Geography – Chapter 1 Geography – Greek – geographia – to

describe the earth Geography – the study of the

distribution and interaction of physical and human features on the earth

Maps- visual representations of a portion of the earth

Maps can be mental maps, printed or electronic

Geography Geographers use photographs They create charts, tables and graphs Construct models

Five Themes of Geography 1. Location – Where is it? 2. Place – What is it like? 3. Region – How are places similar or

different? 4. Movement – How do people, goods

and ideas move from one location to another?

5. Human-Environment Interaction – How do people relate to the physical world?

Theme: Location Absolute location – exact place on earth

where a geographic feature is found Hemispheres – halves of the globe Equator – imaginary line dividing N & S

halves Prime meridian – imaginary line dividing the

earth E & W (Greenwich, England) Latitude – locates places N and S with

equator being 0 degrees Longitude – locates places E & W

Theme: Location Relative location – describes a place in

comparison to other places around it Example – library is three blocks E of the

park Example – Tremont is 7 miles N of Pine

Grove

Theme: Place Includes the physical features and

cultural characteristics of a location (Sochi)

Climate, landforms, vegetation Human interaction – dams, bridges,

houses, etc.

Theme: Region Regions have similar characteristics Can be physical, political, economic or

cultural Formal – limited number of related

characteristics Functional – organized around a set of

interactions and connections between places (city and suburbs)

Perceptual – People perceive characteristics in the same way (Skook)

Theme: Human-Environment Interaction

People learn to use what the environment offers them.

People change the environment to meet their needs.

They learn to live with things they cannot control – weather.

People react differently to the same environment

Theme: Human-Environment Interaction

Humans alter their environments. Examples: pollution, Disney, sandbags

& levees

Theme: Movement How do people, goods and ideas move from

one place to another? Examples: goods, language, migration Linear and time distance: how far and how

long to travel – examples… Psychological distance: the way people view

distance Tri-Valley and BMT kids Less familiar places seem further away – CA Affects decisions

Geographer’s Tools Eratosthenes – 255 BC – shadow to

calculate the earth’s circumference Maps, globes and data used by

geographers Oldest map 2,500 years ago in

Babylonia Map – show locations of places,

landforms, bodies of water and where they are in relation to other places

Geographer’s Tools Globe – 3 dimensional representation of the

earth – not portable Maps – 2 dimensional graphic

representations of parts of the earth Maps are portable, can be drawn to scale,

but may become distorted Cartographer – map maker Map projection – drawing a map and

reducing distortion (pages 18-19) Digital maps

Geographer’s Tools 3 types of maps (20-23)

General reference maps Thematic maps – specific kinds of info. Navigational maps – sailors and pilots

Topographic map – general reference map showing natural and man made features

Geographer’s Tools Surveying – observe, measure and

record what they see in a specific area Aerial photography and satellites used

today Google Earth Geographic Information System (GIS) –

digital geographic database GPS – Global Positioning System