Human Environment Interaction

World Geography

Environmental Adaptations/Modifications

Environmental Adaptations/Modifications

WGS.8A Compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the
physical environment, including the influences of culture and technology.

Learning Objective

SWBAT compare ways humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the
physical environment.

Demonstration of Learning

DOL: Given the physical environment of various regions, students will
compare ways humans depend on, adapt to, and modify it by
answering at least 4 of 5 questions correctly.

Open Ended

How are you?

Lesson Vocabulary

●

Adapt

●

Modify

●

Dependency

Credit: Shutterstock

Guiding Question(s)

Thinking about various regions,
what are examples of ways
people have adapted
to/modified their environment?

How can adapting to/modifying
one’s environment minimize the
impact on quality of life in that
region?

Content Acquisition

Let’s look at modifications made to an environment over time.


1. Dubai
2. Milby High School
3. Hoover Dam

Open Ended

How was either Dubaii or Highway 225 modified to change the environment?

Making Connections

Which plot of land will
you take to farm?

Content Acquisition

Content Acquisition

As we read about the
three parts of
human-environment
interaction, highlight the 5
most important words in
each of the three parts.

What words did you
highlight in the “Depend”
section?

Quick Response

Multiple Choice

What is adapting?

• Changing one's appearance to blend in with the surroundings.
• Ignoring new circumstances or conditions.
• Refusing to adapt to new circumstances or conditions.
• Adjusting or modifying oneself or something to fit new circumstances or conditions.

Content Acquisition

Read the section titled
“Modify” and highlight the
5 most important words.

Multiple Choice

What is depending?

• The act of not being influenced by anything or anyone.
• Relying on or being influenced by something or someone.
• Being independent and not relying on anything or anyone.
• The process of making decisions without considering any external factors.

Content Acquisition

What does it mean to modify and/or adapt to the
environment?

Turn and Talk

Modify: To change the environment to fit
the needs of people

Adapt: Changing the way you live

Content Acquisition

With a shoulder partner, discuss the modifications you

observed.

Think-Pair-Share

Modeling and Practice

As you view the clip, consider
the following questions:

1.

What surprised me?

2.

What challenged,
changed, or confirmed
what I already knew?

Chang Jiang River

Poll

Best fast food

• MCD

• KFC

• WENDYS

• TACO BELL

Modeling and Practice

Dependency - when society uses the available environment
for food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities

Adaptation - the process of changing a behavioral trait in
order to survive in an environment; environment changed us

Modification - changing the physical environment to
enhance its safety, security, utility, or accessibility; we
changed the environment

Application

Earlier you were
presented with a
problem that you
needed to solve by
the end of class.

Take 60 seconds to
reflect on the original
problem, the three
questions you selected,
and the ideas/potential
answers that you first
generated.

Demonstration of Learning

Given the physical
environment of various
regions, students will
compare ways humans
depend on, adapt to, and
modify it by answering at
least 4 of 5 questions
correctly.

Multiple Choice

What is modify?

• To create something new.
• To destroy completely.
• To make changes or alterations to something.
• To keep things as they are.