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Splash Screen
8th Grade World Geography
Introduction to Geography
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Definitions
Introduction to Geography

• Geography
• The study of the earth and its features and of
  the distribution of life on the earth, including
  human life and the effects of human activity.

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Branches of Geography
Physical Geography

• Physical Geography
• The study of the processes and patterns in the
  natural environment.
• Examples Weather, Climate, Land and Water
  Features on the surface of the earth.

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Branches of Geography
Human Geography

• Human Geography
• the study of patterns and processes that shape
  human interaction with the environment, .
• Examples Culture, Occupations, Language,
  Religion, Population.

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End of Intro
Five Themes
Introduction to Geography

• Five Themes of Geography
• Location
• Place
• Human Environment Interaction
• Movement
• Region

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Section 18
Location
Introduction to Geography
The World in Spatial Terms
Location

• Absolute location The exact latitude and
  longitude at which a place is found on the globe
  is its absolute location. ?

• Relative location Relative location describes a
  places location in relation to another place.

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Location
Introduction to Geography
Location "Where are we?" 

•  An absolute location is a latitude and longitude
  (a global location) or a street address (local
  location).

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Location
Introduction to Geography
 Relative locations are described by landmarks,
time, direction or distance from one place to
another and may associate a particular place with
another.
Canada is North of the US.
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Section 19
Location
Introduction to Geography
The World in Spatial Terms (cont.)
When is it useful to know the absolute location
of a place? When is it useful to know its
relative location?
Absolute location is useful for a team of
explorers trying to find a ship that had sunk,
like the Titanic, for example. Relative location
is useful for giving directions to travelers.
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Place
Introduction to Geography
Place What kind of place is it?" 

• What do you think of when you imagine Brazil? 
• South Africa?  Canada?  Cuba?
• Places have both human and physical
  characteristics, as well as images.

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Five Themes
Introduction to Geography

• Physical characteristics include mountains,
  rivers, soil, beaches, and wildlife. 

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Section 113
Place
Introduction to Geography
Physical Systems and Change

• Physical systemsvolcanoes, floods, and
  hurricanesalter or shape those characteristics
  and the earths surface.

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Section 114
Place
Introduction to Geography
Place (cont.)
What kinds of physical systems have shaped the
earth in the area where you live?
Answers Tornadoes, floods, erosion, glaciations,
and earthquakes have all shaped this area.
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Place
Introduction to Geography

• Places have human characteristics also.  These
  characteristics are derived from the ideas and
  actions of people that result in changes to the
  environment, such as buildings, roads, clothing,
  and food habits. How do these things shape their
  lives?

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Human-Environment Interaction
Introduction to Geography
Human/Environment Interaction 

• How do humans and the environment affect each
  other?  We change the environment and then
  sometime Mother Nature changes it back.  For
  example, floods in Fargo, Hurricane Katrina (New
  Orleans) and earthquakes and mudslides in
  California.

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Human-Environment Interaction
Introduction to Geography
Human/Environment Interaction 

• There are three key concepts to
  human/environmental interaction
• - Humans adapt to the environment. - Humans
  modify the environment. - Humans depend on the
  environment.

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Five Themes
Introduction to Geography
Adapting to the Environment 

• How have we adapted to or changed our
  landscape?  For example, in the Sudan even though
  everything is seemingly barren, the land sustains
  farmers and nomadic herders.  People and animals
  have adapted to a hot, dry climate. People adapt
  to the environment by wearing clothing that is
  suitable for summer and winter rain and shine.

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Five Themes
Introduction to Geography
Modifying the Environment 

• People modify our environment by heating and
  cooling buildings for comfort. They also take
  advantage of the natural resources available in
  the area.  

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Five Themes
Introduction to Geography
Depending on the Environment 
People depend on the Tennessee River for their
water, power and transportation.  People depend
on the soil to grow crops and the animals for
food and other products. 
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Section 117
Human Environment Interaction
Introduction to Geography
Environment and Society

• People also affect the environment by clearing or
  planting forests, building industries and cities,
  and hunting animals. ?

• Features of the environment such as mountain
  ranges and deserts often pose barriers to human
  migration.

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Section 118
Human Environment Interaction
Introduction to Geography
Environment and Society (cont.)
How can people overcome the physical obstacles of
their environment?
People can fly planes over mountain ranges. They
can build tunnels through mountains for roads or
railroads. They can clear paths and build roads
through forests. They can build bridges, dams,
and canals.
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Section 115
Movement
Introduction to Geography
Movement

• People also affect the earth by settling it,
  forming societies, and migrating. ?

• People also move goods and ideas to new places.
• People interact with each other through
  movement.  Humans occupy places unevenly on Earth
  because of the environment but also because we
  are social beings.  We interact with each other
  through travel, trade, information flows (E-Mail)
  and political events.

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Five Themes
Introduction to Geography
Movement

• The movement of people, the import and export of
  goods, and mass communication have all played
  major roles in shaping our world.  People
  everywhere interact.  They travel from place to
  place and they communicate.  We live in a global
  village and global economy.
• How do we depend on people in other places?  
  How would our lives change if our movement
  options changed?  What would happen if we
  traveled by camel or horse?  How do we move from
  place to place?  How do we actually get food?

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Section 116
Movement
Introduction to Geography
Movement (cont.)
What historical movements of people and ideas
have changed the United States?
Possible answer Native American societies were
greatly changed when Europeans began to settle
North and South America. Forced migration of
African Americans, waves of European immigrants
in the late 1800s, the westward movement across
North America, legal and illegal immigrants from
Latin America, and Asian immigration following
the Vietnam War have also changed the United
States.
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Five Themes
Introduction to Geography
Region

• REGION
• A region is the basic unit of study in
  geography.  A region is an area that displays a
  specific unifying quality. It could be in terms
  of the government, the language, or possibly the
  landforms or cultures.  Regions are human
  constructs that can be mapped and analyzed.
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