Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Your State's Geographic Alliance
If you are interested in geography education in your state — particularly at the K-12 level — then
you should become familiar with your state's geographic alliance. I refer to the Alabama Geographic
Alliance, the Alaska Geographic Alliance, the Arkansas Geographic Alliance, and so forth. One can
be found in every state, plus Puerto Rico, Canada, and the Dominican Republic. The alliance net-
work is a product of The National Geographic Society's Geography Education Foundation, created
in the late 1980s to help resuscitate the teaching of geography in the nation's schools. The Alliances
sponsor and conduct workshops and teacher-training institutes, prepare and disseminate lesson plans
and other education materials, and publish newsletters — all focusing on geography as it pertains
to specific curricula in the individual states. In most cases, alliance membership is free and is the
key to getting on the newsletter mailing list and finding out what's happening in your state. A list
of appropriate names and addresses is available on the National Geographic Society's Web site. Go
to
www.nationalgeographic.com/education/teacher_community/
,
click on “Select your state” and do
just that.
