I believe a geography unit should cover four broad areas;
1) Cultural Literacy (A Regional Approach) The "Cultural Literacy" aspect of knowing where places are and some of major characteristics about a region. This is the "Where is it?" and "What is it like?" section of my teaching.
2) Geographic Topic (A Topical Approach) Each of my units also contains a geographic topic for study. The major theories or concepts concerning this topic is introduced to my students. For example, my students study migration and some the major reasons why people move and how movements of people affect the areas of emigration and immigration.
3) The Graphicacy of Geography: Making Maps, Charts, and Graphs (My Skills Section) With each unit, my students learn or use a previously learned skill of displaying information. Each unit includes charting, graphing, or mapping data about the topic or region that is the focus of the unit.
4) Asking Geographic Questions My students are encouraged to ask the questions a geographer might ask about our topic of study. After my students have completed a map, chart, or graphing assignment, There are three basic questions I school them to ask:
1) Can you find a pattern?
2) If there is a pattern, why do you think there is one?
3) Where might you investigate to learn more about this phenomenon?

I plan a unit this way:
A Broad overview of a unit of study in Craig Hattam's classroom

Lower Level Thinking Stuff (The Scientific Term)
Chapter Worksheets
Locational Maps
Place Characteristics (Major physical, cultural, an economic characteristics of the region being studied)
Focus Region or Country

Geographic Topic
Reading and notes on Topic of study
Map, chart or graph work on topic
(Learning a new way of presenting data)

Higher Level Thinking stuff (Another complex Scientific Term)
Mini-Project
Using the Geographic Questions of Enquiry and Mapping, charting, and graphing Skills complete a mini-project about the topic of study

If you would like to see a description of Geographic Questions of Enquiry, visit my homepage's Asking Geographic Questions Section. It will take you away from this site, but it will explain the Geographic Questions of Enquiry.