Unit 6: agriculture AP Human Geography

Geography of thanksgiving Directions: Taking what we’ve just discussed, I am going to break the class into pairs. With your partner, I will assign you a food item. You and your group will research and complete the activity assigned for your food item. Once, you’ve completed the research – you and your partner will create an ‘infographic’ presenting what you’ve learned about your food item.

Pre-test! How much do you already know? Take the next 10-15 minutes to answer the questions on your worksheet. This should be completed individually! When you are finished, please review your answers then quietly wait for everyone else to finish. We will go over as a class!

So what is agriculture? The textbooks define it as… The deliberate modification of Earth’s surface through cultivation (growing) of plants and rearing (raising) of animals to obtain sustenance or economic gain. Intentional planting of crops and raising of domesticated animals

Quaternary & Quinary Sector Economic activities Activities that involve the extraction of raw materials, the gathering of plants and animals, and the domestication of plants or animals. Primary Sector Activities add value to raw materials through some form of manufacturing, processing, or construction. Secondary Sector Service industries that connect producers to consumers and facilitate commerce and trade or help people meet their needs. Tertiary Sector Services concerned with information or the exchange of money/goods Services tied to research or higher education Quaternary & Quinary Sector Primary -- Must be close to resource Secondary -- Needs to be accessible to resources, source of energy, market and labor force.

Which is which?

Economic activities How does understanding economic activities in sectors help us gain insight into the stories of products?

The United States

Guatemala

Agriculture today Forces that have shaped agriculture: New technologies Political concerns about food security and self-sufficiency Changing opportunities for investment and employment Double-cropping and triple-cropping Environmental Impacts: Soil erosion Desertification and deforestation Soil and water pollution Elimination of some plant and animal species. Agriculture has been transformed into a globally integrated system. Developed from – and largely displaced – older agricultural practices, including subsistence agriculture and pastoralism.

Agriculture tomorrow The expansion of farmland for food production will be slower than in the past. Globally, deforestation will probably continue to slow down. At a global level there is enough water available, but some regions will face serious water shortages. Modern biotechnology offers promises as a means to improving food security. The world population will be increasingly well-fed by 2030.

Think about it! Which of the facts from the worksheet would be the most useful in the study of agriculture? Give at least three reasons for your answer. Be sure to explain the reasons for your answer.