Geo-Literacy: Flickr

Becoming literate in Geo Literacy includes understanding how the world works, how our world is connected, and how to make well-reasoned decisions. There are three parts that are a focus; understanding human and natural systems, geographic reasoning, and systematic decision making. Becoming literate means having skills that can be applied to help understand ones surroundings, create, critique, analyze, and analyze texts such as graphs and maps.

The traditional literacy’s are all utilized while carrying out Geo literacy. Learners use their skills of visual literacy to understand pictures, materials etc, as well as understanding their environment around them.  They have to write/draw models, read about the world and vocalize the knowledge they have to explain their understanding.

The content I’m learning about is that the skills learned through becoming Geo literate are becoming more aware by developing the skills and knowledge to help make educated decisions that will affect the planet. I've learned that this literacy is not only about the knowledge of the world but how people and things interact in it, relationship shared. Interconnected world that ties all our decisions together which all have a lasting impact on the future.

Some strategies I found to help develop Geo literacy before middle school are explore different homes from around the world and talk about the differences, talk about different cultures notice similarities and differences, check out various biomes, create, study and follow maps to get the students involved and thinking.

To study Geo Literacy I am using Flickr which is a photo sharing website. This technology is very useful especially when talking about my focus literacy, geography. The technology has the option to post the photos on a map which could be shared with the entire class. Everyone adds to the class map and the students will start to see people, things and conflicts in a global manor. The students can think outside themselves and more towards the similarities and differences they notice when compared with themselves. This website is a way to organize many different Geo activities and projects. Separate groups can be created to locate a particular characteristic, land form etc that the class is researching. Another feature is the chat option which allows classmates to post their questions, answers etc for the class to see and the teacher can answer. The material and skills being used to create maps with pictures will help create more of a meaningful connection to the material.