. y, Inc.) 37

Exploring The Non-Western World(Globe Book Company, Inc.) 38

IV. Bibliographic Data Table 40

V. Appendix

Instructional PropertiesPhysical PropertiesContent Properties

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Special thanks is extended to James Marran, GENIP, for hispatience, understanding, and editing suggestions of the first draftand final manuscript.

Special thanks to Barbara Wells-Howe, Georgraphy Department,Macalester College, for her ability to translate computer expertisevia phone conversations, word processing victories, and constanthumor.

Special thanks to David Lanegran, Geography Department,Macalester College, for his professional support, honestfriendship, and constant encouragement.

Special thanks to my three sons, Joey, Jimmy, and Tommy, all ofwhom endured some loss of attention during this "dining room"production. They are the young geographers who will somedaygrow up to study the world with textbooks such as these. Theytell me they "love" geography ... and I tell them, "I love geography... but I love you more."

7I. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

TEXT ASSESSMENTS IN GEOGRAPHYINTERPRETIVE ANALYSES OF STANDARD GEOGRAPHY TEXTBOOKS, 7-12

Armbruster, Bonnie; Mitsakos, Charles L.; and Rogers, VincentRobert. THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE: AMERICA'S ORIGINS.Lexington, Massachusetts: Ginn and Company, 1986.

Armstrong, David G. and Hunkins, Francis P. WORLD GEOGRAPHY:PEOPLE AND PLACES. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill PublishingCompany, 1989.

Backler, Alan and Hanvey, Robert. GLOBAL GEOGRAPHY. New York,New York: Teachers College Press, 1986.

Backler, Alan, and Lazarus, Stuart. WORLD GEOGRAPHY. Evanston,Illinois: McDougal, Littell & Company, 1986.

Bacon, Phillip. WORLD GEOGRAPHY: THE EARTH AND ITS PEOPLE.Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989.

Boehm, Richard G. and Swanson, James L. WORLD GEOGRAPHY. MissionHills, California: Glencoe Publishing Company; 1989.

DeBlij, Harm J.; Danzer, Gerald A.; Hart, Roger A.; and Drummond,Dorothy W. WORLD GEOGRAPHY: A PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL STUDY.Glenview, Illinois: Scott Foresman and Company, 1989.

Drummond, Dorothy W. and Drummond, Robert R. PEOPLE ON EARTH: AWORLD GEOGRAPHY. Glenview, Illinois: Scott Foresman andCompany, 1988.

Getis, Arthur and Getis, Judith. GEOGRAPHY. Boston,Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985.

Gritzner, Charles F. WORLD GEOGRAPHY. Lexington, Massachusetts:D.C. Heath and Company, 1987.

Gross, Herbert H. WORLD GEOGRAPHY. Newton, Massachusetts: Allynand Bacon, Inc., 1986.

Hantula, James Neil; Flickema, ThomasAndrea Berens; Johnson, EllenResnick, Abraham; and Kane, PaulAND CULTURES. Columbus, Ohio:1987.

0.; Farah, Mounir A.; Karls,C.K.; Thuermer, Katherine;W. GLOBAL INSIGHTS: PEOPLEMerrill Publishing Company,

Harper, Robert A. and Stpltman, Joseph P. WORLD GEOGRAPHY. NewYork, New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1988.

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Jarolimek, John; Anderson, Hubert J.; and Durand, Loyal Jr. WORLDNEIGHBORS. New York, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company,1985.

Kilvezon, Edward 7.. and Heine, John A. OUR WORLD AND ITS PEOPLE.Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1981.

Manson, Gary. WORLD GEOGRAPHY. New York, Net: York: McGraw-HillSchool Division, 1989.

Patton, Clyde; Rengert, Arlene C.; Saveland, Robert N.; Cooper,Kenneth S.; and Caro., Patricia T. WORLD GEOGRAPHY: A WORLDVIEW. Morristown, New Jersey: Silver Burdett & Ginn, 1988.

Sager, Robert J.; Helgren David M.; and Israel, Saul. WORLDGEOGRAPHY TODAY. New York, New York: Holt, Rinehart andWinston, 1989.

Salter, Christopher L. and Kovacik, Charles F. ESSENTIALS OFGEOGRAPHY. New York, New York: Random House School Division,1989.

Schwartz, Melvin and O'Connor, John R. EXPLORING A CHANGING WORLD.New York, New York: Globe Book Company, Inc., 1988.

Schwartz, Melvin and O'Connor, John R. EXPLORING THE NON-WESTERNWORLD. New York, New York: Globe Book Company, Inc., 1988.

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II. INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION

Research for this publication was funded in part by a grantfrom the GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT. Theviews and conclusions expressed in this publication are those ofthe author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of theGeographic Education National Implementation Project and itssponsoring organizations, or those of the Minnesota Alliancp forGeographic Education.

The major purpose of this publication is to provide usefulguides for secondary teachers, curriculum developers, andgeographic educators responsible for selecting appropriate textmaterials in geography and the social sciences. The reviewsidentify major components of sound geography texts which include:1.) Scope 2.) Sequencing of Skills and Activities, 3.) AncillaryFeatures, 4.) Readability Levels, 5.) Content Properties, 6.)Instructional Properties, and 7.) Physical Properties.

Information about each text is presented in the followingsections: 1.) Selected Bibliography, 2.) Bibliographic Data, 3.)Instructional, Content, and Physical Properties, 4.) InterpretiveEssays of Analyses. These sets of evaluations combine importantfoci vital to the book selection policy. Several statementsregarding the selection process might include:

1. A selected text must meet the need and objectivesof the curriculum programs as the guidelines for

410curriculum development are fulfilled.

2. Both the strengths and weaknesses of a staffor program must be considered when makingrecommendations for a suitable text to supportand enhance the geography education program.

3. There are advantages and disadvantages to each text;however, the text most appropriate for selection mustbe that particular volume which displays the greatestchance of enhancing the geography education programsin that particular edcuational setting.

Although careful attention was given to detail in scrutinizingeach text, there is no replacement for the primary examination ofan educational source. These recommendations attempt to callattention to all the details that would be a part of an intensebook selection process, and in no way suggest that these finalanalyses be a replacement for reviewing the primary source underconsideration.

Readabilities for the textbooks have been established usingthe "Readability Reader" as developed by Ward Cramer, andRoger Trent, Ph.D. These two specialists in education have basedtheir scientific technique to measure readabilities of writtenmaterials on formulas using a number of variables. Sentence length

be extremely high, with a coefficient of .88 for combined grade

elements of readability. It is with these two Components that theand word frequency represent difficulty factors that are tangible

"Readability Rater" has been validated. Correlations between theSpache and the Dale-Chall formulas for readabilities were found to

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levels. A one hundred word passage was identified in the firstthird, middle, and final third sections of the book. The numberof sentences and the number of syllables were counted using theguidelines for numbers, hyphenated words, contractions, compoundnames of persons and places, etc. By finding the num er ofsyllables on the vertical scale and correlating this to the numberof sentences, a readability grade level was identified. An averageof the grade levels from the three selections of the text providesan estimated grade level of difficulty for the book. The rangesimply demonstrates the gradients of grade levels identified in thesamples. Several special considerations figured into thereadabilities for geography texts as unique qualities of thewritten material were considered.

1. First, there are many multi-syllabic place names inthe content of geographic material. These placenames increase the syllable count in a one hundredwoid passage.

2. Second, teams of consultants contributingto sections of tests as regional experts writenarratives for these sections and this mayaccount for the range and gradients of readabilitiesas contributing authors combine texts.

3. Third, most texts are organized to presentthe fundamental principles as well as a contentreview at the beginning of the text, and introduce,maintain, or develop advanced geographic informationin the middle or subsequent sections of the book.This may influence the range of readabilities and/orthe average of final readability composites.

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the "standardtextbook". Whenever possible, reference to the ancillarypublications (workbooks, classroom guides, etc.) and teacher'sguides was made. However, this is the exception, and not the rule.

Special acknowledgement must be given to the NATIONALCOUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION for permission to use theCouncil's "Textbook Evaluation Form." From this extremely usefulfour page evaluation form, scores referencing the instructionalproperties, content properties, and physical properties of eachtext were obtained. These scores are presented in this guide intable form as an efficient way t- consider some very preciseindices of quality texts.

In conclusion, be advised, that these texts are all majorcontributions to geographic education, but are not an inclusivegroup. An abundance of quality materials is available throughmajor distributors of educational materials such as Marc Ed anda number of small publication firms concentrating on geographiccontent and themes such as Lerner Publications, Inc. Volumes ofprint, nonprint, and technology driven materials will contributeto the wealth of geographic resources available for educators withor without advanced geographic training. As the demand for andneed for quality geography materials increases and is recognized,so will the demand for and need for additional reviews be required.

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As teachers take advantage of the opportunities for advancedtraining in geographic education, their keen eyes for theappropriate text will be fine tuned and on the alert for the mostsuitable geography textbook for their educational program.

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HI. BOOK REVIEWS

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THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE: AMERICA'S ORIGINS(Ginn and Company, 1986)

This junior high school textbook would be effectively usedwith average ability students. The text is organized with topicaland regional foci and a physical/cultural geography mix of 40/60.The first few chapters provide a brief, elementary overview ofhuman and physical geography. Included in Chapter One is a "Mapand Globe Handbook." "Skills for Thinking" sections areinterspersed throughout the text, but it is not until page 347 thatmap projections are discussed. Unit Two (five chapters) entitled"Gifts From Long Ago" is predominantly the cultural and historicalgeography of ancient civilizations in the Eastern Hemisphere. UnitThree (three chapters) is entitled "The Growth of WesternCivilization" and covers the major topics related to the MiddleAges in Europe as well as the rise of nation states in Europe. Onepage features on a special topic (i.e., Celebrations) or person(i.e., Elizabeth I of England) are scattered throughout the firstten chapters only six times. Units Four through Nine (twelvechapters) are traditional regional descriptions of countries in theEastern Hemisphere.

Lesson reviews are prefaced by "Vocabulary" for the lesson,a "lesson preview" for the chapter, and a short four to six pagereading. All lesson reviews are structured to include twoquestions each under three headings: Recalling Information,Interpreting Information, and Applying Information. Chapterreviews focus on recall, review, and application of theinformation. This structure makes this text appealing to averageand low ability students, but does not lend itself to introducingstudents to the dynamics of any lesson beyond simple recall andapplication. Geography teachers and students are demanding moreskills and activities that develop the five themes of geography assuggested in the Guidelines for Geoaraphic Education: l.)location,2.) place, 3.) relationships within places, 4.) movements, 5.)regions. This textbook does not meet the challenge geographers andeducators have placed upon publishers.

This text does; however, consistently connect the "past andpresent" with "recent histories" of different countries in thechapters on regions. Recognition of the connection between historyand geography is a strength of this text. Photographs introducingeach chapter are appealing and inviting as they convey present dayimages of places. Reproductions of artistic paintings such as theone found of page 211 showing part of the elaborate coronationceremony when Napoleon became emperor, convey vivid images of thepast.

410 lMaps are user friendly. Directions are given for all numbered

ines of latitude/longitude. Graphic scales include miles and

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kilometers. Political maps are colorful and include nationalcapitals as well as cuan+-ry abbreviations. Historical maps includethe documenting of early trade routes as well as products ofexchange. Land use maps include the standard divisions as well asfishing and unuroductive land use keys. Maps showing spatialdistributions are found throughout, usually focusing on two themes,such as the one found on page 216 showing coal/iron ore fields andpeople per square mile/kilometer. In the regional chapters, a 1"X 2" inset map of the Eastern Hemisphere highlighting the countrydiscussed in the lesson appears on each country map. This is veryuseful and helps to develop spatial concepts. The Atlas sectionat the end of the text has four maps that are severed by the bookbinding process. This is not appealing and makes any part of themiddle of the map almost impossible to use.

The text is written in an appealing fashion and tries to tellthe reader a story. Page 322 (from the lesson "Life in NorthAfrica and the Middle East.") starts out with this question: "Doyou remember the oil village that you came across during yourjourney across the Sahara?" In the same lesson, students learnthat "life in the oil fields is not easy," and find out much about"oil production" with a full page illustration on page 323.

There are some serious voids in the "nature of geography" aspresented in this text; however, this book should not bediscredited as a serious attempt to have high student appeal. Ateacher with advanced training in geographic education would findthe text useful but insufficient.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY: PEOPLE AND PLACES(Merrill Publishing Company, 1989)

This junior/senior high school geography text would beeffectively used with average ability and high ability levels ofstudents. The text is organized with topical and regional fociand a cultural/physical mix of 30/70. The approach isinterdisciplinary and comprehensive. The authors have made aspecial effort to produce the most useful teacher's guide of 334pages. The guide outlines a day by day account of chapter work,implementation of skills schedule, learning styles/approaches tobe used, and ample suggestions for implementation of the text.Chapter guidelines for the teachers include chapter objectives,skill objective, chapter overview, chapter activities (teachingactivity, reinforcing activity; and enriching activity), as wellas chapter conclusion. Answers to chapter questions are presentedin a structured, easy to follow format. Lesson plansuggestions/strategies are outlined. An excellent "state of the

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art" bibliography of resources for student and teacher is displayedfor each chapter. A list of supplementary materials is alsoincluded for each chapter. Teachers may find this teacher's guidemore useful than most because of its exceptional and outstandingaualities.

Students are captured in the prologue with an invitation tostudy the Earth's "awesome" environments and the world's"fascinating" cultures. The "nature of geography" and geographicinquiry are clearly laid out for the student in Unit One. A threepage section on "The Value of Geography" gives purpose to themeaningful introduction and to the discipline itself. Again, thetext is written in an appealing fashion. Here are a few samples:"Most people are curious about their surroundings...studyinggeography can help to answer many of the questions people mighthave about their communities." On this same page (17) students aretold "Geography tells where places are located and why they areimportant."

Chapters are divided into short concise sections with acontent check at the end of each lesson in the chapter. Questionsinclude recall, application, and a "challenge" question. Chapterreviews are 7..lucationally sound with a variety of activities andtypes of questions. Students are asked to summarize, review,remember, understand, reinforce, and think creatively as well ascritically. In the Unit One Review, a one page summary of"Developing Geography Skills: Asking Effective Questions"challenges students to prepare a list of eight questions on thefollowing topic: "How the World Feels Smaller Because of GlobalInterdependence."

Unit One (Chapter One) offers a hurried and somewhat brieflook at the types of maps, interpretation of maps, and productionof maps. Unit Two deals with Physical Geography in three chaptersand eleven lessons. Unit Three covers Human Patterns in threechapters and nine lessons. A substantial effort to introduce anddevelop some of the major themes in geography is what helps to makethese units effective and full of "good" geography. Units Fourthrough Ten present regional studies of Anglo-America, LatinAmerica, Europe, North Africa and Southwest Asia, Africa South ofthe Sahara, Asia, Oceania, and Antarctica.

The text is written in an appealing style, and tends to focuson conceptual as well as informative content. Narratives are inshort, sometimes too brief sections; however, the cautious eye maycatch a few "blanket" statements that seem to reserve the truth.An example of this can be found on page 212: "Americans havealways been mobile." Many Minnesotans might strongly disagree niththe statement on page 191: "Minneapolis and St. Paul are leadingcenters for flour production and the making of farm equipment."

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Special features are another strong aspect of this text.Features (one to two page sections) are interspersed throughout thetext and revolve around special topics or persons, "thinking likea geographer," the urban world, and "strange but true" phenomena.The forty-two "skills" features are well done. Examples of someof these quality features include: "Understanding Scale," "ReadingClimographs," "Analysis of Cities," "Geographic and PopulationCenters," and "Analyzing Photographs."

The maps appear to be drawn with sufficient detail andcartographic sophistication. Lines of latitude/longitude arenumbered with directionalities for easy location. Small inset mapsare also drawn to detail with numbered latitude/longitudedirectionalities abbreviated on each line, and a separate scaleshowing miles/kilometers. Data is presented in the metric systemas well as commonly used English terms of measurements standard inthe American society. An innovative map (page 226) showing"relative population of Canada" is mistakenly. called a "diagram."Several overlay maps showing relative size are found throughoutsuch as one on page 621 showing the relative size of the PacificIslands and the U.S. or the one on page 635 showing the relativesize of Antarctica compared to the U.S. Seven maps in the Atlassection are severed by the book binding process and are notappealing for sight or use.

National profiles are presented in a colorful, well organizedfourteen page section. The data file of information provides theaccess to bases which could be parts of many relevant lessons.

Aside from some serious voids in trying to be "short andsweet," this is an honest effort to present a comprehensive studyof world geography in a fashion appealing to most. students. Withgood solid educational information in the teacher's guide, andlessons that present themselves well, this text should be a seriousconsideration of any book selection committee.

GLOBAL GEOGRAPHY(Teachers College Press, 1980

This junior/senior high school text would be appropriate withaverage and above average ability students. This innovative textis organized with topical, regional, and thematic foci and aphysical/cultural mix of 10/90. The emphasis here is clearly ahuman geography approach, but physical geography material couldeasily be a part of the curriculum program and sequenced to supportthe layout of the text. Unit One, consisting of five chapters andfifteen lessons, introduces students to some major concepts of

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411 program, etc.) and the impact on spatial patterns are alsopopulation geography. The politics of population (policies,

discussed. Chapters Three and Five present regional treatments ofNorth America and Southern Africa respectively. Unit Two discusseshuman needs in Three chapters with regional foci on North Africa-Southwest Asia, Africa-South of the Sahara in two additionalchapters. Unit Three emphasizes resources in three chapters, andincludes regional foci on Australia-New Zealand and the SovietUnion in two additional chapters. Unit Four discusses globalconnections in three chapters with regional emphases on Japan andSouth Asia in two additional chapters. Unit Five discusses changeand the future in three chapters with regional foci on East Asiaand Europe in two additional chapters.

There are no photographs in the text. Instead students arestimulated by the creative illustrations, useful black/white maps,and diagrams. Several "cartoon" sequences are interspersed and aremotivating as well as appealing to student interest. Thesesupportive visuals align with the text to meet this "to the studentmessage" in the introduction: "Geographic skills are used toobtain, display, and analyze information about the world.Geographic perspectives are used to understand how different peopleview the world." Students are asked to recall and applyinformation with many "what" and "why" questions. Simulations area part of several chapters. There are no chapter summaries or unitsummary activities.

41)

Regional treatments include information on location,historical roots, cultural background, the natural setting, "WhereDo the People Live?","Who Are the People?", "What Do the PeopleDo?", and special topics which are of significance to the area(i.e., "Food Problems and Solutions in Bangladesh"). Throughoutthe context of the narratives, students are stimulated to utilizethe methods of geographic inquiry. Although not specificallyidentified, the five themes of geography are developed by theinnovative approach and content of this text.

Maps are not colorful, but are of "high interest" andextremely useful. Two examples to support this observation wouldhave to include the "Population Distribution in North America,1980" map on page 30 and the map found on page 32 showing "GrowthRates by State, 1970-1980." The maps are used to presentinformation, show patterns, and to help students think critically.Some mapping activities are included such as the one on page 375which asks the students to use the information from a tablecontaining data about the major countries of Europe to constructan "area information" (choropleth) map.

Teachers with advanced training in geographic education willfind this text stimulating, innovative, and "state of the art"geography. Curricula which lend themselves to thematic as well astopical/regional approaches would find this text a vital part of

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the program. This textbook should be a serious consideration forany book selection committee whose staff would be able to take thistext and "run" with it. It is good geography.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY(Mc Dougal, Littell & Company, 1986)

This junior/senior high school text would be appropriate foruse with average and above average ability students. Thereadability tests out at a 10.5 grade level and there are passagesranging from a 7.3 readability to a 12.3 readability. The multi-syllable place names account for some of the high rangedreadability scores. The text is organized with a topical,regional, and thematic foci. The physical/cultural mix in thistext is 30/70. Although not specifically identified, this textdevelops many of the objectives in geographic education related tothe five themes of geography. Extensive use of case studies todevelop the study of geography is an integral part of the text.Fifty-eight case studies can be found throughout the text. Worlddata sheets are interspersed as well. Several "picture essays" areused to develop the method of geographic inquiry, and ten "focusfeatures" develop specific geographic skills.

Unit themes are used to introduce topical and regionalsections. These themes can be identified as location, regions, theenvironment, resources, interaction, transportation andcommunications, connections to the world, diffusion, migration,central places, land use, and the future. Individual chapters withregional emphases include the major subdivisions of the "naturalenvironment" and the "human environment." Anglo-America, NorthAfrica/Southwest Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, Europe,Japan, China, Southeast Asia, Soviet Union, Latin America, andIndia are the core regional areas. "The future of...." each ofthese regions is always the concluding portion of the chapter.Student activities challenge students to recall, apply, and analyzegeographic information as well as use techniques of geographicinquiry and tabulation. Chapter summary and reviews are providedfor each chapter, but not for the units. Each chapter summary isunique in that it provides an "in your community" section withseveral first rate activities. This is a real plus for thistextbook.

The cartography is another strong aspect of this textbook.The maps are colorful, expressive, informative, and "user-

o

friendly." One major complaint would have to be that there aremaps throughout the text covering one-third to one-half the pagewith no lines of latitude/longitude. This is a serious void in theproduction of maps for this text. Sow-, examples of the innovativemaps would have to include the one on page 58 showing the availablewind power in the United States (annual average watts per squaremeter), one on page 498 entitled "trade area for a branch bank,"and one on page 389 showin; the diffusion of papermaking fromChina. Students are constantly asked to answer these questions:1.) What is the map about?, 2.) What does the map say?, and 3.)What does the map mean? Students use the "Bermuda Triangle" lessonto learn absolute location, a census tract to look at the Blackpopulation in Indianapolis, and residential preference data toproduce an area-value map. All of these stimulating inclusions arereasons why this text is of "high student interest" ar: "goodgeography."

Three maps in the Atlas section are severed by the bookbinding process. "Area scale" keys are included on maps in thissection to help students understand what portion of the map's areais equal to so many square miles/kilometers. An index of placenames for the Atlas section, which is not an usual part of mosttextbooks, is a very useful addition.

Teachers with advanced training in geographic education willbe thrilled with this text which has incorporated high studentinterest with "state of the art" geography. Some serious voids,such as the absence of latitude/longitude on maps that should havethem, text lines of inappropriate length for efficient reading,readability scores which signal caution for the selectors, and adata base used throughout the book which needs to be updated, areshortcomings which will have to be addressed for a second edition.These deficiencies aside, this is a serious contender for any bookselection committee.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY: THE EARTH AND ITS PEOPLE(Harcourt Brace Joanovich, 1989)

This junior/senior high school text would be appropriate foruse with average and above average ability students. Thereadability tests out at 11.4 grade level and the text has passagesranging from a 9.9-12.3 readability; therefore,it should becautiously considered when selection is made. The multi-syllableplace names account for some of the high ranged readability scores,but would not inflate a score three grade levels above the intendedlevel. The text is organized with a topical and regional approachand a physical/cultural geography mix of 40/60. The five basic

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themes of geography are an integral part of the introduction tothis text, but not clearly identified throughout. Extensive useof case studies is also a real asset to the "nature of geography"presented in this textbook, as is the "geography in the workplace"features which explore twelve occupations.

Unit One establishes the "nature of geography" and the toolsof geographic inquiry. Unit Two is the core of the physicalgeogri,pny content. Unit Three looks at the cultural patterns,patterns of urbanization, a feature on "all that trash," readingeconomic maps, summarizing information, and a profile of urbanplanners. Units Four through Twelve are the core of the regionalcontent studying the U.S. and Canada, Middle America, SouthAmerica, Europe and the Soviet Union, North Africa and the MiddleEast (which is not the preferred regional term according to somegeographers), Africa South of the Sahara, South Asia, East Asia,and Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Some re-sequencing of theskill features interspersed throughout should be considered. Forexample, "determining location" (absolute and relative) is notintroduced until page 671.

Regional studies discuss physical regions with subheadingsthat confuse the geographic reasoning presented to students. Forexample, in Chapter 34, the print type/size for "Physical Regions"is the same as the subheadings of "mainland mountains;" "alluvialriver valleys," "islands," etc. Regional chapiers are introducedwith a "putting the chapter in focus" section which identifiesideas to understand, terms to define, and places to locate.Section reviews ask students to briefly define, locate, summarize,outline, identify, and analyze ideas. This hierarchical approachto questioning is quite complementary to current learning theory,especially as it relates to the development of critical thinkingskills. Chapter reviews are equally educationally sound withchapter summaries, reviews of geographic terms, reinforcement ofgeography skills, practice in the use of primary sources, andexploration of the applications of geography.

Captions for maps and photographs are prefaced with headingsthat read "learning from maps," or "learning from pictures" andinclude interesting discussion questions. However, it appearsadditional research is required in the process of answering thesequestions. For example, the caption for a photograph on page 647reads, "Why is Buddhism an example of e39ansion diffusion?", when"diffusion" is not even defined in the glossary or text.

Maps are of good quality (physical maps more so thanpolitical maps), but when the possibility of an exciting map couldbe there and is not, such as the map on page 652 sl-owing "JapaneseWorld Trade," some of this quality is diminished. Five of the mapsin the Atlas section are severed by the book binding process and

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are unappealing. The "Geodata Files" at the end of the textprovide information for many possible activities. The gazetteerand glossary are of good quality and again a very useful part ofthis text.

Aside from the fact that the regional chapters read like anencyclopedia, and that some reservations remain concerning thereadability of the narratives, this will be a serious considerationfor book selection committees.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY(Glencoe Publishing Company, 1989)

This junior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith average and above average ability students. The text isorganized with a topical as well as regional foci, and has aphysical/cultural geography mix of 30/70. The five basic themesof geography are specifically defined in the first chapter, but notclearly identified throughout the text. This book, aside from thefirst three chapters, is the Laidlaw version of World Geography,and was produced for a 1989 copyright by the acquiring publisherof Laidlaw secondary titles.

Units are introduced with large, and very invitingphotogrlphs. Each subdivision of every chapter is prefaced withan overview and list of objectives. There is a "reviewing thesection" at the end of each chapter subdivision ahich expectsstudents to answer how, what, and why questions. Chapter reviewslook at terms, facts, skills, and develop critical thinking. Unitreviews are centered around reviewing concepts, reading and writingskills, as well as making "connections" (i.e., interdependence).Several photographic essays are interspersed throughout and aretastefully done. Typical of these exceptional photographic essaysis the one on pages 198-199 entitled "Natural Wonders of WesternEurope." Other features in the book focus on major geographicalconcepts, persons, ski.ls, etc. Careers in geography are also apart of the "Features."

The layout and print size complement the appropriate balancebetween the printed and the illustrative materials. Chaptersubdivisions are focused on the land and the climate, history and

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the government, and cultural expressions. Headings within thesubdivisions are clear, and make for easy reading as well as by thestudents. "Using your skills" (one to two liners) are in themargins of the pages throughout and ask students to drawconclusions, interpret, calculate, etc. There is an honest effortto challenge students to use all formats of geographic inquiry andexplore major geographic concepts.

Maps are cf good quality, but the absence oflatitude/longitude lines on many is a serious void. Maps showinformation of interest to students. Two examples of such mapswould have to be the "transportation in the United States andCanada" map on page 112, as well as the interesting side view ofthe Great Lakes showing elevations and lake depths on page 114.Introductory unit maps identify the region to be studied as abrightly colored highlighted area on a world map. Map projections,however, do not include the innovative perspectives possible incartography today (i.e., overlays, cartograms, etc.). Nine of themaps in the Atlas section are severed in the book binding processand are not appealing. A "World Facts" data file with usefulinformation is included at the end of the Atlas section. Thegazetteer lists a written statement of location and the absolutecoordinates for all the places it identifies.

Content of this text incorporates timely information aboutr,ivns students hear about daily in the news; and therefore, isnot the typical encyclopedia approach to regional geography. Thehigh student appeal, layout, and fundamental geographic contentalong with the stable readability (8.1) makes this a textbook forserious consideration by book selection committees.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY: A PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL STUDY(Scott Foresman and Company, 1989)

This junior/senior high school textbook would be appropriatefor use with average and above average ability students. The texthas a regional and topical foci with a physical/cultural geographymix of 30/70. Unit One, consisting of three chapters, lays thefoundation for the physical geography component of the text. Theunit consists of ten topical lessons, three map lessons, and onecase study. Unit Two, consisting of two chapters, establishes thefoundation for the cultural geography approach in this text. Theunit consists of six topical lessons, two map lessons, and one casestudy. Units Three through Ten consist of regional studies of thefollowing areas: United States and Canada, Middle and South

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America, Western Europe, Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, NorthAfrica and Southwest Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, South, East, andSoutheast Asia, Australia and the Southern "Realm." All chaptersinclude at least one major map lesson. This is certainly anoutstanding feature of this textbook. These map lessons form alogical map skills program and a core of high quality presentationssuch as the one on page 215 entitled: "Understanding AltitudinalZones."

Units arc introduced with large, excellent, high interestphotographs. Each chapter is introduced with a superiorphotograph. Sections within each chapter are previewed with a lookat key places, key terms, and main ideas. Map study questions areinterspersed throughout the text as captions for many of the maps.Chapter sections are reviewed by locating key places, identifyingkey terms, reviewing main ideas, and critical thinking activities.The text is neatly laid out with headings in boldface and a printformat which lends inself to efficient reading. There is a balancebetween the narrative and the illustrative/visual materials, whichis appealing to students. Chapter reviews are extensive. Theysummarize each section, reinforce geography skills, test forlocating key places, recall key terms, review main ideas, anddevelop critical thinking skills.

Regional units "cover" as many countries as possible. As aresult, appreciation for cultural differences/similarities issomehow lost. At times, the text reads like an encyclopedia. Somepassages break away from this "generic" approach to countries;however, a "lively fashion" is still questionable. Pilotingpertions of the text with groups of students may prove useful priorto purchasing. Student preference, comprehension, etc. arcexamples of the types of information obtainable when piloting isa part of the selection process.

Maps are of good quality and a major component of thetextbook. The map lessons are a real cartographic plus to thisbook. Examples of this can be seen on page 335 where the map ofthe western hemisphere has north at the bottom, in a map on page373 entitled "How Europe Looks from Moscow," and in the cartogramon page 531 showing "Countries According to Size of Population."Three of the maps are severed by the book binding process in theAtlas section. A "Facts About Countries" section is included atthe end of the Atlas section. This data bank of information aboutthe countries in the world is useful, but would be more useful ifother significant facts were a part of the country profiles.

An evaluator may wonder why soils are discussed under theheading of the Mediterranean climate region as opposed to theexisting "soils" heading or why some of the text reads blandly asinformation is presented but would be impressed with thepresentation and use of maps, the comprehensive reviews, and the

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appealing format. This is a serious consideration for booAselection committees; however, a test pilot reading is stronglyrecommended.

PEOPLE ON EARTH: A WORLD GEOGRAPHY(Scott Foresman and Company, 1988)

This junior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith average ability students. The text is organized with atopical and regional foci. The physical/cultural geography mix is40/60. Units One through Three establish the foundation forgeographic inquiry with a study of "models of the earth," physicalgeography, and population geography. Units Four through Nine areregional treatments of North America, South America, Europe and theSoviet Union, Asia, Lands of the South Pacific, and Africa.

Chapters are introduced with a one page narrative. Thechapter sections are reviewed with vocabulary drills, recall ofmain ideas, and skill builders. Chapter reviews are objective innature with recall and application of information. Unit reviewsare two pages in length with the following parts: vocabulary, mainideas, skill activities, testing vocabulary, recalling main ideas,building skills, and further reading.

The printed text reads with ease because of the fact that thelines of intermediate page width in columns are in appeaanceappealing and contribute to comfortable reading speeds. Heaa.ngsare in big/bold print for effective comprehension and recall.Information is timely and interesting as is evident in an exampleon page 303 about air pollution in "Peking," China. Some of thereading passages about countries are simplistic and too brief forany real cultural appreciation. This is a r;oncern if developingthe fundamental theme of human characteristics and culturalpatterns is one of the main objectives of t.ie curriculum. Thesebrief sections are quick looks at countries and not in-depthcoverage. A typical example of this is the text for Burma as foundon page 421: "Llama is not crowded. This is one of the reasonswhy it has survived a government policy to close off Burma from therest of the world. Burma is highly regulated. All mineral andforestry output and rice production is claimed by the government.Little is imported. There is shortage of everything but rice."

Units are introduced with large high quality photographs.Captions for the photographs throughout the book are usuallyinformative paragraphs. Eight career features are incorporatedwhen appropriate. There is at least one "skill" feature in eachchapter, which does indicate a sequenced skills program.

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The maps are of good quality. Each unit is introduced witha one page physical map and/or one page political map of the regionto be studied. Boundaries are shown with white lines as opposedto the usual black lines. Elevation is measured in meters/feet anddistance is measured in kilometers/miles. Small boxed "area"scales are included with maps that are a full page in size. Somemaps that are less than a full page in size do not show lines oflatitude/longitude. Choropleth maps are used to show suchinformation as the residences of minorities by state, thepopulation centers for eleven states from 1790-1980, or the fallline cities of the Atlantic coastal plain. A "Handbook ofInformation" precedes the Atlas section. Six of the maps in thebook's Atlas are severed by the book binding process.

The text's approach is basic and pragmatic. Teachers willfind the textbook useful, but those with advanced geographictraining may find it insufficient for the objectives they havedeveloped for their courses.

GEOGRAPHY(Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985)

This junior /high school textbook would be appropriate foruse with average ability students. The text is organized withregional and thematic foci. The physical/cultural mix is 20/80.The introduction to the teacher's edition discusses reading and thesocial studies. Special attention to the development of readingand writing skills is incorporated into the text. There is a"reading skills exercise" for each chapter.

The thematic approach to the study of geography in this textis unique and a stimulating way to learn the discipline. Thisapproach lends'itself to high student interest and appeal. Withinthe thematic context, regions are discussed and investigated. Forexample, Chapter Four deals with the theme of "nations," andChapter Five deals with China. Other themes developed throughoutthe Units include: "Food for a Hungry World," "Transportation forPeople and Resources," "Developing Nations," "Human Resources,""Countries in Conflict," "Cooperating Nations," and "People ChangeEarth." Nine case studies are included as are skill sections andfeatures on cities of the world. Principles of physical geographyand geographic inquiry are discussed in Chapters One and Two.Chapter Three discusses the major concepts of population geography.Checkpoints are included throughout the chapters at logical points

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and consist of several what, how, and why questions. Chapterreviews include vocabulary review, application of skills, thoughtquestions, and related activity suggestions. These suggestedactivities are "first rate" and offer some very excellentsupplementary lessons.

Nation profiles include a look at physical regions, cultures,historical influence, some reference to "today," and topics ofspecial interest to that particular region. Geographers may betaken aback by some of the lexicon, such as "Brazil's thicklysettled coast" (p. 170) and the "thinly settled interior." (p.176) .

The text is written in a lively and involving fashion withhigh interest sections that lend themselves well to the thematicapproach, such as, "How do people get their food?" and "How dopeople change the earth?" Maps are also of high interest showingsuch geographical phenomena as "coastlines of the world iftemperatures increased," and an "urban heat island" (London). Mapsare generally of good quality, but the miles/kilometers labels weremistakenly left off the graphic map scales on page 347. Lines oflatitude/longitude are numbered and directionalities are includedfor each numbered line. Some maps are accompanied by an inset mapof the world which highlights the area being studied. Elevationis recorded in feet as well as meters. Some special cartographicperspectives are included, as can be seen in the map on pag- 349showing "Japan Compared to the Eastern United States." A six page"map skills practice" section prefaces the book's Atlas. A onepage reading on careers in geography also prefaces the Atlassection. Four of the maps in the Atlas section have been severedby the book binding process. A "Nations of the World" table (sixpages) could provide more information than it does (country,capital, population, area, and official language).

This textbook's thematic approach to regions is refreshingand of high interest for junior high school students. Teacherswhose course objectives rely on the inductive method will enjoyteaching geography with this text. Geography majors and teacherswith advanced training in the field will be especially responsiveto the creative use of sound scholarship by the authors and editor.Most teachers, regardless of preparation, are likely to feelcomfortable with this book.

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WORLD GEOGRAPHY(D.C. Heath and Company, 1987)

This junior/senior high school textbook would be appropriatefor use with average ability students. The text is organized withtopical and regional foci and a physical/cultural mix of 30/70.The readability tests out at the 10.2 grade level with ranges of8.4-12.0. The multi-syllable place names may account for some ofthe higher range of readabilities. The preface to the units of thetext includes an eighteen page section discussing the tools ofgeographic inquiry. Unit One establishes the foundation forphysical geography and Unit Two establishes the foundation forhuman geography. Unit Three includes chapters on twelve regions.Nineteen skills workshops are found throughout. Eighteen mapworkshops are incorporated into the text. These form the basis ofa map program, but the sequencing of the workshops should bereviewed. Nineteen "spotlight" features focus in on tcpics ofspecial interest and importance.

Units are introduced with large and interesting photographs.Chapters are introduced with a one page reading. "Reviewing theFacts" sections are checkpoints at the chapter subdivisions.Chapter reviews are called "Geography Laboratories," with thefollowing sections: "Highlighting the Chapter," "SpeakingGeographically," "Testing Yourself," "Building Map Skills,""Applying Geography Skills," and "Exploring Further." A varietyof questions are used in these laboratories; however, recall andapplication are the dominant modes of review and reinforcement.Regional chapters concentrate on the physical geography as well asthe human geography of the particular region. Nation summaries area part of the regional chapters.

The layout and design of the text is clear and concise. Sideedges of the pages are color coded and labeled when necessary toidentify special features, such as a "Geography Laboratory," or a"Skill Workshop." This is a very useful feature and contributesto the "user friendly" qualities of this textbook. The shortlength of lines of text makes for fast reading. The text iswritten in a straightforward manner.

Not all maps have lines of latitude/longitude, map scales,or graphic scales measuring kilometers as well as miles. Metricmeasurements are excluded on some climographs, and some of thephotographs are too small to be effective illustrative visu&ls.However, most visuals are effective and there is a good balancebetween the printed materials and the illustrative materials.Attempts to make geography relevant to our daily lives is evidentin some of the maps such as the one found on page 204 entitled

"Using a Baseball Map to Interpret Population Trends." Some of thesmall inset maps do include latitude/longitude lines as well asdirectionalities for easier spatial understanding. Thematic mapscan be found throughout the book. The variety of maps includes asection of a Michigan highway map as well as a polar projection ofthe South Pole. Four of the maps in the Atlas section are severedby the book binding process. The gazetteer lists place names inalphabe...ical order with a brief description (i.e., "island, partof Indonesia"), the complete coordinates, and the page/s to lookon in the text. The "World Reference Section" lists general factsabout the United States and vital information about the earth."World Data Bank" sections are included at appropriate points inthe units to list countries, area, population, growth rate, and percapita GNP/GDP.

This text offers a solid foundation for the study ofgeography, but offers minimal opportunities beyond the themes oflocation and place.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY(Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1986)

This junior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith average ability students. The text has a topical and regionalfoci with a physical/cultural geography mix of 50/50. The physicalgeography lessons in this book are "state of the art" and wouldeven capture a human geographer's heart. Unit One introduces anddevelops the tools of geographic inquiry. Units Two through Fiveprovide a solid foundation for physical geography. Units Sixthrough Eight discuss major themes of human geography frominteraction with the environment to population patterns. UnitsNine through Fifteen are regional in nature and presentphysical/cultural portraits of these areas: Europe and the SovietUnion, Asia, Australia and Oceania, North Africa and the MiddleEast, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, The United States andCanada.

Units are introduced with full page photographs and a list ofthe lessons to be covered. Lessons are introduced with a readingand a vocabulary focus usually one-half page in length. Politicalrelief maps are used to introduce each region. National profileswith useful information are incorporated in the chapters withregional emphases. Students are asked to recall information with"Keeping Facts in Focus" sections at the end of the chapterreadings. "Working with Ideas" are also a part of the chapter

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checkpoints. These questions, however, require an application ofthe concepts learned and provide ways to maintain as well asdevelop the main ideas presented in the chapter. There appears tobe some inconsistencies in the length of reading sections withineach chapter. Some are as long as five pages, and some are asshort as two pages. Unit reviews are extensive and requirestudents to recall and apply information studied. "Discuss ThesePoints" is the only part of the unit review which goes beyond theemphasis on location and place. The "Apply Your Geographic Skills"section is usually a map reading exercise with many "which region"type questions. There are no separate skills workshops, only theskills sections in the unit reviews. Reading and thinking skillsare developed through guided activities that again, are a part ofthe unit review. An "Expand Your Geographic Sights" bibliographyof related sources is at the end of each unit review, but many ofthe sources are out of date (i.e., "Profiles from the New Asia,"1970).

The political relief maps are exceptional and use the latesttechniques in relief shading. Lines of latitude/longitude arenumbered but the letters for directions are not indicated. Scalesshowing number of miles/kilometers are given; however,not all mapshave scales, and not all maps have lines of latitude/longitude.No cartograms, overlay maps, etc. are included in the book."Geographers and Their Work" sections (each one to two pages inlength) are another appealing and useful aspect of this text.Tables, graphs, charts, and other illustrative graphic inclusionsare of excellent quality, and appear to be integrated well into thetext itself or a student activity section. "National Profiles" areinserted at appropriate times in the book and present much veryuseful information. Six of the maps on the Atlas section aresevered by the book binding process.

Teachers working with curricula that delegate one semester tophysical geography and one semester to cultural geography will findthis text appealing. Each unit is carefully planned with three tosix lessons all of which could be easily implemented withsupplementary materials.

GLOBAL INSIGHTS: PEOPLE AND CULTURES(Merrill Publishing Company, 1987)

This senior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith average and above average ability students. The text isorganized with a topical and regional foci and has a

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physical/cultural mix of 10/90. This book offers aninterdisciplinary approach to regional geography and incorporatestwenty-nine case studies, forty-one skills sections, ei::ateeninsights on people, and thirty-eight "exploration" featurescovering such topics as modern Japan, Religion and State, and the"vast and varied environment." This book would be an excellenttext for a global studies class. Extensive use is made of primarysource materials. Regional units include the areas of Africa,China, Japan, India, Latin America, Middle East, Soviet Union, andWestern Europe. Charts and diagrams are interspersed.

Units are introduced with colored photographs and a one pagenarrative. The "contents" of the unit is listed after the unit'sintroduction. For example, Unit One (Africa) lists these sectionsin the table of contents: "Adapting To The Environment," "AfricanHeritage," "Nigeria," "South Africa," "Kenya," "The Arts In DailyLife," and "Challenges To Development." Chapters are wellorganized with headings in boldface and review questions atcheckpoints in the text. Chapter reviews include: "Points ToRemember," "Vocabulary Study," "Discussing Important Ideas," and"Developing Skills." Unit reviews include: "Summary," "ReviewQuestions," "Suggested .Activities," and a one page "ComparingCultures" lesson. Extensive use of excellent primary sourcematerials is an integral part of this textbook and these sourceshave been incorporated well. This is a real attractive feature ofthis book. Photographs have informative and interesting captionsthat are actually short paragraphs.

Real appreciation for the culture of a wide variety ofcultural groups is easily achieved with a text such as this, whichhas been written to include timely information and topics of highinterest. Format and layout attributes are also appealing tostudents.

There is no unit on North America, Australia, or Oceania.However, approaches to the study of regions presented in this text,provide good models with which to study other regions.

Historical, political, economic, and human geography areintegral parts of many of the chapters. Topics of special interestto particular regions (i.e., religion, women, etc.) are included.

Three maps in the Atlas section are severed by the bookbinding process. Most maps are of good quality and employ somecartographic innovations such as the overlay map found on page 18which shows the United States, India, Argentina, New Zealand,Europe, and the People's Republic of China upon Africa. Map scalesshow miles and kilometers. Thematic maps are found throughout,such as the four on pages 136-137 which show the natural regions,climate, land use, and population density of China.

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This text should be a serious consideration for any seniorhigh school book selection committee. Teachers with advancedgeographic education may find the interdisciplinary approachoverwhelming. However, for many geography teachers, presenting"all the information about a place" is one of their mainobjectives. This book's very comprehensive study of many worldculture groups would be extremely useful in a cultural geographycourse or a global studies course.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY(Scholastic, Inc., 1988)

This junior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith average ability students. The text is organized with atopical and regional foci and a physical/cultural mix of 30/70.Unit One introduces the major concepts of physical and humangeography as well as the tools of geographic inquiry. Each of thefive chapters is dominated by the development of skills necessaryfor geographic inquiry and education. Chapter reviews consist ofdefining terms, rechecking the reading, some "why" questions in a"Think It Over" section, and a "Things To Do" section. Unitreviews are one page layouts with recall and applicationactivities. Checkpoints for comprehension and recall are parts ofall the chapters. These checks simply recall information. Thisemphasis on simple recall is an evident weakness in the otherwiseappealing and well developed geography program. .

Units Two through Nine are regional studies of the followingareas: United States and Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean,Western Europe, Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Middle East andNorth Africa, Tropical and Southern Africa, South and SoutheastAsia, East Asia and the Pacific. Regional studies are standardapproaches and discuss the physical geography, human geography, andeconomic geography of the region or nation in profile. Unit Tendeals with global issues and the geographical dimensions of "AGlobal View."

The text is written in a lively and interesting manner. Forexample, the physical geography of India .1s introduced in this way:"Suppose that you are standing on top of India's tallest mountain,Nanda Devi. It rises more than 25,000 feet (7,500 meters) in theJimalaya Mountains on India's northern border. Also suppose thatthere is a large telescope on top of the mountain. Looking throughthis telescope, you can see clearly for about 2,000 miles (3,200

2423,

kilometers) in all directions." (p. 443) Transporting the studentsto see the world through the eyes of a geographer is a unique andstimulating approach used in this textbook. This approach has highstudent appeal. The print is of a very readable font. Thenarrative layout is appropriate for comfortable reading, am_sections are easily identifiable with bold print.

An exceptional feature of this book is the clearly definedand sequenced geography skills program. Each chapter has a one totwo page geography skills lesson developing such techniques as"reading a topographic map," "comparing a special-purpose map anda graph," "understanding a population profile," or "interpretinga landsat image. The scope and quality of these skill builders arevery significant and exceptional attributes of this book.

Another exceptional quality of this textbook is the "YourLocal Geography" s_....t.ion at the end of every chapter. The "thinkglobally, act locally" message has true meaning in this book. Thelocal geography assignments in this section are ways that makegeography a part of the students' daily lives. Students not onlyread about geography, but they can observe and experience theforces of geography at work in their neighborhood or localcommunity.

The maps are appealing. Physical relief maps with qualityshading can be found throughout. Miles and kilometers are used inthe scales, and lines of latitude/longitude are numbered andlettered in most cases. Isotherms and cartograms are included aswell as a few unique perspectives/projections such as the one foundon page 147 entitled "A Canadian View of the Region." There is noworld map in the Atlas section, and only a few world maps areincorporated at other points in the book.

This textbook should be a serious consideration for any juniorhigh school book selection committee. This book's appeal to theseventh or eight grader cannot be denied, and the teacher withadvanced geographic education will find the fundamental themesnot clearly defined, but certainly very feasible to develop throughthe use of this text.

WORLD NEIGHBORS(Macmillan Publis_ing Company, 1985)

This junior high school textbook would be appA:opriate for usewith average ability students. The text is organized with topical

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and regional foci and a physical/cultural mix of 30/70. Units Oneand Two establish the framework for the study of physical geographyand cultural geography. The chapters read like an encyclopedia,and would have to rely on teacher motivation as well as supportivestimulating activities to have some appeal to most students. "DoYOu Know?" sections are found at appropriate divisions in eachchapter and require students to recall and apply concepts studied."Before You Go On" are one page sections that are identified as"Skills" in the table of contents and test for readingcomprehension, recall ability, and study skills expertise. A"Learning from Maps" is also a part of these "Before You Go On"sections and would be more appropriately placed and moreeducationally effective if sequenced nearer to the maps theyinquire about or if they were an integral part of a skills programthroughout the unit. "To Help You Learn" sections are one to threepage unit reviews with vocabulary study, recall ofinformation/facts, a brief understanding maps activity, a studyskills lesson, and several discussion questions as well as-suggested related projects.

Historical background narratives are standard portions of theregional chapters, as are narratives on economic geography andpolitical geography. Basic regional data charts are incorporatedat appropriate times in the chapters. A nine lesson "LearningAbout Maps and Globes" can be found at the end of the book, andagain, is misplaced. This "mini-unit" would be more appropriatelplaced near the beginning of the text when the tools of geographiinquiry are introduced and the nature of geography is establishedReference tables can be found at the end of the text, but smaprint and single spacing are two format decisions that make thetables difficult to use. A forty-three page "enrichment" secticonsists of more review and skills activities andinappropriately identified. Again, these lessons should beintegral part of the text, and not an appendix to the book.skills activities are good and would have been more meaningfulinterspersed throughout.

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seonisan

Theif

Physical and political maps are sufficient. Both miles andkilometers are shown on the graphic scales. Not all maps havelines of latitude/longitude, and most of the maps that do not havethem should. Special purpose maps have good intentions but are notalways effective, such as the "World Trade Europe" map found onpage 225, and the one on page 382 entitled "Population and LandArea." In the case of the map on page 225, the export/import flowis confusing. In the case of the map on page 382, stick people onan outline map does not appear to be an effective way todemonstrate population density with some impact. One world map inthe Atlas section is severed by the book binding process; however,

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a series of four half page world maps showing world climate, worldannual precipitation, world vegetation, and world population arevery useful.

The "Thinking It Through" and "Projects" sections of the unitreviews are two means by which students are allowed to move beyondthe themes of location and-place. The five fundamental themes ofgeography are not all clearly represented by the nature ofgeography presented in this text. A basic foundation of location,place, and human/physical characteristics are what make this bookuseful. A teacher with advanced geographic education would findthis text workable but insufficient. The teacher's manual is verydetailed and an asset to this text's user. Ways to use all facetsof the text are outlined. A teacher with little or no advancededucation in geography would have to use this manual for guidance;however, emphasis on the themes of geography as outlined by theGuidelines for Geographic Education is lz,cking.

OUR WORLD AND ITS PEOPLE(Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1981)

This junior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith average ability students. The text is organized with topicaland regional foci and a physical/cultural mix of 30/70. Unit One(43 pages) is the only introduction to the nature of geography.Major geographic concepts, principles, and tools of inquiry arediscussed. This serves as a good overview rather than an intensivestudy of physical/cultural g sdgraphy. "Question Boxes" are usedas checkpoints in the text to "review," and questions identifiedas "Inquiry" are also included. Chapter_ reviews include vocabularystudy, location of places, recall and application of concepts, withan "activities to enjoy" section. A "Gaining Skills" section isalso a part of the Unit review, as is a very useful sectionentitled "Things you Might Enjoy Doing." The latter is a list ofhigh student interest and high quality activities. This is adefinite strong point of this text.

Physical maps introduce all regions. A series of specialpurpose maps and thematir: maps are also parts of the regionalstudy. Case studies are used throughout the text. These areextremely effective in the nine units with regional fcci. Countryprofiles in the regional units usually are prefaced with a "why weare interested" discussion. Physical features are outlined anddefined in these regional chapters; however, after this foundation

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is laid, the organization of the chapters vary. In one chapter thehistorical geography of a region may be emphasized, and in othersit may be the economic or political geography that is stressed.

An over abundance of black/white photographs is included, anddates this 1981 text even more. The photographic content; however,is very significant and is an important part of this book's text.

Physical maps use shades of green to show vegetation regions.Thematic maps use a variety of color schemes to show land use,population density, etc. Some full page maps do not have lines oflatitude/longitude. This is a serious void in this text'scartography. The equator, for example, is the only latitude lineshown on a full page map of Southeast Asia on page 439. Map scalesshow miles and kilometers, and the English system of measurementas well as the metric system is used throughout the book. No realinnovative cartographic visuals are included. The graphs found insome of the "Gaining Skills" sections are impressive. Since thebook has a copyright of 1981, some of the data presented goes onlythrough the year 1980. However, there are some 1989 textbooks thatonly use data up through 1980 as well. The 1990 census figures maynot appear in textbooks until the mid-90's.

The text is well organized with headings and subheadings ineasily identifiable size or color. Not all chapters have the sam41headings, and therefore, the emphasis of each chapter varies. Thishelps to keep the student "alert" to the content of each chapter.The narrative is straightforward, and sometimes reads like anencyclopedia. The five themes of geography are not explained inthis book, and a teacher with advanced geographic education wouldfind this book difficult to use in developing the themes ofhuman/environment interaction and movement. in 1981, this book wasa serious contender for book selection committees. Still a majorsecondary Social Studies publication for Allyn and Bacon, with aclose to thirty dollar price tag, this text will probably faceelimination because most school districts require "new" textbooksto have copyright dates which are not more than five years old.An updated and revised edition in the near future is definitely aconsideration for this book's publisher.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY(McGraw-Hill School Division, 1989)

This junior/senior high school textbook would be appropriatefor use with average ability students at the senior high and high

28

37

ability students at the junior high. The readability tests out ata 10.2 grade level, with a range from 7.8-11.4. The multi-syllables in place names may account for some of the variations inreadability; however, the 11.4 readability is obviouslyinappropriate in an eighth grade geography class, for example. Thetext has a topical and regional foci with a physical/culturalgeography mix of 10/90.

Chapter One deals with the nature of geography by introducingthe subject with a discussion of "How to Study Geography," and "WhyStudy Geography?" Methods of geographic inquiry are alsointroduced as unique to the discipline. This establishes theimportance of "Why Study Geography?" The different courses ofgeographic study are briefly described and historical geography,human geography, political geography, economic geography, physicalgeography, and cultural geography are introduced. Chapters Twothrough Four deal with the physical geography of the world. Theconcluding chapter of this first unit is entitled "The Tools ofGeography." It is a sixteen page overview of maps, globes, andgraphics (using tables and graphs). Topics such as population,culture, natural resources, agriculture, and industry are discussedwith regional and topical features. Skills are interspersedthroughout each chapter and are integrated with the text. UnitsThree through Nine are regional in nature and focus on Europe andthe Soviet Union, East and South Asia, North Africa and SouthwestAsia, Africa South of the Sahara, Oceania, Latin America, theUnited States and Canada.

Each unit is introduced with a large photograph, and a worldmap highlighting the region to be studied. A one page overview ofthe principal physical and human geography characteristics of theregion is included. Physical/Political maps of the region to bestudied are also included in the introduction of each unit. Countryprofile tables are included listing populations, areas, and capitalcities. Sketches of individual countries are brief and clearlyguided by several headings in bold lettering. "Check YourUnderstanding" sections are included at appropriate times andconsist of four to five questions. Chapter reviews consist ofhighlighting the main points, reviewing the vocabulary, a "ThinkAbout It" section emphasizing the application. of concepts anddecisions with geographic dimensions, a review of the chapter'sskills, and a "Practice Your Map Skills" section. unit reviews areorganized with a similar format including these additions: "WriteAbout Geography" and "Stud; a Source."

"Interaction" features are of high interest and are usuallyone-half to one page narratives. The layout, print size/style,and balance between the narratives and illustrative materials isappropriate. The text itself is not written in a "lively" fashion,

38 29

but does present much information about the topics, places, people,etc. studied in the chapter. The main objective is tt3 informrather than entertain.

Maps are of good quality, but are conservative with noinnovative cartographic perspectives. Maps includemiles/kilometers on graphic scales. Latitude/longitude lines arenumbered and lettered for directions. Political/Physical maps useshades of green to show topographic features, and are not as usefulas one might prefer. An example of this is the political/physicalmap found on page 383 (Africa: South of the Sahara). Mapsincluded in the skills features are very useful, as are thegraphics (population pyramids, climographs, etc.). Eight of themaps in the Atlas section have been severed by the book bindingprocess.

Photographs are colorful, sharp, and clear images. They arean integral part of the text, and support the narrative of eachchapter very well. This is an exciting part of the book, and thephotographic tontent helps to instill interest and excite studentsabout many places and people. The photographs/pictures provideinspiration to learn more about the people and places portrayed.

For a 1989 publication date, one might expect to see the fivefundamental themes of geography an integral part of the text andits lessons. This is not the case. Although the skills featuresare developing the techniques used in studying all the themes ofgeography, these themes are not developed throughout as could havebeen expected. A teacher with little or no advanced geographiceducation might find some of the "excitement" in studying andteaching geography absent from parts of this book, but notimpossible to develop.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY: A WORLD VIEW(Silver Burdett & Ginn, 1988)

This junior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith low ability and average ability students. The text isorganized with topical and regional foci and a physical/culturalmix of 20/80. The cover photo is "awesome" and the list of "seriesauthors" is impressive. The intent to produce a first ratetextbook is obvious. The end product, however, is generallydisappointing because the text does not directly address the fivethemes, nor does the writing style quicken student interest.

Unit One (Chapters One through Three) introduces students tothe basic methods of geographic inquiry and the basic principlesof physical geography. A simple overview of maps scales, mapprojections, cartography, and photograms/diagrams is included.Units Two through Nine are typical regional studies of the UnitedStates and Canada, Latin Imerica, Western Europe, Eastern Europeand the Soviet Union, North Africa and the Middle East, AfricaSouth of the Sahara, South Asia and East Asia, Oceania andAustralia. Chapter Ten, entitled "Taking a World View," discussespeople/resources and the interdependent world. Each chapter has"Checkup" sections with several general questions recallinginformation, and one "thinking critically" question. Chapterreviews cover main ideas, vocabulary chapter "checkup" information,and also incudes a special aspect of the summarization labeled as"Applying Knowledge." In addition to the unit reviews, a one pageunit summary focuses on reviewing vocabulary, and "ExpressingYourself" activities. Among these activities are "What if... ?" and"Thinking like a geographer..." challenges to the.students.

Lessons developing skills are a part of every chapter. Theselessons are integrated with the chapter's content. For example,the skill lesson for the chapter on Western Europe is about readinga table and population density. The table shows population changesfor Western European nations from 1800-1986. Profiles ofsignificant individuals are also additions to the chapter'sconcert. These profiles appear in single column formats or in a"s? ice of life" feature.

Regional study approaches are encyclopedic approaches witha general introduction to the region as a whole, and thenindividual summaries of nations and/or groups of nations. Physicalgeography and human geography components are a part of these areastudies. These components, however, are included in theinformation on individual countries and are not extensive reports.Headings vary from chapter to chapter, and the significant aspectsand unique features of a place are emphasized. The photographs areexcellent, but the captions are dull and oversimplified. Forexample, in the Austria profilc, a skier is shown in a photograph,

31

40

accompanied by this caption: "Why is this skier wearing goggles?"There is little geographical justification for this and many othercomments/questions found accompanying the photographs.

Maps are of good quality. Physical relief maps use shadingtechniques to show the topographic features. Colorful politicalmaps in the regional chapters are accompanied by a cities listshowing population figures and the coordinates for each citylisted. Latitude/longitude lines are numbered and lettered withdirectionalities for easy use, A global inset map is included witheach political map of the region to help develop the themes oflocation and relative size /area. Several innovative cartographicperspectives are included, such as the "aerial photograph to map"of Washington, D.C. found on page 15, the cross section of the U.S.from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco found on page 25, and the"shrinking world" map found on page 468. Maps and, readings usethe English system of measurement as well as the metric system.Five maps in the Atlas section are severed by the book bindingprocess. The gazetteer, glossary, and graph appendix are alluseful parts of the text.

Layout, print size/type, and balance between the narrativeand visual materials are appropriate for. the intended user. The"style of writing" is simple and straightforward. Presentinginformation in a highly structured way seems to have compromisedsome of the "lively" style that appeals to students. Thesupplementary program of materials, maps, overheads, workbooks,etc. is one of the best organized and easy to use packagesavailable. Although the five fundamental themes of geography arenot an obvious part of this text's content, a teacher with advancedgeographic training would find the development of these themes notimpossible. The emphases are clearly on place and location, butthe information presented does try to develop a sense of place,movement, and regions.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY TODAY(Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1989)

This junior/high school text would be appropriate for usewith average ability students at the senior high and high abilitystudents at the junior high. The readability tests out at a 10.6

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41

grade level with a range of 9.9-11.1. Multi-syllables in placenames may account for some of the variations in readability. Thetext is organized with topical, regional, and thematic foci. Thephysical/cultural geography mix is 30/70.

The first seven chapters teach the main concepts of physicalgeography and are introduced with a chapter on the nature ofgeography. The latter includes a discussion and definitions of thefive fundamental themes of geography. These themes are extensivelydeveloped throughout the text in two page features. An example ofthis is the feature found on pages 202-203 entitled "Kilkhozy andSovkhozy," which discusses region/location and place. Anotherexample is found on pages 270-271 and is entitled "The PersianGulf." This two page feature develops the themes of location,region, and movement. These features on the five themes aredefinitely a dynamic aspect of this 1989 publication and representthe accepted foci of geographic education. The last two chaptersof this first unit introduce world cultures and economicdevelopment. Units Two through Nine are regional studies ofWestern Europe, the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, the "Orient"(some geographers may object to this term), the Pacific World:Latin America, and the United States and Canada. Unit Tenconcentrates on "sharing the world's resources."

Chapters are introduced with a."Geography Dictionary," anda short introductory narrative. Subdivisions of the chaptersappear as bold lettered headings that are boxed off to emphasizethe main ideas and organization. Chapters do not have "check-point" questions. This is not a problem in short chapters two tothree pages in length, but is a serious void in some chapters.For example, in the chapter on East Africa, students are requiredto read through nine pages of text before any sort of recall orapplication is expected of them. The chapter "Check" at the endof each chapter has these main sections: "Reviewing Main Ideas,""Building a Vocabulary," "Recalling and Reviewing," "CriticalThinking," and "Using Geography Skills." There is one geographyskill feature for each unit (not chapter) with the exception ofUnit One which contains two geography skills lessons. In additionto these skill builders and the two page "Themes in Geography"features, units include at least one "Cities of the World" profileand a "For the Record" section which is a short, high-interestnarrative supplement to the chapter's content. Unit reviewsinclude a narrative summary, reading and comprehension questions,and sections entitled "Mastering Geography Skills," "Applying andExtending," "Linking Geography and History," and "Reading forEnrichment" (bibliography).

All regional chapters are introduced with photographs, mainobjectives, and a chapter overview. Regional studies usually

42 33

concentrate on the nations of the region and outline the historicalgeography, physical geography, economic geography, and urbangeography for each profile. Some regional studies do not followthis approach, and therefore, urban geography may be excluded sothat a discussion of the political or cultural geography ("ways oflife") may be included. Discussions of regional issues and the"future" of a region are parts of these area studies whenespecially relevant.

The text is written in a straightforward fashion but "lively"narratives are not a characteristic of this book. Some of theinformation presented is inaccurate or outdated. In this firstexample, the statement on the Twin Cities found on page 546 isinaccurate. "Minneapolis is a leading commercial, flour-milling,and machinery/manufacturing center. St. Paul is the state capitaland a railroad center." In another example, the statementdescribing the population of Hawaii is outdated. "Orientals," whomake up about 40 per cent of the population, are the largestgroup." (p. 582)

The maps need some improvement. Physical relief maps are ofwhole regions and are a display of dull shades, incomprehensibleshading, and sometimes have no legend. The two top gradients ofblue used on the population density maps are sometimesindistinguishable. Regional climatic maps zone out climate typesin dull shades of green that are again almost indistinguishable.Maps do include scales for miles and kilometers. Lines oflatitude/longitude are numbered and lettered for the directions.Colors in landsat photographs are explained. This is one of thefew texts that does include such information and a discussion ofhow to interpret landsat photographs. Except for a few instancesin the skills features, projections are standard, and do notreflect innovative cartography. This is a serious void in a 1989publication. Five maps in the Atlas section are severed by thebook binding process.

Inclusion and development of the five themes in geography arerefreshing elements of this text. However, the cartography is areal disappointment in a book with a 1989 copyright.This is definitely a serious consideration for book selectioncommittees; and teachers, with or without advanced training ingeographic education, will find.this book useful in "teaching tothe themes."

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43

ESSENTIALS OF GEOGRAPHY(Random House School Division, 1989)

This junior/senior high school textbook would be effectivelyused with average ability students. This text is organized witha topical and thematic foci and a physical/cultural geography mixof 40/60. The text is divided into four major sections: 1.)Understanding Geography (Five Fundamental Themes of Geography), 2.)Learning About the Earth (Physical Geography), 3.) People andPlaces (Human Geography), and 4.) The World Today and Tomorrow:Geography in Perspective. Section one consists of one chapterintroducing the five themes of geography. Section two consists offive chapters covering the major components of physical geographywith regional, national, and international emphases. Section threeconsists of six chapters covering the topics of cultural, economic,political, urban, and population geography. A special chapter ongeography and history ("The World Through Time") is a nice additionto this section. Section four consists of two chapters dealingwith the issues for Americans and global issues "for our time."

In addition to the definition of the five fundamental themesof geography, Chapter One includes a seventeen page section on thehistory of mapmaking, map projections, scale, maps as perceptions,maps as forms of communication, maps as analytical tools, and typesof maps. This is a general overview, and would certainly beenhanced with a sequenced skills activity component..

Each chapter is introduced with a brief narrative. Chaptersare divided into two to four page sections that are boldfaced ingreen for easy identification. Subdivisions are in bold darkenedprint. Each chapter subdivision has three to four review questionsto reinforce comprehension and recall of information. Each chapterincludes a chapter summary and three special sections entitled:"Thinking Critically," "Interpreting Maps and Graphs," and"Applying Geography." All three special sections are attributesto the chapters they support. The Teacher's Guide has anadditiona' chapter component entitled "Community Focus" withinteresting geography activities at a local level. An example ofone of these activities can be found in the Chapter Seven guide.Students are asked to write a description of the culture of thecommunity. Students are instructed to include the origins of thepeople who settled there first and those who came later, as wellas to take photeTraphs of the cultural landscape of the community.

The "Interpreting Maps and Graphs" activities ask students touse the resources in the book to identify patterns, explaingeographic phenomena, and look for explanations. These are allhigher order skills and may have to be adapted for the belowaverage student mainstreamed into a geography class. The "ApplyingGeography" sections are exciting because they ask students to use

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4

geography in their daily lives. For example, one activity asksstudents, to find a newspaper or newsmagazine article dealing withan instance of human impact on the environment. A series ofcritical thinking questions accompanies this assignment.

"CLOSE-UP" sections are a part of chapters throughout and arechapter inserts with timely interest, such as "Oil of the NorthSlope" of Alaska and "Crisis in the Sahel." Photographs are allback and white, and usually no larger than one-third of a page.At first glance, they do not appear attractive, but the impactremains effective. For example, when one studies the photographof the Berlin Wall found on page 176 in a section on "defining theterritory," a sense of physical/political separation is intenselyperceived. However, the photograph of Moscow on page 170 is notattractive or impressive.

The text is written in a straightforward and informativefashion. References to materials/information presented in previoussections are made from chapter to chapter in the text, as well asin the activities which ask students to use a map/graph from onepage of another chapter. Some case studies and/or primary sourcematerial may enhance the text which tends to be "generic" at times.

Graphics are not in abundance, but are supportive of the text.Maps are "user-frLendly" with most latitude/longitude linesnumbered and identified with letters for directions. Mapsthroughout the text appear to be of a higher quality than thosemaps in the atlas section. Several maps in the Atlas section aresevered by the book binding process. The shading of mapsthroughout the text is somewhat unimpressive, such as the map ofU.S. Agricultural Regions found on page 72. Shades and variationsof green are used throughout and account for some of the monotony.

It is obvious that this text is an example of good geographiccontent; however, the trade paperback quality makes the propertyconsumable and unlikely to withstand the seven year longevityrequirement most school districts have regarding textbook renewaldates. A teacher with or without advanced geographic trainingwould be impressed with this presentation of geography, and thehigh student interest qualities make this a serious considerationin the selection of a suitable geography text. The greatest useof this text would be with a teacher/staff that would be able tosupplement the volume with supportive and "colorful" geographymaterials.

EXPLORING A CHANGING WORLD(Globe Bouk Company, 1988)

This junior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith low and average ability students. The text has a topical andregional organization with a physical/cultural mix of 30/70. Thefirst two units of the.text are the same first two units ofExploring the Non-Western World by the same authors and the samepublisher. The following chapters are also the same chapters inboth textbooks. Numbers for units here are the numbers used inE]-orintheNm-WesternT'1AChanir1T'qorldrespectively: Units 3/6, Units 4/7, Units 5/8, Units 7/10, Units8/11. This textbook does include additional units on Latin America,the European Region, and North America which are not a part of theExploring the Non-..estern World text. The United States and Canadaare referred to as "northern giants," and this may be an inaccuratetitle by some standards. Units One and Two establish thefoundation for physical and cultural geography. There is one skilllesson in each of the first ten units. "Examining Daily Life"features are included several times as a part of each unit."Country Profiles" are also integrated into the regional studies.

Chapters are short, averaging two to three pages in length,followed by an "Understanding What You Have Read" section withrecall and application type questions. Developing ideas andskills, reviewing and writing, developing critical thinking skills,and summing up activities are very often a part of these chapterreviews. There are no unit reviews.

. The text is neatly laid out, well organized, and user-friendly with numbered paragraphs for easy reference points. Thereis an appropriate balance between the narrative and illustrativematerials. Some gross mistakes in photographic materials have beenmade. The out-of-date photo of Fidel Castro on page 218 does notbelong in a 1988 publication unless qualified with an appropriateand explanatory caption. Some of the photographs are too small tobe effective, such as the one on page 285 showing a crowded streetscene in an unknown Asian city. Some of the black and whitephotographs add little to the regional studies as is the case ofa larger black and white photograph on page 374 showing a templesculpture in Thailand. The maps are satisfactory and produced withquality. Some shades of the same color used on some of the mapsare misleading; however, most of the maps are easy to read. A mapfound on page 165 showing the cycle of acid rain is just one of theexamples of the types of maps with high student interest. Manyoverlay maps rJan be found throughout, as size, shape, and area arespatial concepts being developed. Lines of latitude/longitude arenumbered but do not include directionalities for easiercomprehension. Generally, there are no innovative cartographicperspectives included. Six maps in the Atlas section are severedby the book binding process.

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The five themes of geography are not an integral part of thistext, but could easily be developed and included by a teacher withadvanced geographic education. The concentration of reading andwriting skills makes this an appropriate text for students of lowability. Success in comprehension is vital to developing interestin studying and learning geography. Therefore, this text may bea serious consideration for book selection committees who mustpay special attention to the needs of the below average student.

EXPLORING THE NON-WESTERN WORLD(Globe Book Company, 1988)

This junior high school textbook would be appropriate for usewith low and average ability students. The text has a topical andregional foci with a physical/cultural mix of 30/70. The first twounits of the text are the same opening units found in Exploring AChanging World by the same authors and the same publisher. Thecorresponding unit numbers were identified in the previous review.This text does, however, include a one-hundred-ninety-two page uniton "The Asian Region." Units One and Two establish the foundationfor the study of physical and cultural geography. There is oneskill lesson in each of the first seven units. "Examining DailyLife," "Country Profiles," and "Focusing On..." are all specialfeatures with high student interest. These features investigatea wide variety and range of interesting topics from a look atBuddha to a Hong Kong factory.

Chapters are short. Each averages two to three pages inlength and is followed by an "Understanding What You Have Read"section with recall and application type questions. Often skillactivities are part of these two to three page reviews. Developingideas and skills, developing critical thinking skills; andreviewing as well as writing are often included in these reviews.There are some review activities in the Atlas section of the book.

The text is neatly formatted, well organized, and user-friendly with numbered paragraphs for easy reference points. Thereis an appropriate balance between the straightforward narrative andthe illustrative materials. There are some serious mistakes in thephotographic content. The 2" X 3" photograph found on page 364 iscaptioned with, "Much new housing is needed for Japan'spopulation." However, the small black and white photograph doesnot show "new" housing in Japan or another country for that matter.There are no visual clues for the student to understand this uniquespatial problem as a Japanese issue. Some photographs are too

417

small to be effective. Some of the black and white photographs arenot effective as is the case of the one found on page 575 with thecaption "A house on a coral atoll." A student would not know whata coral atoll was from the photograph.

The maps are satisfactory, but not exciting. Some shades ofthe same color are misleading and diminish the effectiveness of themap's impact. Lines of latitude/longitude are numbered but do notinclude the directional letters. In an user-friendly book, suchas this one, this is a serious void. A significant number ofoverlay maps used to teach size, shape, and area with respect tospatial understanding are included throughout the text. The mapfound on page 165 showing "A Desert Oasis in North Africa" is agood example of the maps with high student interest that areinterspersed throughout. Generally, there are no innovativecartographic perspectives included in this textbook. Six of theTops in the Atlas section are severed by the book binding process.

Although the five fundamental themes of geography are not anintegral part of this text, it does provide students with agenerally sound basic knowledge of the world beyond the "western"culture realms. The concentration on reading and writing skillsmakes this an appropriate text for students of low and averageability. Even though this is not a dynamic and lively approach tothe nature of geography, most teachers will find it to be anadequate introductory text.

48 39

IV. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA TABLE

49

ISBN

AUTHOR/S TITLE, PUBLISHER READABILITY

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

GRADE NUMBER

LEVEL RANGE QF PAGES

NUMBER

OF MAPS

0-663-42018-5(Atlas Maps)

Armbruster, Mitsakos, Rogers 7.7 6.5 - 8.9 511 74 (6)THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE:

AMERICA'S ORIGINS

Ginn and Company, 1986

0-6*-02289.4Armstrong, Hunkins 9.3 9.2 - 9.6 707 134 (14)

WORLD GEOGRAPHY: PEOPLE AND

PLACES

Merrill Publishing Company, 1989

0-8077-61-3-6

Heckler, Hanvey 9.2 7.4 - 10.7 396 58GLOBAL GEOGRAPHY

Teachers College Press, 1986

0-86609-146-7

Heckler, Lazarus 10.5 7.3 - 12.3 596 96 (10)WORLD GEOGRAPHY

McDougal, Littell & Company, 1986

0-15-373530-9

Bacon 11.4 9.9 - 12.3 778 118 (11)

WORLD GEOGRAPHY: THE EARTH

AND ITS PEOPLE

Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

Publishers, 1989

0-02-652930.0

Boehm, Swanson 8.1 7.3* - 9.0 672 133 (22)

WORLD GEOGRAPHY

Glencoe Publishing Company, 1989

ISBN

50

GRADE

40

NUMBER NUMBER OF

SPECIAL SECTIONS/FEATURES

Gazetter of Eastern Hemisphere

Countries

Glossary

Index

Appendix

Glossary

Index

National Profiles

Index

Simulations

Glossary

Index

"Data Sheets" (country prof ies

separate index in Atlas

section)

Geodata Files (country profile)

Gazetteer

Glossary

Index

Glossary

Gazetteer

Pronunciation Guide and Pinyin

Pronunciation Guide

Facts About Our World (Country

Profiles)

Index

51

AUTHOR/S. TITLE. PUBLISHER ReADABILITY

0-673-35007-X

DeStij, Danzer, Hart, Drummond 9.7WORLD GEOGRAPHY: A PHYSICAL AND

CULTURAL STUDY

Scott Foresman and Company, 1989

0-673-22187-3

Drummond, D., Drummond R.PEOPLE ON EARTH: A WORLDGEOGRAPHY

Scott Foresman and Company, 1988

0-395-36546.5

Getis, A., Getis, J.

GEOGRAPHY

Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985

0-699-09817-5

GritznerWORLD GEOGRAPHY

D. C. Heath and Company, 1987

205-09538-0

Gross

WORLD GEOGRAPHY

Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1986

0-675-02004.2

Hantula, Flickema, Farah, Karts,

Johnson, Thuermer, Resnick,Kane

GLOBAL INSIGHTS: PEOPLE ANDCULTURES

Merrill Publishing Company, 1987

52

7.2

9.8

10.2

8.1

11.0

LEVEL RANGE

7.5 - 12.0

6.3 - 8.4

8.8 - 11.8

8.4 - 12.0

7.6 - 8.9

9.7 - 12.2

41

OF PAGES

672

560

576

MAPS

150 (20)

102 (8)

88 (13)

SPECIAL FEATURES/SECTIONS

Facts About Countries section

Gazetteer

Glossary

Index

Handbook of Information

(U.S. and Country Profiles)Glossary

Index

Glossary

Gazetteer (Nations of theWorld)

Index

528 126 (11) Glossary

World Reference Section

Gazetteer

Index

544

912

133 (33)

57 (6)

Glossary

Index

Appendix

Glossary

Index

ISBN

AUTHOR/S. TITLE, PUBLISHER

0-590.34906-6Harper, stoltman

WORLD GEOGRAPHY

Scholastic, Inc., 1988

0.02-1474206/6-7

Jarolimek, Anderson, Durand

WORLD NEIGHBORS

Macmillan Publishing Comnany,1985

0-205-07121-X

Kolvezon, Heine

OUR WORLD AND ITS PEOPLE

Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1981

0.07-039949-2

Manson

WORLD GEOGRAPHY

McGraw-Hill School Division, 1989

0-382-08423-3

Patton, Rengert,

Cooper, Caro

WORLD GEOGRAPHY:

Silver Burdett &

Saveland,

A WORLD VIEW

Ginn, 1988

0-676. 35880-2

Salter, Kovacik

ESSENTIALS OF GEOGRAPHY

Random House School Division,

1989

54

READABILITYGRADE

LEVEL RANGENUMBER

OF PAGESNUMBER

OF MAPS

8.1 7.6 - 9.0 607 93 (9)

9.5 9.1 - 9.9 624 116 (13)

8.6 6.7 - 11.8 576 53

7.9 6.5 - 9.6 564 114 (14)

10.2 7.8 - 11.4 656 91 (15)

10.4 8.7: 12 316 21 (13)

42

SPECIAL FEATURES /SECTIONS

Glossary

Checklist of Nations (Profiles)

Index

12 "Enrichment" Units

Reference Tables (9 pages)

Glossary

Index

Glossary

Index

Gazetteer

Glossary

Graph Appendix

Picture Index

Index

Gazetteer

GlossaryIndex

"Geography Sources List"

Glossary

Index

55

ISBN

AUTHOR/S, fiTLE, PUBLISHER READABILITYGRADE

LEVEL RANGENUMBER

OF PAGESNUMBER

OF MAPS

0-03-021379-7

Sager, Heigren, Israel 10.6 9.9 - 11.1 660 97 (18)W7RLD GEOGRAPHY TODAY

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1989

0-87065-897-2

Schwartz, O'Connor 7.9 7.6 - 8.6 626 123EXPLORING A CHANGING WORLD

Globe Book Company, Inc., 1988

0-87065-938-3

Schwartz, O'Connor 7.5 7.2 - 8.0 467 82EXPLORING THE NON-WESTERN WORLD

Globe Book Company, 1988

56 43

SPECIAL FEATURES/SECTIONS

Appendix

Glossary

Index

Glossary

Index

Gazetteer (Country Profiles)

Index

57

V. APPENDIX

58

V. Appendi.t

Instructional Properties

Physical Properties

Content Properties

Note: The instrument used in the development of the TextAssessment Property Tables on the following pages was theTextbook Evaluation Form: World Geography/Global Studiespublished by the National Council for Geographic Education.The author selected only the criteria from the TextbookEvaluation Form which she felt was applicable to alltwenty-one texts. These are identified by arabic numberswith accompanying descriptions at the top of each page. Thenumerical evaluation for every text book in each categoryranges from 1 (disagree) to 4 (agree). Thus the higher thenumber, the greater the strength of the book in the listedcategories. The evaluations reflect the best judgment ofthe author through her knowledge of each of the books andare not necessarily those of the Geographic EducationNational Implementation Project.

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INTENT PROPERTIES - page 1

TITLE AND AUTHOR

4. The content represents 5. The content is timely 6. The text is writtencurrent practice within and relative to world in a lively andthe disciplines of affairs. interesting style.geography and othersocial sciences.

ne Eastern Hemisphere;tanerica's Origin.

Armbruster, Mitsakosand Rogers

World Geography;People and Place

Armstrong and Hunkins

Global GeographyBackler and Hanvey

World GeographyBackler and Lazarus

World Geography;The Earth and Its People

Bacon

World GeographyBoehm and Swanson

World Geography;illhrialaLiglipallCultural5111-4.Y

DeBlij, Danzer, Hartand Drummond

People on Earth:A World Geography

Drummond and Drummond

2 3 3

4 4 4

4 4 4

4 4 4

4 4 4

4 4 4

4 3 2

4 4 4

6,0

--.,==.---t

CONTENT PROPERTIES - page 2

TITLE AND AUTHOR

4. The content represents 5. The content is timely 6. The text is writtencurrent practice within and relative to world in a lively andthe disciplines of affairs. interesting style.geography and othersocial sciences.

GeographyGetis and Getis 4 4 4

MOM GeographyGritzner 3 3 3

World GeographvGross 4 3 4

Global Insights:Pelvic and Cult=

Hantula et al. 4 4 4

World GeographyHarper and Stoltman 4 3 3

World NeighborsJarolimek, Andersonand Durand 3 3 2

Our World and Its PeopleKolevzon and Heine 2 2 3

World GeographyManson 4 3 2

World Geogradr._A World View

Patton and Rengert 4 2 3

World Geography TodaySager, Helgren andIsrael 4 3 4

61

CONTENT PROPERTIES - page 3

TITLE AND AUTHOR

4. The content represents 5. The content is timely 6. The text is writtencurfent practice within and relative to world in a lively andthe disciplines of affairs. interesting style.geography and othersocial sciences.

Essentials of GeographySalter and Kovacik 4 4 4

Exnlorinc A ChancingMAI

Schwartz and O'Connor 3 2 4

Exploring theNon-Western World

3 2 4Schwartz and O'Connor

62

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES - page 1

TITLE AND AUTHOR

1. The general appzaranceof the materialsattractive and wouldappeal to the Wendedusers.

5. Maps, graphs, and chartsreflect careful attentionto detail in. executionand reproduction.

4. The materials aredurable enough to beused for a period offive to six years withminimal replacement.

The Eastern Hemisphere;America's Orights

Armbruster, Mitsakosand Rogers 3 3 3

WorldPeople and Places

Armstrong and Hunkins 4 4 4

Global GeographyBackler and Hanvey 3 4 3

World GeographyBackler and Lazarus 4 4 4

World Geography:Ibragghlalisliggle

Bacon 4 4 3

World GeogaphyBoehm and Swanson 4 2 4

World Geography*,A Physical and Cultural5tudv

De Blij, Dauer, Hartand Drummond 4 4 4

EcadraliadlE h:A World Geography

Drummond and Drummond 4 4 4

63

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES - page 2

TITLE AND AUTHOR

1. The general appearance S. Maps, graphs, and chartsof the materials reflect careful attentionattractive and would to detail in executionappeal to the intended and reproduction.users.

4. The materials aredurable enough to beused for a period offive to six years withminimal replacement.

geogravityGetis and Getis 4 4 4

World GeographyGritzner 4 4 4

World GeographyGross 4 4 4

Global Insights:People and Cultures

Hantula ct al. 4 4 4

World GeographyHarper and Stoltman 4 4 4

Add NeighborsJarolimelc, Andersonand Durand 4 4 4

Our World and Its PeopleKolevzon and Heine 2 3 4

World GeographyMarson, 4 4 4

World Geography:A World View

Patton and Rengert 4 4 4

World Geography TodaySager, Helgren andIsrael 4 4 4

64-.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES - page 3

TITLE AND AUTHOR

1. The general appeal:weeof the materialsattractive and wouldappeal to the intendedusers.

5. Maps, graphs, and chartsreflect careful attentionto detail in executionand reproduction.

4. The materials aredurable enough to beused for a period offive to six years withminimal replacement.

Essentials of GeozraphvSalter and Kovacik 3 3 2

Exploring A ChangingWorld

4 4 4Schwartz and O'Connor

Expl_orinp hNon-Western World

4 4 4Schwartz and O'Connor

66

65

INSTRUCTIONAL PROPERTIES - page 1

3. The materials have aclearly defined andsequentially developedmap program.

9. The instructionalsuggestions wouldstimulate andmotivate theintended users.

16. The text and materials 7. Questions and activitiescould be used with in the materials encouragesuccess by teachers development of thewhose training in following thinking skiltcgeography may be a. observinglimited. b. developing patterns

c. making decisionsd. applying conceptse. analyzing statisticsf. solving problems

TITLE AND AUTHOR

The Eastern Hemisnh re:America's Origin

Armbruster, Mitsakosand Rogers

2 2

World Geography;&vie and Place4 4 4 4

Armstrong and Hunkins

Global GeographyBackler and Hanvey 2 3 2

World GeographyBackler and Lazarus 3 3 3

World Geography3 4 4rie Earth and Its People

Bacon

World GeographyBoehm and Swanson 4 4 4

World Geography;A Physical and Cultural Stall

DeBlij, Danzer, Hartand Drummond

4 4 4

67

a.b.c.

a.b.c.

a.b.c.

a.b.c.

a.b.c.

a.b.c.

a.b.c.

1 d. 22 e. 21 f. 1

4 d. 44 e. 44 f. 4

4 d. 44 e. 44 f. 4

4 d. 44 e. 44 f. 4

3 d. 42 e. 44 f. 2

4 d. 44 e. 44 f. 4

4 d. 43 e. 44 f. 3

68

eINSTRUCTIONAL PROPERTIES - page 2

3. The materials have aclearly defined andsequentially developedmap program.

9. The instructionalsuggestions wouldstimulate andmotivate theintended users.

16. The text and materials 7. Questions and activitiescould be used with in the materials encouragesuccess by teachers development of thewhose training in following thinking skills:geography may be a. observinglimited. b. developing patterns

c. making decisionsd. applying conceptse. analyzing statisticsf. solving problems

TITLE AND AUTHOR

People on Earth:A World Geography 4 3 4

Drummond and Drummond

GeographyGetis and Getis

wskiszompja

4 3 4

Gritmer 4 3 3

World GeographyGross 4 4 4

Global Insights:People and Cultures 2 4 4

Hantula et al.

World GeographyHarper and Stoltman 4 3 4

World NeighborsJarolimek, Andersonand Durand

3 3 3

Our World and Its PeopleKolevzon and Heine 2 3 2

69

a. 3b. 2c. 3

a. 3b. 3c. 3

a. 2b. 2c. 2

a. 4b. 4c. 3

a. 4 d. 4b.4 e.4

d. 3e. 3f. 2

d. 3e. 2f. 2

d. 4e. 4f. 2

d. 4e. 31. 3

c. 4

a. 4b. 2c. 2a. 2b. 2c. 3

a. 3b. 1c. 1

f. 4

d. 4e. 3f. 2d.3e. 3f. 2

d. 3e. 3f. 1

70

INSTIWCTIONAL PROPERTIES - page 3

3. The materials have aclearly defined andsequentially developedmap program.

9. The instructionalsuggestions wouldstimulate andmotivate theintended users.

16. The text and materials 7. Questions and activitiescould be used with in the materials encouragesuccess by teachers development of thewhose training in following thinking ckills:geography may be a. observinglimited. b. developing patterns

c. making decisionsd. applying conceptse. analyzing statisticsf. solving problems

TITLE AND AUTHOR

World Geograph"4 3 3Manson

World GeographerAWsrld View 3 4 3

Patton and Rengert

World Geography TodaySager; Helgren and 4 4 3Israel

Essentials of GeographySalter and Kovacik 4 4 4

Exploring A ChangingWorld 3 3 2

Schwartz and O'Connor

ExplorincjigNon-Western World 3 2

Schwartz and O'Connor

71

a. 3b. 2c. 2

a. 4b. 2c. 3

a. 3b. 3c. 2

a. 4b. 4c. 3

a. 2b. 2c. 3

a. 2 d. 3b.. 2 e.3c. 3 f. 2

72

d. 4e. 2L 1

d. 4e. 3f. 2

d.e.f.

3

1

d. 4e. 4f. 2

d. 3e. 3f. 2

GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT(GENIP)

Additional Copies Available from:

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION

INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIAINDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA 15705

$6.00

73