Geography Educator Initiative

Geography Educator Initiative

The American Geographical Society (AGS) is dedicated to the vision of being the foremost champion of geography for the benefit of society. We convene a diverse global community of innovators, thinkers, and practitioners to create and curate geographical knowledge, learning, and exploration.
This community includes geography educators and students, which is why we have and will continue to prioritize supporting the global community of Advanced Placement Human Geography (APHG) teachers. These dedicated, creative, and generous secondary-level educators bring our nation’s youth into the rich world of human geography and play a key role in making certain our society’s future leaders and decision-makers are geographically literate.

To ask questions about our teacher support program or to share ideas, please contact us at ags@americangeo.org.

click here for the ’21-’22 Geography educator Initiative & Geoboost Reports
 
Resources and Benefits for Teachers

We provide our educational resources at no cost to teachers. GeoBoost grants and other resources, including DailyGeo, webinars and videos, FOCUS on Geography with lesson plans, and Teacher Fellowships are specifically designed to support APHG teachers and to align with the course curriculum:

  • GeoBOOST: an AGS program that provides micro grants to APHG teachers to enhance their students’ geographic learning through the purchase of a geography/geospatial-related activity or resource.
  • DailyGeo: a  short daily news blast highlighting the ubiquitous nature of geography’s role in headline stories that is delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.
  • Webinars and Videos: engaging, curriculum-based webinar and video content that helps APHG teachers develop professionally and access the latest in geographic knowledge.
  • Training on OpenStreetMap (OSM): we partner with two leading organizations, TeachOSM and OSMTeenMaptivists, to introduce APHG teachers and students to OpenStreetMap through regular virtual Map-Along and Mapathon events. When participants edit OpenStreetMap,they learn how to analyze satellite imagery, interpret and edit maps, and apply geographic data to real-world problems.
  • Lesson and project plans for the APHG classroom on topics including careers in geography and GIS, ethical dilemmas related to location data, gerrymandering and the role of maps in redistricting, data literacy, and a comprehensive list of recommended books, films, and games. We create and release new content regularly!
  • Geography Education Insider Newsletter: the newsletter features updates on new lesson and project plans, professional development opportunities, special events and funding opportunities, and more.
  • Professional development opportunities and special events, including teacher-led webinars on key topics, teacher workshops during our annual Geography 2050 Fall Symposium, and chances to earn professional development and continuing education credits.

The AGS Geography Teacher Fellows Initiative is made possible through the generous contributions and volunteer efforts of our sponsors and contributors. Click on their logos to go directly to their sites.