Help students become more geographically literate and better prepared for the global community. A variety of high-interest activities and reading passages help students develop skills in understanding the spatial world, places and regions, human systems, environment and society, and the uses of geography. Each book features 18 units that focus on 18 National Geography Standards, including: * How to use maps and other geographic representation * The physical and human characteristics of a place * The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface * The process, patterns, and functions of human settlement * How human actions modify the physical environment * How to apply geography to interpret the past. Extras include vocabulary practice pages and a CD with maps and activities that can be printed as transparencies or student hand-outs.