This lesson will introduce students to diversity in Asia. After considering what is meant by the term "Asia," students will identify the various regions in Asia and consider factors for determining what is considered a "region." At the conclusion, students will answer the question: What is Asia?

This lesson is one in a series developed in collaboration with The Asia Society, with support from the Freeman Foundation, highlighting the geography and culture of Asia and its people.

Geography, world history, social studies, economics, political

Standard 2: "How we use mental maps to organize information about people, places and environments in a spatial context"
Standard 5: "That people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity"

Two hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Blank Xpeditions map of Asia

Students will

• analyze the importance of terms used to identify various regions of the world;
• determine the role of geography in designating regions; and
• assess the possible role of factors such as ethnicity, language, foods, and religion in designating regions.

Open the lesson by asking the students, "What is Asia?" Have students write their responses on a piece of paper. Collect the responses for use later in the lesson.

Explain that this lesson will help students to more fully understand the answer to that question. Write the following terms on the board: hemisphere, continent, subcontinent, and region. Ask the students to define and give an example of each of the terms. Then, ask students to describe their understanding of Asia using those terms.

Give students a physical map of Eurasia. Ask them to draw a circle around Asia and one around Europe. Ask the students:

• What are the boundaries of these continents?
• What do the textbooks and geography books include in Asia and in Europe?
• Do they fit the "proper" definition of a continent?
• If you lived in Istanbul, would you know when you went from Europe to Asia? How?
• Why do you think that Europe and Asia are defined as continents?

Looking at the map of Eurasia, ask students why India is considered a subcontinent while Europe is identified as a continent. Ask the students:

• What is the size of India compared with Europe?
• Is there significant ethnic diversity in India? In Europe?

Arrange students into groups of three to five. Ask each group to list all of the countries found in Asia without looking at a map. Then have the students cross-reference their list with an actual map of Asia. Ask them:

• Were there any countries that were part of Asia that surprised you?
• Why didn't you consider these countries part of Asia?
• What does the National Geographic MapMachine Student Edition consider part of Asia?

Reconvene as a class and have students study or create a physical map of Asia that shows major mountains, rivers, and different landforms. Ask them to divide Asia into various regions, using geographical features as their guide. Have them consider the importance of physical boundaries such as mountains, rivers, or discrete climatic areas in determining the regions. Have students compare their maps of Asian regions with different professional maps that indicate East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia, and Central Asia. Then have them compare the physical map of Asia with maps showing the regions in Asia. To what extent do the regional boundaries coincide with the physical boundaries? How important is geography in determining boundaries? What other factors influence the designation of regions?

Ask the students why these are the recognized regions. Then ask if they can think of any other ways that someone would recognize regions in Asia. For example, some people may believe that regions exist according to languages spoken or shared physical traits.

Arrange students back into their groups. Then assign each group a criterion by which to separate Asia into regions. Give each group a blank map and have them draw lines for their region according to their criterion.

• Language
• Religion
• Physical traits of the population
• Political system
• Climate
• Natural Resources
• Industry

Hang up the region maps created by each group. Collectively compare and contrast the regions defined by the criteria and have students determine if the ultimate regions are largely the same or mostly different. Ask the students why. Then ask students to describe the implications of having different regions defined by different criteria.

Have the students write a one-page response to the question "What is Asia?"

• Students might research the history of the term "Asia." When was it first used and why? When were terms such as "Orient," "Far East" or "Southeast Asia" used and why?
• Using the National Geographic lesson "Investigating Central Asia," have students critique the term "Central Asia." Where do they think areas such as Mongolia should go? Should islands or archipelagoes be classified differently? Who should decide? What difference does it make?
• Given the diversity in many areas of Asia, have students suggest strategies that various nations could use to create a sense of national loyalty that transcends ethnic and other types of diversity. Given its great diversity, what does the United States do to create a sense of national unity?

Asia Society's Ask Asia
National Geographic: MapMachine Student Edition
National Geographic: MapMachine—Physical Map of Asia
National Geographic: MapMachine—World Map
National Geographic: Xpeditions Map—Asia