The tools of geography:  the use of maps, how to find places on earth (latitude & longitude)
The earth and the sun (why there are seasons on earth and how it all works)

Finish tools of geography, if necessary
Begin physical geography:
The earth (types of rocks, how the land is built up and broken down, terminology)
Water:  (unusual qualities of water, types of bodies of water, terminology, the importance of water on earth)

October

Air & weather (the importance of air, how the atmosphere is made up, and the workings or weather:  air masses, fronts, movement of air, storms)
Begin:  regional geography:
Western Europe maps (creating maps, using them to learn map terms, quizzes/tests on this knowledge)

November

Lessons on Western Europe:  language, culture, the people, problems
First project:  students each pick a country of Western Europe and do research on that country (this is to introduce freshmen to the school-wide system of research & note card writing as well as for additional information on these countries)
Continue physical geography
Climate, food and farming

Continue regional geography
Eastern Europe:  maps, as per above, lessons, as per above
Continue/finish physical geography:
Energy
Begin:  cultural geography
Cultural geographic terminology and concepts, demography
The countries of the Former Soviet Union:  the regional geography, culture, people, problems

January

The countries of Asia:  regional geography, culture, people, religions
Continue with cultural geography:  cultural concepts and more demography, densities, comparing demographics (from here on out we are using the information we gained in the physical and cultural geography units in our studies of countries
Research project:  second research & note-taking project, each student does one Asian country.

February

The countries of the Middle East:  regional geography, culture, people, with special emphasis on the religions, religious differences, and intricacies of this region’s oil reserves.  There is also a special part of this unit on both the Israeli and Iraqi situations.

March

NOTE:  Beginning in March, students will begin drawing a large-scale map of the United States on the floor of the social studies room.  Since it is difficult to get to all world regions, and since this course assumes that students know the most about American geography, this will serve as a break and fun exercise while students learn/refresh their memories of US states & capitals.
Continue/finish the countries of the Middle East
Australia:  regional map work only
The countries of Latin America:  regional geography, culture, people.  This unit includes special information on the settlement and racial mixing of the region.  It is taught in two sections:  South America (first) then Central America.  This unit will continue into April.

April

Continue/finish Latin America
Canada:  regional, cultural, etc. of this country of North America

Continue/finish Canada
The United States:  regional, cultural, etc. of the US, section by section.  April and May are used for “overflow” of work from earlier months, and it is unlikely, most years, that students will get much information on the US besides drawing the large map.
United States Map Quiz:  to receive a passing grade for the second semester of World Geography, each student must take a quiz of the US, where they locate and spell all states correctly.