Chapter 1: Studying Geography

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Chapter 1 Studying Geography

• Section 1 Themes and Essential Elements
• Pages 3-7

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• Geography is the study of everything on
  earthfrom rocks to rainfallto people and places
• Natural environments
• Cities, Cultures
• Plants, resources

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• Perspective is an integral part of learning about
  geography
• Perspective is the way a person looks at
  somethinggeographers look for patterns where
  things are located on Earth and then try to
  explain these patterns

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• Geographers also look at landscapesthe scenery
  of a place including its physical and cultural
  features

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• What are the two main branches of geography?

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• What is the difference between human and physical
  geography?
• Humancharacteristics of the worlds people
• Religions, languages, food, music, etc

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• Physicalfocuses on Earths natural environments,
  such as landforms, water features, plants and
  animals
• How are the two similar?
• The interaction of people with their environment

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• What are some of the ways (fields) we use
  geography?
• Cartographythe study of maps and mapmaking
• Meteorologythe study of weather

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• How do we study geography?
• The most important concept of geography is the
  idea of a region
• A region is an area with one or more common
  features that make it different from surrounding
  areas

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• Regions are defined by their physical and human
  features
• Sometimes the boundaries of a region are clear
  the United States is a political region with
  clear boundaries (physical features)

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• Sometimes the boundaries are not so clear the
  Bible belt is a religious region across the
  southern portion of the U.S. (cultural feature)
• There are three major types of regions

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• 1. Formal regionswhich are based on one or more
  common features that make it different than other
  areas
• These features might include population, income
  levels, crops, temperatures, or rainfall
• The Middle East

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• 2. Functional regionsare regions made up of
  different places that are linked together and
  function as a unit
• Functional regions are organized around a central
  point
• The Mall of Georgia

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• 3. Perceptual regionsare regions that reflect
  human feelings and attitudes
• These regions have their own special features
  that make them different from anywhere else
• The South

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• In groups or three, choose one of the following
  Six Essential Elements of geography
• 1. The World in Spatial Terms
• 2. Places and Regions
• 3. Physical Systems
• 4. Human Systems
• 5. Environment and Society
• 6. The Uses of Geography

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• Homework
• Each group needs to find a minimum of 10 images
  from a newspaper, magazine, or Internet that
  shows and demonstrates an understanding of their
  assigned element

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• Each group will be given a piece of butcher paper
  to display their images
• Groups will then present their images to the
  class and explain how their images relate to
  their element

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• Each group member then needs to research an
  article from a newspaper, magazine or Internet
  that addresses their assigned element and write a
  half page summary explaining how their article
  illustrates their essential element

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Chapter 1 Studying Geography

• Section 2 Skill Building Using the Geographers
  Tools
• Pages 9-20

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Objectives

• How do geographers and mapmakers organize our
  world?
• What are three kinds of map projections that
  mapmakers use?

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• Latitude lines run in an east-west pattern
• Longitude lines run in a north-south pattern
• The intersection of these lines help us find an
  exact location of places on the Earth

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• Latitude lines measure distance north and south
  of the equator
• Lines of latitude are also called parallels
  because they are always parallel to the equator
  and never intersect

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• Longitude lines are also called meridians
• Longitude lines measure distance east and west of
  the prime meridian
• Both parallels and meridians measure distance in
  degrees
• Degrees are further divided into minutesthere
  are 60 minutes in a degree

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• The most common projections are cylindrical,
  conic, and flat plane
• Cylindrical maps only touch the globe at the
  equator
• The meridians are pulled apart and are parallel
  to each other instead of meeting at the poles

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• A Mercator projection is a cylindrical projection
• Benefits a Mercator map is useful for navigation
  because it shows true direction and shape
• Faults in high parallels, places such as
  Greenland and Alaska are exaggerate in size

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• Conic projections are designed as if a cone has
  been placed over the globe
• A conic projection is most accurate along the
  lines of parallels where it touches the globe
  (Arctic)
• Conic projections are most useful along long
  east-west dimensions such as Russia

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• Flat-plane projections are those that appear to
  touch the globe at the poles
• Flat-plane projections are useful for showing
  true direction for airplane pilots or ship
  navigators
• It shows true area size

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• True or false Drawing a straight line on a flat
  map will show the shortest route between two
  places
• False
• The shortest route between any two places on the
  planet is called a great-circle route

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• Draw a map (free hand) of north and central
  America on notebook paper
• Use page S30 in your book
• Include the areas of Alaska, Greenland, Canada
  Mexico, Central America and the major cities that
  occupy these areas
• Include the major lines of longitude and latitude

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• What is the approximate latitude of the Florida
  Keys?
• (24 degrees N)
• What is the approximate latitude of the
  U.S.-Canada border from Washington to Minnesota?
• (49 degrees N)

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• What is the approximate longitude of Seattle,
  Washington?
• (122 degrees W)
• What is the approximate longitude of Philadelphia
  Pennsylvania?
• (75 degrees W)

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• What major city is located about 43 N and 71 W?
• Boston, Massachusetts
• What major city is located about 19 N and 99 W?
• Mexico City

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• What state would you be in if you were at 65 N
  and 150 W?
• Alaska
• What body of water would you be in if you were at
  27 N and 90 W?
• Gulf of Mexico

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Chapter 1 Studying Geography

• Section 2 Skill Building Using the Geographers
  Tools
• Continued
• Pages 9-20

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Objectives

• What kind of special maps and graphs do
  geographers use?

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• Almost all maps have several common elements
• Distance Scaledetermines real distance between
  points on a map
• Directional Indicators (compass rose)shows which
  direction on a map are N, S, E, or W.
• Key (legend)identifies the symbols on a map and
  what they represent

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Objectives

• How do geographers use climate graphs and
  population pyramids?

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• Geographers use many kinds of maps and graphs to
  show data
• population maps, world religions, land use and
  resources map, etc
• Climate and Precipitation Mapsuse colors to show
  the various climate areas of a region

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• Climate graphs show the average temperatures and
  precipitation in a place
• Climate graphs usually use bars to represent
  monthly precipitation and a red line to show
  average monthly temperatures

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• Pg 681Climate Graph for Singapore
• What is the widest variance in the monthly
  rainfall totals?
• (About five and one half inches)
• How does Singapores location affect temperature?
• (warm temperatures created by location in the
  tropics)

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• Some maps show just the topographyor elevation,
  layout, and shapes of the land
• Elevation profile maps use color to show land
  elevations
• Elevation maps can also how a side view of a
  place or area

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• Page 239Central America Physical
• What country in Central America has the highest
  elevation?
• (Honduras)
• What is the average elevation of the island of
  Cuba?
• (O (sea level) to 656 feet)

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• Page 555Elevation Profile Map South Asia
• What latitude line is represented on this map?
• (28 North)
• What is the approximate height of the tallest
  mountain in South Asia?
• (28,000)

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• The purpose of some maps is to show just the
  topographyor elevation, layout, and shapes of
  the land
• One type of topographical map is called a contour
  map
• Contour maps use lines to connect points of equal
  elevation above sea level

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• Population Pyramidsshow the percentages of males
  and females by age
• Population maps help us to understand population
  trends in countries
• Countries that have large percentages of young
  people have populations that are growing rapidily

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• Page 687-Population Pyramids, Southeast Asia
• In which country has the population growth rate
  remained the most constant?
• (the Philippines)
• In which country does the growth rate appear to
  have slowed somewhat?
• (Indonesia)

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• What do the graphs indicate about future
  population growth in all three of these
  countries?
• (they will continue to grow at a fairly constant
  rate)

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• Page 19Population Pyramids
• Will Nigerias population continue to grow
  rapidly? Why or why not?
• (Yes, because each year the percentage of females
  of child-bearing age increases)

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• Which Russian age group is the largest?
• (40-44)
• What does this indicate about Russias future
  population growth?
• (Russia will not grow rabidly because most of
  these people are beyond child-bearing years)