Download What is Geography - White River High School

What is Geography ?
How Geographers see the world.
The five geographic themes.
DMA
Answer the following questions:
What is geography?
Why is the study of geography
important?
List the 5 themes of geography
(if you know them)
Lesson objectives:
Students will be able to
Explain what geography is and why the study of
geography is important.
Name and discuss the five themes of geography
Explain the difference between absolute and relative
location and give examples of both
List examples of how people adapt to and modify their
environment.
List an example of how movement affects them
personally.
Create a pneumonic device for the five themes of
geography.
Geography defined…..
Geography:
from the Greek words Geo (γη), meaning
"Earth", and graphein (γράφειν) meaning "to
describe" or "to write", or "to map"
A literal translation would be "to describe or
write about the Earth".
The study of the earth and its features,
inhabitants, and phenomena.
Geography is the study of….
The Earth and the ways people live and
work on it.
The location of places on Earth.
The way places on Earth differ.
The way people organize themselves and
use the Earth’s resources.
The complex relationships between people
and their environment.
The study of geography can be organized
around 5 themes:
Location
Place
Human / Environmental Interaction
Movement
Region
Location: Where is it?
Absolute location
Exact place
• Latitude and Longitude
– Seattle is located at
47° 32' N, 122° 18' W
Relative location
How a place can be found in
relation to another place
You can get from one place
to another if you know
• landmarks, direction, distance.
Place: What is it like there?
Physical features
The natural characteristics of the earths surface
• Land, water, soil, climate, plants and animals, mountains, desserts, etc.
Human features
The manmade characteristics of the place
• Dams, bridges, roads, buildings, etc.
Human characteristics
The number and kinds of people living in a place
• Population, race, age, etc.
Activities
How a place is used
Other characteristics
Religion, languages, etc.
Human / Environment Interaction: What is the
relationships between people and their environment?
Places have desirable and
undesirable features
Places attract people for
different reasons
People may use the features
of a place in different ways
Human / Environment Interaction:
People adapt to their
environment in different
ways
People modify/change
the environment in
different ways.
Movement: How are people, places, goods, and
information connected?
Movement of people, goods,
information, and ideas
Historical movements of large
groups of people from one
location to another
Groups move for different
reasons
A daily part of
our lives
Region:Geographers divide the world into regions,or areas.
Based on physical features
Land type, plant and animal life,
climate, etc.
Based on human characteristics
Government type, language, religion,
race, etc.
The three types of regions
Formal regions
• Areas where a certain characteristic,
or set of characteristics is/are found
throughout the area
Functional regions
• One central place and the
surrounding areas affected by that
place through transportation, wants
and needs, etc.
Perceptual regions
• Reflect how people think or feel
about an area and are often
stereotypic and incorrect
• Do not have precise boarders
Globalization defined:
A term used to describe growing
interdependence of people around
the world with regard to societal
influence, economies, and cultural
exchanges.
The "shrinking" of the world and
the increased consciousness of the
world as a whole. It is a term used
to describe the changes in
societies and the world economy
that are the result of dramatically
increased cross-border trade,
investment, and cultural exchange
“The surface of the Earth is
the shore of the cosmic
ocean. From it we have
learned most of what we
know. Recently, we
Have waded a little out to
sea, enough to dampen our
toes or, at most, wet
our ankles. The water
seems inviting. The ocean
calls. So”
Dr. Carl Sagan
American Astronomer, Writer and
Scientist, 1934-1996
“Earth is our only suitable
habitat. Geography’s task is to
discover and capture its horizons in
order to understand how people live
and work and utilize resources. This
understanding is more urgently
required than ever for all students
because of new global realities ~the
interconnected, integrated, and
interdependent character of our
lives.”
From Geography for Life
“The earth is what we all have in common.”
~ Wendell Barry, American author
We do not inherit the earth from our
ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
~ Native American Proverb
A pneumonic device is a tool that helps us
remember things.
Get a 3x5 card and come up with your own pneumonic
devise for the 5 themes of geography. Make it creative and
school appropriate.
Movement
Human Environmental Interaction
Place
Location
Region
Example:
My Honey Plays Loud Rock