Middle School Social Studies

Unit 4 Latin America: Solving Local, Regional, and Global Issues

Mar through Mid-April

Unit Overview: How do people and governments solve environmental issues?

In this unit, students examine how people and governments in Latin America are working to solve problems. Students explore two themes related to problem-solving: (1) the impacts of natural disasters in Central America and the Caribbean and (2) the global implications of land use decisions in the Amazon rainforest addressing the following questions: How have natural disasters impacted the people, economies, and environments of Central America and the Caribbean? and Can economic development and environmental protection coexist in the Amazon?

Mini Unit: Natural Disasters

In this mini-unit, students will explore the impacts of natural disasters on Latin America, focusing specifically on hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. They will investigate how these natural disasters can affect the environment, communities, and economic systems in the region. Students will analyze the physical features of the Western Hemisphere and explain their effects on the people who reside in the area. They will also examine the positive and negative interactions between human and physical systems, exploring examples of how people have adapted to their physical environment. Through design thinking or other problem-solving approaches, students will propose strategies that governments can employ to better prepare for and respond to natural disasters in Latin America.

Mini Unit: The Amazon Rainforest

In this unit, students will explore the environmental and economic issues associated with deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. They will investigate the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing the rainforest's resources for international products, using maps, data sets, and other primary sources. Students will analyze the physical features of the Western Hemisphere and explain how they impact the people residing in the region. They will also examine the positive and negative interactions between human and physical systems and identify examples of how people have adapted to their physical environment. Throughout the unit, students will develop their geographic data interpretation and communication skills to propose potential solutions to the problem of deforestation in the Amazon.

The highlighted evidence outcomes are the priority for all students, serving as the essential concepts and skills. It is recommended that the remaining evidence outcomes listed be addressed as time allows, representing the full breadth of the curriculum.

Students Can (Evidence Outcomes):

Use geographic tools to identify, locate, and describe places and regions in the Western Hemisphere to solve problems. For example: Farming practices in a dry climate, implications of building a dam, and deforestation. (2.1.a)
Collect, analyze, and synthesize data from geographic tools to compare regions in the Western Hemisphere. (2.1.b)
Examine geographic sources to formulate and investigate inquiry questions to understand the past, analyze the present, or plan for the future. (2.1.c)
Interpret, apply, and communicate geographic data to justify potential solutions to problems in the Western Hemisphere at the local, state, national, and global levels. (2.1.d)
Identify physical features of the Western Hemisphere and explain their effects on people who reside in the region. (2.2.b)
Analyze positive and negative interactions of human and physical systems in the Western Hemisphere and give examples of how people have adapted to their physical environment. (2.2.c)
Describe how economic systems in the Western Hemisphere (such as traditional, command, market, and mixed) developed. (3.1.a)
Explain how political ideas of significant people and groups interact, are interconnected, and influence nations and regions in the Western Hemisphere, both in the past and today. (4.1.b)
Analyze political issues from national and global perspectives over time in North America, South America, and the Caribbean. (4.1.c)
Identify how different systems of government relate to their citizens in the Western Hemisphere and how systems of government create advantages for some of their citizens and disadvantages for others. (4.2.c)
Compare the economic components of the different systems of government in the Western Hemisphere. (4.2.d)
Explain the value each nation and/or culture places on economic prosperity, individual liberty, human rights, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, equal rights, and respect for neighbors. (4.2.e)
Explain the roles of buyers and sellers in product, labor, and financial markets. (5.1.a)
Explore how consumer spending decisions and demand impact market economies. (5.1.b)
Analyze how external factors might influence spending decisions for different individuals. (5.1.c)

Prepared Graduates

Apply geographic representations and perspectives to analyze human movement, spatial patterns, systems, and the connections and relationships among them.
Examine the characteristics of places and regions, and the changing nature among geographic and human interactions.
Evaluate how scarce resources are allocated in societies through analysis of individual choice, market interaction, and public policy.
Express an understanding of how civic participation affects policy by applying the rights and responsibilities of a citizen.
Analyze the origins, structures, and functions of governments to evaluate the impact on citizens and the global society.
Apply economic reasoning skills to make informed personal financial decisions (PFL).

Grade Level Expectation(s)

Use geographic tools and sources to research and make geographic inferences and predictions about the Western Hemisphere. (2.1)
Evaluate how regional differences and perspectives in the Western Hemisphere impact human and environmental interactions. (2.2)
Investigate how different economic systems developed based on access to resources, societal values, and human experiences, in order to address the problem of scarcity. (3.1)
Examine civic participation within different governmental systems of the Western Hemisphere. (4.1)
Explain how the development and features of systems of government in the Western Hemisphere relate to their citizens. (4.2)
Investigate the role of consumers within the Western Hemisphere (PFL). (5.1)

Essential Skills & Nature and Skills

Engage in novel approaches, directions, ideas, and/or perspectives while using the inquiry process to analyze primary and secondary sources (Critical Thinking and Analysis).
Collaborate with others to plan and evaluate complex solutions to global challenges within the Western Hemisphere using multiple disciplinary lenses such as ethnic, historical, and scientific (Global and Cultural Awareness).
Plan and evaluate complex solutions to global challenges within the Western Hemisphere that are appropriate to their contexts using multiple disciplinary lenses such as ethnic, historical, and scientific (Global and Cultural Awareness).
Analyze how a specific problem can manifest itself at local, regional, and global levels, and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors (Media Literacy).
Geographic thinkers use geographic tools to develop spatial thinking and awareness skills.
Geographic thinkers evaluate patterns that connect people in the Western Hemisphere to the rest of the world.
Geographic thinkers explore how technology is used to solve geographic problems
Geographic thinkers analyze the relationship between human and physical systems. For example: Conflict and cooperation over resource distribution and trade.
Geographic thinkers analyze data regarding physical and human systems to make informed choices, solve problems, and make predictions.
Economic thinkers study economic data in order to analyze economic problems.
Economic thinkers use economic tools to recognize patterns of economic exchange to make informed decisions and solve economic problems. For example: Specialization, trade, opportunity cost, interdependence, and supply and demand.
Civic-minded individuals discuss and analyze how various government decisions impact people, places, and history.
Civic-minded individuals analyze how the actions of individuals and groups can have a local, national, and international impact.
Civic-minded individuals analyze the relationship between rights and responsibility in national and global contexts.
Civic-minded individuals explain how nations are interconnected and affect each other. For example: Businesses may be affected by the laws and regulations of a nation; markets may be impacted by drought, earthquakes, and other natural disasters throughout the world; and international trade restrictions, election interference, and pandemics also influence markets.
Civic-minded individuals investigate how different forms of government affect daily life. For example: Employees work in international corporations and tourists visit countries with different laws, rules, and regulations.
Civic-minded individuals understand how people collaborate with others to design, revise, and communicate solutions to civic problems affecting local, regional, and global communities, including connections between local and global societies.

Inquiry Questions

How can geographic tools be used to solve problems in the future?
Why does where we live influence how we live?
How do populations, physical features, resources, and perceptions of places and regions change over time?
How have geographic factors influenced human settlement, economic activity, and land acquisition?
How have people interacted with the environment over time in a positive or negative way?
How do different systems address the production of goods?
How are scarce resources distributed in different types of economic systems?
How do different economies control the means of production and distribution of goods and services?
What role did the distribution of resources play in personal financial decisions?
Why do national and global viewpoints sometimes differ?
How do government systems affect social structure and citizens’ quality of life?
How do individuals and groups effectively influence government systems?

Diciplinary, Informational, and Media Literacy

Integrate visual information such as charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps, with other information in print and digital texts.
Explain and justify decisions and shared content using online maps, graphs, charts, data, and diagrams.
Analyze how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text.
Differentiate between facts and opinions in a text.
Read to identify cause-and-effect relationships, compare and contrast information, fact vs. opinion, and author bias.
Evaluate the credibility, authority, relevance, and purpose of online and print sources.

Academic Vocabulary and Language Expectations

Ring of Fire, natural disasters, deforestation, ecotourism, land use, slash and burn, climate change
Grade 6-8 Social Studies Language Expectations

Possible Assessments

TCI Chapter Assessments: Chapters 22 and 23
Performance Assessment
1. Mini-Unit A: Natural Disasters in Central America and the Caribbean (see model unit for assessment)
2. Mini-Unit B: Letter to the Brazilian Government (found in module unit and TCI processing assignment)

Mini-Unit A: Natural Disasters in Central America and the Caribbean

Instructional Resources

Model Unit Plan for Theme 1: Natural Disasters in Central America and the Caribbean. (linked here)

TCI Chapters/Lessons

Chapter 22: Dealing with Extreme Weather: Hurricanes in the Caribbean

Supplemental Resources

Mini-Unit B: The Amazon Rainforest

Model Unit Plan for Theme 2: Land Use Decisions in the Amazon. (linked here)

TCI Chapters/Lessons

Chapter 23: Land Ues Conflict in the Amazon Rainforest

Supplemental Resources

The Amazon Rainforest: Inquiry Kit
Storymap: A Tour through the floors of the Amazon Rainforest

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