TALES FROM THE CRYPT: Learning about Geography and History from Your Local Cemetery

GeoLiteracy
Lesson Plan Content
Description: 
Cemeteries are unique resources for studying the peoples of an area. In this field experience, students will gather and evaluate information about cultural symbols, nationalities, lifespans, and gender issues in a specialized landscape, the cemetery. In this lesson, students will learn how cemeteries convey information about the history and geography of their communities. They will learn about symbols and regions commonly found in cemeteries. They will then explore a local cemetery and then report their findings in charts, graphs, and other written communications.
Author: 
Gale Olp Ekiss
Grade Range: 
6-12
Duration: 
5 class periods
Lesson Materials
Teacher Instructions: 
Standards
National Geography Standards: 
4: The physical and human characteristics of places
6: How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions
9: The characteristics, distribution and migration of human populations
10: The characteristics, distribution and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics
17: How to apply geography to interpret the past