GACE: Geography

The Geography assessment, offered as part of the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, is divided into two tests.

The first test consists of 60 selected-response questions (80% of the test score) and 2 constructed-response assignments (20% of the test score). The content areas covered by the first test are: geographic concepts and skills; physical and human systems of sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa/Southwest Asia; and physical and human systems of South Asia, Southeastern Asia, East Asia, and Oceania. The topics covered by the geographic concepts and skills subarea are: the six essential elements of geography and basic geographic terms; and the social science skills used to locate, analyze, and synthesize information related to geographic topics. The topics covered by the physical and human systems of sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa/Southwest Asia subarea are: the physical and human geography of sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa/Southwest Asia, as well as the ways in which the interaction of physical and human systems have shaped these areas. The topics covered by the physical and human systems of South Asia, Southeastern Asia, East Asia, and Oceania subarea are: the physical and human geographies of these areas, and the ways in which they have shaped the region.

The second test consists of 60 selected-response questions (80% of the test score) and 2 constructed-response questions (20% of the test score). The content areas covered by the second test are: physical and human systems of the state of Georgia, the United States, and Canada; physical and human systems of Latin America; and physical and human systems of Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet States. The topics covered by the physical and human systems of Georgia, the United States, and Canada subarea are: the physical and human geographies of these areas, including environmental and cultural issues, and the ways in which these geographies have influenced events. The topics covered by the physical and human systems of Latin America subarea are: the human and physical geographies of Latin America, including environmental and cultural issues, and the ways in which these geographies have shaped events. The topics covered by the physical and human systems of Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet states subarea are: the human and physical geographies of these regions, including cultural and environmental issues, and the ways in which these geographies have shaped the region.

The examination must be completed within four hours. The total test score is placed on a scale of 100 to 300, with 220 as the lowest passing score. Scores are based on the number of selected-response questions answered correctly and the scores assigned by judges to the constructed responses. Test-takers will also receive performance indices indicating their success in each subarea of the examination. Scores will be available approximately a month after the date of the examination; unofficial results are posted on the internet, and an official score report is mailed to the test-taker, the Professional Standards Commission, and the institution specified by the test-taker during registration.

Practice Questions

1. Which of the following is NOT a type of material transported by streams?

A: neutral load
B: bed load
C: suspended load
D: dissolved load

2. In which of the following are the layers of atmosphere placed in order from lowest to highest altitude?

A: stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, troposphere
B: mesosphere, thermosphere, troposphere, stratosphere
C: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
D: thermosphere, stratosphere, troposphere, mesosphere

3. Which map projection transposes the surface of the Earth onto a flat plane?

A: conic
B: conformal
C: cylindrical
D: azimuthal

4. Which of the following is an example of secondary economic activity?

A: manufacturing
B: financial services
C: mining
D: agriculture

5. Which of the following countries is in the fourth stage of demographic transition?

A: Nigeria
B: Japan
C: China
D: Uruguay

Answer Key

1. A. The types of material transported by streams are differentiated by the size of their constituent particles.
2. C. Human beings live in the troposphere.
3. D. Azimuthal projections contain significant distortions.
4. A. Secondary economic activities are those that add value to a raw material by changing its form.
5. B. In the fourth stage of demographic transition, the birth and death rates are very low, and population growth is minimal.