GeoJournal

Dear Educator,

Sports are a common way to bring people together. From a young age, children play team sports. A select few have the skills, talent, and drive to play professional sports as a career. LeBron James is one of the most famous basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In fact, he is so famous, even people who do not generally watch basketball are likely to recognize his name. This article explains what makes James special as a player. He still plays in the NBA, but is nearing the end of his career, having been a professional basketballer for 20 years. His intention is to keep playing until his son Bronny is able to play with him in the NBA.

Another important figure in pop culture who comes from the world of sports is heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Ali called himself “The Greatest,” and few dispute his claim even today, decades after he fought in a ring. Ali’s integrity in his convictions led him to refuse to fight in the Vietnam War. He had converted to Islam. For his refusal, his heavyweight title was taken away, and during his prime years as a boxer he was not allowed to fight. His boxing license was restored in 1970, and the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his draft evasion conviction in 1971. Today, he is remembered both for his incredible skill in the ring and for his courage in the face of immense pressure to yield his beliefs.

The first president of the United States remains one of the most well-known icons of American culture. After all, a portrait engraving of Washington is featured on the U.S. one-dollar bill. This full student lesson explores more about our first president. Students will learn about how his character inspired legends, how his experience in the military prepared him for his political leadership role, his sense of duty, his Farewell Address, and his legacy as a slaveholder. Students should have a better understanding of the first president as not a myth, but as a human—one who led our country right after we gained our freedom from Britain. We also have an accompanying teacher edition that has leveled activities to enhance your classroom.

Most students around the country read The Diary of Anne Frank at some point in their academic careers. Frank was not American, however. She was a teenage Jewish girl who wrote about hiding out from Nazi German forces during World War II. Her diary was not intended to be published. It was personal. But her writing provides a unique, first-hand account of what Jewish people endured during the Holocaust. This makes Anne Frank a cultural icon throughout the world.

In this GNN article, we look at not a single icon, but numerous icons in the world of rap and hip-hop. Rap music began in the 1970s. At the time, few imagined it would be a long-lasting musical genre. Today, rap artists continue to garner huge sales in the digital market. While New York City was the center of rap in its early days, it didn’t take long before people on the West Coast created their own style. Read more about the early artists on the West Coast whose influence is still felt today.

Finally, we must include Martin Luther King, Jr. as one of America’s greatest icons. You can find a GNN article about why there is a national holiday in his honor, but this short video is an excellent introduction to the leader of the civil rights movement. Few, if any, Americans have not heard of Martin Luther King, Jr. But, with the help of Maps101, students can learn more about why they should know more than just his name.

If you have any questions, contact your representative or email us at Maps101@maps.com.