World Geography
The Geography of Asia
Unit Overview
Geography is never just about landforms — it’s about how physical features shape the way
people live, eat, worship, and organize their societies.
This unit takes students on a journey
across South, Southeast, and East Asia, beginning with the physical geography that shaped
settlement patterns, moving through culture and spiritual traditions, and culminating in a critical
examination of how colonial history reshaped social structures and how conflict and cooperation
continue to shape the region today. Throughout, students are asked to hold two ideas at once:
that geography shapes culture, and that different does not mean better.
Lesson Plans (PDF):
- Asia - Physical Features and Settlement Patterns
- Culture on a Plate
- The Impact of Religion on Place and Culture
- Physical and Human Characteristics
- Conflict, Cooperation and Control of Land
Supplemental Materials (PDF):
- Asia - Physical Features and Settlement Patterns
- Culture on a Plate
- The Impact of Religion on Place and Culture
- Physical and Human Characteristics
- Conflict, Cooperation and Control of Land