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The purpose of this article is to introduce two easy-to-use analytical tools--OPTIC (Overview; Parts; Title; Interrelationships; and Conclusion) and SCRAP (Spatial-Temporal; Conditions, Connections, or Comparisons; Region; Aura, Association, or Analog; Pattern or Exceptions)--that can help teachers guide student learning with maps and photos. OPTIC and SCRAP support students' higher-order thinking as they process and analyze photos and maps, rather than just look at them. Both are perfect tools for daily warm-up activities in Advanced Placement Human Geography (APHG) classrooms to facilitate student learning of geography while they practice the four F's. In using these tools for a systematic analysis of maps and photos, students can determine their own approaches to understanding the content and intersections between themes in geography. The acronyms help students remember the structure and steps and go through the strategies in a proper order. They are effective and help students avoid becoming overwhelmed in writing from geographical or spatial perspectives.

This paper introduces four local field studies designed and conducted by two Advanced Placement Human Geography (APHG) teachers. All of these activities were designed for ninth-graders taking APHG courses. Both teachers implement multiple instances of field study in different units of the APHG curriculum throughout the academic year (e.g., two times in each semester). The four activities were selected to introduce a variety of local field studies across different APHG topics and spatial scales. The aim of the field studies was to encourage students to experience the real world and apply APHG knowledge in their daily lives. The students are natural geographers, and field study can show the real connection and application of what they learn with the real world. The local field studies help students develop geographical and critical perspectives and understanding how the world works. The four field study examples will show how local field study can be conducted and intertwined with the APHG curriculum.

This article explores the concept of Powerful Geography as a transformative approach to geography education, specifically in teaching climate change. It emphasizes the importance of integrating climate change into the classroom and making it relevant and engaging for students. The article provides examples of how to incorporate climate change into lessons using resources from the Powerful Geography website. It also discusses the implementation of a Powerful Geography lesson plan in a geography class, focusing on climate change in Latin America and its connection to deforestation. The lesson aimed to help students understand the impacts of climate change and deforestation and how geography can contribute to finding solutions. [Extracted from the article]

It is necessary for teachers to check what students should do: what students should observe and investigate in the field and what should be done for reflecting on students overall field study. Every student is different, so teachers should know their students and assess what kind of help and instruction students need during field study. The teacher might also direct students to pay attention to signs posted in and around the store, as they might help students understand the store's role in the ethnic community. Prior to student visits, the teacher should prepare students by establishing behavior guidelines. [Extracted from the article]

These strategies also facilitate student engagement and peer learning through group work and class discussions over the maps and photos. Then, students examine the map of the day, carefully read the SCRAP map analysis questions, and see whether or how each of the spatial thinking questions could be applied to the map. There are many photo and map prompts in Advanced Placement Human Geography (APHG) exams, so not being able to interpret and analyze them may cause students to miss important clues for those questions. Geography textbooks are full of visuals such as maps and photos, yet they are easily overlooked in class because teachers and students tend to focus mostly on text. [Extracted from the article]

Geography teachers use various instructional strategies to promote students' geography learning, from reading maps to making presentations (Hong et al. [2]). Collaborating with five experienced APHG teachers, we identified several GeoActivity types and documented detailed instructional processes, implementation strategies, assessment methods, expected learning outcomes, and tips and recommendations for APHG teachers. Because the active involvement and substantial contributions of APHG teachers were critical to this study, we decided to recruit experienced teachers not only as research participants but also as research collaborators. [Extracted from the article]