The National Geography Standards

The National Geography Standards for this program include standards 3, 4, 12, and 15. You may read in-depth descriptions of specific standards by clicking on the links below. All of the standards are available here.

Standard 3: How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface.

Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of places.

Standard 12: The process, patterns, and functions of human settlement.

Standard 15: How physical systems affect human systems.

Northern Japan: Protecting the Harvest shows that adverse seasonal weather changes are a major challenge facing wet-rice farmers in northern Japan. Their farming strategies reflect human adjustment to the physical environment. The second case study, Tokyo: Anatomy of a Mega-City, allows students to understand and analyze the spatial organization of people and places. Tokyo's transportation system is an example of how human settlements function.