NEW DIRECTIONS: NATIONAL GEORAPHY WEEK CELEBRATES STUDY OF THE EARTH

Schools everywhere will celebrate National Geography Week through Saturday, but there are many people who are unaware of everything the subject actually consists of.

Some people think geography is the study of the earth. Well, yes, in the broadest sense of the study, it is.

Others think geography is the study of maps and the equator. Those subjects are also a part of geographic study, but so are animals, cultures, habitats and how all of the above relate, interact and depend upon each other.

So, what exactly is geography, and why is it important?

Geography is a very descriptive science of the earth, its inhabitants, and the many different cultures and living systems that exist. It includes all species and cultures, from the smallest ant colony to the most-populated continent to the tallest tree.

The subject is important because people need to know how the earth's inhabitants relate in order to maintain good living environments and relationships for plants, animals and humans.

Geography, in a nutshell, is everything you ever wanted to know about any place and the people or things who live there, plus a whole lot more.

Two local teachers have joined a national organization that works to further geography education. Lianna Jenkins, an elementary school teacher in Advance, and Brenda Woemmel, a Cape Central High School teacher, are both members of the Missouri affiliate of the Geographic Alliance Network. Jenkins said she joined because she was not exposed to the subject as a child.

"When I was a child, geography just kind of fell out of favor," Jenkins said. "It became a lost art. I was unaware of it."

Jenkins said the network brings together educators from around the state and teaches them how to teach geography. Teachers take that training back to their schools and share it with other educators and the students, she said.

Geography Awareness Week is based upon the five themes of geography, which are location, place, movement, human environment interaction and region. Teachers are encouraged to work on projects with students that promote a better understanding of these themes and how they interact.

"The theme of the week this year centers around habitats and diversity," Jenkins said. "This can mean different types of wildlife and animals, or it can mean cultural habitats and diversity.

"We're studying different aspects of French culture in Missouri."

Jenkins' class kicked off the week with a field trip to Potosi on Saturday. The students visited Ste. Genevieve earlier, she said, and saw a more genteel side of French culture. They saw the Old Mines on Saturday, which have a rougher quality that was associated more with the lower classes.

Jenkins said her students will also be composing songs and folkstories as they learn about French culture.

"It's just so interesting," she said. "We are learning a lot about French culture, and hopefully we're learning something about geography, also."