HGA | GAW Index


GEOGRAPHY AWARENESS WEEK 2001
November 11-17, 2001
GEOGRAPHY ACTION! RIVERS 2001

GAW Workshop - September 15, 2001

**Postcard Contest Winners, 2001**

State GAW Proclamation

Maui County Proclamation

(click for a larger image)

The Hawaii Geographic Alliance (HGA) invites you to join HGA and National Geographic Society in celebrating Geography Awareness Week. As the theme implies, much of the program is about taking action. The website: www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction offers ideas to encourage teachers,students and families to make a difference. In short, Geography Action! Rivers 2001 is not an end, but a means of understanding and provides opportunities for taking action that will shape the course of the nation's rivers and streams.

The following activities are not organized by the day, but by topics. Although the week is set aside for Geography Awareness Week, feel free to schedule your activities to fit the needs to your school's schedule and direction.

FOCUS QUESTIONS:
Uses of Rivers/Streams: What is a river/stream? Who uses rivers/streams? How are rivers/streams used?

Changes of Rivers/Streams: How do people change rivers/streams? Why are rivers/streams changed?

Saving the Rivers/Streams: Who uses the rivers/streams in your watershed? How do you impact the rivers/streams? What can you do to keep your rivers/streams healthy? What does "saving" a river/stream mean?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES: Check the Hawaii Geographic Alliance website http://www.hawaii.edu/hga/ for updates and lesson plans.

  1. INTRODUCE THE THEME - Rivers 2001: Using rivers, changing rivers, saving rivers
    1. For background information and lesson plans refer to the website: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction/
    2. Lessons written by HGA teachers can be found on the HGA website: http://www.hawaii.edu/hga/
    3. Song - Introduce to students. Words are on the HGA website. For a copy of the tape, contact the HGA office.
    4. GAW Poster - For a copy, contact the HGA office.
      1. Students can create poems to accompany the poster.
      2. Students may create their poster to show how a river/stream is used; how the river/stream was changed and/or how the river/stream can be saved.

  2. CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - See the HGA website for a list of books that can be used with your students.
    1. The puzzle pieces found online can be used together with literature books such as: Follow the River by Lydia Dabcovich, published by Sundance Big Books; Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean by Arthur Dorros, HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.; and All Along the River by Allan Fowler, Children's Press.
      http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/education/geographyaction/ax/PDF 9_Puzzle.pdf

    We suggest that you print the puzzle pages for your students. If you can't print them, contact the HGA office for a black and white copy.

  3. ONLINE LINKS - Linked from the HGA website. Includes sites for students and educators.

  4. OTHER RESOURCES
    1. Invite speakers to your classroom to share how rivers/streams impact our lives and what we can do to be good stewards.
    2. Collect articles on rivers/streams from the daily newspapers. Discuss and apply to the theme: how rivers/streams are being used, how have they been changed, and how they are being saved.

  5. STEWARDSHIP PROJECT - Brainstorm ideas on how your class can practice water conservation throughout the week and school year. Discuss how the home,school, and community can be stewards of our rivers/streams. Share your project and findings with others via this website: HTTP://www.nationalgeographic.com/cgibin/forums/ga_2001.cgi?forum=ga_2001

  6. COMMUNITY OUTREACH - Have students create GAW related posters and have them displayed at shopping centers, libraries, school newsletters, etc.

  7. POSTCARD CONTEST - Participate in HGA Annual GAW Postcard Contest. Postcards must be postmarked by December 7, 2001. See Postcard Contest Rules for information.

  8. GIS DAY - Wednesday, November 14, 2001.

  9. T-SHIRT DAY - Encourage your students to wear a T-shirt that relates to the theme of rivers, streams and/or water. Have the students explain why they selected that particular T-shirt and how it relates to the GAW theme.

  10. GAW REPORT - We love hearing from you and your students. Use the attached Report Form or online Report Form to let us know about your classroom activities and celebrations. If you have created a GAW site on your school's website that HGA can link to, please contact HGA. Deadline for sending in the reports: December 7, 2001.


    See what other schools are doing for GAW.
    Maunawili Elementary School http://www.k12.hi.us/~rtiffany/GAW/GAW.html


  11. WORKSHOPS - Please contact HGA if you are interested in hosting a GAW workshop for your school/complex/district. Posters are available for participating teachers.


The Hawaii Geographic Alliance: UH Manoa, Dept. of Geography,
2424 Maile Way, SSB 408,
Honolulu, HI 96822.
Phone: (808) 956-7698. Fax: (808) 956-3512.
Email: uhgeohga@hawaii.edu

© Hawaii Geographic Alliance. All rights reserved. August, 2001, updated April, 2002